Gravity Falls Summer's Sunset Chapter 23: Familiar Faces, a gravity falls fanfic

Chapter 21 | Familiar Faces

INOHA | - I Should've Known

Ambient sounds of clattering plates and idle conversations filled the restaurant. Wendy had decided to take Mabel and Dipper to Hermano Brothers (because really, who doesn't like tacos?) They sat in one of the booths by a window, the late afternoon light spilling in, painting the pavement in a warm orange cascade.

Wendy sighed, leaning back in her seat as she glanced at the twins. They hadn't said much since they got here.

Mabel sat across from her, absentmindedly picking at the lacquer of the table, her usual energy replaced by a distant fidgeting. Dipper, sitting beside her, had his head tilted toward the window, staring blankly at the parking lot, the corners of his mouth drawn tight.

Wendy frowned. When she found Mabel standing in the doorway, she'd looked scared—really scared. Running into the woods after Dipper had seemed like the easy part. But now? Now, they were just… quiet.

She knew this was totally expected. No one just bounces back after a conversation like that. But seeing them so still, so silent. It didn't sit right with her.

A waitress came over, all bright smiles as she handed out menus. Wendy muttered a "thanks," taking one for herself. Mabel did the same, handing the other menu to Dipper, who took it without a word and buried his face in it.

Mabel watched him for a moment, worry flickering across her face. The tension between them was thick—too thick.

Wendy set her menu down. Enough of this.

"Hey," she said, casually tapping her fingers against the table. "I know this is all pretty hard to swallow. And I get it. Trust me, I do. It stinks, and it feels like you just got kicked in the butt."

Dipper finally set his menu down, meeting her gaze.

His eyes—God, his eyes—were tired. It hit her, how drained he looked, how much weight he was carrying on his shoulders.

Mabel, forcing a little brightness into her voice, nudged his arm. "Hey, at least we have tacos. Nothing bad happens when you have tacos, right?"

Wendy snorted. "Tacos are pretty awesome, dude."

But as Mabel watched Dipper, her forced smile wavered. He wasn't laughing. He wasn't rolling his eyes or making some sarcastic remark. He was just staring out the window again. Her hands clenched together in her lap. And for the first time, she wondered—

Is this really what he needs right now? Or am I just trying to cover up the bad stuff like I always do?

Wendy noticed too. She reached across the table, giving Dipper's hand a small nudge.

"Dip?"

His fingers twitched beneath hers. He let out a heavy sigh.

"What?"

Mabel fidgeted, hesitating before speaking.

"Dipper, she—"

He cut her off.

"What, Mabel?" His voice was sharp, sudden. His hands curled into fists on the table. "She wants to know how fast my vacation is already falling apart?! Or how things will probably never be the same between us again?"

Mabel flinched. Wendy blinked.

Dipper sucked in a breath, but his words kept tumbling out.

"Oh, what about the fact that we have to choose who to stay with?" His voice cracked slightly on that last part. His fists tightened. His jaw clenched.

And then, he muttered in a softer tone. His bottom lip slightly quivering.

"Sorry…I…" His mouth hung open, struggling to let the words out.

"I should've known."

The words lingered in the air, settling between them like an anchor.

Mabel looked down at her lap, her chest tightening.

She couldn't really disagree with him. The moment she watched Dipper disappear into the forest was when it all started crashing down. She could feel it—that motivation, that excitement for their trip—fading into something stagnant, something heavy.

Wendy exhaled, glancing between the two, her lips pressing into a thin line. Outside, the late afternoon light stretched long across the pavement, the warmth of it at odds with the empty feeling settling in Dipper's chest.

After a moment, she nudged his arm.

"When my mom…" She paused, struggling to finish the sentence. Then, she continued.

"I was little. Too little to really get it, but I remember how fast it happened. One day she was just... gone." Wendy stared down at the table, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her water glass. "It felt like my whole world just…cracked. And there was nothing I could do to stop it."

Dipper and Mabel looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"But my dad was still there," she said, shrugging slightly. "Even if he could be a bit… much sometimes, I wasn't alone." She looked back at them, expression softening.

"And neither are you guys."

She leaned back in her seat, arms stretching behind her head. "You've got me. You've got Soos, the shack. And pretty soon, Stan and Ford'll be back, and you know they're not just gonna let you guys go through this alone."

