As soon as I run up the steps, I slam the door behind me and sink down against it.

I exhale in relief. It's good to be home.

When I told the twins earlier that my family was heading out on a camping trip, I wasn't lying. The only problem is that I wasn't exactly invited. I really didn't mind at first. After all, there aren't too many times where I get the house all to myself for a whole weekend. And with everything that has happened today, I'll consider this a hidden blessing in disguise.

I kick off Mabel's "borrowed" sandals and run barefoot up the stairs. Thankfully, I was able to hold up in the cheap, rubber shoes before I started blistering. It takes me a few times, but I'm able to leap up and snag the dangling cord that lowers the ladder leading to the attic.

"It's gotta be here somewhere…"

I stumble around, flailing in the dark until my hand finds the light switch. I can tell that the air conditioner was cranked up all the way before the guys left. The floorboards feel as if they are almost frozen. With each step, I feel chills run from my soles all the way to my spine, making me shiver in reflex. I wave away the cobwebs hanging overhead, praying that the mess didn't end up in my hair.

*CLUNK*

"Owie! Owie! Owie!"

I hop up and down on one foot as I cradle my injured big toe in my hand. A collection of swears are seconds away from escaping from my mouth, so I bite my tongue to keep them inside. Despite the pain, I stop myself from moving. My other foot is slipping and the last thing I need is to fall through the attic floorboard and get caught in the insulation.

However, my stubbed digit lets me know that I found exactly what I was looking for. I drop to my knees and shift my weight against the balls of my feet. I wipe away the dust from my finding and take a second to soak in the reminiscence.

When I was little, my mom bought me this huge keepsake chest to protect my various mementos. Fortunately, I happened to hang on to a few sets of clothes as I've grown through the years. I know it may sound silly, but I've always hoped that if I have a little "Wendy" of my own, I can pass them down to her. I like the idea of my kid becoming the possible start of a retro-comeback!

With a little bit of patience, I am able to find a few articles from when I was a lot younger. "Baby tees, worn out jean shorts, ankle socks; they're all here!" In between putting my discoveries to the side, I make sure to take an occasional sniff. After all, I didn't want to go back to the Mystery Shack smelling like mothballs!

I gather everything in my arms and carefully make my way back down the stairs. I blindly turn into my room, using a free foot to open the door. I hurl my old clothes on the bed and stand in front of my mirror, going through each article to find a few matching pairs.

When everything is said and done, I decide on a lime-green cut off, long blue jean shorts (since my dad forbade me from owning Daisy Duke styled-ones), and shin-length bright white socks. I reach behind my bedroom door and sort through a selection of coats and sweaters. I choose a dark green hoodie. This way, I don't have to wear this tacky pink hat anymore to help in concealing my identity.

I tear through the bottom of my closet and find a worn out pair of white sneakers. The way I figure it, whatever Dipper has in mind probably will require a speedy getaway. I can picture myself wearing Mabel's flip flops and tripping over my own feet at the worst possible moment. Despite the larger size, I am able to make the gym shoes fit snuggly by using double knots.

Back downstairs, I take the Pink Pine hat and the sandals and throw them into a spare plastic bag I had lying around. When everything is back to normal, I'll sneak everything back into the Shack; the same goes for the glasses on my face.

I lock the door behind me and head out to join Dipper on his quest. Hopefully, by the end of tonight, my adolescent nightmare will be over with!

After taking a quick shortcut through the woods, I see Dipper waiting for me in front of the family entrance of the Mystery Shack. Feeling a bit mischievous, I decide to play a little prank on my little guy. I sneak around the house and tip-toe right behind him. Dipper looks down at his watch and mutters to himself, "She said she'd be here…" He raises his head and stares up at the blue moon hanging in the night sky.

With a burst of energy, I dash and pounce at him, "BOOGEDY!"

I giggle aloud as Dipper literally jumps into the air in total fright. He lands, his body quivering uncontrollably. As I continue to laugh, Dipper turns around with a hint of rage in his dark, brown eyes. He takes a step forward and literally screams in my face, "DON'T! DO! THAT!"

