Part Three

The water plowed through the crowd, knocking many of them off their feet as the water smashed through many of the town's buildings and lifting many of the vehicles from their parking spaces in the street. Dipper broke the surface, gasping for air and was struggling to stay afloat as the water relentlessly pummeled against him.

"Mabel!? Wendy!? Grunkle Stan!?" Dipper screamed over the rushing water.

"DIPPER!"

He turned toward the sound of his great uncle Ford's voice. He was taking refuge in one of the wooden boats that had been in the nearby sporting goods stores. Mabel and Soos were with him. Ford and Soos helped Dipper into the boat. As they sped down through the street made river, he caught a glimpse of Stan atop an abandoned pickup truck.

"Grunkle Stan!" Dipper shouted.

Ford threw a rope to his brother as they floated past. As they helped Stan into the boat, Dipper realized someone wasn't there with them.

"Wendy? Wendy!" Dipper yelled.

He turned and saw her break the surface of the water and struggling to stay above the water as mud and uprooted trees floated through the rushing water.

"WENDY!"

Dipper leapt out from the boat into the water and swam to Wendy's aid. Dipper knew how dangerous it was to try and swim in this type of current but he couldn't lose her!

As Dipper approached, he saw her shoulder was in pretty bad shape, not to mention she had received a few other injuries from the hidden debris beneath the water. Dipper reached her and took her by the arm, keeping her afloat on his back. Though he had been a bit shorter than Wendy at one time, he now nearly matched her height considerably, Wendy now only being a full head taller. Dipper swam, putting all his muscles into making it back to Ford and the others, with Wendy holding onto him around his shoulders.

Dipper made sure to keep her head from going below the water as he continued to swim. His feet dragged through along the pavement at the more shallow parts of the now man-made river as he fought for traction.

"Don't worry, Wendy! I'll get us to safety!"

Dipper continued to struggle through the water. Wendy glanced up and could see one of the trees were heading toward them.

"DIPPER!"

Dipper turned his head in horror as the massive trunk drew closer. Wendy, not wanting Dipper to get injured, turned them around, allowing her body to take the full brunt of the impact. The two were plunged beneath the water as the tree plowed over them, knocking the wind out of Wendy as the wood collided with her back.

"DIPPER!" screamed Mabel as she saw them go under.

Dipper however, soon emerged from the surface and managed to reach them, pulling an unconscious Wendy with him. Dipper lifted Wendy up the best he could and allowed Mabel and Stan pull her in while Ford and Soos pulled Dipper up. Dipper quickly turned to Wendy, who had not yet stirred.

"Wendy..!" Dipper yelped.

He shook her gently but she did not respond.

"Wendy..! PLEASE!"

Dipper checked for a pulse and could feel it, but it was faint.

"D-don't worry, Wendy!"

Dipper the began to try and resuscitate her. Mabel and the others watched anxiously as Dipper continued to try and revive her. As Dipper did the last few compressions, Wendy's body lurched. Her body spasmed as it began expelling the muddy water onto the floor of the boat. Wendy took in deep and heaving breaths as Dipper sat beside her and squeezed her hand. As he looked at her, he could see the bruise spreading out from her back and shoulder.

"Wendy.." Dipper whispered. "You.."

He trailed off and Wendy smiled.

"I c-couldn't let you.. J-just get messed up like that.."

She winced as she tried to move herself into a seated position.

"But y-you could have DIED!?" Dipper exclaimed.

"Hey.." Wendy grinned. "We're not dead yet.."

Dipper smiled.

"Plus, we were lucky.." Wendy added, speaking a bit softer.

It was true. He and the others have at least made it to a momentary safe-haven. Dipper had wondered who was still out there. He hadn't seen any sight of Robbie or Tambry who had only just been feet away when the river had hit the town. It was when he realized the boat filling with water that he snapped from his thoughts.

"Guys! The boat's sinking!"

Everyone began to frantically try and bail the boat as it sped wildly down the river. Thinking quickly, Ford used the rope to lasso a nearby fallen tree.

Hang ON!" he shouted.

As the rope grew taut, everyone was wrenched out from the boat and onto dry land, moments before the boat collided with brick and smashed into pieces.

They lay in a tired heap on the ground before they finally rose to their feet. Wendy took a step and felt her left leg buckle beneath her.

"Wendy?" Dipper asked, concerned.

"I-it's nothing.." Wendy insisted. "I-i just kinda hurt my leg back there.. i-I'll be fine.."

Dipper wanted to press on about her injuries but stopped as he realized where they had ended up.

It was the front gate of the old Northwest Mansion.

Author's Note: We have had where it's rained so hard that roads had been washed out and trees were uprooted and there were massive floods through the area..