HAT: Yay, another chapter! The chapter after this is in progress- hopefully soon to be done- and the other stories are on their way to being complete (eventually). Also, I'm not gonna have any real pairings on here and if I ever do, it's not gonna be Dipcifica- they're family now- and if I do they're gonna be paired with OCs (I dunno about Travis and Pacifica, they might just stay friends until death)... anyway, go on reading!
(Edited! T-T I don't wanna do this anymore, but I'm so far in it, that I have to finish)
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls or it's characters, only the plot.
Everyone ends up back at the Shack by one in the morning, exhausted beyond belief, but awake nonetheless. Stanford had taken a shower upon everyone's request and they had all eaten a bit more to replenish the energy that they lost hunting for McGucket to destroy the helmet (which they did do). Currently Dipper and Mabel seem confused at the hype in the room while the Stans, McGucket, and Pacifica talk about Dan, a expers bestia.
"What's going on? Why're you going on about this thing?" Dipper demands at last when he's had enough of being left out in the dark.
"Well..." Stanley starts while glancing at Pacifica.
She glances at the frustrated Dipper and knows how it feels to be left out of something- though her's is more minor than a supernatural being bent on destruction- so she sighs and says, "Go ahead. It's probably a bad idea to leave them out of it."
Stanford clears his throat. "A few months ago Pacifica was attacked by a young man named Dan who has turned out to be a supernatural creature, a expers bestia to be specific, which means lightless beast and from what I can tell he finds joy in the pain of others..."
Don't look at me like that, the blond girl thinks when she sees the younger set of twins giving her looks of pity.
"I'm so sorry," Mabel breathes.
"Yeah, I didn't know you-"
"Not many know," she interrupts sharply- a bit more than she meant to- and then sighs. "I just don't like talking about it."
"Wow, all of this is a lot to happen in just one day," Mabel notes.
They've only been here for one day? Pacifica wonders. Man, it's been a long day.
"You ken say that again," McGucket says.
Pacifica blinks at him before turning to Stanley. "Did I say that out loud?"
"Yes, you did," Stanford reassures.
The last thing we need is McGucket being a mindreader, she thinks as she presses her lips together.
"You three need some sleep," Stanford finally says, leading the three children away from the living room. "Go to bed, you three."
After goodnights were exchanged Dipper goes to his room while Pacifica and Mabel go to the attic. Pacifica wasn't eager to share a room- she never had to before (the shelter is an entirely different situation, however)- and to share it with the overly eager Mabel Pines is something that she is almost positive that she isn't ready for despite taking weeks to try and mentally prepare herself for the inevitable arrival of her "cousins."
Pacifica grabs her pajamas and changes in under ten seconds to the amazement of Mabel. Sharing one bathroom with two men when morning routines bump into each other teaches a girl how to do a lot of things with haste so that there won't be pounding on the door for ten minutes or stealing her food.
"How'd you do that?" The brunette asks.
She shrugs as she puts on her bandana and gets into bed. "I just got changed."
Mabel shrugs and changes to an oversized t-shirt and some shorts before crawling into bed. "Hey, why do you walk barefoot in the house? The floor's really dirty."
"It's cleaner than dirt," Pacifica grunts indifferently as she turns over in her bed and- oh, dear Lord, I'm turning into Stanford! Quickly she sits up to rectify this because she'll be damned if she ends up like Stanford Pines (or Stanley or McGucket, but especially Stanford). "Um... well..."
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
Pacifica looks at Mabel for a long time. This girl was her enemy at one time and her exact opposite- and in a way she still kind of is. This girl looks on the bright side of things, brings smiles to people's faces (willing or not) and does outrageous things because she can and because it's fun and people love her for it. She accepts people without hesitation. Look at the ex-Northwest. She looks at things as how they are and rarely sees anything better at the end of the tunnel, she brings scowls to people's faces just because of who she used to be and smiles when she messes up, and she does everything that she can to not stand out anymore than she can help and they still hate her even if she doesn't do anything anymore. She can't trust anyone outside of her small group because the rest are all out to get her.
Maybe... maybe things can be different with Mabel? The blond wonders for a moment as she looks at the honest face in front of her. Then she decides to take the leap of faith.
"No, I want to tell you," she assures, gaining a bit more confidence in herself and in Mabel. "I lived with McGucket for a while before I was adopted by Papa Stan."
Mabel makes a confused face. "Who?"
"Um- Stanley."
"Oh, Grunkle Stan," Mabel confirms for herself and then tilts her head. "Why?"
"Why do you think?" Pacifica snaps. Mabel makes a surprised face and then the blond sighs. "Sorry... I got disowned. That's why I'm not a Northwest anymore. That's why the town hates me and singles me out, because I don't have the money to back me up anymore."
For several moments it's silent. Pacifica hasn't voiced her problems to anyone else- they just know- so to tell an outsider is something she's surprised that she'd do. Better she find out now than when we have to go back to school.
"You have me."
"Huh?" Sapphire eyes look into almost amber ones.
The other girl smiles. "We're family now and family sticks together. I've got your back no matter what."
Pacifica stares at Mabel for the longest before she asks, "Why do you accept me so easily? After everything I've ever done to you?"
"I believe in giving people multiple chances... besides, there's something different in your eyes."
"My eyes?" Questions the blue eyed girl.
"Yeah, your eyes used to be guarded back then and had a fake cover in front even though sometimes they would show the real you. Now they're guarded in a different way... I guess because you don't want to get hurt anymore..." She looks ready to say more, but there's a knock on the door and not even a second later it opens to show Stanford.
"I thought I told you two to go to bed?"
"We are in bed," Pacifica replies in her usual smart-alecky way.
He glares. "Alright, then, smart aleck, go to sleep, both of you or I'll have Stanford burn that bear and those stickers."
Neither have to be told twice. Immediately the two curl up under their covers and go to sleep.
HAT: Sorry that it was so short, but I'll make up for it with the next chapter because it'll be really long... most likely.
Pacifica: You're- like- really gonna put me in that hut with them? It's all small and nasty and dirty. *makes face* Yuck!
HAT: It's not like you're actually doing it.
Pacifica: Yeah, but still. And since when are there two old men named Stan?
HAT: *shrugs* I dunno... how old is Stan?
Pacifica: Like I know.
HAT: Would you please say it?
Pacifica: *rolls eyes and scoffs* Fine. Review.
HAT: *rolls eyes* What is it with you people and not saying please?
Pacifica: Northwests don't say please.
HAT: Figures...