Okay guys! This is kind of a big chapter, and it is also the beginning of a quick story hiatus, which means a couple things. First things first, I will be completing the next two or three chapters of Sev'ral timez being cute got me out of prison (and other oddness). That story only has three chapters left in it anyways, with the first two absolutely necessary to write for me to feel great about continuing this one. It's no big deal. Secondly we're doing quality control on my tendency to hit publish so quickly, going through all of the chapters in this lovely publications and fixing errors as well as little contradictions in the timeline. Lastly, and this is the very best news, I'll be writing out more of a plan so I can keep this super enjoyable story going. Thanks for reading!

Also it might be helpful to read Trying some things, which is Dipcifica and directly relates to this chapter.

Dipper was a dance mom, well he played one, as they practiced for the recital in just one month. They'd carpooled from 1st grade and so he picked them up afterward, and was sitting with the other dance moms. They chattered and gossiped and talked about birthday parties, recital costumes, girl scout cookies and more. Dipper felt just as out of place as he imagined his girls felt. Magically no invites came for parties, and their costumes were always someone else's hand me down dresses, instead of the new ones. Dipper hated that, because of course he could pay for new costumes but he never knew the day for ordering or the girls' specific measurements so they always got stuck with the lamest ones. Jess was utterly unaffected by the snub, was friendly to all the girls anyway. She would make friends with inanimate objects if she had the time. Meg felt the sting of snubbery a little bit more. Dipper always tried to shower the both of them with affection whenever possible. Like now, as they exited the class, giggling to themselves until they saw daddy and then running over.

"My Princesses! How was your day honey buns?" He hugged them and kissed their heads like he hadn't seen them in four or five years.

"It was really good daddy. We played castle on the playground and I was a knight and Jess was a dragon and we had oranges for a snack and we learned about multiplication."

"And I drawed a lot!" Jess added excitedly, a budding artist.

"That's awesome. And I saw you dancing. You're so good! I thought I was watching professional ballerinas. The recital is going to be absolutely amazing." They giggled and smiled.

"Daddy we aren't professionals yet." Meg said, extremely serious.

"But I bet you will be. Let's go home." He buckled his kids into their car-seats and prepared to get going.

"Got everything? Backpacks, clothes to change into, are we all good?"

"Yeah!" Two voices chorused from the back.

"Great!" He smiled into the rear-view, looking at his daughters before he started. Then there was a chill in the air and he thought he saw Bill. He gasped and jerked his head backwards. It was just his two sweet daughters. He was still so shaken though. He had to focus on taking deep breaths as he continued home. Bill couldn't have his girls. Never ever. He drove home, not uttering a word as his kiddos chattered.

Dinner was just the three of them, as Mabel was rewarding report cards with pizza, so Dipper made a simple stove top macaroni and cheese, a little less stressed about his daughters' well being. His mind was too jumbled most of the time, too full of paranormal thoughts and normal normal thoughts, bills and his babies and his babies' homework and tomorrow's work, which is also part of his paranormal thoughts. His head was so full sometimes that he was terribly paranoid about everything.

"Daddy come see my drawing of my new friend!" Jess called.

"Okay sweetheart just let me finish up dinner." He adds salt and pepper to taste with boyish flamboyance. Then he dished up three plates and headed into the living room/dining room combo. He plops down the three plates and forks, ruffling two heads of hair. One brown like his, one blond like their mother.

"What did you draw?" He asked sweetly. She turned around the crude picture of a tall man with a short top hat and a bow tie and strange eyes.

"My new friend!" She said cheerfully.

"It's lovely Jess," He kissed her head then Meg's. He's happy. He doesn't think about it now. Not yet. He checks their homework, cuts short screen time, reads a soft bedtime story and tucks in little girls and littler stuffed animals. He's so tired that he goes to bed as soon as they do.

Around midnight he explodes out of bed terror dripping down his face.

