Author's Note: Well, Here you have it. Chapter 11 of With Blind Eyes. I'm sorry that the wait was so unbelievably long. I was only intending to take a 2 week break in order to focus on my finals, but then I received an email that informed me of circumstances that required that I take a summer semester course (15 weeks of material in a 3 week time frame). So yeah, that took priority and my 2 week hiatus became a 5 week hiatus. The good news is that I got an A in that course.

We are now in the ending stretch of this fanfic. I'm planning for 2 more chapters (but it may be 3). I put a very obscure hint as to the content of chapter 12 in this chapter. We'll see if my faithful readers can spot it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls. And I am not making money off this fic.

If I did the Pinecest subtext would be way more noticeable and the show would have been cancelled half way through the first season.

With Blind Eyes

Chapter 11

Holding Pattern

The morning dawned bright and glorious, and for once Mabel slept through the initial dawn. This occurred because Mabel awoke sometime around midnight, her heart racing. It took her a second to realize that one, she was awake, and two she was terrified. She had dreamed…something. It was fading away even as she grasped for it. What did she dream? Did it take place in the bunker?

Did Dipper die with Lucia's hands around his throat? Mabel looked across the room to make sure.

There snoring softly in the pale moon light was Dipper. Aw, he snores like a kitten.

Mabel felt her heart rate begin to slow upon confirming that Dipper was indeed alive. Breathing deeply she began to calm back down. Dipper's fine. Of course he's fine. He's much too smart to die like that.

Mabel laid her head back on her pillow. As the adrenaline started to fade, Mabel felt exhaustion in her bones, but her brain just wouldn't shut off.

Mabel stared up at the cracked and worn roof top. Come on, brain, its dream time now. Perhaps if I'm looking at Dipper I'll be able to sleep.

Mabel turned over on her side and looked across the room at Dipper's resting form, and while it did help a little, her brain kept flashing back to the sight of Dipper being choked to death.

I'm never gonna get to sleep like this. Whelp, only one thing to do then.

Mabel got up and padded across the room, "Dipper, scooch over," She whispered, "Its cuddle time."

Dipper woke up just enough to get on the other side of his twin bed before falling immediately back asleep. Mabel clambered in and lay her left hand and her head onto his chest.

And so while listening to Dipper's heartbeat, Mabel was able to return to sleep.

It's a strong heart. I really don't need to worry about crazy things like learning to live without Dipper. He'll always be there for me. I know nothing will change that.

And with that Mabel drifted off to dream of Dipper in much more enjoyable terms.

And so morning found Mabel asleep in Dipper's bed, which remained in shadow much longer than her own bed. The instant the sun peeked over the ridge sunlight would bathe her bed in a warm glow, but since she was not in her bed, Mabel and Dipper had a bit of a lie in that morning.

After the events of yesterday, they both needed it.

Grunkle Stan knew something was up the instant Mabel and Dipper walked into the kitchen. For one Mabel was not being her usual perky self, but even more noticeably Dipper had light bruises all over his neck.

Stan waited until they had both started in on their off-brand cereal before clearing his throat.

"Do you two have anything you want to share with me?" Stan kept his face neutral.

Dipper snapped awake in a panic: My god, he suspects us! "What? Whywouldyouaskthat? Nothinghappeningoverhere!"

Mabel set her spoon down calmly, "Yesterday Dipper was almost choked to death by a vampire."

Dipper remained tense as he realized his mistake. Leave it to Mabel to save me from my own stupidity.

Grunkle Stan was silent for a moment, "…Really now? That must have been quite the survival tale. Dipper, you've been through some crazy stuff this summer: what makes this particular scrap so different?"

Dipper's eyes shifted to the left and he coughed, "I guess I realized just how dangerous my adventures can be."

"Dipper…," Grunkle Stan sighed, "One of the first things I learned during my travels was how to spot a lie or half-truth, and I know it's one or the other. So come clean with me, I can tell it's really eating at you."

Dipper sat still as a statue for a moment, his face clouded over with an internal conflict. But then, Mabel placed her hand upon his bicep. Dipper glanced into her eyes and found the strength to speak.

Dipper turned to Stan "The vampire wanted Mabel, Stan. And for a moment there it looked like I was going to lose Mabel forever," That may have been too honest, oh well the dam is broken anyway, Dipper stopped for a moment before continuing,"I've faced death many times during my investigations of the paranormal, but I never even considered the possibility that I might lose Mabel. Death is easy, but living without Mabel? Impossible."

