I enter my completely darken house in the center of the woods. My fingers fumble around as I search for the lamp switch. While my eyes adjust to the brightness, I slip off my sneakers. After all of the running Dipper and I did this evening, my feet definitely need a break. Plus, the last thing I need to track remnants of that filthy dump all over the floor; chances are that I would the one that would have to clean the mess.

The couch lets out a creaking sound as I plop onto it. I have to adjust myself to become comfy; after all, this ordeal shorten me by at least a good foot and a half. I fling a rest pillow under my neck and raise my stocking feet up on the armrest. My tension is finally relieving. I remove the prop eyeglasses and set them on the table besides me. I close my eyes and finally, my breathing returns to normal.

In my self-imposed darkness, all is silent, except for a constant, somewhat annoying sound:

*CLICK, CLICK, CLICK…*

My eyes open to see that it is simply the clock affixed to the wall. It reminds me of the one Stan has back at the Mystery Shack. Ours is just in way better condition.

The clicking offers another meaning to me: that tick after tick, my time was running out. After tonight, I only had one more night before Dad and the boys come back home. I couldn't keep Dipper and everyone else in the dark much longer. Plus, I think about what just happened in front of the Shack. Was I reverting back to a boy-crazy twelve-year-old on the inside as well? Or was it something else?

I have to shut my eyes again; everything's making me dizzy. It feels like I have to juggle a hundred balls at once, and I just can't keep up!

Exhausted, I reach towards the top of the couch and throw the comforter around myself. Giggles escape from my lungs as look downwards. Normally, I'm way too tall for the red-flannel blanket; it usually leaves my feet exposed. Instead, I can wrap my new, smaller self inside at least three whole times. I reach over to turn off the light and snuggle up like a tiny, redheaded burrito.

Hopefully, everything will come together by tomorrow.

It has to…

A beam of sunlight eases across the room and caresses my freckled face. After a few minutes of fighting it, I have no choice but to give in. I sit up and stretch my arms out, letting out a loud, drawn-out *YAWN!*

I lower my legs to the ground, when suddenly, a revolting aroma invades my nose. I jump up and look around for the source. I hope that the boys didn't let leave a stash of old food hidden somewhere in the front room. A horrifying thought enters my mind. I lift an underarm and take a long sniff.

I realize there and then, it was probably not the best idea to go playing in garbage with Dipper and go straight to bed without cleaning myself off.

Dipper will be expecting me soon. I look at the clock to see that it just turned noon. I have to hurry!

I rush into the bathroom, lock the door, and remove my soiled clothes. I hop into the bathbub and take a lightning-quick shower. Wrapping a towel around myself, I hurry to up to my room and quickly select another matching outfit from the clothes I brought down from the attic yesterday. I pick out a black tanktop, camouflaged cargo shorts, and dark ankle socks.

To make sure nothing goes wrong tonight, I snatch my cell phone from my dresser drawer. Usually, I carry it around with me, but then again, I don't want people asking why "Gwen" has "Wendy's" phone. I look up what the weather has in store for me today:

"Sunny day and afternoon. Chance of showers in later afternoon, but starry skies later in the evening…"

"Perfect!" I think to myself as I close my flip-phone. The last thing I need is any more surprises.

I hurry down the stairs and pick up my blanket from the floor. I take that and my trash-covered clothes from the bathroom, and quickly shove them into the washer to be cleaned. The way I see it, the less evidence showing what I did to myself, the better. I jump into my sneakers, put on my fake glasses, lock the front door, and make my way back to the Mystery Shack.

After taking a series of shortcuts, I arrive at the Pines' in record time. If only I was that ambitious about coming to work this fast! I knock on the door, only to have Mabel open it.

"Hi, Gwen!"

"Hey there, um…Mabel, right?"

"Yep!" She steps aside and welcomes me inside, "Dipper will be down in a second. He's getting ready from your guys' date!"

"Date, eh?" Her words catch me off-guard. "Was this how he said it?"

"Nope! I'm just calling it as I see it!" I follow her inside of the Gift Shop. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Stan standing at the register with a big frown splattered around his face. I place my hand over my face in an effort to conceal my identity. After all, he is the only one in the family who actually knows what a twelve-year-old Wendy Corduroy looks like.

"Hey, Grunkle Stan! This is Dipper's friend, Gwen! Say hi, Gwen! Say hi to my Grunkle Stan!"

