Hello. I have a warning for this chapter- there will be a bit of blood a gore so skip it if you did feel comfortable reading it.
Please review. I always want to know how to make my writing better.
disclaimer: I don't own Gravity Falls or any of the characters appearing in this story.
After the eggs on toast Bill led Dipper upstairs just like he had wanted to do for the past ten hours. It was now dark outside and Dipper had an odd sense that the trees were closer to the house than they had been in daylight. They nuzzled up against the house and scratched at the windows like wild animals.
"This is your room and next door is my room so if you need anything just ask okay, kid. Don't stay up too late either, you look exhorted."
Dipper wondered why Bill would need a bedroom if he didn't need sleep. He was probably just making sure that Dipper didn't try to run away. But Dipper wasn't planning on being the one to break his deal and he wasn't planning on staying up any longer. His eyelids drooped and they ached when he tried to force them open. He did even bother cleaning his teeth before climbing under the covers.
"Goodnight Mabel," he whispered sadly to the empty room. There was no answer.
Dipper bolted up out of bed barely suppressing a strangled scream. A cold sweat started running down his face. His nightmare had been a morbid retelling of the previous day's events.
Ford had not recovered from his wounds and had looked at Dipper with hollowed eyes and flesh slowly peeling from his face. Blackened blood had oozed from the rips in his skin. Blood poured onto the floor as what might have once been Ford opened his mouth to speak. The blood was congealed and black as it splattered onto the ground and Dipper's legs making him feel sick.
Why did you let this happen to me, Dipper? The dead yet not lifeless man had asked in an echoed ghostly voice that didn't quite sound like Ford but still had that gruff sternness that Dipper had memorised. Wendy, Stan and Mabel had joined in after that. Their bodies were dead and decoying not unlike the oldest twin.
Stan had looked twisted and grotesque as he stumbled towards his nephew who, at that moment, wanted nothing more than to run or at the very least scream but he couldn't move and his mouth refused to work.
Why did you break the deal, Dipper? Stan had asked and Mabel… oh Mabel. Her sweater was drenched in thick, clotted blood; the bones of her hand were visible through the chunks of missing greenish flesh that had been torn away.
Why did you let Bill kill us, Dipper? Her eyes had been as dead and empty as the others. They surrounded him and he couldn't scream for help.
Wendy had been there too. Her red hair was lank and matted with large clumps missing leaving bold spots of decoying flesh. She too had had ghostly empty eyes and moaned like she was in a great amount of pain. Blood run like rivers down her face from her eyes and her axe had been embedded into her side.
Why did you kill us?
Why? Stop…
Why? Please stop.
…Why? Stop it! I didn't mean too…
Bill opened the door and peered in at him, his blue eyes seemed to be smirking at him even though his face was neutral. It was early morning and the room looking as grey and as colourless and the mindscape.
"D-did you do that? Did you m-make them look like that… s-say that?" dipper stuttered trying to string the sentence together in a somewhere cohesive pattern and attempt to understand the psychological mind bend that was the nightmare. It was harder than he thought it would be.
"Nope, I had no part in that awesome dream unfortunately it was your mind that came up with that stuff. I haven't been in the dreamscape for… well… since yesterday actually." He laughed at his own weak joke, not noticing Dipper's trauma. The boy stumbled pasted him, pushing the man out of the way as he fled for the bathroom but Bill caught his arm before he could start to run. He just wanted to lock himself in a room and never come out. He hadn't expected Bill to show sympathy but the least he could do was ask if he was alright. Dipper didn't know what to do with himself, he hated the feeling of powerlessness that Bill always seemed to make him feel. He didn't want to be around the man anymore he wanted to be alone or as Mabel would put it 'Sweater Town.'
"Let go of me!" Dipper screamed, wrenching his arm away from the demon.
Instead of doing what Dipper wanted Bill knelt down and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up at the blonde haired man. Dipper scowled and thought about spitting in his face but then again that might be pushing his luck. Bill didn't look like he was in a good mood.
"I hate anyone telling me what to do. So I suggest for your own safety not to say anything like that again. I get that you hate it here but you live here now so get used to it and stop acting like a baby about it. It was just a dream meaning unless I want it to be real it won't be. Got it?" Bill tightened his grip on his chin, his nails cutting into his skin. He smiled, revealing sharpened fangs. "Oh and I suggest not going back to sleep or the dreams might get worse."
"What did it mean?"
"They're just a side effect from the curse I put on the house. You can't leave without me accompanying you. Your dreams allowed you to leave the house in unconsciousness so the dreams become somewhat… darker than you are used to, that is a precaution to make you stay here." Bill face twisted into what could be called a smile but Bill looked like he was grimacing in pain. The whole expression looked unnatural on his pointed face. "Did you want a…hot chocolate or something?" it was clear that he had had to delve into his pool of knowledge to find out what you would give a child in distress.
