Notes: Dipper and Mabel are the best siblings ever, which is why I have many scenes were they are very protective of each other. Whoop, writing yeah! Like I said before, slow start, getting to Norman in the next chapter!
"Look out!" Mabel's frightened voice cried out and Dipper veered to his left, nearly pulling off the steering wheel with so much force as he avoided the rocky cliff. There was a resounding snarl from a beast behind them but they didn't look back, eyes stretched wide as the gold-cart was pressed to maximum speed, streaking along the side of a gorge.
"We're gonna die! I am going to be killed and no one will know!" Dipper wailed as he caught sight of the creature behind him - a Chimera. This situation was all Mabel's fault, because she rushed over to it and thought it was 'adorable' and then proceeded to pet the beast's fur. This led to a chase, running to the golf-cart and bolting.
The creature roared, causing a flood of flames to burst from its mouth and the Twins felt the heat against their backs.
"Right! Right!" His sister shrieked, narrowly missing a large oak tree, the wheels of the vehicle bouncing along the ground, hissing. The sound of his heartbeat pounded louder than ever before as he twisted, his fingers turning white as he gripped the cart.
The sun was just settling down midway on the horizon, causing a faint glimmer to spread across Scuttlebutt Lake which was coming into view. Panicked, Dipper remembered how Chimeras disliked water due to the fact that they were fire-breathing creatures. His foot smashed down on the petal as hard as it could.
Right towards the Lake.
"What are you doing?" Mabel screamed ear-piercingly, "You're gonna drive into the lake! Stop, now –"
"Trust me Mabel!"
"How can I trust you when we are about to drive into a lake?!" She screeched over the sound of rushing wind and the snarl of the monster behind.
"Hold on!" He snapped to his trembling sister, whose pupils had dilated into a circle of her pale green irises. She buried her face into his side and he shivered at the feeling of her quick breaths and heart-rate against his shoulder. Dipper spared one glance at the creature before yanking the wheel backwards, clutching his sister and diving out of the still running cart.
There was a resounding, pained roar as the beast crashed into the vehicle and was thrown off the dock and into the lake, causing a huge wave of massive blue water to erupt into the air. Dipper was able to take half a breath before water consumed the Twins, automatically feeling Mabel tense and jolt as the ice water dragged over their bodies.
He could make out her muffled howling, his sister thrash in the lake beside him in fear. The silence of the water was unnerving, both siblings sinking into the dark of the waves. The boy gripped her hand, and with the strength he had left, shoved her upwards to the surface, leaving himself painfully tired.
A small splash and gasp vaguely alerted him that she had broken through, but his mind fogged and he felt his lungs begin to burn, choking, drowning. He was drowning – which was stupid because Dipper Pines was a great swimmer, but he had no energy, he had no idea what had just happened, he was in shock. Mabel's bobbing figure turned, and he felt a warm grasp come over him, dragging him through the bubbles and shadows.
He broke surface and let out a rattling gasp, coughing hard and shivering. Ice cold breezes shot them in the face, causing his body to shut down again. The evening sky peered down on the two siblings and the brunette was barely able to feel anything by this point – body numb and disgusting.
His eyes danced with colors, nearly blacking out.
"Dips."
He felt the wonderfully rough sand beneath him, crawling and settling right on the edge of the shore. He made out his sister's figure beside him, trying to haul his limp body away from the water but she was too weak to even budge him.
"Dips, wake up."
Dipper didn't move, giving one horrible shudder and another gasp.
"Please, wake up." Suddenly there were cold hands brushing back his hair, trembling as it held him and a withdrawn sob shredded the silence of the air. "Oh please, wake up right now. Oh my god, I killed you didn't I - ?"
She is crying. She is sobbing, wake up Dipper, wake –
"Can you…be quiet…for one moment?"
"Oh thank g-"
"Shh." Dipper dazedly croaked, nuzzling into her lap, both Twins drenched and now freezing. A minute or two passed in stressed unease before he finally stirred. Lifting his hammering head the boy blinked up and saw the tip of the Mystery Shack Golf Cart still sinking below the surface, covered in something – oh wait, it is the Chimera's blood.
The Pines Twins gazed out at the water before retreating, gathering themselves after another minute and brushing themselves off as best as they could.
"Are you okay?" They both said in unison before pausing. Their eyes met and they burst into raspy laughter, linking arms as they stood.
The siblings stumbled across the shoreline and began to walk back to the Mystery Shack which was still a long way to go. But they just screwed the cart over so they could only walk. Dipper turned solemnly to his sister, "Mabel, I'm so sorry this happened. Are you really okay?"
"The real question is are you okay?" She tried to jokingly prod his shoulder but the atmosphere remained gloomy and depressing. The boy stuffed his left hand into his best pocket, shielding the bleeding wound he got from jumping out of the cart from the girl.
"Fine."
"Mhm?"
"I'm fine Mabel, I really am."
"Sure."
"Mabel!"
The girl swiveled on her heels and looked at her brother straight ford. The sight of her was quite pitiful - her beautiful chocolate hair was tangled and drenched, still dripping silvery water droplets, her eyes were dull and injured and scared, her pink sweater was sodden and seemed to weigh her down like a boulder, her eyebrows furrowed in an expression of dismay.
"If anyone should apologize for tonight, it's me Dipper." Her lip trembled – a sign of tears and the boy braced himself for the oncoming torrent of emotions, "I was the one who wanted to go out monster hunting. I was the one who woke that Chimney Cat-"
"Chimera."
"Whatever! I was the one who was sick of seeing you so upset, I was bored of waiting for you to get better and since I lost my patience and didn't think about your health or your nightmares or your feelings we nearly lost our lives! We lost the golf cart and Grunkle Stan is already going to kill us and then take money from our college funds to buy a new one, but it's my fault Dipping Sauce, and I'm sorry."
"Mabel," He reached out and hugged her sideways, awkwardly, "I hate it when you blame yourself. I wouldn't care if you purposely stabbed my back or shoved me into a busy street, I am still your brother and I will always care for you no matter what. I only want what is best for you, and please, I think we have dealt with worse here in Gravity Falls, right?"
Bland tears were streaming down her grimy face and she slammed into his arms, curling into his chest. Dipper let her tremble and sob, claw into his shoulder and snuggle into his vest, he let her do this because she was obviously traumatized.
The sounds of the forest and whispers of the animals of the forest called softly around the Twins.
"Come on, it's late. Let's head back." He sighed into her bangs and she slowly removed herself and nodded curtly before trailing along beside him. The faint glow of the Mystery Shack grew brighter and the Twins felt happiness once again when they reached the porch steps and staggered into their summer home.
The Gift Shop door closed with a chiming ding and their Great Uncle Stan glanced from the counter, his eyes growing huge behind his square glasses.
"What happened to you two?"
"Nothing." They groaned in harmony, ignoring the looks they got as they passed by the few customers in the shop. The stairs were almost impossible to clime but once they reached the top they collapsed into their shared bedroom – half dead.
Grunkle Stan yelled up that they would have important tourists the next day and to clean up the mess they made in the morning but the Twins were so worn that they could barely shout back their response.
Blackness encased their vision and both siblings were thrown into sleep. Hopefully they would be able to rest peacefully, but it was only a half an hour later before Dipper woke up sobbing – imagining he was downing and screamed out for that boy - Norman - like the night before.