Okay I couldn't stop writing more, so I did. I'm sorry I have way too much time on my hands and so do Dipper and Mabel and "twins with too much time on their hands... are the devil." (sorry- been re-watching some older animes)
Please tell me if I missed any spelling errors, I think I got them all but you can never be too such about these things. Thanks
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Fall but I wish I did.
Dipper paused, if being Ford's assistant had taught him anything it was that he had to remain calm and rational in the most threatening situations. He took a deep breath, trying to get his heart to slow down to a normal pace. He felt like he was facing the alien guard robots all over again but this time without Ford's help. His brain was screaming at him to run, to scream, to cry but he didn't do any of that. He just stood there not moving for a long time. His legs shook violently causing him to sway perilously as the minutes dragged on.
"You don't have to hold in all the emotions, Pine Tree. It's bad for you."
Dipper's head snapped up to look that the demon, he was leaning against a nearby tree and spinning Ford's body slowly around in the air like a kite.
"And not that I care or anything because I really couldn't care less about old Sixer here, but the deal was that he survived and at the moment he doesn't seem like his doing a very good job at living, in fact I think he might die before we get to the Shack, do you want me to call the hospital Pine Tree? Or…" Bill paused, tapping a finger on his chin. "Do you want to break the deal by letting the old man die? I mean, hewas meant to live until he was ninety-two but with him out of the way the Cipher Wheel can't be made, I could always use Shooting Star as bait for our next deal, it's really a win-win for me. So how about it kid, hospital or break the deal?"
Dipper vaguely knew what the demon was saying, he knew that he needed to snap out of it or his Great-uncle would die. There was no way he could go back to the Mystery Shack and say that he was the reason the Ford had lost his life. Despite the fact that Stan never said it, he really loved his brother and Dipper was sure that he couldn't bear to lose him again without saying goodbye.
"Call someone, please..."
"Whatever you say kid, this one's on you. Hope you don't regret it." Bill pulled a phone out of mid-air and started talking into it. Dipper wasn't listening, he was looking up at the old man, it was good that Bill hadn't taken out the knife otherwise he would have died long age. He looked so pale and weak, suspended in mid-air like a puppet on strings. A puppet… Just like Dipper.
Bill clapped his hands loudly, snapping Dipper out of his daze. The phone had vanished as if it had never existed.
"Well, Pine Tree, they know we're coming so let's get going." The creature offered its gloved hand, smiling in a decidedly demonic grin.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I call the hospital and told them I'm coming in and dropping off old Sixer."
"But we're in the middle of nowhere," Dipper was tired. He just wanted this day to be over, or better yet, not happen at all.
"God, kid! Did you hit your head on a rock when I wasn't looking? I'm going to teleport us there! What did you think I was going to do? I'm only walking because I know it's better for you if I do." Bill sounded exasperated as he pulled Dipper closer as if to examine the boy for injury.
"What would happen to me?"
Dipper suddenly wished he had brought his journal to write down his findings about the demon. He hadn't thought of teleportation as part of Bill's skill set but then again Bill seemed like he was always holding back a lot of what he could really do with his powers of weirdness.
"Well you could come out the other end without body parts or vomit up your small intestine." Bill smirked.
"Eww! Shut up!" Dipper whined, wrinkling up his face in disgust. He pushed Bill away him. He wasn't known for his iron stomach.
"You asked for it, Pine Tree." Bill laughed grabbing Dipper by the neck and pulling him closer. Grabbing the still unconscious Ford with his free hand and waving another hand in the air, flourishing it as if to conjure up magic from the air. Dipper was about to wonder how he could have three arms if he was in human form. But it seemed that even looking like a human he still had the immense power of a demon.
…
"The kid found him and called me straight away, it took us a while to get him here. He's the boy's Great-uncle and when the kid found him like this he was hysterical, if you could call the old man's brother it would be very much appreciated. Right now I need to take the kid home, he's still in shock you see." Bill told the doctor, rubbing circles into Dipper's back to look like he was trying to calm him but in reality Dipper was trying very hard not to make a run for it. He didn't want to be part of Bill's lie even though it was a lie that could save Ford's life. Bill handed over a piece of paper with a random jumble of numbers that could barely pass for a fake phone number.
"I understand, I just have a few quick questions to ask before you go home, I just need your names, where you found him, your address and… What did you say his name was again?" The doctor looked up at Bill, a confused expression on her face. She slowly took the phone number and putting on her clipboard.
"Stanford Filbrick Pines, I'm William Pines and this is Tyrone Pines." Bill lied effortlessly placing a hand on Dipper's shoulder. "And their home address is 618 Gopher Road. Now, if don't mind I would like to take little Tyrone here home, he's all shaken up and hasn't had anything to eat all day." Bill growled in a somewhat sympathetic tone, steering Dipper towards the doors.
"Yes of course, sir," the Doctor stuttered, writing down their fake names and the Mystery Shack's address in her notes.
Dipper was just about dragged out and away from his Great-uncle as nurse and doctors bustle around him connecting him to monitors and bags of blood while cutting away the blood soaked clothes from his pale skin; he wasn't going to be in a good mood when he woke up, if he woke up.
