A/N: Hi, sorry for such a long absence. So, my friend's injury was really severe and almost called for an amputation. Luckily, it didn't come to that and she was released from hospital a couple days later. She's still in lots of pain, but she's recovering, so that's something. I've had an incredibly long, busy week, so I didn't get a chance to update this story last week. Then, on Monday of this week, I got another message from my friend who's now back in hospital with an infection. She got ill because of it and had fluid on her lungs. On top of that, things have just been hectic at home, so I haven't had a chance to update yet. But, as promised, your next two chapters.


Robbie stares dejectedly at the dark walls of his bedroom. Wendy doesn't love him anymore - did she ever? She doesn't even want to talk to him. Every time he goes up to her to ask for another chance, she runs off before he even has a chance to open his mouth.

Robbie growls in frustration. It's all Dipper's fault! He broke them up just because he was jealous that he couldn't date Wendy!

But... if Wendy had really loved him, would she have broken up with him so easily? Maybe the whole thing with that song was a bit too far, but he'd just been so desperate at that point. He'd found several things online after typing in on Google 'How to win over a girl I like'. The song was one of them. He sees now how stupid that was and he can understand why it upset her, but now he isn't even allowed to explain himself.

He sighs. He can blame Dipper all he wants, but Robbie knows it's just as much his fault as the twelve-year-old's. They're both idiots! But at least Dipper still gets to hang around with Wendy and talk to her. So much for hating each other in silence. That was never going to last and they both knew it.

Wendy has a soft spot for Dipper and Robbie wonders why he ever let it get to him. It's not like they were dating. Robbie always had more of Wendy's time, anyway, so it shouldn't have bothered him that Dipper likes Wendy. It shouldn't bother him now that a twelve-year-old who wears the same pair of shorts everyday is getting to spend more time with Robbie's ex than the teenager himself is. Wendy isn't going to just turn around and start dating a kid!

But Robbie's insecurities are evil and persistent. Maybe his ex really is dating a monster-hunting-obsessed child. She has a lot of ex-boyfriends - some she hasn't even broken up with! Robbie was just another statistic, another heart broken, never to be mentioned by Wendy again.

This thought is too much for him. For the first time in oh-so-many years, Robbie buries his face into the pillow on his bed and cries. Big, ugly, noisy cries that come out of nowhere and don't seem willing to ever stop. His body shakes with the sobs that his chest continues to heave out and his throat hurts from the wailing. He can't remember the last time he cried, but he knows that he certainly has never cried like this before.

"Robbie, sweetie? Are you alright?" His parents stand in the doorway, full of concern and empathy, only wanting to help.

Embarrassed that he's been seen in such a state, he turns a nasty glare onto his mother and father and spits out, "Leave me alone! I'm busy!"

"You know you can talk to us about anything, Son," his dad starts, but Robbie gets up and slams his bedroom door in their faces.

"I said I'm busy, so leave me alone!"

He can hear them whispering worriedly to each other on the staircase, but he ignores it. He'd told them to leave him alone and they had, so why does he still feel awful?

Because you're alone, his insecurities whisper into the back of his mind. You're alone and you always will be! That's what you want, isn't it? To be alone?

He sobs into his pillow again, this time silently, not having enough energy for the kind of crying he was doing a minute ago. Suddenly exhausted, he allows his mind into sleep.


There's a knock on the door that wakes him and then a girl's voice that's way too cheerful. "Roobbiiee, it's Mabel!"

"Who?" he manages to croak out and is disheartened by the reply that follows.

"Remember me? I'm like Girl-Dipper!"

She invites herself in and happily declares that she's going to fix his life. He doesn't believe her, but a tiny part inside of him that longs to remain optimistic thinks, 'Maybe. Maybe she can fix me. Maybe... maybe things are going to start getting better'.

Later, when he has his arms around Tambry, he remembers that, and a small smile crosses his face. She really did fix him like she promised to.