The music for this chapter is 'What is Grief?' from WandaVision: Episode 8 (Original Soundtrack).

"He woke up," Ford panted.

The four companions stood in shock, unable to form a response. Pacifica recovered first, looking at Ford. "What?" she asked, seemingly in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"I can explain on the way," Ford said. "Now, where's Mabel?"

Soos coughed awkwardly and bit his lip. "Well, I, uh—"

"Soos lost her," Grenda interrupted bluntly.

"Soos did what?" Ford yelled. "Then where is she?"

"We think she went into the woods," Candy said, pointing at the muddy footprints on the track.

"Then perhaps we can still find her," Ford said, looking in the young girl's direction. "You two, take the fool Ramirez back to the Shack and wait for my return."

"Aye-aye Cap'n" Grenda joked, saluting. "You heard him, fool!"

After they were gone, Candy turned to Ford. "What about me?" she asked doubtfully. "I think you would've had more luck with Pacifica if you needed someone to help you."

"She may be the only admirable member of her family," Ford said. "But she is still inexperienced. That can change, but now is not the time to undertake such a task. Dipper may have taken her on some of his adventures, but I think you may be more suited to learning from this."

"You're turning finding Mabel into a school day?" Candy asked. "Don't you think we should just get on with it."

"Every day is a school day Miss Chui," Ford said as he trudged through the mud, grimacing when Mabel's footsteps trailed off. "Damn."

"What now?"

Ford seemed to catch a second wind, remembering a skill he once learned in the multiverse. "In my travels to other worlds I acquired many jobs, one of which was my job as a ranger. I was sent to track down people were on the run or missing, and one of the most effective ways of doing that—" he cut himself off, lowering himself onto the ground and pressing his ear against the dirt, hushing Candy before she could speak. A quick as a flash, he sprung up and pointed northeast. "She's that way."

"How do you know that? Candy asked curiously.

"I'll teach it to you after we end found Mabel," the ageing scientist smiled. "It may help you one day if you practice." He tapped the side of his nose lightly before running off. Candy struggled to keep up. They trudged through the forest for about five minutes before coming to an abrupt stop in a clearing. Ford held his hand down to halt Candy (otherwise she might've ran off the cliff edge by accident). The teen promptly leant against a tree to catch her breath, only perking up when a loose rock fell from the edge and clattered down the mountainside.

Ford looked around the clearing, coming to spot Mabel sat on a tree stump near the precipice of the cliff. He walked over to her sat down on the stump next to her, wrapping his arm around her and letting his legs dangle over the edge. He eyed a fallen tree laying at the bottom of the valley. It was wreathed in vines and moss, and had clearly once been attached the stump they were using as a seat. The two sat there for a few moments, the evening sun glowing bright in front of them.

"Why did you come here?" Ford asked, breaking the silence at last. He suddenly noticed a pair of muddy footprints near the cliff edge, having a double-take of horror at the sight. "You weren't going to—"

Mabel cut him off with a simple nod.

Ford ran a hand through his niece's hair and bit his lip. "I'm glad you decided against it," he soothed. "It wouldn't have been good for anyone, but I can't say I blame you for letting it cross your mind." He pulled Mabel closer and kissed her forehead. "Come on," he whispered. "Let's go home."

It was only after they got back to the Shack that Ford told Mabel the news; he knew that telling her when they were still walking back would be cruel (he also wanted some peace and quiet, and god knows that was the only he was going to get it). She was ecstatic, running ahead to the hospital despite Ford's best efforts to keep up. By the time she got there, Stan, Soos, and Wendy were arguing with Dr Rambeau about the fact that only direct family members would be allowed into the ward. Despite them fighting relentlessly, they eventually caved and Stan had refused to go in until Mabel arrived. It felt wrong, is what he'd told himself. Mabel and Ford got there quicker than he expected, rushing into the ward before Stan could even get up off his seat.

