Wow, sorry to those of you that are caught up, I totally forgot that fanfiction doesn't let me use dashes as scene-cuts, since all the other sites I'm posting this on do let me use them. I'll go back and fix the other chapters when I have time, but I'm going to fix this one now. I apologize if I miss any.
Dipper groaned weakly as he forced his eyes open, gaze blurry, eyes straining to pick up any details from his surroundings. His eyes fell shut once more, opening again a split second later. He let out a weak groan yet again, and lifted his arm, planting his hand on the ground in front of his face and pushing. He let out a cry of pain as he pulled himself off the ground, body throbbing as pain burned through his veins, feeling as though they were on fire.
"Shit" he cried, arm buckling and almost sending him back to the ground.
His other hand lifted and he touched his head, confusion entering his mind when he couldn't find his hat. Brushing it off he dropped his hand back to the ground and pushed, finally managing to get to his knees. His vision was still hazy, and he wasn't sure where he was, or how long he had been gone. He tried to look around, but every time he turned his head his muscles screamed at him, protesting his existence. Lowering his gaze he realized he had been laying in a pool of blood, and it didn't take him long to realize it was his own.
"Bill" he whispered
He heard growling in the distance, and panic flared in his mind again, the combination of anxiety and mind-numbing pain making him lightheaded. He tried to push himself to his feet, failing almost instantly and dropping heavily back to the ground. He blinked rapidly over and over, trying to clear his vision, but it didn't seem to help and the growling was getting closer. He breath hitched and he summoned all of his strength to let out a scream, hoping the other would hear him like he had years ago
"Bill!"
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"Snorting! That's his tell! I fold!"
"Tough luck sucker, Waddles was bluffing!" Mabel cried triumphantly
Stan let out a cry
"I'm being played by a pig!"
Mabel let out a cackle, and Stan internally felt a rush of relief that he was able to cheer up his niece. Beside them, Bill was laying across the couch, watching them silently with worry in his eyes, amusement flashing through them every time Stan was played by Waddles or Mabel.
He parted his lips to comment on their game, stiffening when he heard a soft whisper of his name. Bill lurched upwards off the couch, eyes wide in shock, Mabel and Stan's gazes instantly shooting to him.
"Bill? What's wrong?" Mabel asked worriedly
As she spoke the call of his name grew louder, registering in his mind as a terrified screech for help, and his heart almost stopped.
"Dipper" he breathed, flying off the couch and taking off toward the door "Dipper is calling me!"
With that he disappeared in a flash of blue fire.
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Bill appeared beside Dipper in the same way he had left Mabel and Stan, and it took him a moment to realize that Dipper was laying on the ground at his feet. He knelt instantly and placed a hand on Dipper shoulder
"Pine Tree?" he murmured
"Bill?" he groaned, forcing his eyes open and managing a smile at the sight of the demon "Oh thank god" he breathed
Bill felt his eyes flash red and intensely desired to tear the teen a new one- he refrained from doing so because the teenager was covered in his own blood. Dipper weakly lifted his hand to reach toward Bill, and the demon stooped to pick him up, freezing when he heard a snarl behind him. He stood and whirled, hands igniting with blue fire.
The creature standing behind him was larger than he expected, larger than a bear but shaped like a wolf. It's eyes were glowing a fiery orange, and he looked down to see its paws were on fire as well. He narrowed his eyes and clenched his hands into fists
"Back down" he warned, eyes glowing a dangerous red at the creature. Said creature took another step forward, and the fire consuming Bill's hands turned a brilliant red. "Your funeral"
He waved his hand and magic encompassed Dipper to protect him from the impending battle, and without wasting another second Bill launched himself at the creature. The creature let out a furious snarl and reached its paw up, catching Bill's leg with its razor-sharp claws. Bill couldn't repress his cry of pain and he pushed magic down to his feet so he could find purchase to push the creature back and away from Dipper.
The creatures teeth snapped shut on the air beside his head, and the creature hurled its body forward, sucessfully dislogding Bill's hold on it. It reared up and slammed its paws into his chest, taking him to the ground, and Bill narrowly avoided its snapping teeth as he brought his legs up and kicked it off of him. He leapt to his feet as the creature rushed him and brought his fist up, readying himself for the creature. Said creature barreled forward and leapt, sinking its teeth into Bill's shoulder.
