As always, thank you all so much for your reviews! It really does this bitter, withered black heart good to know that folks are enjoying this story. Each one of you is a beautiful dewdrop on a perfect flower petal, you are all precious and I love you!

They barreled down the stairs leading into the basement, having paid a shocked Melody little mind even as she yelled their names and tried to reach for them as they ran past. With each step, the atmosphere grew more oppressive, the thrumming more intense, the smell of ozone more distinguished. The twins didn't speak to one another. They didn't need to. They had one task; getting to Bill as quickly as possible.

The two reached the basement bottom and darted through the cramped hallways. They finally crashed through the doorway of the small room that held the Desk of Gaap, skidding to a stop to narrowly avoid crashing into Soos and Wendy.

"Dudes?" Soos asked, eyes wide.

"You guys! You're okay!" Wendy gasped, pulling them into a brief hug before turning to look toward Stan and Ford, "guys! They're here! They're okay!"

But her voice was drowned out by the howling of the wind, the rustle of loose papers, and the peculiar garbled words spilling from Bill's mouth. They echoed against the walls in his weird and breathless voice.

Ford stood over the shackled demon, muttering a spell from his open journal, his own body glowing a faint blue.

Soos' hand on Dipper's shoulder did little to stop him. The boy lunged forward, knocking the journal out of Ford's hands and standing like a shield in between his great uncle and the prone demon. Ford faltered in his incantation, and, like a switch being flicked off, the glow dissipated, the wind died, and Bill's strange chants faded. Stanley, who had been standing off to the side, gaped at Dipper, at a rare loss for words.

"What the-" Ford's eyes roamed wildly once he was snapped out of the spell, before finally settling on Dipper, "Dipper! You're...you're here! You're okay! My boy..."

Ford gathered Dipper up in his arms, pulling him into a hug, but Dipper bitterly pushed him away. The man stared back, hurt and alarmed.

"What were you doing to him?" Dipper snapped before hazarding a glance back at Bill. The demon lay shivering, his eyes half-open and unfocused. Even in the dim light, Dipper could see the blood on him, could smell it, coppery among the ozone. He turned back to the old men with renewed fury, "what have you done to him?!"

"Dipper!" Stan exclaimed, moving forward, "what's gotten into you, boy? This is Bill! Come on, you know that!"

"Yeah, I know that!" Dipper shot back, "and I also know that you know what that spell does to him! You're torturing him! You're hurting him on the...on the deepest level and you know that!"

"Dipper," Wendy took a cautious step forward, concern on her voice, "Bill has tortured your family. He's tortured nearly everyone in town in some way or another. This is..."

"What? What were you going to say?" Dipper challenged, too angry and too hurt to feel cowed by all the incredulous eyes staring at him, "that he deserves to be tortured? That he deserves to be hurt? If you think that, you're no better than he was...and...and besides, he's changed! He's been good!"

"Brainwashed," Ford said gruffly with a slight shake of the head, and Dipper rounded on him.

"I'm not brainwashed! He's been free and able to do what he wants since the day you guys left, and he hasn't done anything wrong. He even saved my life!"

"Because he needs you, boy!" Ford shot back, "what have you two been doing with him this entire time?"

"Eating candy and chasing owls..." Mabel murmured, twirling a lock of her hair nervously, "but mostly trying to help him free himself from this body..."

"Well there you go," Stan growled, crossing his arms with a scowl.

"He's been-" Dipper started, but was forced to stop as Ford barked an interruption.

"Dipper! A demon that has been summoned and imprisoned by humans can't get free by itself, or even with the help of another demon! It needs a human, the same species that imprisoned it in the first place, to set it free! Bill was using you."

"No," Bill's voice sounded from behind them, weak and soft, but insistent, "don't listen to him, kid."

"You stay out of this!" Stan yelled, raising a fist. Mabel rushed forward to stop him.

"No, Grunkle Stan!"

"Mabel! You too?! Kids! Have you lost your goddamn minds!? And your arm, Dipper. What happened? Is that Bill's fault? Bill do that to you?"

"No!" Dipper faltered, eyes darting from Ford to Stan to Mabel, never quite knowing where to rest. Quickly, he stammered his way on, "no, I mean….maybe, but not really—it was an accident. He wasn't trying to hurt me!"

"Of course he was trying to hurt you, he's Bill!" Stan snarled back in response.

"He wasn't! We were performing a ritual, we were trying to free him from this body and...the energy buildup or something got out of hand, and there was lighting—he didn't do anything wrong. Look...he doesn't wanna hurt anyone. All he wants is to be free of that cult, you know what they're doing to him!"