The chuckles instantly dry up. I'm caught totally off guard. I know I probably deserved it for scaring him. I normally would care less about a blaring twelve-year-old. Tonight, something is different. I'm not sure if it's because I'm younger. Or maybe it's that I'd never expect Dipper to lash out at me like that. I try my best to fight it, but after a few seconds, my eyes become wet with moisture. Tears run down my cheeks almost simultaneously.

Dipper sees this and freezes up. He holds his hands up to his mouth as I hear him groan, "Oh, man! Oh, man! Oh, man!" He gently takes my hands in his. "I – I'm so sor…I mean, don't c – please don't cry, please? I didn't know –" He squeezes tighter as he explains, "I didn't mean to yell at you; I'm just nervous about tonight…"

I look up to see that the fire in his eyes has vanished. A sincere gleam remains in its place.

"I guess *SNIFFLE* I guess you're not the only one who had their pants scared off, huh?"

"Yeah…"

He looks down to see his hands still entwined with mine. He lets go and turns away. I'm not sure if he does this due to guilt or awkwardness.

"Look," Dipper starts again, "I can understand if you want to call the whole thing off. Especially after what just happened…"

The moon shines down on me, reminding me of my true intentions for tonight.

"Are you kidding? You're not getting rid of me that easily!"

A smile replaces Dipper's concerned frown, "I kind of figured as much..."

Part of me cannot wait to get this over with, and yet, the other half is actually curious about Dipper's intent. "So, what's the plan for tonight? Where are we going?"

He signals me to follow him, "We're going to the Gravity Falls Junkyard."

"Yuck! Please don't tell me that you sneak off and play in garbage while everyone's asleep!"

"WHAT?! No! No, I –" Dipper looks at my toothy grin and realizes that he has been had yet again. "Oh…" He laughs in complete discomfort, "You got me, you got me."

My poor, little dork.

I walk with Dipper side by side until we reach a Mystery Cart park alongside the house. He opens the door for me and motions for me to have a seat. I enter and shut the door as he runs around to the other side. He jumps in and turns the ignition. Without even looking in my direction, he reminds me, "Seatbelt."

"Oh!' As soon as I am buckled in, Dipper speeds towards town.

"Actually, we are looking for someone. Every once in a while, I cross paths with this kooky old guy. My great-uncle says that he's totally insane, but to be honest with you, Gwen, I think he's anything but! I've seen him build giant robots and killer machines. Rumor has it that he's working on some sort of special project for that creep, Lil' Gideon."

I instantly recognize that name. That Gideon kid is considered to be a superstar in Gravity Falls, and yet, I hear nothing but horror stories from the Pines family. He constantly tries to take the Mystery Shack away from Stan. He stalks and follows Mabel around. And every time Dipper bumps into him, he always seems to come back with some sort of injury. However, in order for my plan to work, I have to fake ignorance.

"I think I know who you're talking about, Dipper." I decide to get a rise out of my friend while I have the chance to do so scot-free. "He's that adorably chubby boy that's on all of the billboards, right?" I lean my chin on my arm and gaze up at the stars lighting our path. "I heard some people think he's as good as a performer as your uncle…"

"HA!" Dipper scoffs at my words, his eyes never wandering from the road.

"Let me guess," I comment. "You're going to say that he's secretly some sort of maniacal mastermind whose is secretly bent on taking over the world?"

I turn my head to see Dipper looking straight at me. It felt like his stare was burning through my head.

"Alright then; let's change the subject…" I roll my eyes as I attempt to think of a new topic. "So, tell me. What was that earlier about a girlfriend?"

Dipper immediately swerves, making me hang on to the cart for dear life. After a second, he regains control. An embarrassed beam quickly forms, "Sorry about that…"

"So?" I pry further.

He sighs in defeat, "So, she's not really my girlfriend. Just someone…someone who'd I like to call that one day…"

"What's she like?"

It could have been the moon light playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn that his eyes shone like tiny stars.

"She's the greatest…" Dipper boasts. For the first time tonight, his over-serious expression had vanished. "She's smart, funny, gorgeous…" He peeks at me while driving, "She's probably one of the only people in this town who doesn't treat me like a total freak!"

