Chapter 1: Innocence
As anyone who's had to ride a public bus long distance can attest, there is a wide range of quality in bus-based transportation. Unfortunately for Dipper and Mabel, Grunkle Stan hadn't sprung for the highest quality bus to transport them back to Piedmont. Nor had he sprung for the mediocre bus. Nor the economy bus. Dipper wasn't even sure what the bus line they were riding was called, given how their seats said one thing and their tickets said something else. But he didn't exactly expect top-of-the-line expenses being spent, even if the summer changed a lot, Grunkle Stan was still a cheapskate.
As another mile of Oregon countryside whizzed past the blue and orange "Speedy Beaver" bus Dipper stared out the grimy window and looked back at the note he'd gotten as a farewell. He smiled to himself slightly at the words from his new friends and felt glad that the summer had been a truly memorable one. But even with all the awesome stuff that happened this summer in Gravity Falls, I'm definitely glad to be heading back home, no way on earth I want to deal with that level of chaos for a while-I'm just glad we both got through that weirdpocalypse alive. Maybe I'll take a breather on the supernatural for a little bit and take up dad's offer to join his bird watching club.
As her brother stared vacantly out the window Mabel picked at the duct tape covering a hole in the seat she continued talking, "…and Candy says she'll try to see if her mom will let us visit for Christmas Break. But I'm still going to miss them."
"Yeah, Gravity Falls was one heckuva place to spend the summer." Dipper replied, trying not to think about the number of times he'd almost died over the last three months. "I wonder how mom and dad's summer went?"
"Probably just really boring adult stuff. I bet dad tried to take her bird watching again." Mabel said, knowing how her father's hobby had turned into a slight obsession as time had passed.
Dipper chuckled, "I wonder if another bird tried to steal her hair to make a nest…"
"Maybe! Though with mom's curls it'd be more surprising if a bird didn't see her hair." Mabel smiled, before her face dimmed slightly, "Either way, it's still a little weird they never called."
"It's not that weird. After all, mom and dad sent us away to make sure we got fresh air away from home. They probably didn't want to make us homesick by checking in, and it isn't like either of us sent stuff home-aside from that nasty gummy worm video you tried to mail."
"It wasn't nasty! It was a record!" Mabel contested, patting Waddles on the head.
"Whatever you say Mabel."
***GF-SPN***
Dipper hadn't realized that he'd dozed off until he was awoken by the bus driver. "Hey kids! Come on, it's your stop."
Dipper blinked as he saw the driver looking back at them, the rest of the bus already emptied out from the handful of other passengers. "Sorry! We'll get out."Dipper nudged Mabel.
"No Duke Waffles and I will not attend the ball…"
Dipper huffed, "Mabel, come on, it's our stop."
Mabel blinked, the rubbed her eyes. "What?"
"Come on Mabel, get Waffles and your bag. We're home."
Mabel complied and soon the twins were standing on the curb as the bus pulled away. "Grunkle Stan called to tell mom and dad which bus we were on, right?"
"Yeah, he left a message on the house phone." Dipper replied, hoisting his duffle onto his shoulder. He glanced at his watch, "The bus was late, so they should be around here somewhere. Come on, they probably had trouble parking."
Mabel followed and the two walked through the bus terminal and to the front of the building. Mabel had to drag Waffles away from the snack stand, the pig tugging at his leash to try and get to the soft pretzels. As the afternoon light shone brightly across the sea of glimmer glass it looked like Dipper was right. The parking lot was packed. "If we just wait out here they'll see us and pick us up at the curb."
Mabel agreed and put down her suitcase, opting to sit on it instead of stand. She sat and stretched, patting Waddles' head as the pig, too, sat down and nuzzled against the girl.
***GF-SPN**
After half an hour neither Pine parent has shown up, so Dipper decided to call his dad's cell phone. He flipped open his phone and scrolled through the contacts until he found his father, then selected "call". After a moment the phone rang, but it went to voicemail shortly afterward. "Hey dad, it's me. I just wanted to call and say that Mabel and I are at the bus station. We're out front by the big sign that says 'Piedmont'. Call me back when you get this. Bye." Dipper frowned as he punched the red "End Call" button. "No luck with dad." Dipper said as he flipped the phone shut, looking over to his sister.
"I'll try mom." Mabel replied, fishing her phone from her pocket-a tube of lip gloss, miniature horse figurine, and a half dozen stickers flying out as she did so.
Again it went to voicemail, "Hi mom! It's Mabel! Dipper and I are at the bus station and we're out front and we're ready to see you guys. Call me back, okay! Thanks! Love you! Bye!" Mabel closed her phone and stroked Waddles' back. "No answer, I wonder if they're out bird watching again?"
Dipper rolled his eyes before weighing his options. Given that neither of us really have many friends or friends' parents, we can't call in a favor to get someone to drive us home. None of our relatives live close, except for Aunt Carol, and she hates mom, so she'd never pick us up… Neither of us have enough money to get a cab… He sighed, coming to a conclusion he wasn't very fond of."I think our best choice is to walk home."
"But what if mom and dad show up when we leave? Won't they be worried?" Mabel replied, trying to stop Waddles from chewing on his leash.
"We'll leave a message and tell them what we're doing." Dipper stated, again flipping open his phone. "Maybe they'll even meet us on the way."
After a brief message to their father the two picked up their luggage and started down the sidewalk toward home. After twenty minutes of dragging a pig through downtown Piedmont the two had arrived at their street.
