A/N: ALRIGHT! please note: this is not the end. lol In fact, at this point, I'm not sure when the end is gonna come. It's been a while since we worked on this story overall. But don't worry. We have several more chapters to go before we have to go on a hiatus. Also, I've got some reviews! yeeee!

/catscatscats: Ah, I missed you! and thanks for liking that. I really liked that too. Thank Ace for that. :3 Hehe, Lars and Sadie are highly shocked, tbh. I mean, who wouldn't be? well, the wonders shall be answered now, within this chapter! and it's guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat! so enjoy!

A Triangle in the Stars
Chapter Fifty-Four: Facing Fears and Reality

Back at the Beach House, Steven couldn't stop staring at the window from the kitchen. He was waiting all this time, terrified of what was to come. Bill, meanwhile, had found a sort of safety in the bundle of blankets, but he couldn't help looking out the window every now and then. He could feel them. He could feel they were here, and their auras were getting closer and closer. A tremble tingled his frame. He was also terrified. And yet, at the same time, he had little reason to be. This was kinda conflicting.

The boy finally tore his eyes away from the window and focused them on the other two demons who had come out of their hiding places long ago, and said, "You guys should hide..." and then he glanced at Bill, "you too. I probably could reason with them, right?"

"You probably couldn't, kid," the golden demon sighed, still underneath the blankets. However, his top hat, which was somewhat sticking out, was a dead giveaway. "But you did successfully reason with me, and, well, I was a total sociopath." He chuckled halfheartedly.

"I think he could do it..." Gabriel smiled, while Pyronica frowned slightly, crossing her legs. "I mean, I was void bent on killing you, Bill..."

Bill eventually smiled too. Not that they could see it at all. He couldn't understand why he was underestimating the kid again. The boy managed to reform two demons, each with trillions of years of insanity and psychopathy embedded within, in a few days, and the Void itself in an hour or fewer. He should be able to convince two old men. Then again... he sighed, and eventually nodded, "Yeah... you were, but now we're family again. But I think convincing Stan and Ford that I've truly gone good might be harder... ya know, considering my former reputation..."

"Yeah," the flame demon's frown deepened as she put in her two cents, "those guys really don't like Bill, like, really don't like Bill."

Steven frowned, putting a finger on his chin, "Hmm..."

The triangle sighed, but all they could see was his top hat "bowing" briefly. He eventually came out from under the blankets, revealing the worried look on his eye. He could find a better place to hide than that, but Ford had this kind of sense, which he most likely developed while they were working together. He shuddered a bit.

"Hey, who said we have to stay here? we could teleport away!" Gabriel suggested, smiling a bit.

"I'd rather face them, to be honest," Bill declined. "I want to show them I've changed." And then he drooped, "Even if it means I die..."

Pyronica smiled a bit, standing up, "Welp, I hope you don't die. I'm not sticking around here..." and then vanished to who knows where.

Bill frowned a bit, but it was for the best. Pyronica didn't need to be in the middle of this too. He then said to no one in particular now, "I hope I don't either..."

"I'll make sure you don't, big brother," Gabriel looked at him with a smile on his eye. "Don't you worry, I could totally sabotage their weapons!"

Bill smiled back at the pink star. Big brother... it's been so long since he was called that. It filled him with warmth. He chuckled, "D'aw, thanks, bro."

And then a giant shudder overcame him. His eye went completely wide. They were extremely close now.

"That's them, isn't it?" the star noted, and then proposed again, "so, sabotage or no sabotage?"

Steven shook his head, speaking up, "I don't think that's a good idea."

The triangular demon soon began to reconsider sabotage, and shook himself as well, "Yeah, I agree with the kid. That might fuel the reason they came here. Best thing to do is, well, do a Steven."

He then smiled again, the shakes still there but not as present. They soon began to hear footsteps thump against the stairs, slowly, and getting louder with each step.

