Hello guys! Thanks for the fantastic reviews! Welcome to the fourth chapter! Now's when our mysteries start. As always, if I'm going off track, don't hesitate to give me a nudge! As always, read and review, and I don't own Gravity Falls.


"Mabel?"

"Mmh?"

Mabel absent-mindedly grunted in answer as she tapped away on her phone, a lock of chestnut hair between her lips. They had been all over Gravity Falls over the last hour, the ice cream parlour (Mabel had cheered up considerably with her face filled with Strawberry Delight ice Cream), strolled through the woods (remeniscing together) and had perused some of the tired shops that lined the small main street. Yet all the while, Mabel hadn't stopped checking her mobile phone, tapping away texts and noting the time. Dipper blinked, dejected, and waved a hand in front of his sister's furrowed brow.

"Mabel! When do you think we could, you know," Dipper waved his arms to punctuate his point "visit some people?"

Mabel snapped up at the sound, her face breaking into a large, straight and pearly white grin. The age-old expression Dipper recognised as pure enthusiasm, and the one she usually saved for special occasions. He looked at her, one eye narrowed in suspicion.

"Now!" She chirped, her hands balling into fists in enthusiasm.

"Now...?" Dipper questioned, backing slightly away. He knew that when his sister wore that expression, something unexpected was about to happen. What on earth had she planned? Shivering, he thought back to her previous "surprises". Like the time he came home on his 15th birthday to find his bedroom was full of balls of yarn. Or the day he had sampled her cooking for the first time. He didn't have long to think however, as the young woman had quickly grabbed his hand was half dragging, half leading him up the dirt path that led through the main street, past Mabel's home, and straight towards the building Dipper had been so wanting to go to.

"The Mystery Shack," He breathed in raggedly, taking in the nostalgic view before him. It hadn't changed a bit, the totem pole stood proud and high, the sign's "S" was lying forlornly on the ground, and odds and ends littered the grounds. Mabel grinned as they stepped up the stairs that led to the front door, pushed it open, and with an almighty shove, pushed a rather confused and bemused Dipper into the dusty foyer.

"SURPRISE!"

A huge choir of voices yelled over the young man, several pieces of confetti settled gently in his muddy hair, and he found himself being crushed-oh wait, hugged to near death by a strong pair of arms. He followed these arms to a large body, which attached to this large body, was a familiar face, tears streaking and an enormous grin pulling his cheeks.

"Soos... Y-You... You're crushing... meeeee," Dipper wheezed.

"Oh! Sorry dude!" The blubbering giant set the sienna haired man back down to earth, where he gratefully gasped in a large lungful of oxygen. "I just guess I missed you,"

"I missed you too, Soos! You never change, do you?"

"Never will, dude!"

Dipper grinned and pulled him into another embrace as he looked around the stuffed full room. A large banner hung from the ceiling, the "happy birthday" slogan crossed out in marker and written above it in the same marker, were the words "Welcome Dipper". Balloons rolled in abandon on the floor, streamers hung from brain jars to face rocks, and across his old Grunkle's card playing table was the most welcoming sight beside his friends and family; a collection of beers, soft drinks and snacks. The two old friends patted eachother on the back as he turned grinning to face the man of the hour himself.

"Grunkle Stan!" He held his hand out to recieve the sly old dog's handshake. "How are you doing?"

"Hi kid," He gruffed in response, a smile spreading across his wrinkled visage. Time had definately caught up with him in the past thirteen years. He seemed a little more stooped, his jowls more prominent and by the way he leant on his cane, Dipper guessed that he actually needed it now. However, his worries for his Grunkle's health were dissipated when the old man exclaimed the next sentence.

"You owe me twenty dollars for the beer, kid,"

"Grunkle Stan!" Mabel pushed in, carrying several bottles in her arms. "Take a beer and hold off on him, huh? Here you go Dipper," She turned to him, handing him a glass of dark liquid with several ice cubes. "My own concoction," She winked, and bit her lip in anticipation as her brother eyed the glass as though it might explode, and tentatively lifted it to his lips. The cool liquid mixed with the warming sensation it gave him as it went down, and gave him such a kick that it felt not unlike being roundhoused by a lemon wrapped around a large gold brick. He gasped, animatedly winced and smiled at his sister through tear-filled eyes.

"Good, huh?"