"Listen to the kid," Bill sneered at the two older men, "he's actually smart. Unlike you t-"

Stan slapped a thick section of duct tape over Bill's mouth, watching with satisfied disdain as the demon grunted and struggled against his bonds, eye flashing angrily up at him.

"That's enough outta you. Now what the hell we going to do about this, Ford? ….Ford?"

Stanford stood, a hand to his chin, studying Dipper with intense scrutiny. He had been for several moments now, and it made Dipper highly uncomfortable. Some sort of understanding flashed behind the man's eyes, some sort of realization, and Dipper knew he had said or done something very wrong.

"...a ritual you say, Dipper?"

"...yes..." the boy answered cautiously, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"...we need to speak. Privately."

At that, the sinking feeling turned into more of a plummeting-off-a-300-foot-cliff feeling.

He had said too much. Ford had figured it out. Of course he had.

"Stanley, I want you and Mabel to stay here. Keep an eye on Bill. Soos, Wendy. You two should leave."

"But what if you need us?" Soos asked.

"I sincerely doubt that'll happen," Stan answered gruffly.

"Come with me, Dipper," Ford said stoically, turning to walk out of the room. Dipper looked at him, then peeked over at Bill. Bill's eyes were wide and he shook his head back and forth, trying to proclaim through the heavy adhesive on his mouth.

With fresh guilt added to his panic, Dipper turned from Bill, the demon's unintelligible pleas on his ears, and followed Ford to the shrine room. Ford switched on the light and shut the door behind them. He paced for a silent moment before standing in front of Dipper, intelligent eyes boring into him.

"Tell me about this ritual."

"I...i-it was to...free him from the human body he's bound to. So the cult couldn't-"

"I know what it was for. You already admitted you were trying to unbind him. What I want are the details. Where. When. What."

"It...it was at the history museum. The same place where he was bound. Um...last night. We found the mask you brought home...the one that looks like it's screaming? And used that as some sort of...power source. There was fire and lighting and...the lightning hit Bill, then me. My arm was burned, so Mabel took me to the hospital….its not bad, I promise. And the ritual didn't work, obviously. That's...that's it."

Ford continued gazing at Dipper for several long seconds before speaking.

"No, Dipper, I don't think that's it. I'm familiar with this type of ritual, and I'm sure Bill knew what he was doing. There's one part you're leaving out."

"N-no! That was it," Dipper struggled to steady his voice, sound confident, despite the beads of sweat forming on his skin.

"You had sex with him, didn't you."

It was phrased more as a statement than a question, and rightly so. Dipper knew that Ford knew the answer. There was no way around it. He could feel himself turning bright red. He looked at his feet, wishing to be anywhere else in the world right now.

After what seemed to be eternities of silence, he answered.

"...yes."

Ford's reaction was not one that Dipper had anticipated. The man just heaved a heavy sigh, pulled Dipper against him, and hugged him tightly. After a near minute, Ford gently took hold of Dipper's shoulders, pulling away to look at him. He looked sad. Sad and old and tired.

"Grunkle Ford, it was okay. Really. This is really weird to talk with you about, but...I wanted to do it. And not just to free him, I...wanted it. He...he didn't make me, he even said he'd try and find another way if I wasn't comfortable with it. I agreed to it willingly."

"...I know, Dipper. That's why this is so...upsetting."

"...what do you mean?"

"Dipper..." the man let go of him, placing his hands behind his back and gazing up at the tapestries thoughtfully, "have you developed...feelings, for Bill? You can answer me honestly. I'm not going to judge you, far from it. I just need an honest answer."

"...no, I..." he started, but at the sight of Ford's arched eyebrow, he bowed his head and continued, "...yes. I...have. He uh...didn't seduce me or anything like that. I'm not brainwashed. He just...he really has been good, I promise. He's been mostly nice, and he did save my life, and he's shown me-"

"-things you've never seen before?" Ford finished, catching his great nephew aback, "Answered your questions about the mysteries of the universe? Complimented you? Made you feel special?"

"….well...yeah, I guess...but—you think this is similar to what happened to you?" he asked, catching on, "when he lied about being a muse?"

"Dipper, this is exactly like what happened to me. Bill wasn't just my muse, he was my...everything. I loved him. I was in love with him."

"...I'm sorry, what?" Dipper asked, sure he had misheard. Ford turned and looked Dipper in the eyes, his tone leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"I was in love with Bill. My first love. And, I think understandably, my last. This remains between you and I, Dipper. It's...embarrassing on a multitude of levels. Shameful. If your Grunkle Stan knew..." Ford trailed off, looking away from the boy to one of the idols that stood on the shelves, "...he didn't even have a body. He didn't even look human, which makes it even...worse. More disturbing. But I loved him, desperately. He was this...fantastic being, this thing I wanted to give myself to wholly. He was my god, and I wanted to worship him in every way."