"So you've finally found something that scares you more than death," Stan's voice was gruff, "Every man has something that terrifies him even more than the possibility of dying….and really I should commend you. It is an uncommon man who can talk about it. Most men just bury it deep and go on pretending that death is his biggest fear. It's easier that way: everyone understands the fear of death."

Grunkle Stan reached across the table and clasped Dipper's shoulder for a second, "I want you to know Dipper: there's no shame in not being able to live without someone. No shame at all." And for a second Dipper thought that Stan was talking about something else.

Is Grunkle Stan saying what I think he's saying? Nah, it couldn't be.

"Thanks, Stan…for everything," Dipper responded.

"Welp, enough with all the heavy stuff," Grunkle Stan stood up from the table, "I want to show you kids something Soos and I have been working on."

Stan left the kitchen for a moment, and returned with 2 hangers and on those hangers….

Dipper groaned, "I thought we destroyed that monstrosity. Stan I refuse to degrade myself yet again. Do you realize just how embarrassing it is to be up on that stage all alone and half naked?"

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that I've no intention of putting you up on stage all alone then," Grunkle Stan seemed smug, "Cause I'm putting you on stage with Mabel!"

It was at this moment that Dipper noticed that one of the fur costumes included what appeared to be a furry bra. In an instant Dipper's perverted preteen brain imaged what Mabel would look like in that outfit, and Dipper's perverted preteen brain was pleased. Very pleased.

While Dipper was daydreaming about preteen wolf-girl Mabel, said girl was excitedly examining her costume, "This looks like something my father would never let me leave the house in," Mabel spoke neutrally before looking up at Stan, "I love it. Hey Dipper, how'dja think I'll look in my fur skirt and bikini top!" Mabel held her outfit over herself and struck a pose.

Dipper's brain was already on overload, and that pose did him in, "….I-I…feel dizzy….Is it hot in here?"

"You okay there, scamp?" Grunkle Stan clapped him on the back causing him to fall over, and Grunkle Stan just laughed in response, "You two go and get changed. Tours are starting soon. Oh, and before you ask: those outfits are made of faux fur. Treating Dipper's hookworm was way too expensive, so I bought good clean fake fur for your outfits."

Mabel grabbed both costumes and Dipper's hand, "Thanks, Grunkle Stan!" And with that she ran upstairs, dragging a dazed Dipper along.

"And now we come to the climax of our tour! I nearly lost an arm taming these wild animals: behold the wondrous preteen wolf couple! It will be fifty bucks to take pictures with them, and no digital photos please. Disposable film cameras are on sale in the gift shop for $200 a piece," Grunkle Stan was in full salesman mode.

Dipper was uncertain about being the horrible, preteen, wolf boy again. This feeling was only exacerbated by Grunkle Stan's referring to them as a couple.

Either Stan knows about us and is jerking me around or Stan's subconscious is picking up on it and he is just playing the crowd. Or both. It could be both.

Mabel noticed Dipper's unease—and just knew that her man needed a confidence booster—so she grabbed his hand and gave a squeeze. Dipper glanced over out of the corner of his eye, and Mabel gave him a beatific smile. Dipper smiled back and gave her hand a squeeze in return.

This isn't so bad. Mabel looks super cute with her wolf skirt and ears. That helps.

And then the barrage of newly bought disposable camera flashes started.

I take it back: Mabel and I had better demand candy money for this.

Dipper and Mabel were hanging out in the gift shop as the last of customers left with their ridiculously marked up wolf themed items.

(Grunkle Stan was totally right: wolf items were selling like hotcakes while the wolf couple were around. I bet if Soos' were to make various themed costumes for them: I could sell out the whole shop in a week! Even with 100% mark up! We can do elemental themes, angel/demon themes, sorcery themes: the possibilities are endless.)

Wendy was a little taken aback when she first saw the wolf duo. This was especially the case when she noticed that Dipper and Mabel kept making what they thought were subtle glances at each other.

Seriously, Stan. Way to take their obvious, mutual attraction and multiply it a thousand times. Am I the only sane person in this universe?

Watching a soccer mom pose with the kids for one last shot with her 200 dollar disposable camera, Wendy was convinced: she was the only sane person in the universe.