"Well, you guys hang out, right?"

"Oh, totally!" he prided. "It may not be every day, but when we do, we have a total blast!"

"Sounds awesome!" Despite my current situation, I found my spirits lifted seeing my buddy like this. In fact, I couldn't remember the last time I've seen him so positive. I had to dig deeper.

"Does she feel the same way?"

Dipper's face turns rose-colored. He lets out a nervous titter.

Without him saying a word, I can already tell the answer, "That's precious! It's a secret love!" Dipper returns his sight to the road.

"Are you afraid of what she'll say if you tell her the truth?"

I can tell I touched a nerve as he stammers a reply, "I-I-It's a bit more complicated than that…"

This makes me wonder even more. I figured that Dipper was just being too shy for his own good, and needed a good push in the right direction. I cross my arms and continue to quiz, "So there are factors. Big deal! I mean, it's not like she has a boyfriend already, or that you'll never seen each other again after summer is over…"

I look over to see Dipper, still deathly quiet, yet a sense of melancholy had spread over him. I realize that maybe, I have crossed a line.

"Ouch. I'm sorry, Dipper. I didn't mean to –"

He waves it away, "I know. There's no way you could've known. It's just - well, yeah, I would want more. I would do anything to be closer to her, but at the same time, what we have now, isn't too bad either."

I am taken aback by his response. You really don't hear too many twelve year olds give a mature and complex answer like that. Then again, it's things like that that makes Dipper stands out from everyone else, even if I'm the only one who notices.

Shifting gears, I try to remember if I had seen Dipper hanging out with any girls while at the Shack. The only two that comes to mind are Mabel's friends. Maybe Dipper has a crush on the tiny Asian girl. I can totally picture those two being cute dorks together. For some reason, I really can't see Dipper hanging out with the one with a deep voice. He just seems too delicate for someone like that. Then again, I can be wrong; maybe Dipper's into older girls who are twice his size. Suddenly, my thoughts are interrupted as Dipper slams on the brakes.

"We're here…"

I pull myself out of the Mystery Cart and take in my new surrounds. A giant, rusted chain linked fence circles the entire area. Jagged, razor edged barbed wire adorned the top. I walk around to the entrance to find it sealed shut. A heavy duty padlock on the other side on the gate glows in the moonlight. I spin around on my heels, only to bump into Dipper.

"How are we going to get in now?" I ask, kicking a patch of dirt in frustration. "If that lock was on this side, I could try to pick it…"

The bad news doesn't seem to affect him in the slightest. Wearing a smirk, Dipper takes me by the hand and escorts me to the rightmost side of the fence. He drops to his knees and begins to dig in the dirt. Dipper lets out a slight groan as he peels back a small portion of the links.

"Whoa!" I exclaim in wonder. "How did you know…?"

"Reconnaissance work…" he prides. "Do you think that I would walk into something like this without being prepared; especially when I've got company with me?" With that, he stands back up on his feet and holds the fence up, signaling me to go ahead. "Ladies first."

I blush a bit. I don't think I've ever had a guy hold open a door for me, yet alone a chain-linked fence. I quickly slide underneath and hold the passage open so that Dipper can follow. I turn around and it suddenly hits me.

"Pyew!" I cover my nose and mouth as I fight nausea. "It really stinks in here!"

After securing our passage with a metal pipe, Dipper walks to my side and laughs, "Well, yeah, Gwen. What did you expect? We're in a dump, after all."

As I struggle to maintain myself, I look around to see that the inside of the junkyard had a maze-like structure to it. Towers of broken-down cars complimented the numerous piles of trash. Thin foot trails were forged among the garbage-ridded ground.

Dipper taps my shoulder. I face him as he reaches into his blue vest and pulls up something brown. My eyes shoot open as I realize it's the journal! He turns a few pages and turns the book around for me to see. A crudely drawn map was scribbled on the yellowed page.

"So, this is the plan," Dipper elaborates, "From this moment, we have to be extra quiet and aware of our surroundings. He's built the layout like this so that everything important is hidden away from the heaps of waste." He points to a red circle at the top of the page, "This is where I think his laboratory is at. If we are careful, we can get the drop on him and find out what exactly Old Man McGucket is up to!"

