Interlude 4

Fixing it with Soos + a little extra

Disclaimer: I don't own

Talk-normal

Talk-3 thinking

"Talk"-3 speaking

Warnings: Some violence and cursing.

A/N: It was a tough choice between Sock Opera and this. However, I think this interlude will give you guys some insight on the next episode.

"3…I love you." Dipper said with a smile.

3 was sure she was a cherry red now. "D-Dipper? Wh-what brought this on?" She stuttered as her heart sored.

"3…I've been thinking, you've been with me since I've came here. You believe, trust, and always cared for me. Without, who knows how all of our adventures would've turned out? Just…please don't think this is about Mabel's rebound crush list." His smile turned sad and he turned away. "Besides, I'll understand if you don't want a noodle armed boy like me…"

"N-no! I-I like you just the way you are. You are brave, loyal to a fault, and, contrary to popular belief, are strong both physically and mentally. Just please, don't ever hate me."

"I could never hate you 3." Dipper said and they both leaned in and…SMACK!

3's eyes snapped open when an arm hit her painfully in the stomach and she whirled around to glare at Mabel, who was using her as a giant teddy bear. 3 frowned in confusion and looked around and groaned. Shit, it was a dream. 3 thought sourly as Mabel snuggled into her chest, drooling.

3 remembered now that the twins were brainstorming about clues that the laptop they've found in the bunker could have when Mabel passed out using her as a pillow and she fell asleep afterwards also. 3 glared once again and promised to herself the next time Mabel had a boy dream, she'll wake her up. Petty? You can bet your ass it was, it will make them even.

3 resettled back to the bed and sighed sadly, it was such a good dream too. She turned her head towards the real boy and bolted back up in surprise, breaking Mabel's death grip on her torso. Dipper wasn't in his bed and it looked like he hasn't sleep in it lately. She slipped out from Mabel's bed and out of the room and searched all over the house, even peeking into Stan's room, but couldn't find him. She was about to wake Mabel when she heard tired muttering from the den.

She found Dipper nodding off and snapping awake on the armchair, watching late night rerun of Duck-Tective on silent. "Dipper?"

He snapped towards her and he looked awful, he had dark bags under his blood shot eyes and had deathly pale skin. "3 what are-" He cut himself off with a yawn. "What are you doing awake?"

"I-I should be asking you that!" 3 yelped. "It's…" She looked at the cuckoo clock, "Its 3:31am! Did you get any shut eye!?"

"Of course I-"

"Blinking doesn't count." Dipper fell silent and looked away from 3. She sighed and turned off the TV and picked him up.

"H-HEY! W-what are you doing!?"

"Taking you to bed."

"I'm not-" he yawned, "Tired."

"Don't be difficult Dipper. You are going to bed and that's final!" 3 sighed, I sound like his mother.

"You're not my mom, 3! I'm perfectly fine!"

"Dipper, the zombies we summoned looked more alive than you. You need to sleep!" She dropped Dipper unceremoniously onto the bed and she covered him with the blanket. "Now be a good boy and go to sleep. I'll cover your morning shift so you can catch up on some z's." She walked over to the cot and pinned Dipper, who was getting up, with a glare. "If you don't stay there, I'll get Mabel's glitter rope and tie you to the bed."

With a grumble, Dipper complied and the two kids went to sleep, not seeing the shadowy triangle slipping into the room.

The next day, Dipper looked a little better than last night, but his color still worried 3.

"Don't worry so much 3; I'm still a little exhausted." He assured her when she inquired about him.

"Sorry for being so naggy, but you look horrible." 3 teased.

"You look horrible!" He joked, punching her shoulder. They were then distracted when they heard a crash and they looked into the den to see Stan standing over the cuckoo clock with a bat.

"Stop making that noise!" He screamed as he bashed it in, causing the noise to deepen and slow down.

"I hate you! This is definitely not an accident!"

3 and Dipper shared weird looks and shrugged, and went back to work were Wendy came in.