"Alright. I'll... I'll just do this," Bill's brother turned from pink to yellow, and then floated onto Steven's shirt, right where the star was, closing his eye so he was practically invisible. Bill then looked around. He would be biting his lip if he had any. He'd be biting his nails too, but that would look too creepy. He eventually decided to hide under the bed. He wasn't sure if it'd make as much of a difference though.

The boy remained seated in the kitchen, Gabriel sticking to his shirt like glue. Eventually, there was a knock on the door. Ford hummed to himself, taking in all the details. This was really interesting. They would have been here much earlier, but he had to stop to doodle this structure into his Journal, much to his brother's dismay. He bit his lip preparing for this. And then he wondered why he was knocking instead of barging through the door...

Steven shuddered, and stood. He decided he'd answer it and cautiously walked over, and opened it, just a little, not enough for them to enter. He saw a tall old man. Two tall old men actually, who looked almost exactly the same. Ford looked down at him, eyebrow raised. He made a few deductions. This must be Steven. He cleared his throat and spoke, "Uh, hello."

It was a bit awkward to talk through the door this way. He thus wondered if the boy had something to hide.

"Hello..." Steven waved a little, smiling nervously. "Come in," he then opened the door wide enough for them to walk in.

Ford nodded, and strode in, "Thank you."

Stan followed, frowning. His brother kept his case by his side, as he looked around the place. The strange platform and the strange door caught his attention, but he couldn't exactly focus on those right now. They were here for one thing, and one thing only. But they couldn't be rude. He sighed, "Nice place you have here... Steven, isn't it?"

"That's right," the boy nodded, and then sighed, "listen... you guys are here for Bill, right?"

Ford's eyes widened, and he nodded, narrowing them, "You know him then..?"

He didn't know why he was so surprised. Lars mentioned Steven when he reacted to them interrogating both him and the other girl about the psychopathic demon.

"Yeah, I do," Steven answered, and then frowned, staring at them. "I know you guys think he's really bad. But he's not. He's changed—for the better. He's not the same person he was when he caused Weirdmageddon..." His eyes turned pleading, "You have to give Bill another chance."

Stan, who had rolled his eyes, widened them when his ears caught that word—the event that nearly ruined Gravity Falls and, for want of quick thinking, the world. Gears started turning in his head. How did this kid know about it?

"Why should we?" the old man's eyes narrowed even more, not seeming to pick up on what his brother had. "He's a master manipulator and a magnificent actor! he could be lying to you!"

Bill overheard, and screwed his eye shut. He really regretted it. He really did.

"I know he's not," Steven sighed. "We've been through a lot together..." he then looked away, thinking about when the demon first washed up, to the picnic, the beach with Connie and Wendy, the school, the tower, the Void, and the wonderful time with s'mores. It couldn't be that Bill lied, after all that. He saved his life even. Four times, too. He had to have changed.

Ford frowned deeply, "I've been through a lot with him too. That's exactly what he does—acts all friendly, and then betrays you when your guard is still down."

He began pacing, the case still in hand. He seemed to forget that the boy knew about Weirdmageddon somehow. He was too busy being outraged, and too busy trying to actually find Bill, who was still cowering underneath the bed. He knew he was here. He just didn't know the exact location. Stan eventually cleared his throat. "You mentioned Weirdmageddon..." he recalled, staring at the boy still.

"Yeah... I know what he did. I know how he tortured you guys. He's not the person he was when he did that! he's better now!" Steven pleaded, hand on his chest.

"Wait, how'd you know about that event? did Wendy tell you?" the scientist stopped his pacing, staring at the boy fully now. He was slightly fuming. All words that Bill was a "better person" went through one ear and out the other. The demon wasn't even a person. This kid must have been brainwashed.

"Wendy mentioned it... but Bill told me the truth about it. What he did... and he's really sorry," the boy looked down, remembering the bad times, particularly when Bill tried to strike himself with lightning.

Ford seemed to consider this, raising an eyebrow, "He told you..? and he's sorry for it?"

He became conflicted. Was Bill really sorry? or was he simply acting? the triangle held back a sniffle. He'd started crying. Silently. He wanted to come out, to try to help, but he knew Ford would immediately try to shoot him.

