"...Miss Northwest...please...wake...up!"

A faint, feminine voice echoes pass Pacifica's ears, finding herself drifting within a dreamless sleep. She feels a light hit her face, groaning softly to herself as she does not want to wake up.

"Hey, wake up Paz! Your maid is getting pretty flustered over here... Though it is pretty hilarious, you should totally see it!"

Wait, that voice...!

Pacifica forcefully opens her eyes, finding herself on her back, staring up at the face of a maid. She is laying in an awkward position, like she was so exhausted last night she didn't even bother to get into bed properly. She stares up at the maid, who is giving her a worried look.

"Miss Northwest, you need to get up this instant," the maid says, backing away to give Pacifica space. "You're very late for breakfast and your father is furious."

"Oh...okay."

Pacifica sits up, feeling a tad dizzy like she has yet to fully wake up. She looks down on the floor, seeing that the candles she had used last night are nowhere in sight. The window is also closed, though she cannot remember if she did that or not. How did it...how did her room go back to normal? And is the journal...?

"I shall leave it to you to get dress, Miss Northwest," the maid says, interrupting Pacifica's thoughts. "I suggest that as soon as you are dressed, make your way to the dining room where your father is waiting."

With that said, she leaves the room, leaving Pacifica all alone.

Once the door closes, Pacifica quickly looks down her bedside, seeing the very corner of the journal sticking out from underneath her bed. She pulls it up, and as she looks further in, she can see the candles as well.

Did...Bill do this? Did he return from his midnight stroll, or whatever he was doing? And did she...hear his voice only a few moments ago? Pacifica can feel her face pale at the thought of the bipolar 'demon' wandering around the mansion, where he can run into any of the servants, or worse, her father.

"Crap..."

Placing the journal back underneath her bed, Pacifica quickly changes from her pajamas to a fresh pair of clothes. Not even caring that her bright orange top and pink shorts didn't match, she dashes out of her room. Speed-walking her way through, it does not take her long to go from the second floor to the dining room all the way on the far end of the first floor. She goes inside the room, where sitting at the far end of the table all alone, is her father, drinking a cup of coffee as he reads the Gravity Falls Newspaper. He hasn't seen her, which admittedly upsets Pacifica, as she slowly walks up to him.

"...Daddy..."

He glances over the paper.

"Pacifica."

Their eyes meet, where not a single emotion could be seen in Preston Northwest's dark brown gaze. Pacifica takes a deep breath of air, trying to keep her vision clear of tears. She sits next to her father, where he sets the newspaper to the side and clears his throat.

"Your behavior is getting out of control, Pacifica. Do you have any idea what kind of image you give the Northwest family name if you continue to run away at everything that upsets you? The Northwests have been the most influential family since the founding of Gravity Falls, the main bloodline that is able to bring economic progress to this small town that would have been a ghost town years ago!"

He continues to rant and lecture the importance of their family, image, and how one little action could have major consequences to everything they stand for. The proud Northwest family, the ones who founded the town of Gravity Falls and must continue to lead it even centuries later.

"...There is nothing wrong with me getting out once and awhile," Pacifica argues, clutching her fists tightly underneath the table. "I'm not doing anything wrong by going into the woods or just going to the mall to shop or anything! I can't see why I can't be like everyone else without drawing attention to myself!"

"You can still be like be like everyone else," her father quickly counters. "I allow you to go to public school, don't I?"

"That's only because there isn't any other choice! And taking me to school in a limo doesn't count either!"

She stands up, frustration building within her as she glares at her father.

"Don't you see that shouting to the world I'm rich isn't making my life any better?!" Pacifica cries. "Every time I go out, I can hear the other girls' jealousy as they point out my top designer clothes! How my hair is always perfect, how I can have everything while most of them can't!"

Preston Northwest's nose wrinkled as he notices the choice of clothing that his daughter has chosen.

"Pacifica please change into something more presentable. If your mother was here to see this, she would have had a heart attack..."

