This chapter is short, sorry about that. Start the fic.
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Dear Diary, it's me Pacifica. I know it's been a while since we've last spoken but a lot has been going on in my life. For starters, after my broken leg and release from the hospital Dipper has had to carry me everywhere bridal style.
Pacifica had her arms around Dipper's neck as he carried her bridal style.
Which I must admit, I have been enjoying.
Pacifica nuzzled her face into Dipper's neck in joy.
We're currently on an injured sabbatical… well technically anyways.
Pacifica was laid into bed Dipper and then he tucked her in.
Which is honestly kind of fine. We've been treating it like a little mini vacation.
Later Dipper and Pacifica are both siting in lawn chairs outside the RV working on their tans on the beach.
"I don't even want to think about the tan lines this cast is going to give me, but right now it's worth it."
Of course, Dipper worries for me so much he's basically been waiting on me hand and foot.
In bed Pacifica watch as Dipper raced around her, making sure she was comfortable by doing things like fluffing her pillow and having her leg stay elevated.
And I believe it was somewhere around the third make out session of the week that it dawned on me.
With her arms around Dipper, Pacifica smiled in pure delight but her eyes got slightly wider upon realization.
That this is exactly what our lives would be like if we handed in our badges. No danger. No cases. Just… loving each other.
Dipper got a call on his phone, and he signaled to Pacifica he was going to handle it outside.
Don't get me wrong, Diary. This life has been fraught with more than just danger, there's been excitement and adventure too but I can't help but wonder about the kind of life Mabel is living. Where there's usually laughter and the biggest concern is money.
She sighed and sat up. She wistfully watched as he walked away; she spotted his shiny green fedora on the bed and clutched it close to her heart in a hug.
I really shouldn't complain though. As long as things continue on as they are then there really isn't a problem.
Seconds later, Dipper came back into the RV. Pacifica did not bother to hide her action, she saw no point anymore; everything was exposed to each other so why bother? She was proud of what she felt and who she felt it for! At this moment in time though, she was concerned. Dipper looked upset, not sad, not angry, upset. It was that little gray area in between those emotions, he usually wore it when he was stuck in an unpleasant situation and the only way out was an obligation kind of chore for him.
"I've got some bad news."
"What is it, Dippy?"
"We sort of have a job."
"We sort of have a job or we have a job?"
"We….. sort of have a job. I got a call from my Great Uncle Ford. He…. Needs us."
"Is he alright?"
"…..No. I don't think so. Because not only is he talking to me again, but he's also allowed us enough money to not buy airplane tickets but also all the requirements it takes for us to have the RV moved down there to."
"What?"
"He wants us there asap."
"Where is 'there' exactly?"
"At his place of resident, the West Coast Tech college he's teaching at."
"But that's on the opposite side of the country!" Pacifica whined. "What about waiting for the warrant to investigate Northwest Industries?"
"I'm sorry, Pacifica. This is an emergency, otherwise me and him wouldn't be talking at all." Dipper hung his head and sighed. "He's family. We have to."
"Hey, hey. None of that. Look at me." Dipper lifted his head. "It's like you said, 'He's family.' I love you, so that makes him family to me too."
"Wow, Pacifica. Thank you."
"And just like how you love me, I want you to remember that next time we come across my parents."
"THAT…I-you…..sigh…. Well played, Pacifica. Respect."
Pacifica held her head high and beamed.
A few hours later, on the airplane…
Pacifica and Dipper sat in their new seats on the airplane.
"Okay Honeybunch," Pacifica flipped through a pamphlet before putting it away. "I think it's time you came clean about this history on you and Ford."
Dipper sighed. "Well I was planning on waiting until we were driving to the college for this but…. Okay. It all started a lifetime ago."
Flashback
I was fresh out of Piedmont High School and got accepted into West Coast Tech. Great Uncle Ford always made it sound so hard but just analyzing a few cryptid samples from Gravity Falls was enough to get myself in.
A younger Dipper opened the door where he found Grunkle Stan waiting for him with open arms.
At first, it was great! Like a dream come true! It was just me and my personal hero, the author of the journals.
Dipper and Ford were working in the lab and Ford taught him the correct way to stir some chemicals.
We laughed and joked and wrote down entire books worth of notes.
Dipper and Ford collapsed to the floor laughing as note pages flew into the air.
But…
Dipper looked to their desk and spotted a magnifying glass.
No matter what I did, the call of mysteries kept beckoning my name.
Ford flipped the portable chalkboard to find one of Dipper's conspiracy boards on the other side. Ford glared at Dipper who just grinned sheepishly in response.
Eventually I decided I wanted to solve crime mysteries instead of scientifical ones. Ford didn't approve.
For and Dipper were screaming in each other's faces to the point where Ford threw his arms into the air out of frustration.
We argued, names were called and things were said… Things that can never be taken back.
Both looked at each other with hurt expressions.
Ford insisted that I was wasting my potential. He said my career change would be the worst mistake of my life.
Ford threw some of the research notes into Dipper's face. Dipper, deciding he couldn't take it anymore, just turned around and stormed out the door.
So… I left.
End Flashback
"Oh Dipper…" Pacifica put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And you haven't spoken to him since?"