Dipper was definitely conscious, but 'awake' wasn't a word anyone would actually use to describe his current state; he was drowsy, barely able to form a coherent sentence or keep his eyes open. By the time his strength failed him and he feel back asleep, they had barely gotten past introductions (which had been a bit of a heart wrenching experience – it felt wrong to Mabel to have to introduce herself to her own brother).

The next few days were the most uplifted the Mystery Shack Crew had felt in months, finally it seemed as though there was a chance that everything could work out okay in the end. Ford finally decided to start socialising, and Stan decided to start taking breaks for the first time in forever. Mabel spent most of her time exercising her voice to the point that after the fifth day, she was able to speak clearly again. The mental barrier stopping her from doing so was gone, and she didn't have to guess why. It was the first time she'd smiled since Weirdmageddon and to that, Stan was thankful. A sad expression looked unnatural on Mabel's face, it was much more suited to a cheerful smile so wide it made dimples in her cheeks. They visited Dipper every day, each time letting him in on more and more information. By the end of the week, Ford began to get concerned. His more positive side was telling him that nothing was wrong, but he could see it in Dipper's eyes. Every time they visited him, he could tell: he didn't trust them. His inquisitive nature was beginning to kick in, and he was beginning to question whether they were telling him the truth or not. It was a fair suspicion to have – no doubt – but Ford couldn't help but think that it was his fault; he betrayed Dipper's trust once before, and only now was it cemented in his mind that he should've come clean about his deal with Bill from the very beginning.

When Dipper awoke again, it was the dead of night. He looked around the room; it was exactly as it was when he'd fallen asleep, apart from the fact that the girl was gone. Mabel, he thought her name was. She seemed familiar; he didn't know why, but every time he looked at her, he felt happy. He didn't know who she was, only that he cared for her.

Hell, he didn't even know who he was.

That was something that had been troubling him. He only knew two things: that his name was Dipper, and that he'd lost his memory somehow (and he had no proof that that first one was even true). He'd pieced it together when the fat man – Zeus, he thought his name was – had asked him 'Don't you remember? Even a little?' Maybe he had amnesia and would have to go on a epic quest to regain his memory and save the world. Mabel had said that she was his sister, but he wasn't sure if he could trust her. This could all been an elaborate ruse and he'd never know.

He'd been getting dreams filled with shadowy figure say things he had absolutely no context for, but resonated with him all the same. But one figure had shown up in more of them than any other – a girl a few centimetres taller than him with long hair and bright brown eyes that shone through the darkness. It could be Mabel, but it could very well be someone else. He knew he'd lost his memory, so maybe they were just that: memories.

But the question still remained: why couldn't he remember?

And why did his hands feel like they had as much Trent the in them as a wet sheet of paper?

He dozed off a half hour later, his head lolling to the side sought as his thick brown hair hung down over his face.

Dipper hated being in the hospital. It was boring, and there wasn't really anything he could do for fun. Then again, he still didn't know what he liked to do for fun. The visiting hours were strict, only allowing for twenty minutes every other day (the place was still stacked with people who were seriously injured during Weirdmageddon).

Weirdmageddon.

That was a word he'd heard Mabel utter many times; a word he didn't know the meaning of. Every time he heard it it sent chill up his spine, seeming to put him on high alert. He kept getting these… flashes. Flashes of a world wreathed in flame, a giant cross torn in the sky with a floating stone pyramid at the epicentre. Flashes of a triangle with a top hat, flashes of himself with yellow, slitted eyes.

He had two theories. The first was that the people who claimed to be his family were telling him the truth. They hadn't told him much yet, but he was canny enough to know that his flashes of the apocalypse were the Weirdmageddon everyone was talking about, and that his amnesia had something to do with it. The second was that they were lying; that he was seeing visions of an apocalyptic future that they were trying to bring about. He wasn't sure what theory correct, but he knew that the best course of action was to treat the situation as if it was a matter of the world's ending.

Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

He'd heard that saying before. He didn't know who it was from, but he had.

He knew it.

