Hello to anyone reading this. Due to a lot of similarities to this fic and Not What He Seems, I feel that I should bag this story. This fic was going to utilize the Stan twins theory, and since that became canon (and the manner in which it did was similar to this fic) I feel like the story has lost its edge. BUT I have a rough draft for the first part of chapter 2 for you, and the original outline for the rest of the story. I may come out with something new within the next week or two.
Chapter 2
Dipper tossed from one side of the bed to the other, fluffing and flattening his pillow, desperately wanting sleep. But he couldn't get his mind off the lack of strangeness in the town. He was sure that Stan was behind all of it somehow. Dipper sighed heavily as he rolled over to face the wall. Maybe focusing on the wood grains would help him forget about it and doze off.
…
Dipper's eyes finally started to droop when he heard Mabel get up from her bed and walk to the door, the wooden floor creaking slightly with each step. She yawned as she softly closed the door behind her.
…
The feeling of falling pulled Dipper awake. He shot up in his bed, breathing heavily. It was still dark outside. Frustration rushed over him. He'd already had too many sleepless nights; he didn't need another to give him even darker circles beneath his eyes. He rolled his eyes and let his head fall back onto his pillow, turning towards Mabel's bed, but she wasn't there.
"Mabel?" he whispered.
He sat upright and searched the rest of the bedroom. Dim blue light streamed in from the window to lie on the floor, the rest of the room cast in thick shadow. She still hadn't come back upstairs. Dipper got up and walked to the door. He stepped lightly down the stairs, pausing halfway.
"Mabel?"
No answer. He searched the living room and the kitchen and all of its cupboards, turning on all the lights. Still no Mabel.
Dipper hurried into the store room. He searched behind the tacky display models and underneath the double-headed bear rug and inside storage boxes and behind the register counter. He still couldn't find her. His chest felt cold. He quickly scanned the room from behind the cash register and noticed something odd about the vending machine. It looked misplaced. As if someone had moved it slightly away from the wall. As he approached it, he felt something cold and wet soak his socks. He looked down to find a glass lying on the floor in front of the vending machine, water spilled in all directions. Dipper's tongue suddenly felt very dry. He hesitantly peered around the machine to find a flight of stairs leading down beneath the shack into an inky blackness.
...
REST OF STORY OUTLINE
Dipper discovers the lab beneath the shack, finds Mabel talking to Stan. Mabel explains she went downstairs to get some water when she heard Stan shuffling about in the store. She saw him open the vending machine. As soon as it had closed she followed him. Was trying to understand what Stan was doing with such a big lab underneath the shack. Machine is revving. Stan tries to shoo the twins out of the lab because the machine starts to shake violently. Dipper tries to single-handedly shut it down without knowing what to do because Stan won't. Something goes wrong and Mabel is sucked into the machine/portal. Portal sparks then shuts off, turning all power off in the lab. Reserve power turns on, dim lighting.
Dipper initially blames Stan for losing Mabel, trying to rid himself of the guilt. Looks at the spilled glittery nail polish on Mabel's bed.
20 years pass.
Dipper: 32, joined FBI faction that studies the supernatural (much like Mulder). Uses "Mabel went missing and finding missing people has become my passion" as a cover to his parents. Writes in journals every day, cataloging his paranormal findings. Frequents the Gravity Falls area and purposefully tries to sway higher ups to put him to work in the northwest. Uses his status as an agent, steals protected technology in the hopes that it might help fix the portal. Has run into the monsters of Gravity Falls in other parts of the country (found Multibear in California. Talks about his problems with him? Light comedic part.)
Bill: Is in frequent contact with Dipper. Bill only working with Dipper to find Mabel so he'll stop being summoned so often (but may secretly feel sorry for him?)
"Heeeeyyyyy Dipstick! How's the FBI treatin' ya? Judging by your sullen look I'd say horrible but it can be hard to tell with you humans. Are those wrinkles I see?" Bill swung himself upside down and floated within inches of Dipper's face. "Sheesh kid when was the last time you took care of your face? How long has it been since I've seen you again?"
