We're finally at the climax, folks, presenting the first of the two chapters that could either make me or break me on terms of how well they're portrayed. Another set of apologies yet again for the lateness, I had a job interview at Chewy and my aunt from Georgia is currently visiting over November.
In response to New Yorktown's review: I would say that given the stressful situation Dipper was in, he pretty much accepted to follow through with his heart and not his mind at this point in the fic, seeing how badly he wants to return to his proper home and how conflicted he is on how to deal with Mabel. Admittedly, I'm slowly realizing that I'm writing Mabel more generously than most fans would, but like I said last chapter, Dipper doesn't fully forgive Mabel's past actions (or at least, as of yet). Apologies if it sounds like I'm covering my ass here, I couldn't tell if your comment was geared towards Dipper's plan in context of the story or if was from my own idea. Hope I didn't steer you away from the story b/c of that!
Anyways, let's finally get to the chapter I know we've all been waiting for. Will Dipper's hopes to return to Gravity Falls be achieved? Let's find out in the longest freaking chapter I've ever made for a multi-chapter story...
(Also, hope you guys had a safe, fun Halloween! ;) )
Gravity Falls is owned by Alex Hirsch and Disney. (I do not own any of its characters nor it properties. This is purely a non-profit fanfic made for fun.)
SAUDADE
CHAPTER FOUR: THE GETAWAY
Friday had finally came around, and at this point right now, Dipper's mind was still clouded up with making his dream to return back home to the Falls a reality.
With yesterday having proved to be an absolute hassle for the young Pines twin, to say the least, he had practically thrown away his moral compass at this moment, leaving his desire to go back to Oregon to grow bigger and bigger by every second.
He continued on with his classes as normal, but he barely even interacted with anyone (not that he was a social butterfly to begin with), and kept to himself all morning. He even made sure to keep his letter on-hand at all times, taking extra precaution not to let it loose or get lost from his line of sight.
He hadn't even bothered to go anywhere near Edward Viscount today, given that they both share a few classes today. The last thing he'd want is another traumatic run-in like yesterday. Thankfully, Edward hardly even noticed him during classes in return.
The day wasn't even half over yet as Dipper traipsed down the halls to his next class, thinking solemnly to himself. His desire to leave this city was growing by the minute and he knew if he stuck around here any longer and continue to be a burdening nobody, he was gonna lose his mind (which was already spiraling as we speak).
Still, he somewhat couldn't think about how his parents will react to this.
Although his parents weren't considered strict or abusive, they could still be stern and orderly when absolutely needed. Kristen was more of a doer than Jason, but she was also emotional and overbearing on top of that. And while Jason still was a caring and helpful dad, but he was the kind of guy to not want to bring drama into anything, hence why he tries to wave away some problems as something that'll pass in time.
Meaning that if they caught Dipper planning to run away, Dipper would most likely get grounded in the process.
Then, there was Mabel…
While Dipper does love Mabel with all of his heart, he certainly does question most of her choices, especially during last summer. Her buoyancy and high-spirited ways can be infectious and can be what defines Mabel, but they can also be her downfall. She can be hot-headed, overly-determined, selfish, and unaware of her surroundings, others' feelings, and especially of her actions and their consequences.
A prime example of this fact would cause Dipper to think about Weirdmageddon…
Ever since Grunkle Ford proposed to have Dipper act as an intern for him in Gravity Falls, needless to say, Dipper was over the moon to hear this news. However, Mabel had caught wind of this proposal and grew angry and hurt over this proposition that she inadvertently summoned Bill Cipher himself, and soon enough, the chaos-bringing deity himself wrought insanity and destruction to Gravity Falls.
Of course, Mabel only did it so that she wouldn't be separated from her twin brother, but her mind and heart had been clouded up by selfishness, which lead to the most nightmarish event the twins have and will even face for the rest of their natural-born lives.
'She probably only wanted me to stay so she can boss me around and make fun of me like she always does…' he grumbled bitterly in his mind.
Although there can be times where Mabel did mean well, she was still prone to jealousy, pettiness, and being headstrong. There were days that Dipper honestly didn't know if she was being the load to him, or if he was being that to her. Either way, all these times where Mabel's passive and selfish demeanor began to fill his mind with negative thoughts.
Trying to shake away all these emotions for the time being, Dipper rubbed his temples and kept walking to his next class. Still, he had only one last thing in mind. Seeing as he knows how he can get back to Oregon, how would he get there without sparking fear and concern towards his family?
He knew somewhere in his heart he couldn't straight up run away and even with his emotions and mindset all in a tizzy, he must at least cover his tracks as not to arouse suspicion. As he headed closer to his classroom, he looked around the halls to see if something might help him out with his plight.
On one side of the walls close by his classroom, he noticed something that caught his attention. It was a large bulletin board used to hang up upcoming school events and trips for the students and staff. Many colorful posters and flyers were strung up promoting events and such.
Dipper then carefully eyed the board with mild interest. Maybe something might help him with an excuse to leave?
That was when he saw something to help him out in some way. A pink poster with the caption in bold, white letters
WANT TO DO WELL IN CLASS AND HAVE FUN ALL AT ONCE?
WHY NOT SET UP A STUDY SLEEPOVER WITH YOUR FRIENDS!
PLAN CLASS-RELATED ACTIVITIES THAT PUTS THE "FUN" IN "FUNDAMENTAL"!
The poster was meant to be one of those innocent "motivational"-type messages to encourage students to combine fun and studying into one, but to the rest of the student body, it came across as a cringey and tryhard-ish way to get kids to study more. However, this gave Dipper an idea on how to use it as an excuse to leave Piedmont and return back to Gravity Falls!
Maybe he could use an idea like this to try and whip up an excuse to sneak out California without raising suspicion from his folks and he could travel back to his "home" like he wanted. It was almost too good to be true for the young brunette.
He hadn't time to think about that for now, as he had to get to class before his teacher would catch her absence.
'One way or another…' he thought bravely, 'If I'm going to Gravity Falls, then I'm going to Gravity Falls…if it's the last thing I do...'