The mention of the name makes me freeze up. The image of the harmless hobo is focused on my mind. I remember all of the warnings that my dad used to give me about the old timer, of how I should make sure to stay away from the "freak" at all costs. I thought it was him trying to be overprotective, but after everything Dipper had told me, I'm not sure anymore.

"Gwen? Gwen?"

I blink my eyes to see Dipper waving his hand in front of my face. "Are you alright? If you want, it's not too late to back out…"

I shake my head to regain full clarity, "I'm fine, Dipper. It's just that the name sounded familiar…" My eyes focus on the rugged book in my friend's arms. I have to get it away from him, just long enough to find that lens again.

"Say, what's that?"

"Huh?"

"The book." I point at the journal. "What's that all about? Do you keep your video game passwords in there or something?"

"This?" Dipper holds up the old relic. "Actually, it's an archive of all the crazy stuff that I find in this town."

"Neat! Can I take a peek?"

I can instantly see the hesitation in his face, "Umm…maybe this isn't the right time…" However, he seems to notice my disappointment. "Tell you what: let's get through this, and I promise, I'll let you have a quick look."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Besides, you can't get into too much trouble if I'm right there besides you…"

I let out a relieved sigh. I should have figured that he wouldn't just toss the book into my arms. After all, he doesn't let anyone mess with that thing. Then again, it must mean that I'm making some headway as my alter-ego trust-wise.

Dipper tucks the tome away, "Let's get going." I follow at a safe distance as I hear the clutter crunch beneath our sneakers. We travel between the various roads, using the masses of debris as camouflage. I watch with admiration as Dipper cautiously makes his way bit by bit through the labyrinth. With each step, he turns around and motions for me to follow. I'll have to remember this natural talent of his the next time I go sneaking around; it'll definitely come in handy.

After a few minutes, we arrive at a run-down shed. It looks in even worse condition than the Mystery Shack!

"Is that it?" I ask my overly-serious companion.

"Yep…" Once more, he grasps my hand as he tip-toes towards the entrance. As we are seconds away from our goal, Dipper twists around and whispers, "Okay, Gwen. We have to keep an eye out for booby-traps. Remember, he's crazy, but crafty. Look for anything that seems suspicious."

"Like what?"

Suddenly, Dipper trips over something, dragging me down with him. We are blinded by bright lights. I cover my eyes to see that a series of industrial bulbs hang overhead. Section by section, more lights appear, quickly illuminating the entire junkyard. A series of alarms activate, blaring to an almost deafening tone.

I help Dipper up to see that he had accidentally set off a sort of wire trap. He looks up with humiliation, "Like that…"

In between the ringing of the alarms, we can make out a terrifying sound. I can hear barking and howling coming closer and closer.

Dipper and I look at each other and scream: "DOGS!"

I start to worry, "We have to get –"

Before I can finish, Dipper takes my hand and rushes us back towards the entrance. As odd as it sounds, it feels weird. Usually, I have to play ring-leader when it comes to my circle of friends, meaning that I'm the one who helps them get out of trouble. Yet, before I can even finish my sentence, Dipper already has an escape plan ready, including me in tow! Then again, I guess that Dipper always has to watch out for Mabel whenever they get into trouble together. Still, the role change feels off to me.

Dipper pulls me towards a right path, only to stop in his tracks. The barking grows louder.

"This way!" he shouts as we hurry back towards the left. A series of growls make us change direction yet again. "We're surrounded!"

I look ahead to see a mountain of garbage right in front of us. "CLIMB!"

Dipper and I launch onto the heap and claw our way to the top. The way I figure, there's no way those mutts could reach us up here. I was proud of my idea, until Dipper brought up a valid point.

"How do we get down?"

I bend down to see over the horizon. I try to plot our next course of action, "Well, we can probably slide down…"

Dipper shoots over my shoulder and points downwards, "There!"

I see a soiled mattress with holes spread all about. He continues to shout in my ear, "We can safely jump down and make a break towards the exit!" Dipper holds my hand firmly and nods at me. I smile back with confidence and tighten my grip.

