"WHAT GAVE YOU THE AUDACITY, MASON PINES?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR?!"
Dipper decided to tell his great uncles about the dream and the deal. For some reason, he couldn't shake off the feeling it was 'just a dream.' While making a deal with Bill was stupid – yes, extremely – he thought he was doing best for the people he loved. Ford had other thoughts.
"YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS CAPABLE OF, DIPPER!"
"Actually, Great-Uncle Ford, I do know. I'm not sure if you remember a certain Weirdmageddon or not. I'm pretty sure I got this."
The sarcasm seemed to infuriate Ford instead of cool him down.
"OF COURSE I DO! YOU COULDN'T STOP BILL! STAN DID! AND HE'S SPIRALLING DOWN A MENTAL RABBIT HOLE BECAUSE OF IT! TO SAVE YOU!"
They were standing around the dining table, orange juice dripping down the ancient oak. It had been flung, along with bowls of milk and cereal when Dipper spilled the news. Stan was sitting, and trying to read a soggy newspaper. It had a featured story but Stan couldn't tell through the blurred words whether it said "mugger" or "smuggler." He tried to focus on the word and tune the two out, with no success.
"I know you were trapped in a portal for a couple years, but if you haven't noticed, I'm older now! I'm more sure of myself. I know what I'm capable of, and I want to make sure my family is safe and happy again. Do you know what that's like? To sacrifice things for the people close to you?"
Stan put down his paper and looked at Dipper.
"I do."
Both looked at Stan, as he slowly stood up, and finally spoke.
"Listen kid; I never meant for any of this to happen to our family five years ago. I never thought you or Mabel would be dragged in, and I didn't know about Bill. Hell, I still don't know that much about him. It's getting harder to remember what's dreams and what's real. Memories are starting to fog; Mom, Dad, Toby Determined –"
"-that's a good thing-"
"But what you did Dipper, is not just being courageous and the hero. It was stupid, and suicide."
Ford glared back down on his great-nephew, whose eyes had drooped down to the floor. Looking his frazzled brother and melancholy nephew, Stan sighed and continued.
"What I do know, is that if you made this deal, you can't run from it. That's worse than suicide. So, on that note –" Stan shifted and walked out of the door. Both of them followed him, looking at each other with confusion. He led them past the entrance of the Shack down to where the safe was. Stan slowly opened it and pulled out the funds for the Shack. The precious green waters that flowed out of the bags of cash, the rustling and clinking of money Stan had been chasing for years was placed at Dipper's feet.
"Kid, this is yours. I don't have much of a legacy, but I want you to know that I do … well, love you Dipper."
Ford took steps backward, startled and mouth agape. "Y-you can't be serious! You can't be encouraging him! You remember what happened to me!"
Stan stood up next to his brother with a fiery look in his eyes. "I do remember you, and you built that portal for yourself. You had no idea who Bill was and ignorantly followed him. Now, I think Dipper is entirely stupid. I never agreed with his actions, but I will help him as much as I can now that the deal has been made. It's not like he can really go back.
Besides, he know who Bill is and his powers. He knows Bill's weaknesses and how to contain him, which is more than what you knew back then. And Dipper is doing this for his family so we can be together. It's not like he left them without telling them and selfishly determined his own path, Ford."
The shadows that fell on Stan's face with those last remarks petrified Ford, leaving him paralyzed.
Dipper turned to Stan, "I really don't know what to say."
"Then don't say anything. You talk too much anyway." Dipper chuckled and welcomed his noogie.
"This is a lot of money though, how can I make it up to you?"
Stan sighed and patted his shoulder "It's my money and I can spend it however I want. No one can stop me, except fraud now."
Ford finally regrouped, and called a taxi to take Dipper to the Portland Airport.
This was going to be a ride, and Dipper wasn't thinking about the taxi.
