Thank you to Fantasy Female Freak, Energy witch, ImpossibleJedi4, Ella Le Hissy, Christina730, Firefox, Invader Ash, CornChip, 2021FanGirl, and the three Guests for your reviews on chapter eleven.

Firefox: Yes he will.

Invader Ash: Mabel will try her best to be his caretaker, even if he doesn't want it.

Guest (Nov 11): Soos will give him a whiteboard in the next chapter.

Guest (Nov 11): As of now I'm not going to do any time traveling in this story.

Guest (Nov 17): I liked the first season of Black Butler and part of the second season. I didn't care for the ending of either one though.

Bill groaned when Mabel presented him with breakfast. A bowl of chicken soup and a glass of orange juice greeted him. The thought of eating healthy for over a month didn't give him much to look forward to. Not to mention that Ford instructed his family to not let Bill leave his bed with the exception of bathroom breaks just to make sure he had no negative reactions to the anesthesia.

Thus far the swelling in his right cheek had yet to diminish. Not ten minutes ago Ford provided Bill with the liquid painkiller. The patient disapproved of the taste which he forced half of it down his chin with the excuse of having no control over his mouth. With a stoic tone Ford responded that from now on he would give Bill the prescription through an infant medicine syringe.

Mabel seated herself on the chair next to Bill's bed. She picked up the spoon and made airplane noises as she lowered the utensil to his mouth. Bill refused to part his lips and only glared at the thirteen-year-old.

"Come on, Bill-Bill, you need to eat," Mabel said.

"N'hun'ry," Bill said.

"That's not an acceptable answer," Mabel said and pushed the spoon against his lips. "Open up," she sang and tapped his mouth with the metal spoon.

"Stop," he demanded.

"Not 'til you eat," Mabel pushed.

Bill smacked the spoon out of the girl's hand. Mabel backed away with her hand recoiled.

"I ca' fee' m'self," Bill said. He snatched the bowl and sneered at the contents inside.

Mabel glared at the spoon. Without looking at Bill she dropped the utensil in his lap then left the room. She shut the door harder than necessary. Bill glared down at the bowl then tossed it across the room. The dish bumped against the dresser; the soup splashed against the furniture and the majority pooled on the carpet.

"Grunkle Ford, please let me go with you," Dipper begged.

Ford looked down at his nephew and shook his head. "It's too dangerous," he decided. If judging by what happened to Bill was anything to go by he'd never let Dipper within fifty feet of the shapeshifter.

"Don't tell me you're goin' after that thing again?" Stan grumbled.

"We don't have a choice," Ford said. "I was hoping he'd be an ally when Kryptos returned, but now I'm afraid we'll need him for somthing else."

The previous night Soos brought it to Ford's attention after Bill's operation what they were to do if Avery showed up for another visit. If she laid eyes on Bill's mouth over the next five weeks (possibly longer if his jaw didn't properly heal in that time) their secret surgery was all in vain.

"If she comes by today Bill has the day off and took a day trip out of town," Ford instructed.

Stan nodded. Dipper sighed at being left behind, but he also agreed to go along with his great-uncle's cover story.

All turned to Mabel who walked into the room with her head hung.

"What's wrong with you?" Stan asked.

"Bill's being a butthead," Mabel replied. She looked up at the others with sad eyes. "I was just trying to help him."

"It's best to just leave him alone when he's in one of his moods," Ford said. He stepped outside where Fiddleford awaited with his newest invention secured in his bag.

From the window Dipper watched McGucket climb into the passenger seat of Ford and Stan's shared car. The boy sighed upon seeing them disappear from view.

"Don't be sad, dude, we can have fun around here," Soos said and clamped a hand on Dipper's shoulder.

Dipper kicked an empty soda can and watched it bump against the wall. One by one the group walked to the gift shop that Stan would open in five minute's time. Mabel used the moment to run to the bathroom. Dipper looked up to see Wendy heading for her shift, early for the first time in her short career.

They were busy for the first part of the morning. Throughout the day Wendy glanced over in Dipper's direction to see him sighing whenever a customer didn't approach him for help, or Stan yelled an order at him. She stopped Soos who whispered what happened with Ford earlier that morning.

