Chapter 30

Disclaimer: Alex Hirsch owns Gravity Falls, not me. Warning about slight sexual harassment, after Gideon's phone call (not actually graphic, but unsettling nonetheless).

Stan slammed the door of the Stanley Mobile shut, causing the entire frame to shudder. He locked the driver's door, glanced both ways, and he crossed the street. He stepped on the sidewalk, shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks. Typically, he would wear his suit jacket out into town, but considering the weather, he found it a rather hot day to wear extra layers. The elder man grumbled to himself about the unbearable Oregon heat. He removed a hand from his pockets, tugging at the collar of tie-less button-up, in an attempt to let heat escape his sweaty neck. No one paid him much mind as he waltzed down the sidewalk, which he was thankful for, because he honestly didn't want any interruptions from his task in mind. As he headed to the Gravity Falls museum, he thought back on the events of the day.

After Dipper had had yet another seizure, he had decided not to call Dick, considering it had only been a 30-second one. He honestly wasn't sure which made him more nervous; the fact that his grand-nephew's seizures were linked to his own anxiety or the notion that Dipper had killed those innocent woodland animals. He couldn't possibly imagine the 13-year-old doing what he done, nor had he ever imagined that he had generalized anxiety disorder. Everything at the moment seemed strange though. Dipper (or Jason?) strangling his own sister. Dipper apparently murdering animals in cold blood. Both of the twins coming down with fevers at the same time (not even his brother and he had ever gotten sick in the same day when they had been together). It was stressing him out, just the fact that his brother's money was dwindling at a rapid speed, Stan's income from the Shack becoming the worst he had ever had.

He glanced in either direction, as he crossed the street to the museum. He was certain that the social worker would notice how low his funds were becoming and would probably take Gideon away if he can't afford foster care for him. He had begun to become attached to the 10-year-old and could actually admit he would be saddened to see him either taken into another family or into the system. This, and not to mention the fact that Gideon obviously wasn't mentally alright (Dick and the psychologist claimed he was, but Stan suspected he hadn't been) were stressing him out.

He blew out a breath, entering the premises, the image of Gideon staring blankly at the television set, as he had told him he would be out for awhile, coming to mind. The unresponsiveness from the child unnerved him, causing the urge to smoke to rise. He was certain though, that the twins would be out for awhile, so he found that he had plenty of time to search for his best friend. The teenage greeter, slouching down in his chair, texting away, didn't speak or glance up as he entered the emptied building. He rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. "Just like Corduroy..."

The elder man sped past the exhibits, heading towards an "EMPLOYEES ONLY" door, and pushing it open. He reached into his pocket, removing his car keys, before shoving them back in with a frown. Wrong ones. He reached into his other pocket, removing another ring of keys, the key chain of an eyeball hanging from it. He went to the end of the hallway he had entered, turning to the door on his left. He hesitated in front of it, before releasing a quick rap against the door. When no one answered the door, he finally stuck one of the keys into the lock, and opened it. The elder man stepped aside, quietly shutting the door behind him as he glanced around.

It wasn't how he remembered it, all those years ago. The walls were painted a neutral sand tone, tabletops clattered with stacks of paperwork, a tank with various prehistoric fossils displayed in it. A taxidermy squirrel beside the tank, stared greedily at him, causing him to squirm, recalling the bloody animals he that had been discovered in his house. He glanced around for a living being, running his hands through his hair, realizing Fiddleford hadn't come to his old office at the museum after all. He startled, as the door behind him began to open, and he automatically hid behind the door. The wood tapped his chest, barely bouncing away, as a woman entered, dropping her paperwork across the floor. She cursed, bangs falling into her face. She swooped down, beginning to gather her scattered paperwork from the floor, and Stan found it a perfect opportunity to sneak out. He edged out from the door, mindful to keep quiet, not to get caught. Stan nearly made it out, when she turned around to gather paperwork from behind. She froze, staring at him in surprise with brown eyes, her bangs partly covering them. "Ummm, may I help you?"

Time to lie his ass off. "Oh, I'm just from the university and I needed to speak to you."