Meanwhile, Mabel was walking towards her class as well. With the thought of hoping to find out what's bothering Dipper still fresh in her mind, she hoped to see if Edward may clue into what had happened to cause his outburst yesterday. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen hide nor hair of the preppy heir as of yet, which made her anxiety spike higher than before.
She turned a corner through another hallway, passing through other students and teachers surrounding her in hopes to find who she was looking for. However, she did manage to find two familiar-looking boys down the hall.
The blonde and redhead boys from before were standing about, getting ready to head off to their next class for the day. Mabel recognized these two kids as they tended to hang around Edward in some classes and at lunch. They were more quieter and more reluctant to join in on Edward's smug and boastful merry-making, but Mabel decided that maybe they might have a clue as to why Edward confronted Dipper. She ran and carefully pushed her way through the sea of students until she managed to catch up to the duo.
"Excuse me! You guys!? Hello!?" she called out, waving her sweater-clad arms around. The redhead looked up and noticed Mabel's frantic appearance.
"Is that girl...calling for us?" he asked to his blonde cohort, who in question, looked towards the direction of the brunette girl sifting through the crowd towards them.
"I think so?" asked the blonde curiously. Finally, Mabel caught up to them. She panted and dusted off her pink unicorn sweater.
"Phew! E-Excuse me. Sorry to bother ya guys, but you guys know Edward Viscount, right?" she questioned. The duo gave her confused looks.
"Unfortunately…" shrugged the redhead tiredly, "Why? What's wrong?"
Mabel took in a deep breath. "W-Well…" she stammered shyly, "let's just say that he had a run-in with my brother Dipper yesterday…"
As soon as the name Dipper exited her mouth, the two boys went wide-eyed and stunned for a split second.
"Wait a minute!? When did this happen!?" asked the blonde kid.
"Sometime after lunch…" explained Mabel, "Apparently Edward was picking on him in the first floor men's room!"
The two boys gave Mabel sympathetic looks and looked quite downcast and worried themselves. "I guess that explains why Pines was sprinting down the halls so fast…" murmured the redhead. Mabel's eyes grew big as well.
"You guys noticed, too?" she asked upsettingly. The two kids nodded.
"We saw him running down the halls yesterday. We were actually hoping to apologize to him, but he straight up ignored us." explained the redhead.
Mabel tilted her head. "Apologize?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah, I mean, we honestly didn't do anything to him, but we wanted to try and apologize to him for Edward's behavior, you know…" admitted the blonde boy.
"We only hang around Viscount to try and get noticed by the other students, since he's so rich and popular, but instead he sees us as his lackeys more than his friends. We don't really partake in his boasting and whatnot…" the redhead added, rubbing his arm and giving Mabel an embarrassed look. Mabel gave the two a pitiful frown.
"Aww...I'm sorry, you two…" she apologized softly. As much as she wanted to hug the two to make them feel better, she still focused on her own task at hand. She straightened herself out and cleared her throat.
"So...you guys don't know what Edward said or did to Dipper then?" she questioned in a soft, hurt tone. Much to her grief, the boys shook their heads sadly.
"Afraid not…" answered the blonde. "Edward left us sometime after he tripped Dipper in the lunchroom and all we saw after lunch was Dipper through the halls…"
Mabel gulped and trembled on her feet. Her hopes to find a way to discover the source of Dipper's depression were wearing thin. Without any idea where Viscount is, she didn't know what else to do anymore. Luckily, one of the boys gave her a helpful tip before Mabel could lose her mind.
"We do know what his last class of the day is though…" offered the redhead helpfully.
Just like that upon hearing that one statement, a relieved and excited smile spread across Mabel's rosy face, as if the angels above blessed her with some sliver of hope in her time of need.
"You do!?" she squealed hopefully, "What is it!?"
"His last class is his earth science course with Mr. Simmons. It's on the third floor nearby that old science lab that closed down…" put in the blonde boy.
Mabel squeed and felt her determination skyrocket yet again. She immediately brought the two boys in a quick bear hug, much to their shock and confusion.
"THANK-YOU-THANK-YOU-THANK-YOU!" she cheered gratefully, "Ohh, this is perfect! Now I can see what's wrong with Dipper!" She then released the hug and was ready to sprint back to her next class.
"Thanks, guys! I really appreciate it!" she thanked the duo with a cheerful wave as she was now flying out of the hallway, the spring in her step having finally returned. The two boys blushed brightly from Mabel's spontaneous affection and returned her wave, shell-shocked and silent.
"...A-Anytime…" gulped the blonde kid as they watched Mabel round a bend out of the hallway and was now out of sight.
The redhead was the first to shake away his bashfulness as he looked towards the dazed blonde with a serious look.
"...Maybe we could try and help her out…" he offered. The blonde looked curiously at his friend.
"How?" he asked. The redhead suddenly grew more determined.
"We should try and report this to the principal...tell him at some point that Viscount did something to provoke Dipper and cause him to have that outburst…" stated the redhead. His blonde friend looked at his friend as if he grew two heads.
"You mean, we're gonna be snitching!?" he cried surprisedly.
"Well, what choice do we have?" countered the redhead, to which the blonde replied with stunned silence, "Now, c'mon, we got biology class…"
The two kids promptly left for class, hoping to find a window and put their own plan into action soon.
Meanwhile, Mabel Pines speed-walked down the halls and to her class with fresh rejuvenation. Now, she can find out the meaning behind Dipper's pain, and whether or not Edward shall be compliant or not, she was going to get answers.
She was going to help her brother and set things right for once.
'Don't worry, bro-bro...I'm gonna help you out with this...I'm gonna be there for you…'
Classes went by quickly for the day as the final bell had soundly rang across the school halls, meaning that the long-awaited weekend has finally arrived! To the rest of the school's populace, they used this time to pack up their belongings to get ready for two days of homework and relaxation. But for Mabel, this little pocket of free time meant she could find Edward Viscount III without trouble, and find out what he did to Dipper yesterday.
She managed to job up three flights of stairs and had glided down each hall and corridor that led to where Edward's science class. Her breath was heavy and her skinny limbs were aching, but she didn't care. She wanted answers and she was gonna get them.
