-My apologies, but this one's going to hurt. I usually wouldn't apologize or warn the readers in situations like this, but with these Wendip week stories, you're usually expecting some light-hearted fluff, so I felt a heads up was in order when you plan on subverting those expectations to some degree in a way that might feel like a kick to the teeth. With the type of story I've crafted here however this chapter was inevitable, and I'd have to consider myself creatively bankrupt if I wussed out and failed to follow through with my original vision for this part of the story.

Last Dance

It began with little things… Forgetting where he placed certain objects, walking into rooms and forgetting why he walked in there in the first place. As time went by, his wife and kids started to notice that when they tried to hold a conversation with him, his mind would wander, or he'd immediately forget whatever it was they were just discussing. He'd read news articles and completely forget what they were even about minutes later. Eventually, the memory lapses extended to important dates, and even the names of nominal acquaintances would escape him. There was no point in denying it anymore. Dipper's mind was deteriorating, the part of his body he at one point considered his greatest asset, was failing him… Ravaged with a disease medical science had no way of slowing down as his brain slowly rotted away.

As painful as it was to sit by helplessly as his mental faculties diminished, it paled in comparison to watching what his wife was currently suffering through. A few months prior, Wendy received some of the worst possible news she could've gotten. The disease that had gradually killed her mother had now come to claim her as well. Little was known about her condition, but what had been learned was that the disease was hereditary and appeared to primarily affect females of the family line. Wendy being the trooper that she was, was more concerned over their daughter Amy having to worry about contracting the same condition one day. As hard as she fought though, her body just wasn't as strong as her spirit. As her muscles weakened, especially in her legs, it was becoming increasingly difficult to walk. Refusing to be resigned to a wheelchair, a cane and the occasional help of her husband was all the assistance Wendy would allow herself. Breathing had also become a glaring issue. Many trips to the hospital followed, trips that Wendy hated with an unbridled passion. During these waning days of her life, Wendy had seen enough of hospital walls and wanted to spend the days she had left in the comfort of her own home. This was the focus of the phone conversation Dipper was currently having with their son.

"And you're sure there's nothing we can do to change her mind?"

"Nothing Greg… You know your mother… When has anybody ever been able to get her to do something she doesn't want to do?"

"Even if that something can extend her life for a few more months?"

"It's not what she wants, and it would be selfish of us to expect her to prolong her suffering just for our sakes. She says she doesn't care if it's a day, a week, or a month. She wants to live out what's left of her life at home. She's afraid she won't be able to haunt me if I let her die in a hospital bed."

"Okay dad… We should be there in a few hours… Amy's driving in from the case she was working in Vancouver, so she'll be in shortly two."

"Wonderful… Just meet us at the house… We should be home by then, but you know how hospitals are… Just don't drive crazy trying to get up here okay?"

"Don't worry Dad," he said, as he took a peek at his two children both fast asleep in the backseat. "I have reasons to stay safe… Bye Dad…"

Greg took a deep breath after disconnecting the call, trying to steady his nerves as he focused on the road. He felt a gentle hand grab hold of his as he was rubbing it nervously against his leg. He tilted his head just slightly so he could see the concerned blue eyes of his wife looking his way. "Are you sure you don't need to pull over and let me drive honey?"

"Thanks Penny… But I'll be fine… I kind of need the distraction right now…"

Back at the hospital, Dipper walked back into his wife's room, a bit distressed to see her sitting up on her bed, her legs dangling off the side. Understanding her impatience, Dipper kept his cool. "You're not supposed to be sitting up without somebody in the room with you…"

"I've never been good at followin' the rules Dip," Wendy said meekly, struggling to hold her head up. "I'm so sick of being stuck in bed… It hurts just as bad when I'm layin' down as it does standin' up, so what's the difference?"

"The difference is nobody's around to help you up if you fall," Dipper reminded her gently, as he sat down next to her. Wendy immediately leaned against him, thankful for the support. "I just talked to Greg… Both he and Amy are on the way, but it'll take them a while to get here, so we should have time to get you settled in at home before they arrive."

"You mean if they ever bring me my damn discharge papers!" Wendy frowned slightly for a completely differen't reason. "They're not bringing the kids are they?"

