"Guncle Ford!" Mabel cried as she jumped from her bed and rushed to door. Mabel wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, soaking his sweater with tears.

"You're ok! I was so scared gruncle Ford," Mabel sobbed.

Ford held her close and gently pet top of her head. "Shhh..." He soothed, "I'm here now," for a while he simply stood there comforting his traumatized niece.

"Stanford Pines?" Ford turned his head to see a nurse in the hallway. " would like to see you,"

"Not now." Ford insisted irritably, pulling Mabel in closer.

"But sir, you're bleeding all over the hall," The nurse insisted. Mabel looked down to see the drops of blood on the floor following her uncle.

"Gruncle Ford, your leg..."

"I'm fine." He insisted stubbornly.

"Gruncle Ford!" Mabel scolded.

"We can treat you in here if you want, would that make you more comfortable?" The nurse asked. The tone sounded patronizing to Ford. It was is if she were humoring the delusions of a senile old man.

Ford sighed, "yes thank you..." The nurse left to get assistance while Mabel led Ford to a chair by the bed. Mabel held his arm for support as he took a seat. Soos, who had been speaking with Mabel while Ford was with Stan, gave up his own seat to prop up Ford's injured leg.

Once Ford was situated Mabel made an attempt to crawl back into bed. She winced slightly as the movement exacerbated her injuries. Ford placed his hands around her waist and gently lifted her up onto the bed.

"How are you feeling princess?" He asked softly.

"Better," Mabel replied weakly. For awhile the room was silent.

"Mabel?" Ford asked.

"Yes?

"Do you know where your brother is?"

Mabel's brow furrowed, "No I haven't seen him at all today, It's really weird come to think of it."

"He never showed up for breakfast this morning," Soos added, "I figured he was just sleeping in. Poor little dude hasn't been sleeping well."

"Soos call the house, see if you can get a hold of him." Ford said with slight urgency. He didn't want to further upset Mabel but given Stan's description of Bill's pattern of influence it seemed Dipper was already exhibiting symptoms.

"Gruncle Ford, is something wrong?" Mabel asked, placing a hand on his forearm which rested against the bed railing.

"No, at least, not yet..." He replied.

Before Mabel could probe further a doctor arrived with an accompanying nurse to see to Ford injured leg. The fabric of Fords pant let had stuck to the wound and had to be carefully cut away. Mabel would have normally been repulsed by the site of the gaping, puss filled, wound, but after the events of the last few days she had become numb to it. Ford winced as the doctors cleaned out the injury and Mabel held his hand for support.

Ford continued to grumble and swear under his breath as his leg was treated. He seemed more annoyed by the process than anything else. Once the injury had been, cleaned, stitched shut, then finally bandaged the doctor asked to arrange for an X-Ray to see to the severity of the break. Ford insisted it was only a minor fracture but eventually consented to the X-Ray. The doctor and accompanying nurse left to prep the machine.

As they headed out Soos returned with word from the shack, "So I called Melody and she said that she hasn't seen Dipper either, she checked his room and he wasn't there."

"Has she checked the lab?" Ford asked.

"She said she searched the whole place but he's not there..." Soos replied with a bit of worry.

Ford turned to Mabel, "Mabel this is really important, do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

Mabel stammered under Ford's burning gaze, "There is one place," she said. Dipper had a hide away, he made Mabel promise not to tell anyone. It was his private space, but in light of the circumstance... "There's a cave we found last summer, Dipper wanted to turn it into his own personal lab. Like the ones you built."

"Where is this cave?" Ford demanded.

Mabel gave him the best directions she could, and Ford recalled as many familiar landmarks as he could. By the time the Doctor returned Ford had already run off without so much as a word of farewell or explanation. Leaving Mabel confused and frightened.

Meanwhile in a deep cave in the woods Dipper paced back and forth by the light of a small lantern. He had already set up a desk and filled the corner with a collection of his own personal research materials. It was a place where he could be alone with his thoughts. He had come here to try and put some distance between himself and his family. It was easier to keep his head straight without outside distractions.

He had already been wracking his brain for hours looking for a way to be rid of Bill. Every time he though he might have been on to something however Bill would interject and Dipper would silence him smacking his injured hand against a wall or jabbing it with a pen. His thoughts kept running away from him and exhaustion from lack of sleep tore at him.

He sat back at his desk and tore at his hair in frustration. He could always just seal up the caves entrance. No way in, no way out. No way for Bill to hurt anyone.

"And die alone in a cave, fat chance dipstick." Bill laughed.

"Die alone..." Dipper pondered. He looked back at the knife he had left on the desk. It was the very same knife he had carried to the hospital the previous night.

"That's it," he mused, taking the knife in hand.

"Uh, hey pine tree," Bill said, "What'da ya think your doing?"

Dipper laughed as the concern in Bill's voice confirmed his suspicions.

"You're trapped," he smiled gleefully, "You need me. If I die so do you."

"Hey kid, lets not get too hasty here," Bill was starting to stammer.

"Is that fear Bill?" Dipper asked waving the knife about in the firelight, casting ghastly shadows against the caves walls.

"Look kid you don't wanna do this," Bill tried to reason.

"If I wait, eventually I'll fall asleep, I'll let my guard down like Gruncle Stan. I can't let that happen." Dipper held the knife in front of his face. He could see his own reflection in the bloodstained steel.

"Now wait a second, I'm sure we can work something out." Bill begged, "I'll be good, I promise. I'll kept quiet, I'll butt out I swear."

"Tell me Bill," Dipper asked casually as gripped the knife in both hands, tilting it down towards himself. "What scares you more? Are you afraid of going to hell? Or is it the fear that there is nothing left for you?"

"Wait kid stop! I'll do anything just think about what you're doing!" Bill pleaded desperately.

Dipper lifted the knife up but paused a moment. He thought of Mabel. His death would destroy her. No, this was Bill's doing, a cheap trick to try and distract him.

"No," he shook the thought, "I'm not letting you trick me again." His eyes began to water as he fought the overwhelming fear.

"Dipper!" came a loud voice. Dipper spun around, knife still in hand.

"Ford?!"

Before Dipper could truly process what he was seeing he found himself tackled to the ground.

"No get away!" Dipper screamed, "I don't wanna hurt you!"

As Ford wrestled him for the knife Dipper found himself desperately trying to keep it as far from Ford as he could. It was all he could do to keep himself from plunging it deep into his uncle's flesh. Was this a dream? It had to be. Ford was dead.

"Ford!" A gruff voice called out and echoed across the walls. Dipper turned towards the sound only to have Ford's hand meet with his face. A sudden unbearable burning coursed through his being. The sound of screaming was so loud Dipper dropped to the floor clasping his ears shut.

His head felt like it would split apart and all he could hear was that horrible screaming. Eventually the sensation began to fade. Slowly Dipper pulled his hands away. Cautiously he opened his eyes. All was quiet save for the ringing in his ears. His hands were bloody. He thought little of it, that is until he looked to see Ford laying against the wall. The knife was buried deep in his chest and he made horrible choking sounds as he desperately grasped at the blades handle.

"Ford..."