Changing Things Up In Gravity Falls
Disclaimer: I do not own Gravity Falls, nor the characters.
Chapter 2: Mistakes
Utter blackness. That's all Mabel could see, for as far as she could see. She floated there, curled into a ball, full of misery, pain, and regret. Time swept past her by the millennia, and also by the second. She stared blankly into the void, wishing it would just envelope her, so she wouldn't have to endure this anymore. There was nothing left for her, except the memories, which brought new bouts of pain and guilt through her. Never appreciating him, never taking him seriously, never giving him the credit and praise he so deserved. Just a few of the many crimes she committed against him. 'He must have hated me,' she thought, curling tighter into herself. 'After all the things he sacrificed for me, I go and say that,' she thought, fresh tears falling. It was a mystery to her how she had any tears left.
...
"And that makes fifty-seven!" Dipper exclaimed, triumphantly. He pulled out his note book and added another mark to the "Chess" list, of which Mabel didn't have a single win mark. He fist pumped and put the notebook back into his vest. Mabel glared at him. "You got lucky that time! Admit it, I almost had you!" she spat. Dipper looked at the board to check, and saw that Mabel hadn't even come close. The only pieces she captured were two of Dipper's pawns. Dipper, on the other hand, had captured all of hers. It wasn't necessary, as he could have beaten her in four moves, but he enjoyed making her use her brain. She looked so cute when her face was scrunched up in thought. He smiled awkwardly. "N-not really Mabel," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. Her cheeks flushed, and she glared at him hatefully. "You know I hate chess! Why can't we do something that I'm good at?" she yelled. Dipper waved his hands, trying to calm her. "I offered to knit matching sweaters with you, but you said you were going to destroy me in chess," he muttered shyly. Mabel stared at him, all wind in her sails lost. Even so, she hated losing to him, and hated even more how he was such a nice person to her, even after beating her in everything they played. He smiled apologetically and opened his arms for a hug, hoping to ease his sister, so they could do something else. Mabel stared at him, too mad to give in, but too shocked by how he still wanted to make her happy. She shut her eyes, and lashed out at him. Her fist connected with his left cheek, and he went down. "I HATE YOU, YOU BIG JERK! I JUST WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!" she screamed, not knowing where this was coming from, or why she was doing it. She opened her eyes to Dipper on the floor, holding his cheek, staring up at her with scared, pain filled eyes, like a deer caught in headlights. He stared a bit longer, then his gaze locked with the carpet. He stood up silently, and walked out the door, heading into the forest. She watched him go, and as he disappeared from sight, her knees buckled and gave way, and she fell to the ground in a heap. She was trembling, tears falling from her face freely. She wrapped her arms around herself, in an effort to calm herself. 'Why did I do that?' she wondered. It was true. All Dipper wanted to do was something that she enjoyed, but she denied, wanting to beat him at something. Anything. Who knew it was his face she would beat. She lost control, wanting so bad to be his equal, and in the end she ruined everything. She lost her brother over something so trivial and stupid. She lost the one she truly loved...
She spent the rest of the day trying to find him; to apologize, to beg for his forgiveness, to throw herself at him, fussing over his every nick and scratch. After many hours of searching, she found him at the spot where he discovered that weird book of his. He was just sitting there, as still as the forest around him. She paused, all the guilt she had pushed away hitting her all at once. Biting back tears, she pressed forward. She walked up behind him, and was about to call out to him when he turned to look at her. Her breathe caught in her throat; not only at the big, ugly bruise on his face, but the look in his eyes. He stared at her with such distrust, such pain...such hate. Her heart throbbed, and once again, her knees betrayed her. He stared at her for a moment longer, then realized she had nothing to say. He stood up, and walked back towards the shack, as the sun was almost set. He had gotten to the edge of the tree line, when he stopped. He turned to look at her, and spat, "C'mon, let's get home before it's too dark to see." He continued on his way, leaving her to decide whether to follow or stay. She stared at the spot where he once sat, unmoving. Slowly, her face scrunched up as another wave of tears had surged forth. She collapsed, and screamed, letting all the pain flow through her. Dipper had heard this, and returned to see what had happened. When he saw her in a pathetic heap, he sighed. He walked over to her, and abruptly picked her up. She yelped at being hoisted and cradled like a bride in his arms. 'H-he came back for me...' she thought, the first forms of hope flaring up like fuel in her heart. "Oh Di-" She was cut short when he looked at her. It was no longer hate or mistrust in his eyes. It was disgust.