By sheer luck, she spotted a certain orange-haired, preppy-looking tween exit his classroom. As not to gain any suspicion or attention, she calmed down her running cycle and caught up with Edward, just as he was now walking away from Mabel.
"Excuse me, Eddie! Eddie!? Eddie!" cried Mabel obnoxiously, in hopes to grab his attention. Edward heard that nickname and shuddered in disgust, nearly dropping his books and supplies from his hands.
"I beg your pardon, you sweater-donning banshee!?" huffed Edward, turning around to spot Mabel trailing behind him, "My name is Edward Winston Viscount the Third, future heir to the Viscoun-"
"Yeah-yeah-yeah, blah-blah-blah…" jabbered Mabel back, too tired to listen to his bragging, "Listen, I have a bone to pick with you…"
Edward scoffed at the brown-haired girl's apparent rudeness and rolled his eyes. "Oh, how droll. What could you have to say to a refined gentleman like moi?" he hummed in a uncaring tone. Mabel sniffed crossly.
"I could say that you're a big, ol', brother-hating, fancy-pants bully, I could say that for sure!" she countered. Edward felt the urge to snicker at that pathetic excuse of an insult.
"Oh...I'm quaking in my designer shoes…" he droned sarcastically, a smug smirk on his face. Mabel wasn't finished yet, however.
"Don't play dumb with me, Captain Prissy-pants!" she snapped, "What did you do to cause Dipper to cry yesterday!?"
Edward simply snorted. "I didn't do nothing to that wide-eyed sadsack of a sibling of yours." he denied in a smarmy tone, "It's his fault for being such a lily-livered crybaby to being with!"
Mabel's face grew red. "He's not a coward!" she ventured, "He's my bro and I love him!"
Edward chuckled condescendingly. "Oh, I'm sure you would…" he mused mockingly, "Only a shrill, brace-faced commoner like you would genuinely love an awkward child like Dipstick!"
Mabel stood her ground and bared her teeth. Now this was getting personal "Don't call him that name!" she growled, "He's got enough problems than to have a jerk like you beating him up all the time!" Edward snorted once again.
"Me? Beat him up? Child, I am a gentleman, not a barbarian. I may not resort to fisticuffs like the rest of these low-class hooligans, but I still know who belongs on top, and who belongs on bottom...and from where I see it, you and Dipstick belong on the latter…"
At this point, Mabel looked almost ready to resort to punching the gloating heir squarely in the jaw, but because she didn't want to lose her cool in front of him and not to arouse the attention of any teachers, she managed to calm herself and inhale sharply before she could have a meltdown.
"Look, Edward, I know you and I aren't the closest thing to being friends, but please...I just wanna help Dipper out! I need to know why he's hurting..." she said, almost sounding like she was ready to beg. Edward, naturally, wasn't that interested.
"Well, then, speak to him then! He's your brother after all!" he sniffed with an eye roll. Mabel tensed up again.
"I tried, but he won't open up to me or to our parents!" she cried, her statement falling onto deaf ears.
"Well then, I guess that's your problem!" he groused, picking up his belongings and turning his heel, "He's the one being all mopey and homesick, so maybe you should have a more acute sense of communication then, darling!"
Mabel's frown deepened. Her face was a cocktail mixture of anger, grief, sadness, and hopelessness. She kept her gaze at Edward as he was prepping himself to leave.
"Ugh, I have no time for this nonsense. If you'll excuse me, Pines, my chauffeur is waiting for me out front. I suggest you partake in your departure as well…" he explained in a bored, tired voice.
And with that being said and done, Edward walked down the hall leading towards the stairs, leaving behind a glum, lost Mabel in his wake, her interrogation falling flat and her hopes dashed.
Sometime later as both Dipper and Mabel had finally reached home, both twins' minds were racing with thoughts, both struggling with a battle of their own. Dipper was at his desk in his shared bedroom, trying to piece together his escape plan as coherently as he could try and make it. Mabel was doing homework at the kitchen table, more focused on Viscount's passive nature and how to find out Dipper's problem to even think about doing her homework.
For Dipper, with the bus to Oregon scheduled for tomorrow, he knew he had to think of something good and fast to make it seem like his escape would be undetectable. However, there was one flaw in his plan.
If he was going to go through with this idea, he'd have to stay in Gravity Falls for only the weekend instead of forever as planned. Had he stayed there for more than two days, his parents and sister would arouse their worry and would most likely call in a search party to try and find him again. Plus, he couldn't spend every weekend at Gravity Falls until next summer came around!
Poor Dipper's tired mind was going into maximum overdrive at this point right now. The normally-clever and innovative Pines twin was so caught up in trying to leave Piedmont that with his brain all cluttered up with hopes to go back to the Falls, that he could barely form a coherent plan from under all of this stress and temptation.
All these thoughts and desires had really taken a toll on Dipper's psyche and moral outlook.
As of now, he decided to try and sort-of wing it for now. He managed to think about using the sleepover idea for part of his escape plan, as to sneak away for a day or two without trouble, and even though he still hadn't thought about how to stay in Gravity Falls for after that, he prayed to find some sort of miracle or answer later tonight.
Still, Dipper thought internally, anything would be better than staying here and being a laughingstock for all eternity.
With nothing else good to think up, Dipper thought it was best to just roll with it for now and see where it goes tomorrow. With the bus tomorrow leaving at 3:00 in the afternoon, he could probably leave the house around noon-ish, then sit around outside to wait for his bus, and set off back to paradise without warranting attention.
"Dipper, sweetie! Dinner's ready!" came the call of their mother from downstairs.
Dipper sighed and mentally tried to jazz himself up. If he was going to leave this drab suburban city to make it back to Oregon in once piece, it was now or never. He got up from his desk, sighed, and put on the biggest, most convincing smile he'd ever shown to anyone ever, and made his way downstairs, trying not to let his nervousness show for once.
"So...you're having a...study sleepover with a friend over the weekend?"
