Author's Notes: Hmmm. Distinct lack of Starco in tonight's episodes. And all couples fight, so I stand by my characterization of Star's parent's relationship. Comments and constructive criticism are always welcomed.

Starfall by GolfAlphaMike

Chapter 10: Gaze

Marco pushed the bike down the road at the intersection. Soon he found a place where he felt it would be safe.

He walked on the road toward the town for a while. Cars passed him on the road, but Marco didn't want to hitchhike. Eventually a police cruiser pulled up beside him.

"Hey buddy. Are you ok?" said an officer in the passenger seat of the cruiser. A grey mustache stood out against his dark skin.

"Yeah. My bike has a flat."

The officer behind the wheel spoke. "Yeah. We saw a bike by the side of the road a few miles back."

"Hop in. We'll give you a ride into town." said the first officer.

"Thanks! That would be great."

Marco rode in the back of the cruiser. The officers said that it was late in the day, but he might make it in time to catch the repair shop before it closed.

Marco felt lucky. He would not have made it into town before it was late if the officers hadn't found him. He saw the town's name on a water tower. Gravity Falls.

It was after five when Marco was dropped off in front of the mechanic shop. He thanked the officers and called out to the mechanic. He caught him closing the garage door.

"Hello? Wait please!" Marco called.

"Just closing up, but what can I do for you? Don't suppose you walked all the way into town."

"Hi, yeah, no. My bike got a flat on the highway. It's at the end of the road at the turnoff. I could really use some help."

"Well, tell you what. I can't work on it right now, but I'll go pick it up and bring it back here. I'll work on it in the morning."

"Yes. Thank you."

Marco would be staying the night. The mechanic said there was a motel about two blocks away. It was nothing to write home about. Rooms were cheap at least.

There was nothing interesting on TV. Marco got restless in the room and couldn't relax. Around ten o'clock he gave up and went for a walk.

He went to the main street and walked about a few blocks. Then he saw an old fashioned neon sign. Bert's Bar. Part of the sign was burned out. The first two and the last two letters were the only ones that glowed.

Naturally he went in.

There weren't many people. Marco looked around and chose a stool at the bar.

Ever since the party right after high school, Marco didn't drink much. But he felt odd ordering a soda here so he ordered a bottle of beer. He sat and drank for a while, but nothing else caught his attention.

Marco wanted to talk to someone about the creature he saw, but the bar was pretty empty. Plus he couldn't think of a way to bring it up without sounding crazy.

The TV over the bar blared, "Are bears coming to eat you? An increase in bear sightings at local campgrounds has officials concerned. Stay tuned to find out! The Eleven o'clock News with Shandra Jimenez is next!"

An opening. Marco spoke obnoxiously loudly, hoping to be overheard. "Hey! I saw a bear today too!"

No response from the bar patrons.

"It looked like it had three bodies! Hope I didn't interrupt a bear orgy!" Marco cringed inwardly at his crass comment.

"Ha! You just saw Multi-bear!"

Marco turned to look at the person who spoke. His hat had a blue pine tree on it. Marco moved to get a better look. He could see that the guy was young. Maybe younger than himself. As Marco got closer he saw his eyes. This guy might be barely old enough to drink, but he had the eyes of someone twenty years older. What else had this guy seen?

"Multi-bear eh? That's a pretty good name for it. You've seen it too?"

"I have! I had him at my mercy, but I chose to spare his life." The man flexed his left arm proudly.

"You fought him? Wow. What made you spare his life?"

"We're both fans of the 70's pop group *hic*-abba"

Marco laughed. The man was clearly drunk. His nose was reddened. Marco found him interesting. He moved to a nearer barstool.

"So what would make you want to fight Multi-bear?"

"It was the final test of manhood for the Manotaurs. But I came to the realization that killing the Multi-bear wouldn't make me a man. Just a killer. So I guess that's the real reason why I spared him. Finding another *hic*-abba fan was just a bonus, I guess."

"How old were you?"

"Twelve."

"Monster fighter at twelve?! Wow. I didn't start until I was fourteen."

