Mabel and Dipper were normally heavy sleepers (a trait Stan appreciated while he worked on the portal). But tonight was different. Dipper was woken up by the sound of heavy breathing mixed with sobs.
"Mabel...Mabel, Sis, what's wrong?" Dipper asked as he left his own bed to crawl over and sit at the foot of his sister's bed.
Mabel took a few deep breaths before she spoke again, "I...I had another nightmare...I'm trying to do my breathing like Tad told me to...but...but I'm scared Dipper. It's hard to be here in bed where it…happened. I know I've got to move on from this, but...but anytime I think I am getting some closure I close my eyes and I see his face...Dipper...you don't know how close he came to...I mean I know this summer we've faced some really scary stuff, but…but this was different…"
Guilt panged at Dipper's heart. If he had only been there for Mabel. But he was so absorbed in his supernatural studies with Ford. He loved studying with him. Spending time just the two of them kind of reminded Dipper of his dad. But Mabel paid a price for his passion.
"Mabel, I'm so sorry I wasn't there. I will never leave your side again, I promise," Dipper said as tears formed in his own eyes.
"Bro-bro, don't be silly. You can't be with me all the time. I want you to keep going on trips with Grunkle Ford. I want you to live your own life. I want to live my own life too…but sometimes…I feel like I'll never get it back..."
"You will, Mabel, I know you will. Whenever we faced something bad, you always find the positive side of things. I hate to admit it, but sometimes, I've jealous of your positivity."
"I don't think I have it anymore."
"You still do, Mabel. I know it. It's just…hiding."
"Hiding?" Mabel raised her eyebrows skeptically. "Hiding where?"
"I don't know." Dipper turned around and shouted to the empty room. "Hello! Mabel's positivity? Are you in here? Mabel really needs you right now!" Dipper stood up and began looking under the furniture and other items in the room. "Hello? Positivity? Where are you?"
Mabel giggled at her brother's "search." Dipper turned around and pointed to her smiling face. "There it is."
Mabel continued to laugh as she playfully shoved her brother as he sat down next to her. "Thanks, bro-bro."
"I don't think either of us are getting any sleep on our own," Dipper said standing up and leading his sister to the door hoping to find their Grunkles for some much-needed comfort. They were both surprised to see the two of them sleeping side by side outside the door. They looked at each other and giggled as Dipper crawled into Ford's lap and Mabel into Stan's.
"Goodnight, Dipper," Mabel whispered.
"Goodnight, Mabel."