Bonjour, mes chers! First of all, before you begin to think something has failed spectacularly, yes, all of the chapters have been taken down. I gave warning a few days ago that this would be happening because this story is being re-written! Yes, yes, I know. "Oh, no," you scream, "She's doing another rewrite!" I would beg for your apology, but this version is going to end up being better anyway.

As you know, I have a Pat(e)on under mjanderson and the outcome of the poll I posted was that this story is the first to be re-written! Consider pledging five dollars a month and you can vote on polls on what stories should be updated that week, which stories should be re-written, and get links to the old versions!

Yes, that's right, I have the entirety of the old version of this story saved! If you pledge as little as a dollar a month to me then you can get access to the link and read the old story anytime you want - although I do ask that you don't re-post it or share it with others.

With all of that out of the way, I sincerely hope you enjoy this story! For updates and new things make sure you visit my tumblr at ibelieveinahappilyeverafter. I also have a tag for Toby on there in case you forget what he looks like!

Enjoy and happy days!

Chapter One

::

How appropriate.

Of course it would only be raining like this after everything had gone so wrong. How had it all fallen apart so quickly?

That was the only clear thing on Dipper's mind as he stumbled through the woods of Gravity Falls, soaking wet and breath coming out as steam in the muggy afternoon heat. Clouds had been threatening to break for days now before the storm had finally hit and the rising humidity had him feeling as if he was trying to breathe underwater as he ran.

It was only the determination that he was working on limited time that had the fourteen-year-old running far past his limits, lungs burning and legs shaking the further and further he got. Tripping over a rotting log covered and hidden by the undergrowth, Dipper bit back a yell as he hit the ground in all the wrong ways.

Panting and sucking in the heated air, Dipper rolled over and hesitantly pushed himself up, careful of anything that could be sprained or broken. His attention lapsed when he felt a wave of cold utterly drench him. For a split second, it was as if he had been dunked into a lake in the middle of winter.

Slowly, so slowly, Dipper dragged his gaze upwards. This time he knew what caused the shudder that wracked his frame. He should be afraid, he realized. He should be terrified. What lay in front of him should be making him sob and beg for mercy and wish to do anything to please the almighty creature that stood above him - always above him there would always be such a great difference and-

No. No. Not anymore. Dipper was no longer the lost child who hid behind journals and never thought for himself. Not anymore. Pushing himself to his feet, Dipper sucked in a harsh breath and met the gaze of the stone statue that lay buried beneath moss and grass. It was as if the forest itself was trying to hide his presence and keep others from making the mistake Dipper was about to.

"Bill Cipher." It felt as if this part of the woods lay forgotten and buried in a place where time shouldn't exist. It was a miracle that Dipper had found it himself, but now… He didn't have any other choice, now. Hands shaking, Dipper clenched them into fists before taking a step forward. Just one more time. Just… "Hey, Bill." One last time.

As he moved forwards, the very air trembled and shook- Of course it did, though. How could it not? Even reality itself was forced to bend in this spot. The world wasn't meant to contain magic this powerful, after all. Another step forward towards the answer.

Another step towards damnation.

"Hey, Bill."

Strong. Stay strong. This was for his family. This was for the shack and his Grunkles and Mabel and-

"I have something I think you're going to like."

There was no going back, now. There couldn't be.

"Something that might make up for trapping you here."

Dipper would do anything for his family.

"I want to make a deal."

Anything.

"How does my soul sound as the price?"

"Long time no see, Pine Tree."

Body jerking as he woke up, Dipper pushed himself to sit up quickly, looking around with wide eyes and slowly calming down at seeing he was in his air-conditioned room in Portland. There was no massive forest outside his window with mysterious creatures and secrets and there was no stone statue with a gleaming eye- Wait.

Noticing the weight in his lap, Dipper looked down to see a small ten-year-old that had been knocked on his back at Dipper's movement, the boy's eyes as wide and startled as his own. "Heh, good morning, Daddy."

"Good morning, Toby." Trying not to laugh, Dipper let himself smile instead. It was hard to feel afraid with an embarrassed child in his lap. "Is there a reason you're in my lap?"

"Aunt Mabel said it was time to get up." Bouncing back, as was his nature, Toby was scrambling to properly sit in Dipper's lap, leaning against his chest with a happy smile. "She said if I woke you up before ten then I'd get extra waffles."