Wendy grabbed Dipper's menu and slid it in front of him.

"So, order whatever you want, man. Sitting around like this on an empty stomach blows."

For the first time that evening, the tension in Dipper's shoulders eased. He let out a slow breath, feeling his muscles unwind just a little. His throat felt tight, but he swallowed past it. Mabel sat a little straighter, her hands resting more calmly in her lap.

They both exchanged a glance before turning to Wendy, small but grateful smiles on their faces.

Mabel's lips quirked into a grin. "Well, get ready for this five-course meal then."

Wendy chuckled. "Just don't go too crazy, dude."

Dipper shifted in his seat, exhaling a quiet laugh. It wasn't much, but there was a flicker of something lighter in his voice. A small spark breaking through the weight.

"Maybe… tacos don't sound too bad."

They ordered their food, with Wendy having to physically restrain Mabel from ordering half the menu.

Dipper watched as Mabel launched into a rant, waving her hands animatedly. "And can we talk about Pacifica's latest post? She really hunts foxes, how could she! They're so adorable and fluffy!"

Wendy snorted. "What, does she chase them down in designer boots?"

Dipper smiled, half-listening, but his focus drifted again. His gaze wandered out the window, the afternoon light stretching across the pavement.

Then something caught his attention.

Across the restaurant, tucked into a corner booth, sat two men in flannels, their frames built by years of heavy labor. Axes leaned against their seats. Lumberjacks.

They spoke in hushed tones, but their voices carried just enough for Dipper to catch fragments of their conversation.

"How long 'til he's discharged?"

The other man ran a rough hand through his hair. "Who knows. His leg got messed up pretty bad."

Silence. A pause thick with something unspoken.

"You think Dan's gonna make us keep goin'?"

A heavy sigh. "Wouldn't be surprised. We'd been makin' way through that chunk of the woods for days."

Dipper stiffened. Lumberjacks. Someone injured. Dan…?

He sank back into the booth, trying to keep himself hidden while he processed what he'd just heard. Before he could think further—

"AHH!"

Mabel's face was right there.

He flailed in his seat, knocking into the table. "Mabel! What the—"

She squinted at him, suspicious. "Something smells fishy here, and it's not the fish tacos I ordered…"

Dipper deadpanned. "Mabel, you inhaled those in five seconds. How would you even smell them anymore?"

Mabel crossed her arms. "Don't underestimate my nose. It's one of my many hidden talents!"

Dipper sighed. "I wasn't even doing anything."

As he turned back toward the table, he caught sight of Wendy.

She wasn't looking at them.

Her eyes were locked on the lumberjacks.

Her usual laid-back expression had shifted completely. Brows slightly furrowed, lips pressed into a firm line. She wasn't just zoning out. She was listening.

Dipper followed her gaze, turning back toward the men.

They mentioned Dan…

His mind started working. She has to know something's going on, right? It made sense—she grew up around lumberjacks.

Well… technically. More like she was born into it rather than choosing it herself.

Still, if Wendy was paying attention, then something had to be up.

Dipper swallowed, his voice cracking slightly. "Uh, Wendy?"

Her gaze lingered across the restaurant for another second before she snapped back to him. "Yeah, what's up?"

He hesitated, glancing toward the lumberjacks before looking back at her. "Those guys over there… they were talking about some sort of accident?"

Wendy lowered her hands to the table, her fingers drumming lightly before her eyes flickered back toward the lumberjacks. "Yeah, I caught that too. They mentioned my dad a second ago. Something weird is going on."

Dipper tilted his head. "Weird where?"

Wendy sighed, leaning back in her seat. "Yeah… and I think I know what they're talking about."

She grabbed one of the crayons Mabel had been using to scribble on a napkin.

"Hey!" Mabel protested. "I was mid-masterpiece! Waddles was just about to get his little hat!"

"I'll give it back in a sec, promise." Wendy smirked as she started sketching.

Dipper and Mabel watched as she quickly outlined a rough map—clusters of trees, buildings, and then patches of a surrounding forest. Mabel frowned.

"So, uh… what's that supposed to be?"

Dipper's breath hitched as he shifted in his seat. His mind caught up before Wendy even answered.

"Gravity Falls?"