She plucked up the remaining papers, standing before him. She squinted at him, tilting her head. "Aren't you the one that lives in that tourist attraction in the forest?"

Shit. "Who?"

"Yeah, that fellow named after the tree, um...Palms? No, Pines. That's it. Aren't you Mr. Pines?"

Double shit. "I really don-"

"My daughter's friend works there if I remember correctly. Wendy Corduroy."

Screw it. He released a sigh. "Yeah, she does."

"Hmm. I've heard that you're somewhat dishonest. I can see why those rumors are around, considering you randomly showed up in my office and lie about being from the university." She continued, heading to her desk, dropping it onto another pile.

"Uhhhh, sorry about that...I-I should be going." Stan began to edge into the hallway.

He was halted by her voice though. "Mr. Pines?"

Stan's shoulders slumped, turning back to her. "What?"

"What did you want?" She questioned, hand on her hip, her dark hair now tucked behind her ear.

"Was just...looking for a friend of mine. Used to work here, so I thought he might of been around."

"Mr. Pines, I've worked in this office for eleven years." She stated, matter of factually.

"Yeah, he's been sorta...uh, confused lately though, so I just thought he might of came here by mistake." He explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

"...Is this another one of your dishonest moments?"

"No, really, he's been sorta out of it as of late."

"Oh...does he have Alzheimer's?"

Stan was becoming weary of this conversation. "Uh, something like that. Look, I really need to get going though, Mrs...?"

"DiCicco. Jessica DiCicco."

"Yeah, bye..." He awkwardly trailed off, heading out.

As he left, he head her voice call after him. "I hope you find your friend, Mr. Pines!"

~!-?-!~

Stan drove by the boarded up home that Fiddleford and Susan previously owned together, the once bright colors of the house, faded over the years. He stayed in his vehicle, staring forlornly at first house he had stepped foot in, upon arriving at Gravity Falls over 40 years ago. He squeezed his eyes shut, imagining his twin in shotgun, complaining at how fast he was driving. He imagined Fiddleford clinging to the door, eyes wide in panic, as he cried Stan's name. He imagined Carla in the backseat, threatening him to slow down. He imagined himself rolling his eyes, slowing down, and grumbling to himself. He opened his eyes, getting out of the car, heading to the white picket fence surrounding the yard. He pushed at the gate and it released a horrendous squeak, that caused him to cringe.

He approached the porch, halting before the door. The paint was peeling from it, the glass missing from the peephole, the handle lopsided. The realization that Fiddleford wasn't here hit him full force, causing him to edge away from the door. Stan wasn't sure how, but he just knew. He tugged at his collar, sweat thickened on his face, stepping back into the car. He turned on the ignition, the cool air of the A/C washing over him. Stan began to feel that his friend had left, thanks to him.

Stan found himself at the dump, wrinkling his nose at the smell surrounding him. Stan went further in, staring at the depleted hut made of trash before him, guilt swelling in his heart. He should of brought his friend in, despite the fact that he couldn't remember anything. He had shied away though, saddened that his friend had lost his mind from the erasures on himself. He should of never let Fiddleford remain in this heap. The elder man lingered by the doorway, not exactly sure of how to open the makeshift door. He pushed at it, causing the entire thing to crash inwards, releasing a noise that echoed throughout the entire dump. He winced, before stepping inside, and observing the inside of the hut.

The lighting of sunset leaked through the cracks, dust floating in the air. A variety of junk, broken, vintage, trash, was scattered throughout the building. Stan was disgusted by the junk piled in the room, the smell of the dump wafting over him. The notion that living here was what his friend has face everyday for over three decades haunted his mind, causing him to feel queasy. He froze, spotting a sleeping racoon underneath a broken table, and scrunched up his nose in disgust. "Damn raccoons..."

He exited, not bothering to replace the door, and hightailed it back to his car. He turned on the engine, simply sitting there, staring at the dump. The sun illuminated the heaps of junk, causing a dramatic view from where he was. Stan thoughts drifted to his grand-nephew, feeling shame that he had ever accused him of murdering a living being. He should of realized the moment the idea popped into his mind, that it was false. Not to mention the confusion Dipper had exhibited about the accusation, before his seizure began. He needed to apologize. Stan sighed, it suddenly occurring that he couldn't think of anywhere else Fiddleford would have gone. He sighed, pulling away from the dump, heading back home.