But then again I still haven't put a stop to this madness, so maybe I'm not as sane as I think I am….Enough with this heavy-duty right and wrong crap. I'm a teenage girl; not a philosopher. It's not on me to figure out morality. Besides if I'm completely honest with myself, they do look cute together.

Wendy thought this as she rung up the last customer who was buying three hundred dollars' worth of worthless crap.

And with that, the Mystery Shack was closed for the evening. The Sun was low in the sky with the mighty pine trees casting long shadows over the Shack's parking lot.

Just as Wendy flipped the sign to close with a flourish the shop door opened, ringing its little bell.

"Sorry, but we just closed," Wendy said. There's no way I'm waiting around for another customer to make up their mind. Even if she is well dressed.

"Oh, I'm not here to shop, cutie. I'm here for Dipper and Mabel," The well-dressed stranger replied.

It was at this time the Mabel (having heard the door ring) returned to the gift shop, "Hey, Wendy, who's here-" Mabel's voice caught in her throat upon seeing the visitor, "Dipper!" Mabel cried out.

Dipper ran into the gift shop and gasped upon seeing the visitor, "Lucia!"

Dipper moved to get between Mabel and Lucia, "What are you doing here! You swore to leave us alone!"

"I swore to never harm or abduct any of you again," Lucia smirked calmly, "Do you see me harming any one?"

"…No…" Dipper gritted his teeth in frustration with Mabel clinging to his bicep from behind him. Dipper was feeling particularly vulnerable as he and Mabel were still in their wolf outfits, "Why are you here?"

"Yeah, what the heck is going on?" Wendy was a little annoyed at being completely ignored throughout this exchange.

"I imagine you must not have been filled in on the happenings of yesterday," Lucia picked up on Wendy's frustration, "So allow me to answer both questions at once. While I was trying to kill Dipper because he attempted to steal Mabel away from me—"

"What!?" Wendy broke in.

"Don't raise your voice, cutie. It's not proper for a lady to raise her voice," Lucia rejoined, "As I was saying, I had almost killed Dipper when he used a single-word spell to defeat me. Single-word spells are extremely difficult to accomplish. It took Father Caefus 150 years of study to master them, and yet Dipper mastered them in 2 days, which brings me to why I'm here."

Lucia paused for dramatic effect, "Dipper, I beseech thee: take me as thine apprentice!"

"You're crazy," Dipper said, his voice calmer than he appeared, "You can't just attempt to murder someone one day and ask to be taught magic by them the next."

Lucia's face crumpled and she threw herself to the floor at his feet, crying, "Please! I must learn magic and you're the best magic-caster in the whole world! You can do the impossible even without the aid of a focusing gem!"

"I told you the answer is no," Dipper was adamant.

"Please," Lucia wailed, "I'll do anything. I'll even pay you in gold!"

Dipper was about to answer when Grunkle Stan burst into the gift shop with a shout, "Did someone say gold?"

Stan was panting from running from his office to the shop, "Don't leave me hanging, guys. I have to know."

Wendy snickered, "Way to have your priorities straight, old-timer. Let's just completely ignore the stranger laying on the floor and focus on the prospect of gold."

"I'm glad you agree with me, Wendy," Grunkle Stan missed Wendy's meaning entirely.

Wendy opened her mouth to clarify before closing it with a sigh, Why even bother? Wealth always was Stan's number one priority.

"Now someone be straight with me; did someone mention gold or not?" Stan barreled on.

Lucia raised her hand, still laying on the floor, "I promised gold in exchange for Dipper's instruction."

"You've got yourself a deal, strangely dressed girl whom I have never met before. Dipper's instruction starts now!" Stan really liked gold.

"But, Stan—" Dipper objected.

"No buts, Dipper," Stan commanded, "You live under my roof, so you live under my rules! And rule number 1 is you never pass up an opportunity to make gold!"

"But—"

"My decision is final," Stan wasn't hearing it.

Mabel who had been quiet for most of this exchange broke in, "She tried to kill Dipper!"

Grunkle Stan was quiet for a moment, "…She's the vampire."

"Yes, Grunkle Poopyhead, she's the vampire," Mabel confirmed.

Grunkle Stan's demeanor changed. In place of a greedy old man stood a hardened criminal, "Give me a good reason not to punch you, and before you say it: 'because you're a woman' doesn't count."

Lucia scrambled away from Dipper and Grunkle Stan till her back was pressed into the counter, "…B-Because Dipper had me swear a vampire's oath to never harm you or your's ever again?"