"Yeah, it's true. I promise..." Steven smiled a little. He glanced for a split second towards the loft, and slightly shouted, "Hey, Bill, come out here and tell them how you feel..."

Stan put a hand on Ford's shoulder, whispering, "This is our chance..."

But the demon didn't. He was too terrified. Which, again, was a confliction, considering he now could easily take care of these two, or like Gabe said, sabotage their weapons. But that wasn't what he wanted to do. Ford nodded, and brought out the quantum destabilizer quietly, setting the case down as his eyes narrowed. He soon yelled, "CIPHER! come out! I know you're here!"

Still, Bill didn't budge. He trembled underneath the bed. Steven backed away a little, staring at the weapon with a little fear and anxiety, "Please don't kill him... he's a better person..."

"He must have brainwashed you," the old man's eyes were wide at the boy's insistence. "There's no way he can be redeemed. He can't be trusted! stay back, Steven. I'll save you from his manipulation." He then yelled again, "Come out, Cipher!"

The triangle flinched with every sentence. He still didn't come out. The only thing that did come out was a whimper. Stan and Ford thought this was incredibly weird, while Bill thought it was highly undignified.

"He didn't manipulate me or anything!" the boy cried out, "call Wendy up right now, and you'll know the truth..." he looked down again, feeling really scared, and uncertain. He knew what he believed.

Ford gasped, "He's got Wendy too?" and then his eyes narrowed. It certainly explained her uncertain tone over the phone. His fist clenched, and he turned absolutely red in the face. It would be funny if the situation wasn't so dire. He cocked the weapon, and growled, "Get out from your hiding place, Bill. Right now."

It was starting to sink in though, as slowly as it was. The Bill he knew would never hide. He would never whimper either. He would face this, with that cheeky, psychopathic grin on his eye, and would destroy them both, as well as Steven. His expression thus softened only a little bit. The triangle felt this change, but still didn't come out.

"He hasn't 'got' Wendy. Please... he's a really great guy, you just gotta give him another chance..." the boy, biting his lip, looked up at him, and then Stan, who had a fierce face of disbelief, and then looked at his arm as he rubbed at it, "I thought he was pretty bad too... but he's not... I mean, he was a total jerk. He shocked Lars, and did other stuff. But then, I don't know, something transformed within him. He's had plenty of chances to do something with me, but he hasn't, and he's..." he sighed, drifting off, and wondered why he was trying if these guys would never change their minds anyway.

The scientist glanced down at the boy for a while, considering this for a long time. He was beginning to realize that the boy had a point. It's been since Sunday since Wendy called them up. It was now Tuesday. And the boy was completely fine, along with the entire town. But it was hard to stick, particularly since the theory that the demon was still weak was still in play and had even turned into fact.

The golden dream demon eventually sighed. He couldn't take this. He had to out there and help this along. So he did what may end up being complete suicide. He stopped hiding, getting out from under the bed and revealing himself to the twins. His eye was a little red and puffy from crying, and he carried himself overall not like the Bill Cipher the twins knew and hated. He sighed, "Hey, uh, Sixer... Fez..."

Ford rounded on him, near instantly, narrowing his eyes again. Now was his chance, right here. But why wasn't he taking the shot immediately? he was a little confused by that. Stan gasped, and pulled out his gun immediately, aiming it at the triangle. Steven could only watch in fear. He knew he was strong enough to take these two men down, but that wasn't in the opinion of what he was trying to prove. Bill gasped too, and was tempted to hide under the bed again. But he didn't. He stayed, and even floated down and levitated by the stairs. He began to speak, "So, uh... you came all this way... just to see me? I'm.. I'm flattered..."

His attempt to lighten the mood fell flat on both himself and Ford. His heart just wasn't in it. The old man aimed the quantum destabilizer at the triangle too, just then. Bill freaked out even more, "No, no, I've.. I've changed. Really! the kid's right!"

