Wow. That was exhausting! Well guys, here's the eighth chapter! And what a doozy this one is! Again, I want to thank you so much for your kind words on the last chapter. Don't forget to give me your feedback!

After this story is done, I'm thinking of doing a few short stories for Gravity Falls. I'd really like some suggestions! Romance, Tragedy, Angsty, Dumb and silly, just give me a PM and I'll see what I can do!

And as always, I don't own Gravity Falls.

The pines of the forest swayed gently in the summer breeze as the sun turned from a blazing yellow into a warm copper as it dipped below the horizon. The shadows of the branches stretched like spines as they crawled along the forest floor, marking to the various beasts amongst them that night was approaching. Somewhere in the gloom of twilight, an owl hooted.

The sound of the engine spluttered as it crawled slowly along the dirt track, the echoes of the exhaust reverberating around them in the cathedral-like shelter of the trees. It shuddered to a halt, and with the click and slam of a pair of car doors, the gravelly voice of Dipper Pines was heard.

"The trail stops here," the young man knelt down low onto his knees, the denim of his jeans leaning into the undergrowth. His eyes narrowed at the trail, a thin line of purple glitter that had stopped. A moth fluttered past him, and he wafted it away as his brain ticked over.

"It still amazes me how you saw that trail, dude," Soos trudged over as he looked around. "Boy, it's getting pretty dark. Think I should start calling for your sister, now?"

"Go for it, man," Dipper stood as he took a flashlight from the truck, shining it into the murky shadows of the trees. "MABEL!" he yelled, Soos joining in in unison.

"MABEL!"

"SIS! WHERE ARE YOU?"

"HAMBONE! IT'S ME, SOOS!"

"MAAAAAAAABEL!"

"What was that?" The young woman blinked as she looked up, her eyes bright against the gloom. "I could have sworn I heard my name,"

"No… you must be tired. It's been a long day today. Come sit by me, Mabel,"

Mabel giggled, her face flushing red, stark against the glow of her luminous skin. Marcus was sat before her, leaning back as he relaxed by a tree, his arms pushed against the rough bark. On his legs balanced a tiny tot, its eyes rapt on the forest around it, its pudgy hands reaching up at the lights that blinked around it like a halo. Mabel heaved herself up as she held onto the child in her arms, and flopped down beside the dark haired figure, resting her head on his broad shoulders. A moment of silence settled between the two as they watched the green lights of their protectors flutter around them and the children that lay sleeping peacefully around the fire. She sighed as she took in the beautiful sight.

She didn't know how she had ever come to the camp, but as far as she could remember, the comfort of the forest was her home. Her beautiful family and their guardians were all they needed, and all she could ever want. At this thought, a tiny green glow settled in her hair, its tiny wings batting delicately behind them. Mabel cradled the tiny figure of her son in her arms, the weight of his body heavy on her chest. He wiggled and sounded gentle half-words to himself, a small tooth cutting through a bed of exposed gum. She stroked his hair, a mass of perfectly formed ginger curls, as the man beside her began to speak.

"Why don't you sing them a song, Mabel?" He whispered, his lips gently kissing the crown of her head through her thick chocolate brown locks. She laughed at this, her nose wrinkling and her cheeks blushing. However, as she opened her mouth to sing, no words coming to mind.

"I don't know any songs!" She smiled, giggling at the thought.

"Think a little harder, babe," The young man beside her stroked her hair as she thought, holding the boy close in her arms as he began to wriggle. Mabel rested her chin gently on the child's head as she probed her mind. She was wrong… she did know one song. Where it came from, she had no idea. She took a breath inward, and began to croon.

"MAAABEL!"

"Shush! Do you hear that?" Dipper moved his hand down as he faced the darkness, his eyes narrowed as he listened. His great uncle leant forward as his brow furrowed. "I don't hear nothin' but Soos eatin',"

The brown haired man scowled as he faced Soos, his face buried in a half-eaten sandwich. "Uh… sorry, dude," He wiped his mouth, sheepishly smiling as he put the food in the truck. Dipper turned his face back toward the hushed sound. It was musical… singing… something very, very familiar.

"Guys?" He called to the others as he bounded off through the undergrowth, his torch shining. "Get the truck! I've found her!"

"March march march around the daisies… Don't don't don't you forget about the baaaaaabyyyyyy!" Mabel ended the song with a tiny boop on the child's nose, who responded with an excited "Mamamamamam," The woman lifted him high in the air as she spoke gently to him, his blue eyes flashing in excitement.

"Someone isn't sleepy, are they? Are they!" She held him up high in her arms as he squealed, and brought him down as she wrapped her arms around his small body in a tight, loving embrace. She cradled the child until she heard a voice coming from behind her. A voice she did not recognise.

"…Mabel?" Dipper hushed reverently as he clambered over a fallen log, his eyes fixed on his sister. Her eyes roved around to meet his, her chocolate brown hair beautifully framing her luminescent face. She looked at him in confusion and fear, and Dipper noticed that her once deep sienna eyes were now like two discs of moonlight.