Neither said a word to each other. Once they reached the shack, Dipper set her down gently, and went inside. Wendy looked up from her magazine, and noticed him. "Hey little man, what's u-" She stopped as he walked right past her and trudged up the stairs to the twin's room. Wendy gasped as she noticed the bruise, and started to get up to chase after him. He was going to tell her who did that to him, even if she had to give him another bruise to get it out of him. She was stopped short by Mabel slowly coming through the door. Wendy looked at her, and noticed the empty, defeated look on her face. 'Oh man, not her too!' Wendy thought. She crouched in front of Mabel, gripping her shoulders. "Mabel? Sweety, what happened? Did someone beat you two up?" she asked, checking her all over for signs of abuse. Mabel simply stared emptily at the ground. Wendy shook her gently. "Mabel! C'mon, you can tell me," Wendy said, her voice growing more and more worried. Mabel looked up at her for a few moments, then muttered something unintelligible. Wendy blinked, then asked, "What was that? Who did this?" She leaned closer to the smaller girl, and tears once again started to well up in Mabel's eyes. "I-I did. I was the one w-who hit Dipper," she admitted, grief lacing her words, constricting her throat. Wendy blinked again, not sure if she heard correctly. "Y-you what?" she asked, the first signs of rage showing through. Mabel's head shot up, and the destroyed look on her face quelled all anger in Wendy. "I WAS THE ONE WHO HIT DIPPER!" she yelled, shaking in anger. "I got mad because he always wins, and even though he has the chance to rub it in my face, he doesn't! He's always nice to me, and I hit him, and said I wished he were never born!" she yelled, everything flowing out like a stream. Wendy stared blankly, not knowing what to say or do. Mabel stood there, tears draining down her face, already leaving tear marks on her chipmunk cheeks. Wendy didn't know how to handle this, so she let instinct take over. She threw her arms around the small, shaking girl, petting and humming, trying everything to comfort her. Mabel froze from the act. She was expecting to get the same from Wendy as what she did to Dipper. Wendy put her at arm's length, and looked directly in her eyes. "Mabel, I don't know why you did what you did, but don't you think you should apologize? I mean, I can imagine Dipper is confused and hurt, and he might not want to be around you for awhile, but if you apologize, he might forgive you." Wendy said, trying to instill some hope in this girl, who obviously was afraid of losing her brother. Mabel simply stared, still shocked from how Wendy was treating her, even after all she had done. Wendy shook Mabel to get her attention, and Mabel snapped from her stupor. Wendy smiled half-heartedly, trying to coax one out of the troubled girl. "Right?" Wendy asked. Mabel sniffled, and wiped her tears on her oversized sleeve. Putting on a crooked smile, Mabel agreed. "Well get up there, and make sure you don't stop apologizing until he accepts!" Wendy goaded her on. Mabel, now full of hope once more, nodded enthusiastically, and darted up the stairs, making a beeline for their room.
Mabel burst through their room, only to see Dipper buried under his covers. She stared, starting to feel the cold hands on doubt creep up her spine, but she quickly shook them off, knowing she had to move forward. She slowly walked forward, until she was at the edge of his bed. She could hear his soft, though labored breathing. He had been crying. She could smell the fear emanating of him, and she gulped, guilt rushing through her. Dipper's voice quietly came from the mass of blankets. "Y-you're not going to hit me again...are you?" he asked, voice shaky with fear. Mabel bit back yet another wave of tears. She had to be strong. "N-no! Of c-course not! I just wanted to-" She was interrupted by a loud rumble that ripped through the town. Both twins jumped, and Dipper shook off the covers. Bright light shone through the dark clouds hovering in the dusk sky, chasing shadows around the room. Both he and his sister rushed to the window to see what was happening. They saw a bright, green, almost fire-like light falling from the sky at an alarming rate. Dipper was intrigued, and Mabel noticed. She took advantage of this, hoping she could use it to win him back. By becoming the mystery twins. She grabbed Dipper's hand, and he panicked. He looked from his hand eloped with hers, then to her eyes. His eyes showed nothing but fear. She swallowed her guilt and shouted in her usual obnoxious voice, "C'mon Dipper! Let's go check that out! It might be an alien!" She ran to the door, dragging Dipper behind her. "M-Mabel!? What the heck are you doing!? Let go of me!" Dipper yelled, trying to break free from her offending grasp. She didn't listen, and merely ran faster. Soon they were out heading towards the object, and Dipper became distracted by it again. 'Yes! I can still do this!' Mabel thought as they ran, un-knowingly to their deaths.
...
And after finding that...thing, it killed her, and undoubtedly, her brother as well. She imagined her body being eaten at this moment, as she floated around here in this dark void, lost and separated from the one she loved, for the rest of eternity. Oh, how she wished she could have done things differently. Oh, the mistakes she would prevent. But the past was behind her now, she was dead, and there was no going back. She deserved this, and she accepted it, as well as she accepted the painful fact she would never hear his voice, calling out her name again. Although, in her head, she could have sworn that she could hear him, calling to her, but she was sure she was just imagining it...