He never thought about checking the bunker.

~!-?-!~

Upon his arrival home, he was surprised to see the twins sitting at the dining room table, eating macaroni and cheese, laughing about a joke Mabel had made to them. Gideon was in the seat next to Dipper, the opposite side of the table, from Mabel. A hesitant, but genuine smile on his lingered on his lips. Stan couldn't help, but smile himself at the sight, glad they were feeling better, and that the Gleeful child could still smile after everything he had encountered. Then his smile dropped, replaced by confusion. "Wait a second-why the heck are you gremlins doing outta bed? You two should be sleeping!"

The three had their attention directed to him, now realizing he had returned. Gideon ducked his head down, avoiding eye contact. Dipper raised an eyebrow at his great-uncle. Mabel grinned, waving her spoon in the air. "Grunkle Stan, we feel allll better!"

"You feel better, my butt! You were running a 100.3 degree temperature last I checked!" He exclaimed, crossing his arms, as he stood in front of the table.

"Obviously not anymore." Dipper replied, taking a spoonful from his bowl.

Stan frowned at him. "What'd you say kid?"

"We're not running fevers anymore, duh."

"What the-? When the heck did you get an attitude?"

"I don't know, maybe when you stopped thinking."

Stan gaped incredulously at him and Mabel covered her mouth, releasing a stream of nervous giggles. Gideon stared wide eyed, pupils skittishly shifting between the male Pines. Then, Stan burst out laughing, ruffling Dipper's hair. Gideon visibly relaxed, the slight smile returning to his lips. "That was a good one kid. Nice to know that you're learning something useful from me."

Mabel giggled harder. "Grunkle Stan, that's Jason!"

He blinked in confusion. "Wait, this isn't Dipper?"

"Mabel, you're confusing him. I am Dipper, but I'm also Jason. I don't really know what happened, but, uh...we're the same person, again?"

"Great and when I finally started to understand this whole thing. So, like what, you act like Dipper, but with more of an attitude?" Stan laughed, Mabel joining in, Gideon releasing a snort of amusement.

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha, very funny, you guys."

The laughter eased off. "All joking aside though, I'm glad for you, kid. That was probably really confusing for you-the both of you."

Dipper stared at his bowl, nodding his head. He was forgetting something. "It...it was...sometimes I didn't...d-didn't know who I was..."

The trio stared at the brunet, faces masks of concern at his words. He was forgetting something. "I feel better though...like...less confused about...who I am...I...I'm...I don't need to feel alone anymore. I have you guys."

Mabel reached across the table, taking his free hand. Stan's thick hand rested upon his shoulder. Gideon shifted his seat closer, the wood touching his own chair, offering a hesitant smile. He was forgetting something. Jason and Dipper were one, because he didn't feel alone anymore. There was another reason though. His mind was also together, because...because...he gulped, realizing his mind had gone off track, as though he couldn't concentrate on the matter of the issue. He couldn't remember what the other reason was. The telephone rang and Stan pulled away, grumbling about how it was probably a solicitor. He headed out to the hallway and Mabel's hand pulled away from his own. "I bet you anything it's the guy selling the monkeys, again."

Dipper snorted. "Probably going to end with Grunkle Stan threatening to punch the guy through the phone, again."

"M-Monkey?" Gideon questioned, frowning in confusion.

"Oh, around the beginning of the summer, this guy started calling him like all the time an-" Dipper began, but was interrupted by his great-uncle's voice.

"Gideon," The 10-year-old's attention was directed to the elder man. He stood in the entry way, curling his index finger inwards, to indicate he wanted him to come over to him. His hand held the phone, the cord stretched taunt. "Come here."

The child gulped, finding the emotion rolling off Stan to be overwhelming to his senses. He wasn't sure what, but something was wrong and he was about to receive what he feared to be bad news. He scooted out of his chair, the legs scarpering across the floor, onto wobbly legs. He entered the hallway, not bothering to glance over his shoulder, afraid to see his friend's faces. The phone was handed to him and he stared at it. Stan stared down at him, expression unreadable. "It's Dr. Thompson."