"Don't shoot him!" Steven stood in the way. "Please... give him a chance. The Bill you guys know would already have done something, wouldn't he have?"

"Get outta the way, kid!" Ford bellowed, and the boy shuddered, deeply afraid. But he didn't move. The old man's hands were starting to tremble, however. Steven's words were starting to get through to him. This Bill... wasn't the same Bill he knew.. was he?

Bill nodded frantically, and glued himself to Steven's back practically, peeking out at the elderly Pines. He didn't like this though. It'd give the twins the impression he was using the kid as a shield. Which he wasn't. He soon sighed, "Please listen to him... I'm not out to destroy anything... not anymore.. he's really changed me."

Stan rolled his eyes again, still aiming his gun. He was growing impatient. Ford, just shoot him already... run around the kid or somethin'.

"Move," Ford clutched his weapon tighter, ignoring the demon's words altogether. He was still aiming it at them, but it was all too clear he was becoming hesitant. "Go outside. I don't want you to get hurt. I don't want you to see this. Wendy should've evacuated everyone from this place."

The triangle started shuddering too, and sighed, "Kid... I don't want you hurt.. I really don't."

The old man could hardly believe what Cipher was saying. And it sounded genuine... but wasn't that what he wanted them to think? he was beginning to become confused and conflicted.

"No, Bill, I'm not going to leave you. I can't let you get hurt..." Steven bit his lip. He knew Bill could defend himself too.

"Well, I can't let you get hurt either," Bill started crying, silent tears. "Just do as they say... I... I think I'll be fine..."

Ford withdrew his finger from the trigger just then, just a tad. He could still hardly believe this. He was biting his lip as well, eyes narrowed. What was he doing? why was he doing this? he was asking both himself and Bill. He was certain he was getting the wool pulled over his eyes. But at the same time... he wasn't... Steven was on Bill's side, and the plump guy sounded completely and utterly genuine. And... so did Bill, actually... that and that wasn't what the demon he knew would ever say or be willing to do at all...

He huffed, grinding his trembling to a near halt. His mentality that Bill was tricking them all still wasn't gone. He remained skeptical, to the highest degree. Stan stayed silent throughout the whole duration, still aiming his gun at Bill.

"I won't!" Steven shook his head, almost crying. "I won't."

"Kid..." the demon sighed and then drifted off, almost crying as well. But he didn't. He didn't wish to cry in front of the twins. Stanford almost lowered his weapon, but stood his ground, still aiming it at them—Bill mostly.

Steven put a shield up, "I'm going to protect you, Bill..."

Stan rolled his eyes, "Puh-lease. We can all see that you've just brainwashed this kid into doing what you want!"

"But I haven't!" the demon pleaded. But it was falling on mostly deaf ears. "Please, kid... what if they decide to shoot? I can't lose my first best friend..."

Ford was slightly touched, his eyes slightly wider too. This really wasn't the Bill he knew. But... what if this was a trick? this made him think. Would the Bill he knew ever put another above himself in this way? he didn't think so, because his manipulation was always built to benefit himself and only himself. And the Bill he knew never really, genuinely cared about anyone human. This was way too confusing, way too conflicting, and too much to take in, and he started trembling again, biting his lip. He barely noticed the shield had come out of nowhere, for he was too focused on trying to sort this out.

"Neither can I lose you... come on... lower your weapons, please..." Steven looked at them with fear, and hope.

Stan did not. "Poindexter?" he raised an eyebrow, glancing at his twin.

Ford didn't lower his weapon either. Not yet. But his hands began to tremble as well, and he growled a little again, "So... this isn't a trick?"

He was still very skeptical. Bill nodded, "No. It's not a trick at all, IQ. You would've been dead the moment you entered the house... but you're not.."

The twin took a deep breath, and closed his eyes for a minute. His ex-Muse was right, surprisingly. It was becoming a little easier to sink in. But he still didn't lower the quantum destabilizer. Steven nodded, but said nothing.

"So, what caused this 'sudden change of heart'?" Stan asked, briefly using air quotation marks.