Caught in the act, I turn around sheepishly and offer a small wave, "Meet to meet you, sir…"

The old man's narrow eyes lock solely on me. He rubs his fingers against the stubble on his chin, "Hmm…" Stan stands up straight, "You look…familiar to me. Have we met?"

I shake my head repeatedly, "No, sir. My father's here in Gravity Falls on business for only a few days. I was hitting up all the tourist attractions, and that's when I met the twins…" I hold my breath as I pray that he accepts my alibi.

Mabel adds a little bit more detail, "Yeah, she's been hanging around with Dipper!"

Stan's eyes widen, "YOU'VE been out and about with DIPPER?!" The old fogey comes out from behind the register and drops to his knees right in front of me. I nearly hop backwards as he puts a hand on each of my shoulders, "You poor, sweet kid! You must have the patience of a saint!"

"Grunkle Stan!"

"Hush, Mabel!" He turns back toward me, "It's a miracle that the girl isn't blabbing about ghouls and ghosts like he does. That's why the only person who's crazy enough to spend any time with the boy is Wen –"

Mabel swiftly elbows her great-uncle, preventing him from finishing his sentence. After seeing one of her nasty looks, Stan chuckles and changes his tune.

"Oh, I mean, bless your heart for keeping the boy company…"

My eyes shift direction as the living room door swings open. Dipper comes out carrying a giant knapsack. I figure it's filled to the brim with all types of exploring gear. "Oh, Gwen! I didn't know you were already here…"

"No worries! I just got here; Mabel and your great-uncle have been keeping me comp –"

Before I can finish, he walks up to me and gives me a sweet, yet incredibly awkward hug. After a few seconds, he lets me go, leaving us both apple-cheeked.

"Aww!" Mabel admires from a distance. Stan crosses his arms and rolls his eyes at the sight.

"Well…" I stumble in trying to find the right words. It didn't feel weird, or even wrong; it's just I wasn't expecting it. Is this how I made him feel last night? "…I'm ready whenever you are…"

Dipper extends his arms outwards, as if to lead the way, "After you…"

We walk side by side towards the exit, "Bye," I wave to everyone, "Nice meeting you all!"

I close the door and follow Dipper to the path leading in the Gravity Falls Woods, "They seem nice…"

Dipper's answer surprises me, "They can when they wanna be…" He looks me straight in my emerald eyes, "They didn't say anything weird to you, did they?"

Stan's words seem to stick with me: "…the only person who's crazy enough to spend any time with the boy is Wendy…" Was he right? I know my buddy does go off on his own a lot. Heck, I always used to wonder what Dipper did out there (at least, until last night). I remember the night of the dance at the Mystery Shack. I had shown Dipper that super-humiliating picture of me, and how after a bit of egging on, he revealed what was possibly his greatest secret: his Big Dipper-shaped birthmark. And at that moment, as we shared a half-full cup of Diet Pitt Cola, we came to a conclusion about one another; that together, we were both freaks…

I look up to see Dipper's shining brown eyes waiting for my reply. I decide to spare his feelings. "Not really. They were as "weird" as any other family would be…"

"Huh…I know it sounds funny, but sometimes, they poke fun at me for all of the stuff I do with the supernatural…"

"Like what happened last night?"

"Yeah! Perfect example right there! It just seems like what I say gets tossed aside just because I'm a kid…" He looks across to me, "On second thought, forget I mentioned it…"

Although I'm a few years older than Dipper, he reminds me that the world usually ignores the word of a twelve year old, even if they're the most serious and down-to-earth person they'd ever met. Besides, if this was going to be his last day with "Gwen," then I was going to make the most of it. "So, Dipper, what crazy adventure do you have planned for us today?"

"Well, you're going to have to wait and see, aren't you?"

"Oh, neat! A surprise!"

"You got it! Just one question though…"

"Shoot."

"Are you any good at climbing trees?"

A sly smile spreads across my dimpled face, "You could say that…"

A few minutes later, Dipper leads me through the forest to the biggest redwood I've ever seen. He points skywards toward the top.

"Up there?" I ask. "The big surprise is all the way up there?"

Dipper crossed his arms and prided, "At the very top…"

He turns away from me and silently laughs, "I know it seems pretty tough, but if you want, I can help you up –" Dipper spins around to find that I have vanished from sight.

"Gwen?! Where'd you go?!"

I call to him, "Hey, up here!"

