Hey guys! Gravity Falls time! I'm obseswith what makes the Pines tick. I'm no psychologist but I know a couple things about depression and anxiety. Which will definitely be touched on in this fic. Anyway I hope you enjoy!

Gravity Falls belongs to Disney and Grunkle Stan/Soos (Alex Hirsch)

Mabel missed Gravity Falls, she missed Grunkle Stan and Great-Uncle Ford, she missed Soos and Wendy, she missed Candy and Grenda, heck she even missed Pacifica. Mom and Dad thought the twins should stay in Piedmont for the following summer, but all they really wanted to do was go back. The adventures they could have had, the family bonding experiences they could have had in or out of jail! How could their parents not understand that?

High school was far more boring then she thought, and even with her braces now out she still couldn't land a boyfriend, or make any friends. She fell back into a habit she stopped during the summer they spent in Gravity Falls. Cutting. Faint white lines traced up her arms, some were even slightly pink, some even kind of a light purple. The fresh ones were covered, her first aid skills from taking care of Dipper's injuries for so long helped her take care of her's.

Even with the end of school on the horizon and all their things packed for the summer already, she still hadn't stopped. Exams were stressful and Dipper was still too busy with his studies. She cut a little too deep and she hissed. She wasn't trying to do anything that stupid, she just wanted to feel something other than the gaping loneliness in her heart. Dipper spent less time with her, buried in books, with no one else to distract her she became lonely and sad. Sure Waddles helped, but that was at home when he wasn't sleeping. Even her parents had work and had less time to talk to her about school, about her sweaters. She shook her head, she had to stem the bleeding and wrap up the wound. At least she still sported her knit sweaters, at least then Dipper and her folks wouldn't notice.

"How much of this stuff do you even need?" her twin's voice was filled with annoyance and confusion. "I know we're teens now, but you aren't having crazy acne like I am!" he waved at the large angry pimples on his face. A small bottle of concealer in his other hand. She had packed a lot, if she was going to be covering her arms all summer she would need every little jar of it.

Her laugh bubbled out, the pain in her forearm pushed back, "I told you I could help you with that Dip Dop." She pushed her finger against his nose, "Boop!" His skin was slightly oily, his sweating problem seemed to have only gotten slightly worse.

"Ugh," he flopped onto the floor of their shared room. The thump his head made caused her to wince.

"That's not where you sleep silly. Besides in three days we'll be back with our Grunkles! It'll be great! I'm sure Grunkles Ford will help with any and all of your sciencey questions!" her voice still sounded so bubbly, the kind of voice that sometimes made Dipper run his hand over his face.

"Yeah you're right. I hope it's at least a week before we go back to county jail for forgery," he laughed before crawling into his bed. His voice came out more relaxed, "Night Mabel."

She turned the lights off before crawling into her own bed, "Night Dipper."

The bus ride was just as long and boring as the first time. Only because Dipper was too absorbed in his own journal, the silver pine tree gleaming when the light hit it. He started up his own when they threw Ford's journals into the bottomless pit. His journal was blue with silver accents. She took to napping on the bus, Waddles curled against her side. Her arm itched but she couldn't touch it, if she scratched it could reopen and get infected. That'd be hard to explain to Dipper and Ford, but Stan would understand. He was the only one who understood.

She remembered the third day of their first visit to Gravity Falls, she was tired and warm. Dipper had already gone to bed so she felt it safe to take her sweater off. As she walked to the kitchen she ran into Grunkle Stan, who eyed her arms briefly. "Follow me kid." Her heart sank, she was going to get in trouble and everyone was going to find out about what she had been doing. Her Grunkle rummaged through some things in the bathroom before he let out a pleased grunt and handed her a small container. "Use this, it covers everything up nicely," she took it and stared at him wide-eyed, unsure. He huffed before turning on the faucet and scrubbing at his arms furiously, he turned to her and crouched down, a small grunt and wince indicating his knees were not happy with this. Holding out one of his arms out to her face up her eyes widened, faint lines traced up his arms similar to hers. Some were so faint she could barely see them. Small fingers traced them gently, "I won't tell anyone kid. I just want you to be able to go around without people staring at you if you ever have to take off your sweater." His voice was gruff, but the tone that carried through the gravel was caring and understanding.

Tears stung her eyes and she hugged him tightly around his neck, "Thank you, thank you so much Grunkle Stan!" Gruff laughter and a large hand ruffling her hair fondly signaled the end of that memory.

The bus pulled to a stop and they gathered their things and got off the bus. Only Grunkle Ford was there to greet them, his smile was warm, and she giggled at his still cracked len in his glasses. "Did you enjoy the trip kids?" his arms were folded behind his back, he still wore the turtleneck sweater and trench coat, despite the humid Oregon weather.