It made Dipper feel sick to think about this. Ford was old he couldn't just bounce back from that amount of blood lose overnight; it would take weeks for his to fully recover, even longer if he tries to stop Bill too soon.
"Now that that's out of the way we can go home." Bill muttered, brushing his shirt down as if to rid himself of the experiences of being in a hospital.
"Where's home now?" Dipper didn't look up as he asked; he just stared at the ground, giving in to the idea that his home won't be the Mystery Shack with his Grunkles or back in Piedmont with his parents. He wondered if he'd be living in the dreamscape or even if you could live in the dreamscape.
"The house that we were at before you made me stab old Fordsie. That is going to be our new home."
"I can't make you do anything."
"That's the spirit, kid." Bill smiled, clapping Dipper on the back with so much force that coursed him to fly forwards hitting the ground with a thud.
"I wanted to see Mabel." Dipper whispered, picking himself off the ground.
"No," Bill growled.
"Please, Bill. I don't know when I'll see her again. You have to let me see her."
"You said it yourself-I don't have to do anything, Pine Tree," but Dipper kept looking at him pleadingly. "You're acting like a child!"
"I'm begging you Bill! I can't leave her; I promised her I wouldn't leave her ever again!"
"Well you should have thought of that before you shook my hand, Pine Tree. You're pushing me, I suggest you stop…Now!" the warning tone was evident in the demon's voice.
"You've got to at least let me explain this to her."
"SHUT THE HELL UP YOU INSIGNIFICANT LITTLE WORM! YOU ARE MINE NOW. I WILL DO WHAT I WANT WITH YOU!"
Dipper looked up in fear. Bill was radiating waves of pure energy and power. Bill's eyes, which used to be a bright blue now glowed red with rage and his teeth grew to become sharpened fangs. He glared down at the boy grabbing his upper arm hard enough for the boy to whimper in pain as he tried in vain to back away from the infuriated man. He could tell the demon was struggling not to kill him right then and there when he saw the man's form flicker like I broken light bulb, revealing the demonic yellow triangle underneath. He reminded Dipper of when they had fought him the first time, when Gideon wanted the Shark. His voice had deepened from a high pitched squeal to a low booming voice that had echoed throughout Stan's mind.
Dipper couldn't stop the tears that were sliding down his cheeks; he had held them in for so long that it felt like a relief to let them out even though it made him feel like a kid.
He had never wanted to make the deal with Bill but he had been forced to give something precious to the demon twice now, making him feel like whatever he did, Bill would always win no matter what. That was just the way it was. It seemed like the Cipher Wheel only existed to give them all false hope.
"I-I don't want to give away my life; I didn't mean to! I just d-didn't want him to die. I'm only fourteen, I had n-no chose!" He cried. He didn't care what Bill would do to him, he didn't want to go with him. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to be with Mabel.
Bill bent down to sit at eye level with the boy as he wiped away a tear. "You meatbags are so emotional; I can't understand why you wouldn't be thrilled at being with me. I know Ford would have loved to spend this much time with me when he was younger," Bill smiled. His face suddenly darkened and his grip became uncomfortably tight. "Be grateful kid… I could just kill you for what you did to me last summer." He whispered into Dipper's ear making him cringe away from the hot breath.
"Why? Why don't you just kill me?" Dipper whined. He knew he sounded morbid but he wanted an answer. It didn't make any sense to him that Bill would let him live, that he would let Ford live when he could easily kill him both with a flick of his wrist. "It doesn't make any sense to me B-Bill! You…you could kill us all, you could have killed us all in Ford's body. Isn't that what you want, a sick twisted revenge that only you would ever find funny!"
"I… I don't want to talk about it kid. Don't push me or I'll turn you into an actual pine tree and set you on fire. Now come on, it's late." Bill wiped away a few more stray tears before lifting Dipper off the ground to stand on his feet. This time he just clicked his fingers and they were standing in front of the old house.
Bill stared at it through squinted eyes tapping a finger on his chin in dramatic contemplation. "I think it needs a paintjob and maybe a few light and a garden." He looked down at Dipper who was looking at the house with dread. "What do you think?"
Now that the sun was going down behind the mountains and a red hue painted the sky like blood dripping from an open wound the house looked even more haunted. It made Dipper feel sick to think of blood again… So much blood.
Dipper was able to make it to the nearest bush before emptying his stomach into it. It wasn't much, mostly bile since he hadn't really eaten all day.
"Are you alright kid? Was it because of the ride back?" He could hear Bill's blurred voice from somewhere behind him as he heaved and retched uncontrollably.
After a few minutes Dipper wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Sorry," he croaked weakly.
Bill gave him a strange look but didn't say anything as he picked Dipper up and brought him inside the house.
Inside was warm as if a fire had been lit hours beforehand and the walls were a pale yellow colour that made the place look even brighter. All the lights were on, even the ones upstairs. The house was actual a nice place now that Bill had focused his magic on fixing it.