As it reached noon and the crowd vanished, leaving only a few stragglers in the gift shop, Stan sent Wendy on her hour break. She nudged Dipper in the side and with a tilt of her head invited him to come along. It wasn't investigating the paranormal with Ford, but it beat standing around the shack.

Stan tried to stop his nephew from tagging along with Wendy. The two pretended not to hear his shouts as they exited through the back door. Stan glared at the retreating figures who headed out in the direction Ford and Fiddleford left two hours prior. Stan vowed that he would force the boy to make up for it through extra chores later that evening.

The two men pulled up to the part of the forest that would lead them to the bunker. It was a risky move to leave the vehicle registered in Stan's name so close to the secret laboratory, but it would be harder to explain dragging a multi-form monster through the woods.

Ford checked to make sure he had his laser gun in the holster and three syringes with the tranquilizer just incase it was needed. Fiddleford scaled the tree in no time to trigger the lever. He quickly climbed down the tree then landed on his feet beside his old friend. The steps appeared just as they had back in the 1980 when they first developed the bunker.

Fiddleford stopped at the armory to grab a machete just to be on the safe side. Ford reminded him why it was crucial to capture the shapeshifter alive and in one piece. Fiddleford grunted as he recalled the incident over thirty years ago when Shifty tied him up and left him to rot in the closet while he took his form and tried to escape with Ford's journal.

They entered the security room and Fiddleford lit up as he set eyes on his trap from his early years. He scratched at his chin as he wondered why he even created something so dangerous in the first place. The two stepped in and Ford reminded his friend where the trap tile rested. They avoided the six other traps in the room and made it through to the other side. Fiddleford typed in the override code that opened the door.

They walked into the observing room. So many memories associated with that time of his life resurfaced in Fiddleford's head. The scent alone returned him to his early thirties to the nights they stayed in the second lab where Ford overlooked their first specimen while Fiddleford designed and built the cryogenic tubes.

The bag that contained the collar was placed on the table as Fiddleford toured the room he used to have full access to. He picked up a folder and blew the dust from the surface. A few particles landed on his beard. A grin crept over his face as he opened it up to view his blueprints for the containment unit.

The folder was held against Fiddleford's chest. He smiled at the other man and said, "I'm takin' this."

Ford nodded. After all it did belong to McGucket. He wondered if his old assistant planned on selling that invention to science labs as well. For once Ford wondered if perhaps he should have studied engineering as well. It wasn't too late to take a course, but he didn't have the skill or genuine interest like his friend.

Ford turned on the lights to the storage room. Both he and Fiddleford gasped at the sight of all the cryogenic tubes smashed. Ford grabbed his laser gun and Fiddleford clutched at the machete. With Ford leading the way the two walked into the containment room.

Ford turned the corner with his gun out in front of him. He pivoted and aimed the weapon in the other direction. From behind Fiddleford poked out with the machete raised. Ford lowered the gun and slowly the two walked over towards the destruction.

Leather boots kicked at the glass. The author's chest stung when he stared at the broken tube that he and Dipper trapped Shifty in just a few days ago. He shuddered at the knowledge that the monster lurked somewhere in the bunker. From the bottom of his heart he prayed that Shifty never learned how to escape the underground lab and escaped unnoticed somewhere in town. As of now there was no proof that the shapeshifter dwelled anywhere other than the lab.

However he made sure no one could ever trap him again. Ford shuffled through the broken glass, making a pathway with his boots. Fiddleford swallowed and glanced around the room awaiting the shapeshifter to jump at him at any moment.

Ford picked up the sound of a figure behind them. He quickly spun and narrowed his eyes at the boy who stood in the doorway.

"Dipper, what do you think you are doing?" Ford scolded. "Didn't I specifically tell you to stay home?"

"But Grunkle Ford, I can help you," Dipper pleaded.

He grabbed the boy by the arm and dragged him in the direction of the observation room. "No, you need to get out of here now."

"Hey, cut it out," Dipper argued.

"The Shapeshifter broke loose, now I'm ordering you to leave," Ford demanded.

"And be careful when you go in the secur..." Fiddleford began. He stopped when a thought struck him. He yanked Ford off the child knocking the older man to the ground. McGucket pointed the machete at Dipper.

"Fiddleford McGucket, have you lost your mind?" Ford cried.

