Chapter Two –Grunkle Stan…?

Mabel floated beside her great uncle Stan. The wind blew past him as he blinked a few times, looking as if he was trying to get his thoughts together. Mabel sighed in relief "At least everyone made it out alive… Well… Other than me…" she said, a small, sad, smile on her face. While she was happy that her family was safe, it still hurt that she couldn't be with them.

There was a faint sound of footsteps on the grass as Dipper walked up to Stan. Stan looked so confused, so lost. Dipper placed Stan's fez on his head "Grunkle Stan, that was amazing!" Dipper exclaimed, a wide smile on his face. Stan had a confused look cross his face "Oh… Ah… Hey there… Kiddo… What's your name?" he asked.

Mabel's eyes widen "G-grunkle Stan?" she asked, her voice cracking as tears welled up in her eyes.

Dippers eyes widen, feeling tears form at the corner of his eyes. He slowly backed away from Stan, not wanting to believe that he lost two people he loved all in one day. One physically, the other mentally.

Ford placed a hand on Dippers shoulder "We had to erase his mind to defeat Bill. It's all gone," said Ford, staring down at Stan, who was looking around in a confused manner "Stan has no idea, but he did it. He saved the world. He saved me." Stan looked up at Ford, still confused. Ford knelt down in front of his brother "You're our hero, Stanley," Ford chocked out, wrapped his brother into a tight hug, tears forming in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.

Dipper swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Mabel felt her words get caught in her throat, tears rolling down her cheeks "N-no… This can't be right… This… This can't…" Mabel covered her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut. She didn't want to believe that her grunkle was gone. She didn't want to even think he was gone.

Dipper, Ford, and Soos, who had been standing by, lead Stan through the woods to the Mystery Shack. It was in tatters; broken windows, ripped up floor boards, holes in random places on the roof. It was a disaster. A melancholy aura surrounded it.

Dipper was the first to walk up the damaged and destroyed steps. He slammed his side into the door, using all his strength to break it down. After a few tries, he somehow managed to break it down, falling with the door and hitting the floor.

Everyone walked into the living room. Mabel was floating beside Stan, who's hand she desperately wanted to grab hold of. She wanted to feel the warmth and comfort, wanted to be there with them, alive, well. Wanted to know that her grunkle was okay.

Stan smiled, looking around at the destroyed living room "Hey, this is a real nice place you got here," he said.

There was a low crack of a piece of wood breaking off of what remained of the ceiling and landing on the floor.

Dipper frowned "It's your place, grunkle Stan," he said, disparity trying to get Stan to remember "Don't you remember?" he asked "Even a little?" Dipper looked around the room, searching for something that might jog Stan's memory.

Stan walked over to his recliner and sat down in it "Nope," he replied, stretching out his legs and making himself more comfortable "But this chair hugs my butt like it remembers," he said, letting out a comfortable sigh. Stan looked up at everyone else, taking note of the sad faces they wore as they stared at him "Hey, why the long faces?" he asked, pointing to them "You guys look like it's someone's funeral," he said. He leaned in, covering the side of his mouth with his hand "Who's that big guy crying in the corner?" he asked in a hushed tone, gesturing towards Soos.

Soos turned away, sobbing quietly.

"We saved the world, but what's the point? Grunkle Stan's not himself anymore," Dipper muttered. He had never thought he'd miss having Stan acting like his usual self.

For most of the summer Dipper had thought Stan hated him. Sometimes he even doubted the memory he saw where Stan actually told Soos what he thought of him, but now? Now that his grunkle is gone? Mentally? He wants him back. He wants him back and he can't help but feel a weight inside his chest at the thought that Stan wasn't Stan anymore.

It didn't help that Mabel was gone. That just made him feel ten times as worse. He felt incomplete. Broken. Like a puzzle missing a puzzle piece.

Dipper shifted his gaze to Ford. He felt even worse for Ford. Ford had never even gotten to apologize to Stan. Not once. At least, not a real apology.

Mabel ran a hand through her hair "There's gotta be something we can do to jog his memory…" she mumbled. A quite voice spoke up, sounding like Fords voice "There isn't. I'm sorry. Stan's gone."

Mabel huffed "I know my grunkle is in there somewhere. There's gotta be something around here that can help bring him back," she said, looking around at her surroundings. Mabel spotted her scrapbook tucked under some debris. Her eyes widen as an idea popped into her head "That'll work! It has to work!" Mabel floated over to it "But… How can I show them that…?"

Mabel looked around, as if trying to figure out what to do. She's going into flow blown panic mode at this point "How am I supposed to help if I can't be seen or heard? Come on… Come on…" she floated in front of Dipper "Mason, come on! You can hear me, can't you? See me? Please… I… I don't want you to lose our grunkle…. I don't want to lose our grunkel…"

Mabel looked around, taking a deep breath "Okay… What did Wendy tell you before you left?" she asked herself. She remembered the conversation she had with Wendy before she left.

"You can communicate with people on the other side," said Wendy.

"I can?" Mabel asked, rising an eyebrow

"Yes. It's different for every spirit, but they each have the ability to communicate with the outside world," Wendy explained.

"Then… What's my ability?" Mabel asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Glass."

Mabel snapped her fingers "That's it!"