"I think you should go get changed and then have something to eat, you look really pale," Bill broke the silence and pointed towards a door down the hall. "That's the bathroom."
Dipper didn't argue, he knew he reeked of sweat, blood and vomit and he felt grimy. He felt like having the hottest shower he could bear without scolding himself. Maybe it would be a small payback if he used all the hot water up.
He locked the door even though if Bill really wanted to get in he could do it without even raising a finger. Dipper undressed and hopped under the steamy water. His clothes were ruined. As much as he didn't want to he would have to ask Bill for some new ones.
He would also have to find a way to break the deal. He remembered reading in the journals that he could break the deal whenever he wanted to but that would also mean Bill could break it too and his family would die. Before doing anything he would have to get a message to his Grunkles and Mabel and possibly everyone else in the town to leave. That was the only way he could be sure they were all safe from Bill. Bill still couldn't leave the Gravity Falls area and Dipper would be relying on that fact to be able to break the deal. It was the only plan he could come up with from the top of his head but it would have to do for the time being. Bill would become suspicious if he spent too much time in the bathroom without the tell-tale sound of water running and Dipper didn't want the demon busting down the door when he had no clothes on.
He wrapped a towel tightly around his waist before walking out into the hallway to find the blonde man.
"Um… Bill…?" He called wearily as he peered around corners.
"What can I do you for, kid?" The voice came from behind and Dipper let out a little scream of surprise as he spun around to face the man. "Geez kid, you're so skittish." He laughed, flowing upwards as he clutched his stomach.
"I just need some clothes. My other ones are bloodstained." Dipper said, trying to compose himself.
"Sure, kid, why didn't you say so," he snapped his fingers and a pile of clothes fell. Dipper found himself having to jump forwards to be able to catch them before they hit the ground.
"Thanks…I guess," he mumbled looking the bundle of items over before heading back towards the bathroom.
"No problem, Mason."
It was only when he got back to the bathroom he realised that that was the first time Bill had called him Mason in… well… as long as he could remember without impersonating someone. Dipper didn't really know what that meant but he couldn't stop thinking about it as he got dressed. It was a yellow t-shirt and dark grey pyjama pants covered with small pine trees. It had been a long time since he had worn pyjamas to bed as appose to the clothes that he had been wearing the past day but he wasn't about to complain to the man that could literally kill him with a look.
As he walked back out into the hall his stomach growled annoyingly. He hadn't eaten since this morning and what he had had was now lying under a bush outside and he was feeling rather weak from the days…excitement… and going without anything to keep his strength up. Ford would have scolded him for not packing his lunch but he had been so relieved about hearing from his part-time mentor that he had not only forgotten his lunch but his journal as well.
He had been given the journal by Stan on his last birthday, his excuse was that he needed his own book to write all his nerdy stuff in and stop stealing all the paper in the gift shop to write his crazy nerd stuff on. Paper was expensive he had said as the boy had hugged him before turning the loving embrace into a chokehold. It was blue and had the same tree on in as his hat. He had known by then of course that the pine tree was his chosen symbol on the Cipher Wheel but he loved it anyway, it reminding him of how Ford had put his symbol on his journals.
"It sounds like you're just in time for dinner," Bill said from behind but Dipper ready for this and was able to hind the fact that his heart skipped a beat.
Bill steered the boy to what appeared be the kitchen leading on to a dining room. A plate with eggs and toast was sitting on the counter.
Dipper muttered thanks as he sat down at the table to eat. To his dismay Bill sat across from him, watching him as he ate.
"Aren't you going to eat anything?"
"Don't need to. I am an all-powerful demon with no weakness." Bill quoted himself absentmindedly.
"Yeah… Whatever."
They lapsed back into a silence that was defiantly awkward for Dipper as the only sound was the clink of metal hit china plate. He tried to eat as fast as he could so that he could leave the awful silence. The eggs were well cooked and the toast was a perfect shade of golden-brown. It tasted really good, leading Dipper to question whether Bill had cooked it himself or conjured it up using his all-powerful power. The thought of Bill Cipher cooking eggs evoked a smile to form on his lips as he ate.
"You look different without your hat. I like it," Bill commented, pointing needlessly at Dipper's fringe which had been swept back to dry leaving his birth mark very visible. This coursed Dipper to horridly push his hair forward covering the dipper on his forehead. His face turned bright red with embarrassment. "Tomorrow we have to go to the Mystery Shack to pick up some of your things and tell Fez and your sister about Sixer, you can also explain to them why you're going to live with me, if you want. If you're good I might let you say good-bye to Mabel on the last day of summer. Got it?"
Dipper's mind raced. This was his chance to hatch a plan, to see Mabel, to say he was sorry. His heart leapt at the thought of seeing his sister again, she would be so worried that he hadn't come back yet and if the hospital had ended up contacting them they would know that Bill had Dipper. She would probably stay up for the whole night, unable to sleep, sick with worry, outside with a torch calling his name until she couldn't talk anymore. Seeing him would at least mean that she knew he was alive and safe, for the moment. That's all he could hope for.
"Thank you." He whispered.