Dipper's eyes remained shifty all the way back up to the shack. Luckily, there was no real threat out along the path like he had thought. It was just a gnome, drunk on flower nectar, chasing a butterfly. Dipper just rolled his eyes and kicked the gnome into a bush before continuing on.

Once up to the house, Dipper hopped up the front porch steps and reached out to grab the dingy screen door handle. He stopped, however, when he heard Mabel scream. His adrenaline spiked for just a moment until her yelling was followed by laughter. Dipper relaxed and let out a breath, unclasping his hand from the door handle. He stepped down off the porch and rounded the corner, curious to see what she was up to.

Dipper frowned when he went around to the other side to only see her beloved pet pig, Waddles, sitting alone. The plump pig looked at Dipper and gave him a snort before looking back up towards the house. Dipper's eyes followed the pig's gaze to Mabel, who was testing out her modified grappling hook. She had managed to grapple her way up to the top of the roof, and was currently stuck on the "C" in "Shack". She had burst out into a fit of laughter from her own clumsiness, which made the corner of Dipper's lip lift into a little smile.

After her fit of laughter, Mabel looked down to her audience, which now included her twin bro-bro. She flashed a big braceless smile to her brother, who waved in return.

"Ahoy there Sir Dipping Sauce!" Mabel saluted down to Dipper dramatically.

"Hey Mabes! You gonna hang out there all day?" Dipper shouted up to her.

"Hmm...Actually it's quite nice up here. Just need me a couple Pitt Colas and a pair of sunglasses!" Mabel laughed.

Dipper shook his head and chuckled. "You need help getting down don't you?"

"Whaaat? Pshh, no! I can get down anytime I want!"

"Okay, well, I was thinking, Waddles," Dipper turned to the pig and purposely spoke loud so that Mabel could hear everything, "that since Mabel is going to sit up on the roof all day, that you and I could go into town and get some ice cream. It'll be on me!"

Waddles squealed loudly in agreement and stood up, ready to follow Dipper. Mabel's mouth fell open. She quickly stated that she could relax on the roof later and that she would accompany the two to the ice cream shop in town. Dipper watched as Mabel struggled to climb down the roof. He playfully rolled his eyes and suggested that she throw down the grappling gun so he could climb up and help her down. Reluctantly, she finally obliged and threw down the gun, Dipper catching it just barely. The gun was a lot heavier than he remembered. She must have added something to it, he decided.

After a ten minute struggle to get Mabel down from the roof, the twins succeeded and started down the road into town. Mabel went on about the new modifications that Stan and Ford helped her add to the gun. There was a heavier hook attached and more reinforcement on the wire added, which indeed made it a bit heavier than before, but Mabel reassured her brother for the 20th time that it wasn't too much for her to handle. Dipper stayed quiet to listen to his sister's rambling, occasionally looking down at Waddles whenever he brushed against his leg.

He liked listening to his sister, even though sometimes her stories made no sense at all and sometimes she would bring up embarrassing things he had done. Dipper would sometimes be quick to turn the spotlight on her, usually reminding her of her crazy boy phase she had the first summer they stayed here. The gagging fit she'd have in response always made them laugh.

It was times like these that Dipper didn't feel so different. Mabel had easily moved on from everything that had happened their first summer. Or so it seemed. Sure she had moments where something bothered her, especially in the beginning, just after everything happened. But it hadn't kept her down for very long. The bright side to life never left her side in times of doubt. Dipper wished he could be more like Mabel, but who would be the pessimistic one then?

The twins made it to the ice cream shop no more than 15 minutes later. They were greeted with a gust of cold air when they opened the door. The bells fastened to the door rang out to notify incoming customers. A familiar face came out of the back of the store, smiling big at the teens.

"What is up my bro Dip!" Lee greeted Dipper with a quick handshake. "How've ya been dude! Haven't seen you since Wendy's party last summer. When did ya'll get back in town?"

Dipper and Mabel laughed along with Lee as the three caught up, Mabel joining in when they talked about their first year of high school back in Piedmont. Lee in return told them all about his senior year in high school, and how his plan was to work all summer to save up money before heading off to Oregon State in the fall.