Bill blinked at Stan, and then pointed at Steven, "More like who, Fez..." and then he smiled a little, "this little guy, right here."

Ford kept his weapon up, and took to staring at the boy right then. He could hardly believe a boy reformed a demon. But he decided to step back, metaphorically, and let his brother handle this. Steven smiled a little as well, nervously.

"I can't believe this," Stanley gripped his gun a little tighter. "Poindexter, can you?"

Ford shook his head, "No. I can't either. This is so strange..."

He wanted to put down his weapon, but again, he didn't. He wanted to make sure Bill wouldn't pull a fast one on all of them. The demon stared at them both, a little nervous and scared. Stan took a deep breath, "Step aside, kid..."

Steven shook his head, "Never!"

Ford's brother fell silent, glancing at his brother, and then at the unlikely duo. He didn't know what to do. On one hand, he wanted to put down his gun. But on the other, he just couldn't reconcile this with the part of his mind that was screaming, "BILL CANNOT BE TRUSTED!" Bill was tempted to move in front of Steven or push him aside. But he didn't. The atmosphere was tense. It was like one wrong move and everything would change. Stan sensed this, and did not move. Steven continued to protect Bill, biting his lip. "Please," he asked again, "put your weapons down."

Ford frowned, and was surprisingly about to relent, lowering his weapon only an inch. Bill's eye widened at this. He could hardly believe this. But he didn't float out from behind the boy yet. He could still feel the apprehension. Steven seemed to lower his guard a little bit more, but Stan stayed where he was.

"Are you sure about this...?" Ford asked Steven again, but he knew it was futile at this point. Bill furrowed his brow with worry, eyeing Stan closely.

"Yes. I promise. It's okay," Steven nodded, "I promise it is..."

The air was tense, as many seconds ticked by seemingly tangibly. And soon Ford did something he thought he never ever thought he would do. He lowered the quantum destabilizer. The demon blinked twice, with shock. He was unable to say anything for now. And neither was Ford. Steven made his shield vanish, and stepped away a little, smiling brightly.

Stan soon dropped his pistol and grabbed Ford's quantum destabilizer, before aiming at Bill and taking the shot before anyone could stop him. Bill yelped, and attempted to dodge the blast. Ford could only look on in shock. He couldn't even berate his brother for this, for he was still conflicted about it all. The star on Steven's shirt hopped off, and got in the way of the blast. The yellow faded away, and Gabriel's true pink form was revealed, before it faded away too. Steven was left in shocked silence, the smile having been wiped off his face. Ford's mouth dropped open even more. There was another demon like Cipher? he could hardly believe this. He thought the triangle was the last of his kind, never mind Kryptos and Hectorgon. Bill gasped, reaching a futile hand out for him, "N..no, Gabe!"

"Oh my god... Gabriel..." Steven stared. There wasn't anything left of the little star. Nope, not an atom. He was gone. Bill dropped to his knees, closing his eye. Unwittingly leaving himself vulnerable to any attack Stan might pull next. His brother... his only blood family... was gone... and they had only just started to get along again. He began to curse his luck—why would he have expected a truly happy ending with a last name, discarded though it was, like Nolis?

Ford just kept staring, unmoving like a statue. Thoughts raced through his head. Would Bill become angry with them and remove them from existence now? it was making him incredibly anxious. And scared too. Stan dropped the quantum destabilizer eventually too, looking at the scene before him.

"Bill... are you okay?" Steven soon sat beside the demon, staring at him and biting his lip.

The triangle shook himself, choking on a sob, and answered, "Does it look like I'm okay..?"

Bill, however, found he wasn't exactly as sad as expected. It was a simple blow to his heart. But that was it. He guessed it was because they had yet to truly be family again. He sighed. Ford stepped forward slightly, but otherwise didn't chance any more steps closer. He didn't know what to do now. He really didn't. But he had a hand on his other weapon, just in case something happened that wasn't in their favor.

