Four years had passed since Dipper and Mabel's death. The town had thrown a memorial for the twins in their honor, and people from all over the state and even over the country had come to pay their respects. It was a dark day for the citizens of Gravity Falls, and they were in mourning for months. The Stans had come back from their trip for the funeral, and she hadn't seen or heard from them since.

Wendy still worked at the Mystery Shack full time, despite the painful memories it brought her. Soos and Melody had a baby on the way, and Wendy, in an effort to help them out, who had a harder time doing their job now that she was expecting, had moved into the attic upstairs. She didn't mind the extra work, as Soos paid her more and she preferred keeping busy. Though wanting to help her friend was the main reason she had done so, a part of her still wanted to be close to the memory of Dipper and Mabel. Her father had been against it, but nothing had dissuaded her.

She couldn't blame her father for being concerned. Most of her friends and family were concerned. After hearing about her friend's deaths, she locked herself in her room for days and refused to sleep or eat. When she did eat, it was very little, and her sleep was filled with nightmares. She had lost a dangerous amount of weight, so much that she had to be put in the hospital. After going to therapy, she was able to get herself back to a healthy weight (mostly thanks to Soos' Abuelita's practically force-feeding her) and eventually she was able to come back to work, but the Wendy everyone knew before the death of her friends was gone. She rarely laughed anymore, she didn't go out or see her friends, and seemed to have completely given up on the adventurous life she used to live. She no longer had interest in hunting for the weird or unexplainable anymore. Without Dipper, she felt there was no point anymore. Several times, Soos and Melody would go up to check on her in the attic to find her crying, clutching the old, beat-up pinetree hat she wore everywhere she went.

Soos and Melody were the only people who seemed to manage to get a smile out of Wendy every now and again. She enjoyed spending her time with them, and she could forget about all the pain she felt, but only for a little while. She and Melody would plan day trips to the spa on regular occasions, while she and Soos would play video games together. To her, their friendship was invaluable, and it helped keep her going through this horrible time in her life.

One night, after a particularly busy day at the Mystery Shack, Soos and Wendy were relaxing with a game of Tiger-Fist when Melody waddled into the room. She was getting very close, and it was hard for her to maneuver, so Wendy got up and helped her onto the couch.

"Thanks Wendy," Said Melody. "Soos, honey, do we have any ice cream left? I've got a powerful craving."

"Sorry, hon, I think you ate the last of it yesterday," Said Soos.

"Oh, that's a shame," said Melody.

"I can pick you up some more," said Wendy. "I need to go to the store anyway."

"Oh, would you?" Said Melody. "Thank you, that would be so helpful!"

"Yeah, thanks dude!" Said Soos. "I'll kick your butt at this game later."

"You wish," Said Wendy, chuckling. She packed up her wallet and grabbed her keys, heading out to the supermarket. It was 9 PM in September, so the sun had set an hour ago. She didn't like driving at night, but it couldn't be helped. She was almost out of her antidepressant medication, and the pharmacy closed in an hour. If she hurried, she would be able to -

Something collided with the side of her car, sending it careening over to the side of the road. Wendy felt her head hit the side of the window, causing it to shatter. She felt blood spilling from a gash in her forehead. Her vision doubled as she tried to get her bearings, and idly thought in the back of her head that she may have a concussion. She fumbled with the seatbelt and spilled out of the side of her car when she came face to face with what caused her to crash in the first place.

Roaring and foaming at the mouth was a giant Gremoblin, at least twice the size as what she was used to seeing. The citizens of the town knew the Gremoblins were dangerous, but they never usually ventured this close to the road, preferring to stay far into the forest, away from civilization. Wendy ducked quickly behind her damaged car, hoping the creature would lose interest and pass her by, but it continued to growl and rage at the vehicle. Thinking quickly, she opened the back seat of her car and retrieved her lumberjack ax. She didn't know how effective it would be against a beast of this size, but it was all she had.

The creature roared as it lifted her car clean off the road, throwing it to the side. She rolled out of the way of the beast's path, swinging the ax into the creature's arm as it reached for her. It barely left a flesh wound, but made the animal much angrier. It lunged forward and batted her aside like a cat would a ball of string, knocking the wind out of her as she hit a tree behind her. She felt her strength leave her as the creature advanced on her.

"Help," She said weakly. "Someone help."

She tried to stand but couldn't. Her eyes began to blur as she was about to lose consciousness. She thought of her family, her friends, everyone she would never see again. Her life began to flash before her mind's eye, finally resting on the smiling face of a friend she wished was here with her right now.

"Dipper," she said. "Please, help me."

She could feel the foul breath of the creature, merely inches from her face. She closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable. But it never came. A loud sound rang out above her head, causing her to open her eyes. The creature doubled back as if something powerful had struck it. The sound rang out twice again, and two bolts of light hit the Gremoblin, forcing it back even further. Something jumped from behind the tree she was leaning against. Whatever it was, it blended in with the night near perfectly, as she had trouble seeing it. She didn't even realize it was human until it spoke.

"Back off, ugly!" The figure shouted. The creature lunged towards the figure, who bounded effortlessly over it's claws, firing what looked to be projectiles of light at the Gremoblin, which seemed to hurt it far more than Wendy's ax did. After a few minutes, the creature roared and retreated into the woods, vanishing from sight.

"Wendy!" The figure said, running to her side. "Wendy, speak to me, are you alright?"

