Hey everybody! Sorry I didn't update last week, we had a surprise camping trip and I didn't get the chance!
Here's a super long chapter to make up for my transgression.
The more time Jenna spent with the dream demon, the more comfortable she felt with him. She mostly avoided the residents of the Mystery Shack, for fear of what they'd say. She felt as though she actually had a friend, but she didn't think that Dipper would believe her. And they really did spend a lot of time together, he showed up almost every morning and took her to do something insane. Like right now, she thought, legs dangling off of the roof of the house they were sitting on. One of Bill's ideas of fun was to mess with people as they walked down the road, like tapping their shoulders and then disappearing. Jenna thought it was dumb, but it was sort of funny, so she just sat and watched. It was getting dark outside and Jenna was tired. She yawned and stretched and stood up. "Bill!" She whisper-yelled. He appeared next to her. "What's up, Triple J?"
"I'm getting tired, I think I'm going to go home. So, um," she looked down. "Could you please teleport me off this roof?"
"Yeah, um, no problem." He snapped his fingers and they were on the ground.
"Also I don't know how to get home from here," she added.
"Alright, come on." Bill started walking. Jenna trotted up to him.
"Why don't we just teleport?" She asked. Bill said nothing.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine." They walked in silence for awhile until Bill stopped suddenly. "Jenna, can I ask you something?"
"Yes," she said, a little nervously. He almost never used her real name.
"I have a proposal."
"And?"
"What if you were to come with me?"
"What do you mean?" Jenna was startled.
"I mean," he took her hands. "Into my realm? I feel-" He looked down. "I don't know what I feel. But it's something, and it involves you." Jenna was quiet.
He put his arms around her waist and drew her up to him. She wasn't quite sure what to do. "Imagine it, Jenna," he half-whispered. "I'm the king of the mindscape. I can do anything. You could have anything you want." She hesitated. She had that feeling again, the one she had had in her head when she was above him inside her head, several weeks ago. Like an invisible force, willing her to be close to him. Her thoughts were tinged with dread, but it got harder and harder to think rationally. She shook her head as doubt played in her mind.
"I... I can't, Bill." She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." She was afraid of what he'd say. She pulled away from him and watched different emotions play across his face. She turned and started running, she knew she had to get away, but at the same time something inside her wanted to turn around. Suddenly she was home, and she knew she had been teleported. She collapsed onto her couch. What just happened? She wondered. What was that? Did he… Was he… Would they…? No. She shook her head. She knew what had just happened. She knew exactly what, and she knew that her friend probably wouldn't be coming back in the morning.
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She hadn't been sleeping well the last few weeks. She kept having the same dream, over and over, all night long. It was always the same. No one ever came to help her, she was always alone in the long, dark room.
Idiot! She thought upon awakening. She never should've agreed to be Bill Cipher's friend. She should've known he'd be playing her, one way or another.
Then why did she feel so awful?
This was his fault.
He tricked her.
He never wanted to be her friend.
But her chest felt tight.
What had she done? She had wanted to go with him, but she was still afraid.
Why?
They had been friends for quite awhile, and, she had trusted him.
Maybe he'd felt the same way.
What have I done?!
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Jenna hung around the Mystery Shack, always hoping and not hoping he'd show up. She tried her best to avoid the Pines twins, but that was proving to be somewhat difficult. She leaned against the porch railing, staring off into space as she often did nowdays. She was startled by a voice directed at her.
"Hey, you okay?" She looked at the speaker. It was a young man, around her age. He wore a blue hoodie and jeans, and had a large smile on his face. He was handsome, she thought, then felt a pang in her chest which she chose to ignore. "Hello? Earth to lady?"
She smiled. "Sorry. Just a little spaced out."
"I guess." He leaned up next to her. "I know that look." Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Do you now?"
"You're bummed out. How about we head to the diner? I'll buy you a coffee." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Guy."
A little laugh escaped her. "Guy?!" He rolled his eyes.
"Not my fault, blame my parents."