After getting their ice cream scooped, they paid and thanked Lee. They turned to leave but almost collided with two tall men. The taller one with long hair smiled awkwardly and immediately apologized while his acquaintance simply said "oops".

Mabel was quick to wave off their apologies, stating accidents happen. The taller man looked visibly relieved and wished them a good day. Mabel skipped off happily with Waddles while Dipper and the other man exchanged an awkward look before turning back to their companions.

"My, my Waddles! I guess I should have gotten you your own cup, huh?"

Mabel giggled while barely keeping her pet pig from eating the paper cup. Dipper couldn't help but cringe at the sight, but at least it wasn't the weirdest thing he'd seen his sister and her pig do.

Dipper rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to his own paper cup, taking another bite of his mint chip ice cream that was steadily melting from the sun basking down on them. The two were seated on a bench among the black plastic-covered picnic tables along the side of the shop. It was nice enough out anyway and due to health codes, Waddles wasn't allowed in the shops very long.

Dipper turned his head towards the main road and observed all the new tourists pouring in. Car after car came rolling down the main road that went through the whole town, all with travel caddies and luggage piled on top and tied to the roofs and families packed in the seats.

Most of the cars were headed to the northwest part of the town where the new hotel had been put in a few years ago. It was run by the Northwest's, which wasn't surprising to anyone since they lost their fortune and mansion after the apocalypse. Besides, there was a lot more land up that way and the inns in town were becoming outdated.

A sudden wave of paranoia came over Dipper as he felt someone watching him. He turned around quickly, his hand instinctively reaching for his jacket pocket, ready for whatever was behind him. His suspicion was confirmed, but not in the way he always assumed. There behind him was a little kid with his parents finishing up their sups of ice cream. The kind, no more than 6 years old, smiled and waved a sticky hand at Dipper. Dipper swallowed hard before awkwardly smiling and holding up his hand, returning the wave.

He turned back around immediately, face red with embarrassment. Dipper looked at his sister but was met with a frowning Mabel and Waddles. Or so it seemed as if the pig was frowning at him.

"What was that all about?" His sister asked in confusion. Just as she looked back behind her, she noticed the little boy. The boy smiled and waved at her as well, to which she gladly smiled and waved back.

Dipper shrugged. "It was nothing. I thought I heard something, but it was just them." He stuffed his mouth full of ice cream right after, ignoring the oncoming brain freeze.

Little did he know, Mabel saw how her brother reached for his pocket knife. She knew Dipper didn't think that she knew he carried a weapon with him at all times, even sleeping with one under his pillow, but she did. She knew how paranoid he constantly was, and always noticed how he was always slipping away to the forest to study all the monsters they found. And how he would visit the statue of Bill.

She knew that Bill had really tore him up from the inside, and it was probably something that was going to stay with him the rest of his life. He had hurt her too, in more ways than she wanted to admit. She often found herself suffering panic attacks and nightmares, things that she definitely knew Dipper didn't know. She usually confided in Wendy with these issues, but sometimes talking it out didn't make it completely go away. She was stuck with the same weight he was, but she didn't want to give him any more reason to worry about her.

To think of it, everyone in Gravity Falls was suffering, even if they didn't show it. Bill might have been gone for good, but sometimes it seemed like he was still here, waiting in the shadows, ready to strike.

A shiver ran up Mabel's spine just thinking about Bill. The name itself gave her a bad taste in her mouth. She shook it off and turned her attention back to Waddles.

"You alright Mabel?"

"Huh?" Mabel looked at her brother, who looked at her with concern. "Oh, no I'm fine. Just got a chill from a brain freeze."

Mabel gave her brother a reassuring smile. He had seen the distracted look in her eyes, but decided to take her word for it. He knew Mabel couldn't keep a secret, at least not for long or from him. Besides, she always talked to him about what was on her mind, whether it was asked for or not.

Here is chapter 3 :P

I have not yet finished editing chapter 4, so that will come tomorrow or sometime soon. I've got online homework to procrastinate on ;)

Hope you like it!

Peace