Bill let out a hoarse screech and drove his fist forward, red fire engulfing it as his fist was driven through the creatures chest. He felt its ribs splintering as his hand forced its way through them, and heard Dipper retch behind them at the sickening crunch the creatures body made. He pushed harder, fingers reaching for the creatures heart, and he let out another hoarse scream as the creature tore upwards, tearing the muscles in his shoulder and cracking his bones.
His other hand came around and slammed into the creatures head, his other hand finding the creatures heart. The creature snapped its jaws again, finding purchase on his shoulder again, tearing part of his throat out in the process, but it was all for naught as he grasped the heart and gave a mighty pull. He stumbled back, tearing his body free from the creatures jaws, heart still clenched in his fist after his arm had left the creatures body. He looked from the heart in his hand up to the creature and watched as it shuddered and dropped to the ground.
The heart slipped from his fingers and Dipper stared in shock at Bill as the man turned around, blood flowing steadily from his wounds, and the teenager knew that if he wasn't a demon, Bill would be dead. Glancing down at his throbbing shoulder Bill heaved a sigh and approached Dipper, annoyance flashing through his eyes at his limp, but he pushed it away and focused instead on removing the protective magic bubble from around Dipper. He knelt beside the teenager and groaned weakly as his muscles burned in protest
"Bill are you okay?" he asked worriedly, brows furrowing as he reached up to touch the other
Bill caught his hand and nodded his head, releasing the hand to push his weakened arms under the teens body. He lifted him, not without cries of pain from both of them, and his voice was strained when he spoke
"Hold on tight" he ordered, and Dipper clung to the demon with all the strength he had remaining in his body, trying to repress the emotions that slammed into him when his hands were instantly soaked with the demons blood.
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Mabel let out a screech when the two boys suddenly appeared in the living room, both covered in blood and barely conscious. She tore off her sweater and bolted toward them, throwing some sheets down before helping Bill gently lower Dipper to the ground. Once Dipper was on the ground Bill sunk to the ground beside him, chest heaving as he mustered up all of his magic to heal himself; he wouldn't be able to heal Dipper if he died halfway through. Mabel gently eased him to the ground, screaming for her Grunkle the entire time, and Bill could feel his body beginning to shut down. He felt Dipper's hand gently slip into his own, but passed out before he could comment.
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When Bill woke his head was pounding, and his body hurt in places he didn't even remember wounding. With a twitch of his fingers he set to work healing his injuries, relief washing over him when breathing became easier, and the pain in his limbs lessened. A pained gasp escaped him when his shoulder was jerked back into place, new muscle and skin growing to replace the flesh that had been torn away.
When he was fully healed he pushed himself off the ground, glancing around curiously to search for Dipper. He didn't have to search long, for within seconds of standing he heard Dipper weakly call for him from his bedroom. He quickly made his way to the others room and relief almost overwhelmed him when Dipper offered a weak smile.
"How are you feeling?" he asked softly. Dipper made a noise of disgust, and Bill chuckled softly "That bad, huh?" he teased with an amused grin "Don't worry. I can help with that"
He placed his hand on Dipper's forehead and watched happily as all of Dipper's wounds slowly healed, and he heard Dipper let out a small noise of delight when his vision finally cleared and he could finally make out Bill's features. His eyes softened as he watched the demon work, blissfully happy that they had settled their differences; he couldn't imagine his life without the demon.
"Thank you" Dipper smiled warmly when the demon stepped back
Bill flashed a grin, but it quickly faded into a scowl and his eyes blazed red
"What the hell were you thinking!?" he hissed "Do you have any idea how worried I was-"
"Can we not do this?" Dipper asked, holding his hands up in surrender "I don't remember much of what happened after I left, Bill. Can't you just be happy that I'm home?"