"I'm pretty sure they are… Just in case…" Dipper took care not to mention that it could possibly be for the last time. "They want to see their grandma… It's been months… And I know you want to see them too."

It was a superfluous observation to make. Of course she wanted to see her grandkids again, but at the same time, she didn't want them to see her the way she was now. She wanted them to remember their energetic grandmother who used to give them rides atop her shoulders, wrestled with in the backyard, took hikes with through the valley, or helped out in the kitchen… Not the shell of that woman who now couldn't walk from her bed to the bathroom without feeling exhausted. "Maybe it's best for everybody if they didn't… I hate seeing the looks on their faces whenever they look at me Dip… It breaks my heart."

Dipper didn't have a response to that. Thankfully, the doctor saved him from having to reply by finally gracing them with his presence.

Much to Dipper's consternation, Wendy refused to lay down in their bed once they arrived home. She insisted on going down to the family/living room. Her favorite room in house… The same room where the family would watch movies together, do homework, have family game nights, entertain guests, and participated in some not so family friendly activities once the kids were finally out of the house. Most importantly, this is where she wanted to be when the kids stopped by for their visit. Not flat on her back in bed looking like the complete invalid she felt she was.

"Do you need anything else? A blanket, something to drink?"

"I need you to sit your ass down next to me, and stop fussin' over me so much," Wendy croaked playfully. Anyone else and she might've gotten irritated over the constant attention, but knowing Dipper's heart as well as she did, she could tolerate it from him. She understood, that in a very weird way, Dipper was probably the one suffering the most from her illness. Forced to watch the love of his life wither away to a shell of her former self. "Actually… Would you mind getting our photo albums? I feel like doin' some reminiscing."

"Sure thing, I'll be right back…" Dipper headed off but stopped in the middle of the room, a blank look on his face. A bit of a blush on his face, he looked towards his wife. He didn't even need to ask the question.

"Upstairs in the closet hon… Top shelf to the left."

"Oh right!" Dipper scampered out of the room and up the stairs towards the bedroom. Wendy sighed after he disappeared from view. The poor guy was going to need directions to get to the bathroom at this rate. Why did they both have to start falling apart at the same time?

Wendy's smile, as weak as it was, returned when Dipper arrived with their box of albums in hand. They wasted no time beginning to rummage through their past. It was primarily for the rush of nostalgia in Wendy's case, and to test just how sturdy her love's memory still was. "You know, we've got to be the only old farts in the world that still keep photo albums. Everyone else seems to have gone completely digital."

"Well, what can I say? I prefer to actually hold a picture in my hand on occasion rather than just stare at them on my phone or a computer screen… The fact that Mabel took most of these for us herself makes them that much more special."

Wendy agreed. They were currently browsing through their wedding photos. There was a rather fetching picture of the two of them after the nuptials, taken at the outdoor venue where they held the wedding. Dipper dressed in a typical tux, while Wendy wore a white dress that had some hippy vibes to it, including a crown of flowers atop her head. The next picture was of the two of them a few minutes later in the same clothing, now covered in red paint and grinning like idiots. "Dip, do you remember the looks on people's faces when the zombies came out after we walked back up the aisle?"

Dipper chuckled. "And everyone wondered why there were paintball guns under all their seats… I am glad we warned your dad ahead of time, so he didn't accidently hurt one of the actors… Poor Mabel… She was not happy with us."

"To her, we committed a sin against the sanctity of the art of plannin' wedding's," Wendy snorted. "It was her fault, she's the one that gave me the idea! She didn't have to shoot me in the forehead though… Surprisingly good shot…"

After another page or two of wedding photos, the theme shifted to Wendy's pregnancy and the birth of their two children Greg and Amy. There were your standard pictures of the proud and obviously exhausted mama holding her two new bundles of joy. There was another photo of Manly Dan, the proud new grandpa holding one of the tiny babies in each of his massive hands. There was another of a very ragged looking Stanley holding Amy. Sadly, they had lost Stanford the year before, but somehow Dipper had a feeling he was with them in spirit that day.