Dipper gulped down his soup as his father confusedly repeated back his statement. He could feel the perplexed and curious stares of his parents burning a hole in his mind, his nerve-wracked tendencies getting more out of whack than normal. Even Mabel couldn't help but to give a sideways look to her twin.
Still, Dipper kept up his charade as best as he could. "Yep! Group of friends invited me to spend the weekend at one of their houses!" he assured calmly, "Nothin' but studying and fun between us!"
Knowing she'd be kicking herself if she didn't ask this question sooner, Mabel took the initiative to intervene. "Well, who invited you? Is it someone we know?" she asked, trying not to sound suspicious.
Dipper gulped and brainstormed as fast as he could. Naturally, Dipper wasn't as popular as his more upbeat and sociable twin, meaning that his supply of friends at school was as dry and lacking in comparison to Mabel's amount of friends. Either way, he still had to think on his feet.
"A...new student in my science class invited me actually. Says he's hopin' to make some new friends, so he wanted to know if I can have a study hangout over this weekend…" explained Dipper through his false smile. Mabel squinted her eyes.
"Hmmm, well, what's this kid's name?" she ventured carefully. Dipper mentally cursed in his mind at Mabel's overly-curious demeanor and still had his big (albeit nervous) smile plastered on his sweating face.
"Uh...Ronnie, yeah...Ronnie...R-Richardson...yep, Ronnie Richardson's his name!" assured Dipper with a nod, "He was a transfer from a school in...Emeryville. Just started classes here last week…"
"And he's settin' up this study date for the whole weekend?" asked Jason curiously, sipping his soup as well.
Dipper nodded in confirmation. "Yes indeed-y!" he chirped. However, Mabel still didn't seem convinced over this.
"Mm...I think I've would have known a Ronnie Richardson that went to this school. Normally, I get a chance to meet a ton of new students…" she murmured. Dipper was starting to get tired of Mabel nosing in on this conversation, but he still succeeded in keeping his composure and story intact.
"He's kinda shy." he explained simply to her, "He's doing this as a means to make new friends is all…"
Although his tone wasn't meant to sound harsh and cold, it still sounded that way to Mabel, leaving the female twin in slink down in on her seat, her eyes dropping down on her own bowl of chicken soup as Dipper finished his proposal.
"So...I just wanted to ask your permission if I may go?"
Jason and Kristen gave Dipper quizzical looks. Dipper wasn't really invited to many parties or get-togethers, compared to Mabel, so the prospect of having him go out to a weekend stay-over with friends slightly caught them off-guard.
Still, they figured that this may be the kind of thing Dipper needs to help himself out of his unexplained funk: social interaction.
After a few minutes of quiet contemplation, the parents soon came up with their final say on this idea.
"Very well, son...you may go…" came the approval from his father.
Dipper smiled in relief at the sound of this, but his folks weren't finished yet.
"However," stated Jason sternly, "Just please take your cell phone with you in case anything goes wrong, and we also expect a call from you tomorrow in the evening to check up on you…"
Dipper nodded at his father's statement. "Yes, sir...of course, sir…" he agreed, in spite of his jitters.
"And that you also return sometime on Sunday evening. You still have school on Monday morning, you know…" reminded Kristen carefully.
Dipper's voice hitched upon hearing that suggestion, knowing fully well that he wasn't intending to return at all, but he still tried to follow with his parents' words regardless.
"Yes, ma'am…" was all he said. Jason and Kristen looked at each other and nodded in confirmation.
"Alright then...I suppose that's it then…" Jason said finally. Dipper sighed internally, thankful that the worst was over for now. He got up from his chair and gave each parent a quick, grateful hug.
"Thanks, guys!" he replied in a soft, relieved tone, releasing the hug. He then turned his heel and walked up to Mabel, giving her a hug as well.
Mabel was somewhat stunned at his sudden, affectionate embrace, but didn't argue or back away as she returned the hug too. She desperately wanted to ask Dipper again what was wrong, but her throat nearly ran dry from grief, preventing her to utter a word.
However, when Dipper pulled back from the hug, he looked into Mabel's eyes and gave her the most convincingly-comforting smile he could muster.
"...I know you're upset, Mabel...but trust me, this is something that'll help me out...this is something I have to do…" he assured, rubbing her arm softly. Mabel began to sniffle.
"Are you sure, bro?" she asked pitifully, "There can be another way to help cheer ya up!"
Dipper simply nodded. "I'm sure...after this, you won't have to worry about me anymore."
And with that cryptic message said, Dipper let go of Mabel, headed out of the kitchen, and went back upstairs to prepare for tomorrow, leaving behind his worrisome family in silence.
As dusk fell and slowly turned to night, Dipper felt blissfully to sleep for once, elated that he'll finally be able to see his Gravity Fall brethren once again as intended. He kept his stitched-together letter nestled in his hands, as if to protect it as if it was his only child.
However, across from his bed, I'm sorry to say that Mabel wasn't exactly having a decent night's sleep herself. She still wasn't sure if Dipper was being honest with his sleepover plan over this weekend or not. As much as she still wanted to ask him again about all this or if he's doing okay, she knew she'll still be given the same answer as before.
'Nothing's the matter, everything's fine…'
On one hand, she could be happy that Dipper is finally branching out and making new friends, but given his glum attitude lately, she still wasn't sure how to feel. Heck, she never even heard of a Ronnie Richardson before, though granted Mabel didn't exactly know everybody that goes to school, despite her friendly persona.
In the end, Mabel decided to try and get some sleep before she winds up becoming crazed to the point of insomnia. As much as she did genuinely want to help her brother, nothing seemed to be working out well, and unbeknoswt to her, time was running out...
The inevitable day had finally arrived.
Dipper had gotten his backpack filled with his essentials that morning. He packed an extra set of clothes, his toothbrush, and other small toiletries, and he broke into his piggybank to scour for cash for his bus. Thankfully, he had enough to pay for the trip at least going to Oregon.
Considering that he wasn't able to fit his books into his already-crammed backpack, he carefully hid the books away under his bed out of sight, as if he already took them with him. It's not like he'll need them again, right?