"Really now? I guess that's worth waking me up for." Ugh, before ten. Mabel was utterly barbaric. "I see you're already dressed. Did you bully Mabel into fixing your jacket again?"

"It's my favorite!" Toby clutched the golden jacket closer to him, pouting dramatically. It was ridiculous how the thing was still sizes too big on him even a year after Dipper had gotten it for him. "I also got Aunt Mabel to give me more shirts."

"Nicely done." Indeed, Toby was wearing an obviously new shirt that was the same soft shade of blue he preferred, this one having dozens of buttons and a collar that reminded him of a turtleneck that was ridiculous. Then again, Dipper was often told he didn't understand 'fashion'. "Why don't you go get those waffles of yours and I'll meet you downstairs after I get dressed myself. We'll make sure you packed everything you need."

Grinning brightly, Toby hugged Dipper tightly before near falling off the bed as he scrambled for the stairs. Laughing at hearing a small thump immediately followed by a shout of reassurance, Dipper finally got up himself. He had never seen himself as the type to have a kid or be a parent but God if Toby wasn't the best thing in his life right now.

"Darn it! I owe him extra waffles!" Rolling his eyes at Mabel's dramatic huff, Dipper gathered a few clothes up before Mabel could pick his outfit - again. "You had better not be wearing more plaid! Wendy's bad enough!"

"Hey, you know how big of an influence she was on me." Keeping the bathroom door cracked so he could still hear, Dipper turned the shower on, making it as cold as he dared. That dream… It felt real enough that he could almost still feel the hot air swirling in his lungs and the rainwater that clung to his skin and clothes. "I already packed so it's no use trying to sneak more clothing in."

"Oh, no, you've seen through my nefarious scheme." There was a dull thud of something hitting the floor that made Dipper suspect she was actually rooting around in his luggage anyways. "You know, Toby managed to wake you up suspiciously fast considering how weak he is to you. Are you sure there's nothing else that made you wake up, bro bro?"

"Twin telepathy is cheating." Leaning against the sink counter, Dipper sighed and rubbed at his eyes. "It was just a nightmare, Mabel."

"Nothing is ever just a nightmare with us, Dipper." There was a light tap-tap-tap to the door, Mabel's voice closer and quieter. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." The last thing Dipper ever wanted to do was talk about him. "It wasn't a nightmare so much as a memory, I guess." One he wished he could forget even now.

"It was about him again, wasn't it?" The lack of response must have been answer enough for her. "Right. Make sure you shower quick! It might not be a long drive up anymore but it's still best to get out on the road early! It's summer, after all. The roads are going to be packed!"

"If I were you, I'd be more worried about the kid who's probably eating every waffle in sight." Dipper had absolutely no doubt that Toby was drowning them all in syrup, too. Possibly some sprinkles, if Mabel had left them out. "You need to stop spoiling him."

"I'll stop as soon as you do." ...Low blow. "You know, when I said you should adopt so you wouldn't be lonely, I was thinking maybe something like a cat, or a dog, or a nice pig!"

"And make Waddles jealous?" At the annoyed huff, Dipper couldn't stop his laugh. "C'mon, you can't tell me that you don't love Toby just as much as I do."

"Yeah, well… He is pretty great. He must get it all from me instead of his boring dad." There was another, single tap to the door, Dipper giving a small smile and moving to tap the door twice. "You better be dressed and packed by the time I come back!"

"I already was packed." There was a suspicious silence, Dipper rolling his eyes. He wasn't even surprised. "Go check on Toby before he eats too much, please."

"Yes! Fun Aunt to the rescue!"

"You're the only aunt!"

Shaking his head, Dipper started shedding his clothes before catching sight of the fogged up mirror. It wasn't too bad, since he had the water coming out cold, but it was still enough to glaze it over. Moving forward, Dipper absently drew his finger across the glass as he thought back to his nightmare.

It was pathetic. He was pathetic. Here he was twenty-four and he was still having nightmares of what had happened ten years ago. He had been through so much and yet this one thing was the one he could never get over. Absolutely pathetic.

Staring back at the roughly drawn eye in front of him, Dipper frowned and drew a large X through the drawing before taking a step back. God, of all the times for this nightmare to come back… Well, there was nothing else for it, was there? They were all packed, the arrangements had been made, and everyone was already there.

It was time to go back to Gravity Falls.