Chapter 9

Reviews please guys, never know how well I'm going when it comes to these things. Thanks though to warprince2000 for the comment.

(Dipper POV)

Somethings up with Wendy. The way she's acting seems off, like she wants to say something. We had only just began walking into the woods before Wendy began to slow down to talk.

"So, what are we doing today?" her voice sounded slightly distressed and she seemed to force the sentence out.

"Well I planned for us to head to go to lake Gravity Falls, but first tell me what happened?"

"What do you mean?" looking shaken not expecting me to say anything about her.

"Don't even try to lie to me," Shaking my head "I've known you for roughly 3 years so I know all your reactions off by heart. I recognise fear when I see. Plus, I have to know when somethings wrong anyway. It's part of being a good boyfriend."

She let a smile creep on her face but by the time I noticed it, it was gone again. "It's not you Dipper. It's just…" She struggled to get the next words out of her mouth; just standing there nervously playing with her hair, pulling small strands of it gently. "It's just about the whole business yesterday and all. I thought for once we were going to have our first summer as a couple without a doomsday plot hanging over our heads."

I nodded my head taking in what she said. "If there wasn't any doomsday plot this wouldn't be much of a summer though would it?" Trying to get a smile back on her face. It worked as she smirked in response.

"Yeah suppose you're right. Something weird always has to happen in this town. Otherwise it wouldn't be home."

"There you go." Giving her a reassuring look "Not that bad is it?"

"Nah" Pulling me towards her with one of her arms "Get over her midget."

"Not anymore," letting her pull me close "Don't forget I'm nearly the same height as you."

"Nearly." Laughing as we got back to an easier walking pace. I felt like Wendy had something else to say that was on her mind but I didn't push her, she seemed to be in the wars so I felt like it was better to leave till later. "So what did you plan for us to do today?"

I shrugged my shoulders "Don't know, just thought it would be a quiet spot to spend time together. Maybe rent a boat and head out on the water. How does that sound?"

"Good, as long as we stay away from that floating island thing." We both let out a shiver thinking back to a summer ago where we went back to investigate the island again and having another repeat of what happened in my videos.

"Don't worry there is no way in the world I'm going near that again." We finally arrived at the lake walking onto the wharf.

So we going to be taking the Stan o war?" Wendy said referring to the old dingy which was till watertight.

"It still floats but after all these years, do you really want to go in it?"

"I'd rather not have to swim to shore if anything goes wrong."

So that settles it. I'll be back in a minute or so." I left Wendy gazing over the lakes surface as I wandered to the information centre run by Tate McGucket. "Hey any chance I could get a boat for the day, also a two packs of crisps and two ham sandwiches?" looking at the glass fridge in the back.

"Yeah that would be 8 bucks. Any damages to the boat will be charged depending on state of condition on return." Offering his hand out not even looking at me. I rummaged through my pocket and pulled out multiple coins. I selected the necessary number and handed him the payment. He gripped them in his hand brought them to his face, counting the coins before throwing them into the register. "Alright then" fishing through his pockets he pulled out a key on a chain as well as grabbing the food I purchased "Head to boathouse 7, keys to the door" Pointing in the direction of the shed.

"Thanks man" Pocketing the keys and placing the food in my many pockets, I began to walk away before quickly turning back "Have you caught up with your old man yet?" He just gave me a death stare saying nothing "I'll… just go then." Turning my back on him and walking at an increased pace. Dodged a bullet there. I continued along the dock looking for Wendy trying to spot her amongst the crowd of family's preparing to go on water before spotting her… with Robbie.

What's he doing here? Pausing at the sight of him bickering with Wendy How did he even know we were here? Shacking the thoughts to the side, I walked up to the two catching in on the last part of their sentences "Even now you chose that piece of scum over me. He's just corrupted your mind!" Robbie growled voice getting darker as he went on.

"You corrupted me if anything, so back off unless you want a matching black eye." Wendy's voice back to that rough arrogant won't back down way of hers.

"Robbie, can't you tell you're not wanted" Interrupting the two as I stood by Wendy's side "Let's just avoid any unnecessary violence. I'm sure you would prefer it that way after last time." I said in the most monotone voice I could.

Robbie sneered at me "You're lucky you have your 'protector' here now, but in the future you won't be so lucky." He flipped his hood over his oily hair and shoving his hands into his pockets "You may have won the battle, but the war has only just begun. And at the end I'll be the one standing victorious." And with that he turned around and walked off along the rest of the beech.

Something in his words sparked something in my brain. Something about a war made me nervous. Thinking back to the recent events I couldn't help but feel suspicious. Robbie and the Laptop couldn't be connected in anyway, could they? I mean was it only just coincidence he turned up the moment I retrieved it. So deep in my thoughts I barely noticed Wendy standing in front of me clicking her fingers and waving her hand in my face.