"Hey Aris, hey Di-Whoa! Zombie!" Wendy yelped, grabbing a stool to hit Dipper.

"Wendy! Wendy! It's me! Dipper!" He screamed, backing up.

"Are you just saying that?" She asked narrowing her eyes to show skepticism.

"Really, I'm alive!"

"He's just sleep deprived." 3 deadpanned, wrestling the stool from Wendy.

"Heh…sorry man. But you look terrible."

"That's okay, I just been having trouble sleeping lately. Just a few nightmares that's all." He assured the girls, embarrassed by the concern.

"Hmm…sleep deprived and nightmares huh? Well, I have a solution to that." Wendy smirked at the two.

"What?"

"You do?"

"We just have to tucker him out with excitement. He'll be dead on his feet and pass out with no chance of dreams."

They glanced at each other and shrugged.

"What's the harm?"

"Better than anything I can come up with." 3 turned to Wendy and asked, "So what's the plan?"

Wendy shared a conspiratorial grin and said, "Stunts."

They set up two ramps with Stan's car in the middle and they got into the golf cart with Wendy driving, Dipper in the passenger, and 3 hanging off the back

"Okay boy and girl; hang on to your accessories for the most epic stunt in the history of the Mystery Shack!" Wendy called as she started the cart.

"There is no stunt history of the Mystery Shack."

"I know! Right!" Wendy called and revved the engine.

"Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!" The three chanted as Wendy drove the cart up but it doesn't jump over the car, instead it falls over its side, breaking the cart and sending them sprawling to their sides.

"Oomph!"

"Ow!"

"Shit! Is everyone alright?" 3 groaned, holding her head and peering into the car to find Dipper squished under Wendy.

"I'm okay." Dipper groaned.

"Do you smell smoke?" Wendy asked, rubbing her head at the moment the tire next to 3 caught on fire.

"Eep!" 3 jumped and grabbed a handful of dirt to suffocate the flames. The two crawled out and winced when they saw the state the cart was in.

"Oh man, Stan's gonna kill us." Wendy said.

"Don't worry, we'll just go see Soos and he can fix it." Dipper suggested as the cart cracked in half and it spontaneously combusted again.

They found Soos in the break room setting up a camera to film a toilet bolted to the ceiling and its pipes gushing out water.

"Soos, what are you doing?"

"Oh hey, dudes. What's up?"

"Well we need you to fix something for us."

Soos grinned and said, "Sure dudes, just let me set this camera."

They sat on the sofa as Soos turned to the camera and leaned on the desk.

"Hey dudes! And welcome back to "Fixin' it with Soos," the show where I always forget that I'm leaning on the soldering iron. AH OWW!" He screamed as they heard a sizzling noise.

Dipper and Wendy looked at 3 who sighed, "I'll get the ointment and bandages."

After tending the wound and getting rid of the soldering iron, Soos sat down on the sofa with them.

"What needs fixing today?"

"Well, Me, Aris, and Dipper were just doing normal work stuff with the golf cart...when we decided to try to jump Stan's car when the cart tipped over. So now the cart's busted for some reason. You think you can fix it so we can finish our stunt?" Wendy told him.

"You have called upon my fix-it powers. I accept this call, Wendy." He said turning to the camera in a serious voice.

"Huh? What call?" Wendy asked, confused.

"The call of…POWERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" He yelled, raising his hands to the sky.

"...What's happening right now?" Wendy asked, looking around and 3 shrugged as Dipper kicked his legs.

"I'll show you guys later." He whispered when he turned to the side to stare hard at nothing, "Oh no! A bat! Laser eyes, go!"

"Still in the dark over here." Dipper said to no one.

"Beats me. Soos grab your tools and let's fix the cart before Stan kills us." 3 called to Soos.

"Okay dudes, but I'll need you guys help." He tosses two blue jumpsuits to 3 and Dipper. "Put these on and let's go!"

They went to the backyard carrying the tools, camera, and a large chart. 3, Dipper, and Soos gathered around the cart while Wendy was on the sofa reading a magazine.