"You've fought monsters too?"

"Yeah! I used to fight them all the time. It's been a few years though."

"I'm not really a fighter. More of an investigator."

"A monster investigator?"

"Nope. An investigator of the paranormal."

"So you're like those guys on TV? Ghost Finders? Spook Hunters?"

The man laughed. "Those guys are frauds! They never find a thing! I on the other hand, once had to trap a vengeful lumberjack ghost in a silver mirror once."

"Sounds like you should have your own show."

"The networks wouldn't listen to my pitch."

Marco and the man laughed.

"Marco Diaz." he said as he held out his hand.

The man took it and shook. "Dipper Pines."

"You've led an interesting life."

"Less interesting lately. There's been fewer mysteries in the last few years. Used to be a new thing every week, but there hasn't been anything really new in a few years."

"Why do you think that is?"

"My Grunkle Ford said that Gravity Falls is a weak spot in the barrier between dimensions. Weird things used to leak through. Looks like the barrier's been fixed."

Marco's interest was piqued at the talk of dimensional barriers. Barriers that kept him from Star. Nothing was getting through the barrier. Maybe that's why she didn't come back.

"Do you get bored now?" Marco thought of the last day he fought monsters.

"Not really. A lot of weirdness made it through before it stopped. I'm still trying to find it all. Trying to develop a new field of study. None of that fake stuff. Real paranormal activity."

"So you're here for research?"

"I'm trying to complete my Grunkle Ford's work. He was the real expert. A genius."

Marco thought that he might have found his next lead. But then he realized what Dipper had actually said. "Was?"

"He's gone now."

"Oh, that's too bad. I would have liked to talk to him."

"Are you interested in the paranormal?"

"Yeah, I am." Marco noticed that they both had empty bottles. "Let me buy you your next beer."

"Sure! Can I get another Hamm's, Bert?"

The bartender opened a bottle and handed it to Dipper.

"Hamm's?" Marco asked he was handed his own beer.

"I'm not trying to be ironic. Something made me come in here and order it. Something unexplained."

"Well here's to your Grunkle Ford!" Marco held up his bottle.

"Here's to the unexplained!" Dipper clinked his bottle to Marco's.

"So why do they call you Dipper?" Marco asked as he took a sip of his beer.

Dipper removed his hat and showed him.

The beer bottle slipped out of Marco's hand and crashed on the floor unnoticed.

Marco's memory flashed back to a moment years ago.

"...In some other places, the people look at them and see a plow. You looked and saw a bent scepter."

Star asked, "What do you see Marco?"

"I see a ladle. Most people here do too. We call it the 'Big Dipper'."

"Ah! I see it!..."

Marco pushed the memory to the back of his mind. This was no time to reminisce. He knew for sure now. This was the guy he was supposed to find.

As Marco was about to speak a girls voice sounded. "Hey Dipper! Who's your hot friend?!" A brown haired girl about the same age as Dipper appeared at his side. Bubbly was the best description for her. She was wearing a sweater with a huge cat portrait embroidered on the front. There was a resemblance with Dipper. Relative? Sister maybe?

Dipper opened his mouth to introduce his new acquaintance... and promptly threw up all over the girl's cat sweater. Then he passed out on the floor of the bar.

"Hey, Bert? How many has he had?" the girl asked the bartender.

The bartender held up two fingers.

"Dipper, you are such a lightweight." The girl looked at Marco and gave him her best smile. "Hi, I'm Mabel."

"Hi, I'm Marco. You have very straight teeth."

"Thanks. My parents said they cost a fortune."

He needed to speak to Dipper again, so Marco helped get him into a booth while Mabel called a cab and got cleaned up. Marco leaned him into the left inside corner of the booth against the wall. Mabel soon came back and slid in next to Dipper. Marco sat on the right side of the booth.

"So you're new here. I've never seen you in Gravity Falls before. And I know everyone!"

"Yeah, I'm sort of passing through. I'm from California."

Mabel gasped. "Us too! We used to come here every summer. Now we go to college here. Just passing through? Where are you headed after here?"