He looks up instantly. A startled look forms on his face when he discovers that I am already halfway up the tree, "Hurry up, slowpoke! You're not supposed to keep a lady waiting!"

Dipper scoffs at me, "There's a lady up there?! Where?!"

"You little…" I reach out and snag a pinecone from a branch. I hurl it playfully at my friend on the ground. Dipper leaps back at the last second. "PFFT!" I stick out my tongue to further tease him.

Dipper dashes towards the tree trunk and starts ascending up the branches. As I continue upwards, I occasionally check on his progress to make sure he can keep up. After a few minutes, I finally reach the top of the tree. I lift myself upward on to a series of nearby branches. Surprising enough, I find out that they are more than sturdy enough to support Dipper and me. I lift my legs up and rest them on the nearest branch. I peek over to see Dipper's progress,

"Where are you at now, slugger?" He is slowly proceeding towards me. His face is beet-red. Huge amounts of sweat are beading down his brow.

"I'm almost…" he puffs. "…almost there!" I see the rucksack on his backside and figure that it was probably weighing him down. As soon as he gets within my reach, I lean down and grab Dipper with both hands, pulling him to the top beside me.

"*COUGH COUGH* T-T-Thanks…"

"Don't mention it." I give Dipper a minute or two to gather his bearings. As soon as he catches his breath, I quiz him once more, "So, where's this surprise? Gimme! Gimme!"

He sat up and used both arms to highlight the horizon, "This is the surprise!" He sets his knapsack to his side and opens the zipper. He pulls out sandwiches, several bags of potato chips, and a six pack of Pitt Cola.

I stare at him in shock as he explains himself, "You said that you wanted to do something today that didn't involve any sort of danger, so I thought we could have a nice, simple picnic. This way, we can sit here and enjoy nature as it surrounds us…or something like that…"

I force myself to turn away. My eyes are tearing up. Who'da thunk it that my little guy had a tender, romantic side to him? Or more so, that he'd decide to share it with me? Except that it's not really me with him; it's "Gwen…" I bite my lip in an effort to get my emotions under control.

Unfortunately, Dipper seems to notice something's up. He lowers his head and asks in a straight-forward matter, "This was a stupid plan, wasn't it?"

My hand immediately reaches for his, "Absolutely not! It's just that I…I wasn't totally expecting something like this!

His face lights up, "Really?"

"Yeah, man! I totally thought we were going monster hunting or something like that!"

Dipper lifts the open backpack and extends it out to me, "I aim to please…"

I swoop a sandwich, bag of chips, and an (amazingly) ice-cold soda. Dipper and I eat silently as we enjoy the wonders of nature. A gentle, warm breeze caresses our faces. Birds fly in and out of the neighboring trees as they chirp happily amongst themselves. The strong smell of foliage surrounds us completely.

With a mouth full of food, I tenderly rib my pal, "So, is this where you usually take your secret girlfriend, or I am the first to see this?"

Dipper chokes on his sandwich. After clearing his throat, he responds, "Actually, you are the only girl I've ever brought up here." He looks downward, "To be honest, I have thought about bringing her, but she already has her own secret hideout, so I figured this can be ours.

I beam at the idea of Dipper and me sharing two hideaways together. Too bad he doesn't realize it…

After we finish eating, Dipper asks me, "So, was there anything else that you wanted to do today?" I shrug my shoulders and lean back slightly. I spot something interesting out of the corner of my eye. I can spot the reflection of the sun shining off a crystal-clear pond just below us.

"Say, Dipper…"

"Hm?"

"Do you see that pond beneath us?"

He peers over just enough to see, "Yep…"

"How deep do you suppose it is?"

His eyes narrow as he tries to give an estimate, "If I was to guess…I'd say about twelve to fourteen feet deep. Why do you ask?" By the time he looks back at me, I have already removed my shoes and socks. Dipper laughs at the sight of me barefooted, "Why did you –"He stops as he guesses my intentions, "Wait a second, Gwen. You're not thinking about…"

After I set my glasses down, I stand up and balance myself towards the edge, "And if I am?"

Dipper tries to get up, but stops midway. Maybe he was worried that he'd make me lose my balance, "But, we're up too high! Besides, we just ate! Aren't we supposed to wait 45 minutes before we can swim?"

I adjust my footing as I teeter on the branch, "I'm still going, Dipper."

"What do you expect me to do then?"