Over the next few days, Dipper began to construct a plan. He needed to get away from the people claiming to be his family, but also didn't want to hurt them in case they really were telling the truth. There was a forest not too far from the hospital, if he could sneak out the window he could possibly slip away unnoticed. He'd need food, and some clothes besides a hospital gown, as well as some other tools like a torch or a knife.

The food was the easy part. Every time Rambeau brought him lunch, he'd stash a small piece of food in a Tupperware box he'd stolen from Mabel and hid it behind his pillow. The food would be cold, but good enough. He'd eventually given up on the clothes, leaving it as a problem for his future self to deal with. Thankfully, he'd managed to nick a torch and a hunting knife for Ford, who'd left his coat on his chair at one point when he'd went to get a drink.

By the time he decided to put his plan into action, it was exactly two weeks since he'd woken up. He didn't really know where he was going to go, it was more of an escape plan than anything else. He could hear the clock strike midnight in the distance signalling to him that it was time. He quickly pulled himself out of bed, discarded his pillow and started stuffing it's case with his belongings. When it was done, he slung it over his shoulder and – using a chair as a stool – shimmied through the window. He pulled it shut with a shaking hand, making a mental note to work on getting his grip back. It could come in handy.

His shoes touched down on the soft grass, kicking up dust in the dry dirt. He took a great, big breath of fresh air, before switching his torch on and running off.

Mabel was a strange mix of emotions these days. On one hand, Dipper had woken up, meaning that there was a good chance that he would get out of this whole situation okay. On the other, she barely even got to see him. And on top of all that, he'd been acting odd as of recent. Skittish. Apparatus that wasn't out of the ordinary for someone who had just suffered recent brain trauma, but she knew her brother well, and could tell when he was anxious.

Something was wrong.

This was the issue she debated with Candy, Grenda, and Pacifica late one Sunday evening. They were at the Shack for a sleepover, as they were basically every night nowadays.

"You're putting too much thought into it," Pacifica said, rifling through her stack of Monopoly money and owing to a square that cost $500. "He's always been the anxious type, right?"

"I guess…" Mabel mumbled, throwing the dice as Pacifica handed her money to Candy ((who was the banker for this round). "It just feels… I dunno, different than usual."

"I agree with Pacifica," Candy said, adjusting her glasses. To her right, Grenda (who had been put out five turns ago) was in the process of chugging down a 'family size' bottle of Pit Cola. "You're just over worrying. Which is understandable."

The three girls sat in silence for a few moments, only for it to be broken by the the sound of Grenda burping.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

Ford was awoken form his slumber by a knock on the door. He blearily opened his eyes and scrambled around his desk for his glasses and accidentally poking himself in the eye with one of the legs when he eventually did.

And of course, they were absolutely caked in smudges.

He sighed heavily and pulled his coat of, before shouting, "Come in!"

The door opened, and in walked Tyler Cutebiker. To say he looked dishevelled would be an understatement; his hair was wild and uncombed, there were huge bags under his eyes and his tie hung loose against his chest. "Dr Pines," he said. "I need your help."

A look of confusion crossed Ford's face. "What with?"

"I need you to help get us out of here."

"Ah," Ford said, a smile sprinting onto his face. "I've already begun to look into it. I've discerned the fact that we are trapped in what is known as a time dilation bubble, meaning that time is still frozen outside of it, but still moves freely within here."

"Is there any way you can take it down?" Tyler asked. "We're going to have to start rationing soon, and the populous is already restless enough as it is."

"I'm sure I'll be able to think of something," Ford said, walking over and placing a reassuring hand on Tyler's shoulder. "Every problem has a solution. Or a workaround or loophole of sorts."

"Thank you." Tyler grabbed Ford's hand and shook it violently, before looking down in confusion."

"You have rather a lot of fingers."

Candy ran into Mabel's bedroom and gasped slightly. Her friend seemed to have vanished after the end of the Monopoly game, after Grenda and Pacifica had went home. Candy had stayed because Soos needed help stocking some shelves in the gift shop, and she was light enough to climb onto the higher shelves without them collapsing. As of now, Mabel was missing. Candy glanced around the room and caught that one thing was missing: Mabel's rucksack, the one full of adventuring supplies that she always kept next to her bed, just in case. She definitely wasn't anywhere in the Shack, so the only other place she would be was…

The hospital.