"It's time to fix the golf cart. At the end of the show, Dipper, Polaris, and Wendy will rank my handyman-ship from 1 to 10. Vote 10!"

"Happy to do it, dude. Hey, do you think a girl would think I look cool in this jump suit? I mean…" Dipper nervously laughed.

"Some things, even Soos can't fix." Soos said sadly, placing a hand on his shoulder as Dipper's face fell. 3 punched him in the arm.

After three hours, Soos finally fixed up the cart and was just finishing the engine.

"Huh, looks like a problem with the fuel injector. Dipper, try the engine now." Soos called over to the shoulder. Dipper started the engine and it roared to life. "Hey! You did it, man!"

"Good job Soos!"

Soos suddenly frowned and leaned over the hood at the camera, "My fix-it power has been unleashed!"

"Why do you keep saying stuff like that?" Dipper asked but was cut off when Soos howled, "Unleash the POWER! Woo woo wooooo! Well I'm not done yet; it's not quite as rad. Time cut!"

3 shrugged and said, "He must be channeling the wolves he was raised with for an hour…" Soos was now spinning around in front of the camera.

"Fix it! Do it! Accidentally unscrew it!"

"Let's get some coffee omelets." Dipper suggested.

Soon, 3, Dipper, Wendy and Soos standing next to the golf cart covered with a white sheet.

"Behold!" Soos announced, uncovering the white sheet from the golf cart.

"Whoa!"

The cart now had purple flames in front, rocket fins on the roof, a wooden steering wheel with a hula girl on the dash board, exhaust pipes on the sides with lucky tails hanging on the bumper with a tiger, space and a rocket, a pyramid and a single glowing eye under it with Soos's signature on the back.

"Awesome!" Wendy called, walking around the cart.

"You did this in an hour!?" Dipper exclaimed. 3 blinked and looked at the eye in the back again; she could've sworn it winked at her.

"So let's make this jump!"

They tried the stunt again, this time with Soos driving.

"I don't think we have enough speed to make it." Dipper said nervously.

"Hit the nitrous boosters!"

"What?"

"Aren't those illegal?" Wendy asked.

"You bet your life they are, baby!" He presses a button on the steering wheel which makes the cart increase speed. They screamed in joy as they felt the cart lurch faster, it jumps over the ramp and doesn't land on the other side of the ramp, instead remaining airborne.

"We're clearing it! We're clearing it!" Dipper cheered.

"So, what score do I get, from one to ten?"

"Ten out of ten! Ten out of ten!"

"Twenty!"

"Thanks, Guys!" Soos yelled then realized they were flying too close to the shack.

"Oh, dude, oh no! Watch out watch-" The cart slammed into the roof and 3 managed not to fall off the back.

"Ow…" Dipper moaned and winced.

"Do you think Stan will notice?" Wendy asked weakly.

"I rather not answer that…" They climbed down to the ground and flopped down, nursing their bruises and aches when Stan called from the other side of the Shack.

"Soos! I think the roof is broken! Can you fix it for me?"

"I make my own economy." Soos winked at them.

"Urgh…I think we had enough excitement for today." 3 said.

After applying medicine to their aching muscles, Dipper and 3 flopped down, ready for bed.

"If that doesn't get me to sleep nothing will." Dipper moaned, cracking his back.

"I know what you mean. At least Stan doesn't know it was us who busted the roof and he'll never know that the cart was busted."

"Small mercies. Well, I am in the mood for some sleep. Good night 3." He said clicking off the light.

"Good night Dipper."

Dream

3 was walking down a dark void for who knew how long. All she knew is that her surrounds haven't changed in the past hour, just that it was getting darker and darker.

"Hello? Dipper? Mabel? Wendy? Is anyone there?" She called after a while. Nothing but oppressive silence answered her then a whisper brushed by her. She whirled around to find nothing but blackness answered her.

"This is getting weird…"

"Hehehehe."

She whirled again, hearing creepy chuckling that soon evolved into mocking laughter.