"Who are you? How did you find us?" The woman stepped back, placing the toddler gently to the ground. Dipper recognised him as Charlie, Wendy's little boy, and the human that Wendy's changeling had imitated. His eyes had taken on the same bright qualities as Mabel, like two saucers of milk in his round, freckled face. He gripped onto Mabel's nightdress as he buried himself in her legs in fear. Dipper held out his arms as he gingerly stepped toward the group, twigs cracking like bones beneath his boot-clad feet. His sister backed away as he stepped forwards, her bare feet barely disturbing the ground as she went. He stepped further toward her when it hit him.

"OW! What the-" Dipper rubbed his nose from where he felt he had walked straight into a brick wall. He reached out with a careful hand, his fingers brushing against a solid surface, a green light trailing behind his fingers. "A… force field? Mabel! Don't you recognise me?!" He leant toward it, the green light glowing brightly beneath his splayed fingers. "MABEL! Please, it's me! Dipper! Talk to me!"

"She doesn't know who you are," A hand landed on his sister's shoulder as a silken voice whispered to him. He squinted as he watched a figure emerge from the shadows, it's legs long and lean. A crop of dark hair was trimmed atop his head, and a pair of the same bright, round eyes. "Go away,"

"Give me back my sister, you freak!" Dipper hammered on the field, the bright green flashing wildly against the beat of his fists. "Wait… Marcus?" He stopped and leant in, his face the picture of puzzlement.

"If only…" The creature met Dippers eyes as it took its hand from Mabel's shoulder and stepped toward him, their two gazes locking together. "I just took this form for Mabel's sake,"

"Mabel's sake? What are you talking about?!"

"It's what she wanted more than anything in the world," The creature replied coldly. "I made her wish come true. I gave her everything she could ever want. A loving family," It half-sneered at him, watching the young man's face turn scarlet with rage.

"SHE HAS A LOVING FAMILY! GIVE HER BACK!"

The form of Marcus laughed under its breath. "WHAT ARE YOU ANYWAY?" Dipper demanded, his hands curled tightly into fists, his teeth locking together so hard he was sure they would crack.

"Isn't it obvious? In your language, I'd guess I'm the head honcho," The creature brought Mabel's form closer to it, it's embrace tightening. "Our little mother here has more chance of forgetting everything she ever knew if I was around to sweeten the deal. Love of her life, the babies she craves more than anything? Of course they'll go missing as times goes on, but she'll get over it. They always do,"

Dipper inhaled at this and pressed his nose further into the field, his eyes clouding over with murderous rage. He roared and beat his hands against the field, clawing at it with desperate hands. It was then that the idea flashed into his mind.

"HEY! YOU THERE! PRETEND-MARCUS!" He bellowed against the field at the form, who turned back toward him, a look of bored amusement spread thinly across its features. "YEAH! YOU! I know you can hear me! What say you and I fight for her?"

The creature pondered this as it held the frightened figure of Mabel close to it. The small woman had spent most of the exchange between the two holding onto its arm, taking small peeps at the strange, very angry looking young man that thundered outside their protective bubble. She was shaking, it could feel that. She was a fantastic host, perfect for taking care of the stolen children who slept so soundly beside the crackling fire. She had been picked, not just for the desperate need for a child she was feeling, but the vulnerability of her mind. They had been watching her for a while since arriving at the forest, and had picked up on her open attitude to life. She so naturally took things in her stride, facing many obstacles with a smile on her face. She could take a direct insult and still smile about something her pupils had done the day before. However, her growing loneliness and concern for her family had been growing. Her Great Uncle's health, her brother's increasing unhappiness, the man she loved was without a doubt screwing around behind her back. It made her crave love, desire affection and yearn for attention. All they had to do was give her an illusion, and she was putty in their hands.

The colony couldn't ask for a better host for their raid on the town of Gravity Falls. But if she remembered her twin- that could spell disaster for them. She would take the children and return to the town, alerting everyone in the process.

Without the children, they would starve.

The leader clicked its fingers, and the field dissipated into a million green lights beneath Dipper's fingers. They fluttered around him, their tiny wings buzzing not unlike a swarm of hornets as they rose. Dipper stepped back in surprise and awe, his heart hammering in his chest like a bird in a dropped cage. Every nerve in his body screamed "RUN" and "DEATH" as he stared at the rising cloud of buzzing creatures, now flocking dangerously around their leader.

"You want to fight for her then?" the figure of Marcus grinned savagely as he took the woman into his arms, pointing her body toward Dipper. It leaned in, gently pulling a lock of hair away from her ear, and whispered quietly to her, his features twisted into a very convincing look of loving concern.

Dipper leaned toward them, straining to listen, but as the figure finished his message to Mabel and stepped back, Dipper gasped in horror at the sight of his beautiful twin. Her eyes flashed murderously at him, her teeth bared in an almost animalistic snarl. She stepped toward him, and he could see her whole body was tensed up, prepared for the destruction she would wreak. All Dipper could muster was a petrified squeak as this creature advanced upon him, breaking his heart at the awful sight.

"Fight her first,"