With a tug, her body was pulled up, and pressed into the slim, tall handsome boy wearing a fedora over hair the color of gold, curling at the ends.

Breathing heavily, her bosom fell and rose, pressing into his chest. She looked over at her hand in his then back at him, mouth open. His lips parted a bit showing the gleam of his white boy let go of Mabel, distancing himself.

"Sorry" he said. "I just couldn't help myself." He tipped his hat to her. "I'm sort of attracted to things that glitter."

Mabel simply stood there in shock. When she didn't say anything, the boy chuckled. After a round of applause the band transitioned into another song.

"I was rude last time" he held out his hand, "may I have this dance?"

Her smile turned into a grin. "Sorry. I don't think I'm a ballroom kinda girl" she said, walking away.

The boy's grin grew even wider. The next thing Mabel knew, in shiny black shoes, the boy was moon walking past her. Her mouth dropped open again. People gasped, some took out their phones. He stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Can you work with that?" he asked.

Mabel bit her lip then chewed on it. "How'd you do that?" she asked, laughing.

"What? I thought you of all people knew" he said, twisting to glide one way then another. He spun around. She laughed.

"No!"

He slid up close to her. "Magic" he whispered.

She threw her head back laughing, hair falling from her face.

"Now I'll ask you again" he held out his hand. "May I have this dance?"

Mabel gazed down at his hand glowing under the glow of the street lights. Then back up at him.

"Okay."

She put her hand in his and he snapped her toward him. Spinning into his arms to be wrapped up in a backward embrace, against him. He leaned down closer to her ear, his breath prickling her skin, sending tickling vibrations inside and a shiver down her spine.

"You made the right choice."

He flung her away and with each step of her feet she twisted right and left. He pulled her back to him, laughing. "You chose the right partner" she grinned wildly. His smile began to fade and a more serious expression graced his face.

"I did."

Mabel's smile faltered some. "What's wrong" she asked as they danced.

He led her. His feet wiser in step while Mabel's movements were more spontaneous and improvised. However, nothing could compare to his smooth grace. The way his steady hands touched her waist and the small of her back as they turned forward, back, and side to side.

At first she was somewhat ridged and stiff, but every knot and kink unwound as her fears of doing something wrong ceased. The boy knew what he was doing. He led her, and on the fly, Mabel made moves to complement. He began her body to do and she completed the middle before going back into the safety of his end. She felt nearly weightless.

He seemed to be lost in thought. Suddenly her leg was grabbed and uplifted, bending at the knee. Her torso flung downward as he dipped her deeper. People had gathered around them forming a human circle.

Mabel saw the world upside down. He pulled her upright. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little worried I'll never find a partner as good as you again."

A saddened look came upon Mabel's face. "I-"

He let go of her and stepped back, tipping his hat and bowing. Applause erupted all around them. The boy walked away, disappearing through the crowd.

Mabel stood where he had left her, staring, questioning if everything she had experienced was but a hallucination.

By two big strong arms Dipper was pushed down into a comfy chair. He sank into it. The smell of high end leather boldly mixed in with the sweet but sharp smell of cigar smoke, and alcohol. If there was a signature man's scent Dipper decided that that would be it.

"So tell us boy" yelled Stan, "how do you like living with your great'" he elbowed him in the side, "uncles now."

Stan leaned back comfortably in the chair, throwing one arm over it, and one leg over his other. Dipper shyly smiled.

"It's-it's good" he nodded repeatedly, under the gazes of his uncles, "It's-it's great" he said, voice barely making it above the loud music inside.

His uncles replied with laughter. "Good, good," said Ford. "Though the death of your parents was a tragedy, rest assured that your life now will be even greater than before."

"Yeah" said Stan, "you won't have to worry about a thing and once you officially join us" he grinned, "we'll see to it that you get the first crack at the guy who killed your parents."

Dipper's happy feelings and the buzz from the alcohol couldn't save him from the change in subject. "My parents."

"That's right. We've picked off a few small fry but we're getting closer to bigger fish" said Stan. "Once we get our hands on the bomber, he'll led us to the linchpin."

"Do you know who did it?" asked Dipper fingers curling into the fabric of his pants.

"Not yet" said Stan.

Dipper looked jaded.

"But we've got a very good source on the case," said Ford. "You might even know him."