"Who's there!? Show yourself!?" She screamed getting scared, she turned around and screamed. She was looking at her snapped form, only she was completely black with veins of scarlet and a sick yellow running across her form. What shocked her the most is that she had a single eye with black sclera with a white iris and razor sharp teeth. She screamed again when it leaped at her with murder in its eye.

"Aha!" 3 bolted awake, breathing heavily. She looked around and sighed in relief, just a nightmare, just a nightmare. She sighed, what the hell conjured that up? This is the last time I let Mabel convince me to drink Mabel Juice. 3 glanced at Dipper's bed and groaned, out of bed again? This is getting ridiculous.

She found Dipper back in the den watching 'The Widdlest Wampire.' "That thing always reminds me of Gideon…" 3 told him and frowned when Dipper didn't react. "Dipper, how many times do I have to tell you that…?" She trailed off when he saw him sleep, but it wasn't a peaceful doze. He was groaning and she could see faint trails of tears on his face. "Dipper? Dipper!?" She started to shake him then reared back when he began to yell and struggle.

"No! No! Stay away! Don't!"

"Dipper! Dipper, wake up! It's just a nightmare! Please wake up!"

"Gah!" He woke up with a gasp and turned to 3 in confusion. "3? What…what's going on? Where am I?" He woke with a gasp and looked around.

"You were having another nightmare and you started screaming." She carefully placed a hand on his shoulder and asked, "Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it?"

He kept his head down and whispered, "Not really…" 3 was a little hurt, but she dropped it. "Okay then…do you want anything?"

"No…what are you doing up?" He asked, changing the subject.

"I had a nightmare also." She said with a small smile. "So…want late night sundae's and left over pizza?" He gave a small smile and 3 left him with a heavy heart.

The next day had 3 worried; Dipper kept of falling asleep at odd times and started to go over 2's entries obsessively. Whenever 3 asked what was wrong he would always say: "Nothing's wrong."

She became concerned enough that she refused to let him walk down the driveway after he nearly walked into a car that was still in motion. 3 literally had to sit on him to prevent him from running to Soos's when he called them saying that he fixed the laptop.

"Let me up 3!"

"No."

"Get off!" He screamed, trying to squirm out from under her and failing. "I thought you wanted to find your father."

"I do, but I don't trust you to walk down the road without getting run over."

"3, I'm 12 years old! Practically a teen, I think I'm old enough that I can walk to town on my own." He pouted.

"I know that, but you're sleep deprives. I'll go to Soos's and get the damn thing. You go back to bed."

"I'm not-"

"You were sleeping against Stan and face planted when he moved away."

"But!"

"No buts, you, bed, now."

"You're not my mom." He mumbled as he complied.

3 soon found herself at Abuelita's home and found Soos working on his computer.

"Hey Soos, I came to pick up the laptop."

"Oh, hey Polaris. Where's Dipper? I thought he would be here."

"He wanted to, but I sentenced him to bed duty so I came alone." 3 deadpanned looking for the laptop.

"Hey do you want to see my own TV show fresh off the computer editing?"

"I'm sort of in a hurry…"

"Great! Sit here." Soos cut her off, pushing her into the seat and started the video. After a remixed opening it showed Soos in the break room.

'Hey, dudes! Welcome to 'Fixin' It with Soos', the only home "Fix It" show that I edited myself on my own computer.' A giant hand appears and yells, 'HIGH FIVE!'

"Ah…Soos, I really should…"

'Thanks, Clip-art hand! Today I have this broken Cuckoo Clock.' Soos held up the cuckoo clock Stan destroyed yesterday. 'You can see it's tore up from the floor up. Stan knocked it down yesterday by accident.'

"No he didn't…" 3 said weakly, feeling an ominous sense of Déjà vu.

'I'm gonna fix it up, and when I'm done, Stan will rate my handiwork on the "Awesomeometer". He held up the chart when the giant hand came back for another high five.

'Not, not now, bro...' The video is then cut to a screen where Soos's head floats across the screen and then, to 3's horror, a cheetah print underpants and winked.