"That kind of depends on him." Marco said while gesturing to the sleeping Dipper. "I actually came here to find your... brother?"

"Yeah, my ding-dong of a brother. Oh man. What did he do? You aren't a bounty hunter or government agent here to arrest him are you? The Sasquatch incident was supposed to be a closed case."

Marco was intrigued. "Sasquatch incident? I'll have to ask later." He thought. He then said to Mabel, "No, no. Nothing bad like that."

"Then why?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. No one does."

"Ha. Try me."

"I've been following a trail of sorts, leading here. To your brother. I think... I believe he's going to help me find someone I love."

Mabel's face lit up and she squealed with glee. "Well you've found her, baby!" Suddenly Mabel was on the other side of the booth sitting next to Marco. Her right arm wrapped around Marco. "Mabel and Marco, together at last!" Using her left hand she reached into her pocket. She threw some candy coated chocolates into the air like confetti. There was a rattling noise as the candies fell around them.

Marco chuckled inwardly. He could tell early in the conversation that Mabel was attracted to him. He should have been more specific.

"Actually Mabel, you're very cute, but I meant my one true love whom I already know. Specifically her. Um... sorry."

Mabel blushed profusely and was momentarily crestfallen. But she perked up immediately. "Oooh. Is it someone who lives in town? What's her name? Maybe we know her." She asked as she returned to the other side of the booth.

Dipper mumbled.

"Oh, she's not from Gravity Falls. And this next bit is the part where you tell me I'm crazy."

"Oh, I don't know about that. We have a high tolerance for crazy things."

"Her name is Star Butterfly. She's a magical princess from another dimension." Marco braced himself to hear laughter, but it didn't come.

Mabel's eyes were wide. Her mouth agape in surprise. "Go on."

Marco kept lookout for guys in white uniforms coming to catch him with a net. He told her the story of him and Star. Some details were left out because he wasn't ready to share everything just yet.

"I believe you." Mabel said when Marco finished.

He smiled. "Really? I wouldn't." Marco said.

"No one could just make up a story like that and tell it with a straight face."

"A crazy person might. Everyone I know thinks I'm crazy." Marco made a twirling motion with his finger next to his head.

"You aren't crazy. I'm a good judge of crazy. I'm also a good judge of character. You aren't lying."

"Mabel. Cab's here." The bartender said.

"Could you please help me get Dipper into the cab?"

Marco looked at the time. It was very late. "That took a while." Marco said as he helped Dipper walk.

"Yeah. This is a small town. There aren't many cabs." said Mabel as they shoved her brother into the back seat. Mabel joined him. "Can you give us a minute?" she asked the driver.

"Sure, but hurry up. I don't want to have to charge for cleaning up."

A quick sniff made Marco wonder if the cleaning charge had ever been used for its intended purpose.

Mabel said, "Marco, I really think we can help you. Come to the Mystery Shack on Gopher Road outside of town tomorrow morning. Hopefully this dum-dum will wake up."

"I will Mabel. And thanks for listening."

Mabel smiled and nodded to the driver. As the cab drove off Marco could hear Mabel shouting "To true love!" out of the car window.

When Marco got into the hotel room he lay on the bed above the covers. He stared at the ceiling and thought about the flashback he had. A flashback triggered by the sight of Dipper's birthmark.

Star and Marco had defeated Ludo's forces again, but they were far from the city.

Ludo kept opening portals during the fight. Marco and Star had chased him back and forth through dimensions. When the fight ended and Ludo's forces retreated, Marco and Star found themselves in the wilderness. Soon, night had fallen and the dark forest surrounded them.

In the confusion of the fight, they had left the dimensional scissors back in Star's room. She used the wand as a flashlight.

"Marco? I'm getting worried. Are we going in circles?"

"Don't worry, Star. We're not."

"You sure? We've been walking for hours."

"I'm positive."

"Okay, but can we stop? My feet are tired."

Marco could use a break himself. "Sure. Let's get to that clearing." Marco pointed to an open area between the trees.

When they got there, Star looked up in wonder. "Earth's sky is so pretty!"

