"And to think I was defeated by someone like you! HAHA!"

Dipper jumped, staring around. He was in the white space again, but this time cracks grew across the world as if it were made of glass.

"At least tell me this, Pine Tree!"

He jumped, flinching violently at the nickname. The world flickered, and in a blink of an eye it was doused in a red light. Trembling, Dipper looked up. His mouth parted in a silent scream at the sight of a blazing eye staring back at him.

"DID YOU MISS ME?!"

"Dude!"

Dipper yelled, startling himself awake. He sat up abruptly and gulped in the cold air around him. It took him a moment to readjust, only seeing glaring red eyes in his vision.

"Bill – " he stuttered, feeling his body tremble at the mere thought of the demon. He raked a hand through his hair, trying to distinguish what was dream and what was real.

Once again, he reminded himself that Bill was dead, gone forever, wiped out of existence – his nightmare begged to differ, however. He was tense, sweat beading at his brow.

Bill was gone, never to return – he repeated this thought until he was interrupted again by a gruff voice.

"You with me dude?"

Dipper looked up sharply. He relaxed at the sight of Hank leaning over to him, a little too close for his liking. He noticed dully that bandages and painkillers were being pushed in his hand, but he ignored it.

"Still…here?" Dipper breathed. Hank nodded, sounding a little confused.

"Yeah. Where else would you be?" He moved away from Dipper, giving him the space he needed. "You were tossin' in your sleep right there and I figured you would like me to wake ya up. Besides, I don't know where you wanna go."

Dipper noticed that the engine of the van had been turned off – they were floating in space until Dipper chose to move.

"Thanks." Now coming to his senses, he gestured to the first aid materials in his hand. Hank waved him off.

"You'd be surprised with the amount of things that come in here beat up like you." He answered lightly.

Dipper pulled off his jacket, feeling his heart begin to calm. As he began work on the many wounds he had acquired (he reminded himself to thank Pacifica for the first aid training she had taught him if he ever returned), he tried to push the nightmare away from his mind.

He supposed, as he had done last time, that it really was due to the fact that he had missed his dosages of medication. Grimly, he recalled a time where he was far younger, waking up from similar night terrors. Back then he had also thought they were real, and needed hours of convincing from Mabel that they were indeed his trauma alone.

Dipper was pulled out of his thoughts as his ankle wound gave a painful stab as he began to dress it. Thankfully, it was a close graze. No bullet to remove, which was good. Probably needed stitches, but he did not have the resources and time to do so. He could only prevent infection for the time being.

"You know, your story has been puzzlin' me actually." Hank said into the silence, leaning back in his seat. When Dipper stayed quiet, he continued. "About you getting' dragged down here."

"Do you have any ideas?" Dipper asked hopefully. The trucker shook his head.

"Ideas…no…" he gave a low hum. "But I do have an uneasy feelin' about all of it."

"Yeah, so would anyone." Dipper huffed, grimacing as he treated a wound. Hank gave a chuckle.

"That's true – but someone's out to get you. You need better protection than a pocket knife." He replied.

"I was trying to do that but –" Dipper gestured down at himself. " – I just ended up worse…"

Hank suddenly turned around, pulling something from the backseat. Dipper paused to watch.

"This," Hank pulled a small pistol from the back seat and held it out for Dipper to take, "is a pistol that someone left behind a few days ago. I figure you could use it more than them."

Dipper took the gun slowly, giving Hank a weak smile at the kind gesture.

"Thank you…you didn't need to –"

"You're gonna need all the help you can get, judging by what you told me, dude." The trucker replied with a smile.

Dipper tucked the gun in his pocket, pulling on his jacket again. He stared out of the window and into the dark space beyond.

Millions of planets and galaxies drifted around them, creating a colourful canvas across the never-ending darkness of space. Dipper watched the worlds in silence, thinking.

It was obvious he couldn't return to where he had ran from. He knew he would be killed immediately for breaking the deal he had made with the bartender. However, with that he had to let go of his most promising way back home, to his own universe.

"I need another place that has a lot of portals. Then I can get home once I find the right one." He concluded. He looked over at Hank, who hummed in thought.

"Your portal was a tricky one – I think I said that before, didn't I?" The trucker didn't wait for an answer, continuing. "But there are other places…just more rare for portals like yours to come through."