I turn around and grin, "I expect to see you at the bottom with me!" With that, I pinch my nose and jump off the tree. As I speed towards the water, my adrenaline races. I lose my breath. I hit the pool feet first with a loud *SMACK* It stings for a split second. Beneath the deep, I kick upwards and take a huge gulp of oxygen after breaking through the surface.

"Come on down, Dipper!" I egg on my nerve-wrecked friend. "The water's great!" The only reply I receive is absolute silence. Guilt is slowly creeping through my form. "Dipper?"

Abruptly, I hear a screeching sound coming from above me. I raise my head to see nothing. The noise is making its way behind me. It shortly becomes more apparent:

"AAAAAHHHHH!"

I turn around to experience the aftermath of the biggest cannonball that I've seen. A giant wave splashes me right in the face. Dipper makes his way to the top, sans his cap, vest, and footwear, coughing and struggling for air. After he regains his composure, I shoot him a nasty look for totally drenching me.

"What?"

I answer by returning a swift splash right at him. He coughs again, only to motion a wave back at me. Within seconds, a splashing war erupts between us. The huge display of flying water separates us. A few moments later, my arms tire out. I look around to see that Dipper has vanished.

"Huh? Where'd he go now?"

From under the water, I feel something wrap around my ankles. A sense of panic starts to rise within me. I look down, and still, I'm unable to find out what has me in its grip. Am I being attacked by some sort of underwater snake? Or did I get entangled in seaweed?

My body shifts as something rises to the surface. Dipper has his arm clutched around my shins. A playful look creeps over his face. With his free hand, he scraps his tiny fingers against the soles of my feet. I heave back in ticklish agony and bite my lip in hopes of stifling my laughter.

My feeble resistance only encourages Dipper further, "It's not so funny anymore, is it?"

With a burst of energy, I kick free and lunge towards my tormentor. I raise my hand and push down on Dipper's head, sending him straight towards the bottom of the pond. He swims back up, and shoots a spray of water through his teeth at me. I dodge out of the way in the nick of time, "Missed me!"

Our laughter surrounds the calm wilderness as we play and wrestle with one another for what seems like hours. When we start to get prune-y, Dipper and I climb out and rest for a few minutes on the bank. We lie in tandem as we catch our breath.

Dipper turns on his side to face me, "That – That was incredible!"

"I know, right?!"

Dipper's eyes shift to the sky; more specifically, to the tree where we had our picnic. "Y'know, we left our stuff up there…"

I already know what he's going to say. I put my index finger on my nose and he returns his attention to me, "Someone should climb up there and…" He looks at me surprised.

"Not it!"

Defeated, Dipper lets out a groan and mumbles to himself as he makes his way back up the tree to get our belongings.

A few minutes later, Dipper comes back down with our supplies. I throw on my glasses and footwear as Dipper does the same. Once finished, we find ourselves lost in each other's eyes, making us blush uncontrollably.

"Thank you for everything, Dipper…" I break the silence. "I had a lot of fun today…"

He turns another shade of red, "I'm glad to hear that..."

All of a sudden, a drop of water hits me between the eyes. I wipe it away, dismissing it a leftover from my swim. Then, I feel another. And another. Dipper and I look to the sky to see a downpour of rain stemming down upon us. I remember the weather report from earlier; this must be the chance shower it warned around.

"Well," Dipper bemoaned. "I guess the rest of the day is rained out, huh? Do you want to hang out at the Shack?"

A wild, new ambition comes over me, "Who says we have to do that?"

Dipper raises an eyebrow, "What?"

"Come on, man! Don't let a little rain stop ya!" With that, I give Dipper a spontaneous push, "C'mon, Dipper! Catch me if you can!" With that, I dart into the woods, leaving my stunned friend wondering about my actions.

"Gwen! Wait!"

As I ran between the trees, I come to a realization: I hadn't thought of the book or my "condition" while I was with Dipper this whole time. I peer over my shoulder to see Dipper struggling to keep up with me. Despite being out of breath, he displays a huge toothy grin as he laughs while continuing the chase. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun. That's when it hit me: it isn't just about cheering Dipper up; I like the way this feels, too!

I recall my own experiences when I was twelve, and compare it to that of Dipper's, only to find that they were eerily too similar: the loneliness, the social awkwardness, the feeling of being ignored by the rest of the world. As the rain blankets me, I start to doubt this whole occurrence. Maybe this was meant to happen; perhaps by giving Dipper the attention he needs, I am getting a sort of second chance myself. I would probably never say it aloud (after all, I don't want to jinx myself), but part of me didn't want to go back to normal; part of me wanted to stay like this with Dipper as long as I could.