'Duct tape! Wood Glue! Hey you!'

"I think I threw up in my mouth a little."

"That's good, right?"

Soos is then back, thankfully clothed, holding the clock held together by duct tape.

'Almost there! Although, something off...' The Cuckoo Clock's floor falls apart'

"Yeah, the bottom."

'Ah-ha! It needs decorations!' Mabel enters the scene, drinking some juice and suggested, 'Oooh! Make it leopard print!'

The video fast forward and the clock now had a leopard object sweater with a pair of fuzzy dice hanging from it.

'Whoa... What else does it need?' Mabel asked and 3 had a feeling this will become an extreme makeover.

'A beach house! So the Cuckoo can live in style.' The cuckoo clock now has a mini-house taped to the right side. 'Ah, Bird is going to need some homies.' Now the bird was surrounded by 4 other wooden birds.

'I'll call you Kurt, Jaden, Carlos and D. Andrea!' Now the suggestions were getting out of hand.

'Some Boom boxes!'

'A slide! And a ball pit!'

'A pyrotechnics kit!'

'Real animal fur!'

'Lasers! LASERS, DUDE!'

Soon they were finish overloading the poor clock, 'What do you think?'

'It's too dope, I can't cope!' Soos declared in an overwhelmed voice. They soon went to Stan with Mabel holding the chart with the clock covered.

'Mr. Pines, are you ready for the grand unveiling of your brand new Cuckoo Clock?' Soos asked.

'You've joined forces with Mabel, this is an unsettling development.' I'm with you old man. I'm with you.

'Voila!' Soos uncovers the cuckoo clock and it is revealed to make music, light up in place and more many decorations Soos and Mabel wanted, for example the slide and the boom boxes and spotlights.

'So, Stan, What do you think?'

'Why is it permanently set to 1:50?' He asked, unconvinced.

'Its hands are in the air, like it just doesn't care!' A fist with thumbs-up jumps out of the clock, replacing the bird. 'So, one to ten, what do you give it?'

'Well, it doesn't make that horrible Cuckoo sound anymore, so... I don't know, ten out of ten, whatever.' Stan said, disinterestedly.

Soos's face froze in a 'happy' expression and dropped the cuckoo clock. This then triggered a cut scene that was filled with explosions, a volcano, a piñata, and Soos on a cliff edge screaming "Solved." Soon the video was Soos in his room, in front of another computer.

'Join us next time as we fix my computer, because I think I've crashed it permanently making some of those graphics.' The old computer monitor explodes. 'Did we get that? Save it for the explosions reel!' The video then cuts to static.

"Sooo, what do you think?" Soos asked excitedly.

"It was…certainly interesting."

"I know dude, right! By the way, here's the laptop. I pulled it out from under my bed and finished it when you were distracted by my awesome show!" He deposited the machine into her arms.

"It's…a little heavy…" 3 gasped out.

"Yeah dude. It's like, a hundred pounds. Have fun carrying it back alone. I have to curl my grandma's hair for bingo. See ya dude."

"…Maybe I should've let Dipper come with me."

3 finally made it to the Shack to find it empty. "I'm back. Grunkle Stan? Dipper?" Nothing answered her and she shuddered, remembering her dream. Nothing's wrong, it was only a nightmare. There's no way a nightmare come to life; the only way that could happen if Bill Cipher was behind…the…nightmare…

"Is it possible? Or am I just being paranoid? No, it's just nerves. There's no way Bill is here."

"No dice Hand!" A high voice screamed in her ear. She screamed and whirled around to see Bill Cipher floating behind her in the now black and white space.

"Bill! What the hell are you doing here!? Did Gideon send you!?" She screamed at the demon.

"Nope, the ventriloquist dummy had nothing to do with it; no I'm just keeping my eye on you guys." Bill said, doubling in size and in a deep voice.

"An 'eye?' The golf cart!?" She cried, remembering the eye winking at her.

"Oh Hand, I had such high hopes for you. You only noticed me that one time and not for the past 3 weeks I've been haunting the Shack? I'm hurt." He said in false hurt and grabbing his chest.

