A/N: Welcome back. Another exciting chapter is here! A little more of the same from last chapter, so not a lot to say. As always favs, follows, and reviews are appreciated.

Chapter 10

Later that afternoon Dipper and Pacifica laid under the parasol reading their books. When a thought popped into Dipper's head.

"What kind of books does your mom read?" Dipper asked.

"Ugh, she reads trashy romance novels," Pacifica answered.

"Oh man that's gotta be awkward sometimes."

"Yeah it's all fun and games until your mom's reading Fifty Shades of Grey fumbling with her necklace."

"Eww," Dipper grimaced.

"You're telling me."

"It was super weird when Mabel got into that. She would secretly read it after our parents went to bed."

Pacifica laughed imagining Mabel under her covers with with a flashlight reading the book. "I don't get the appeal with those books. Their so weird."

"Says the girl reading Pride and Prejudice," Dipper snarked.

"No Jane Austen was a woman ahead of her time, and besides it's not trashy."

"That she was, and it probably was for the early 1800's."

Pacifica just shook him off. She noticed her mom and dad walking up the beach back toward them. She waved to them. Dipper turned to see Priscilla who wore a very bright smile.

"I wonder what they've been up to," he said jokingly.

"Eww I do not want to think about that."

Priscilla and Preston approached the two.

"You look unusually chipper mom. Have a nice walk?"

"Actually yes I did thank you very much."

"You two were gone for a while," Dipper pryed.

Pacifica punched his arm and Preston gave him a glare. Priscilla shrugged them off.

"We were talking about us if you two must know. We found a little alcove up the beach a little ways and had a meaningful conversation."

"Aww you're in love again!" Pacifica cheered.

Preston was through with the conversation and wouldn't allow it to go any further.

"So Mason yesterday you said that you were going to cook out sometime."

"Umm, yeah do you want to do that tonight?" Dipper asked looking around at everyone.

"I think we should," Pacifica smiled.

Priscilla nodded her head in agreement.

"Alright then. Uh Cif will you help me bring everything down?"

"Sure."

Dipper helped Pacifica up, and she donned her sarong again. At the foot of the stairs Dipper looked up them and sighed. Preston watched and gave a laughed at Dipper's realization that he was about to have to climb them.

()_()

( ._.)

c((") (")

Pacifica packed everything she could think of for the hot dogs including some kabob skewers into another tote. Dipper was in the utility room looking for stuff to start a fire with. He found a box of matches and took Prestons morning paper for kindling, but while he was in the utility room he found a bunch of folding camping chairs.

"Hey Cif!"

"Yeah?"

"Can we use these?" Dipper asked

Pacifica stuck her head in to see what he was talking about.

"Yeah, I kind of forgot we had them, but you're carrying them," she added.

He didn't expect her to help anyways. Dipper added the matches and the newspaper to Pacifica's bag before grabbing four chairs and making their way down the stairs again. Once at the bottom Dipper set up the chairs and went looking for dry driftwood to make a fire with. In the meantime Pacifica dug a recessed hole in the ground and piled rocks around the rim. About the time she finished Dipper had returned with his arms full of driftwood. He broke a lot of smaller sticks into tiny pieces and turned a few into a furry looking ball. Once the fire was going Pacifica rearranged the beach towels into a picnic blanket of sorts and used one half of the cooler as a table for the buns and condiments. Dipper passed out skewers with a hot dog attached to the end for everyone, and they all sat around the fire and waited for their hot dogs to cook.

"This is nice," Priscilla said.

"Yeah this was a good idea Dipper," Pacifica said bumping shoulders with her boyfriend.

"I wouldn't have ever imagined myself doing this," Preston said.

"Well I'm glad you are dad it's nice to bond with you guys like this."

Preston smiled gently. He had a soft spot for his daughter and it made him happy that she was so excited about this. Internally he had some turmoil brewing. How could I let myself get to this point. My daughter is eighteen and this is the first time I feel like she is actually enjoying spending time with us. Is this what common families are like? he thought. Dipper could see his internal conflict written on his face. He kind of felt sorry for the man. All those years being pompous, and now he's starting to feel like it was wasted time. Preston let his hot dog dip into the fire a little too far during his internal thoughts, and it had cooked faster than everyone else's.

"Looks like mines done," he stated getting up to go prepare his meal.

Dipper decided to accompany him even if his hotdog was a tad undercooked.

"What's eating you Mr. Northwest?" he asked trying to start the conversation.

"I don't know what you're talking about Mason."

"Come on I can see the internal conflict written all over your face."

Preston just continued to prepare his hotdog.

()_()

( ._.)

c((") (")

"What do you think they're talking about?" Priscilla asked her daughter nodding her head in the direction of their two men.

"I honestly don't have any idea. Those two are starting to become a mystery together, and what about dad he's been acting strange today right?"

Priscilla inhaled deeply. "I think he's starting to realize just how petty our lives have been recently. Seeing you and Dipper together has awakened something in both of us I believe."

Pacifica sat in her chair a little embarrassed. "I just love him. How could that affect you two so much?" she asked.

"It's hard to explain. Old people are sentimental about things. You'll understand one day."

"Well so far I like it. For once in my life I feel like we're a real family," Pacifica said wiping tears away from her eyes.

()_()

( ._.)

c((") (")

Preston had finished making his hot dog and turned to go sit back down. Dipper felt like it was now or never.

"Look the past doesn't matter anymore. Only what you do now and what you plan to do in the future is important," Dipper said trying to help the man out.

Preston stopped and looked back for a moment before continuing.

()_()

( ._.)

c((") (")

After everyone had enjoyed their meal. Pacifica and Dipper enjoyed a pleasant stroll down the beach. Preston watched from his seat close to the fire.

"What is it about that boy? What do you and Pacifica see in him?" he asked his wife.

"So you finally see something too?" she asked back.

"I don't know."

Dipper had moved to sit on a log. He pulled Pacifica close to him by her hand. She was swaying like a young girl with a crush.

"He's genuine," Priscilla said.

"I just don't get it. Why is she so fond of him?"

"Look at her Preston have you ever seen her that happy before?"

"Unfortunately no," he said with sad eyes.

"They remind me of us when we were that age."

"So Pacifica likes him because he's genuine?"

"Look you observe someone and decide how to act in order to better yourself. He does the same thing except he tries to make everyone feel the same way he does. Same tact different motive."

"Huh. Guess he's more cunning than I thought."

"He has slumbering greatness inside him too you just can't see it yet."

Dipper held Pacifica by the waist and planted a kiss on her stomach. Preston snorted and shook his head.

"He's bold I'll give him that."

A/N: Who remembers Pacifica has short hair in this story? Be honest.