"Yeah. We're far from the city. The stars are really bright out here."

Star turned off her wandlight. "I've never seen it like this!" she said as she sat down on the grass.

They had never been caught out in the forest this late. It was a warm and cloudless summer night with a new moon. Stars that were hidden by the lights of the city now came out to be seen. The milky way stretched overhead and the sky shined like a blanket of diamonds.

"I'm sure Mewni's sky is just as beautiful."

"No. The night sky on Mewni is not as dark. And it's more violet than black. We never see this many stars." She looked at Marco. "Will you teach me something about Earth stars?"

Star gestured for him to join her on the ground. He sat beside her. The grass they sat on was actually very comfortable.

Marco loved astronomy. He was happy Star was interested. "Sure! Does Mewni make constellations from the stars?"

"They do! But I think ours are different."

"Let me show you one of the most famous Earth ones. Do you see those seven really bright ones?" Marco did his best to point them out to Star.

"I think so." she said.

"What does that look like to you?"

"I think it looks like a bent scepter."

Marco looked at the sky. "Yeah. I guess I can see that." he looked over to see Star, gazing up in wonder.

He continued, "Different cultures see them as different things. In some other places, the people look at them and see a plow. You looked and saw a bent scepter."

Star asked, "What do you see Marco?"

"I see a ladle. Most people here do too. We call it the 'Big Dipper'."

"Ah! I see it!"

"Good, because it's a really useful thing to know."

"It is? It's pretty, but it's useful too?"

"Yes. Go ahead and find the two stars that form the front edge of the ladle."

"Okay."

"Now, imagine a line starting from the star at the bottom to the one at the top."

"Mm-hm."

"Imagine that line extending through and past the star at the top. Keep it straight.

"Am I looking for something along the line?"

"Yes, follow the line and you'll find a star that is brighter than any stars near it. It's special." Marco did his best to point out the star he was talking about.

"That one? It doesn't seem special. It's brighter than the ones around it, but there are so many that are brighter. Like that one." Star pointed one out.

"That one? That's not a star, Star. That's a planet. Venus."

"Can you tell me more about Venus."

Marco gazed at the Star on the ground for a moment before beginning. He looked at the bright planet.

"A long time ago on Earth, before people knew anything about what was above the sky, they looked at that one and thought it was special and beautiful. After all, it was the brightest star in the sky."

"It was special in other ways too. They could see that a few stars seemed to move along paths in the sky. That was one of them."

"Some cultures believed it was the goddess of love. For the Romans her name was Venus. A woman so beautiful that any who saw her fell instantly in love with her. Flowers sprung from the ground where she walked."

Star's face lit up as she looked at it.

"Time went on and people learned that the stars that moved weren't stars after all. They were planets."

"So Venus is a planet like Earth?" Star inquired.

"Yes and no." Marco said.

Star moved closer to Marco and he put his arm around her. She didn't seem to mind. She leaned on him a little.

"One thing you should know about planets is that they don't have their own light."

"They don't? But Venus is so bright."

"That's because Venus reflects light from the Sun. And it does it in a way that makes it look brighter than anything except the Sun and Moon. But it can't shine on it's own."

"When I asked you if Venus is a planet like Earth, you said 'yes and no.'"

"Star, you've been here a year now. What do you think of this planet? What do you think of Earth?"

"Oh! It's so great! I love it here! It's got so many wonderful things to see and do and try! Plus I love the people here, like..." Star looked at Marco for a moment before quickly looking back to the sky.

Marco paused a moment to look at Star before continuing. "What do you imagine the planet Venus is like?"

"It is so bright and beautiful. It must be a wonderful place."

"So did people a long time ago. For the same reasons too."

"Maybe we could visit? Maybe we could get there with the dimensional scissors."

Marco hadn't considered this possibility.

"You can do that? No. Please don't. Don't even try." He pleaded.

"You don't want to go?"

"It's a very bad idea, Star."

"It is? Why?"

"Star, I should warn you, this next part of the story is kind of sad. But I think you should know."

"It's okay Marco. I want to know more."