I purposely sprint forward, leaving Dipper in the dust. As soon as he's out of sight, I decide to take a shortcut through the clearing in the center of the woods. The sight yards ahead make me grind to a halt. Thanks to the rain, the clearing is now completely flooded, turning it into a giant puddle. Still feeling mischievous, I run right into it. I can feel the mud starting to bog me down as I make my way through.

The rain seems to fall faster and harder as I slosh towards the center of the field. I can no longer hear anything else besides the ricocheting of the raindrops. I rotate in place as I scan the area for any sign of Dipper. I have no intention of having him end our game of tag this early.

*PLOP*

I go to turn, only to discover I am fastened to the spot. Something has my left foot. I try to use my other leg to pry myself free from whatever is holding me down. After a few attempts, I hear a sound that makes my heart stop.

*PLOP*

There is a sucking feeling at my right foot. Before I can react, it is already too late. It becomes trapped as well. I wiggle around, trying to kick my sneakers loose, but they are held fast. As I try to figure out what just happened, I can feel the rainfall increase significantly. As the water splashes on the dirt that encases me, I slap myself in the forehead, seeing that I did this to myself.

Inadvertently, I had gotten both feet stuck in the mud.

I reach down through the muck and try to dig my ankles out. The constant rain only increases the pressure of the muck. It feels like I'm wearing heavy weights on my legs. I attempt to hop my way out, only to find that the forces of nature refuse to release me from its grip so easily.

The more I struggle in vain, the more my heart races. The same feeling of claustrophobia I had while in McGucket's trap is returning. I raise my head to the sky. The once-refreshing feeling the rain provided during the summer day is now a bitter frost. I wrap my arms around myself as I begin to shiver.

I want to call out to Dipper, but I doubt he'd hear me over the sound of the showers. With my luck, he's probably on the other side of the woods looking for me. I close my eyes and rub my shoulders for warmth as I attempt to come up with another form of escape.

"Need a hand?"

I open my eyes to see Dipper standing at the entrance of the clearing with a smug look and crossed arms. A sense of relief overcomes me, and yet, I find myself amazed. It was like he could read my thoughts. How else could he have known that I needed his help? I lower my head and sheepishly nod at his offer.

Dipper tip-toes into the slime holding me prisoner and reaches out in my direction, "Give me your hands! I'll pull you outta there!"

I stretch out as much as the goop will allow me to. When I come into distance, Dipper grips on to my hands and pulls as hard as he can. I barely move a single inch. An intense pressure pinches my shins, making me cry out in anguish. This surprises Dipper, who instantly lets me go, and falls down on his backside.

"I-I'm so sorry!" he springs up. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" I reassure him. I pull on my trapped feet to demonstrate. "I just think that this stuff really doesn't wanna let me go…"

"Well, who would?"

I smile at Dipper's wisecrack, despite having my body quiver from the cold. Not to be defeated (or let me down, or maybe both), he gets up and walks around the giant puddle. Dipper examines my situation from every angle. After a few moments of deliberation, he simply shrugs his shoulders, "I guess I'll have to get you out the hard way…"

"The hard way?"

After a second of hesitation, Dipper starts wading through the mud towards me.

"No, Dipper! Don't!" I throw out my hand. "You'll get caught, too!"

Despite my warnings, he moves onward little by little. Dipper stops a few feet from my position. I can hear him mumbling to himself, "…don't want to get too deep…" He bends down and moves his hands through the watery dirt. Dipper looks up to me and winks, "Don't you worry, Gwen. I'll get you free in a jiffy! Just don't move…"

I give him an angry stare.

"Well, okay, move a little bit…"

A few seconds later, I feel Dipper's stubby little fingers around my ankle. He's trying to pull me upwards. I use all my strength in trying to help him. In spite of his efforts, I remain rooted to the earth. Dipper glances back at me.

"So," I ask, "Am I doomed or what?"

Dipper shakes his head, "Not yet." He stares harder at my imprisonment. "Maybe we're going about this the wrong way…" With a quizzed expression, Dipper reaches back in the slime. I can sense him back by my feet, but he's not pulling anymore. He's talking under his breath again, "…stupid…stupid…double knots…"

Suddenly, my left foot is free! Then, my right! Whatever Dipper's doing is working perfectly. A moment later, he lifts a black socked foot out of the mud.