McGucket didn't lower his weapon. "How'd ya get through the secur'ty room?" the old man pressed. He poked the machete at the boy's chest. "Even if ya knew where ta avoid, ya couldn'ta known the override code."

Ford gasped and jumped to his feet. He pointed the laser gun at the mirror image of his nephew.

Dipper grinned and laughed a guttural chuckle. Shark-like teeth greeted the two men. The boy growled and tarantula legs sprouted from his ribs. Fiddleford swiped the machete at the creature only for Shifty to duck and kick the human in the stomach. Fiddleford slammed against the wall.

Ford shot a laser at the shapeshifter. The spider legs scaled the wall, barely avoiding each of Ford's shots. The author only ceased when pieces of the ceiling collapsed around him. He rolled out of the way of a large piece of tile that splintered into hundreds of smaller pieces upon colliding with the floor. He landed in a kneeling position and pointed the gun in every direction to find it void of the shapeshifter.

Hot breath tickled the back of Ford's neck. He spun around to see the head of a cobra. The snack struck at him, the fangs penetrated his cheek. The smooth body coiled around the author's legs. He reached into his pocket to grasp at the syringe and pulled it out just as the shapeshifter squeezed itself around Ford's arms. With a smirk the cobra tightened its hold around the human's arms. The syringe clacked as it smacked against the floor.

The forked tongue flicked at Ford's face. Brown eyes stared into the red ones with black slit pupils down the center. The cobra tightened its hold on Ford. The author glanced over to where Fiddleford had been knocked to see it vacant with the abandoned machete lying on the ground. Ford stared back into the face of the grinning snake.

"How does it feel to be trapped in a tight space?" Shifty taunted.

"You're-you're too dangerous," Ford wheezed.

"I'm the dangerous one?" Shifty argued. "I'm not the one digging around where I shouldn't be."

Ford gritted his teeth. The shapeshifter coiled even tighter about Ford. He lowered his head so that his nose was directly in front of his captors.

"I never asked to be captured and studied by you," Shifty growled. The tongue swiped at Ford's chin. "Then locked up for years forgotten and alone."

"You-you don't have to be alone anymore," Ford grunted. He gasped only to be shorted of oxygen once more. "We-we came to-to make a deal with you." Ford gasped for air again only for his lungs to be deprived of the amount they needed.

"You tricked me twice, it won't happen again," Shifty snarled. He opened his mouth displaying the fangs. Moist droplets dripped onto the snake's body and Ford prayed it wasn't venom.

Just as Shifty lunged his jaw at Ford, he howled at the added weight on his back. The engineer held on tight to the snake's neck. The cobra's body released Ford and resumed his true form. Ford caught himself then looked up to see the shapeshifter trying to knock Fiddleford from him.

McGucket yelled and used his weight to slam Shifty face forward on the concrete. In that moment of shock and pain for the shapeshifter, Fiddleford slipped the collar around his neck then rolled off his back.

Screaming, Shifty jumped to his feet. He grabbed at the metal collar only to receive a sharp sting. He fell to the ground. Squirming on the floor he transformed into a giant centipede and shrieked to realize the collar assumed the shape of the wider neck. He then turned himself into a fly to discover the collar adjusted to the smaller size. Fiddleford pressed the button on the controller again. Shifty screamed as another jolt of pain passed through his body. Once more he resumed his true form.

As he laid there panting Ford and Fiddleford stood over him. Fiddleford passed the remote over to his friend. Ford knelt down and grabbed Shifty by the arm then yanked him into a sitting position.

"Listen good, the only way to remove the collar is for McGucket to unlock it," Ford growled. "If you misbehave I'll press this button which will release a stinging solution into your bloodstream." He roughly shook him. "Do you understand?"

"You're cruel, Stanford," Shifty hissed.

Ford lowered his face to the shapeshifter's. "After what you did to Bill, you're lucky I'm not pumping you full of this solution," he snapped. He gripped at the creature's face. "Don't test me."

Shifty glared at Ford with bared teeth. He figured it was a good enough answer then pulled the shapeshifter to his feet. He wobbled for a few seconds until the two humans were able to stable him. Fiddleford removed a piece of cloth tied about his waist and secured it around the shapeshifter's eyes.

"Now let's go," Ford said. He took hold of Shifty's hand and led the way. Fiddleford followed closely behind.