"Yeah, I guess." She shook his hand. "Are you asking me out, Guy?"
"I suppose I am, but I can't really until you tell me your name."
"Jenna." She felt another pang. This felt too familiar.
"Nice to meet you, Jenna. So, shall we?" He gestured down the stairs.
"Sure, Guy." She figured a distraction was excactly what she needed.
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After a few days of hanging out with Guy, Jenna liked him more and more. He was sweet and funny, and a gentleman. Like now, she thought. He had brought a picnic for them and they were going to have it on the hill in the forest.
"It's nice out today," Jenna said, kicking a pinecone.
"Good day for a picnic," Guy replied. He stopped when they reached a clearing. "How about here?" He asked.
"Looks good." Jenna unfolded the blanket that was draped over her arm and spread it over the grass. She sat down and Guy followed, opening the picnic basket and drawing out a pair of peanut butter sandwiches. He passed one to her. "Dig in."
He unwrapped his and she did the same. "To us," she giggles, bumping his sandwich with hers. "To us," he whispered as she took a bite. She made a face as she swallowed and looked down at her sandwich.
"What's in this thing?" Her eyes fluttered as she swayed and fell onto the blanket, fading away from consciousness.
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Jenna blinked and slowly opened her eyes. Over and over, but she still couldn't see anything. She was surrounded by pitch black, and her eyes felt like they would pop out of her head until a light came on pointed at her and her eyes snapped shut, burning. Was she dreaming? This all seemed like some twisted version of Dream Jenna's nightly sobfest. She tried to move her arms, then realized they were tied to her sides. She was sitting on her legs, which was terrible as her legs were asleep and her shoes were digging into her bottom. Her eyes opened in shock at the sound of Guy's voice, which to her shock was coming from a gnome, balancing on her knees. "Hey Jenna!" It called. "Poor, Jenna, didn't Dipper tell you that we always get revenge?" He shook his head. "You were easier to fool than I'd thought, especially with our new techniques. Poor, poor Jenna."
"Untie me, shorty," Jenna spat, hiding her dismay the fact that her friend was a bunch of gnomes.
"Not until you agree to be my wife," the gnome said happily. "Then you can have free roam of the whole forest!"
"I already told you before, no!" Jenna exclaimed. Before she could react, the gnome planted a kiss on her cheek and jumped off, hitting the light switch.
"I'll be back in a few, but until then you can rethink your answer."
Jenna was stunned and quickly rubbed her cheek furiously on her shoulder.
Then she waited.
And waited.
By herself, in the darkness, hour after hour.
Would they leave her here? Was this her punishment? Would she starve? After cutting her hands trying to break the ropes, she gave up, hanging her head, silent tears streaming down her face.
Then the light turned on again, blinding her until her eyes adjusted and the gnome was in front of her once again. "It's all arranged, honey!" He said. "All you have to do is say, 'I do,' and you'll be the gnome Queen! So," he leaned forward. "How's about it?"
"Never." Jenna said weakly.
The gnome looked genuinely disappointed. "I don't want to make you say it, Jenna, but if you keep this up I'm going to have to."
Jenna was silent.
He sighed. "Okay. I just want you to know I'm sorry." He balled his hand into fists and raised them. Jenna screwed her eyes shut and braced for impact. She didn't know how much gnome punches hurt, but she prepared for the worst.
She heard a thunk and a release of breath as the gnome went flying across the room. Her eyes opened wide and she looked up, up, up, at the silhouetted figure in front of her. He breath caught in her throat. The figure bent down and began to untie the ropes, working steadily and silently until she was free. The sting in her hands suddenly vanished and there were arms around her, lifting her up. Then there was a flash of light and dark again, but this was a different kind of darkness, one where you could still see faintly. As the figure set her gently on the bed, still silent, she stared, frozen until features came into focus. A top hat. Spikey hair, and lots of sharp angles. "Bill?" She whispered. She hadn't seen him in a month. She didn't think she ever would again. He still was silent, and stepped back. He held out a hand, then stopped, hesitating, until his hand lowered back to his side and he vanished, leaving Jenna alone.
