Mabel ran toward a limp form laying in the snow. She looked desperately for the rise and fall of his chest to signal that he was still alive, but he was still. Too still. Mabel screamed and flung herself next to the limp form of her brother. She shook him desperately. He's just sleeping. He'll wake up. He has to wake up!

"Dipper!" she screamed, "Dipper wake up! Please wake up!" Tears were streaming down her face as she hunched over the lifeless body of her brother. Gathering him into her arms, she flung her head back and wailed her sorrow to the heavens.

"How could you! Please give Dipper back to me! I'll do anything!" Her words trailed into a scream of pure sorrow and regret. The snow grew heavier and fiercer, as if to match her sorrow. She screamed for as long as she could before she tilted her head back to her brother's corpse.

"Please," she said, not sure who she was talking to. "I'll do anything. Give anything. Just save him." Her voice trailed off into silence, as silent as the deadly snow that swirled around the twins. Her eyes slowly closed.

When she reopened her eyes, the world was bathed in shades of grey. Mabel knew what that meant.

"Come out Bill," she screamed. "I want to make a deal!" Almost immediately, the glowing yellow triangle appeared in front of Mabel.
"Yes, Shooting Star," he answered, "I'm afraid I didn't hear you." Tears were flowing freely down Mabel's face now as she barely withheld himself from screaming at Bill.

"I said I want to make a deal!" she screamed at him.

"Yeesh Shooting Star calm down. I can hear, you know." Mabel looked shocked at this statement.

"You expect me to calm down when my brother is de-" Her voice dropped on the last word, unable to say it.

"What Shooting Star?" Bill taunted, "that your brother is dead?" Mabel screamed, a sound of pure rage and sorrow. She flew at him, trying to punch him. Bill rolled his eye and twirled his finger. Mabel was teleported back to Dipper's body.

"So Shooting Star, what do you want?" Bill asked. He know what she wanted, but he wanted to hear her say it.

"Isn't is obvious! I want my brother back! I want my twin back." Mabel's voice trailed away into silence, her tears returning in full force. "Please," she whispered, "I just want him back."

"What would you give to get Pine Tree back, Shooting Star?" Bill asked. He had heard her earlier, but wanted to know what she was willing to offer.

"Anything you want Bill!" Mabel screamed. "Just save him!" She clutched Dipper's body in her arms and pulled him to her chest. Her tears flowed from her face to his.

"Even," Bill began, "your own life?" Mabel seemed not to hear him, but after a few moments he heard her voice speaking quietly. "I said anything Bill. So yes, I will give my life if you'll save him. Please Bill." Internally, Bill smirked. It was so easy to convince her. Bill held out his hand and blue flames erupted around it.

"So what do you think Shooting Star? Your life for his?" Mabel looked up and Bill used his magic to float her up to she could look him in the eye. With no hesitation, she thrust her hand into his.

"It's a deal!" Mabel cried. The flames spread over her body and seemed to yank something that glowed a soft pink from her chest. Bill took this in his hand and tucked it away.

"Thank you for that, Shooting Star," Bill said, "you have two minutes to live before your life force extinguishes. Pleasure doing business with you." With that, Mabel fell to the ground and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, Bill was gone and the world was back to being in color. The snow was still whirling around her and her twin, but it seemed less deadly and more gentle. Besides her, Dipper gasped and sat bolt upright. Mabel had heard many beautiful things, but at that moment, the sound of Dipper's breath was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard. Mabel was gasping for breath, but she accepted it. She was dying. She was dying to save her brother. Her twin. Dipper looked over to her and panicked when he saw her gasping for breath. He flung himself toward her.

"Mabel!" he cried out, "are you okay? What's wrong!" Mabel smiled weakly and reached up a hand to touch his face.

"I-I'm fine Dipper," she said slowly, struggling to get the words out.

"You're not fine!" he said, panicking, "you're acting like you're dying." As soon as he said the words, his face went white. "You're dying, aren't you Mabel." Dipper's voice was full of horror and sadness and anger. Even though it wasn't a question, Mabel nodded.

"Why Mabel! Why!" Dipper screamed at her.

"F-for you," Mabel said slowly, "d-deal with B-Bill. My l-life for yours." Dipper's whole body shook as he took in what she meant.

"Mabel," he said slowly, "you saved me. With your own life." Tears began flowing down his face, landing on Mabel and mixing with her tears. He hugged her tight, as though his hold alone could keep her with him.

"D-don't be s-sad Dipper," Mabel stammered out. She could feel her life ebbing away, but she had to tell him this. "Don't be sad," she repeated, more certain this time. "Live your life. Live it for you. Live it for me. Live the life I never will." She gave him a sad smile. "I-I love you Dipper."

"I promise Mabel!" Dipper cried. "I promise!" He flung his head back to the sky, tears streaming down his face. "I promise!" he screamed to the sky. "I promise." he said slowly, his voice trailing into silence. "I love you too Mabel." The last thing Mabel saw was her brothers face, marked with tears. "Don't forget me Dipper," Mabel managed before falling limply. The last thing she heard was her twin saying, "Never Mabel. I will never forget you." His words were marked by sobs. Slowly, Mabel's world went black. Dipper stroked her face as he listened to her heart. Once a steady beautiful rhythm, it now stuttered and slowed. And then it stopped.

Five Years Later

A boy knelt, hunched over a stone tombstone under a pine tree. Tears flowed down his face and landed on the stone, decorating it like tiny pearls. On the tombstone it read

Mabel Pines

1999 - 2012

May the earth take her bones and heaven take her soul

Memories flowed through the boy's head as he clutched a white rose in his hand. Roses had always been Mabel's favorite. The boy clutched the rose tighter, not seeming to notice when the thorns drew blood. Rain slowly began to fall, mixing with the tears on the boy's face. He slowly laid the rose at the foot of the grave. If he had been looking up at that moment, he would have seen the pine tree she was buried under straining and stretching, as if to touch the sky, where a million shooting stars were dancing gracefully among the heavens.