"I was dieing of boredom," she flopped against the older man, he chuckled at her antics, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"Sorry Mabel, I was busy," Dipper scratched the back of his neck. He looked at the ground and kicked a rock seeming kind of glum.

"That's okay bro-bro, let's get to the Shack!" her smaller hand pulled on a six fingered hand grabbing her suitcase in the other hand.

As they walked to the Shack Ford was explaining that he and Stan were living back at the Shack; Melody, Soos and Abuelita had moved into their own place. Soos was still running the Shack when the twins were out, but Stan took over as Mr. Mystery when he was home.

The day was spent catching up with their Grunkles. Stan was excited to tell them about the time he punched a Kraken in the face. Ford was excited to hear about the kids school stories. Dipper was excited to show the Grunkles his new journal. She was just excited to talk to her family and spend time with them. As the day turned to night Dipper yawned. The two older men looked at each other and smiled, before looking at the younger twins suggesting they turn in for the night. Mabel and Dipper nodded before gathering themselves up and heading up into the familiar attic.

Mabel waited until she could hear the soft, even sound of her brother's breathing before she got out of bed. The dressing on her arm needed to be changed and she wanted a shower. Softly she moved through the house, pulling her sweater off slightly before opening the door to the bathroom. The site that greeted her eyes was something she would never have imagined. Ford was sitting on the closed lid of the toilet shirtless, bent over trying to clip his toenails. That wasn't what made the whole thing unimaginable, no, what did was the state of his body. The criss-cross of scars, the deep gouges, the chunks of his body that just seemed to no longer exist. "Close the door Mabel," his voice commanded her compliance even if it was softer than his normal commanding tone.

Wiggling an arm free of her sweater she closed the door behind her with a sigh. Panic sank in when his hand closed around her wrist, it was tight, not quite bruising, but if she struggled it would bruise beautifully. She whimpered as she was turned towards him, his eyes hard, brows furrowed as he looked over her arms. His lenses gleamed when his gaze shifted, covering the look in his eyes. Slowly the dressing on her forearm was removed and she hissed slightly as part of the scab went with it. "This isn't even a week old," his voice was quiet and dark. She tugged on her wrist slightly and his grip tightened, she winced. "Mabel..." his voice trailed off and she slumped in his grip.

"I-" her eyes darted up, "I did this." His jaw was a hard line, even the muscles in his shoulders were tense.

She could almost hear his teeth grinding, "I know."

"No one knows about this okay? Well..." her eyes slid to the side, if she told Ford that Stan knew he would get mad at Stan. They were getting along now too. A painful shift in his grip brought her back, "Ah! Grunkle Stan knows! He told me which concealers work best to cover it up." Her free hand flew to her mouth, she threw her Grunkle under the bus. The bones in her wrist ground together painfully, but all she did was bite her bottom lip. The movement cause the wound to weep slightly, a small trail of blood making its way out of the small holes in the scab. If he shifted the skin much more the whole scab might burst open.

"Stanley..." his voice was low, it made her shiver. She looked up at him again, behind the lenses of his glasses emotions swirled in his deep brown eyes. Without thinking about it, her hand reached out and touched a large scar running over his shoulder. The skin was rough and uneven under her fingers, but it made her shudder to think what had caused it. It was like electricity ran from her to him because he jolted at her soft touch. The grip on her wrist was released and he pulled her in for a hug. "You can always talk to us," his breath made her hair shift and she giggled turning to look at him.

"Even about this?" fingers grazed across the silly tattoo on his neck. The silly star was smiling at her and she really did feel like an all-star if she knew about this and Dipper didn't.

Ford cleared his throat slightly, "I would rather not, but if it would help you to open up to me, I would gladly." He sounded nervous, but it was a better sound than the rage that oozed through his body and voice.

"Stan only wanted me to be able to take my sweater off whenever I wanted, he was looking out for me. We never talked about why-," she paused for a moment, did Stan tell Ford about his old habits? She wouldn't throw him under the bus again, "-I was doing it. I don't think he knows how to help others the right way so he helped the only way he knew how."

Ford nodded against her shoulder, "In time I would like to hear about why, but I won't push you. I don't like seeing you hurt."

Her smile was big and goofy, "I never do it when I'm here. I don't need to." His arms went ridged around her. "I'll tell you Grunkle Ford, but I really want to shower, and cover up my arm," the man pulled away from her before nodding. "Uhm Grunkle Ford?" he looked at her through the neck of his maroon sweater, she had to giggle he looked hilarious. "Thanks, I love you."

He smiled down at her, "Anytime at all Mabel. I love you too. I'll be in my study, when you're done why don't you let a doctor look at that huh?"

She giggled, "Okay Doctor Ford." She laughed at the way it sounded and the door shut behind him leaving her to do her own thing.

Well let's leave it there for now. Let me know what you think about it! R&R!