Dipper's blood ran cold. Hadn't he felt the same at times, when he and Bill had been kissing and nipping and panting? The feeling that Bill was a beautiful god to be worshiped. An ancient unknown that he had wanted to merge with, become a part of...

"...and he knew?"

"Oh yes. He knew. And he 'admitted' to having feelings for me as well. He said he wanted to be with me as much as I with him, that the portal would allow him to become physical, change his shape, so we could live a life together. A heinous lie, obviously. An eggplant has more capacity for love than Bill Cipher does. When I found out about his true plans….I was crushed."

"...what did he say when you confronted him?"

"What I've learned to expect from him since. He met my sorrow and outrage with nothing but laughter and mockery. Of course, breaking my heart wasn't enough for him. Every time I fell asleep, he was there, rubbing my mistake in my face. Every voice I heard on the wind, every eye I saw, was his. Insult to injury, Bill's specialty."

"...he hasn't hurt me or Mabel. He-"

"-had no reason to hurt you. Like I said, he needed you. Which is lucky, in many ways. If he hadn't, you and your sister may very well be dead. ...he knows what he's doing, Dipper. He's had eons to perfect manipulation. He knows every single string to pull, every button to push, to drive a human into doing exactly what he wants, and he doesn't mind hurting people in order to achieve his goals. Heck, he enjoys it."

PINE TREE

Dipper's eyes widened at the vocal intrusion, but Ford didn't seem to notice.

"It's difficult, Dipper. I know it is. And I'm sorry. But Bill is absolutely incapable of love. This is all just a game for him. Believe me, you and I weren't the first to be tricked by him this way...and if he goes free, we won't be the last."

PINE TREE

The voice came again, almost pleading. Dipper tried to shake it out of his head. How many people had Bill seduced throughout the ages? How many humans had he charmed into doing terrible things, only to break their hearts?

Ford must have taken Dipper's somber introspection for stubborn refusal, because he took hold of Dipper's shoulders again and looked at him, sadness in his eyes.

"My boy...think back. How many times did Bill appeal to your ego? Purposefully flatter you?"

Dipper thought back...and yes. There had been several times. Several specific instances where Bill had called him special, called him smart, said he was impressed, shot approving looks at him. All those times where Bill had held him and murmured in his ear, stroked his hair, kissed his neck...would Bill have done the same to Ford three decades ago, if he had had a body then?

And Bill had admitted it himself, hadn't he? He didn't love. Couldn't. Then why all the tenderness? Why all the caring caresses, the gentle kisses?

Ultimately...Ford was right, and Dipper knew it. Bill had a history of playing each Pines family member like a violin, and he'd played Dipper perhaps best of all.

The crushing realization must have shown on his face, because Ford quickly pulled him into another warm hug.

"I'm so sorry, my boy..." he sighed, and Dipper could feel the man shaking his head, "but you're not alone. We both know how this feels. We'll get through it. Together."

PINE TREE

Dipper winced against Bill's voice. It hurt. Ford pulled away and he looked at the man, helpless.

"...what now…?"

"For now? We keep him locked up. How in the world did he get out in the first place? Did you free him…?"

"...yeah," Dipper admitted, suddenly acutely aware of all the staring eyes of of the Bill idols on him. He looked down at his feet, "when I was keeping watch, the cult started harvesting him again. I didn't know what was happening. I panicked, activated the runes on the Desk...it made things worse. He was screaming and crying and stuff was flying everywhere, I-I didn't know what to do except...free him. And then he was so...helpless..."

"Dipper," Ford put his hand underneath Dipper's chin, lifting the boy's head up, "Bill Cipher is never helpless."

His words chilled Dipper to the bone, and he was instantly reminded of all the moments he had spent, alone, unprotected, with the demon.

The demon who couldn't love, the demon who tricked him to get what he wanted.

PINE TREE

The voice was louder now, more insistent, and he tried hard not to listen.

"Come on...we've got to deal with this sooner or later," Ford sighed and exited the room. Dipper followed glumly behind, desperately not wanting to face Bill.

How could he have been so blind?

When they got back to the other room, Soos and Wendy were gone. Stan and Mabel seemed to be bickering in the corner. Bill's eyes were wide and questioning as he watched them enter, his brows arched.

He looked hopeful, and it made Dipper angry.

"Grunkle Ford!" Mabel came up to him, hands clasped, beseeching, "Bill's okay, really. I promise, he won't be any trouble if we just let him go."

"He's not a pet, Mabel. And he's done more damage than you know."

Bill gave a stifled sound of protest, which ended with a quick yelp when Stan gave a good whack to his wounded shoulder. Mabel took the opportunity to renew her plea.