"What do you mean by that?" Dipper asked, already knowing the answer.

"You can't predict what portals will come. Could be within weeks, or within years." Hank said predictably.

The odds, as always, were looking down on Dipper. Odds like these had always been unfair to any member of the Pines family, so the news didn't come as much of a surprise to him. However, it did mean that never returning home was a very real and stark possibility.

And he would never see Mabel again, not ever.

"I'll take those odds." He found himself growling in a tone that reminded him strongly of Grunkle Stan.

True, Pines' always had the odds stacked against them, but it never stopped them from going all in anyway. And Dipper was not about to break that. Especially with odds like these on the line.

"Where's the closest place?" He asked.

"A market place for abnormal creatures. Stuff like gnomes, fairies – that shit." Hank explained. Dipper's eyes widened, and he straightened up in his seat.

"I remember!" He burst out with a small laugh. "How did I not remember? The Crawlspace!"

"Yeah, that was it – you know it?" The trucker asked. Dipper nodded eagerly.

"When I was younger me and Pacifica – my friend – had to go there to save my sister's face from a demon!" He laughed again in relief and hope, recalling the last points of their adventure. "We came in through a door that lead us directly to our own reality again! I could go home!"

"Well let's waste no time." Hank smiled, beginning to drive to the cluster of portals in front of them.

"It should all still be there." Dipper let out a long breath, smiling in spite of himself.

Further research throughout the years had helped he and Ford understand the Crawlspace better. It was a place that existed in all universes through the use of excess portals that gathered. The place had been built around these portals, each "doorway" actually being a route back to other universes. This way beings and creatures could gather from all over the universe to sell goods. He had completely forgot about its existence until that moment, but wished he had remembered it sooner.

"I can go home." Dipper murmured, watching the sky change around them. It grew lighter as they drove closer to the portal cluster.

"It's gonna take a little time to get there – lots of portals to avoid." Hank said, peering at a gadget that was flashing on his dashboard.

Dipper nodded, letting himself rest in the leather seat. He let out a long sigh.

If this did work, and the fates were on his side, then the first thing he was going to do is evacuate the entire forest until he found out exactly what had caused the rift. Then Mabel, and the rest of the people he loved, would not have to put up with this hell.

As if a reminder, his injuries began to throb, making him groan quietly. He fumbled with the painkillers Hank had given him, swallowing two of the pills dry. It would hopefully take the edge off.

Despite the possible future of his freedom, Dipper felt an unease pass through his body like a shiver. He couldn't help but think about the dream again, closing his eyes tight.

The laughter felt so real, so haunting, that he couldn't push it away.

"Tell me what to do, Mabel." He muttered to himself, resting his head against the window. "Tell me it was just a dream."

Without her reassurances, he was less sure of himself.

His eyes slipped closed again.

"TIME'S UP PINE TREE!"

Dipper jumped at the echoing yell, snapping his eyes open again. He stared around wildly, but it seemed that Hank had not heard the shout – he was drumming the steering wheel happily, humming.

"How long left?" Dipper asked, swallowing the tremor in his voice.

"Right here." Hank answered. Dipper let out a sigh of relief, even more pressured to return home as quick as possible. The voice still echoed in the corners of his mind, making him shudder.

"Might want to put on your mask." Hank advised as they approached the large rift. Dipper nodded, shoving it over his face. He was all too aware of their view on humans.

"Thank you, for all your help." Dipper said clumsily, grabbing the last of his few belongings. Hank nodded, giving a large smile as they entered the rift.

"You helped me get a shit load of money. I owe you this much." He answered. The swirling colours faded, leaving them hovering a few inches off the ground.

It was just like Dipper remembered; surrounded by large oak trees, creatures gathered at every stall. Gnomes, demons, beasts – all gathered in one place.

Dipper wasted no time in leaping out of the truck, landing neatly on the ground. He looked up as Hank gave him a wave.

"Be careful, kid." He heard the trucker warn. He turned on the car's engine once more. "Someone wants you dead. Don't let that happen."

Dipper nodded, lifting a hand in goodbye. He watched Hank leave through the rift before straightening up with a smile beneath his mask.

All he had to do was locate the correct gateway – an easy job. He vividly remembered he and Pacifica running through the streets as if it were yesterday. And then, he would finally be in Gravity Falls once more.

Safe with Mabel at his side.