Dipper quickly looked up from his drink. "Who?" he said quickly, meeting and holding his gaze.

Unlike Dipper's face his great uncle's was quite amused. "No need to be so serious Dipper."

Stan grunted. "If you ask me, I'd have the same look on my face." He crossed his arms, puffing heavily.

"Who is it?" said Dipper impatiently.

Ford grinned, eyes narrowing. Dipper gripped his glass tight. Stan sighed. "URGH! It's Gleeful alright! Gleeeefullll" said Stan, he rolled his eyes.

"Gleeful" said Dipper, rolling around the name as if trying to remember.

"You're sister's old boyfriend" said Ford.

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Dipper, quickly looking from Stan to Ford.

Ford laughed and Stan just grunted. "If it's any consolation kid, I can't stand him either."

"No. I mean, what? Gideon was not my sister's boyfriend" said Dipper.

"That's what I said," said Stan, "my great niece is better than that."

"Well that's what he said when he came to us a few years ago," said Ford, "but regardless. He's a great asset. I like him enough. He knows about things."

"Things?" said Dipper.

"Okay enough of this" said Stan, "You come to a strip club to get away from business not to bring it with you."

He pressed a button on a square panel by the wall with a speaker. "Bring us some girls." He let go of the button.

"Will do sir" came prompt clear female voice, "any specifications to your liking?"

He hummed, rubbing his chin, then looking over at Dipper and his brother. "Variety" he said.

The voice replied back. "Yes Mr. Pines."

"Yes Mr. Pines" he mimicked the woman, laughing. "Oh, that never get's old. Be prepared Dipper. You're gonna see what being a Pines is really all about" he grinned.

Dipper looked around at the room high above the club, the men sitting below as scantily clad women wandered around them, touching, and rubbing against them, money clinging to their bodies. In all honesty he had never seen real live naked women, only those from magazines, and the internet.

It was a weird feeling. He could feel his desire stirring but it intermingled with the thoughts of his parents and everything up until now. It creeped him out, but he didn't know which was worse, his budding erection or the fact that all the while he watched them, he imagined the gun gifted to him riddling the man and boys from the bus stop with bullets.

He brought his drink up to his lips, letting the liquid burn a trail down his throat.

When the door upstairs opened, ten women came inside, all of them the highest definition of what society would deem beautiful. They came in all shades and hues, varying facial features, body types, and ages.

One of the girl's whom looked his age walked up to him. As she came closer, Dipper found himself sinking further into the couch. His eyes and brain hazed by the alcohol.

He leaned back as she came forward. Ford plucked the empty glass from Dipper's hands. Dipper moaned, talking incoherently. Stan laughed. "What's your name little darlin?"

The blond threw her hair over her shoulders, narrowing her blue eyes as she came to straddle Dipper, putting her breasts into his face.

"You three can call me Star Butterfly."

Dipper breathed in the scent of the girl, eyes half lidded. Out of all things his mind wandered to his sister.

Moving her feet, Mabel walked then ran through the crowd, eyes darting from face to face. People whispered and talked in her wake. When she was finally free from the large crowd she turned in a circle looking around, then sighed smacking her head.

"Ow" she hissed.

The spot on her head was much better but the pain wasn't entirely gone.

A car slid up a ways behind her and the doors flew open. Something told Mabel to move and she did, looking back only after the fact. She broke out into a run as six people with horrifying masks quickly ran behind her. However, without thinking, she ran to closest place beside her, unfortunately going from the street lights and straight into a dark ally.

The group's laughter only intensified as they followed behind her, their movements erratic and wild. They howled, banging on trash cans, the walls and ground with bats and other weapons.

Mabel's eyes started to sting, tears blurring her vision. "I shouldn't have left the house. Not like this" she thought.

She felt herself about to fall in the heels as she hobbled and wobbled.

Kissing sounds and howls came from behind her. She tripped over a black trash bag. One of her heels broke. Hitting the ground she scrapped her knee. Those chasing gave another fit of laughter.

Mabel crawled under the bags against unidentifiable liquids dragging her body behind a large trash can.

The smells were horrible. She tried not to breathe through her nose and quietly through her mouth. From behind the tall trash can and black bags she saw the group, stalking about in tanks and hoodies. They looked around.