As it was sometime after 12:00 in the afternoon, Dipper hiked up his backpack and made sure everything was secured. Thankfully, his mom and dad didn't work on the weekends, so Kristen was able to drive home to his "friend's house", so that he can sneak away and head for the bus stop well before it was due to arrive.
With everything now prepped and ready to go, Dipper grabbed the next essential item for his trip. Shuffling quickly through his backpack, he snagged this particular item and gazed at it longingly. His letter from the Falls.
The letter was still barely held together with staples and tape, the page all wrinkly from the dried tear smears, but it still mattered not to Dipper. Soon, he'll be back home once again…
Gathering all his things and storing his letter in his shorts pocket, he glided downstairs and met up with his parents and a fretful Mabel in the main living room. He took in a deep breath and prepared himself for the biggest moment of his young life as he stepped down from the stairs, his bag slung over his shoulder.
"Well, guys...I'm ready…" he declared.
"Do you have everything you need for the weekend?" Jason asked. Dipper nodded with a small smile.
"Yes, sir…" he answered. He then went up to him and gave him a hug for old time's sake, something that slightly caught Jason off-guard, but he still slowly returned the hug shortly after.
After a half-minute of hugging, Dipper came towards Mabel, who looked at her brother with unsure, worrisome eyes. Dipper tensed up at seeing his twin look so heartbroken, to the point where he nearly felt himself choke up at seeing her big, sad eyes, but he quickly composed himself and tried to keep going through with his task at hand.
'It's for the best, old boy...it's for the best…'
Without another word, he too gave Mabel a big, loving hug, and held on as tightly as he could. Mabel graciously and greedily returned the gesture, leaving the two twins quietly embracing each other like it'll be the last hug they'll share…
...although in Dipper's case, it may as well be.
The hug kept on for a good five minutes until they both finally released each other and looked into their eyes. It wasn't until then when Mabel decided to break the silence.
"I love you, bro-bro...I gonna miss you so much…"
Dipper gulped and without realizing it, he felt a single tear flow freely down his left cheek. This may probably be the last time he'll see Mabel in a long while. He was actually going to go through with the plan, and while he had no intentions of stopping, there was still something about seeing the hurt and lost expression on Mabel's regularly-sunny face that tugged at Dipper's heartstrings.
Even so, he couldn't bear to stay in Piedmont forever and to continue being a load or a mockery anymore. Like he said, it was for the better.
Dipper finally mustered the gall to answer back to Mabel. "...I-I...I...I love you, t-too, Mabel...I'm g-gonna miss you, too…"
He then gave Mabel a soft kiss on her cheek and gave her another hug, this one being shorter than the last one, but Mabel still embraced him back, as if to try and keep him in her arms forever.
But still, hugs could only last for long until it was time for Dipper to depart. He let go of Mabel's tight grip and took in a brave, deep breath as he looked towards his mom, who already had her fall jacket on and her car eyes in her hand.
With the time to leave now upon them all, Dipper readied himself and slowly followed his mother out the door and towards his destiny. He stopped at the front doorway, looking back at his father and sister for the last time.
He waved goodbye and in a sad, meek tone, he replied "See you guys…". Jason and Mabel returned the wave.
"See you soon, son. Hope you have fun…" said Jason. Mabel didn't say anything, the somber look on her face said enough words as of now.
So, without another word, Dipper headed out the door and entered the family sedan with Kristen, all ready to go. Mabel skittered towards the front window to see them off, looking upset beyond recognition.
She watched as the car reserved out of the driveway and soon slowly drove off out of the neighborhood and was nearing away from the house. Mabel, with a heartbroken look, pressed her hand against the window and felt the urge to let her tears flow, knowing that she failed to find out the source of Dipper's depression.
"Dipper…" was all that she could utter, before Dipper's presence was fully out of her sight.
The weather was still cloudy and brisk outside. Very tiny spots of blue sky had been to show through the grayness above, but it still wasn't enough to produce any natural sunlight. Dipper stared at the sky though the driver's seat of the family sedan as he helped guide his mother to his location through the streets of Piedmont.
They had left their neighborhood and made their way towards downtown, driving past the middle school and city hall. Soon enough, the car stopped close to a row of small houses nearby the main road, exactly where Dipper's "sleepover" were to be held.
A few feet away from the houses on one side of the block was a bus stop where the bus to Oregon was slated to stop by.
Dipper sighed breathlessly, not thinking he'd get far with this plan, but was too excited and too blind-sighted to care as he kept his backpack in-hand.
"This is the house your friend Ronnie is holding this little event?" she asked, pointing to a yellow, two-story house close by. Dipper nodded.
"Yep." he said simply. The sedan came to a stop by the curb nearby the aforementioned house. Dipper unbuckled his seat and opened the door to get ready to depart.
"Well, I'll see you later then…" sighed Dipper to his mother. Kristen, noticing his melancholy tone, reached over and gave Dipper a soft, loving hug.
"Okay, sweetie. Just try and have fun…" she said softly, giving him a squeeze from the driver's seat, "I love you, my baby boy…"
Dipper blushed at Kristen's motherly affection and returned the hug, knowing fully well this'll be the last hug he'll give his mom for a while. Still, even within his mother's caring grasp, he wanted to pursue this goal as is.
"I love you, too, Mom…" replied Dipper in an equally-softer voice, trying to savor the hug as if it were his last.
The two held each other for a good five minutes before Kristen sweetly kissed Dipper's cheek and let go of him. Dipper then got out of the car with his belongings as Kristen was soon ready to head back home.
Dipper turned around and waved goodbye to his mother, a sad smile on his face. Kristen waved and smiled sadly back, before Dipper slowly turned around and walked towards his "friend's" house, right as Kristen drove away from the curb.
As she drove down the street, Kristen looked through the sideways mirror of her car to look at Dipper now at the front of the house. She sighed to herself and hoped that this would be best for him.
"Oh, Mason...I hope you find peace and happiness once again…" she murmured gently as she turned a corner and was soon out of sight.