Mabel said farewell to the last customer of the one o'clock rush. Soos swept up the dirt left behind from nearly a hundred shoes and Mabel hopped down to help restock a few items.

Meanwhile Stan stared out the window ready to fire Wendy for prolonging her break without permission. However, with it being the busy season, there wasn't much else he could find for as low as he was willing to pay. Until Bill's mouth healed, he wouldn't be able to run the register. When brother returned home he would have a few words to say to him.

Stan's eyes lit up when he saw an approaching vehicle. He snatched the eight ball cane, but his smile soon faded when he recognized the red Porsche.

"Dammit, what's she doing here?" Stan grumbled.

At the sound of the swear words both Soos and Mabel rushed over to the window. Soos gasped and bumped against the wall as the woman closed the car door then headed for the steps.

"Who's that?" Mabel asked.

"Trouble," Stan spat. He looked at the two employees. "Act natural. Remember, Bill is out of town with Ford. Don't let her stray from this room."

Stan barely had a chance to finish his instructions when the door opened and the woman dressed in a white pant suit stepped through. Her designer handbag hung over her shoulder. Her red-orange hair was pulled up into a tight bun and her mouth wide in a grin.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Pines," Caroline greeted.

Caroline noticed the new presence in the room and walked over to the thirteen-year-old. She knelt down before the girl, held out her hand, and introduced herself. Mabel accepted the handshake and gave her own name. She glanced up at Stan, suddenly worried that she wasn't supposed to reveal herself so soon.

"Mabel Pines, what a pretty name," Caroline said. "It sounds like a fancy perfume." She put both hands on her knees giving Mabel the chance to see the engagement and wedding rings on her fourth finger.

"You're married?" Mabel asked.

Caroline realized where the girl looked and followed her line of vision to the rings. Avery smiled and nodded. She rose to her feet, the girl's hazel eyes following the whole way.

"My husband is at home," the social worker said. She patted the girl on the head. "We're hoping soon we'll have a lovely daughter like you."

Stan rubbed his hands together as he approached the guest. "So, uh, what brings you out here today?" he asked.

"I wanted to check in with Mr. Cipher," Avery replied. She looked around the room to see him missing. "May you go get him?"

Mabel gulped.

"Ooh, he's not here," Stan said. He put a hand on her shoulder and ushered her in the direction of the door. "He had the day off ya know, wanted to get away." With the other hand he opened the gift shop door. "Sorry you came all this way for nothing."

Caroline broke from Stan's hold. She glared at the conman's smile then turned to see Soos trying his best to keep a smile. She slightly grinned at the nervous look on his face then turned towards the child.

"Mabel," she addressed. "Where is Bill?"

"He went on a trip with Grunkle Ford," Mabel replied without hesitation.

"Oh?" Caroline asked. She grinned and patted the girl's hair. "Where did he go?"

"I, uh...he didn't tell me," Mabel said.

From a little way down Bill cracked the door to his bedroom. He heard Mabel's voice along with the muffled one belonging to another woman. Unfortunately a wall and door separated him from those in the gift shop.

"Look, I'll tell him ya stopped by and you two can have a little get together later," Stan said.

Caroline met Stan's eyes. She grinned and passed by the shack's owner further into the gift shop. Her eyes landed on the "Employees Only" sign that hung over the doorway that led to the living room.

She looked over her shoulder and said to Stan. "Maybe I'll just take a quick peek into Bill's room." She pressed her palm against the door that led to the residential section of the house.

"You may not," Soos said and squeezed himself in between Caroline and the door that partially opened when his back bumped up against it.

Caroline crossed her arms and drummed her fingers over her elbow. "Is there a specific reason you don't want to let me through?"

"Bill doesn't like people going through his stuff when he's not there," Soos replied.

From the crack in the door Bill could hear Soos trying his best to keep someone from barging in. He squinted but still couldn't make out who was on the other side of Soos.

"Look, lady, do you have a search warrant?" Stan asked as he stood next to Soos.

Caroline opened her mouth to reply then quickly shut it. She should have figured that someone with as vast of a criminal record as Stanley Pines would know the law well enough to keep her from searching. She grinned at knowing with Stan's record it wouldn't take much to acquire a warrant.