"Bill." He whispers. That's what the face on Jess's picture looked like. The one that was on their fridge right now. He scrambled to the kitchen, hardly bothering with the kitchen light, because the street lamp was enough to see the eyes almost glow in the dark. He began to weep, thinking of the hold the triangular demon had already had on his life and Mabel's. The sleepless nights and vivid nightmares and the constant constant fear. There was a massive lump in his throat as the tears came streaming down. And then there was a creak of the floorboards. His head snapped towards the sound, and he saw Jess standing there, head down.

"Sweetie, go back to bed." He said, his voice barely a whisper over the roar of fear. Her head raised, eyes that were not hers opened.

"I don't think so Pine Tree." He screamed in terror, his fatherly instincts fighting through his paralyzing fear. He scrambled towards Jess, crying out.

"Fight baby, fight him. Come back. Wake up!" He grabbed her, hugged her thrashing body. She fought hard against him, screaming nonsense, backwards mumbo jumbo he thought. He'd studied these things, but didn't care now as Cipher shrieked inside his daughter's struggling body. Then it goes still.

"Daddy why are you crying?" The little voice asked, arms wrapping around her daddy's neck.

"Dipper?" Mabel asked from the doorway, having heard the screams.

"Wake your sister and get dressed sweetie," Dipper said gently, kissing her head. Jess ran off. Mabel knew exactly what he was planning.

"Dipper, no. This is not a good idea."

"Bill had my daughter tonight, I heard his voice from her mouth. Precautionary measures, Mabel." He sounded so scared, and so stubborn.

"I'm scared too Dipper, but they're six years old and they aren't you.."

"I'm doing what's best." He insisted, essentially brushing her off.

"Dipper, I'm begging you to stop and think about what you're trying to do." Dipper didn't answer, simply pulled out his cell phone and called an old number.

"Don't be mad at me, Todd. You owe me a favor for the exorcism."

"Of course I know what time it is. My daughters need metal plates. Yeah, like the one I got when I was 19. Cut the crap, you owe me. We'll be there in an hour. You can do this, right?" Mabel's eyes grew wide and she wanted so badly to gather her nieces into her arms and hide them from the fear that possessed Dipper now.

"Thank you." She looked absolutely horrified, disgusted even.

"Dipper, stop it."

"You were going to have to tell your children about Bill anyway." He tells her, trying to make this about her.

"This isn't about them, this is about you being a lunatic right now."

"Shush, Todd owes me a favor." He buckles his now dressed children in the car, blasting the Moana soundtrack so loudly no one will possibly fall asleep, and he could swear that he was racing Bill in the darkness.

Todd was groggy but still impeccably talented. When Dipper was 19 it was Todd's father. When Ford had the metal plate inserted, it was Todd's grandfather. Each had known the haunting presence of Bill, were fighters in the the revolution in their own way. Maybe they were viewed as crackpots, but they had steady hands. Todd was Dipper's age, and had a four year old little boy named Eric that the twins played with sometimes. Eric was snug in bed now, and Todd looked like he wished he was too.

"This is a bit drastic, Dipper. They're so young."

"I know. Thank you for doing this anyway." Todd still looked uneasy as Dipper hunched down to his daughters' level.

"Girls, I need you to trust me right now more than ever. You aren't going to like what happens next, but it's necessary, like shots when we go to the doctor." The both nodded dutifully, both looking sleepy and confused.

"Daddy, what's going on?" Meg asked.

"First , baby, you're going to need a haircut..." He said with a sigh, Todd handing him the razor. Meg and Jess cried as their heads were shaved, blond and brunette hair mixing at their feet, Dipper whispering, "I'm sorry." The silence when they were put under was worse than their crying. Dipper couldn't watch, so he closed his eyes. Despite his own metal plate, he could swear Bill was in his head. But all that was there was fear.

So, here's a first introduction to Todd Strange, son of Tad Strange (because why not?) and grandson of Stephen Strange. (shrugs)