Back in front of the house, Dipper caught sight of the sedan having now been long gone and was ready to take action. He scampered away from the house, as not to get detected, and carefully strolled his way to the bus stop. The stop had a small canopy area with a bench, so Dipper found it easy to try and conceal himself until the bus was to arrive.
He sat on the bench and placed his backpack alongside him, eagerly awaiting his chariot to Nirvana. In spite of his nervousness and the fact that he was actually managing to get this far in his plan, he tried to keep himself calm and to remind himself that this is what is best for both him and for his family.
No more shall he be a burden to his family. No longer will he be a joke to his classmates. This was Dipper needed to do and by God, he was gonna do it.
'It will all be worth it soon…'
Meanwhile, back at the Pines household, Mabel was in her and Dipper's bedroom, with only Waddles keeping her company. She cradled her beloved swine while sitting on her bed, looking towards the empty bed of her twin brother with a regretful, forlorn frown.
With Dipper long gone at his friend's house, she was still trying to piece together any bit of information she tried to get out of Edward from yesterday, but nothing seemed to connect.
'He's the one being all mopey and homesick…' Why would he be homesick? This is our hometown, she thought. Her interrogation with Edward hadn't gone as well as she wished for and now her positivity and hope reflecting this situation was dwindling on a thread at this point.
She exhaled somberly and laid down on her bed, looking down at her obvious pet as she rubbed his fuzzy backside. "Ohh...what am I gonna do, Waddles? My parents and I tried opening up to Dip, but he keeps pushing us away...and now he'll be gone for a whole weekend…"
She laid back down and held Waddles in her arms, hoisting the pig high above her. "...How can I make it up to my brother again? To prove that maybe...maybe I can be a good sister?"
Waddles tilted his head and snorted confusedly at his owner's strange, sullen behavior. Mabel sighed and her eyes drooped sadly. She let Waddles back onto the bed and picked herself back up, still scratching Waddles' back.
"Mmm...I knew you wouldn't understand…" she sighed softly. She hung her head low. Thankfully, the soft snuggly feeling of Waddles nuzzling against her side was enough to slowly bring a soft smile to Mabel's rosy face.
She giggled a bit as her pet pig's peach fuzz-laded body tickled her softly. "Hee-hee-hee-hee! Okay, okay, ya big silly!" she cooed at Waddles, now scratching Waddles' tummy lovingly. "Who's Mama's good boy? Who is? Who is?"
Waddles squealed and snorted merrily as Mabel kept rubbing his stomach with vigor, wiggling in her arms like a giant infant. Mabel, now starting to feel a bit better, stopped her ticklish onslaught and jumped off of her bed, with Waddles still snuggled contently on it.
She then spotted a tennis ball on her nightstand and picked it up, waving in the air in front of Waddles' snout. Maybe a game of catch might lighten her spirits once again?
"Ya want the ball, boy? Do ya? Who wants the ball?" she cheered, prompting an excited snort from her pig as he bounced on her bed with glee. Mabel lightly tossed the ball to the corner of the room and giggled.
"Go fetch, boy!" she smiled. Waddles immediately tore after the tennis ball and scampered around the room, pushing and bouncing the object with carefree joy. Mabel guffawed at her pet's antics and playfully gave chase after him.
After what felt like an hour of playtime, the fun came to a near close when Mabel bounced the ball around the floor until it slid under Dipper's bed. Thankfully, Waddles was close enough to skid by to retrieve it. He managed to squeeze under his bed and shuffled around to find his ball.
A couple of seconds passed as Mabel waited for Waddles to get the ball. Suddenly, a clatter and a thud rang from under the bed, along with a startled squeal. Mabel grew worried and kneeled down, trying to find Waddles underneath the darkness of under Dipper's bed.
"Waddles?" she called out in concern. A split second later, the tennis ball rolled out from under the bed. Mabel half-expected for Waddles to appear next, but she was shocked and baffled upon seeing what was shown sliding out from under the bed.
A small stack of school textbooks were seen being pushed by Waddles as he shimmied his way out from the crevice, with a math book in his mouth. Mabel stood surprised and silent until she carefully wedge the book from her pig pet's mouth and gazed at it in realization.
"Wait a dang minute...this is Dipper's textbook…" she gasped. She looked towards the other discarded books on the floor, trying to put two and two together. "These are all his textbooks! I thought...he would...need these for his…"
Her mind by now was flooding with unsavory outcomes. If Dipper was going to a study sleepover-type thing, she'd figured he'd need his books. Although there may be a chance he forgot his belongings, she knew Dipper wasn't that careless and was always prepared for anything, be it for school or for anything else.
Suddenly, a thought raced across her mind. 'Maybe...he left these here on purpose...maybe he's going somewhere else?'
If Dipper left behind these books intentionally, maybe there wasn't actually a study sleepover. Could it just be a ploy to try and leave the house unnoticed for the weekend?
Maybe...just maybe...was their the chance he ran away from home?
It was a possibility, and Mabel was too frantic to think otherwise. Expecting the worst of this situation, she gathered up all the books off the floor and flew out of the bedroom, leaving behind a confused Waddles in her wake. She skittered down the stairs, sweating nervously and on the verge of hyperventilation.
"Mom! Dad!" she called worriedly to her folks, trying not to drop any of Dipper's books. "Mom! Dad!"
Her parents, who were both on the couch watching television, noticed their daughter's uneased nature and came up to her in surprise. Mabel stopped and panted as if she ran a 40K marathon.
"Mabel, honey, what's the matter!?" exclaimed Jason. "Are you okay, sweetie?" gasped Kristen.
Mabel swallowed, in spite of her drying throat, and held up Dipper's stack of books in her hands. "Mom! D-Dad! I found these under Dipper's bed!" she cried, "They're his textbooks!"
Jason and Kristen looked towards the familiar books and grew more baffled than worried. "That's strange…" murmured Jason, "It's not like Dipper to be so forgetful…"
Mabel was on the brink of tears. She shivered and tried to keep herself together, but to no avail.
"D-D-Do y-you think he may have...have…"
Mabel nearly sobbed. "Have...r-ran away somewhere?"
