Big Guns

This stuff writes itself, people.

"Hey Diiiipeeeer…" Mabel entered the attic room she shared with her brother, disappointed to find the same she'd found the last three visits. Dipper was buried in three books, the wall in front of his desk covered in document a pictures with threads connecting them, decoder devices cluttering the desk, and his laptop spitting code at him for him to jot down.

"You're still working! You were still working last night, and this morning!"

"I've just got a few more codes to decipher, and then I just need to translate this text and…" Dipper got lost in his own drowsy reply.

Mabel knew Dipper hadn't been sleeping lately, going hard after some new mystery. She'd seen him lose himself before, but it's worse than it's ever been. He's been at it for like 3 days. 'I got some codes from one of my people in Massachusetts.' Since when did he talk like that? Like he's got a spy network or something. An email from their friend Norman shouldn't be this much work. But, as usual, Dipper went full force into his mystery hunting.

"Waddles, we have to do something." Mabel said, holding her aged animal companion in the air. The swine snorted in response.

"I don't even think that'll work." She replied to the pig.

Waddles oinked several times more.

Mabel sighed. "You're right, Waddles. I hate do resort to extreme measure, but it looks like we have no choice."

Pulling out her mobile phone, Mabel scrolled through her contacts. "It's time we bring in the big guns."

0000

Okay, now the codes in that letter were deciphered, they just had to be compared to the translated verses in the poem. After that, we run another decipher for differences in the wording and grammar…

Dipper had been studying codes non-stop since he got some old script about a cave in Massachusetts. He wanted to see if there were related documents about caves in Gravity Falls. So far he hasn't found any clues to suggest such a notion. But there was definitely something he was missing…

He heard the door to the attic open behind him but couldn't be bothered to turn. His sister would surely bombard him with concerns about 'you need sleep' and 'you can't survive off peanut butter and coffee' and 'have you at least been going to the bathroom?'

"Mabel, I'm fine. Just give me a little longer to find something."

Dipper was startled when a finely manicured hand slammed down on his desk. A hand that did not belong to Mabel.

"I stay in the city for a week and this is what happens?" Pacifica Northwest's tone was dry and humorless. Dipper gulped. Pacifica had taken some time to 'gather inspiration' in the city with some friends. Dipper would be lying if he said his girlfriend's leave hadn't had an adverse effect on him. Which is why didn't say anything about it at all.

He smiled, pretending not to know why she was here. "Hey, I'm glad you're back."

Pacifica's eyes narrowed. "When's the last time you slept?"

"Well-"

"Eaten?"

"I jus-"

Pacifica grabbed the edges of Dipper's chair and turned it towards her. She looked hard at her boyfriend, and Dipper could see anger in her eyes to be sure, but also something else. Something akin to fear, or maybe concern. Guilt washed over him, and he knew he couldn't lie to her. "I took a nap for like 2 hours last night. But other than that, not much sleep in three days."

"I know. Mabel told me. She also told me…" Pacifica lowered herself to the ground and lifted his pant leg, revealing a poorly bandaged wound on his leg. Pacifica gasped despite herself. "Got hurt. When did you plan on actually getting this looked at?"

"It's just a scratch. Now, if you'll excuse me, I-" Before Dipper could finish his sentence, Pacifica grabbed him by the arms and pulled him out of his chair, and into a tight embrace. Dipper's legs were wobbly, and the warmth of Pacifica's body against his coupled with her soothing scent reminded him just how long it had been since he slept.

"Here's what's gonna happen." Pacifica wanted to sound stern, but could keep the worry in her voice from showing. Thankfully her voice was slightly muffled by the fact that her face was buried in the crook of his neck.

"You're going to lie down on this bed." She pushed Dipper onto the bed. She then revealed what he recognized to be the downstairs first-aid kit. "I'm going to give this a proper treatment."

Pacifica unwrapped the sloppily applied bandages from Dipper's leg. He winced as she cleaned the wound, but relaxed while her deft hands expertly rewrapped the wound.

"And to make sure you stay here, and get the sleep you clearly need." Pacifica crawled onto the bed next to Dipper. "I'm going to stay here with you." She said, placing her arm over his chest and pulling closer to him.

It occurred to Dipper in that moment how tired he was. It occurred to him how consumed he was by his 'mystery seeking' the past few days. It occurred to him why. He placed an arm around her, under her head. "I missed you so much." He uttered absent mindedly before drifting off to sleep.

Pacifica blushed and felt her eyes grow moist. "Missed you too nerd boy." She said, beginning to feel drowsy herself.