"You can't hide!" said a girl with a purple mask and pink wig, who stopped in the middle.

She was a slim girl in a tank top and tight pants, wielding a very solid looking bat. The others snickered. They stopped moving. The girl looked directly at where she crouched.

Mabel patted her hands about the ground. The girl climbed onto the top of the trash can eyes looking down at Mabel from the grotesque mask. "The eye sees all" she hissed, pushing up the mask she licked her lips.

The others stepped slowly closer laughing. Mabel's heart pounded so hard it shook her body. Her eyes were wide she broke the glass bottle in her hand and when the girl lunged down rose up and struck her.

"AHHHHH!" the girl screamed falling back.

The others hissed and growled angrily starting to speak in a language Mabel didn't understand. The woman she struck looked down, holding her face as it gushed blood speaking angrily as well.

A shot rang out, one then two, echoing against the buildings. The people hissed, stepping back. More shots rang out. The woman on the trash lid jumped down and they huddled together as they backed away. When they had moved far enough away Mabel scrambled from behind the trash can and stood up and stopped.

Standing very close by was the boy she had danced with holding a gun in one hand. He pointed with his arm straight at the group. "Are you all right?"

Mabel stared dumbfounded. She nodded. He smiled, not taking his eyes off the strange people "Good. Go. I'll catch up with you later."

At first her feet wouldn't move but when his eye turned on her. She wobbled away, heel broken she left the ally way basking in the light of the street lamps. She stopped after walking a distance from the ally.

Putting a hand up to a building she pulled off her shoes. Then leaning against the building she breathed in the crisp night air. It was cooler and she shivered even more, closing her eyes.

"Are you okay Ms.?"

She opened her eyes to see a woman who appeared in her forties walking with a friend. Mabel smiled faintly.

"Yes. Thank you."

The woman looked down at her attire. Her friend tugged her along, leaning over to whisper, "I think she's a street walker."

"But it's not late enough for that is it?" said the other woman as her and her friend moved on. They both started to laugh. Mabel sighed then looked over toward the ally.

As the sound of the girl's heel smacking against the pavement grew faint the boy lowered his gun and nonchalantly put it under his clothes.

The huddled group straightened up a little. The boy stopped right in front of them. The woman cradling the bloody gash in her face hissed.

"Why did you do that" she groaned, "you let her go."

"Yeah, so what?" said the boy, looking somewhere else.

"What was the point of telling us we could play with her then?" said another girl much bulkier with a deformed bunny mask.

"I've changed my mind."

One of the men with a reptilian mask said, "So what should we do with her then?" He looked to the others then back at the boy, "I say we make her a sacrifice."

"No." said another. "We should sell her to the traffickers. If they knew she was a Pines she'd go high" he giggled.

The boy stood with his hands in his pockets, head raised, looking down his nose at them as they knelt down.

"As of now, you do nothing when it comes to the Pines girl. There are other things to tend to. Once she and I are gone, I want you to see to them."

The group brought their hands up to their foreheads then gestured them down to him.

"Yes master" they said unison.

The boy walked back out of the ally way smiling and whistling. Mabel smiled running up to him and hugging him tight.

"I'm glad you're okay."

The boy was very stiff. He looked forward then down at her.

"Are they gone? Did you…kill them" asked Mabel still holding him and looking around at the ally. The boy chuckled.

"Yes."

Mabel gasped. He chuckled again. "They're gone."

He shrugged off his jacket and placed it around her. Mabel blushed.

"Thank you."

"Come on," he said, "I know a place."

Stepping in front of her, he crouched low. Mabel stared in shock. He looked over his shoulder, patting his back. Mabel's hands flew to her mouth.

"I couldn't!"

The boy smirked. "You have no shoes. Trust me. It'll be easier on your feet."

Hesitantly, she walked closer to his back, wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted up and as she leaned in. He wrapped both arms around her legs and lifted her up.

With a small grunt he stood up straight. "There we go" he said, bouncing her up and down a little. She squeaked holding on to him tight and close. He laughed starting to walk.

As they did she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling exhausted and tired. Her thoughts turned to her brother. A few tears slipped from her wet eyes drops soaking the boys under shirt.

"Don't worry, we're almost there" said the boy, "and thank goodness too, because you stink" he laughed. Mabel smiled, too tired for anything else.