A Confession

SUMMARY: The Pines family goes out to play some mini-golf; Dipper confesses something to Pacifica; Mabel overhears a conversation she shouldn't have.

The old red sedan pulls up to the parking lot of the Putt Hutt on a crisp Saturday morning, it having been recently rebuilt since Weirdmageddon ended.

Stan stops the vehicle after parking dangerously at a handicap spot, a spot that Stan wasn't yet entitled to, and steps out, a huge grin on his face. Ford steps out from the passenger side, his face seemingly green. The teenagers piled out from the backseat- Dipper, Pacifica, George, and Mabel respectively.

"Stan… remind me to make you an eye doctor's appointment…" Ford grumbled, him taking deep breaths to ease his nausea. "And to have your license revoked…"

Stan scoffs, "Stop whining. We didn't die." He rolled his eyes while adjusting his glasses.

"Yet," Dipper added, getting a snicker from Mabel as she added, "Dot, dot, dot."

"Keep talking like that and you're walking home," Stan threatens.

Dipper rolls his eyes, him as well adjusting his glasses. "Grunkle Stan, that's not much of a threat… I walk everywhere," the young man points out.

The group walks to the gates to Putt Hutt, Stan and Ford going right in along with George as the others stood at the gates. They remembered the last time they were in that mini-golf course. Things did not… end well.

"Kids, are you coming?" Ford's voice called out.

"Coming!" Mabel cheerfully replied, although her facial expression told a different story.

The three went through the gate, their eyes widening on how much the course had changed. There was still a windmill of course, the bane of everyone's existence when it came to that hole. But there were other themed holes as well, such as the Great Wall of China, Moscow, Tokyo, and one… that looked too familiar like a graveyard, which honestly gave Dipper goosebumps.

"What's the matter with you three?" Stan asked grumpily, gesturing to Dipper, Mabel, and Pacifica. "You guys looked like you're having painful memories."

"Kind of…" admitted Mabel.

George had then appeared along with Ford, the two holding various colored clubs and matching balls. Pacifica of course had purple, her signature color although not her favorite. Dipper was given a blue, the same blue that matched his hat very well. Mabel was given a darker pink, more of a magenta. Stan had a red club and Ford had an orange one, leaving George with the green club.

"You two are in for a treat," Stan told Ford and George. "Mabel actually has quite a talent for this."

"Really?" Ford replied, clearly intrigued. "That's an interesting fact."

Pacifica looked as though she was going to say something, but with a small glance at Mabel and then to Dipper she kept her mouth shut. Instead, she gives a firm nod, confirming the interesting fact.

"Let's get started then!" George cheered, raising the club high above his head.

They started at the first hole, Stan going first. He did a decent putt, him groaning with slight annoyance. Ford had the same result, him muttering about how a different dimension's version of this game was easier with zero gravity. George almost got a hole in one, but of course Mabel and Pacifica sank it like it was nothing.

"Some things don't change," Pacifica commented, almost smugly. She realized her tone and gave a small cough, offering Dipper to go next.

Dipper wasn't a fan of mini-golf, unless it was the ones he built with his twin in their room. He knew he was terrible at it, Mabel was always better than him when it came to games like these. Dipper takes a deep breath and focuses on his blue ball.

Think of it like mini-golf!

The words he had said to Pacifica to help her learn how to shoot a rifle, even though she was lying to get a little closer to him. He takes a deep breath, thinking that this was similar to hunting. He putts the ball…

Only for him to miss it completely and it rolled away from him, hitting the water.

"Ha!" Stan laughed. "The kid can shoot a deer from two-hundred yards away in the head but can't hit a golf ball!"

Dipper throws the club over his shoulder, it landing by Pacifica's feet. "Welp, I'm already done, screw this," he grumbled as he walked away.

"Stanley," Ford chided, "you shouldn't have said that." Stan gives a sheepish smile with a shrug.

Mabel gives a sad look in the direction that Dipper was stalking off to. "He misses hunting…" she admits, thinking that was why he was truly upset. The family did everything but go hunting like Dipper wanted to. "He says that's one of the few things he is good at."

"Well, he can't go hunting right now," Ford snaps harshly. He saw Mabel jump and he quickly apologizes, "Sorry, I mean it's not safe right now because of his medication. We don't want any accidents."

Mabel remembers when Dipper was holding the gun at her. His eyes had looked wild and frantic, as if he was losing his sanity. It looked as though he wouldn't hesitate to shoot, and he did end up shooting Ford in the shoulder from when he was being tackled.