"As time went on, people learned even more about Venus. We learned that, unlike Earth, which is a planet of life, the truth is that Venus is a planet of death."

Star was silent. She searched for Marco's right hand to hold. They found each others hands and squeezed.

"Venus might have been like Earth once, but something went wrong a long time ago. Now, the air there is poisonous and so heavy that it crushes like an ocean. It's hot enough to melt lead. Any water has boiled away. Hurricane force winds sweep the planet. Venus shines so brightly because of the reflective clouds. Clouds of acid."

Marco turned to Star and found that she had a sad look. "Star, I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you sad."

"It's terrible to know that places like that exist." Star said.

Marco tried to comfort her and stroked her back.

"No. No, Star. It's not. It's the terrible truth about a terrible place. But it's not terrible to 'know' the truth."

"What do you mean?"

"Star, have you ever heard the saying, 'The bitterest truth is better than the sweetest lie'?

Star shook her head. She looked at Marco and silently listened.

"Imagine what would happen if we tried to go to Venus without knowing the truth about what kind of place it is. It's better to know the truth than to believe something that's false."

Star nodded. She turned away from Venus and looked at Marco.

"Star, can you still find the star I showed you earlier? I still haven't told you why it's special."

Star looked up and searched. "That one, right?" she pointed to it.

Marco smiled at her. Star smiled at him in return.

"It doesn't matter which is brightest. That star is more important than any other in the sky."

"Why that one?"

"It's a guide. It's Polaris. It's the North Star."

Star looked at it intently.

"As long as you can see it, that star always shows the way north. Travelers could use it to find their way. Without it, people might not have been able to explore the world. It's even helping us now."

"It is?"

"Sure. We've been walking for hours. You were afraid that we were walking in circles, not making any progress. But because of the North Star, even in the dark, I know we aren't just going around and around. We're going forward. It's helping to guide us home."

"Wow." Marco could feel Star's thumb rubbing his palm.

Marco's held Star's hand a little more firmly. "The most important and special Star to me." Marco was glad it was too dark for Star to see him blush.

There was a pause between them. They were silently gazing but not at the sky.

"...Marco?"

There was something in the way Star said his name. Her voice trembled. Marco's heart was pounding. His blood rushed in his ears.

"...Star."

If he did this, everything would change. Was he ready to be that bold? Somehow, they were already facing each other. She was so close. His arms were already around her. His fingers brushed the bare skin on her arms. It was warm and smooth and soft. Her sweet scent filled his senses.

Then he hesitated.

"Are you ready to go? I think we can find a road before too much longer." Marco helped her stand.

"Yeah." She sounded sad.

Marco reached for her hand and she took it.

"Are you okay, Star?"

Star squeezed his hand but didn't say anything for a moment. Then she interlocked their fingers. "I'm okay."

They started walking.

"Want to know something else about the stars?"

"Sure."

"The Big Dipper is actually also a part of a larger constellation. It forms the tail of Ursa Major. The Great Bear..." Marco pointed to the sky.

Soon, they would find a road which they followed until they found an old gas station. They used the payphone to call for a ride which took a long time to reach them. It would be very late when they arrived home.

Marco saw Star to her room and she seemed like she had something to tell him. But instead she just wished him good night. He did the same. There was a lot left unsaid.

In his room Marco lay on his bed above the covers staring at the ceiling. He covered his face with his pillow. He then balled up a fist and began to punch himself through the cushion, punctuating each strike with a word.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid..."

Back in the hotel room, Marco lay on the bed above the covers staring at the ceiling. He couldn't clear his mind of thoughts.

"I'm here now because of magic."

"His birthmark is the Big Dipper."

"He'll lead me to the North Star."

"I should have kissed her then..."

He turned out the light.

continuará

Author's Notes: The flashback scene in this chapter was the first thing I wrote for this story. It was supposed to be a one-shot about them stargazing. Once the Big Dipper came in to lead to the North Star, I realized that I might have a bigger story. What if Marco was trying to find Star again?

Also, "Star-Fall"! Get it? Eh? Eh?

*crickets*