At first, Dippers brain had just stopped functioning. Still, to be completely fair, it is hard to comprehend reality after it had been destroyed by three little words. They meant nothing really. It was more as if they didn't feel real. Was it a joke? An unexpected attempt to break his mind before breaking his body? But, despite being temporarily shut down, Dipper managed to focus on a thought and voice it. It wasn't articulate or complex, just a simple and near meaningless sound from the most primitive part of his consciousness.

"...Uhhmmm uuuhh."

Bill, on the other hand, was all there and he was enraged. He knew what he said, he just couldn't stop himself from saying it. He also knew something was now wrong with his insides. He actually, most probably, always knew there was something wrong with his insides. But, it was a different kind of wrong. It was uncontrollable. His body, unable to accept this sudden turn, began to fold upon itself over and over. His eye melted and re-birthed hundreds more. He split apart and regenerated. He took those sharp hands and tore at his molecules, erasing them and recreating them.

"Where is it! Where is it!" he repeated frantically.

Dipper flinched at the overly pitched sound of Bill's voice. It got higher and higher, more crazed as he continued to disassemble. He was breathing a bit more normal now, calmed somehow by Bills chaos, and he felt like he could move again. Taking a few steps back he made his way to Stan, standing in front of his body protectively as he watched Bill do things to himself that no normal person could ever comprehend. He wasn't going to run, even if he really wanted to. He could not leave Stan behind. He would never leave Stan behind.

Eventually, Bill silenced. His body a puddle that rose and twisted back into his original golden shape. He looked back at Dipper, inexpressive, and terrifying. He then said in a calm and all too calculated way, "Strange." He stopped and suddenly burst into a flair of angry red flames. His eye completely black, avoid. "Tad Strange." He continued with enough malice that the air around Dipper felt like poison. It pricked his skin and caused goosebumps to rise.

Then Bill just stopped existing. One moment he was there, and then he was gone. Leaving behind nothing but emptiness, almost as if he was never there to begin with. The sun was now rising, the light a pale yellow that turned the sky from black to blue. It was gentle and kind in a way. It nearly made the world feel like it wasn't about to be destroyed by the insane whims of a demon.

Dipper fell down heavily on to the dirt below, his elbows then came to rest on his knees. He let out one shaky sigh before moving his hands up to his hair and pulling it. There was a tired growl near him, his uncle waking as the light got brighter around them.

"Hey... uhh..." Stan began as he lifted himself off the ground slightly, "Where... uhh." He shook his head, "Why are we outside kid?"

Dipper turned to his uncle and he laughed. It was a broken and depressed laugh. He looked at Stan's eyes, they were slightly crossed. This was his uncle alright. Stan continued watching him, confused.

"Hey. Let's just head back Grunkle Stan." He said as he got up and offered the man below his hand.

Stan took his hand, grunting painfully as he got off the ground.

"Why do I feel like I was beaten to hell? Reminds me of Vegas, did I ever tell you about Vegas?"

"We... We will talk about that when we get back to the shack man." Dipper said quietly, he positioned himself under Stan's arm to help hold him up. After this, they began to walk back. And dear god, they were tired.

Stan promptly stopped, his eyes bright, as he remembered something. "Oh yea, we got to call Ford! Don't think you're weaseling out of that one."

Dipper looked away from Stan, not meeting his eyes.

"Yea, we have to call Ford." He said, nodding his head.

Stan chuckled, a thick and heavy hand patting Dippers back roughly. "I know you got some pride thing going on, but you should just let your Grunkles' help out. It's easier that way. It probably isn't even a big deal, whatever is going on around here."

Dipper squeezed his eyes shut and bit his bottom lip. Sometimes, he hated himself.

"Yeah. We have to call Ford." he simply repeated.