Hey friends! I've been worried about the relationship between Dipper and Pacifica seeming a little too over the top recently, so this chapter appeared as both part of the story and an explanation for any of you folks out there who want the realism to be top notch. Hope you like it! (Also, PLEASE make sure to read the A.N. at the end of this chapter, I've got a little announcement)

Mabel was excited. She had convinced Pacifica to go on a shopping trip with her. Mabel had told her that she wanted to get 'better acquainted' with her, which was partially true. After her radical transformation, Pacifica had become a far better person – she was much kinder, gentler and softer. However, Mabel's ulterior motive was the main reason she had called her up a few nights before.

She whistled as she made her cereal. Dipper came down the stairs and looked weirdly at her.

'You alright there Mabel?'

'I'm great thanks bro,' she said, pouring milk into her bowl. 'Another day in Gravity Falls. Isn't it awesome to be back?' Dipper smiled at her and headed into the living room.

Today, if everything went to plan, Mabel would find out how Pacifica felt about Dipper. They went along like two peas in a pot, always cuddling up to one another. Mabel had quizzed Dipper about it before, and his usual response was go red in the face and avoid the question, but on the odd occasion he had spoke, he had assumed that she sought comfort and protection, to make up for cardboard cut-outs her parents were. Dipper was her shield. Mabel had thought it over several times, drawing up meticulous plans and ideas in her scrapbook, and today was the day that her plan would be coming together.

She thought she should get warmed up by seeing if she could squeeze anything else out of Dipper.

'Hey, Dipper, I've been meaning to ask, why is Pacifica so close to you?' she mentioned casually at the breakfast table while Dipper read a newspaper. Unsurprisingly, his face flushed red and he brought the paper up to hide his cheeks.

'I've told you before Mabel, because she can't go to her parents and from what I've seen her other friends couldn't care less about her – they just follow her around for the perks of knowing her.'

'Bro, come on,' probed Mabel, searching for the right words to get what she was looking for, 'you're practically a human sized teddy bear for her.'

'So?' asked Dipper, getting both angrier and redder by the second, 'Her parents didn't love her enough to get her a teddy bear, why does it matter?'

Bingo. There was that word. The one starting with L. Mabel made sure to purposefully change her expression.

'Wait, you're saying that… Oh my God, Dipper! If Pacifica doesn't love her parents, maybe she has no choice but to love you instead! She loves you, Dipper!'

'What?' asked Dipper, now completely hidden behind the paper, 'Pacifica doesn't… I mean I hope she… just leave it, Mabel!'

His sister smirked at him as he stormed off. Mission accomplished. Time to investigate the other side.

o00o

Mabel waited at the entrance to the Gravity Falls mall. It wasn't like Pacifica to be late, but she had the time to spare. While she waited, she thought about Dipper. He seemed pretty cut up after the talk they had had earlier, but Mabel knew he was used to it. It had been the same with Wendy. He knew it was just banter.

Pacifica's car pulled up. Well, Mabel assumed it was her car. Black limousine, tinted windows, fancy man in the front. The blonde in question climbed out the rear door. Her attire did not suit the vehicle she had just got out of. She was wearing her favorite pair of torn jeans, a light pink polo and slightly darker jacket and her hair was tied in a low ponytail. She was also carrying a purse that Mabel knew would be full of notes that would soon disappear.

'Thanks Jeremy!' she said, waving off the driver and closing the door. Mabel liked it when Pacifica was courteous. For some reason, when someone who grew up not needing to use manners, hearing them say 'please' or 'thank you' was like a massage for the ears.

'Sorry I'm late,' Pacifica said, adjusting her bangs. Mabel shook her head.

'It's fine, if anything I was early.'

Pacifica laughed. 'Come on, let's go! There's a bunch of places I wanna show you!'

She was comfortable. Perfect. Mabel could tell this wasn't going to be too hard. Although, for now, it was probably best to just enjoy a girl's day out. After all, Mabel was the one who would come home with bags loaded with loot that Pacifica had forked out for. She might as well let it happen.

o00o

Mabel and Pacifica sat at a table in the food court, sipping milkshakes. The space around their table was walled off by a barricade of plastic bags, full of purchases. 'A fine day's work,' Pacifica had said once they decided to stop with the clothes and head down for a drink. Mabel had thoroughly enjoyed herself. Dipper was right about Pacifica changing, she was a completely different person now. They had bonded throughout the excursion and Mabel was glad she had come, almost forgetting completely about the main reason she showed up.