"Careful not to put too much pressure on them," he warns. "Or else, you'll go back under again…"

I can't contain my gratitude. Dipper came through for me yet again. "Dipper, just – just wow! I don't know what to say! How'd you get me out?"

He smiles at all of the praise, "That's the thing, Gwen! You weren't really stuck; only your sneakers were!"

Again, a sense of embarrassment strikes me. Why didn't I think of that? If it wasn't for Dipper, I'd probably be out here all night before I'd think of it! Between this "event" and what happened at the junkyard yesterday, it makes me wonder if all twelve year olds are as accident-prone as I am? I think of the everyday hijinks that the twins usually get themselves into (and moreso, the injuries that follow)

"Not to sound ungrateful for the rescue," I ask as the slush begins to seep into my socks, "but how am I going to get home without my shoes?"

Without a second thought, Dipper turns around and dips himself slightly, "Hop on…"

"You're crazy! There's no way you can –"

"Of course I can!" he argues back. "You're no bigger than Mabel, and if I can lift her…"

I feel guilty. He has already done so much already. Would this be taking advantage of him?

"Come on, Gwen! We're going to catch our deaths out here!"

I'd hate to admit it, but he was right. The same thing would happen if I went home barefoot. So, I take a deep breath and hop on Dipper's back.

"OOF!"

"Oh, gosh! Dipper, are you alright?"

"Never better…" he strains out. My arms wrap around his neck securely. I can feel his hands against the back of my knees.

"Are you ready?"

I squeeze my little hero harder, "As ready as I'm going to be…"

With that, Dipper picks me up and we make our way towards the main trail.

"Wait! What about your stuff?"

"Forget about it! I'll come back later!"

I lower my head against Dipper's shoulder. I'm not sure if it's the cold getting to me, or if I just find the sound of his heartbeat almost-hypnotic, but I find myself becoming sleepy. My eyelids grow heavy. As my world grows darker, the last thing I remember hearing is Dipper's voice:

"Gwen? Gwen?! Is everything all right back there?"

*AH-CHOO!*

My eyes jolt open. Where am I?

I find myself in a sitting position on an old couch. A thick, yet worn blanket has been tightly wrapped around me. My eyes shoot down to see that my tanktop and camo-colored shorts are nearly dry. My mud-splashed socks are missing. I lower my feet to the floor and look around my strange surroundings.

A sense of panic hits me. Did I sleep the whole day away? I see a clock in the corner of the room. Luckily, I've only been asleep for less than 2 hours. I still have a chance to become normal again.

I am seemingly alone in a darken room. A lit fireplace provides the only source of light. I can spot my glasses on a counter to my right. A small mug is right next to it. I take it and quickly sniff over the top. A delicious aroma enters my nose:

"Hmm…cocoa…"

I take a sip, only to find out that it's lukewarm. As I set the cup down, I notice a small object placed in front of the fire. I stand up and walk toward the bundle, only to have it flinch.

*AH-CHOO!*

The movement nearly makes me jump up in the air in fright. I tip-toe further, only to have my mouth drop at the sights before me:

My now-clean socks are hanging over the fire as they dry. My stained white sneakers are placed at the base. I notice a puddle forming behind them. To the right, Dipper sits in front of the fireplace. Donning a blanket of his own, he shudders with knees raises to his chest. Dipper rests his chin on top, save for the occasional sneeze.

I take a seat next to him; Dipper is totally unaware that I am next to him until I place my hand on his shoulder. He yelps in surprise. His demeanor changes completely when he turns and sees my emerald eyes focused on him.

"Hey, there," he greets me. "How are you feeling?"

"Better…I think…" I lift up Dipper's cover and join him beneath it. I use a finger to tip over one of my shoes. "I can't believe you went back out there for a pair of old sneakers…"

"Actually," Dipper detailed. "By the time I brought you back here to the Shack, it stopped raining. Besides, I promised to get our stuff, didn't I?"

"That you did…" I snuggle up closer to Dipper, giving him rosy cheeks. "Do you even know how amazing you really are?"

"I'm not though…"

I hold his flushed face in my hands, "But you are, Dipper. Believe me when I tell you this, dude. There are not a lot of guys out there that would save the same damsel in distress twice in a 24-hour period, and then brave the elements to fetch her shoes; plus, treat her to a surprise picnic in the treetops in between!"