Are you him!? Are you tricking me!? Trust no one… trust no one… trust no one…

Mabel then nods slowly. "You're right, Grunkle Ford…" she whispers solemnly.

Pacifica looked worried about Dipper, so she excused herself for a moment to go after him. She saw that he was sitting on a bench, him reading from his one journal she saw him write in on occasion. She sits next to him, her blonde brows furrowed with worry.

"Mason, you okay?" she asked gently, her putting a hand on his knee.

"I'm fine," Dipper replied quickly. He then sighs and shuts his book, putting it back in his inside jacket pocket. "Sorry… I'm just a little on edge," he admits. "I'm glad we all can go out and do stuff, but it's never really anything I want to do."

Pacifica gives a small smile. "You miss hunting," she stated. She'll admit that she missed going hunting with her boyfriend, but according to Ford he couldn't right now. The scientist claimed it was because the psychiatrist diagnosed Dipper with depression and PTSD, but she had a feeling it was something completely different.

"Yeah… I try to ask Grunkle Stan to go with me, since he taught me, you know?" Dipper says, his hand reaching out to Pacifica's. Once he felt her hand in his he felt a little calmer. "He usually looks excited, like he wants to, but then he says that I shouldn't… I can't even participate in archery at school."

Pacifica then asks, "Because of the psychiatrist?"

Dipper opens his mouth to say something but immediately shut once he felt something sharp go by his throat. Pacifica gasps as a similar thing happened to her.

"Arg, I see the hugelings have returned!" a pirate's voice laughed heartedly.

"Yes, and the one is still wearing that stupid hat!" a nasally sounding voice added.

Dipper rolls his eyes. "Oh, no…" he muttered angrily.

"Now where is the girl with the sticker?" the pirate demanded, Dipper feeling the tiny sword press against his Adam's apple. "Franz, do you see her?"

Franz had a tiny sword pressed against Pacifica's throat, her eyes narrowed. "No," Franz replied bitterly. "But it seems that the boy has become infatuated with the previous enemy."

"Look, we're having a moment here, how about you beat it before I take Paz's club and hit you to Canada." Dipper snapped, her brown eyes flashing angrily.

The pirate voice laughed as he walked from behind Dipper's head, onto his shoulder and onto his chest, the sword still pointed to Dipper's throat. The pirate was revealed to be what looked like a red golf ball on a tony body, an eyepatch over one eye, and he was wearing a tiny pirate outfit. "Arg, you dare threaten a pirate?" he demands.

"And damn, I'd think after they rebuilt this place they'd have gotten rid of you," Pacifica growled, rolling her green eyes.

"Hush up!" Franz shouted as he walked down Pacifica's arm and got on her chest. More like he stood on her breasts and he does a little hop. Like the pirate Franz was a golf ball on a tiny body, except his head was purple and was dressed in Dutch clothing.

"HEY!" Pacifica screamed. "That's sexual harassment!" Her face was red with anger, and if looks could kill Franz would've died over one hundred times.

Franz gives a huff, "I don't care about your comfort, Blonde Hugeling."

"We just want the sticker!" the pirate ordered.

"Well, that was digested a long time ago," Dipper pointed out.

"Besides, we can just buy you all damn stickers!" Pacifica shouts, her face getting redder but the minute. She was glaring at Franz with emerald eyes. "NOW GET OF MY BREASTS!"

Dipper reached to his side, slowly so the pirate wouldn't notice. His hands grasped around a small handle, a knife that he had paid Robbie to get for him the week previous. While the pirate was distracted by Pacifica's distress Dipper smacks the pirate away, him dropping the tiny sword. Dipper flicks open the pocket knife and points it at Franz.

"Get. Away. From. Her. NOW." Dipper callously dictates. Franz drops the tiny sword, it hitting the bench and he jumps down, landing next to the pirate. "Now, you two will go back to your damn designated holes and do whatever the hell you guys do, I am in no mood to put up with your bullshit."

Dipper felt an odd sensation over his hands, almost like a tingling. He felt extremely warm, but he ignored it as he pointed the knife at the pirate and Franz. Whatever he was saying or doing, it was working as Franz and the pirate backed away quickly.

"E-e-easy, hugeling…" Franz nervous pleaded. "W-w-we were just… uh, joking!"

The pirate then whispers nervously to Franz as he looked at Dipper with realization. "Wait a minute here… arg, isn't this the kid that was with You-Know-Who?"

That was when Pacifica took her club and smack both balls away from them. She had clubbed Franz the hardest, hearing a cracking sound as her club collided with his head. Pacifica was still fuming, her face still a beet red with anger and embarrassment.