"On three; 1…2...3!"

Embracing each other, we leap from the hill and downwards into the mattress. I'm not sure if it's due to its age or our combined weight, but we break through the top. My legs are tingling from the landing. I can see Dipper huffing and puffing from the adrenaline rush.

"Are you all right?"

He shakes his head up and down as he coughs up an answer, "N-N-Never better!" His eyes turn away from me and towards our goal. "Look! We're almost home free!"

I go to run towards the exit, but something is holding me back. I lift my right leg, only to have it yanked back down. The same goes for my left. Confused, I look down and gasp at the sight before me.

When I landed on the mattress, my sneakers literally went through the covering, becoming entangled in the vast number of springs hidden beneath. The metal wiring now held my ankles hostage. With every pull, I can feel them scrape painfully against my skin.

"Dipper…" I pump my legs in a futile attempt towards freedom. "My feet…" I cry out as the coils seemingly pinch me harder. "They're stuck! I'm trapped!"

I glance to my left to see that Dipper was in the exact same peril as I was. I watch as he tries with all of his might to jump out of the metallic danger, grunting with each attempt. After a minute or so, Dipper relented, panting in exhaustion.

"Same…*WHEEZE* Same here…"

The alarms stop and the air is filled with a static-y sound. I look up to see some sort of radio transmitter attached to the lights shining down on us. Was it some sort of intercom? The night atmosphere is replaced with a wicked cackle:

"Hehe! It sounds like someone sprung my spring trap! Don't ya worry now. I'll be down there in a sec to greet you myself. See you soon!"

Dipper and I share a worried expression. We get back to work trying to pull our feet from the mattress that held us captive. No matter what, I find myself in the exact same position as before.

"Dipper, what are we going to do?! He's going to be here any minute!"

I'm not sure what made me feel more vulnerable: that I was caught like this or the fact that I was a little kid again. I mean, if I was still big, I know I could go toe-to-toe with almost anyone, regardless if I couldn't move my feet or not. After all, I'm a big sister with three little brothers; I have been in worse situations than this. But, in reality, I'm now Dipper's size, meaning that I lose my advantage. My imagination starts to run away with me, thanks to Dipper's haunting warnings. I can picture myself being strapped hand and foot to an examination table as McGucket prepares to use me as a form of guinea pig in some twisted experiment.

Dipper calls out to me, "I have an idea, but we have to work together. Can you reach me from here?"

"I think so. Why?"

He lifts a sneaker slightly to demonstrate, "If you can push the springs down as I raise my foot up, I'm sure I can wiggle out. Once I'm free, I'll help you get out…"

There is a slight pause. I know I should say "Yes!" instantly; it's just I'm not used to this response. When things go sour with my friends, it becomes a case of every man (or woman in my case) for themselves, and whoever's the slowest getting away is usually the one that ends up paying the price.

I take a gulp and prepare myself. I remember that luckily, Dipper is nothing like my other friends.

I stretch out and lean as far as my springy restraints allow me to. After a few tries, I am able to reach the set of springs that wrapped themselves around his left ankle. Using both hands, I push down on the spirals, making Dipper winch in pain.

"Sorry! I didn't mean –"

"Don't worry about me!" Dipper instructed. "Keep going!"

I press down further as Dipper pulls up on his leg. A second later, I hear a springing *POP* sound. His foot is now free! Instead of being excited, he retains his serious overtone, "Okay, now the other one!"

I lean to the other side and aid in helping Dipper free his other foot. Moments later, I could hear a second *POP* sound. Now freed, I watch as Dipper hops off the trap and begins to run off.

"Wait a sec! You said – DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS! PLEASE!"

A sense of fluttered shame overtakes me as I realize that the little dork was simply running around to the other side of the mattress. Again, I have to chalk my actions up to old habit dying hard. I find myself unable to look the noble boy in the eyes.

"I –"

Dipper offers a sweet, patient smile and places his hand on my shoulder, "I know. You're just scared. It's okay, Gwen. Like I said before, I'm not leaving without you, okay?" I watch as he takes a knee and shoves his hands into the mattress. All of a sudden, I feel a lot of pressure being removed from my left ankle.