"Y-you've been here the past 3 weeks?" She asked, wide eyed then narrowed her eyes and glared at the demon. "You've been behind Dipper's nightmares aren't you!? Why are you tormenting him!?"

"Oh, Hand, Hand. I've done nothing to Pine Tree, I never gave him nightmare's; he's been doing it all on his own, I was just helping him remember them. I know, aren't I a great friend?" He said in a mocking voice. "Which reminds me, I got to help him remember. Ta ta, Hand." He laughed and floated up to the attic with 3 at his heels. Damn it, damn it, damn it! The signs were all there in front of me! The nightmares, the symbols around town, the feeling of being watched, and my nightmare from last night! I mean come on, that eye was similar to the enraged eye from the Dreamscape! 3 screamed in her head and slammed the door open in time to see Bill waving mockingly at her as he went into Dipper's mind.

Dipper began to moan in pain and struggle in his sleep as 3 tried to shake him awake. "Dipper, wake up! Bill is here!" She screamed as his eyes glowed blue and went limp. 3, what's wrong? 2 asked sleepily from his hiding place from under Mabel's stuffed animals. "Bill has been invading Dipper's mind for weeks and now reentered his mind!" 3 screamed at her brother in her panic. What!? Well follow him, quickly!

"You don't say! I would if I can remember the #$ & words! What was it!? Venique!? Magestic!? I can't remember!" She started tearing at her hair in frustration when she noticed something on the inside of her wrist. She blinked and moved her sleeve down to read the writing on her skin. 'It is possible to follow the demon into a person's mind and prevent his chaos; one must simply recite this incantation...'

"Well that's convenient." She ran down stairs and grabbed the candles and prepared the ritual around Dipper. 3, are you sure about what you're doing? I mean there's a chance you could be stuck there, 2 asked his sister apprehensively. "You don't understand 2, I owe Dipper and I will do anything to help him." Just-just be careful, you won't be doing him any favors if you lose yourself or get killed helping him.

"Don't worry I will be careful." She turned from away and placed her hand over his birthmark and chanted, "Videntus omnium. Magister mentium. Magnesium ad hominem. Magnum opus. Habeas corpus. Inceptus Nolanus overratus. Magister mentium. Magister mentium. Magister mentium!"

With a flash of light, 3 found herself in Dipper's mind scape that resembled the woods nearby the Shack and a suburban house she didn't recognize. Deducing that it was the twins home in Piedmont, she entered the home to see it wall to wall books lined up and stacked everywhere with a few game consoles scattered around here and there. Picking a random book and opening it, she saw Dipper spilling the voice serum on her and their first official meeting. She grabbed another to see him receiving the President's key from Trembley with Mabel in her Congress hat.

Okay, the books represent memories. She thought, replacing the book; maybe the consoles are dreams? She grabbed a handheld and flicked it on to see Dipper punching out Gideon and then him being stabbed, frowning she flicked it off and turned on another to see him winning the Puck for Wendy during the fair. So consoles are accomplishments? She then saw him sadly giving that up for Waddles. Accomplishments that later come back to bite him? She flicked it off and started pulling random books of shelves and finding nothing of significant. Now where would Bill be hiding? Maybe I should search for dreams or recent memories.

She noticed an index on top of a stack nearby that said that dreams and traumatic incidents are located in the woods. "At least he's tidier in his mind then in the real world." She went into the woods to see reflections of dreams and more stressful memories in puddles and the dew in the spider webs and ground. She saw him being beaten by Rumble, the giant gnome, the pterodactyl, Gideon threating bodily harm, and, to her shock, 3's snapped form glaring down at him. "Do I really look like that?" She asked softly to herself, she was cut off when she heard Dipper's scream echoing in the woods.

"Dipper!" She bulldozed through the forest to find Dipper in the recreation of the clearing where he found 3 and the bunker. He was surrounded by the same mist that surrounded Mabel and Soos from Stan's mind. "Bill." She hissed, dripping with venom.