"You in their dude? Dude?" Breaking out of my thoughts I began blinking a few times to clear my head. "Yo dude, did he actually get to you with that last bit?" Chuckling to herself.

"Nah just something I thought of." It was reassuring to see Wendy back in her strong minded attitude.

"Well, is it anything worth telling me seeing as it's that important to dwell on."

"No, not yet. Just a hypothesis." Deciding against telling her. Don't need to ruin the rest of the day over your worries Dipper.

"Then let's get going." Grabbing my hand and puling me down the wharf. I couldn't help but blush as people began looking at up as she pulled us down the waterfront. I don't know how she doesn't notice everyone's gaze drifting over us.

I speed up to keep with her quicker pace of walking to try and reduce the onlookers while keeping an eye on the impending sheds. We continued to walk past them looking for number 7. "Here." Digging my shoes into the sandy shore as we stopped outside one made with corrugated iron panelling. Grabbing the key from my pocket I hastily undid the lock pushing open the door holding it with my right arm. "Ladies first." Holding my left hand out to her.

"What a gentleman." Doing a pretend giggle as she leads the way into the darkness tugging me inside after her. "Where's the light switch?"

"On it." Breaking myself away from her I walked over to a series of wires with a switch lazily hanging from its position on the wall. Flicking the switch on gave way to a freshly painted white open top row boat with a thin red strip of paint heading around the gunnels. Placed inside were a pair of well looked after oars placed inside resting on the benches.

"Looks seaworthy, I think." Wendy said turning back to me with a satisfied look on her face.

"Good, we got it for the whole day so at least we don't have to worry about ourselves emptying it out of water with a bucket." I walked over to the main door and threw open the latches before pushing them open, exposing the clear blue water.

"Hey Dipper, look at me." I turned around to see Wendy putting on the smallest life jacket in the corner of the room. "How do I look?" Holding her arms out straight unable to lower them to the restriction of the jacket spinning around slowly.

"I hate to say this but like a fool." Not turning down the chance to slip out my phone and take a couple of snapshots of the ridiculous sight before me.

"You better delete those." As she struggled to pull undue the straps.

"Not going to happen, I think I could sell these to Mabel and gain an easy $4 dollars."

"If that happens… Well I know where you live." We ended up laughing at the stiffness in the air. "But seriously I do."

"And I have no doubt that you wouldn't." as I grabbed a life jacket of my own slinging it on. Walking over to the boat I pushed my weight against it trying to send it into the water. "A little help needed here." Grunting as I barely moved an inch. Wendy came over and gave it a quick shove sending the boat into the water.

"Boosh." Giving an all too confident smile as she reached a hand down and pulled me to my feet. "Time to get some muscle little man."

"No need. You give me all the strength I'd ever need." Laughing as she turned her head to prevent me from seeing her face.

"Just get in the boat before I throttle you." I chuckled at her failed attempt of a threat but did as she asked, grabbing the oars and settling myself in a position to row.

"Wendy pushed us off before leaping into the boat causing a little bit of wake to push us about. As the water calmed down I began sending the boat away using what little muscles I did have to send us along. As our vessel glided gracefully along the water as I settled into a steady rhythm, while Wendy watched at all the others on the water and the view.

"Sure you can keep rowing? I can take a turn if you want?" impressed that I hadn't died in the first 200 meters.

"I'm all good. You do the heavy work on the shore and I'll make up for that here. Plus, this is one of the few things I can do pretty well." Feeling proud at my little achievement.

"Ok then, but you're doing the whole trip then." With a complete lack of support which pulled at me slightly. "Anyway, what are we going to do then?" leaning back against the back of the boat making my end of the boat stick out slightly.

"Well, I planned for us to head to Scuttlebutt island and have a picnic on the beach."

"Really?" Wendy's eyes raised at the sound of this" Not afraid of the Gobblewonker I suppose then?"

"Doesn't exist. Me and Mabel searched these waters multiple times and were unable to find anything." Giving her a reassuring smile "Plus the island is really quite beautiful on a clear day like today."

"I'll take your word for it." We sat in near silence for the remainder of the trip with every so often Wendy pointing out a unique shape in the cliff faces or the water and making a few comments about it. After a couple more minutes of rowing, Scuttlebutt island came in to view much to my relief. Fatigue was finally setting in, however, I refused to show and weakness in my actions grunting through the pain.

"For once Dipper, you're right the place does look pretty spectacular." I snorted at her comment, watching as her eyes grew as the dark green of the trees set in with the bright white of the sand against a clear blue backdrop.

"Pretty amazing eh? Thought it would be suitable for a first date." Glancing over my shoulder at the sight.