"Pull, Gwen! PULL!"

I lift my foot as high as I can. With every stretch, I can feel myself being able to move more freely.

*POP*

I place my freed leg off the mattress, making sure I don't accidentally become ensnared again.

"And now the other…"

I feel Dipper's tiny hands caress against my ankle skin as he tries to break me loose. The remaining coils scratch in a final attempt to keep me still. I use my other foot to gain a better balance.

*POP*

I leap from the mattress and turn to face Dipper, "WE DID IT! I CAN'T BELIEVE –"His face is frozen in fear, his mouth shaped in an "O."

"What? What is it?"

Suddenly, my vision is obstructed. A giant net has been thrown over my head. It reaches all the way down to my waist. I turn slightly to find myself face-to-face with Old Man McGucket. His wily eyes are focused solely on me.

"Well, hello there!" he greets me in a creepy tone. "Why, I think you'll do just nicely!"

"DIPPER!"

With my limited vision, I see Dipper pull a worn tire from the garbage pile next to him. He jumps up and throws it over McGucket's head. With his arms pined, he drops the wooden stick that holds the net that binds me. Dipper pushes the elder down, and we watch as he rolls around the ground.

"C'mon, Gwen!" Dipper yells as he removes the net. "We have to get outta here! NOW!"

With that, he seizes my hand and races back to the opening in the fence.

"You go first! Hurry!"

I drop down and crawl through the gap. I turn around to see Dipper reaching for the pipe in order to reseal our exit. Unfortunately, he doesn't see McGucket racing towards him with open arms.

"Now I've gotcha!"

I scream aloud again, "DIPPER!" Without thinking, I spin around and snag Dipper by the back of his blue vest. With one, strong thrust, I pull backwards and we both go flying, landing a twisted pile of each other. As I moan in dizziness, I watch as the foolish senior runs straight into the closed passage. He gets back up and screeches at both of us:

"You can run, but I'll find you in your nightmares!"

For some reason, Dipper's sights are dead-locked on the muttering old fool. I stand up and try to pull him away from the scene, "Dipper, let's go home. Okay?" He takes one last look, and then walks with me back to the Mystery Cart.

Completely exhausted, we sit down inside, and lean back against the cushioned seats. My shallow breathing goes in rhythm with his. After a moment of rest, Dipper breaks the silence:

"Are you alright, Gwen?"

Still breathless, I glance at him and nod in response. He looks straight ahead. I can tell that something heavy weighs on his mind.

"I'm sorry…"

Finally able to talk, I answer, "What do you have to be sorry for?"

His brow lowers as he starts the cart, "Are you serious? I almost got you kidnapped and possibly killed by a deranged old man!"

I shrug my shoulders, "And?"

Dipper laughs to himself and shakes his head in disbelief. There is a brief quiet between us. I watch as he takes a hand from the wheel and reach into his pocket. I nearly jump as a heavy object is tossed on my jeaned lap. My eyes struggle to adjust until the image becomes clear. I have to hide my glee as I recognize it.

Dipper has given me his journal! I turn towards him, my eyes were like saucers. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees my reaction, "Hey, I promised, remember?"

Like an overexcited child on Christmas morning, I seize the tome and start flipping through the pages in desperation of finding my monocle-shaped bookmark.

"Just be careful, Gwen…" Dipper warns. "Try not to get us turned into werewolves or anything like that, okay?"

I offer an encouraging giggle as I continue to explore the book. At long last, I turn the page and I can see the gold and green glow flashing back at me. I quickly cup the lens in the palm of my hand. The sight of Dipper vigilantly navigating a safe passage home makes me somewhat hesitant. How am I going to explain when "Gwen" disappears and plain ol' Wendy pops up in her place? Even worse, will he look at me in a whole, new light? Will Dipper think that I betrayed his trust because I was too embarrassed to tell him what really happened to me?

I stare back and forth between the monocle and my little buddy. I take a deep breath and make my decision. I hold the lens up to the sky and close my eyes.

"Please forgive me, Dipper…"

My eyes open. I look down at myself, expecting to see that everything is back to normal. I have to stop myself from screaming aloud. I am still trapped in the body of a twelve year old. A small whimper escapes from my lips.