"You called, Hand?" He appeared next to her, giving off the vibes of self-satisfaction and spinning a cane that he pulled out from nowhere.

"Why are you tormenting him?" She hissed in a tight voice, never taking her eyes off of Dipper.

"Like I said in the real world Hand, I'm not doing anything but watching his dream's, it just has the side effect of having him remember." He said in an uncaring voice and settling on the log next to her.

"You enjoy peeking in a 12 year old boy's dream don't you, you sick pervert." She snarled her eyes glowing and the area shock; however, she was cut off when Dipper let out a pained yell and groaned.

"Temper, temper. This isn't Stanford's mind, Hand. Pine Tree's mind is still fresh and impressionable, not an old and sable mind like Stanford's; if you lose your temper in here or mess around here, then you could permanently injure your precious Pine Tree's mind. You wouldn't want that, do you?" He said smugly.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm down and push down the sick panic as she realized that it also meant that she can't do what they did in Stan's mind either. "What do you want, Cipher?" She asked tiredly.

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you over Pine Tree's whimpers."

"What do I need to give you to leave Dipper's mind in peace?"

"Now you're talking Hand." He said in a sing song voice and hovering over Dipper's form. "I'm a simple guy and in a generous mood. All I want is information."

"You're not getting my entries, Cipher!" She yelled and the dreamscape shook again, causing Dipper to whimper and 3 reined in her temper. The demon laughed and said, "Nope, not after that right now."

"Then what do you want?" 3 asked when the demon didn't elaborate.

"Wouldn't you like to know!? Well, I feel a little jilted that you didn't notice me until I revealed myself. So I'll let you guess."

"How can I give you information if I don't know the question!?"

"42! But seriously, it's to make sure you can't create a loop hole. You were an integral part in my later plans, but now that you're here, those plans are now scraped." He crossed his arms and gave the impression of pouting.

"You…want to know how Dipper and Mabel met me before you're planned time." She asked curiously.

"Close, but not on the mark. However, I'm a little short on time right now; so here's the deal, I'll come get the information on a later date and in the meantime, I'll leave Pine Tree alone for now. Have we got a deal?" Bill said, holding out a hand shrouded in blue flames.

Everything screamed at her not to take the deal without more information; however, seeing Dipper in pain over ruled her. "Very well." She said reluctantly shaking the hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Hand." He said backing up and preparing to leave.

"Wait! Release Dipper from that mist!" 3 called.

"It's funny how dumb you are." Bill laughed, "I said I'd leave Pine Tree alone, that includes the mist. Besides, you know full well how to release him yourself. Remember: Reality is an illusion, the universe is a hologram, buy gold, BYE!" Bill gave her a wink and salute before vanishing. 3 sighed and wondered what she was thinking before she entered the mist.

It was similar to what she had encountered with Mabel, but a lot more detailed as it shifted from the bunker and inside the Gideon-bot. She continued walking when she heard the screams.

"Dipper, help me!" That sounded like Mabel and that she was in a lot of pain. She started run forward as the screams got louder. "Oh God! It hurts!" Wendy.

"Gahh!" Stan.

"Oh no dude!" Soos.

"Dipper, run!" Herself.

She finally found Dipper held in the Gideon-bot's hand as various scenes played out in front of him. Gideon snapping killing Mabel with his amulet or when he crushed her with his robot. Wendy being killed in the haunted convenience store or in the bunker, where he made the wrong choice. Stan devoured by the zombies, Soos eaten by the pterodactyl and they never made up. And finally herself were she takes a hit for Dipper and bleeds out in his arms. All this was flashing in front of him and all their screams melded together in one huge mass of screams.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I should've saved you! I should have been the one to die, not any of you! I'm a worthless, weak, noodle armed boy who doesn't deserve your sacrifices!' He screamed into the sky, voice raw with emotion. "It should've been me…it should've been me…." He sobbed as 3 noticed the Gideon-bot preparing to bring down a gargantuan knife on top of Dipper.