"Very well, Mr. Pines," Caroline said and moved away from the door.

Bill watched the door close and the three sets of footsteps move away. He closed his own bedroom door and decided he would ask Soos after hours.

Avery stopped with one hand on her hip. Stan held his breath hoping the woman would just say her goodbyes for the day. She turned and her green eyes landed on the youngest person in the room.

"I would like to have a word with Mabel Pines," the social worker said smiling down at the girl.

"She's a minor, so you hafta have my permission," Stan said as he stepped in front of his niece.

"It's okay, Grunkle Stan, I don't mind," Mabel said.

Caroline smiled. She beckoned for Mabel to follow her out on the porch. Mabel grabbed a couple of popsicles from the freezer and followed the older woman. She handed the orange one to Caroline and kept the red one for herself. The redhead thanked her then sat down on the ledge of the porch with her legs dangling over the side. Mabel scrunched her legs close to her body.

A car of tourists pulled up in the lawn. For once Stan cursed the customers and grumbled as he was forced to leave the house to greet them. Soos turned his hat backwards and gave his boss his word that if Caroline Avery pulled a fast one he would rescue the Pines girl.

Mabel leaned closer to Avery to allow her great-uncle to descend the steps and greet his customers. While watching the social worker out of the corner of his eye he made his usual speech with his regular amount of enthusiasm.

Caroline pulled the orange popsicle from her mouth. "Mabel, do you like it here?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Mabel exclaimed. "Me and my brother are so happy everytime we get a chance to come here."

"So would you say your great-uncles treat you well?"

Mabel lowered the treat. The red dye of her popsicle left a patch on her leg.

"How can you even ask that?" Mabel asked. "Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford are the best grunkles ever. They love us and we love being with them."

"Do you have plenty of food?" Caroline asked.

Mabel patted her tummy and said, "I'm not skinny."

"Bill is," Caroline commented. She stared out towards the forest. "Does Bill get enough to eat?"

"Of course he does," Mabel answered. She looked away from the other woman. "He's just really, really picky."

Caroline took a bite of her popsicle. She licked the bit of juice on the edge of her mouth.

"Your Grunkle Stan sounds like a strict man," Caroline said. The two watched as Stan waved his tourist over to the outside exhibits. "Bill himself said he's a hard boss." She grinned at Mabel. "Would you agree?"

Mabel squirmed and the social worker caught it.

"I mean he can be strict when it comes to work," Mabel said.

"Does he make you, a minor as he put it-and honestly beneath the working age, work hard?" Avery questioned.

Again Mabel caught herself before honestly answering. Her heart raced and she prayed that the woman beside her wasn't quick to notice body language.

"Not too hard," Mabel replied. "And I like some spending money."

"And if you don't obey him, or Stanford..." she paused to make sure the girl caught the other man's name. "Would you say either of them are harsh with punishments?"

Mabel stroked her chin. Droplets of red splattered on her skirt. "Well Grunkle Ford did ground Dipper for three days for pry...uh, staying out past his curfew." She flushed at nearly exposing the real reason Dipper had left the house that night.

"Have either of them ever hit you or Dipper?" Caroline asked.

Mabel shook her head, ignoring all the times Stan whacked Dipper with the newspaper.

"What about Bill?"

"Bill would never hurt me," Mabel cried.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it," Caroline said. She gritted her teeth at the girl's fake innocent act. "Have either of them ever physically harmed Bill?"

Mabel gulped. Bill had once told her that on two separate occasions Stan had punched him. Still she shook her head.

"No," she answered. "Bill's a part of our family." She smiled at the frowning social worker. "We love him."

"Excuse me," Soos said from the doorway. He nodded in the direction of Stan approaching with the group of tourists in tow. "We need Mabel on the floor."

The two females stood. Mabel disposed of her half eaten popsicle in the waste basket inside. She waved goodbye to Caroline Avery. Stan held the door open for his customers who chattered as they entered. The conman locked eyes with the social worker.

"If that's all, then you can see your way out," Stan said.

"I will be back, Mr. Pines," Avery warned.

Stan gave her a mock bow. He then grinned and added, "Next time ya might not wanna wear white."

