It's been a while since I wrote Dipper or Mabel as their canon ages instead of aged-up, so sorry if it's a bit awkward. Hopefully, I'll have ironed out the kinks by Arc 4.


Things were going pretty well, no monsters on the horizon or nightmares keeping Cary up at night. It was the first time since the summer had started that he felt completely at peace.

So immediately she was suspicious of it.

It felt silly, turning over every rock and expecting the next big bad thing to appear. But it had been a hard year and, as it drew to a close, Cary couldn't believe they would get to have a quiet ending.

Cary tried to hide their nerves around their friends and family, but Wendy saw right through it.

"Hey, Feathers, is something bothering you?"

"What? No?"

Ryn betrayed them, speaking through Cary's voice. "He thinks something bad is going to happen."

Wendy looked concerned. "Did you have another vision?"

"No," Cary admitted.

Wendy nodded in understanding.

"General anxiety, then. I've been there. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Honestly? I think I might just need a distraction."

Wendy was silent for a while, considering Cary's request.

"I have an idea. I was planning on doing a video call with Dipper and Mabel soon, would you like to officially meet them?"

"Oh, sure. They don't know anything about me, do they?"

"No, Stan didn't want them prying into your personal life, especially anything to do with Ryn."

"I'll keep a low profile, then," Ryn said.

"Well, I'd be happy to meet them, it just might be a lot to explain."

"We don't have to tell them anything you're not ready to."

"Well, we should tell them that I'm Stan's kid."

"Naturally."

"And… We could tell them we're dating if you want." Wendy had gone through enough, telling her family and their friends, so Cary wasn't going to push it if Wendy wasn't ready.

"Yeah, I think we should. We'll work up to that, though. Dipper had a bit of a crush on me at the start of the summer so I want to make sure we're past that."

"Good idea. Should we loop Soos in on this too?" It felt a little weird, sharing Team Pines with two kids she hadn't met, but ultimately Dipper and Mabel were important to Wendy and Soos, so they would be important to Cary too.

"Absolutely. I'll get it set up and let you know." Wendy leaned over and kissed Cary on the cheek. "See you later."

While he waited for later, Cary tried to find his own distractions, working on a new sewing project for Miguel the duck and dialing up the Stans for a quick catch-up.

Mostly, they wanted to ask their dad and Uncle Ford how much they thought Cary should divulge to Dipper and Mabel. They certainly didn't want to overwhelm their second cousins, and it would feel kind of icky if two strangers from California were speculating on the beast.

"Hey, Carebear, didn't expect a call from you today, what's up?" They did a weekly call now, usually on Tuesdays so that Cary could recap what happened with Handsel on Monday.

"Nothing's wrong," Cary said quickly.

"Well, now I think something is wrong. Don't make us turn this boat around," Stan joked.

"No, really, everything is okay. I've just been a little paranoid lately."

"Hold on. Sixer! Cary's on the line! No one knows more about paranoia than your uncle."

"I resent that," Ford said. "Dipper is probably slightly more paranoid than me."

"Yeah, but he learned how to trust people way before you did."

"Funny you should mention Dipper because we're actually setting up a phone call, me, Wendy, and Soos, with Mabel and Dipper."

"Oh, cool. We've talked to them a couple of times too," Stan said.

"And I was kinda wondering how much you think I should tell them. You know, about the Boiling Isles and Ryn and stuff."

"Hm. Well, I would advise caution, as the more people who know the harder it will be to keep your secret. However, Dipper and Mabel are trustworthy," Ford said.

"Either way, it's your choice to make."

"If I don't tell them, how will I explain why you didn't tell them about me?"

"Just say it was to protect your privacy," Stan suggested.

"Okay. Maybe I'll just tell them I spent the summer with mom in Connecticut."

"Sounds like a plan. Are you feeling any better?"

"Still a bit nervous, but not about this. Just in general."

"I know better than anyone how your mind can set traps for you and lead you to believe that you can never be happy and safe, but even in a place as dangerous as Gravity Falls, that's not true. You just have to trust the people around you, there is nothing you can't handle with your friends and family by your side," Ford said.

"I know that," Cary said.

"Then you're already far smarter than me."

"And don't forget, you're a badass. Anyone who messes with you is messing with the Oracle of Oregon and the Beast of the Boiling Isles," Stan added.

Cary laughed. "Thanks, dad. Thanks, Uncle Ford. I've got to go, I'll talk to you Tuesday?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Cary hung up and went downstairs to help Abuelita in the gift shop, waiting for Wendy to finish setting up the call.

Wendy couldn't find a time that worked for everyone for a few days, but eventually, she was able to make it work. Soos, Wendy, and Cary all squished together in the living room. Soos and Wendy were visibly excited. Wendy was wearing a pine tree hat from the gift shop.

The video call started and Cary could see that Dipper was wearing Wendy's floppy-eared hat. It was jarring, to see that and realize that there was more shared between Wendy and Dipper than just a hat. Cary wasn't jealous, it was just another pang, another what-if.

"What if going to the Boiling Isles wasn't a good idea?"

"You wouldn't know who you were if you hadn't gone. All of it. Good and bad. I know you trust Wendy and Soos and the others, but you have to trust yourself too. And me. You made the right choice."

Ryn was a calming presence, as they had been since the first time they'd formally met.