A few pages later they came to a photo of Mabel standing in front of the Mystery Shack the day before it's reopening. It was hard to believe she still had the place up and running to that very day. There were more pictures of the kids growing up through various stages of their life. Greg, wearing a hockey jersey after being named captain of the junior league team he was a part of. Pictures of both kids during their graduation, and one of Amy standing in front of a Mayan temple she'd helped discover on an expedition she led in Mexico. It was a bit of a surprise to Dipper that Amy decided to focus more on Archeological based mysteries, knowing how obsessed she was with the paranormal field when she was younger. Dipper was proud of her just the same. She was forging her own path.

The next few pages were dedicated to Greg and his growing new family, their two grandchildren and a third on the way. Wendy studied one of the photos of her daughter-in-law with mixed feelings. "You know I love Penny to death, but she looks so much like her mother it makes me want to smack her sometimes…"

Dipper smiled ruefully. "You and Pacifica just never could get along could you?"

"Gee, I wonder what the reason for that was?" Wendy snarked weakly with a roll of her eyes. "I tried gettin' along with her for yours and Mabel's sake, but we just didn't mix… I know Greg and Penny were always close, so I didn't object when they started datin', but I never liked how adamant Pacifica was about pushing the two of them together." She stopped short of saying everything she was thinking… Mainly that Pacifica found a way to finally backdoor her way into the Pines family, but Dipper either couldn't or was unwilling to see it, so Wendy saw little point in bringing it up.

"Amy was almost just as bad you know? But they'd been best friend's with her since they were kids, so it made sense. I always thought Penny was good for Greg… He was almost as oblivious as me when it came to girls, so I knew he was going to need to find his Wendy someday… I really think he did."

Wendy had no reason to argue that point. "Yeah, I think you're right."

The next group of photos seemed a bit random and out of place. There was one in particular that drew Dipper's attention. "Hey, there's a photo of Soos and his family… There's Soos Jr., and there's… There's…" Dipper's eyes were drawn to the blonde in the picture with Soos, trying to remember her name… He drew an absolute blank.

"Melody…" Wendy gently reminded him. "Her name is Melody Dipper."

"Right! Melody! How in the world could I have forgotten…" Dipper's laugh trailed off, as his expression dropped to near despair. "Seriously, how could I have forgotten Melody! I know it's been a couple of years since we've seen them but…"

"Maybe… It's time to put these away." Wendy managed to close the photo album herself and set it aside, but the damage had already been done. Dipper held his head in his hands looking distraught. "Come on honey, it's not that bad… It's not like you were really ever all that close to her. It's not too much of a surprise her name might slip your mind."

"That's not the point Wendy… I know my memories been spotty here lately, but I've never lost a person before… For a brief moment, I actually wondered who she was…"

"Dipper…" It took more strength than it really should've, but Wendy managed to take Dipper's hand in hers. "I know it's hard but you gotta fight it as long and hard as you can… I hate that you have to go through this, and I hate it even more that I'm not going to be here to help you through it…"

"Don't talk like that," Dipper cut her off, taking her hands in his and kissing them gently. "As horrible as the thought of losing you is Wendy… The thought that someday I might forget about you entirely terrifies me the most…"

"I'd like to think I left enough of an impression on you that, that'll never happen…" Wendy placed a limp hand on his face, seeing the tears threatening to spill out of them. To Dipper's surprise, Wendy stood up gingerly and slowly hobbled her way over to the table behind the couch. Dipper wanted to protest but understood that Wendy didn't want him treating her like she was made of glass. There was an old record player sitting atop of that table. The Pines family had a certain affection for older outdated things. The record she wanted was already in the player, so all she needed to do was set the needle to the correct song and let the music do the rest of the talking.

Dipper smiled as he heard what basically had become their 'song' over the years… Ever since the night they first danced to it back at Dipper's prom. He was in for another surprise when Wendy slowly made her way back over to him and held out her hand. "Dance with me Dip? You never know when it's goin' to be the last time…"

"Are you sure you're up for it?" Dipper asked with concern as he stood up off the couch.

"I'll be fine," she smiled. "You'll just have to lead me for once okay?"

Dipper nodded and took his wife by the hand. What followed wasn't so much dancing as it was Dipper holding on to Wendy as they swayed slightly to the music. Even that was taking its toll on Wendy's body and two minutes into the song, she fell into her husband, unable to remain upright on her own two feet. He could feel her tears begin to fall on his neck.

"I can't even… I feel so frickin' useless!"