"Ten years," Dipper said, his jaw tight.
"Wow you suckers age fast don't ya?" Bill backed away and swung himself right-side up again, twirling his cane between his fingers. "So! What did ya call me for?"
"I need your help. Mabel's still missing. I've done everything I can to find her." (something to that extent)
"Look kid, I'm gonna tell ya exactly what I said the last thirty times you summoned me. I can't help you! One of the few things I don't know everything about is that stupid portal. I don't even know where it leads. She might be in the Dreamscape, but even if she is, that place is vast beyond your comprehension. I wouldn't be able to find her amidst all the other junk - I mean - valuables floating around in there. You'd need specific coordinates, coordinates that were entered when your sister fell in. The only way to do that is to turn the thing on again."
"We've tried that."
"And you didn't get it working huh." Dipper looked away from Bill, focusing on the cracks in the brick wall. Bill sighed, pressing his forehead into his hand. "Fine! I'll make a deal with you. I'll help you find Mabel if it'll make you stop whining, and you have to swear you'll stop hunting all supernatural things, including me. Happy?" He held out a hand burning with blue flame. Dipper ran his finger over a callus next to his thumbnail. Hunting the supernatural had been his life since his first visit to Gravity Falls. He wasn't anxious to abandon what he was best at, and he didn't like the idea of Bill doing whatever he pleased. But the thought of seeing Mabel again made the decision easy for him. Dipper clasped hands with the demon, blue flame licking his palm.
"Finally! Oh, yeah I almost forgot; if you wind up hunting some weird thing or whatever after we find your sister I get to destroy your world. Y'know, for insurance. And remember, if that portal does lead to the Dreamscape we only have a small window to do it right. You leave that thing on for too long, the Dreamscape will suck up everything in your universe… probably more. So either way you might be screwed. Summon me when you need me!"
Stan: worked for years to get the portal fixed, but still can't get to the root of the problem. Sees Dipper years later still trying to find Mabel (reminds him of himself), drinks "the strongest most expired apple cider" he can find. The father Soos never had. Reveals that he had a twin brother who got lost in the portal and that's why he was trying to get it to work.
Wendy: Doing her own thing. Very sympathetic towards Stan and Dipper. Doesn't bring up Stan in conversation when talking with Dipper. Went to college, graduated, came back, works the mill like her dad. "It's Gravity Falls man. I can't leave." Helps Stan rebuild the portal.
Soos: Stayed behind, owns his grandma's house. Defends Stan, but understands both sides. Saw (and stayed with) Stan at his worst. Runs The Shack now (Stan too old). More or less the same, with a little Soos flare. Helps Stan rebuild the portal.
Grenda and Candy: Both didn't talk to Dipper or Stan for years after Mabel disappeared. Never told what happened, but knew she went missing under their watch under suspicious circumstances.
Ending:
Bill does some finagling to give the portal the extra spark it needs to start working again. He floats in, bringing an unconscious Mabel back through. She hasn't aged a day. Bill floats back into the vortex.
Mabel: Doesn't realize time has passed. Very confused, stutters. Looks at Dipper scared, doesn't recognize him. Sees Grunkle Stan in the corner, years older. Last thing that happened to her was falling through the portal. No time had passed for her.
Bill comes back out of the portal, bringing another person with him.
"Surprise!" he says as he throws the unconscious person to Stan's feet. Bill phases through the ceiling.
Stanley (Stanford's twin): Same age as he was when he left. Looks around very bewildered. Notices Dippers journals and explains that he was the one who wrote the original three.
Dipper and Mabel stare at the Stan twins. Mabel is more surprised than Dipper. Later recalls a brief moment while she was on the other side of the portal where she felt like another person was with her. Beyond that, she doesn't remember anything.
Give some sort of hint that Stanley will become another Grunkle Stan type (loves the Shack, proud of his brother). Dipper and Mabel sibling relationship as strong as ever. Mabel sticks stickers on Dipper's nose at the kitchen table the night she comes back, and all Dipper can do is laugh.
Final scene: Dipper walks into forest, buries all the journals.
If you've read this far, thank you.