"Thank God, we're almost home." Dipper panted, tired from lugging his bag for such a distance. His noodly arms were weak from the weight. Mabel nodded in agreement, dragging her suitcase and wrangling Waddles from eating every crumb in sight had left her exhausted as well. The two continued down the block past the other tidy brick homes until they got to their address. However, instead of being greeted by the usual tidy lawn and rose bushes the yard looked like an overgrown mess. The sidewalk blazed a path through the weedy lawn, and the bushes had grown considerably over the summer. Dead leaves were scattered across part of the driveway and it looked like their mother's car hadn't moved in weeks, if not more, given the layer of dust covering the Subaru.
"I guess dad decided to stop mowing the lawn over the summer." Mabel commented, following Dipper as he pulled a house-key from his pocket.
Dipper shrugged, "Yeah, maybe…" He said, trying to put off the feeling that something was wrong as he unlocked the door.
The metallic click echoed as the heavy wooden door swung open. Unfortunately, the feeling of unease only grew when they got inside. Most of the furniture was covered in a layer of dust, and as they walked small motes were kicked up off the hardwood floor, flitting about in the light that filtered through the dirty windows.
"Mom and dad wouldn't move without telling us, right?" Dipper asked, concerned about the apparent lack of parents coupled with a house that looked like it hadn't been lived in for months.
"No way! They just didn't mow the lawn a few times, or clean the house at all…" Mabel replied, waving her hand, trying to dispel her fears. She walked through the entry into the living room, the dust continued, as did his feelings of dread. As he looked over at the answering machine, it had over 50 messages. "I guess they aren't answering any calls…"
Dipper followed his sister and saw the machine, "Mabel, there's something wrong here. Mom and dad would never leave the house like this. It's a total mess." He paused, seeing his sister's eyes grow concerned. He paused, sighing, "Come on, let's ask one of the neighbors and find out what happened. Maybe they're just on vacation and just forgot to get someone to clean and do the yard work while they're gone. It'll be fine."
"Yeah, definitely." Mabel agreed, nodding. She looked down at Waddles, "Here. Waddles you go ahead and explore your new home, we're going next door to find out where mom and dad are." She untethered the pig's leash and let him start snuffling around the living room as she and Dipper returned through the front door.
After walking down the sidewalk, the two turned left and went to their immediate neighbors, the Johnsons. The Johnsons didn't have any kids, and didn't like kids very much, but they tolerated the Pines well enough that they probably knew where Dipper and Mabel's parents were. At least, I hope they do. Dipper thought. The Johnson's yard was in its usual state, neatly mowed with a few dozen concrete lawn gnomes scattered throughout the flower beds. I used to like those things, now they're just creepy. Mabel frowned as she walked past one on a swing. Dipper also wasn't a fan of them, but at the moment the main thing he was focusing on was ringing the bell to hopefully find some information on his parents.
After pressing the bell he heard the yapping of Trixie, the Johnson's Pomeranian, followed by the clicking footsteps of Mrs. Johnson's heels across the tile floor. A moment later the woman opened the door, looking down at the two children on her front stoop. Instead of the usual hardness that she wore her expression faltered, almost seeming unsure of what to convey. Before she could speak Dipper began.
"Hello Mrs. Johnson, Mabel and I just got back from our Great Uncle's and we don't know where our parents are. We tried calling them, but they haven't answered. Do you know the hotel where they are so we can call them there?"
She blanched as she seemed unsure what to say. After swallowing dryly she exhaled, "Children, why don't you come in. I think you should sit down to hear what I'm going to tell you."
Dipper and Mabel exchanged a look. It was rare for anyone to be invited to the Johnsons, and normally they never let kids visit-for fear of them breaking the expensive goods that the couple had-so it was extraordinarily odd that she was inviting them in. But the two complied, and shortly afterward they were sitting in the front room on a large leather sectional as Mrs. Johnson sat across from them anxiously rubbing her hands together.
"Dipper, Mabel, I have some unfortunate news. Your parents were in a terrible car accident and have perished." She frowned as she spoke.
"What? I don't understand…" Dipper shook his head, the room spinning around him.
"Well, perished means, well… no longer alive."
"I know what perished means!" Dipper snapped. "When did this happen? How did no one tell us?"
"It's been nearly three months, I think. It happened in June. I don't know how it happened that no one told you. I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you more." She exhaled.
"So, we're orphans?" Mabel asked, finally speaking.
"Yes, I'm sorry."
After a nearly silent dinner at their neighbor's home the police arrived to explain what had happened to the two children. A few days after Dipper and Mabel left for Gravity Falls their parents were in a car accident. It had been late, and the roads had been slick, and so their car had jumped a guardrail and landed 300 feet below in a chasm. Both parents had died instantly, and had been identified by their dental records. The police had attempted to contact their other relatives to try and reach out to the twins, but no one knew where they were, leading to the assumption that the two of them were missing and possibly dead as well.
"We're just glad to see that the two of you are alive and well. We thought you were dead. Where were you?" Officer Daugherty asked.
"We were at our great uncle's house in Oregon." Dipper replied, numbly rubbing his hand across his sleeve again.
"Great uncle?" The officer asked as he scribbled down the information.
"Yeah, but he's in the ocean right now with our other great uncle on a fishing boat. He left his house with Soos-one of his employees."
"Okay." He quickly penciled down some details before turning back to the kids. "I know this is a lot, and I'm sorry that you're going through it. Why don't you go back over to your house and wait for a bit. We're going to send someone to help get some of this all taken care of." He smiled, trying to be reassuring. But it was evident in his expression that he was trying to help them get through something he'd never lived through himself, which lead to a hollowness in his promise.
And so, Dipper and Mabel sat down in their living room, staring out the front window at the overgrown grass as the day began to fade into night, unsure of what future was ahead of them.