She stared up at the figure before her, her eyes coming back into focus. She realized that she was looking at a man. He was wearing a black trench coat, holding her head in his hands, which were encased in thick black gloves. His touch felt strong, but gentle as he inspected the gash on her forehead. She couldn't see his face, as he was wearing what looked like some kind of gas mask, with respirators and black goggles. His hair was long and dark, and had to brush it away from his goggles as he looked at her. For a moment, she thought she saw -

"That gash looks bad," Said the man. "I'm calling an ambulance. Stay with me. You're going to be okay." He pulled back the sleeve of his coat and began speaking into what looked like a smartwatch, explaining to the 911 operator of the accident.

"They're on their way, Wendy," Said the man. "Please stay with me."

"Who are you?" Asked Wendy.

"That doesn't matter," Said the man. "I'm a friend. Don't fall asleep. You may have a concussion." He returned to the 911 operator as he described Wendy's condition. She continued to stare at her rescuer. It didn't make sense. She owed him her life, but why was he out here? Was he just passing through? How did he have such powerful weapons, and why did he remind her of. . .

She reached her arm up and brushed his hair away from his forehead. The man jerked back, startled, but it was too late. She had seen the strange birthmark that she knew all too well.

"Dipper?" She whispered hoarsely.

The man paused. Slowly, he reached up and unlatched his mask. Taking it off, Wendy gasped as she saw the familiar face of her best friend, the face she feared she would never see again.

"Hey Wendy," Said Dipper.

"You're alive," She said, aghast. "Or. . . am I dead?"

"Not yet, you're not," Said Dipper. "Not if I can help it."

"I don't understand," Said Wendy. "How could you be alive?"

"I can't explain that right now," Said Dipper.

"What do you mean?" Said Wendy, trying to get up, but Dipper forced her back down.

"Don't move, you could be bleeding internally," Said Dipper.

"Listen to me, you bastard," she said angrily. "How could you do this to me?! How could you not tell me you were alive?"

"Wendy, please," Said Dipper, trying to hush her. "You need to keep your voice down."

"Don't tell me what to do, Dip-" Wendy's voice was cut off as in a flash, Dipper put his hand over her mouth, putting the finger of his other hand to his lips.

"Whmatryoding?!" She muffled angrily.

"Don't say that name," Said Dipper, taking his hand away. "It's not safe."

"Don't put your hands on me again, you son of a -" In a fit of rage, she reached up and punched the arm attached to the hand that had covered her mouth, but immediately let out a yelp of pain. Her fist felt as if it had struck an aluminum baseball bat.

"Wendy!" Said Dipper, alarmed. "Are you all right?"

"What the hell?!" She said, shaking her hand in pain. "I think you broke my hand! What's your arm made of, steel?!"

"Well. . . yeah," Said Dipper. Wendy stared in shock as he removed the glove from his hand, revealing not flesh and bone, but a dull, gray metal. He moved the fingers to show that they could articulate as well as a normal hand and then some.

"You're arm," said Wendy, shocked.

"Never mind that," he said, taking her hand and examining it. "Your hand doesn't appear to be broken, but I'd refrain from hitting me again, just to be safe."

"I still don't understand," said Wendy, tears streaming down her face. "You were dead. I mourned you. And all this time, you've been alive. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to," Said Dipper, placing his hand on her cheek. "You have no idea how much I wanted to. But I couldn't. It's bad enough you know I'm alive now. I probably placed you in a lot of danger."

"What, as if that Gremoblin wasn't dangerous enough?" Wendy said.

"I'm serious, Wendy," Said Dipper, looking around as if they were being watched. "Now you have to promise me something."

"You've got a lot of nerve, you know that?" Said Wendy grumpily.

"Please, Wendy," Said Dipper.

"All right," She said. "What is it?"

"You can't let anyone know I'm alive," Said Dipper.

"What?!"

"I'm serious, Wendy," Said Dipper. "Don't tell anyone. Not your family, not your friends, not even Soos and Melody."

"Are you crazy?!" Said Wendy.

"Wendy, you have to swear to me that you won't tell anyone I'm alive," Said Dipper again. "For your safety, and theirs."

Dipper and Wendy looked down the road as they saw an ambulance driving towards them. They unloaded the gurney from the back of the vehicle and began to wheel it towards them.

"You're going to be alright, ma'am," Said one of the paramedics. "We're going to get you to a hospital."

"Can he ride with me?" Said Wendy.

The paramedic paused. "Can who ride with you?"

"My friend next to -" Wendy turned to see that Dipper was gone.

"We might have brain damage," Said one of the paramedics to the other, shining a light in Wendy's eyes. "Do you see anything else?"

"No, I swear," Said Wendy as they loaded her onto the gurney. "He was just here."

"We'll get you taken care of," Said the paramedic. "You're going to be alright."

As they closed the back doors of the ambulance behind her and drove away, Wendy was left with more questions than answers. Did she really see Dipper, back from the dead? Or was it all a figment of her concussion-induced imagination? But then she noticed something, a paper crumpled up in her hand that she didn't notice before. Opening it up, she read the simple words scrawled out on it.

If in an emergency, say "help, Dipper."

"That wasn't wise, Mason."

Dipper Pines stood near a clearing of trees as he watched the paramedics take Wendy away. She was in pretty rough shape, but she was a fighter, and had survived a lot worse than this. He turned to face the man standing behind him. He elderly, but in good shape, with grey and white hair, wearing cracked glasses that rested on a large nose. He wore a tattered brown trench coat over a red turtleneck sweater.

"I couldn't let her die, Sixer," said Dipper.

"I know that," Said the man, placing a comforting hand on Dipper's shoulder. "Nor would I expect you to. But now she knows you're alive. You know what this means, don't you?"

Dipper sighed, absently scratching his chin. "Yeah," he said. "This makes things a lot more complicated."