"We can't just keep him locked up here, he hasn't done anything wrong. He's been-"

"Mabel. That's enough."

Both Mabel and Bill lifted their heads to stare at Dipper.

"...but-" Mabel started after a moment, and Dipper cut her off.

"He tricked us, Mabel. This was all an act. He doesn't care about us...you said it yourself this morning in the museum. He doesn't care. It's all just to get what he wants. Isn't that right, Bill?"

He glared down at the trapped figure, involuntarily quaking with anger and hurt. Bill stared back, shocked, then shook his head to and fro almost frantically, trying to speak through the tape.

PINE TREE

"No, Bill!" Dipper yelled, startling Mabel and Stan enough to make them jump. Only Ford seemed unsurprised at Dipper's rage, "I know what you did! And I can't believe I fell for it! Like an idiot! Well, I'm done. I'm not falling for your tricks anymore, none of us are."

"Dipper…?" Mabel asked after a long silence.

"We'll talk about it later, Mabel."

"...okay," she conceded, her confusion still apparent. She lowered her face, her hair in her eyes, and continued cautiously, "can we at least not use that weird...spell thingy on him? ...you guys said it like...power-rapes him or whatever, and you just...you can't do it. Just...please…?"

Dipper glanced at Bill as the demon stared toward his sister. He looked pained but grateful, an uncharacteristically soft look in his eyes.

A great actor, Dipper thought bitterly. But he couldn't help but agree with her. He'd seen firsthand what sapping Bill's power did to him, had seen a visual representation of the violation, heard the unending, inhuman wails.

"I'm with Mabel. He probably deserves it, but...in good conscience, we just can't let that happen...isn't the table enough?"

"It may not be," Ford replied, "that cult still knows the appropriate incantations to harness Bill's power. If they decided to use it to cause some major disruption here, or tried to get Bill to break himself out...well, it probably wouldn't be difficult."

MY POWER

ALL OF ME

Dipper closed his eyes against the intruding voice. It sounded sad. He didn't want to hear it.

"So?" Mabel asked, "you're saying we should use that spell just so the cult can't?"

"I'm saying that we know a spell to activate Bill's power so that he effectively traps himself. That's what we were testing out when you two came back."

"Trapping himself?" Dipper asked.

"Yes, basically we would be using his own power against him. He'd be rendered totally inert, unable to move or speak...I don't know if he would even be able to think. The thing to note is that as long as this spell is active, no one else would have access to him. The cult would be left powerless, as would Bill himself, ironically. Trapping Bill within himself is the safest move."

Bill's eye roved and his muscles tensed. He didn't seem to be making any effort to hide his panic.

Dipper remembered Bill, his forehead pressed against Dipper's, his ruined hands on Dipper's cheeks. The slight but sad smile. The mismatched eyes, one cat-like, glowing, always searching. The other as dark and dangerous and unreachable as the deepest reaches of the sea.

"He'd use the spells," Bill had said in a confident yet oddly subdued tone, his lips nearly brushing Dipper's, "he'd trap me with my own power."

It seemed he had been right. Wasn't he usually? He remembered asking Bill if he was afraid.

He had never answered.

"I still don't think we should do it," Mabel insisted, searching Dipper's face for at least some shred of support. He paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement. Both Stan and Ford looked at the twins for a long while, then at one another.

"We could see how it goes," Stan shrugged, "at least until we figure out a more permanent solution."

"I don't like it," Ford said, as if his crossed arms and scowl weren't enough to illustrate that point, "...but fine. For now. But he stays down here, on the Desk, with the runes activated, and tape over his loud mouth. And..." he rifled through some nearby drawers and brought out a length of fabric. Bill squirmed as Ford approached him with it, but there wasn't much he could do; Ford easily secured it around Bill's head, essentially blindfolding him, "-this is just for extra security. I have reason to believe he is able to...hypnotize, for lack of a better word, with his eyes."

Dipper's heart sank even further. Not so long ago, Bill had 'accidentally' seduced him with the use of that strange black eye with its thick lashes and untold fathoms. Had he done the same with Ford?

They all four watched the figure on the table for a moment. It all seemed a little excessive, a little perverse. Bill was shackled, shut up, blinded. He couldn't cause any harm. But what Ford said kept playing in Dipper's mind.

'Bill Cipher is never helpless.'

"Come on, let's...reconvene," Ford nodded toward the doorway, "we have a lot to discuss."

They filed one by one out of the room. Dipper gave one last glance back at Bill. The demon wasn't struggling, was still except for the labored rise and fall of his chest.

But the unearthly voice in Dipper's head echoed, over and over again.

PINE TREE

PINE TREE

PINE TREE