Tittle: Love Story

Summary: Five years later, and Mabel, Dipper, and Pacifica are seventeen and finishing school. Dipper invites Pacifica to the final dance of the year. He figures out that he loves her, but he can't figure out how to tell her.

Characters: Mabel, Dipper, Pacifica

Shippings: Dipficia

Dipper awoke with a start to a knock on the door. Heaving himself off the couch with a grunt, and grumbling about teenage nonsense-he was seventeen, and finishing school that week. After begging his parents, they reluctantly decided to send him and Mabel to Gravity Falls High School- he opened the back door to the tourist trap Mystery Shack. Standing in the doorway was none other than Pacifica Northwest, with a pink bulging sleepover bag under her arm. He sighed inwardly, and lent on the door frame, hands in his dark blue hoodie pockets.

"Hi, Pacifica." He said casually. Seeing her wasn't a surprise. She visited often over the years to escape her parents wrath.

"Hello, Dipper. Do you think I could stay a bit longer this time? Like, a couple of weeks?" She asked nervously, rubbing her arm. Dipper scratched the stubble on his chin.

"Well, I don't know. I'll have to ask Stan, and he'll probably say no..." Pacifica glared at him, and he chuckled. He waved a hand inside. "Of course you can. Come on in." Pacifica grinned and went indoors, shoving his shoulder playfully as she walked past.

"Hi Pacifica!" Mabel cried happily, tearing her gaze from the television screen. Pacifica simply waved back, a forced smile on her lips. Mabel offered a can of pit cola to her, but she shook her head. The brunette shrugged, and had it herself.

"What's the excuse this time?" Dipper asked after telling Stan and his six-fingered twin Ford that they had company for a month, possibly longer.

"Can't a person visit their friends without a reason?" She asked, but her smile faded, and her hands fell from her hips. "They disowned me and kicked me out." She whispered quietly. Mabel spat out her juice, nearly choking on the pit.

"They did WHAT!?" She spluttered, coughing from the inhaled liquid. She can't have heard her right.

"You heard me."

"Well, you know you're always welcome here, and you can stay as long as you wish." Dipper assured. Her grin returned, this time genuine. She enveloped him in a heart-warming hug. The brunette froze, uncomfortable with his predicament. But then he smelt the rose scent of her ivory locks, and he relaxed. It took all of his self-control not to burry his face in her hair.

"Thanks Dipper." She released him, and Dipper stared transfixed into her blue-grey eyes. Heat flooded through his veins. "Good riddance, anyway. After that ghost attack at the manor five years ago, I never liked them." They were inches away from kissing. Then she coughed, and stepped away. "I better settle in, then. Where can I sleep?" He roused from his trance.

"Oh-ah...yeah. Same as always, in the attic." His face was flushed with embarrassment, then he frowned. He never noticed it before, but Pacifica had an abnormally thin body. Did her parents starve her?

"Okay, thanks." Before she left the room, Dipper gaze lingered on the curvaceous lines of her too-thin teenage figure. But then he blinked, and she was gone.

Mabel watched the whole thing go down, her eyes widening when her brothers gaze, filled with a kind of hunger she hadn't seen before, turned to her.

"Oh. My. God." Dipper sensed what she ment. He tensed, the hungry look gone.

"No." He said defiantly. "Not in a million years."

"Ask her."

"Ask her what?"

"Ask her to the leavers dance at school!" The leavers dance at Gravity Falls High School was a massive event, where all the students in their final year at school got to have a final ball. And it was tomorrow night. Dipper didn't plan on attending, as this year it was supposed to be more formal and ballroom dancing.

"No. Absolutely not."

"Why? Are you scared?" Mabel started making chicken noises.

"No! It's tomorrow night, I have nothing to wear, Pacifica might be going with someone else, she might not be going at all, and don't even know how to dance!"

"Then I'll find you something to wear, and teach you to dance then, silly! You just gotta ask her out." There was no use arguing with her in matchmaking mode. Dipper let out a sigh of frustration.

"Fine." Mabel clapped her hands gleefully, letting out a small giggle of laughter. He gulped. What did he get himself into?

"I'll just get to work then."