He pressed it to his ear. "H-Hello?"

"Ah, hello, Gideon. How are you tonight?" The doctor's voice intoned.

"Um, f-fine..."

"What are you up to?"

"I-I w-was e-eating d-dinner..."

"Oh, I could actually call back, if I'm interrupting?"

"I-I'm...I'm d-done...W-What i-is i-it?" He asked, feeling anxious over the pleasantries.

"Well...this is a somewhat sensitive matter and I...you may be perhaps a bit scared about the nature of my question."

His heart fluttered, butterflies dancing in his stomach. "W-What i-is i-it?"

"The...trial has reached a certain point where...Gideon, do you know how trials have witnesses come to the stand?"

"Y-Yes, l-like i-in t-the m-movies...t-they g-get a-asked q-questions..."

"Yes, that's right. Now, you don't have to give me a yes or even an answer right away, but the judge has made the request to...since you are one of the main witnesses to what your...father has done...the judge wanted you to come to the trial and answer questions about what he's done. Would like to?"

His ears roared and he stared at Stan, whose face was as blank as his own. Gideon removed the phone from his ear, hanging up without a word. His lips wobbled dramatically, voice coming out quiet. "N-No."

Stan reached out, but Gideon backed away, shaking his head. "N-No...I-I...n-no..."

The freckled child skittered around the elder man, ascending the stairs backwards, hands clinging to the railing. Stan approached the steps, hands cautiously raised, face concerned. "Gideon, we're not gonna make you, but we should talk about this. Come back down."

Gideon continued his ascent, feeling queasy at the idea of being in the same room as his father, in front of the entire town. "I-I...n-no..."

Stan was at the base of the staircase, eyes as pleading as his words. "...kid, please."

Gideon retreated, sprinting to his room, eyes full of tears of horror, nearly tripping up the staircase to the attic. He exploded into the room, slamming the door shut, reaching out to the side dresser, opening his drawer. He grasped onto the copy of "Where the Red Fern Grows", hugging it to his chest, the tears rolling down his cheeks. "M-Mama..."

He stood there, swaying, as he began to feel the emotions of the recent events pour from his heart. His eyes flickering over to the open drawer, spotting the American flag pin his father had given him. Gideon reached out, taking hold of it, staring at the glittering object in the palm of his hand. Suddenly, he couldn't take the feeling of it, tossing it across the room in a fit of anguish. There was a clatter, where the pin rolled into the crack in the floorboards, disappearing from his view. His sobs deepened, as the door opened, Mabel stepping in. Her voice came out perturbed. "Gideon?"

The freckled boy froze, glancing up at her. He realized she was the only one to enter the room and prayed that she wasn-Her eyes. They were a storm, full of darkness. No. He couldn't do this again, no. The words stuck in his mouth, feet glued to the floor boards, as she approached. Mabel's eyes became heavy lidded, staring into his own, tenderly taking the book from his hands. The book was set onto the dresser beside his bed. "You feel sad, don't you?"

He shook his head, backing away. Her hands reached out, to his face, he shied from the them, tripping backwards, onto the bed. No. He felt a sense of deva ju, from when she was on his bed earlier, rubbing his shoulders, uncomfortably. Her lips were close to brushing against the back of his neck, whispering about how pretty he was, how she wanted to...to...own him forever. In the present, her hands were now on either side of his face, body leaning onto his legs. He felt the heat creep up his neck, into his face, unable to breathe. "You're so cute, when you're sad..."

His eyes widened, body frozen. Last time, and the first time this had occurred, Stan had interrupted, Mabel returning to her senses immediately. No one was coming this time though. She leaned further in, straddling his legs, lips brushed against his nose. Her eyes glowed a bluish hue, unbeknownst to Gideon, whose own were squeezed shut. Her lips shifted to his cheek, fervently whispering against it. "...mine..."