"Don't ever say that about yourself! I have no idea where my life would've gone without you… I don't know what our kids would've done without you either…"

"I'm so tired Dip… I'm so, so tired…"

Dipper knew she was… And he understood that feeling had nothing to do with Wendy being sleepy or physically drained. Dipper dragged her over to the couch and sat down, positioning his wife so she could lay down with her head in his lap. She stared up at him, looking almost helpless. The sight nearly shattered Dipper's heart to pieces. She perked up only slightly as Dipper began running his fingers through her hair. "You're still as beautiful as the day I first saw you, you now?"

"And you're still as full of crap as the day I first meet you," Wendy snorted, never taking her eyes away from his. "I love you Dipper… I want you to know that my life with you is the one thing… The only thing I've never regretted or thought twice about… Not even once…"

Dipper tried really hard to ignore how much those words sounded like a goodbye. "This doesn't feel fair… What you're going through…"

"I've lived a long happy life Dipper… Happier than I ever felt I deserved… If this is the price I need to pay to have gotten that life it was worth it…"

Dipper continued to comb his fingers through her hair until she eventually drifted off to sleep. He nodded off himself shortly after.

An hour later, Dipper's eyes slowly opened. He looked down to see his wife still resting peacefully in his lap… Very peacefully. He reached out his hand to move some hair from her face, but there was no reaction to his touch… No sound of her gently breathing… Her body completely still.

Dipper couldn't even bring himself to cry for her. Not yet, there would be plenty of time to fall apart later. This moment was about her, for he knew all that really mattered was that she was no longer in pain… She no longer had to feel like she was a burden or a shell of the woman she used to be.

His world was never going to be the same again.

When Gregory Pines arrived at this childhood home, he was surprised to find his sister had somehow beaten him there and was currently pacing about the front yard staring angrily at her cellphone. Sensing something was terribly wrong he looked over to his wife in concern. "Would you mind staying in the car with the kids for a few minutes while I see what's going on?"

Penny agreed, and Greg wasted no time stepping out of the car and walking over to his sister, who upon seeing him, ran towards and embraced her brother. "Amy what's going on? Did something happen with mom?"

"I don't know!" she shouted as she disengaged from him. "The door is locked, and nobody answered when I knocked or rang the doorbell! I've been trying to call Mom and Dad for almost twenty minutes and nobody's picking up!"

"Hey, hey, calm down Ames… I've got my housekey on me… I'll unlock the door and we'll see what's going on okay?"

Amy sobbed and nodded her head. The twins approached the front door, but before Greg could even put the key in the door, it opened revealing the solemn image of their father.

"Dad…" Amy mouthed, dreading the look on the man's face. "Where's Mom?"

Dipper stared at his daughter for a second before simply shaking his head. Neither of the twins needed any explanation as to what this gesture meant. Dipper instinctively pulled his children into a hug and finally the floodgates opened as the family cried together.

The worst day of Gregory Pines' life was the day he found out his mother had died. The second worst day of his life was the day he was forced to put his father in that accursed nursing home. He had very little say in the matter however… It was his own father's wish after all. The last thing Dipper Pines wanted was to be a burden on his children as his mind slowly succumbed to the disease that had been eating it alive for years. Despite the fact that both his kids were more than willing to take him in, Dipper was having none of it. Nowadays, Dipper spent most of his days relatively alone, locked away in a prison entirely created from his own mind. Even his sister Mabel couldn't reach him anymore, as Dipper just couldn't come to terms with the elderly version of a girl that was still a teenager in his rapidly deteriorating mind.

Once a week though either Greg or Amy, and sometimes even Mabel, would pick up Dipper from the facility and take him to the family home for the afternoon. The house had been paid off years ago, so keeping the house in his name while spending most of his time living at the retirement home was at least possible. Amy was seriously considering moving into the place at some point down the line… She just couldn't stand the thought of people she referred to as 'outsides' taking up residence in her childhood home.

"I'm here to pick up Mason Pines," Greg told the receptionist.

"Ah, your father is in the common room Mr. Pines… Is this going to be an overnight visit, or will you be returning Mason to us before the night's over?"

"I'll have him back by diner," Greg sighed. If he had it is way, he'd never bring his father back to this place… Trouble was, Dipper Pines barely even knew who Greg was anymore…

"Dad," Greg greeted, as he found his father staring out the window, seated in the wheelchair he'd been confined too. He could technically still get around on his own, he just simply couldn't be trusted not to wander off somewhere he shouldn't be. "You ready to go?"