Dipper notices my outcry, "What?! What is it?! Did something happen?!"

"No…nothing happened at all…" If only he knew. I ask myself, "What happened? Why didn't it work?" I raise my head to the night sky, only to see that it has mysteriously vanished. Only complete and utter darkness remains.

"Hey," I ask Dipper in an innocent tone, "What happened to the moon and all of the stars?"

He takes a quick gaze up to the sky and returns his eyes to the path before us, "Oh, that. It's just overcast…"

"But, when we were in the junkyard, I could see them…"

"Yeah, but that was earlier. Sometimes, these things can last all night."

"Great!" I utter to myself. The monocle is carefully dropped back into the book as I close it back up. It's too risky for me to try to pocket the ornament; Dipper is too close by not to notice. I place it besides me on the cushion. "I'll have to check it out later. I can't see a thing with it being so dark out."

Without looking, Dipper collects the journal and shoves it back into his vest, "Consider it done…"

Defeated, I can do nothing else but relax and enjoy the ride home. I can't tell what has exhausted me more: escaping from McGucket's trap with Dipper, or being denied a cure yet again. That's when it hits me. Within seconds, I come up with another idea that will give me another chance at the book; something definitely less dangerous that what I experienced with him tonight.

"Listen, I know this might sound cheesy, but I really liked hanging out with you tonight."

"Really?" I can hear the sincerity in Dipper's voice. "You didn't think it was too weird or anything like that?"

"Not really. In fact, I was going to ask if you wanted to hang out again tomorrow afternoon. That is, under one condition…"

"And what's that, Gwen?"

"Can we do something that has like, zero chance of us being in some sort of danger?"

For some reason, it takes Dipper a second or two to comprehend my request, "Huh? Oh! Oh, okay, then! Sounds great!"

As he pulls up to the Mystery Shack, I find myself feeling odd. When I originally offered to go with Dipper on this trip, part of me felt extremely guilty for telling fib after fib in order to get closer to that darned book. Somehow, it's different now; I'm not weighed down by my words. I think I actually meant everything I said to Dipper. The excitement of sneaking around and the thrill of the chase linger in the back of my mind. A burning sensation is lodged in my gut as I thought about how Dipper risked everything to rescue me time and time again; it reminds me of how he stood up to the ghosts when we were trapped at the Dusk2Dawn.

Dipper comes over and opens my door for me. Seeing my spaced-out expression, he calls out to me, "Gwen, are you sure you're going to be alright?"

"What?" My attention rises to the boy standing before me, "Oh, sorry about that, Dipper. I'm just…thinking a few things over…" I hop to my feet and we walk together to the entrance of the Shack.

"Well," Dipper said, rocking back and forth on his heels, "This is my stop…"

"Yep…" Why am I all flustered talking to Dipper right now? I talk to the kid all the time, but this is the first instance where I feel like…this.

"Are you sure you didn't want me to drop you off at home?" Dipper asks with an uneasy pitch in his voice, "It's not a big deal."

I try to reassure my worried friend, "I'm okay. To be honest, I need the walk to burn off all this excess energy. I'm still all riled up from before. Besides, I'm sure that my dad'll freak out if I get dropped off by a golf cart in the middle of the night."

"Hmm…" he places his hand against his chin. "Good point…"

"Well, until tomorrow?"

Dipper holds out his hand to me, "Until then…"

I go to shake his hand, but something comes over me; something that I can't exactly explain. I grip Dipper's hand, but I yank him forward and firmly embrace him. I whisper gently in his ear, "Thanks for everything tonight…"

The hug is released and I pull back, revealed a tomato-red colored Dipper. He doesn't know how to react to my goodbye.

"Umm…well…wow, uh, yeah….thanks for…that. I'll see you! Bye!"

The door is closed; I can hear Dipper applying the numerous locks from behind. I race off into the distance towards my house. I reflect on the last few minutes as I run faster and faster. More specifically, I find myself unable to figure out why I got all close and personal with Dipper a few moments ago. I look at the black-covered sky, as I ask myself, "What was that all about?"