She laid awake for hours, restless and upset, until her exhaustion caught up with her and she fell asleep. Dream Jenna was in the dark room again, crying her eyes out. Even the lone spotlight had abandoned her, leaving her completely alone. Her crying suddenly stopped as she heard footsteps clicking, breaking the silence. She heard a snap and the spotlight came on, light flooding over her and the silhouette just outside of the circle of light.
Jenna watched, motionless as the figure slowly stepped into the light to reveal Bill Cipher. This was the first time she had dreamed about him, and the first time her ballroom dream had been altered. She briefly wondered if he was part of the dream or if he was in her head. There were many questions she wanted to ask him, but she found she couldn't speak. The dream demon stepped forward and helped her up, and swiped a gloved finger under her eyes, drying up the tears pooled there.
Jenna still couldn't speak, but found that she didn't much want to anymore. Bill smiled a little and put his arms around her waist, sweeping her around to the music that was suddenly playing, seemingly coming from nowhere. The beam of light followed them as they danced to the elegant waltz, and hours seemed to fly until Jenna couldn't remember that her dream had ever been a nightmare. Suddenly she was waking up, and was vaguely aware that it was still dark in her room. They stopped dancing, but the music continued. Bill stared down at her, and she could see conflict of emotions in his single eye. He pulled her closer to him and she was afraid again, as she had been when he had done that before. But his eye shut and he bent down until their faces were inches apart. Jenna's fear vanished then, replaced by that old familiar pull and her eyes closed and the gap between them closed as well. She felt his lips on hers, and she enjoyed the softness of them until she snapped awake. She lay in her bed, eyes wide, face scarlet, breathing heavily. She didn't know what to think. She didn't think. She still felt his arms around her and her blush spread even further. She sat up in her bed and her eyes caught on a shadow in the corner of her room. "Bill?" She whispered. "Is that you?" The shadow walked over to her and her bed creaked as it sat down next to her. "Hey, Triple J." She almost laughed at the thought that she had never been so happy to be called such an annoying nickname. "What are you doing back?" Her laughter melted. "You saved me." She looked at him, but she couldn't see his face. "Why?"
"Why?" He snorted. "I couldn't let that midget hurt you."
"Even after I…"
"Even after you what?" She could see his single eye glowing. "Left me? Turned me down? Ran away?!" He paused, then sighed. He looked up at her, and she saw that his anger had drained as fast as it had appeared. "Are you afraid of me, Jenna? I thought I was your friend." Jenna didn't know what to say. Bill was always misleading and sarcastic, he had never looked so vulnerable, or sincere.
"I was," she said slowly, "but I don't think I am anymore." She sighed. "When you, erm, told me what you did I got scared again, scared that you would try to trick me." She looked him right in his eye. "I guess I was afraid you would break my heart, Cipher." He snorted. "So you broke mine?" Jenna smiled.
"Did I?"
"I think I finally figured it out, Jenna." He laughed. "Promise me you won't run away again?"
"Promise," Jenna whispered.
"I...I think I fell in love with you." Jenna was quiet, and she watched as Bill looked down dejectedly.
"I did too."
Bill was quiet for a second, and then; "You fell in love with yourself? How is that even possible?"
Jenna snorted. "With you, you idiot!" She shoved him, and just like that the somber mood was broken. But she had one more question.
"Was that you in my dream?" She asked, "Or was I just dreaming about you?" Bill looked down.
"It was me. I'm sorry, it's a habit. I couldn't help myself."
"W-was the kiss real?"
Bill laughed. "Well, no, technically because it was a dream." Jenna felt embarrassed.
"Hey, don't be embarrassed," he said, as though he was reading her mind (Which he probably was). Before she knew what was happening he leaned in and kissed her again, and she had no desire to run this time.
SO HOW WAS THAT?!
Seriously, positive reviews are greatly appreciated because this ship is my secret baby and I'm a little protective of this chapter.
Hope you like! 3