Mabel slung her rucksack over her shoulder, pulling her hair into a bun at the back of her head. She picked up Waddles and snuck downstairs, knowing that his presence would comfort her. Stan was watching TV in the living room, Soos and Candy were in the gift shop, and Ford was in the basement. Everyone was distracted, meaning that now was the perfect time to make a break for it. Quietly, she ran into the kitchen and vaulted through the window, clicking it shut behind her. She made her way to the hospital quickly – she had to see Dipper, she had to know if he was okay. She knew where his room was, so sneaking in wasn't going to be difficult.

As it turned out, she was right.

Her plan was simple: grappling hook onto the roof, and using the map of the hospital she acquired on her last visit, find her way to Dipper's room.

The complication came from after she got to Dipper's ward. She lowered herself down from the vent with her grappling hook, then gasped.

Dipper was gone.

Candy's breaths were tired and laboured as she ran through the revolving doors of the hospital, only stopping when she got to the receptionist's desk. "I need to – room – Dipper – after hours – Mabel – visiting – have to – find…"

The receptionist glared at her with a look of incredulity, before asking, "Are you havin' a stroke little lady?"

Candy leant her hands on her knees and tried to catch her breath, before being tapped on the shoulder by a dark-skinned hand. She turned around, and on could only murmur softly. "Who are you?"

"I'm Dr Rambeau," the woman said. "I'm Mason's doctor."

"But how do you know that I'm—"

"Mabel's phone wallpaper has you – amount others on it." Rambeau clutched her notepad to her chest and smiled. "She's pretty careless with the thing, I can't tell you how many times I found it laying on a desk in her brother's room.

"So anyways, what are you here for?"

"Oh yeah," Candy remembered. "She's sneaking into Dipper's room, and she went without telling anyone. I have to find her."

"I don't think she's here," Rambeau denied. "I was just in there."

"She is," Candy said. It was only then that she caught onto Rambeau's ploy; she didn't care if Mabel was sneaking in, she wanted her to have time with Dipper. Sadly, this was when the receptionist decided to check in.

"Y'know, I reckon you should check anyway," she said. "Can't hurt, right?"

Rambeau bit her lip and sent a glare that could pierce vibranium at Candy. "Yeah," she said, through gritted teeth. "Let's go do that then, shall we?" She grabbed the young girl by the wrist and dragged her away just hard enough for it to hurt, but just soft enough that nobody would notice.

"Sorry," Candy whispered.

"You better be."

There was no other talk for the rest of the journey, only dead silence. Dipper's room was fairly far away from the reception (he'd been moved after he woke up), about a ten minute walk. No sound could be heard other than their footsteps. At one point they heard panicked shouting, a loud thump – then the sound of a heart monitor flatlining.

As they got to the room, Rambeau opened the door and walked over to Dipper's bed. Her eyes went wide, before she slowly and menacingly turned her head towards Candy. "What did you do?" she seethed, her voice cold and threatening.

"I didn't to anything," Candy squeaked, inching back out of fear."

The window was open, a vent grate was on the floor, and neither of the Pines twins were anywhere to be found.

Oh yes, I'm being evil here and leaving it on a cliffhanger. The next chapter should be what essentially amounts to a mid-season finale, except it's more of a 'third of the way though this fic' finale. A mini-climax of sorts. I wanted to focus more on the supporting characters this time round, so Candy and Dr Rambeau get some well needed time in the spotlight. This was basically all setup as well, because I don't want to devote any of that stuff to the next chapter. I can't tell you when it will be out, but expect that it'll be a few weeks (as it usually is for this fic). The next chapter of The HIVE Mind is coming along well, I've nearly finished the first draft, and it's already the longest chapter I've ever written. Thanks for reading!