He squeaked in return, and lifted the glass again. Sure, his sister had no idea what to do with food; but with alcohol, she definitely knew her stuff. He smiled as he left the small group, and delighted in the amount of people who had turned up- even the police officers from the "murder" all those years ago had turned up. Over the summers as a teenager he had made more and more friends as his bravery increased, and he revelled in chatting and talking to all these lost friends. It was when he was conversing casually with a demure Candy when he felt the bump that hit him behind the knees.

"What was..."

He turned to look behind him to find the back of Grenda's poytailed head. He turned left and right in befuddlement, and he felt the small bump again. He looked down to find a pair of green eyes staring indignantly up at him, framed by a shock of copper-red curls.

"Well hi there! What's your name?"

His question was answered by a voice. A female voice, scratchy yet laid back, slightly older than last time voice.

"Wendy...?"

The redhead before him laughed and picked up the toddler with a heave, lumping him on her hip. She met his face with a toothy grin.

"Well, it'd be a bit strange to call this little monster Wendy! But hi there!"

"Hu-Hu-Hu..." He garbled in answer.

"Had a few too many already?" Wendy laughed that gorgeous laugh again. "How are you doing, Dipping Sauce?"

"Uh... Uh... What?"

"Hmm," Wendy looked around her as if listening to something, the toddler on her hip reaching with fat, tiny hands. "You're right. It's too noisy in here! Shall we go outside and catch up?"

"Uhmm...Ma?"


"Phew... it's a bit nicer out here, huh?"

Dipper nodded in return, breathing in the soft July air. He smiled shyly as he watched the slightly older woman settle next to him on the wooden porch, allowing the small child to wriggle out of her grasp and waddle across the grounds. A moment of silence crept between the two, the only sounds being the summer breeze that shook the coniferous forest around them, and the small boy that half ran/half stumbled around them with tiny panting breaths.

"So..." Dipper coughed, rubbing his arm with a nervous palm. "What's his name?"

"Charlie," Wendy smiled, wrapping her arms around her legs, her eyes watching her boy collecting small stones and leaves into a pile. "He's great huh? Eighteen months old already! Time just runs away, huh?"

"Takes after his mom," Dipper's mouth ran away with him, no thanks to the effects of Mabel's creation. He blushed and turned his face away to hide the red that crept up his cheeks. What a dork for saying that, he inwardly berated himself. However, to his surprise, he heard Wendy's laughter bubble beside him.

"Hey, thanks! He does, doesn't he," she winked. "Thank you, kiddo," She added as Charlie ran up, pressed a stone into her palm, and ran back to his small pile. Dipper swallowed.

"I-I hope you don't think me rude..." He enquired, fiddling with a spare thread on his shirt's collar. "but... where's his dad?"

A wave of peace seemed to overcome the young woman, and she leant back onto her hands, looking up at the night sky. The light from the shack behind them illuminated her soft rust-coloured hair, which swayed gently. Dipper turned to take a good look at the object of his childhood affections, studying her face with great intent. Her face had taken on an even more womanly air, but her freckles, faded with age, had remained dotted across the bridge of her nose. Tiny age lines were beginning at the corners of her eyes and mouth, giving her a slightly tired look. It was as if someone had turned a tap inside her, and her colour and spirit had been dripping out for what seemed like a long time. She had cut her once waist-long hair to her shoulders, but she seemed to have kept her taste for plaid shirts. It was a welcome reminder of the fifteen year old he had dreamt of and followed all those years ago.

"I'm sorry, I was rude! I shouldn't..."

"Hey, it's okay!" She pushed him playfully, snapping out of her trance. "He's history, ran off about two months before Charlie was born," She leant back, smiling gently to herself.

"Oh man... that's tough," Dipper wrung his hands, but inwardly celebrated learning of her single status.

"Yeah... but my little monster's worth it all!" At this, she scooped the toddler up her arms, squealing and squeaking in laughter as his mother blew raspberries on his exposed neck. The child struggled out of her arms and laughed as he plopped onto the dusty ground, chewing his fingers as he looked up at her with large, jade coloured eyes. Dipper smiled at the loving scene before him, looking up absent-mindedly into the forest as the two beside him tussled and giggled together. It was then that he saw it.