Wendy nodded, finishing the rough layout. "So, my dad's been cutting down trees. You know, usual lumberjack biz. But this year, the mayor decided to expand the town a little into the woods, stock up on extra firewood while they're at it."

Mabel blinked. "Firewood? But it's summer."

Wendy shrugged. "Yeah, but last winter was brutal for some reason. Guess they don't wanna get caught off guard again."

She circled two patches of forest with the crayon.

"They wanted my dad's crew to cut down trees here—and here." She set the crayon down, glancing at the twins.

"Whenever I'm not working at the shack, I'd help him with this section." She pointed at one of the circles, a part of the forest tucked just outside town.

Dipper's eyes locked onto the spot. His stomach twisted.

"We mostly just cleared trees for firewood and logs to build cabins with," Wendy continued.

Mabel hummed, tapping her chin. "Maybe someone tripped on a log?"

Wendy gave a half-shrug. "I mean, it's not unusual for the guys to get hurt on the job. But whatever they were talking about sounded… worse."

Dipper suddenly spoke, his voice more serious. "Or maybe there's a reason it happened."

Both Wendy and Mabel turned toward him.

Wendy furrowed her brow. "Not picking up what you're putting down, dude."

Dipper pointed at the circled forest patch. "I… I know that part of the woods. It's just outside town, past the old hiking trails."

Mabel's eyes widened in sudden realization. She tapped Dipper's arm, her voice rising in excitement.

"Wait… that's where he is!"

Wendy raised an eyebrow. "You guys wanna clue me in here?"

Dipper stared at the circled patch, then looked up at her, exhaling.

"Great Uncle Ford wrote about it in the journals. One of the first anomalies he discovered when he arrived in Gravity Falls."

He paused, and Wendy leaned in slightly.

"Steve."

Wendy stared at him, completely clueless.

"Steve?"

Dipper nodded. "I remember one of the pages from journal mentioned it. Great Uncle Ford said it was probably older than the town itself. Some kind of species of tree-giant."

Wendy exchanged a glance with Mabel, then looked back at him. "…Okay yeah. That's probably not good."

It had reached the afternoon, and the inside of the shack was filled with the ambience of noises coming from the TV in the living. Wendy laid back in the recliner, flicking through whatever Gravity Falls Public Access had to offer. Mabel and Dipper were sprawled out on the floor by the recliner, sparing enough energy in their bodies to look up at the TV screen.

Dipper laid his head back on the ground, letting the texture of the carpet absorb him. Each strand of hair settling between the itchy fabric, cradling his head. He started thinking out loud.

"Would Steve really try and actively hurt somebody?"

Wendy shrugged, continuing to flicker through the channels. "No clue dude. Never really knew the guy existed until you told me earlier."

Mabel scratched her head, turning to Dipper. "Maybe he's just misunderstood? He probably doesn't like axes."

Dipper nodded as Wendy flicked a chip in her mouth. "He is a tree after all, right?"

He looked up at her from the floor. "Some sort of tree-giant. I've only seen him a handful of times. And it was only his arm."

Wendy's brow furrowed. "How big we talking here?"

He shrugged. "I dunno—hundreds of feet tall, at least. His arm's massive. Imagine an ancient redwood, but, like… moving. That's what his arm looks like."

Wendy sucked in the air between her teeth. "Yikes…"

Mabel moaned, reaching her arm out into the air as her body started sinking onto the carpet.

"Body…melting….too…bored."

Dipper's eyes wandered towards the ceiling, staring into the grain of the wooden beams. The food helped him, he couldn't deny it. But there was still that unsettling feeling in his stomach. A feeling that sat like an anchor and wouldn't wash away no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

Wendy tapped the remote, landing on a cheesy horror movie she'd seen a hundred times. The actors awkwardly said their lines, their movements completely robotic and uncoordinated. She chuckled at the ridiculousness of it. Even as she had gotten older, Gravity Falls Public Access still had a sort of charm to it. One that was so bad, so timeless, that you couldn't help but watch along.

But Dipper laid still. Not even the horror movie was enough to shake that feeling from his stomach.

Eventually, the movie faded into background noise as her gaze fell to the floor towards Dipper. She could see him staring into the ceiling. His gaze completely still, as if frozen by some force of dread.

She leaned forward in her seat. "Dip, you holding up okay?"