"Yeah…" Dipper rubs his shoulders in nervousness. "I guess that sounds a lot of things…"

"It's more than "a lot of things." To some people, such "things" mean the whole world!"

Very gently, I move my hand from his cheek to his forehand. I pull back the wave of messy brown hair that covers his forehead.

"Wait…" he protests. "Don't…"

"Shh…"

And there it is: the bane of poor Dipper's existence. The primary source of his teasing back home. The one thing he wishes that he could change the most about himself, and yet, I wouldn't want him any other way: the Big Dipper birthmark.

I lean over and place a gentle, tender kiss in the very middle of his dreaded blemish. I hope that Dipper's secret girlfriend doesn't mind this. I pull back to see that the simple action has completely stunned Dipper. His only response is a single tear that travels down his cheek.

As if by second nature, we embrace; only this time, there isn't any awkwardness to be found.

I whisper in his ear, "I loved the time we spend together, Dipper…"

He returned the gesture, "I loved spending time with you, too…Wendy."

My eyes widen as I nearly throw the kid backwards, "What did you just say?" Did he know? Did he always know?

Dipper looks at me somewhat surprised by my reaction, "What? All I said that I loved spending time with yo – "He stops in mid-speech. Dipper's face turns a ghastly shade of putrid white. He jumps to his feet and begins to pace back and forth in a panic. He pulls at his hair as he mutters to himself:

"OHMANOHMANOHMANOHMANOHMANOHMAN!"

"Dipper, take an easy!"

"I am so, so, sorry! You must hate me now, right? There's no way you don't hate me…"

"I don't hate you, Dipper!" I reach out to him. "It's not a big deal. Really!"

He stops to kneel down in front of me, "I may be young and naïve, but I do know that one of the worse things you can do to a girl is call her by another girl's name…" Dipper gives me an ashamed look before breaking eye contact, "…especially when…"

"Especially when what?"

As Dipper stares at the ground, I ask myself, "If he doesn't know it's really me on the inside, then why would he call me by that name? The only other explanation is that is that's who he wanted – "

I stop as a literal door opens inside of my head. A lot of things finally start to make sense.

"Hang on," I question. "I'm – I mean, Wendy, the "missing" girl from the gift shop; she's your secret girlfriend?!"

Dipper gazes at me slightly before returning his sights downwards. He slowly nods.

The breath is immediately knocked out of my lungs. I don't know what to say, or where to go from here. Dipper can tell that the news has affected me severely. He holds my hand securely.

"Besides you, Gwen, Wendy is probably the only other girl that gives me the time of day. It's like I was telling you earlier, she shares her world with me. We go on adventures together. I protect her from the dangers of the supernatural and she watches out for me when it comes to the real world. It may not be perfect, or even exactly how I picture in my mind, but in a way, it's just enough…"

He places his hand under my chin, and turns me toward him, "…but with you, Gwen, it's different, but in a good way. All the things that separate Wendy and me are non-existent when it comes to you. There's no age difference or crazy on-again/off-again ex-boyfriends to worry about. You make me feel like I'm the only guy in the world; like a hero for even the smallest tasks. And that's something that Wendy's never done…"

It takes every fiber in me to stop from saying aloud, "If you only knew…"

I'm at a standstill; I don't know if I should feel happy as "Gwen" or sad as "Wendy." However, Dipper does bring up a good point: when I'm back to normal, will I feel the same about the kid pouring his heart out to me as I do now? Will those impulses disappear along with my twelve-year-old alter ego?

"Can I ask you a question, Dipper?"

"Of course…"

"About this "Wendy" girl, will you ever tell her the truth about…you know, everything?"

He lets go of my hand, "I'm…I'm not sure. I mean, the odds are against me. She's really doesn't have a reason to say "yes," but probably a billion different ones to say "no."

"Well, maybe you should give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she's unsure of these things, just like you are."

Dipper shakes his head, "Nah, Wendy's always cool-headed. While I run around like a chicken with its head cut off, she's calm and collected when it comes to this stuff. If she felt the same as I did, I'm sure she would have said something…"

I bite my lip so hard that it nearly bleeds. I want to tell him. I want to tell him the truth, but I also consider Dipper's advice: at this point, maybe the truth would end up making things a lot worse.

"But, Dipper, you'll never know the truth if you're afraid to talk to Wendy about it."