Pacifica can feel her body shake at the somewhat horrified look on her father's face.

"If these girls are angry at you for having better privilege, that is something you cannot help," he continues. "I'm sure if you try to make friends with some of these girls, they would treat you better and see that you are willing to share with them. You did that with your friends in elementary school and everything was fine."

"'Fine?!'"

Tears begin to fall down Pacifica's cheeks.

"Daddy, they were only friends with me because I was rich! Even as a kid, it didn't take me long to realize they were only interested in me because I could give them stuff!"

Her voice cracks.

"And even when I did have 'friends,' you and mom would only let a few of them even come here when I invited them! Thanks for the help of making me even more of bitch!"

Her father's eyes grow wide. "Watch your language!"

"Well, it is true!" Pacifica roars. "I have to be in order to protect myself from everyone and everything! Nobody cares about Pacifica, only Miss Northwest! I..."

She cuts herself off, her tearful blue eyes growing wide. Behind her father, she can see a triangular shadow on the wall, floating right next her father's silhouette.

Pacifica stands very still, desperately searching for the rest of Bill Cipher. But she cannot see him, only his shadow, which makes it harder to breathe.

"...Pacifica?"

Preston Northwest turns around.

"What are you looking at? Is there a stain on the wall?"

Pacifica blinks. How...how can he not see the shadow?!

"...Pacifica, I think it is best if you should go to your room and get some extra sleep," her father finally says after a long silence. "But this conversation is not over. When your mother returns tomorrow, we will settle this."

He turns to face her.

"Until then, you are not allowed outside the mansion without my permission. If you sneak out again, I will give you a personal escort for the rest of the summer. Do you understand?"

"I-I..."

Her voice is shaking without control.

"...Yes, Daddy."

Turning her back on her father, Pacifica walks away with the little dignity that she has left. She wipes the tears from her eyes, keeping her gaze straight in front of her. She can see the servants all stare at her as she walks pass, including Wadsworth and the maid from before, all having either a curious or concerned look in their gazes. It's just like the girls from the street...the never ending pressure!

Slamming and locking her bedroom door behind her, Pacifica pounds the door hard with her fists. She balls up and sits against the door, trying to hold back her tears.

But alone like this, she can't hold anything back.

"Hey~ Why the long face? It could be worse."

Having the room around her blend to gray again, Pacifica looks up to see Bill floating before her.

"Your father is really worried about you," he says sincerely. "It was written all over his face when you stormed out. Not to mention the look of panic when he turned to 'face' me."

Pacifica lets out a harsh laugh.

"Yeah. Right. He is just concerned about his daughter going crazy. Reputation over family, that's how it always is."

She narrows her eyes.

"How come my dad couldn't see your shadow? It was in plain sight, yet he acted like it wasn't there..."

"That is because he couldn't see it."

Having a black cane appear out of nowhere, Bill floats down to ground level, leaning forward against it.

"Being someone who can only interact with your dimension through the mindscape, I can't be seen by someone from the waking world," he explains. "My interactions are also very limited and lifting the simplest objects can be very hard. But there are exceptions!"

His expression turns cheerful.

"Being the one who summoned me, you can see my shadow in the waking world. Same thing goes for others who I've met in the mindscape, though I'm not completely sure why that is the case..."

His voice trails off, looking off towards the distance as he tries to recall the information that he has missed placed. Pacifica studies him, noticing that Bill is a lot calmer and more consistent than last night. Perhaps taking the time to have his mind settle in a brand new setting helped with his memory troubles?

"What is this 'mindscape' you keep mentioning?" Pacifica asks. "Is that where you are from?"

Bill turns to face her.

"...I don't think I'm from there, at least not at first. I think at one point I lived in Gravity Falls, but that was a long time ago. Because something happened, something that..."

His eye grows wide, like he is about to remember something important. Pacifica waits anxiously to hear what he has to say. But just like before, when he had freaked out about 'him,' whatever is trying to come back fades away.