"Huh? Oh, it's you again…" Dipper murmured, likely not even registering that Greg had called him dad. In Dipper's mind, Greg was simply the nice boy that stopped by to visit him once-in-a-while. Dipper tended to trust him a bit since his green eyes tended to remind him of a certain someone… Poor Amy, the first few times she visited her father for this same trip, he'd actually mistaken her for their mother. "You taking me off somewhere again?"

"Yeah Dad… We're going home…"

It was a long drive from the retirement home near Eugene back to the Pines house in Gravity Falls, but for Greg the trip was worth it… The least and really the only thing he could do to help him feel like he hadn't abandoned his father to a dressed-up hospital with a bunch of total strangers… Granted he was well taken care of, and that only made Greg feel marginally better. There wasn't much conversation on the trip… His father didn't speak much in general anymore. He always had this look of perpetual confusion on his face, as if he just couldn't understand anything that was going on, or if he did, couldn't quite grasp why it was happening. He sat quietly in the passenger seat staring out the window not really concerned with where he was going nor particularly excited, just accepting of it. He'd usually only speak when spoken too, typically in short direct replies… Like he was speaking to a stranger and not his own son.

"It's a nice house," Dipper said abruptly, surprising his son a bit, as he wheeled him towards the home.

"Yes…" Greg smiled sadly. "It was a great house actually…"

That was as far as the conversation went before they continued into the house. Now came the hard part… Getting his father and his chair up the stairs. Dipper's legs still worked fine, but due to his bouts of confusion and tendency to wander off, the medical staff and family both agreed keeping him bound to the chair as much as possible was probably best for this wellbeing. After clearing that hurdle, he sat his father back in his wheelchair and headed straight for his parent's old bedroom.

The stoic's man's eyes widened the moment he was wheeled inside. Every inch of every wall in the room was covered with pictures, of faces he faintly remember but just couldn't put a name too. Every dresser, cabinet, and bookshelf were filled with framed photos as well as various objects and relics from a past Dipper Pines struggled to remember. When his wife died, Dipper had made it his mission to find a way to ensure he'd never forget her, or the rest of his friends and family for that matter. He wasn't going to let that damn disease steal away what was most important to him. This room was his last stand against the looming threat of the bastard threatening to steal his memories from him. If even for just a short time, hopefully this room could help him regain what had been taken from him… And it worked every time.

"Wendy…" He muttered to himself as he picked up a framed photo from the bookshelf. His eyes drifted to the photo next to it. "Mabel…" He nearly jumped when he felt a hand gently rest atop his shoulder. He looked up and for the first time since he'd picked him up for the hospital, Dipper recognized the face of his son. "Greg… Oh, my God…"

"It's good to see you too Dad," he sniffed, a tear in his eye.

Dipper's eyes scanned the room again before he looked up at his son and smiled. "Thank you…"

"Of course…" Greg knew his father likely only had a few minutes before he got trapped within his own mind once again. As tempting as it was to be selfish and take this time for himself, it wasn't about him… This was his dad's time, to catch up with everything in his life that he had lost. "I'll be back in a few minutes to check up on you… I love you Dad…"

"I love you too son…" Tears brimmed in his eyes as he took in the lifetime of memories surrounding him, wanting to soak up as much as he could before the bastard reclaimed his mind. He heard the door softly close leaving him only with his past. He was immediately drawn to an object resting on the dresser next his and Wendy's wedding photo. It was the engagement ring he'd given to Wendy decades before… Well, not the actual ring but a remarkably accurate replica. The genuine article was still on Wendy's finger the day they put her in the ground. He picked up the ring, regarding it for a moment before closing his hand around it.

"I kept my promise Wendy… It's been a fight, but I've never forgotten… At least not all the time anyway…" Sometimes Dipper wondered if what he was doing was healthy. Using this room to temporarily fill the many gaps in his memory. In a way, wasn't he just putting himself through the pain of losing her over and over again knowing the euphoria of unlocking those memories would soon be smothered by the fog that dominated his mind? Right now, he didn't give a damn. For a little while, he could long for how it would feel to hold her in his arms again.