Dipper slowly rolled his eyes towards her, head unmoving.

"I mean, I feel…better?" He raised his eyebrows, almost as if he was asking himself.

Wendy frowned a bit, her face softening at him. "Hey, I get it man. We got plenty of snacks here though."

She looked back up at the TV. The characters on screen were running from a blob of ooze. They ran into a room, shutting the door panting. Wendy immediately recognized the scene. She tapped Dipper with her foot.

"Dude, watch this!"

Dipper raised his head off the floor, watching the TV. On screen, the actors started fumbling through their lines when a mic suddenly fell on one of the actors. The boom arm appeared in the corner of the screen. The actors froze, staring offscreen as if waiting for someone to yell "cut."

The group laughed at the screen, Wendy flicking another chip in her mouth.

"How do you even cause the boom mic to fall off mid-take dude! That's hilarious!"

Mabel snorted. Dipper smiled, his stomach slightly settling into something calmer.

Mabel suddenly threw her head up, looking at Dipper.

"Oh! Remember when we saw Steve in the woods? You tried talking to him, and he chucked deer at you!"

Wendy turned, "Woahh, dude, what did you even say to him? 'Hey, nice bark?'"

Dipper rolled his eyes. "Yeah, don't remind me. That wasn't a fun walk back to the shack."

Mabel scooted closer to Dipper, nudging his side. "More like limping, ayooo!"

Dipper closed his eyes, breathing out slowly. Wendy smirked. "Sounded like it hurt dude."

Dipper deadpanned. "Yeah. Ever taken a deer to the face at full speed? Zero stars. Do not recommend."

Soos entered the room, setting down his 8-ball cane and taking off his eyepatch. "Welp, that's the last of them."

He looked at the group as they laughed at the screen. "Whatcha' watching, dudes?"

Mabel pointed at the screen from the floor. "The best movie on Gravity Falls Public Access!"

Soos joined the group, standing to the side as they all watched the actors continuing the take as if nothing had happened. He nodded in approval. "Dude, this one's a classic! When are they airing Ducktective?"

Mabel immediately turned, springing up from the ground. "Wait, it's not finished?"

Soos shook his head. "Nah, dog. They renewed it for another season—'The Final Season, Part 2!'"

Mabel bounced with excitement, her words spilling out. "Ohmygoshwhenarewegonnawatchit?!"

Wendy chuckled. "Relax, dude. You and Soos can watch it after we finish this movie." She flicked her thumb toward the screen. "Just wait until the end—you can literally see the guy controlling the ooze sweating his butt off."

Laughter filled the room as they all turned back to the TV. In the distance, a knock sounded at the door.

Melody poked her head into the living room, flashing a small smile at the group before glancing at Soos. "I got it, don't worry about it."

On-screen, one of the actors was swallowed by the ooze, awkwardly pushing themselves through the creature's obviously fake fabric. Wendy wiped her eyes, grinning.

"Dude, this stuff is so bad!"

Dipper sat up, leaning his back against the side of the recliner. He smiled. "Man… I actually missed this."

Mabel nodded. "Me too!" She quickly turned to Soos. "Soos, how much Ducktective did I miss?"

Soos pondered, stroking his chin before waving his hand dismissively. "Don't worry, dog. You only missed, like… thirty-three episodes."

Mabel breathed a dramatic sigh of relief. "Oh, thank gosh. Soos, we have to do a marathon!"

Soos crossed his arms and nodded. "Absolutely. We can get burgers too!"

A comfortable silence settled over the living room, filled only with idle chatter and the warm hum of the TV. Dipper leaned his head back against the recliner, letting the atmosphere press down on him like a weighted blanket. His body finally relaxed—just a little.

Then—voices from the front door.

A small commotion.

Mabel turned, blinking. Melody walked back into the room, looking between her and Dipper.

"Hey, Mabel, Dipper… you might wanna answer the door."

Dipper tilted his head, confused, as Mabel groaned and sluggishly stood up. They practically dragged themselves out of the living room, feet heavy against the wooden floors.

Dipper yawned. "I wonder who it is—"

He turned the corner.

Stopped cold.

His breath caught in his throat.

Two figures stood in the doorway, silhouettes framed by the late afternoon light. His brain scrambled to catch up, the moment stretching impossibly long.