"Well, no. I wouldn't say that. I did try to reconnect with him once or twice. Last time he had his scientist friend… Rick, I think his name was, turn me into a cockroach!"
"Eeew!"
"Yeah, but the joke was on him! He turned me into the most unkillable thing on the planet! I made them turn me back!"
Pacifica took her hand off Dipper and stuck her tongue out in disgust.
Meanwhile, at the Fort Knox Prison…
The Jersey Devil sneered to the best of his ability as he got his photo taken while holding up a sign that had his prisoner number on it. His sneer only intensified as he turned to the side and got his photo taken at that angle too.
Photos taken; he was eventually thrown into the courtyard.
He was greeted with an unusual sight. Edna was in her monster form hitting on a very scared Julian, and the Lightning Goblins were picking a fight with Bart the unicorn.
"So this is how far I've fallen."
The Jersey Devil said nothing else as he marched through the courtyard.
His orange uniform was ill fitting to him but given his new mangled body this was to be expected.
One of the guards with a big white science fiction gun.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't our celebrity guest. Your cell is right this way."
The Jersey Devil followed the guard quietly and to the best of his ability.
"Our cells are science tight, but you should be able to rest pretty easily there."
He walked into the cell and waited for the guard to close the gate.
As the guard walked away the Jersey Devil let out a breath.
"Rest? No."
The flames in his eyes extinguished.
"Now I play the waiting game."
West Coast Tech, Ford's Apartment…
Dipper sighed heavily and Pacifica put a comforting hand on his arm. She was in a wheelchair, but her support still meant the world to him. Even injured, she was a persistent source of strength.
"Are you ready, Sugar?"
"No. I am not ready; but let's do it anyways."
*KNOCK! **KNOCK! **KNOCK! *
The door opened. "Hello, Great Uncle Fo-"
*BONK! *
"OW!"
Dipper rubbed the sore spot on his head that was sure to develop into a bump. Turns out Ford's walking cane could pack a pretty mean wallop.
"Dipper!"
"I'm okay, Pacifica. This is just how he says 'Hi' to family members he hasn't seen in a while."
"Just the ones that are huge disappointments."
Dipper rubbed the spot he got hit. "Nice to see you too."
"Well come on in, we may as well get this over with."
Stanford Pines had aged a bit; he was hunched over and moved rather slowly, his face had ten times the number of wrinkles and was even starting to lose some of his hair. His walking stick was shiny and chrome, there was most likely some kind of super science in there. His apartment was basically a lab with a bed. That wasn't to say there weren't normal living condition things like a refrigerator (two technically: One for food and one for chemicals), a kitchen with a dining table, and a bathroom but they were all dwarfed by the amount of beakers, Bunsen Burners, and of course laboratory desks.
"Alright, Dippy. Wheel me in!"
Dipper wheeled her in and Ford gave them a look.
"She get that injury on the job or…?"
Dipper narrowed his eyes at the scientist. "Of course she did!"
Ford shrugged. "Just saying, you're a little clutzy when you're too excited over a woman!"
Before Pacifica could even register what Ford had said, Dipper snapped. "Alright, that's enough! Why don't you just tell us what's going on so we can solve it and get out of here?!"
"Fine!" Ford was about to go off but instead took a moment to take a breath and calm down. "Fine. It started about a week ago."
Flashback
I was eating my dinner; all was right with the world.
Ford was sitting at his dining room table cutting a stake in half.
Then disaster struck!
Ford clutched his chest and fell to the ground.
A heart attack struck me, at the tender age of 92 no less!
His breathing stopped and he passed out.
That should have spelt my end, but to my shock I awoke a few hours later fine.
Ford sat up and patted down his body. Everything seemed to be where it was supposed to be. He checked. Yep. He still had a heartbeat.
At first, I was thinking about chalking the whole thing up as a fluke…
*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*
Then I answered the door.
Opening the door Ford found a hooded figure on the other side. He was tall, even taller than Ford. A boney hand extended from his black robe holding a giant scythe.
Turns out I was supposed to have died there.
Ford fell to his knees in terror.
I begged him to spare me but the best he could offer me was a week to get my affairs in order.
The hooded figure shook his head, turned, and left.
End Flashback
"Which is why I was so ticked it took you so long to get here! I am literally on borrowed time!"
*BONK!*
Ford hit Dipper over the head with his cane again.
"OW! We got here as fast as we could!"
"Could you PLEASE stop hitting him?!" Pacifica snapped.
"….Fine, but I'm still on borrowed time here. I need your help, or else I'll be gone from this world forever. Death has come to claim me."
Omake
"Death? As in the Grim Reaper? Okay…. I'm going to check my journal to double check on if I've ever come across him. This might be even heavier than the Jersey Devil. Paz, you stay here with Ford."
Dipper left to retrieve his journal from the RV.
Pacifica offered an uneasy smile to Ford. "You know, it's been a long time since you were in Gravity Falls too. Like, I didn't even see you at Soos' wedding."
"I would have loved to attend Soos' and Melody's wedding but thanks to a certain Knucklehead of a brother of mine, I'M NOT ALLOWED ON AIRPLANES!"
Ford held up a prison photo of Grunkle Stan.