Almost without realizing, he started singing to himself. "When everything went wrong… Together we were strong… I know that I belonged right here with you… I've never had a doubt… I've learned what life's about… By loving you…"

Dipper suddenly felt very tired… His head leaned back in his chair as he drifted off to sleep.

Dipper awoke with a start. He immediately recognized he was in his bedroom… No, the shrine he created to honor the memory of his family and friends…And so he would never completely forget them.

Something didn't feel right though… His mind felt clear. Clearer than it had felt in years. He stood up and was surprised again to find his legs weren't the least bit wobbly. Then he looked down at his hands… The wrinkles and age spots he'd acquired over the years were nowhere to be seen. Perplexed, he did a double take when he caught the glimpse of an elderly man sleeping in a wheelchair. Resting in his open palm, was a very familiar ring.

Dipper failed to notice the presence creeping up on him. Not until that presence wrapped and arm around his neck. Dipper stiffened in alarm, when a pair of lips appeared next to his ear and said, "Sup dude?"

If Dipper's heart had still been beating, it would've stopped right there. He whirled around and found himself face-to-face with Wendy Pines… Or at least a much younger version of herself, wearing that laid back smile that helped Dipper fall in love with her all those years ago. "Wendy…"

"Ah, so you do remember my name!"

"Wendy…" Dipper placed his hands on each side of Wendy's face, an action the girl didn't appear to mind at all. "I…. I…" Incapable of mustering up any words to express what he felt, he pulled Wendy into the deepest strongest hug he could manage. "I missed you so much…"

"I can tell," Wendy giggled, as she returned the hug in kind. "Don't know why you're so surprised to see me… I did promise I was totally going to haunt your ass if I died first."

"But if you're here, that means…" Dipper released the red-head and turned back towards the still form of the elderly man seated in the wheelchair.

"Yep… That's why I'm here… It's time to go Dipper…"

"But… The kids…" Dipper was concerned. What effect would his death have on them only a couple years removed from losing their mother?

"Will be fine… We raised good strong kids Dipper… They'll mourn and then they'll get on with their lives… Just like they did when I passed… It's time for you to rest Dipper."

Dipper turned back to Wendy, smiling fondly. He wasn't sure when, but at some point Wendy had slipped her hand in his. "So, what happens now?"

"One of two things… We pass on to the next world and see what awaits us there… Or we move on to the next life with the chance to meet and fall in love all over again."

"I'd live a hundred lifetimes if it meant I'd get to love you again Wendy… But what are you still doing here? Shouldn't you have moved on already?"

"Well duh dude… I was waiting… I wasn't about to go anywhere without you."

"Wendy…" Dipper couldn't keep the smile off his face if he wanted too. "How could we guarantee we'd even meet each other again in the next life…"

"Oh, I've gotta pretty good feelin'… I know I'll be lookin' for ya, that's for sure… And if it makes you feel any better, don't you remember what you saw when you took that little trip into the future you like to pretend never happened?"

Dipper's eyes widened in realization, a broad smile forming on his face. "I'll try not to be too hard to find." Dipper took both of Wendy's hands in his looking unsure of himself. "What do you want to do though?"

"Well, before we decide anything… I'd like you to dance with me one last time. Never know when we're goin' to get another chance."

"We will… I'm sure of it," Dipper said with conviction as he and Wendy took the familiar position and began dancing to the music that existed only in their heads. "I still can't believe you're really here."

Wendy's response was too lean forward and kiss him. To Dipper's shock, he somehow felt every precious second of the kiss. He wasn't sure how that was even possible, but neither did he care. Tasting her lips against his again after all this time was the only thing that mattered. Wendy smiled at him coyly as their faces parted. "You believe it now?"

"Nope… You know, you weren't obligated to wait for me Wendy… Our vows were only valid 'til death do us part."

"Eh, guess that wasn't enough for me dude…"

Dipper wasn't sure what laid beyond that light for them when they finally walked through, but as long as Wendy was there in some shape or form, he knew he was right where he wanted to be.

End Chapter 8

-Not going to lie, this one was hard to write. I didn't purposely keep this one short, but it's probably for the best it wound up that way. This isn't the type of subject matter you want to stretch out.

One chapter left to go. Come on, you didn't actually think I was going to let this story end on a somber note did you?