A/N: Hello! Thank you guys for your wonderful reviews! School is picking up, so bear with me. But for now, enjoy!
The next two weeks passed in a blur of misery. The kids were stuck in the hospital recovering while Stan and Ford came and went, planning a funeral and making arrangements for the kids to come live with them. Normally, no person in their right mind would give custody to a man who had a list of crimes as long as his arm, but thankfully, Ford had people in the government who still owed him a couple favors.
It was tough for the kids. They had their fair share of tears, but by Friday they'd achieved numbness. Mabel would sit there and gently stroke Waddles for hours on end, not really focusing on anything, not really saying anything. It scared the grunkles; their niece was not supposed to be that quiet.
Dipper, on the other hand, was more irritable than ever. He always seemed on edge and never entirely managed to rest. He would sketch and scribble furiously in his journal and the only person that seemed able to really calm him down was Mabel.
Needless to say, there was a gaping hole in their chests and their uncles could only do so much to fill it.
Eventually though, the kids were released from the hospital the day before the funeral. Stan and Ford had spent many long hours contacting family and friends and trying to figure out which ones might know either of them.
"Do you kids want to pick up your stuff from your house before or after the service?" Ford asked as they left the hospital. Dipper clung to his arm as he tried not to limp while Stan carried a very tired Mabel, followed by a very loyal, unharmed pig.
"Before," they answered. They wanted to leave this nightmare behind as soon as possible. This way, they could leave immediately after the service.
Ten minutes later, they completed the drive that had started this whole disaster.
The Pines household was a modest, two story addition with a nice porch and two car garage.
Dipper and Mabel clutched each other's hands as they climbed the steps to the front door and entered their house for probably the last time.
Stan and Ford followed behind them, ready to carry out whatever things they decided to bring with them. They flung their clothes dispassionately into some waiting boxes. Dipper stared at his books, figuring out whether he could bring them or not, when Ford simply got down on the floor and started boxing them up.
"This is one of my favorites," he commented.
"Yeah?"
He and Dipper talked their way through the books while Stan helped Mabel with her craft stuff.
"Geez kid, how much yarn do you have?"
Mabel shrugged. "A lot, I guess." She pulled out her box filled to the brim with skeins of yarn, looms, needles, and books. From under her bed she pulled a crate of paint, markers, sketch books, and glitter.
"Here, let's see if we can get all this in one box. Tell me about this thing," Stan said as he tried to draw his niece out of her shell.
The grunkles actually succeeded for the most part and the gloom surrounding them seemed to dissipate some.
When they had finished in their and their parents rooms, they went downstairs.
"What do we need anyway?" Dipper wondered.
"Movies?" Mabel replied, heading to the entertainment center. "And the-"
"Photo albums," Dipper finished, seeing the thick, leather bound books.
It was an unwelcome reminder of exactly what they had lost. Dipper scowled and started piling them in a box while Mabel sniffles and moved around the living room, grabbing various odds and ends.
"We're done," Dipper eventually announced and Mabel nodded. Their grunkles helped them carry the boxes back out to the Red Diablo and let the kids have a moment alone to say good-bye to their home.
The funeral went off without a hitch. The sun was shining bright and almost felt like it was mocking the sad occasion. Before the twins knew it, they were back in the car and on their way back to Gravity Falls.
It was a small mercy that they slept nearly the entire way there. Heaven knew they needed it. Stan or Ford would look back occasionally to check on them, but let them sleep. Mabel slowly came to about ten miles from the town border. Her stirring woke Dipper and they both sat up, blearily rubbing at their eyes and wishing that this wasn't the reality they were waking up to. They stared out the window and watched the Welcome to Gravity Falls sign fly by.
"Is it bad that I'm kind of glad we're back?" Mabel whispered.
"Me too," Dipper murmured and placed his hand over her's.
Their friends who they had said good bye to not even three weeks ago were waiting at the shack as they pulled up. Soos was obviously holding back tears and Melody was there too, gently holding his shoulder. Grenda and Candy were there, looking sad and holding some sort of brightly wrapped gifts. And, of course, Wendy. She was the first one to greet them as they hopped out of the car. She knelt down, not even bothering about the dirt, and wrapped the two of them in a bone crushing hug. It felt so good, so cathartic, that the twins couldn't help but return it.
"Hey," she said, pulling away, but keeping a firm hand on each shoulder. "I know what you're going through and I'm here to talk if you want to. You guys will get through this. I promise." Then she hugged them again.
"Thanks Wendy," Mabel murmured. Dipper didn't say anything, but hugged her a little bit harder.
Wendy finally let them go and Soos and the girls immediately filled the gap. Soos was crying outright now and everyone else wasn't far behind. Knowing that their friends and family were there for them... it made the hole inside seem a little bit smaller. Maybe... they would get through this.
"Alright, alright," Stan finally said. "How about we head inside."
"Abuelita's making dinner," Soos announced. "Let me see if it's ready." He ducked inside, followed by Melody. Ford had started unloading boxes from the car.
"I'll start taking these inside," he said.
"Let me help," Stan replied and picked up a box of his own. "You gremlins comin'?" The twins exchanged a glance.
"Can we stay outside for a minute?" Mabel asked. Stan's eyes softened.
" 'Course sweetie. We'll holler when dinner is ready." He and Ford headed inside, leaving Dipper and Mabel with Candy, Grenda, and Wendy.
"These are for you," Candy said, handing each of them a package.
"Girls, you shouldn't have!" Mabel said. They sat down on the edge of the porch while their friends gathered round to see them open it.
"Oh wow," Dipper murmured as Mabel squealed in response.
"I love it!" She held up a bright pink blanket, made from different starry and cartoony patterns. "Thank you girls!" And she grabbed them in a big hug. Dipper was examining his own blanket, made of the same patterns, but in blue.
"This is awesome. Thanks guys."
"Of course!" Grenda yelled.
"It was the least we could do."
"Like we said, we're here for you dudes."
"Thanks guys."
Soos stuck his head out the door. "Dinner's ready! Abuelita made tamales!"
"Be right in!" Mabel said. "You guys go on ahead," she told the girls. "We'll be in in a minute."
Understanding, Candy, Grenda, and Wendy left the two of them sitting side by side on the porch. A soft breeze was blowing, rustling the pines and bringing the subtle scent of the changing season. The sun was just dipping below the horizon, casting a golden light on everything while at the same time, lengthening the shadows around them. Mabel took a deep breath and let it out as she laid her head on Dipper's shoulder. He put his arm around her, knowing that there wasn't much to say. When they had said they were heading into the unknown, this isn't what they had meant. But the universe often had different ideas and, for better or for worse, they were here now.
"We'll be okay," Mabel said. Dipper nodded, trying to believe it.
"We've got each other."
A/N: Reviews make the world go round~