"Wait..." His eyes narrowed as he noticed a movement in the trees. A shadow blinked in and out around the pine trees, rustling the branches as it moved. A pair of bright tangerine eyes blinked along with it, and melted into the trees. As suddenly as it happened, the shadow was gone, and all was still again. Dipper blinked in confusion. Was it a trick of the light? A stray party-goer? The effects of the cocktails Mabel had made for him? He stared intently into the inky blackness, his heart thudding in his chest and shivers running up and down his spine like electricity.

Suddenly, he didn't feel safe, sitting on the porch with the small family that sat beside him. Whatever it was, he couldn't help but feel shook up. He didn't want...

"Dude?"

Dipper blinked and came back to earth with a "Huh?"

"Dude, what's the matter? You're kinda crushing my fingers!"

Dipper looked down and sure enough, in his thoughts he had grabbed Wendy's hand, her long calloused fingers strangely delicate in his own, now larger palm. A flush of red crept up his neck and, with a slight "Ack!" he dropped it as though she were made of hot coals. Wendy's nose wrinkled as she laughed, and punched him playfully in the shoulder. "You always were soft!" She poked a long pink tongue out at him, and he rubbed his hair bashfully. He looked back up at the dark trees and remembered the sight. All was quiet, still and normal.

"I don't know about you... but I'm getting cold," Wendy sighed as she stood. "And I think this one's getting tired,"

"Yeah... we should go... in the place... Where the noise and drink and..." Dipper garbled, a dark blush still filling his cheeks.

The two adults turned to the small figure who, where he had been a controlled area of excitement and babyish joy just a few moments before, had taken to a strange position.

He was standing, his little back straight like a soldier. His large green eyes were fixed on the forest, in the same spot where Dipper had been staring not too long ago.

"Yeesh, that's freaky," Dipper heard Wendy mutter under her breath as she scooped him up, breaking the toddler's concentrated stare. "You must be more tired than I thought!"

Charlie wrapped his spider-like legs around his mother's waist as he began to grizzle. He coughed, snuffed, and to the adult's collective surprise, let loose a long, loud wail that seemed to shake Dipper to his core. Wendy seemed taken aback also, as she rocked him on the spot.

"Wow, this little guy is exhausted! I'd better take him home, Dipping Sauce," She sighed as she placed a loving hand into the soft curls of her child's hair. The two embraced in a friendly hug, but to his surprise Dipper felt a soft wetness flutter against his cheek. They pulled away and she waved as she walked off down the dirt road, shushing the distressed child in her arms. Dipper stood, staring like an idiot and holding a limp hand against his hot cheek.

Wendy. His Wendy. Had kissed him. On the cheek.

"Dipper! Hey, there you are!" A voice echoed beside him. Where was that voice coming from? "Dipper! Hey, you have the silliest smile right now!" There it was again. He blinked slowly, the only thought to enter his mind was the word "brown".

"Huh?" He grinned stupidly as he felt a hand wrap around his wrist as he was led away.

"Come on Dip! Soos set up the Karaoke machine!" The voice exclaimed as he stepped back into the party. As the strains of "Dont Start Unbelieving" began to echo around the room, he couldn't have cared less. The twelve year old in him was busy having a party of his own.

Wendy had kissed him.


Ringgggg... buzz...

Rinngggg... buzz...

"Uuuurgh," A groan sounded from Dipper's throat. His head felt like a party of frogs had set up home in his head and started up a jazz band. His mouth felt fuzzy, and he guessed that his breath probably didn't smell great either. He stared up at the ceiling, the beams above him spinning in an anti-clockwise motion. A weight pushed his legs to the floor, and he guessed right that the weight was a soundly slumbering Soos, who appeared to have passed out across his knees. The young man blinked in agony as he took in his surroundings. As far as he could tell at this point in time, either Grunkle Stan had installed a shower head in the spare bedroom, or (more likely, Dipper hypothesised) he had fallen asleep in the bathroom.

Rinnnngggggg... buzz

That sound again. He rolled over onto his side (as far as he could) and reached into his jean pocket. Placing the offending noisy object up to his ear, he answered the call.

"Hullo..." He croaked into the mouthpiece.

"Dipper! Thank god, I've been calling you all morning!"

"Wendy...? Whassamatter?" He lifted himself up onto his elbow slightly, the bathmat digging into his skin.

"It's Charlie!"

"Charlie? What's up with him?"

"Charlie's disappeared, Dipper..."