Dipper couldn't sleep that night. He kept staring at the roof, thinking about Pacifica, about how she had held him. He turned over in bed, and saw her sleeping on a pallet in the middle of the floor, on her back, one hand beside her, the other on her chest. He watched as her chest rose and fell steadily with each even breath she took. She looked so peaceful, so calm. Yes, he was going to ask her, if only to get his sister off his back. And he should do it now, before he lost his nerve. Throwing his covers off him, he silently crept over to the sleeping blonde, careful not to wake Mabel. She was cranky in the morning if she didn't get enough sleep. Gently, he shook Pacifica awake. She opened an eye drowsily.

"Hmm? What is it?" She asked wearily, rubbing the sleep from an eye.

"Do-you-want-to-go-to-the-leavers-dinner-tomorrow-night-with-me?" He asked quickly. She frowned, not understanding a single word he said.

"Say that again?" Dipper sighed, and ran through it again, slower. When she heard it, her eyes widened.

"Of course I will. Now go to sleep. I'm tired, and I have to get my beauty sleep." He obeyed as she turned on her side.

From under her covers, eavesdropping on their conversation, Mabel smiled to herself.

It was the night of the dance. Stan, tight as he was with money, refused to hire them a limo, so they arrived at the school in the Mystery Shack cart. Dipper got out, clad it a blue tux so dark, it looked black. He adjusted his bow-tie, walked around the cart, and opened an invisible door with a bow that was far too deep, with a huge grin plastered on his face. Pacifica giggled and stepped out. She wore an ankle-length dress that was pale blue embroidered with silver, and hemmed in silver lace. Her hair was done up in a bun with ivory feathers woven in, and had two strands of blonde hair dangling on either side of her for-once-make-up-free face. She shook out her skirts before placing a delicate hand in the nook of Dipper's offered arm. Together they walked the steps to the school hall.

The pair were beautiful together, light and dark, male and female. He gazed into those lovely eyes, getting lost in the stormy seas of her irises, and he discovered, with a shock of realization, that he loved her with all his heart. And not just for her looks, either. He loved her mind, her heart, and her soul. He loved her, not for what she was, but for who she was. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, as they entered the 'ballroom'.

Beside him, Dipper heard Pacifica gasp in awe at their surroundings. He felt as if he might do the same. Circular tables with light yellow tablecloths encircled an oval dancefloor. Streamers hung from the roof in waves of ruby red, sunshine yellow, and meadow green. A large disco ball dangled from the middle of the ceiling, giving off rainbows of colour. It was like something out of a spring dream. Students milled around, gossiping and dancing to the slow waltz that played from large speakers spaced around the room.

"Wow. Just. Wow." Pacifica murmured, awed, as they took their seats.

"I feel like my senses will explode." Dipper replied. "The staff really outdid themselves."

"You can say that again." She smiled. Then something pink caught Dipper's eye, and Mabel plonked herself down next to them.

"Hello, people!" She exclaimed. She wore a strapless hot pink cocktail dress with a large satin bow tied to the right of her waist. Her hair was down and a headband was in it's usual place, but this was bright pink speckled in red. Droplets of ruby dangled from her ears like stars of flame. "Lovely night, tonight is, isn't it!" Pacifica smiled.

"Yes, it is." She replied.

"Hey, do you mind if I talk to my sis privately for sec?" Dipper asked, emphasizing 'privately'. She shrugged, and the twins left the table. They walked to the closest wall, and he glanced back to see if anyone was listening, before taking a deep breath.

"Okay, yes, I do like her."

"Haha! I knew it!" She punched the air, and Dipper gestured for her to calm down.

"But, I realized that it's more than like. I love her, with all my heart, and I don't know how to tell her."

"That's simple. Just tell her." Dipper scratched his head, wincing when he remembered that he wasn't wearing his hat.

"Mabel, it's not that simple-"

"You're starting to sound like when you had that crush on Wendy." He froze. Oh god no. Anything but that. There was no way in hell that he was going to ruin his chances again. Especially with Pacifica involved.

"Fine. I'll tell her. Just don't pressure me." She held up her hands as a gesture that she won't. Then she pointed to something behind him.

"Hey, look! Dinner's ready!" They rushed back to their seats as dinner plates were handed out. Pacifica gave him a questioning look and Dipper shrugged it off, indicating that it was nothing. She narrowed her eyes at him, then dug into her meal. The brunette twins did the same. They ate in silence until desert-an array of chocolate mousse, jelly, and cheesecakes-had been served and eaten. It was then that Dipper worked up the nerve to tell the love of his life how he felt. But before he could utter a single word, he was whisked onto the dancefloor by Pacifica before he knew what was happening.