Jason and Kristen reeled back in surprise at their daughter's bombshell of a statement, looking so heartbroken and floored as Mabel shuddered and went down on her knees, sobbing quietly. Kristen gently knelt down and carefully placed a motherly hand on her right shoulder.
"Mabel, darling? Why on earth would you think Dipper has run away?" she asked, her tone worrisome and hurt. Mabel sniffled.
"Well, he's b-been so depressed lately, but I have no idea why! I've tried to speak to Edward Viscount yesterday, but I couldn't get anything out from him!" she wailed fearfully, "!...!...I don't know what to do!"
Kristen sensed her daughter's discomfort and let her weep into her own shoulder, gently caressing her back as lovingly as she could. Jason also kneeled down to Mabel's level and placed his own hand on her back, letting Mabel sob until she was about to speak again.
After a few minutes, Mabel looked back up to her concerned parents with teary eyes before her father spoke up.
"Mabel...are you certain Dipper might just run away like that?" beckoned Jason softly, looking into Mabel's sad eyes. Mabel gulped thickly.
"Maybe...p-possibly...I guess...I-I don't know! He's just so upset, and he ain't telling us anything!" whimpered Mabel in an unnaturally-timid and stressed voice. Jason shook his head and let out a worried sigh, but he still rubbed his daughter's back gently.
"Mabel, honey, calm down...everything is gonna be alright…" he assured as fatherly as he could, but all Mabel could do was cry softly in return. Jason then picked up Dipper's books from Mabel's trembling hands and stood back up.
"If it helps, sweetheart, we can all drive over to Dipper's friend's house and we can drop off his books there, to see if he's still there, okay?" he offered kindly.
After a few seconds of sad silence, Mabel nodded feebly, but still looked rather hurt and confused. Kristen wiped away a tear and kissed her forehead, before she got back up and retrieved her car keys.
Soon enough, the trio had gotten into their car and were soon heading out of the driveway and onto the way to Dipper's supposed location. Mabel looked out through the window and gazed into the cloudy sky with a dreading look on her face as they drew nearer to the Piedmont downtown district.
'Oh, Dipper...please be okay...please still be here…'
Jason and Kristen too had noticed Mabel's glum face and looked back at each other with shared worry, praying that Dipper would still be in the city and nothing more.
Meanwhile, back at the bus stop, Dipper was still waiting at the bus anxiously and impatiently. It was nearing 3:00 and he was literally on edge, praying that this bus would get here sooner. Even with the possibility that he was thinking about staying in Oregon once the weekend was over regardless, his desires had spiraled into complete obsession and nothing was deterring him away from his ultimate goal.
His mind was still dead-set on going to Gravity Falls and nothing more.
By now, some more people had also joined around the bus stop, as they too were heading to Oregon. Some did manage to notice Dipper's presence as he crouched himself on the bench, but they all didn't bother to say a word regarding the boy.
Dipper tried to keep his mind preoccupied to try and make time go by faster. He tried thinking about all the fun he'll have back in the Falls, all the new discoveries he'll unearth, and all the friends and family members he'll encounter again as he finally arrived back to his true home. The process of waiting and remembering did work out well as suddenly...
*HONK-HONK!*
Dipper looked to the source of that noise and nearly keeled over in awe. A familiar gray and dark green passenger bus came rumbling down the road and towards the stop, the "Speedy Beaver" banner painted proudly on its sides. An equally-familiar portly, middle-aged man with dirty blonde hair was seen behind the wheel as the bus inched to the curb and hissed to a halt.
The doors slid open and the driver soon called out to the waiting people outside. "3:00 bus to Gravity Falls, Oregon!' he proclaimed.
Everyone soon got up and lined up in attention to pay for their fare and to take their seat. Dipper was the last to pick himself up and was at the end of the line of twenty-some people, awaiting to head back to the Falls. With his backpack on and trying not to get his nerves flustered yet again, Dipper took several deep breaths to try and calm himself down, as the line slowly entered the vehicle.
However, just as the bus had arrived, Dipper hadn't counted on another vehicle approaching the area. He hadn't noticed a sedan heading towards the road where he was dropped off at.
And he hadn't noticed who that sedan belongs to as Mr. Pines pulled up to the curb some feet away from the bus stop, with his wife and daughter with him.
Mabel clutched Dipper's books in her hands as Mr. Pines unbuckled his seatbelt, ready to get out of the car. Mabel followed suit as well, shuffling out of the back seat and joining her father to go up to "Ronnie's" house to deliver Dipper's books.
They stepped up on the house's porch and was ready to knock on the door. Mabel looked around, the books still in her hands until she looked to her right and spotted something vaguely-familiar somewhere down the way.
A line of people entering a bus. Normally, this would seem mundane to anyone else, but to Mabel, as she squinted her eyes and tilted her head in curiosity, she could spot a brunette boy at the tail end of the line with a backpack on.
A brunette with a brown, deerstalker cap and a dark blue vest…
After seconds of inspection, Mabel's eyes grew wider than ever before once she noticed who that brunette was. Time seemed to halt in place for her as she saw that boy getting ready to enter onto the bus soon.
"DIPPER!" she cried in shock, surprising her father.
She dropped Dipper's books on the porch and scurried down the stairs, making a beeline towards the bus stop. Jason gasped and tried picking up the books himself.
"Mabel, what are you doing!?" he shouted. Kristen, who just exited from the passenger car seat, saw Mabel dash away too and grew frantic herself.
"Mabel, where are you going!?" she exclaimed, now joining her husband in the pursuit. Mabel didn't answer, she just kept sprinting down the sidewalk and across the other side of the block towards the bus stop as fast as she could, the shape of her brother growing nearer and more clearly.
Back at the stop, Dipper was finally the last one to enter the vehicle as he rummaged in his pocket for his money. The bus driver noticed the oddly-familiar boy get ready to climb up onto the bus and tipped his head in mild confusion.
"Say...I remember ya. Didn't you and your sister also go to Gravity Falls last summer?" he asked curiously. Dipper gulped and nodded back.
"Y-Yep…" he stammered timidly.
The driver tilted his head. "And...she ain't comin' with ya?" he asked again.