No way. Two familiar faces.

His body froze.

Mabel didn't.

She launched herself at Stan, squeezing him in a near bone-crushing hug. He let out a startled grunt, chuckling despite himself.

"Hey, my back ain't made of steel."

Mabel loosened her grip just enough to look up at him, giving an apologetic pout—then grinned.

"Still not letting go!"

Dipper barely had time to process before he found himself moving, closing the space between them. Without thinking, he threw his arms around Stan, nearly knocking him off balance.

Stan groaned, rolling his eyes. But a small, fond smile tugged at his lips.

"Yeah, yeah. I missed you gremlins too…"

Behind them, Ford chuckled. "You know, I could make your spine metal."

Stan shot him a glare. "Can it, Sixer! We just got back, and the last thing I need is you turning me into some kind of tin man."

Dipper and Mabel finally let go, their faces stretched in matching grins. Stan squinted at them, taking a step back.

"Whoa, hold on—what's going on here?"

He held a hand up to Dipper's head, measuring. A beat of silence. Then his eyes narrowed.

"Since when were you this tall? Did'ya drink some kind of growth potion?"

Dipper rubbed his arm. "No. And I don't think I ever wanna mess with my height again after those crystals."

Stan raised a brow. "The what now?"

Dipper waved a hand dismissively. "It's nothing."

Stan shook his head. "Well, quit it. You get any taller, and I'm putting you to work. Soos could use the extra hands around here."

Dipper sighed. "Like I wouldn't help anyway."

Mabel tugged on Stan's sleeve, eyes wide. "Why were you guys so late? You missed so much already!"

Stan and Ford exchanged a glance. Before they could answer, Dipper cut in. "Just a little ghost problem."

Ford stepped beside Stan, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We picked up some… peculiar readings on our way back. Wanted to take some precautions."

Dipper and Mabel studied them for a moment. It had been so long since they'd seen them in person. Ford still wore the same old trench coat, despite Mabel's many attempts to gift him a new one. And both of them—Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford—still wore the sweaters Mabel had knitted for them before they left Gravity Falls. They were a little tight, but they still fit.

Mabel's lip quivered slightly. Her eyes shimmered.

"I'm so glad you guys are back."

Stan ruffled her hair, his voice softer than usual. "Me too, pumpkin. And lemme tell ya, the ocean? Not exactly my dream retirement."

Ford shrugged. "Could've been worse."

Stan snorted. "Yeah. Beats those Colombian nights…"

Dipper turned to Ford, his thoughts catching up with his emotions. "Great Uncle Ford!"

Before Ford could react, Dipper barreled into him, wrapping his arms around his chest. Ford stiffened, caught off guard—but after a second, his posture relaxed, and he returned the hug.

Dipper pulled back, barely taking a breath before words spilled out of him.

"You have to tell us everything! Did you find any more dimensional rifts? What about the Kraken you emailed me about? Did it really have—"

Ford chuckled, placing a steady hand on his shoulder. "All in due time, my boy. There's a lot to discuss."

Stan stretched with a groan. "Yeah, yeah, plenty of time for all that. Later. Right now, I got a date with my orthopedic back pillow."

Dipper rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly aware of how exhausted they must be. "Yeah… I didn't think about that. Sorry."

Ford smiled. "Don't worry, Dipper. We'll have plenty of time to talk. We're not going anywhere."

Soos, Wendy and Melody walked towards the group. Wendy's eyes went wide for a second before she smirked.

"Whoa. Full-on Pines family reunion?"

Soos practically yelled in surprise as he saw Grunkle Stan. "Mr. Pines!"

Stan rolled his eyes despite the smirk on his face. "Yeah, I'm back. You been running the joint well? I'm expecting the price of all my merch to have doubled since I left."

Soos ran up and hugged Stan, practically strangling him. Stan wheezed.

"Okay—yeah—lungs are optional I guess—"

Wendy eyed the Grunkles up slowly. "You two look like a little rough."

Ford nodded. "The Sea has been a…frustrating place at times."

Stan crossed his arms. "Yeah, not exactly helpful. Especially when we get chased."

Wendy raised a brow. "By what?"

Stan shrugged. "All kinds of creatures. It was like I was running from the cartels again."

The room went dead silent. Mable blinked. Wendy raised a brow. Soos shifted uncomfortably. Ford sighed.

