Don't expect any new chapters for a while. I had a 11 days off because of Hurricane Sandy. Also, I might not be on this for a while

Chapter 9: Ten Months

Mabel finishes her sweater. The design with the words on it tells us what she thinks she is doing. She thinks that this is all a dream. She thinks that she's only been asleep for a night, maybe even just a whole day.

My family, Liza, and I are all standing around the edges of the room, with medics studying screens in some of the corners.

Suddenly, a new medic, who we have never seen before, rushes into the room, classic cartoon style, with papers flying out of his arms and into the air behind him, "Attention Everyone! She is waking up! She is waking up! We need to give her space!" He yells

"What about us?" I ask

"Oh, fine. You can be the first thing she sees when she opens her eyes."

I grin, and look around, smiles are contagious.

"Oh, but you can't all crowd around. 2 at a time. And don't let her know that she was in a coma right away. Ease her out. She should be ready to go home by 4:30."

"Yes!" Liza whispers quietly. She can be strange at times, but I like her that way. "What?" she asks, I just smile.

"Let's go up." I whisper

"Before your parents?" She whispers back

"Hey, I've known Mabel a lot longer than them. They weren't even here for the whole month of June; they came the day after she fell into a coma." I say, "Plus, they said I could."

"When?"

'While you were away" I smile again. I nod to my parents, and they let me go up to her. I motion for Liza to follow, and she does. Mabel's eyelids flutter quickly, and we all gasp. Then, when she doesn't wake, we sigh, in disappointment.

Then, her hand lifts a little. Then, a little more. Until it comes to rest on her chest. The whole room seems to take one breath, and then, her head tilts to the left.

Suddenly, her right eye opens, and looks straight at me, and Liza. Then her left eye opens, and she tries to sit up. She can't, because she's too weak from being in a coma. "Liza?" She looks at her, "Dipper? What is going on?"

The doctor looks at us, and I say, "You're in the basement of Liza's house; you fell asleep on her floor."

Liza nods, satisfied. "Yeah, you just hit your head, so you might be having some hallucinations."

"Like Mittens and my parents?" She points

We look in the direction she's pointing, and pretend to not see anything, "Yeah. You might see things like that."

"Oh, Man. I had the strangest dream! I need to tell you guys about it!"

"Maybe later…" I reply

-LATRLATERLATERLATERLATERLATE RLATER-

She lets me pick her up, off the table, and I carry her, because she can't walk yet. She holds her head, because she thinks she's hallucinating about being in a hospital.

Liza tells me we should go to her house, I don't know why, but I go with it. Liza also tells me that my parents will arrive soon, and we'll tell her the truth.

My parents arrive, and we all go down to where someone has set up a nice dinner table, and food for the pets. Thank goodness, I thought I was going to die of starvation. Well, at least die of no good food. Hospital food tastes like if beige was a food.

"What?" Mabel says, "Am I hallucinating again? I see Mom and Dad…"

I take a deep breath, "Mabel… They are actually there."

"And I wasn't hallucinating when we were at the hospital?"

"Nuh uh." Liza shakes her head

"That was all real?"

"Yes." My mom answers

"Then… How long was I asleep?"

"About 10 months." I confirm

"TEN MONTHS?" She yells

"Yeah, you were in a coma."

"But… But… Dipper! THAT MEANS WE'RE 13!"

"Yes Mabel, we are." I say, calmly

"I'm gonna get a boyfriend!" She exclaims, and wobbles out of the room. She falls down in the kitchen.

"I'll get it." I push my chair in and help her up. She leans on me, and I walk her back to her chair. I can tell it's not what she wants, but she goes with it.

"So, you wake up from a ten month coma, and you want to go find yourself a boyfriend?" Dad asks

"Yeah! I've already dated 2 guys this summer!"

"One you've met." I say

"Who?"

"Lil Gideon came for a visit. Heh. Then mom hit him with her purse, and he swore vengeance on her too. Haha." I say. "It was funny, you missed the whole thing!"

"Ha. Make me better so I can get a boyfriend." She says

"I can… Put you in a wheelchair!" I notice the shiny one in the corner of the room, and ask Liza if it was her idea

"Yes. Yes it was." She nods her head.

"Someone watches too much Disney Channel.." I mumble under my breath.

"Who da what now?" Liza cocks her head to the left

"Never mind." I say, and turn away from her

"No, really?" Mabel looks past me, and back into the kitchen, and we all turn to look, "She's still here?"

"Yes Mabel. I live here." Pacifica retorts

Liza rolls her eyes, and slouches in her chair

"What's wrong?" I ask

"Well, no one likes me because no one likes her." She explains sullenly

"I like you." I say

"Yeah, but" She gets interrupted by me

"Mabel likes you" I counter

"And who else?" She catches on

"My parents, the doctors… You practically saved Mabel's life Liza, you're a hero. You are liked." I feel proud of myself for coming up with that on the spot, but no one else seems to notice that I even spoke.

"Why? They won't like me for who I am, they dislike me for who she is." Liza moans

"Well, we all like you, and that's the important thing."

"But Dipper," She looks up at me, with sad eyes, and I instantly feel sad as well, "My own parents want to send me into foster care! What kind of person am I that my own parents want to rid the world of me?"

"You are a good person, Liza. I know." I put my hand on her shoulder

"Dipper," She asks

"Yeesss…" I know she is scared of something

"Can you solve this riddle?" She asks, and then her eyes roll up in her head, and she speaks in a strange deep voice, " I cannot be touched, but I can take you to better places. I don't hurt you, but I hurt others. I can't be sent away. I leave once I take you. It is unexpected, but I come. So watch out, for I am coming, and I am… So, what do you think?" Liza asks

I look around the table, but find that no one else saw that, "Liza…. I hate to say this but…"

"What?" She raises her eyebrows, and looks at me sadly again

"The answer is obvious. It's death."