"Those little…!" Pacifica fumed. "Oh, I'll get them, I'll get them! They think they can get away with harassing Pacifica Elise Northwest!?"

Dipper groaned as he sat back on the bench, his head aching painfully. The tingling was still in his limbs and he felt pressure behind his eyes like they were going to burst. Something dripped onto his cheek, a trail from underneath his glasses and when he put a hand to it he saw blood on his fingertips.

Blood… there was so much blood…

"MASON!" he heard Pacifica scream. He suddenly felt hands grips tightly around his wrists and yanked away . He looks up to see her green eyes glistened with tears, all her anger gone, she looked panicked and frightened. "Why… why were you about to that…?" she cried.

"Do… what…?" Dipper asked, his tone confused. He looks down to see that he was aiming the knife towards himself, like he was going to stab himself. "Oh… not again…"

Pacifica gasps, "What do you mean 'again'?"

Dipper then drops the knife, it clanging to the ground. He wraps his arms around Pacifica tightly, burying his face in her hair. His body started shuddering as he sobbed, him feeling Pacifica rubbing his back gently as she soothingly shushed him.

"I'm sorry…" Dipper sobbed. "I didn't mean to…"

"What…?" Pacifica gently asked, running her hand through his hair that was sticking out from the bottom of his hat messily.

"The… the reason why I'm not allowed to hunt…" Dipper wept as his arms tightened around her. "The reason is… because I tried to kill myself… just like now… just like back in the woods… He's still there… I know he is…"

Pacifica pulls away from him for a moment, making his heart drop. She gently wipes the check that was stained with blood and wipes it away. "Shhh, you're okay… he's not there anymore…" she whispered to him as she gave him a small kiss. "I'm right here… everyone is right here for you…" she tells him.

"Please… don't tell Mabel…" Dipper pleaded. "She doesn't know… please don't tell her…"

"I won't," Pacifica assured him. "You will tell her when you're ready." She then hugs Dipper close to her, feeling him pressed up against her. A slight blush was on her cheeks, she enjoyed it when he was close to her.

"I'm sorry…" Dipper sobbed again.

"Since you told me a huge confession, how about I tell you one?" Pacifica offered.

"What…?" Dipper asked weakly.

"I've always hated mini-golf," she laughs, causing Dipper to break out in laughter as he took off his glasses and wiped his eyes, a huge smile on his face. She laughs along with him, happy to see that smile on his face.

"Do you want to go finish the game…?" Dipper asked gently, him putting back on his glasses.

Pacifica gives him a sly look. "Not really, I rather do something else," she replies.

Dipper raises a brow. "What?" he asked, clearly oblivious.

She then gives him another kiss, a slightly deeper one. "I rather make out," she whispered against his lips.

Dipper's face blushes red. "Oh… okay…" he stuttered, him having a goofy grin on his face.

Pacifica sets her club down on the bench and grabs Dipper's hand. He pulls her close to him as the two walked towards the exit of the Putt Hutt, him giving a wave to Stan, Ford, and George as they were gathered by the snack area as the couple walked passed. Oddly, Mabel wasn't with them.

"You doing okay…?" Pacifica asked him softly as they exited.

Dipper gives her a genuine smile. "I'm doing a lot better now," he replies.

Mabel was crouched in the bushes behind the bench.

She had been going to check on Dipper and Pacifica, worried about her twin and her friend. Mabel had arrived in time to see Pacifica start swinging her club at the little golf people that had messed with them when the three had been twelve. Not wanting to be seen after the fact, Mabel hid behind the bushes and overheard their conversation after her attention was grabbed when Pacifica screamed Dipper's real name with worry.

Their entire conversation.

How could he not tell me?

Mabel had tears in her eyes, her body rocking back and forth as she tried to hold in her cries. Her brother was in so much pain and she couldn't see it. Of all people he went to Pacifica and not his twin sister.

The young brunette chokes back a sob, taking her shoulder length hair in her hands and gripping it tightly. This was much harder to do since she had cut it during their travels, and she was thankful that she had decided to let her curls grow out again. She tried to calm herself down, but was still shaking.

My brother tried to kill himself…

And it wasn't even a onetime thing… this was his third attempt. What made this time worse was that he was in the middle of a public place with another person.

Dipper… Mason… I'm sorry…

A/N: Sorry for the late update! I got distracted with school... and classic Teen Titans... oops. Oh, and work too of course.

This is a dark chapter, not dark like previous ones, but still pretty dark.

Check out my DevianArt Page, SkyeHendersen, to see art that I have been posting about the series! I haven't uploaded my drawing of Orion or George just yet though!

Thanks for reading as always!

~Skye Hendersen~