Dipper fidgeted and tensed up slightly. He wasn't sure if it was regret, excitement, or fear filling up his mind, but either way, his anxiety went through the roof to the point where Dipper felt the need to faint. But regardless, he was only a step away from finally leaving this judgmental city to go to a place free from discrimination. To finally be free and loved.
However, God had other plans for our young Pines twin...
"DIPPER!"
Before Dipper could register that screeching sound coming from behind him, he found himself tackled hard to the ground by another person. Another person with braces, a flashy sweater, and a broken heart.
Dipper groaned dizzily as Mabel squeezed him hard to the concrete, as if to never let him go ever again. The driver was caught by surprise, and got out of his seat, standing by the doorway to see what was the matter. Dipper tried to wrestle himself out of Mabel's unbearably-harsh grip, but he was too weak to succeed.
A few seconds of struggling had occured before Mabel managed to say something between the two twins.
"Dipper, what the heck are you even doing!?" she demanded, her uncontrollable torrent of tears flowing down her reddening cheeks. Dipper went wide-eyed and found himself at a loss of words. His throat went numb and he began to sweat.
"I...I...uh...I mean…"
"Mabel!? What's going on here!?"
Dipper's heart skipped several beats when he heard another voice, this one being his mother. Sure enough, he turned his head and reeled back in horror as he saw Jason and Kristen running up after Mabel, both looking beyond confused and hectic.
"Mabel, what in the name of all that is holy is going on her-?"
Jason cut himself off once he got a clear look at the person Mabel was pining to the ground. He and Kristen nearly doubled over in pure shock.
"Dipper!?" they both shouted incredulously.
Dipper trembled under Mabel's grasp and still tried to free himself, as if he was going to get mauled, but alas, it was fruitless.
"Why the heck were you going on this bus!?" demanded Jason, his face mixed with anger and confusion.
"Where on earth do you think you're going to!?" stated Kristen, looking ready to cry.
"Dipper, why are you doing this!?" Mabel begged, staring into his eyes with her own.
All Dipper could do at the moment was stammer helplessly to where he could barely form words. However, before he could dig his grave any deeper, the bus driver soon decided to take some course of action.
"Excuse me, is this your son?" asked the driver. Jason looked back at Dipper with slanted eyes and then back at the driver.
"Yes, he is...why?"
The driver tugged at his collar out of awkwardness. "Well, we kinda have a schedule to keep and I have to head off to Gravity Falls to drop off these other passengers, so I wanted to know if he was gonna use the bus or not…"
Jason, Kristen, and Mabel's eyes went wide upon hearing what was said.
"Gravity Falls!?" they all cried in shocked unison. With those words said, Mabel had finally managed to understand what Edward was sort of talking about from yesterday.
'Homesick? He's...homesick for Gravity Falls!?' She gasped in her mind. Suddenly everything made sense.
Meanwhile, the other passengers in the bus grew cross and impatient that their trip was being delayed. They grumbled and groused in spite of the situation from outside.
"Can we hurry this up!?" snapped a middle-aged woman.
"I have family to see in Oregon, bub!" exclaimed an older gentlemen. The bus driver gulped and retreated back to his seat, knowing he can't stick around for much longer with or without Dipper.
"Uh, oh, um...sorry folks! We'll be heading out right now!" he assured, putting the bus into drive. He reached for the door lever, ready to close it down.
"Sorry, kiddo. Better luck next time…" was all he said, before the doors closed down with a hiss. Then, with a rumble and a roar, the bus to Gravity Falls pulled away from the curb and soon drove down the road, until it was soon out of sight, and out of Dipper's reach.
Dipper got up and watched the bus depart with a terrified look on his face. His plans, his hopes to go back to Oregon were now gone. Unfulfilled and dashed away in the wind.
He reached his arm out, tears building up in his eyes and his body trembling like a leaf. He choked back a sob and slowly fell to his knees, unable to utter a single syllable out of grief.
However, before he could grieve any longer, the sharp and stern sound of his father clearing his throat was enough to shake Dipper back to reality as he turned around to see his family looking straight towards him.
Dipper shivered in fear as his father's disapproved and agitated glare bore a hole through his mind, he felt his eyes water up upon seeing his mother's devastated, weepy face.
And his heart broke into bits as he finally sobered up and saw the lost, heart-torn, and overall traumatized look on Mabel's face as clearly as vividly as he did before, with all the thoughts of him returning to Oregon practically washed away and replaced with unbridled fear.
It was just as evident of his family's emotions when Jason finally broke the overly-tense silence with a quiet, but nearly cold-sounding statement..
"Young man...I think it's time we all had a little talk once we get home…"
TO BE CONTINUED…
Well, I'm afraid to say that Dipper has officially found out by his family, and now he's up the creek without a paddle, his plans to return to his proper home dashed.
Admittedly, this is the part of writing this story that scares me. While I certainly don't see my stories as A-grade material and while I don't expect thousands of people following my work, I still hope to try and cater to those who are reading my work. I am certainly thankful and grateful for the followers, reviewers, and readers that I have now, so I want to try and make sure this story doesn't cause any waves with the people currently invested in my story.
Like I said, drama isn't really my choice of genre, but I still wanted to try and branch out sort-of, and I still wanted to produce a semi-decent story that maybe somebody would like. And like I've mentioned before regarding Mabel, she is a highly-controversial topic with the fandom in her own right, and while I'm mostly indifferent with her actions (being there are episodes where I tolerate her and there are ones that showcase her flaws), I still hope to try and write her as realistically as she can be. The next chapter is meant to try and give her and Dipper a sort-of redeeming moment, in that on how they'll change their attitudes towards each other.
In the end, I'll leave it to you guys to be the judges, juries, and executioners for this story so far. Sincerest apologies if the story didn't end with Dipper actually leaving for the Falls as you all may have hoped for and if it feels too rushed, forced, unrealistic, etc...
If all goes well, the next chapter should be up in a week or two, so stay tuned for we finally get to the second part of our climax, "The Confrontation". Thanks for reading and I sincerely hope you've enjoyed everything so far.
~Thunderbyrd