Bill let out a discontented growl but nodded sharply
"Fine" he muttered "But you have to tell me everything that you do remember-" he broke off when the door slammed open
"Dipper Pines, you have some explaining to do!" Mabel screamed at him
Dipper flinched away, turning to Bill for help, and Bill only flashed a grin
"I said I would leave you alone, Pine Tree. I never said she would" he stepped aside and excused himself with a chuckle and a gleeful mutter of "He's all yours, Shooting Star"
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"I already told you guys" Dipper complained, rubbing the fresh bruise on his arm, left from Mabel punching him earlier "I don't remember much of anything"
"Well start with the details you do remember, kid" Stan growled "You can't just disappear for three days and not remember a single thing"
Dipper looked down at the table
"I remember leaving" his brows furrowed "I remember that... thing... chasing me. I remember screaming, and hearing Mabel and Bill come after me" he swallowed thickly "I remember bleeding, but I don't remember what it did to me. Then I remember nothing until I woke up today and screamed for Bill"
Bill frowned worriedly, but Mabel spoke before he could
"Was the creature gone when you woke up?"
"No" he shook his head, voice strained and tired "I think it was using me... As bait"
"Why?" Mabel asked in confusion
"To get one of us" Stan answered for him "How did you two get away from that thing, then?"
"I killed it" Bill replied, folding his arms over his chest
"How?" Mabel and Stan demanded at the same time
Bill sighed and they watched as their surroundings slowly turned black and white, signalling he was pulling them into the mindscape. His form returned to that of a triangle, and he turned when Pacifica walked in, having just entered the house as he pulled them into the midescape
"What's going on?" she asked curiously "Why are we in the mindscape?"
"Bill is going to show us how he saved Dipper" Mabel replied, patting the chair next to her
Pacifica crossed the room and took a seat beside her, gaze falling upon the triangle, and Bill's gaze took in Dipper's anxious and slightly queasy expression. Before Bill could make sure it was okay, however, Dipper nodded.
"Just show them" he muttered
Bill raised his hand over his head and swooped it downward in a circle like a clock, and as it had before a vortext opened behind him, displaying the days events to the other occupants of the room. The occupants of the room were completely silent, watching with wide eyes as Bill took down the creature. Pacifica and Mabel visibly flinched when the creature tore out Bill's shoulder, only saved from retching by the fact that he had healed himself and was fine now.
When they had seen all they needed to, he snapped and the vortex disappeared. After another brief moment, they were all thrust from the mindscape, remaining completely silent. Mabel was the first to speak
"You... Tore out its heart?"
Bill's tone was defensive when he replied
"Would you rather it killed me and Pine Tree?"
"He's right, sweetie" Grunkle Stan told her before an argument could be started "It's best that he took care of it. We can't have more people getting hurt by it"
"He's right" Pacifica agreed "Not everybody knows about this stuff, and not everybody can call Bill for help" she reasoned "Leaving it out there could've lead to Bill and Dipper being killed, or at the very least other people from town"
Guilt filled Mabel's eyes and she nodded her head, seeing the logic in what they were saying
"You're right. I'm sorry, Bill"
"It's okay, Shooting Star" he murmured "I know you don't like animals being hurt but.." he cast a glance at Dipper for continuing "I didn't have a choice"
She nodded, this time with a small smile to reassure him that she forgave him. She stood after a moment and kissed her Grunkle on the forehead before leading Pacifica toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Dipper asked curiously
"Out for ice cream. Want to come?" she offered
Dipper glaned to Bill, and when the demon shrugged he nodded. She offered a beaming smile
"Double date!" she screeched before turning and bolting out the door after Pacifica, cheering enthusiastically.
Dipper rolled his eyes, ignoring the red tinge to his cheeks in favour of following his sister out the door. Bill sighed heavily and followed, pausing when Stanford spoke
"Cipher?" Bill glanced at him over his shoulder and the older man continued "Keep an eye on him. Something doesn't seem right with that kid"
Bill hesitated. He didn't agree with Stanford's assessment of Dipper, but shrugged his shoulders and nodded. It wouldn't hurt to keep an extra eye on him and make sure he wasn't mentally scarred by the events of the last three days.
"You have my word" Bill muttered before heading out the door after the other teenagers