"Definitely, a lot better than going to the movies or something like every other guy has taken me." I mentally crossed off the movies as a potential date location for the future. I took a break letting the waves push us onto the sandy shore. Jumping out we pulled the boat up onto the sand to prevent it from floating away before setting off in the direction of the sign.

Stopping just before the sign Wendy couldn't help but cover the Scuttle and smirk. "Dipper, Butt island."

"Two years too late. Mabel and Soos did the exact same thing when we first arrived.

"Oh" looking a bit disappointed "Thought I was being original." I gave her a gentle pat on the back.

"Maybe another time." Before settling down in the sand "Come on, before I switch the insides of your sandwich with the real stuff."

That got her to laugh a bit "You wouldn't dare."

"Would I?" Lowering one of them closer to the ground.

Wendy just smirked "Then I'd just steal your one."

I paused for a minute to pretend like I was thinking through the situation "Fair enough. You have bested me. What can I do for you fair lady to accept my apology?" trying to pretend to be a knight to the extent of bending down on one knee and offering the sandwich like a blade.

"You may join me on this most romantic of days my fair knight." Taking the sandwich while speaking in a posh voice only Pacifica could have really nailed. We laughed as we began eating into the food that I continued to pull from my pockets.

"Not the most lavish of options but I thought it would do with the options available." Trying to defend the lack of variety.

"It's better than any of the food at your house anyway so it's good." Aware of my defence, allowing me to let out a mental sigh of relief.

"Thank god. I was worried about you getting food poisoning from food I was planning to bring so I bought this of Tate." In relief.

"Well, it seems my boyfriend doesn't care for me enough to only get cheap food." She said with an eye brow raised in what looked like annoyance. I looked down at my feet turning them in sand in shame.

"Sorry." I said quietly before I got a punch to my shoulder.

"Jesus man. I'm just kidding with ya. You need to relax once in a while." I looked back into her smiling face "Don't worry, the fact that you went to the extent of getting food that wouldn't poison me means a lot."

I smiled as she wrapped her arm around me drawing me closer to her, feeling the warmth that she gave off. We sat like that for a few minutes just taking in each other's presence.

"Anyway," thinking now was more appropriate time to discuss Robbie's behaviour earlier "why do you think Robbie was down at the lake?"

Wendy's face fell into one of deep thought as she ran over what I said. "Don't know. Weird us meeting again down on the waterfront. Why do you think he was stalking us or something?" giving me a cheeky grin aware of how I would react to his arrival.

"That's doesn't seem like Robbie's style, in saying so, it doesn't seem too farfetched." Throwing the idea out there.

"I know right. Nah, he seemed quite interested to talk to me, you know. How he approached me the moment you left."

"Did he say anything suspicious that would state his reasons for being there." Trying to see a connection in what she was saying.

"He just went on about me having to get away from you, almost like you were a danger to me." That threw me into a slight state of worry putting the dots together. Warning Wendy about staying away from me, Robbie's weird behaviour and the Laptop. Is it somehow connected? "Dipper I've got to tell you something else."

Huh? What did she miss? Wendy took her hat off and gripped it in her hands squeezing it slightly. "Something happened on the way home yesterday…"

"What?" unaware of how distressed she looked.

"I… I kind of got a message…" My eyes widened at what she was saying. Wendy held a key piece to the puzzle? Is that what she was going to tell me earlier?"

"THIS IS AMAZING!" Letting the excitement get to me "You could hold the key to what really is happening!"

"Afraid it's not that simple." She said in a quiet voice as she repeated the message. "Run little girl. You have no chance against me. You and the rest of this town stand no chance against me this time Your death will bring my ultimate victory…" trailing off into silence, as I took in what she said.

"Well," unaware of what to say "That really is something…"

"See… what type of message is that?" her voice began to break as she continued on.

"Well at least that confirms that Robbie knows something if he's worried for your safety."

"What it means is that you and me are in the middle of something huge. Bigger than this entire town. Something that wants me dead." Tears forming in her eyes letting all of her emotions run free. I couldn't think of anything to say so wrapped my arms around Wendy as did the same.

"Don't worry. We'll find a way to get through this together. We survived the Weirdaggedon we can get through this."

"I know. It's just… I've never felt this helpless before and knowing that something horrible is going to happen and we're no closer to solving it."

"We'll get through this as always." I continued to hold her as we sat on the beach not noticing the presence overhead.

(3rd person)

"Good luck this time" it said to its self not letting the couple overhear "I'll break you this time Dipper and there is nothing you or anyone can do to stop it."

There we go. I've been incredibly lazy this week with it and its kind of disgusted me but I won't give up on this. PROMISE. Anyway more to come. Going to be a while however till you figure out who is really behind all this but the wait should be worth it. Till next time.