And in an instant Stan was back to normal, "Oh, well in that case, my decision stands."

"What!" Dipper and Mabel yelled in sync.

"Yeah, what!?" Wendy followed a moment later.

"She can't hurt us and she's offering to pay in gold. What's there to lose?" Grunkle Stan's priorities were apparently 1) safety and 1.25) gold. Sometimes these priorities change positions, "Now, Dipper, go make gold."

"Can I get changed first?" Dipper sighed.

"Yeah, I was meaning to comment earlier. Those outfits are just too cute," Now that the threat of violence had passed, Lucia returned to her usually self, "Especially on you, Mabel." Lucia leered.

Stan's eyes widened, "….Yeah, the both of you can get changed first."

As Dipper and Mabel clambered up the stairs (with Lucia's eyes following them the whole way), Grunkle Stan turned to Wendy, "Say Wendy, could to chaperon the lessons for me? I would myself, but I still need to finish the order for next week."

"…I get double time for this, Stan," Wendy negotiated.

Stan looked pained for a second. He was about to refuse when Lucia's lustful gaze popped back into his memory, "Fine; you get double time."

"Score!"

"Alright, so I've never taught anyone anything before, but if I can learn it from a book, then anyone can learn it," Dipper tried to give a pep talk to his would-be murderess, "Saying the words of a spell correctly is only half the equation. The other part is a desire for the wanted effect: you have to want the spell to work. Want it badly."

"Wow, you're really bad at this," Lucia giggled, "Maybe I should ask the ever beautiful Mabel to be my master or mistress as the case may be."

Dipper flushed with anger, "Who mastered a century's worth of magical study in the span of two days?" He's goal was to be imposing, but his voice cracking didn't help at all.

"Hey, now!" Mabel called from the sidelines, "90% of teaching is putting up with your student's smart-alecky comments! Don't let it get to you, Dipper."

"Yeah, Dipper, there are days when all I ever say to my teachers is smack talk. You get respect points by ignoring our crap," Wendy agreed.

Dipper sighed and Lucia saw her chance, "Listen to the sexy women, young master. You may learn a thing or two. But you'll never learn how to be sexy: some things are impossible to be learned. You have to be born with it. Those Maybelline information pages in my intelligence magazines are totally lying."

Dipper just gritted his teeth, but didn't say anything for a moment, "Just practice the ice spell. Somethings you just have to do in order to learn it."

"Yeah, I'll master the full incantation in a second, and then we can move on to single word spells, which is what I'm paying you for," Lucia was cocky as hell.

Thirty minutes had passed since Lucia had boldly bragged about how easy the full incantation was going to be. Apparently God hates braggarts, because Lucia had yet to come close to the desired effect.

"Oh, Luna damn it!" Lucia was getting frustrated as another attempt fizzled out in front of her.

"Hey!" Grunkle Stan yelled through the kitchen window, "No cussing! If I'm not allowed to cuss in front of the kids then no one is allowed to cuss in front of the kids!"

Dipper ignored that and focused on his observations thus far, "Well, it's not the pronunciation that's wrong. You've got that down pat…perhaps you're just not in tune enough with the natural energies. As I explained earlier, whenever I cast a spell I can 'feel' the ambient energy channel through me, the incantation molds it, and my desire releases it to have the wanted effect…"

Lucia growled, "Yeah, and that teaching moment didn't work at all the first time!"

Dipper turned to Mabel who was resting against Wendy's shoulder (Lucia was totally jealous though she was having trouble picking out who she was jealous of.)

"Mabel!" Dipper called out.

"I'm not asleep!" Mabel may have been dosing off a little. She jerked awake and away from Wendy. Dipper really couldn't blame her, it was dusk now and the day had been a full one. That reminds me: corner Grunkle Stan and blackmail candy money out of him before bedtime.

"Describe to me how you feel when you're casting magic," Dipper wanted a second opinion from his fellow magic user.

"I make magic go BOOM," Mabel replied simply, smiling sleepily.

"Well, my method isn't working. So, Lucia…try making magic go boom," Dipper instructed.

"Very well, oh wise sage," Lucia's sarcasm was thick.

Lucia turned towards the tree line, and took a centering breath. She then brought her right hand forward, palm outward and bellowed, "Dominus de monte. Et glacies ventus!"