"Right. We made the right choice."

Mabel, who was wearing a light green sweater covered in knitted (crocheted?) bees, squealed.

"It's so good to see you guys!"

"Yeah, it's been forever," Wendy agreed.

"Summer will be here before you know it," Soos said.

Dipper hadn't said anything, too busy staring intently at the screen. Finally, "Who's there with you?"

"This is Cary," Wendy said, allowing Cary to scoot into the frame.

Dipper studied them critically as if Cary was a mystery to be solved. But it was Mabel who made the observation first.

"You have six fingers, like Uncle Ford."

Cary smiled, a little forced, "Stan is my dad, so the polydactyly thing is genetic, apparently."

"I have a million questions," Dipper said immediately.

"Me too! Why didn't Grunkle Stan tell us we had a cousin? We could have been best friends!"

"Did he know about you? Does he know about you? Where were you over the summer?" Dipper added.

Cary shifted uncomfortably. "It's not as complicated as it sounds."

"It's more complicated than we're willing to tell them," Ryn corrected.

"Over the summer I went to stay with my mom, in Connecticut. I had never met her before, so it was kind of a big deal for me, otherwise I would have been here, facing down the apocalypse with you guys."

"Probably for the best that you missed that," Mabel conceded.

"But that doesn't explain why Stan didn't tell us. I knew he had secrets but I didn't think he would hide two family members from us."

"He didn't want me to be a mystery for you to solve. I'm sorry to blindside you with all this, if you want me to go so you can talk to Soos and Wendy I completely understand."

"You can stay," Mabel said, "It's nice to finally meet you. I hope we'll get to hang out next summer."

"Oh, absolutely. I think I've seen enough of Connecticut."

Cary could feel Ryn's silence and knew there was something the Beast was not saying.

"I still have a lot of questions, but I suppose they can wait," Dipper said reluctantly.

"What have you guys been up to?" Wendy asked, expertly changing the subject.

The twins launched into a description of the past few months, talking over each other and filling in anything that got left out by one of them. They didn't leave anything out, either, even the embarrassing stuff.

"Dipper asked a girl to the winter formal, it was so cute"

"She didn't even say yes," Dipper grumbled, clearly flustered.

"Yeah, but she did dance with you. Twice. You should ask her out again."

"I am not going to do that."

"Speaking of relationships," Wendy said tentatively, "I do have something to tell you."

"Please don't tell me you're back with Robbie," Dipper groaned.

"No, he and Tambry are still together. But I am dating someone else."

"Who?" Mabel asked, on the edge of her seat. "Is it a vampire?"

"No, it's, uh, it's Cary."

Cary, Wendy, and Soos watched Dipper and Mabel go through the stages of shock, confusion, and acceptance.

"Oh, wow, I didn't know…" Dipper trailed off, not sure what he didn't know.

"That I was bisexual? Neither did I. But yeah, I am. Cary and I started dating a bit before Halloween, there just wasn't a good time to tell you, because you didn't know she existed."

"Lot of secrets," Dipper mumbled, maybe feeling that awkward, out-of-place feeling Cary had felt earlier.

"I'm sorry," Cary said again.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."

"No, don't be," Dipper said quickly. "I'm just surprised."

"If it makes you feel better, I was pretty surprised when I got home and found out that the world almost ended while I was away."

"Stan didn't call you about that when you were in Connecticut?"

Cary faltered, unsure how to respond to that without blowing his cover.

"Did he call your parents and tell them about it? He didn't want me and mom worrying."

Dipper nodded, but it was clear he was becoming suspicious.

Soos noticed the tension and decided it was his turn to change the subject.

"The Shack has been super busy lately, you guys wouldn't believe how many people have been buying Stan bobbleheads since Weirdmaggedon."

"Is being Mr. Mystery everything you dreamed of?" Mabel asked.

"It's way better than being Questiony the Question Mark," Soos laughed.

Now Cary was the one with questions, but he kept his mouth shut.

"And Soos has been teaching me how to do repairs around the Shack," Wendy said, a little proud of her new skills.

"Do you work at the Mystery Shack too, Cary?" Dipper asked.

"Oh, yeah, all my life. I'm a performer, I give people fake fortunes as the Oregon Oracle."

"She's really good," Wendy said. "A natural actor."

Dipper seemed to jot something down. When had he started taking notes? Despite all their effort, Cary had become another mystery for the mystery twins to solve.

They talked for a bit longer before Dipper and Mabel had to go. Soos immediately got up to check on the gift shop, leaving Cary and Wendy to reflect.

"So…" Wendy said, fidgeting with her hat.

"That could have gone better."

"I think they like you."

"I think Dipper wants to dissect me."

"Well, you're new and mysterious, of course he's curious."

"I'm gonna meet them eventually and he's going to find out about Ryn and I'm going to feel bad about lying."

"Not lying, performing. It's going to be easier to tell them in person anyway. Plus, by the time summer rolls around you'll have all your powers sorted out."

Cary wasn't so sure about that, since it had taken three and a half months to get this good, and they still couldn't read anyone's future on purpose. Then again, there would be plenty of time to practice in the new year.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks for the distraction, Wendy."

Wendy leaned in close. "How about another one?"

Cary laughed and moved to kiss Wendy, living, for just a moment, in a world where their fears didn't feel so all-consuming.