"Stanley…"

"What?" Stan said, genuinely confused.

Ford sighed. "Look, let's just go get some rest. There are some things I need to check out in the lab later."

Soos led the two upstairs. "Don't worry dudes, I set up that old room upstairs for you two."

Stan cracked his back as they walked off. "Good cause that couch is calling my name!"

Dipper and Mabel were sitting in front of the TV again. The movie on screen was close to ending, but the group was using it as background noise at this point. Wendy walked back into the living room, tossing a handful of snacks at the Twins.

"Man talk about intense. You said they fought off a Kraken?"

Dipper nodded. "Yeah, Grunkle Ford emailed me about it!"

Mabel shivered. "Sounds slimly. And smelly."

Dipper shrugged. "Probably."

Wendy sat down on he recliner, tossing the remote to the side.

"Talking about all this stuff makes me wanna go out and explore or something man."

Dipper nodded. "I know. I keep thinking about what the lumberjacks said. And Steve."

Wendy opened up her bag of pretzels, plopping one in her mouth. "Well, what was he was like the last time you saw him?"

Dipper thought back to the time he and Mabel were exploring the woods during the summer. They had only been in Gravity Falls for a month and he was trying to document as much in the journal as possible.

They had noticed a tree trunk move weirdly. When Mabel went to touch it, it suddenly rose into the air. A hand emerged from the bottom of the trunk as it pulled itself out of the ground. Dipper tried talking to it, but it never answered back. After he asked several questions, a handful of deer suddenly flew from the woods towards him, slamming into his body.

He shook his head, his body still remembering the pain he felt from the impact.

"He didn't really talk to me. Just seemed annoyed when he threw those deer at me."

Mabel opened the bag of gummy worms Wendy gave her. She grabbed a handful and shoved them in her mouth, savoring in their sweetness.

"He probably is just really shy?"

Dipper turned. "Swallow before you talk Mabel."

Mabel pouted, pulling a gummy worm out of the bag. She held it in her fingers, flopping it around.

"You made Kevin sad."

Dipper deadpanned. "Mabel, you're going to eat him."

She set the gummy worm on her lap, smiling. "Nope!"

"Anyway…" Dipper continued. "It's probably safe to say that Steve did something over there. And that's what those lumberjacks were talking about."

Wendy nodded grimly. "Yeah, it must have been pretty bad too from the sound of it. But why? Has that dude done this before or is he really just some sort of recluse."

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. From what I know, Great Uncle Ford mentioned him in the journal once and that was it. So, something like this is probably rare."

Mabel crinkled the bag, her hand diving in for more gummy worms.

"Maybe he's mad that they're cutting the forest down?"

He milled Mabel's thought over. "That's probably it." He looked back at Wendy.

"Do you think your dad would stop the whole cutting trees down thing over there? I can't really see a way to stop Steve from doing anything crazy again."

She shook her head. "Maybe. I'm not sure. He seemed pretty convinced that he had to start early this year."

Mabel shifted on the floor, the crinkling of the bag barely heard over Wendy and Dipper's discussion. She looked at Dipper expectantly for a moment, opening her mouth—then shut it again.

She could see it. The way they looked at each other, locked into their own wavelength. Bouncing theories back and forth, their faces set in matching expression of deep concentration. Talking in serious tones, focusing on the mystery in front of them.

Even though she was right there beside them, she couldn't help but feel like she was miles apart.

Like she was just watching.

Rather than participating.

She fidgeted in place, debating whether to say something or just let them handle it. She looked down. The gummy worm rested on her lap, alone from the other ones in the bag. She stared at it, its rainbow colors beaming. As if it was reflecting the nagging thought in her mind.

Is this what it feels like to stand on the sidelines?

She felt stuck again—wanting to help, wanting to be part of the adventure. But how could she? What if she stepped over the line again? What if she messed up?

She stared at the bag in her hands. She could feel herself sinking into a pool of thick, viscous disappointment.

Breathing out, she shook her head and took another gummy worm from the bag, plopping it into her mouth. She nudged Dipper as he lay staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"Hey bro-bro, if we end up in another life-threatening adventure, at least let me finish my candy first."

She chuckled, only for Dipper to grumble in response. He was already thinking, already somewhere else.