Gideon couldn't breathe. God, he couldn't breathe. She was lying on top of him, feeling a familiar fear rising from deep within. "No one can come between us this time, Giddy."

His eyes snapped open, realizing why the situation was familiar to him. It was her. He didn't feel uncomfortable because of Mabel, but because of her. He would of cried in relief, about Mabel not being the one to cause him discomfort, if it wasn't for the fact that Jill Rephic was using Mabel's body to touch him. Her nose nuzzled his neck, causing him to shiver, tears rolling off his face, into his hairline. "...p-please...d-don't..."

The door began to creak open, the brunette rolling away in a heart beat, onto her feet, as he laid there on the bed, in a daze. Dipper's voice wavered in, peeking his head in. "Gideon?"

"...he doesn't want to talk..." Mabel whispered to her twin.

"Oh...G-Grunkle Stan told me what Dr. Thompson a-asked..." Dipper whispered back. The 10-year-old stared at the ceiling, his stomach pressured enough with horror, that he felt as though he would throw up on himself. He couldn't breathe. Jill was inside Mabel, attempting to take what was her's. Gideon Gleeful was her property and he couldn't deny it. There was no denying it, his body and soul was branded by her. She loved him and would never leave him. He felt a gag building up from within, but was distracted by what occurred next. Mabel released a gasp. Dipper sounded concern. "M-Mabel?"

"...t-that looked like...I thought I saw G-Grandpa Stanley on the window?" She replied, sounding frightened. Gideon's head flopped to the side, the heat reducing in his face, staring at the triangle shaped window. Despite not being able to view what Mabel had seen, he knew she had seen him. Not to the mention, that he felt a dark, animalistic presence in the room. The hairs on his arms were on end, a chill settling upon his body.

The brunet's voice wavered into his ears."I think I...h-heard something...w-what's he doing?"

"I...he...was l-lying on the floor? I don't...I thought I saw something on t-top of him...and...he had a g-gun...it was lying on the floor next to him..." Mabel sounded close to tears.

Gideon wasn't crying any longer, but remained tense. He stiffened further, when something brushed against his foot, his leg jerking away. Dipper's voice was attracted to him, concern in his voice. "G-Gideon? A-Are you ok? Y-You've been sort of quiet..."

"...s-something...t-touched...M-Mabel?" His lifted his neck, staring at the 13-year-old by her twin. Her eyes flashed a bluish hue, finger coming to her lips, hushing him silently. He froze, unable to breathe once more. The situation had happened, he hadn't imagined it, and oh, he couldn't breathe. Dipper frowned in distressing, focusing on him, instead of his sister. The lips spread across her face, in a wicked smile, as her hand dropped. He couldn't breathe, lungs encased with fear. His head flopped back down, staring at the ceiling, in a daze. He was trapped, trapped by her ownership, by her secrets, just as Stanley Pines was stuck in another dimension, fighting off the creatures overtaking him.

Chapter 30 End

First off, I barely had time to write this chapter! Between the constant homework shoveled at me and going to work, I hardly have time to do much in my free time. I decided now would be a great time to update though, considering I don't have any impending due dates within the next few days. Honestly though, I want to thank you all for your patience. Notes for this chapter include the following; Jessica DiCicco is meant to be Tambry's mother and the name is used from her actress. The reason Dipper and Mabel were running fevers in the first place, was due to Jill Rephic causing damage on their minds, when she made them forget. She placed a type of block on their minds, so the memory remains there, but they can't reach it. Similar to how Bill Cipher has placed a block on Dipper's mind, against the insanity he has deep within in his mind. This is why he no longer sees the triangles. The other reason Dipper and Jason are together again, because in an effort to protect their mind against Jill, they've joined together. Stan doesn't have this block, but has trained his mind overtime to not always see triangles and other imagery images. Mabel doesn't realize she's hurt animals or Gideon, because Jill forces her mind not to. Those moments between Gideon and Jill won't ever escalate further than they have done so in this chapter, but I wanted to show how dark and possessive she can be. In the next chapter, I will actually go through with the promise that Claudine will make an appearance and will also include a Robbie moment in it. As always, reviews, followers, and favorites are appreciated!