"Um, what are we doing?" He asked nervously, already knowing the answer, and dreading it. She giggled.

"What's it look like, silly. Dancing, of course." She placed a hand on his shoulder, and lifted his other hand. He took a breath, silently thanking Mabel for his dancing lessons, and wrapped an arm around her, his hand resting in the small of her back. Heat flooded through his face, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He stepped, and the world around them faded as they waltzed through the room, never missing a step, always staring into her hypnotic eyes.

They smiled at each other as Dipper spun Pacifica, and dipped her as the dance ended. They walked to the edge of the table area and Dipper realized with a start that if he wanted to tell her how he felt, now was the time. He absentmindedly rubbed his stubble-free chin-he had shaved it as he got ready-and took a deep breath. Honestly, it had become such a habit, he thought that he was going to hyperventilate.

"Listen, Pacifica. I-I...um. How do I put this..." She looked at him oddly, and he had to suppress a smile. "I-I...um-ah...I-I'm gonna go get some punch." She frowned and narrowed her eyes at his suspiciously, but he shrugged it off, and went to the refreshment bar near the back of the room. He grabbed two paper cups and the punch ladle. Carefully he poured the drink into the cups, and nearly spilt it all over him in fright when Mabel sneaked up behind him.

"What the heck was that!?" She cried, devastated with her brothers attempt to talk to Pacifica.

"What?"

"That!"

"What?" He had no clue as to what she was talking about.

"THAT! Just tell her how you feel!" Realization dawned on Dipper.

"Oh, that. How, though? How do I tell her?"

"You just walk up to her, and say 'I love you'. Simple." Just at that moment, the song If You Love Someone started playing.

If you love someone,

If you love someone.

"Typical." He muttered.

Wake up in the morning,

Take a breath and let it out.

Just forget tomorrow's ever gonna come around.

Dipper took a deep breath, and headed back to Pacifica.

Everybody's medicated,

Take you're time away,

Waiting for the right time,

In the short light,

But it's you're life.

"Here you go, Pacifica." He handed her one of the cups of juice.

"Thanks." She took it, and gazed into his brown eyes.

"Pacifica, look, there's something I want to tell you." He began.

We can run around,

In circles we make,

Or we can run straight ahead.

"This is going to be hard for me to tell you..."

Never ever let

The moment pass by,

When all that matters in the end.

"...so just be patient with me."

If you love someone, (Hey)

Then tell them right now.

'Cause your heart won't rest, (Hey)

'Till you let it out.

"I never realized it until tonight but..."

Let the words you dream, (Hey)

Come out of your mouth.

If you love someone,

(Someone)

You gotta make a stand.

"Just spit it out, Dipper." Pacifica ordered.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm getting to it."

If you love someone, (Hey)

You gotta make a stand.

If you love someone.

"I love you, Pacifica." He blurted. Her eyes widened with shock.

"What?" She whispered.

"I love you with all my heart, mind, and soul, and-" He was cut off by the pressure of her lips against his. He tensed, then kissed back, holding her, equally as passionately, equally as fierce.

When true love is staring you,

In the face,

But the words that you're feeling,

Never find their way.

You're so invisible to the one you want,

And you'ld give anything to win their love.

They withdrew from each others embrace, smiling into their partners face. They got lost in each others eyes, hazel and cloudy-grey, staring into their date's soul.

We can get lost in fears that we make,

And days that feel black as night.

But there in the dark,

You find that the stars

Are shining their brightest light.

Pacifica grabbed his bowtie, kissed him again, a quick peck on the lips, and tugged him back to the dancefloor, where they began to waltz the night away. Neither smiled, as if what they felt was beyond facial expressions, but their eyes twinkled with a hungry desire for one another.

If you love someone, (Hey)

Then tell them right now.

'Cause your heart won't rest, (Hey)

'Till you let it out.

It was hard to believe, that those three simple words, changed their lives, and they slowly danced around the spacious floor. The other students, sensing their new-found love for one another, made sure that they danced well away from the couple.

Let the words you dream, (Hey)

Come out of your mouth.

If you love someone,

(Someone)

You gotta make a stand.

If you love someone,

(Hey)

You gotta make a stand.

It was the beginning, of a large and powerful relationship, one no-one would soon forget.

If you love someone.

If you love...