"It's not that I'm afraid that she'll reject me; I'm afraid the truth will ruin everything, and I'll end up losing her completely. Like I said before, I rather have Wendy in my life somewhat rather than not at all!"

After a moment, Dipper starts to laugh silently to himself. I raise an eyebrow to his action, "What's so funny?"

He sighs, "I was thinking about something. I realized that you and Wendy do share something…"

"Really?" I ask, "What, do we look alike or something?"

His eyes shoot open at my slight rib, "Actually, now that you mention it, you can easily pass as her little sister, but that's not what I meant."

"Then what?"

"Before this summer is over, I will end up losing both you and Wendy. Chances are I've never see you guys ever again…"

Heartbroken, I reach over and throw my arm around the weary boy, "Dipper, can I offer some advice?"

Dipper gives me a broken smile, "At this point, I welcome any or all advice."

I pull him closer, "Well, Dipper, I already told you my opinion about Wendy, but as far as everything else is considered, I don't think you should get too hung up on labels."

"I'm not following you?"

"Think about today," I demonstrate. "We spent the whole day together and did a ton of awesome things, right?"

"Right…"

"Did it matter if you and I were boyfriend/girlfriend, or when I'm leaving town?"

"No…"

"And you still had fun?"

"Of course, Gwen!"

I slap his back, "That's what I mean! Dipper, you should care more about experiencing those moments rather than who's in what relationship or how much time is left on the clock. When everything is said and done, those instances are going to be the only things that matter!"

As soon as I finish my speech, I see the color returning to Dipper's face. It isn't until I feel his arm across my backside, meeting my own, that I knew I had reached him.

"Thanks, Gwen…"

I rest my head on his shoulder, "Hey, what are pseudo-girlfriends for?"

We both laugh as we sit peacefully in each other's arms, waiting for the fire to finish drying us off…

Dipper and I step outside an hour or so later. As the weather report promised, the cloudy skies have vanished. We can see the sun starting to set in the distance. The ground is still soggy as it splashes beneath our feet. Dipper convinces me to bring along an old Mystery Shack sweatshirt to avoid catching a cold.

"Well…" Dipper laments, squishing his sneaker against the ground, "I guess you'll have to be going soon, huh?"

"Soon, but not yet…" I can see the journal sticking out of the edge of Dipper's vest. After everything's been said and done, I know I'll regret this, but if I don't act now, I will be trapped like this forever!

"Hey, Dipper? Can I ask a really big favor?"

He can sense something's up, "How big of a favor?"

"One that you'll probably say 'no' to." I point towards his chest. "It's actually about the book…"

With a staggered look, Dipper pulls out the tome, "My journal? What about it?"

I have to look away from him. Even though I'm telling white-lies, I still can't shake the remorse for doing so. I start to explain:

"The other night when I was looking through it, I saw something that caught my eye. It was a small green monocle thingy with gold trim. Ever since I noticed it, I literally cannot get it off of my mind…"

Dipper's eyes begin to lighten as I finish my request, "Anyways, I was wondering if perhaps, would you consider letting me keep it? You know, as a memento of you and this place?" I look back towards him, "If you say 'no', I'll totally understand…"

Dipper looks away from me. He opens the book and begins to search page by page until he finds it. The lens slides into his cupped hand. Dipper raises it to the sky to get a better look. At first, I grow extremely tense. The last thing I needed was to have him revert to an infant. Thankfully, the sun's rays no longer radiate through the sky, securing my friend's safety.

He returns to the book as he silently speed-reads the next few passages. I remember that I dropped the lens back towards the front of the journal, far away from the warning I originally ignored. After what seems like an eternity, Dipper looks upwards to me.

"Gwen, I can't thank you enough for the time that we spent together or for the advice you have given me today. Despite only knowing you for a few days, it's something I will carry with me always… "

Dipper clutches the monocle in between his fingers and extends his hand out to me, "I can only hope that this small token of my appreciation will do the same for you…"

I can't believe it! My mouth twists to an O-shape. Without him knowing it, Dipper has saved me for a third time! I reach to take it from Dipper when all of a sudden, a giant shadow overcomes us. Before we can react, a black-glove hand swoops down and snatches away my salivation.

"What the – " Dipper turns and gasps at the thief, "YOU?!"

I glance up to see the devilish visage of Robbie V, my ex-boyfriend and possibly Dipper's least favorite person in the world.

"Well, well, well; now what do we have here?"