'This reminds me of the time I came to get new clothes for Dipper last summer,' she said.

Suddenly, Mabel was back in action. 'You two sure spend an awful lot of time with one another.'

'I guess,' Pacifica said, 'He's my only real friend – I mean, apart from you – and he actually cares about me, unlike my parents.'

'Still,' Mabel replied, sucking the strawberry bubbles out of her glass, 'it seems a little weird for the two of you guys to be that close. Most people our age are super-sensitive to that kinda stuff.'

'Like what?' asked Pacifica, clearly confused.

'Oh, like cuddling or play-fighting, that's the kind of stuff most kids do with their parents, not with their friends.'

A pause. Mabel looked up at Pacifica. She was hurt. Of course, Pacifica didn't know what was right and what was wrong in that sense. She had grown up with people who didn't love her for who she was one ounce. They only cared about the prestige of having a perfect daughter.

'Sorry…' said Mabel. Pacifica waved dismissively.

'It's okay.'

'Anybody else who saw the way you guys act would've thought you were a couple.'

Pacifica became immediately flustered at this.

'Are you serious?'

'Yeah, sure,' Mabel replied, trying to be casual about it. She put on a smirk, 'Although, if you were a couple, you and Dipper would be pretty cute together.'

'Me and Dipper…' Pacifica said quietly, struggling to find the words. Mabel leaned in closer.

'You don't have a crush on him, do you?'

There it went. The crucial question. An awkward pause lingered as the bustle of the mall echoed around them.

'Don't you dare tell him,' Pacifica whispered at her through gritted teeth.

Wow. That wasn't what Mabel was expecting. She had asked girls back home the same thing, and they would straight out deny it. There was nothing more embarrassing than being asked if you have a crush on someone, unless you didn't have a crush on them. That was her experience. Mabel let out a little giggle.

'Promise,' she replied, standing up and collecting her bags. This was great! Dipper and Pacifica both had feelings for each other. But she still had a choice to make – should she try to set them up, or let nature run it's course?

This chapter was a little clunky, but I'm still happy with it.

ANNOUNCEMENT - We have officially reached (about) the halfway point of this story, and to celebrate, I'm going to be answering ANY questions from you guys – the readers – best I can. They can be about anything; any questions about what's going to happen in the story, any plotlines you want resolved (odds are I will have forgotten a few), stuff about what's going on in my life, I don't really care and I just want to get associated with the FanFiction community a little better. So, in a couple of chapters, I will be working on a Q&A – PLEASE LEAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE REVIEWS! I know these sorts of things seem like cop-outs, but I will be doing my best to upload chapters every so often too.

And now, the reviews.

Fysical – I'm a guy, btw :p. Haha that's one of my favorite quotes from the show!

TheDarkMysteriousAuthor – Oh my Lord, yes, the new episode was brilliant, I can actually call the author by his name now! (you may have noticed I was avoiding it before).

overlordpirngerx – Oh thank God :D

phoenixhunter300 – Ahaha, thanks!

MrZealous21701 – It was a long wait yeah. I'm probably not going to be including Bill in this story (largely because I don't like him that much as a character and I suck at writing him – definitely on the wrong end of the spectrum here, but whatever). Thanks!

Draven165 – Thanks! I'm probably not going add much competition for Pacifica, although I might consider something later on (I've bailed out on another guy before about incorporating a jealousy element, so probably I won't do it just because that wouldn't be fair). So cool that you're hyped for the story!

ShipperMan – He speaks the words of truth. It's a hard slog, my friend, but I'm doing my best.

ForgetfulDaffodil – Wow. I might add this in somewhere, definitely want to keep this story trivial in a way. Thanks!

Rorscarch – Woohoo is right! Mr and Mrs Pines will definitely be present in the last chapter, thanks for the idea! It might not mean stumbling into Dipper and Pacifica, but words will definitely be said (if you get my drift).

lennoxmacduffes – Naturally!

THEFED123 – Aww thankyou! These types of reviews are the kind of stuff that keeps me going – thanks so much!