Caroline glanced down to see orange stains on her white pants. She gripped at the popsicle and tossed it into the same trashcan Mabel disposed of hers. Red faced she said her farewell to the laughing owner of the shack. Stan grinned as he watched her jump into the driver's seat of the Porsche and drive away.

"Good riddance," Stan grumbled as he closed the door behind him.

Dipper and Wendy laughed as they exited the convenience store. The two sat down on the outside round, stone table with matching benches. Wendy's sense of humor was one of the things Dipper missed the most when he was in California.

A bag of junk food sat between them. They decided to go halves and share everything inside. Neither his parents nor Ford would approve of the mess he ate when in the company of Wendy or Stan.

Wendy shoved a handful of corn chips in her mouth. She swallowed then said, "Lee was so out of it. He asked a statue of a bull if it could point us to the magic castle."

Dipper laughed. He leaned back forgetting there was no backrest and nearly tumbled on the concrete below. He caught his balance causing the older teen to laugh harder.

"Don't wipe out on me, dude," Wendy said. "Your uncle would never forgive me."

Dipper gasped when he remembered Stan and the Mystery Shack. He pulled out his cell phone to see they were over an hour past their time. "Oh man, Grunkle Stan is going to grill me alive."

"Don't sweat it, man," Wendy said. She dismissively waved in Dipper's direction. "Soos and Bill cover for me all the time."

"Grunkle Ford put Bill on bed rest for today," Dipper reminded her.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Wendy said. She shrugged. "Oh well, he has Soos and Mabel. It'll be fine." The redhead sighed. "I wanted to spend some time with just you anyway."

Dipper's cheeks reddened. "Real-really?" he asked.

"Yeah, man, you're like the coolest person I ever met," she said.

Dipper smiled. He knew it was silly to imagine Wendy would ever like him more than a friend. The fact that she viewed him so highly was enough.

Wendy played with her bottle of Mountain Dew. She sighed then said, "I just want you to know how much I value you as a friend."

Dipper watched the other teenager swish the yellow liquid around in the bottom half of the green bottle. The girl smiled up at him and in that moment Dipper decided not to question her words.

Wendy's smile quickly disappeared as she stared out behind him. The girl jumped up causing Dipper to look over his shoulder. He glared at the teenager who had bullied him most of last summer and gloated that he managed to score a relationship with the object of his affection.

Robbie stepped off his dirtbike with Lee and Nate at his side. The emo teen rolled his eyes when he caught sight of Wendy. The redhead grabbed him by the hoodie and pulled him close.

"Robbie, I've been trying to call you for days!" Wendy shouted.

"Chill out, girl," Robbie snapped and smacked her hands away.

Dipper hurried over. Nate and Lee exchanged glances. For the past week Robbie refused any conversation related to Wendy. The guitarist sauntered in the direction of the convenience store. Wendy jumped in front of him and blocked every angle he tried to move.

"Will you get out of the way?" Robbie spat.

"Not until you talk to me," Wendy barked.

"There's nothing to talk about," Robbie replied.

"Robbie, this is important," Wendy cried.

Robbie huffed. He put his arm around the girl and led them away from the others. Dipper asked the other two who were just as clueless as him. The couple talked for about a minute until Robbie broke away.

"How can you do this to me?" Robbie screamed.

"Do this to you?" Wendy yelled. She gripped tightly to his hoodie. "This is just as much your fault."

Again Dipper moved just incase his friend needed his help, although he doubted it.

Robbie stared down at the ground. "Are you sure?" he asked without making eye contact with her.

"I've already taken four tests and each one is positive," Wendy answered.

Robbie lowered his head. Wendy put a hand on his shoulder only for him to swat it away. "I already told you I'm not gonna be a dad."

"Well, it's a little late for that now," Wendy cried.

He clenched his fist and leaned in close to the redhead. "Get rid of it," Robbie demanded.

Wendy's eyes widened. She reached for her boyfriend only for him to grunt and turn away from her. Lee and Nate stared at Wendy for a few seconds then followed after Robbie.

Wendy's heart ached. Her bottom lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears.

"Wendy," Dipper said.

The girl brought her hand to her mouth and the tears leaked over it. She heavily sobbed and turned away from the younger teenager. Dipper watched her run away from the convenience store parking lot.

Quite a lot happened in this chapter. Bill didn't have much of a role in this one, but he will in the next.