It felt like a tiny gut punch as she looked at him. A subtle reminder that things were different between them now. She sat there, uncertain whether to push harder or step back. Instead, she tuned herself back into the conversation.

Dipper looked over at Wendy. "So, we should probably go check it out, right?"

She nodded. "For sure. I'm pretty sure everyone will be off tomorrow, so that'd be the perfect time."

Dipper leaned back on his hands, exhaling. "Why do I have a bad feeling about this…"

Wendy shrugged. "Dude, maybe because we're trying to find a man-eating tree giant?"

Dipper corrected her. "Not man-eating. Well… at least, as far as I know he isn't."

Wendy eyed him. "Are all three of us gonna be enough?"

Dipper shrugged, thinking it over. "Maybe… I'm not sure."

Mabel immediately jumped back into the conversation, subconsciously pulling for something to feel involved.

"Ooh! I can see if Pacifica wants to come?"

Both of them turned to her. Wendy raised a brow, slightly confused.

"Pacifica's cool and all, but… is wandering around the woods really her thing? No offense."

Dipper crossed his arms, nodding. "I mean, I don't mind. But wouldn't that be the last thing she'd want to do?"

Mabel pouted. "Hey, just 'cause she still has a case of the richy-geebees doesn't mean she can't have some good ol' adventure time with us!"

She pulled out her phone, scrolling to her contacts.

"Besides, I promised."

Dipper slowly nodded, absentmindedly messing with his hair. "Well, if she doesn't say no, then I'm okay with it."

Wendy gave him a glance. "Woah, do me and Mabel need to give you two some time in the woods or something, dude? Talk about zero to one hundred!"

He immediately winced, a small blush creeping onto his face. "No! We're not like that! I'm just saying… it seems like she's been through a lot. Maybe bringing her along isn't such a bad idea."

She glanced at the TV screen. At some point during their conversation, the movie had ended, and the credits scrolled across in comic sans. She stared at the words for a moment before smirking back at him.

"Just don't get too comfortable, Romeo."

Mabel gasped dramatically, clutching her heart. "Forbidden love!"

Dipper groaned, dropping his face into his hands.

"I hate both of you."

Stan and Ford were unpacking their suitcases inside Ford's old room. Soos had managed to fit in a new bed and tidy up the place, making it feel a little less like a glorified storage closet. Ford glanced around, wiping his brow. Stan, meanwhile, looked down at the floor, taking in the new carpet pattern. He exhaled in relief.

"He finally replaced that stupid mind-swapping carpet you made. About time."

Ford rolled his eyes. "The idea was promising. I could have executed it better."

Stan whipped around. "Yeah, well, how is it a good idea to just leave it lying around on the floor, Poindexter? That's just asking for trouble."

Ford sighed. "You're not wrong. But it was one of my earliest experiments. I only managed to test it on a few animals, so I never got to see its full effectiveness."

Stan shuddered as a memory surfaced—Dipper and Mabel had mentioned swapping bodies once. At the time, he'd brushed it off as their usual weirdness, but looking back...

yeah, that explained a lot.

"Probably worked better than you think, Sixer."

Stan hesitated for a moment. When he'd seen Dipper earlier, something about the kid was off. Like he was carrying a weight too heavy for his shoulders. He had changed, and Stan wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Anyway, didya get a look at Dipper? Kid looks different. Like somethin's eating at him."

Ford pulled a set of clothes from his suitcase and placed them on the bed. He opened his mouth, then closed it, hesitating. The silence stretched between them, thick and uneasy, like he didn't want to say it aloud.

"I… noticed it too. Something's changed. And I can only think of a few things that could have caused it. But right now, I'm not sure what."

Stan exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, he just looks… tired. Like, deep-down tired. Maybe he needs a break. Some time to unwind. Who knows how things have been for him back home."

Ford was quiet for a moment, then murmured, "You're probably right. Maybe I'm reading too much into it…"

Stan nodded. "Yeah. Outta the two of us, you're the one who needs sleep. You can't live off coffee alone."

Ford scoffed. "I'll have you know, caffeine is perfectly sufficient."

Stan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, Sixer."

Ford reached into his trench coat pocket, his fingers curling around the familiar shape of the USB. His mind was already elsewhere.