Steven eventually glared up at Stan, before his look softened. "I... you just come in here, threatening to kill my friend, and you killed Gabe. Come on! nobody kills Gabe!" he sighed. "Please... just leave, okay?"

Stan didn't know what to do or say, frowning slightly. The only demon in the room eventually clenched his fists. Loosened them, and then clenched them again, repeatedly. He stood up, glaring at the two elderly twins, and wiped the budding tears away from his eye. He growled a bit, "You heard the kid... get. Out."

This certainly wasn't what Ford was expecting to happen. This whole scene wasn't what he expected. But that glare and his tone of voice sent chills down the old man's spine, and it wasn't even the kind of glares of he was used to. He was lucky— they were lucky—Bill didn't decide to strike them down right then and there. But he didn't go away. He couldn't even move. Steven decided to remedy that, walking up to the man and picking him up, beginning to bring him outside. That shocked Stan out of it, and his eyes widened as he watched. And it shocked Ford out of it too. He was more shocked at the fact that there was another of Bill's brethren than at the boy's strength, though. He soon stammered, "I.. uh, didn't mean..."

But it was awkward, because half of him wasn't sure if he actually meant it. Bill, after picking up the pistol and quantum destabilizer Stan dropped and bending them irreparably backwards and tossing them away into oblivion with his magic, soon followed the boy outside, still glaring. He hadn't been angry in quite a while, but it regardless wasn't a new feeling for him. However, none of the urges to kill the offenders were present. Granted, it wasn't as deep, and wasn't explosive either. Stan eventually followed them, down the steps, and Steven put his brother down on the sand, with a sigh.

Bill couldn't even speak, but he kept clenching and unclenching his fists, glaring at the twins. Ford got up and stared down at the boy, eyes wide. He sighed eventually, and cleared his throat, "This is... rather awkward... I didn't mean that... it was meant for..." and then he drifted off.

The triangle huffed, his pupil flashing a bright crimson for a second. The old man jumped back a bit. That was new. Or was it? he wasn't sure.

Stan hung on this, pointing dramatically at the demon, "See, Ford, Bill really is evil!" and was about to launch into an argument, before...

"No, he's not!" Steven interrupted, eyes burning with tears. "It's like if Ford died. How'd you feel? would you be happy? no, you'd be upset too!" he bit his lip, about to continue, "You..." but then he sighed, turning to his friend, "Come on, Bill, let's just go back inside."

The triangle nodded, and then started climbing the steps back to the Beach House, too angry to teleport and still fighting back tears. Stanford watched this, and bowed his head. That star was Bill's brother? intriguing. But he did indeed understand. It was still all too confusing, however. Steven put an arm around Bill, "It's okay... we can fix this, right?"

"I.. I really don't think so..." Bill sighed. "Last time he was destroyed, he found a host. This time..." tears appeared in his eye.

Ford shook his head, and then began walking away. He couldn't stay here. He felt as if Bill was going to turn around and do something. And, for some reason, he also felt awful. He actually seemed to empathize with the little demon. And he found it shocking. Stan rolled his eyes once more, and began walking away too.

"Maybe he did this time. I mean... we can't give up hope!" Steven bit his lip, trying to come up with something, some idea, something that would fix everything as he opened the door and led themselves in. Bill shook himself, and decided to say nothing. Tears were pouring down from his eye. He couldn't hold them back anymore. Steven pursed his lips, and then ran back outside. He had to do something.

Bill stayed inside, however. He couldn't even reach the couch. He just collapsed right there by the door, letting the growing depression consume him once more...

A/N: And there we go! hope Bill wasn't too awkward for ya, newly-christened Shogun of Sorrows. But, well, it was prewritten anyways, couldn't/can't exactly change it and don't want to. xD Because I like it.
Aaaanyywaaay... WHAM! WOOOOOO! WHAT A CHAPTER, HUH? I bet you weren't expecting that. I wasn't expecting it either, okay? neither of us were, I don't think. Hehehe. So, I was Bill and Ford, and Ace was Gabriel, Stan, Steven and Peronica. :3
I really hope you enjoyed!