And oh boy, did Lucia make magic go boom. During the start of her incantation a shimmering ball of ice formed in front of her palm, and when she ended the incantation it exploded in all directions. Icy winds knocked Dipper's hat off his head, and poor Lucia was knocked clean off her feet.

"Lucia!" Dipper cried out in alarm.

Surprisingly, it was not Dipper to react to the mishap first, but Wendy who bolted past him to check on Lucia's condition. Lucia's dress and skin had a layer of frost on them. Wendy knelt down next to Lucia's still form and touched Lucia's cheek.

She's cold as ice, but then again she is a vampire. Are vampires always this cold?

Wendy placed a hand on Lucia's shoulder and gave it a small shake, "Lucia, Lucia! Wake up!"

Lucia groaned as she came around, "Urgh, what happened?"

Dipper stepped up to the two of them, "You had a mishap with the ice spell. You gave it too much boom and not enough direction."

Lucia groaned again, "Too much boom is right."

Wendy helped Lucia into a sitting position with one hand guiding her arm and another hand on her back, "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

Lucia seemed surprised for a moment, "You're inquiring about my well-being?" Lucia said this as she looked into Wendy's eyes.

Wendy saw something there that made her vaguely unsettled, "Yeah, I am?"

Suddenly Lucia had her arms wrapped around Wendy, crying, "It's been decades since someone asked me that!"

Wendy awkwardly patted Lucia's back as she continued to cry, "I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been tough."

"Do you have any idea what it's like to be in a place where you have nothing in common with everyone around you?" Lucia asked with her arms still wrapped firmly around Wendy tears still flowing.

Wendy's mind flashed to her dad and her very much men brothers, "Yeah, I kinda do."

Lucia's tears stopped and she got a look in her eyes ("Oh, no," Mabel whispered to Dipper, "I've seen that look before.")

Lucia released Wendy only to grab a hold of both Wendy's hands and looked her in the eyes, "It's decided then."

Wendy was a little disoriented by the change in tone, but she didn't try to remove her hands from Lucia's grasp, "What's decided?"

Lucia smiled and boldly said, "I'm going to love you forever."

"W-what?" And with that for the first time in her life Wendy fainted.

"Putting aside your inability to refrain from falling in love with every girl you meet," Dipper said after Lucia had placed the still unconscious Wendy on the bench in front of the shack, "the fact that you were able to make the spell work at all is actually a good thing. It proves that you have the ability to cast magic. Now we just need to figure out how to refine that ability."

"I think the problem is that you aren't letting the magic flow through you," Dipper continued, "You need to relax. You only need to direct it: perfect control actually hinders the spell's over all effect."

"Okay, that makes sense," And with that Lucia returned to practicing.

Wendy murmured as she woke up.

"Oh, you're awake!" Mabel exclaimed from her seat on the front step.

"Yeah, I'm awake," Wendy said as she sat up, "Say, Mabel, did an immortal vampire chick just announce her undying love for me?"

"You betcha," Mabel said.

"Oh," Wendy said as she looked out across the parking lot, "I'm afraid I don't know how to react."

"No one really does the first time a paranormal being confesses to them," Mabel said.

"Where is she now?" Wendy asked neutrally.

"She and Dipper are still working on spells out back," Mabel explained.

"If it's cool with you, I think I'm gonna bounce," Wendy was trying hard not to freak out, "I don't think I would handle talking to Lucia very well right now."

"It's cool," Mabel spoke calmly, "I totally get why you need to leave."

"Thanks, Mabel, and tell Stan I was here the whole time," Wendy got up and started walking back home.

Mabel looked up at the moon as she thought of all the developments of the day.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

And end of chapter. Not a lot of action in this chapter, but it did have some interesting developments. Grunkle Stan still has plausible deniability, but he has hinted that he may know more than he lets on.

Lucia is now a student of Dipper's, and seems to have switched infatuations to Wendy. I put this in for comedic value, but I'm thinking I may have Lucia ping pong between inappropriately flirting with Mabel and Wendy. I don't know if I can pull it off well enough to be funny.

Mabel and Dipper are still very happy as a couple. The start of this chapter was done to show Mabel's love for Dipper while also showing that she's been effected by the near misses as well. Mabel is a strong character in the show, but she can still be wounded from time to time. I believe witnessing attempted murder would be one of those times. But in the end she's a trooper and she doesn't stay down long.