"You lock me up at night like some animal and think that it can all be solved with a cup of hot chocolate. I don't know what you've been researching Bill but that's not the right way to go around making me calm down. You say I can't go see Mabel when I ask but when I've given up hope of ever seeing her again you spring the fact that we're going to see her the next day on me like it's no big deal. You constantly interrupt me but as soon as I pitch in too soon you stab a knife into my uncle's leg. He might never recover from that! You can't just think that by keeping me here are acting nice some of the time will make me want to stay because it won't." Dipper took a deep breath as he came to the end of his ranting speech. The events of the previous day plus the vivid nightmares were coursing him to feel tired and aggravated.
"get dressed kid, I'll be in the kitchen when you're ready to head off." Bill's face was void of emotion making Dipper feel uneasy about the ease in which the demon had let his angry rant slide. It was too much to hope for to think that what he had said had resinated with him
Dipper suddenly felt immensely selfish in that moment as he watched Bill slowly descend the stairs. He had only cared about what would happen to him after the deal had been made. He was constantly worrying about his own future and no one else's. The deal he had made only stated that Bill was not to harm Ford but Dipper had forgotten about the two other members of the Pines family as well as any other symbol of the Cipher Wheel. This meant that he could go after anyone Dipper loved if he wanted and why wouldn't he? They had all helped to defeat him last summer. Bill could take his revenge out on them whenever he felt like it.
"I want to make another deal!" Dipper yelled feeling his stomach raise to his throat. He knew he would regret this. But he silently promised himself that he was doing it for the people that he loved and that he wouldn't regret selfless acts like the one he was about to perform.
"Oh, yeah? What do you want Pine Tree; I thought I was suffocated and confusing. That I was caging you like an animal." Bill sounded bitter and sulky like a child being told off by a parent. "Why would you want to make another deal when you have come to regret all of the other ones you've made with me or better yet why would I make a deal with you if you're just going to go sulk about it for the rest of forever."
"I don't want you to hurt any of my family or any of my friends, if you need me to write you a list then I will. And in return for you not hurting anyone I won't complain. We got a deal?"
"What exactly do I get out of this offer?"
"I- I won't complain or yell or… or cry or beg. I won't annoy you anymore. I promise."
"Oh you got yourself a deal there Pine Tree. That sounds great but I have one thing to add…" He paused tapping a finger on his chin in thought.
"Yeah… what?" Dipper waited with baited breathe for the demon to respond.
"I want you to like it here. I want you to have fun with me." Bill grabbed Dipper's chin twisting his neck so that he was looking up at the demon. He caressed the younger's cheek his eyes flicking around the boy's face as if to take in every detail. "I also want you to do what I say. Within reason of course," he laughed. "I'm sure I can forgive you for not jumping off a cliff if I get angry enough to tell you to."
"I don't know if I can do that Bill, it's not realistic, you can't just tell someone to like something that they hate."
"It's that or I can do whatever I want to the other Pines and their little friends," Bill sung holding out his hand, flickering with electric blue flames. "Your chose, kid."
It was mid morning by the time they arrived at the Mystery Shack. There didn't seem to be any tourists around, not that that mattered to Bill. The demon walked in through the gift shop doors as if he owned the place, pleased that he was able to get into the Shack at all. He needn't worry though; Ford had taken down the spell at the end last summer when they rebuilt the Shack. The author did see the importance of a curse to keep out demons when there were no demons to keep out.
Wendy was the only one in the shop and she didn't look up as they walked. She was too busy reading some magazine. All she did when they entered was mutter a half-hearted welcome. She didn't look very happy either. Her make up poorly covered the fact that she hadn't gotten any sleep the night before and her brows were knitted together.
Bill was the first person to greet the red head giving a sly sideways glance at Dipper as if challenging him to try and stop him. Dipper didn't have the energy. He knew that he couldn't hurt and he was just happy to be back in the Shack.
"Heya Toots. Slow morning? Well aren't you glad we're here to liven up your day."
Wendy's head shot up as she registered the words. Dipper could see from where he stood closer to the door Wendy reached for her axe.
"What are you doing here, filth?" she snarled, not nearly as phased by Bill new appearance than dipper had been. Then she noticed Dipper. The sixteen year old leapt smoothly over the counter almost kicking Bill in the face. She ran towards him, arms out stretched and giving a yell of excitement. "Dipper you came back!"
"Wendy," he whizzed. "…Can't breathe."
"Sorry man," she said as she released him and punching him soft on the arm. "We were all so worried about you dude. You just up and left and you didn't even take your journal, did you at leas find Mr Pines- I mean Ford?"
"Yeah but, um, Bill… stabbed him and we had to take him to the hospital. I'm sorry I worried you guys but I wasn't allowed to come… back to the Shack."