"Wait...what was I saying again?"

Again, he is confused. Pacifica sighs.

"You really should get some help for that memory problem of yours."

She gets up and goes over to her bed to get out the journal. Bill watches her, coming to her side.

"What are you doing now?"

"I'm going to read over the journal," Pacifica answers, wiping away any remaining dust. "It's the only thing I can do while I'm stuck here."

She goes over to her desk and sits down, opening the book.

"Do you remember when you said last night?" she asks specifically. "About me going to see Gideon tonight?"

It takes a minute for Bill to answer, sorting through his memories.

"I think so... I mainly remember you being really freaked out over stuff I was saying. Though I forget what I was mostly talking about..."

Pacifica keeps her eyes on the journal.

"Well even if you don't remember, I will need you to come with me tonight to meet Gideon. He needs to see you if he is going to believe anything I say, especially when I warn him about the Pines Twins."

"...Oh yes, the Pines Twins!" Bill's expression brightens up. "Yes, you will need to warn him about them! They're as big as a threat to him as they are to you."

"Thought so. And I'll need his help if I'm going to fight them off."

Pacifica turns to face Bill.

"If you remember anything about the Pines Twins or anything that is important, you need to tell me right away before you forget," she advises. "Hopefully in the next few days I can get on my parents' good sides so I can sneak off more easily. Once I get my freedom back, maybe I can go searching for all these creatures and artifacts the journal talks about."

She takes out a notebook and a bright pink pen.

"With the 'Pines Twins' threat and new secrets to unlock, this is going to be the best summer ever! I just need to keep my focus on it and-"

"Whoa! Slow down, Paz!"

Going right through her, Bill places himself between her and the journal. Pacifica shivers as he does, a cold feeling going through her and making her stomach twist.

"Don't go all 'obsessive' on me!" Bill exclaims, waving his finger in the air. "It's cute that you are all curious and stuff, but don't get too involved or you'll end up hurting yourself."

Pacifica pushes her chair back, him being way too close for comfort, and crosses her arms.

"I'm not gonna get obsessed or anything like that. There is nothing to worry about."

She pauses for a second.

"And did you just call me 'Paz?'"

He nods.

"It's my new nickname for you. Like it?"

Pacifica narrows her eyes.

"No, not really."

"Well to bad~"

He laughs to himself while she rolls her eyes. Somehow, she has a feeling that arguing with a magical flying pyramid will be pointless.

"But I was being serious."

For the first time since they met, Pacifica can hear a level tone in Bill's voice.

"Bad things happen to people who get too close to the truth. You, and Gideon, could get hurt."

Like before, the look in his eye indicates that he is trying to remember something. Pacifica blinks, wondering why a supernatural creature who knew 'a lot of things' is having a hard time recalling them. Is it possible that Bill is preventing himself from recalling certain information? It sounds like he is, being very knowledgeable one moment and then confused the next few moments. There are so many questions, yet few answers she could get at this point.

Bill, this journal, heck, even the gnomes she encountered last year! They all lit the way for so many opportunities, ones that could change the course of her unlikable life and finally give her a purpose.

A small smile makes it way to Pacifica's lips.

"I'm willing to risk it," she finally replies. "And I'm not stupid. I know my limits and when to back off."

She keeps firm eye contact with Bill, hoping that she can somehow convince him that she is telling the truth. He studies her for a long moment, a look of doubt in his gaze. He lets out a heavy sigh.

"Well...at least you have Gideon to stop you when things go too far. You're gonna need it."

He flies away from the desk, allowing Pacifica access to the journal again.

"I'll see you tonight when it's time to set off. Bye for now!"

Pacifica's eyes grow wide.

"Wait, Bill!"

But it is too late, for he has already teleported away. Color once again returns to her room, Pacifica blinking her eyes a few times like she just came out of a trance. She lets out a sigh, hoping that he would stay out of trouble, and turns her attention back to studying the journal.

She has a lot of time to kill before night finally comes.