"I do agree that I could use some rest. But first, I need to upload the readings we recorded. Run a cross-analysis..."

Stan narrowed his eyes. "You're serious? I thought we were over this already. I'm tellin' ya, it ain't that deep."

Ford clicked his tongue, already heading for the door. "It's called precaution, Stanley. Something you should consider more often."

Stan frowned, crossing his arms as he watched Ford leave. "We just got back, four-eyes. Last thing we need is to get caught up in another mystery we don't need to be in."

Ford stopped in the doorway. His voice was quiet, but firm.

"I have to be sure, Stanley. I can't afford to make another mistake."

And then he was gone.

Stan watched his shadow disappear down the hallway. As much as he wanted to argue, he couldn't. He wasn't blind. He'd felt it too—the moment they got those readings, the moment Ford found that nest. Something wasn't right.

But he couldn't bring himself to say it aloud. Not yet.

Right now, all he wanted was to enjoy some time with the kids before everything spiraled again.

Meanwhile, Ford walked down into the gift shop. He entered the code on the vending machine and slipped behind it. He breathed in, taking in the familiar sight of the hallway leading to the elevator. Stepping inside, he pressed the button for the third floor.

The elevator vibrated around him as it descended. Then finally, it chimed. The doors slid open.

He was finally back.

Everything was surprisingly clean, as if someone had been tidying up down here. He sighed, a small smile forming on his lips. He'd have to thank Soos later.

It was exactly how he left it.

Ford walked deeper into the lab, his gaze drifting toward the hazy window of the portal room. The space remained empty, with several dismantled parts of the portal still stacked in the corners. His mind churned as he lingered there, contemplating the future of a room that once held limitless possibilities. Now, it was just a hollow remnant of what had been.

Shaking off the thought, he cracked his knuckles and began powering up his machines. Flicking a few switches and levers, he watched as a gauge labeled Power flickered to life. Rolling over to his desk, he pulled out the backboard panel, causing a keyboard and mouse to slide into place. A few keystrokes later, a screen began rising from within the desk.

Last year, he and Stan returned to the shack for a week. They had installed several sensors around Gravity Falls to monitor weirdness activity. That night, Dipper had sent him a long email about how outdated his lab equipment was and how he really needed to install an actual PC.

Ford chuckled to himself. The upgrade had proven useful. Dipper always had bright ideas—just like himself.

His fingers flew across the keyboard as he navigated through multiple programs and charts, each tracking fluctuations in weirdness over the past month. The graphs looked normal, showing the usual small spikes in activity here and there.

The sensors covered a sizable range, stretching across most of the valley. They were meant to help him refine his research into weirdness magnetism—his ongoing attempt to understand why Gravity Falls was such an anomaly.

He pulled out the USB, turning it over in his hands. He sighed, knowing exactly what kind of readings were stored on the drive. The chaotic graphs still burned in his memory.

"You're just being paranoid, Stanford…"

Sliding the USB into the port, he watched as the folder popped up and began transferring its data. As the files copied over, he rolled his chair to the small coffee machine sitting beside his desk.

The machine hissed as it dispensed coffee into a waiting mug.

Ford took a sip. Just hot enough. Just bitter enough.

Perfect.

He turned back to the screen, watching as the files continued to transfer. But then—

A notification popped up in the corner.

New reading detected: Area 46B

Ford clicked it.

His breath hitched.

His mug slipped from his hands, shattering against the floor. A thin layer of coffee pooled at his feet, gliding across the tiles.

On the screen, the latest readings spiked into utter chaos. Unpredictable, unstable—yet painfully familiar.

Heart pounding, Ford quickly pulled up another program, overlaying the newly recorded data with the graphs from the USB.

The resemblance was uncanny.

Nearly identical waveforms. Similar intensity. But the new readings were even more erratic, completely unpredictable in nature.

A sinking feeling twisted in his gut—one that had nothing to do with the coffee.

Area 46B…

His brow furrowed as he rubbed his temple. Why did that location sound so familiar? He knew something was there. Something dangerous.

His gaze flickered to the framed photograph on his desk—him, Stan, and the kids, standing together. His eyes locked onto a tree in the foreground of the image.

A jagged tree trunk. A hollowed-out space.

Memories clawed their way back to the surface. One's from over thirty years ago.

His breath left him.

Steve.