"So this is all because of him?" She asked coldly. She turn to face Bill. He was leaning against the counter watching the teenagers' interaction with a knowing smirk.
"Guilty as charged but I must say that Pine Tree painted me as the sadistic villain unfairly and that I'm hurt. I only stabbed old Sixer to get the kid's attention."
"You sick twisted-"
"Thank you but flattery will get you nowhere with me. And don't even think about trying to hurt my new body or no deal well save you from the horrors I will do to you, Red." His eyes had darkened and his body flickered to show his true form. Wendy stepped backwards to stand in front of Dipper. It was the first time he could remember Wendy looking scared. "Don't think I'm buffing."
"Wendy, can you go get Mabel, I really want to see her."
"Sure, dude. But I'm not letting you stay in a room with him alone," she jabbed a finger at Bill in disgust.
Dipper nodded in agreement. He didn't really want to stay in the same room as Bill either, he had spent the last twenty-four hours being near him and he wanted to get away even if it was only to go up to his shared room in the attic. They began to walk together past Bill and towards the stairs.
"Dipper, stop."
He stopped, hating himself as he did so.
"Turn around."
He turned, swearing under his breathe.
"Dude, what-"
"Come here."
Dipper took a few slow steps towards the demon like a dead man towards his noose and stopped a foot from him. Bill didn't like this and pulled his closer. His body heat made Dipper feel far too hot as he squirmed in discomfort. Bill spun him around to face the red head. She looked utterly stunned, rooted to the spot, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The demon's hand snaked around Dipper's neck coursing him to squirm even harder to try and escape from the odd position that he was forced to keep his head in.
"I'm sure you can go collect Shooting Star by yourself, Red. What do you think, Pine Tree?" Bill hissed squizzing the boy's neck tightly.
Wendy looked like she wanted to intervene but she was too shocked to move any closer to the demon who was holding her friend in a death grip.
"Just… go!" Dipper whizzed, waving her away.
Once she was out of sight Bill let him go and Dipper collapsed, gasped loudly trying to get air back into his lungs.
"Oh, stop being so dramatic, Pine Tree."
"Me? Dramatic? What was that- you didn't have to do that and you know it."
"Yeah but it was funny! Did you see the look on her face? Priceless!" Bill laughed wiping an imaginary tear from his eye.
They stood in silence as they waited for Mabel to come down from her room. It worried Dipper that she wasn't helping out in the shop like they normally would on days like these. It meant that Soo and Grunkle Stan had let her get out of work, which was very abnormal. Bill was actively making himself at home, stepping out of the shop and into the lounge room where he sat himself down on the only arm chair in the room. He called for Dipper to follow him and he did, standing awkwardly off to the side waiting pensively for his sister to come downstairs.
A scream coursed both of them to look up towards the ceiling. Dipper knew that it was Mabel but it scared him. Why was she screaming? Was she scared of Bill having she brother or was she excited about seeing her brother again? Dipper had no idea what Wendy would tell her or if she would say anything at all. Wendy, after all, was very good at keeping secrets. Dipper shot an accusatory glance at Bill who was lying longways across the couch, his legs dangling over the edge, the demon shrugged as if to say it wasn't his fault.
They listened as quick footsteps made there away across the floor above them and down the stairs. Mabel saw Dipper and let out another scream leaping at him like a monkey.
"Calm down Mabel! I was only away for one night." Dipper's voice sounded muffled in his sister's arms.
"But Dipper! It was the worst night ever! I missed you so much we didn't know where you were and then we got some guy from the hospital this morning coming in and saying that they had Ford! But that they didn't know where you were! And-"
"Mabel, its ok, I'm here now."
"Don't give her false hope Pine Tree, we're not staying."
Mabel turned around to see Bill smirking at the bother of them from the arm chair.
"Bill!"
"Oh no! Not Bill!" Bill cried, mocking her high-pitched voice.
"What did you do to my brother you isosceles monster, I thought we killed you."
"Well for starters I can't be killed by you flesh bags, secondly I am not an isosceles, I'm an equilateral and lastly I haven't done anything to little Pine Tree. He wanted to make to deal."
"The what?" Mabel looked back at Dipper. He was looking at the ground and gripping her hands painfully tight. "Dipper, you didn't, did you?"
"I'm sorry Mabel, it was either me or Ford and I couldn't let Ford die. Not when I could do something to stop it."
"But what do you mean?" Dipper could tell that his sister really didn't understand. She didnt understand why he had left her alone the night before and she didn't understand why her was wearing a yellow shirt and black jeans instead of his usual red top and blue vest. She didn't want to understand why Bill was still alive or why he was sitting in their living room acting like he had living there his whole life.
"I… I can't stay Mabel. I have to go with Bill."