"Dipper, get away! You're gonna get killed!" She screamed running towards him. He whirled at her wide eyed and screamed, "No, stay away! You'll just end up killed because of me!"

"That's not-"

"Yes it is!" He cut her off. "You always, always protect me, but I can never protect you! I couldn't protect you from Robbie or Gideon or the shape shifter! Every time we turn around you're getting injured protecting me and one day, it will do you in, I know it. I hate it; I hate the feeling of helplessness in me that I can't protect the ones I love and that one day I will get them killed!" He screamed at her as the knife got closer.

"Dipper…" 3 whispered, stunned. She had no idea that he felt that way. Now that she thought about it, Dipper's nightmares started to occur after they found out that 3 could die from exsanguination and they got worse whenever she was injured. "I-I had no idea…you…you actually feel that way."

"3…you have to leave me alone." He told her, his hat obstructing his eyes, "If you remain with me, one day you will be killed. It would be better for everyone if I just disappeared…"

SLAP!

Dipper's eyes snapped open when 3 slapped him across the face. "3…?" His eyes widened when he saw tears running down her face. "Are you really that stupid? Do you have any idea how WE feel!? We love you so much Dipper! You are practically the protector of the entire group! Without you everyone would be screwed! Without you, Mabel would've been kidnapped by gnomes or be trapped with Gideon! Wendy would have definitely killed by the ghosts without you saving her or Robbie would have done something unforgivable to her! Soos would probably friendless and lonely! 2 would still be in Gideon's control, helpless to escape! And Stan, Stan he would be without a son figure to prepare for life. As for me…I would still be trapped in the dark until I lost my mind or someone like Gideon found me…"

"3…I-I had no idea…" He said wide eyed.

"You…we love you Dipper, you never asked for us to put ourselves in danger for you, we did that on our own. We willingly put our lives on the line because we know you would do the same for us." She wiped away some tears. "Never, ever say we'd be better off without you again, Dip. Without you, well let's just say Gravity Falls wouldn't be the same."

Dipper looked away and gave her a small smile and the knife that was heading toward him froze and dissolved into dust. The scenes of what might have been also dissolved as the mist cleared. He walked towards the still crying 3 and hugged her. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for being so blind."

"It's okay; just never doubt you or us again." 3 whispered as they left the dreamscape and found themselves on top of Dipper's bed.

"Wow that was a trip." Dipper muttered, holding his forehead.

"You're telling me." 3 agreed. "3! Dipper, are you two alright!?" 2 called over.

"We're fine brother." She glanced at Dipper and smiled, "We're just fine."

"That's a relief, you two were out for a whole hour, what happened in there!?" 2 pressed.

"I was just dealing with some issues with 3's help." Dipper assured the book and turned to 3. "Thanks again, and I'm sorry for not talking to you about what was bothering me. I guess I didn't want to endanger you further."

She smiled and lightly punched him, "Shut up, it's alright. Just know you can talk to me about anything. Besides, you won't get rid of me so easily." He laughed which turned into a yawn. "With this all said and done, I might finally be able to get a decent night sleep." He snuggled under his blanket and closed his eyes. "By the way 3, you really have to tell me why you entered my mindscape when…I…wake…" He began to snore and 3 felt 2 give her a piercing 'stare.'

"You didn't tell him about Cipher?" he asked reproachfully.

3 sighed and lifted her brother from his hiding place. "There wasn't enough time to tell him and look at him, he's finally sleeping. If I told him that Cipher was in his mind, we could kiss that goodbye."

"3, he has a right to know."

"I know that." She said defensively, "But, let's just wait for a while. Until he's better."

"Very well, but I hope you know what you're getting into 3, just know that if you play with fire, both you and him will get burned." 2 warned. 3 thought back to the blank check she'd written Cipher in the dreamscape and thought, I believe I've already have. She glanced at Dipper's sleeping face and decided it will be worth it.

A/N: I would like to thank Channel Jumper for the idea's and all the Reviewers who've, well, review. I may do a Summerween short, but it maybe up after Halloween, depends on how busy I'll be.