"Pacifica?" I called out after the party. After the strange debacle with McGucket, I haven't seen her in a while. I've been talking to Grenda's new boyfriend, Marius.

"Hey bro-bro," Mabel cried, "Who are you looking for?"

"I can't seem to find Pacifica," I replied.

"You mean your new girlfriend? Glad you got over Wendy but Pacifica is still kinda outta your league," Mabel teased.

I punched her in the arm. "I'm serious, and she's not my girlfriend."

Finally taking the hint, she said, "Well, I saw her go up to her room, she said she was in big trouble. So what happened with the ghost-busting?"

I dashed off before Mabel could finish her question. Mr. and Mrs. Northwest were not gonna take this lightly.

After finally finding Pacifica's room (this place is like a maze) I knocked on her door. Huh, real mahogany. Stan never put a glossy finish on anything, wonder what he's doing.

I heard a light shuffle and then Pacifica opened the door slowly. Her face was at first afraid but then she smiled when she realized it was just me.

"Dipper, I can't talk right now. My parents—"

"Are you okay? Your parents were real angry and everything. Can I come in?" I asked.

She sighed and let me in. Her room was exactly what I expected it to be: Hot pink wallpaper, walk-in closet, French windows, and a crystal chandelier.

"So are your parents mad?"

"You aren't even scratching the surface of how livid they are. Dad said that the I'll be in college when I finally see sunlight again."

"Wow, my parents would never do that to me," I said.

"Just one of the perks of being a Northwest," Pacifica said sarcastically. She removed her gloves and boa and then I saw a huge bruise on her shoulder. I winced on how much that could've hurt.

"Do you need to ice that?" I said nervously.

She glanced at the bruise like it was nothing. "Yeah, I guess. Look in the bottom drawer of my desk," she sighed.

When I opened the drawer, I saw that it was filled with ice packs, bandages, and anything else you would find in a first-aid kit.

"Why would you need all of this stuff? Are you running a mini-hospital?" I joked.

Pacifica stared at me and said, "Whenever my parents get angry, I keep that in order to….ease the pain."

It took me a moment to understand what she was saying. Even Stan wouldn't hurt me that way. I pressed the ice-pack against her skin, a little nervous of how close I was standing next to her. Then I saw a long red scar near her collarbone and a large red welt on the back of her neck. How angry do her parents get?

"Um, I'm sorry for all the things I said to you, back when we hated each other," I said, "Like that time when I told you the truth about your great-great-grandfather."

"Don't worry about it; it opened my eyes of how horrible my family had been. I'm sorry for everything I said to you and Mabel. I was trying to be like a Northwest, looking down on all the common folk. And, I guess I was a little jealous that Mabel could be so immature yet everyone loves her. And that she doesn't have a family like mine. I wish that I could have a brother that cares about me just as much as you care about Mabel," she replied, the words pouring out of her.

I was shocked at how vulnerable and sensitive she was being. And what she said about me….does that mean she sees me as a brother? I was kinda hoping I would be more than that….what am I saying?!

She continued, "Mabel's lucky to have you as a brother, it's hard being an only child, there's no one there to stand up for you or to cheer you up when things are tough. Lisa and Meredith just don't get how bad things get when you're me."

Huh, they finally have names. I was starting to think that they were just silent lackeys.

"I can't believe I used to think that everything was so perfect for you. I mean, you get anything you want, when you want it. Mabel said that you were a normal kid at the end of the day and I didn't believe you," I said.

"I want to be a normal kid, but my parents said that the Northwest family is above normal. And you made me realize, that I don't want to be above normal if I have to be so cruel to everyone," Pacifica said.

I can't believe I gave her an epiphany. Maybe I was wrong, she's not a snobbish Northwest, and she's a kid just like me. And without her, I would still be a wooden statue. She saved me. Without even thinking, I hugged her just like the way that she hugged me when we caught the ghost. I was about to pull away when I felt her tears on my jacket. I just kept my arms around her, letting her stain this stupid tuxedo, it's not mine anyway.

I was about to say something when Mr. and Mrs. Northwest burst in through the door. Pacifica looked up and she was so shocked, she pushed me away.

"Pacifica Elise Northwest, what are doing? First you tarnish our family name, and now you're fraternizing with the riff-raff?" Mr. Northwest yelled. He grabbed me by the collar and started to push me out the door.

Mrs. Northwest was just as abusive as her husband. "You should be ashamed of yourself! You're lucky that we don't send you away to live with some lesser family!" She removed her glove and slapped Pacifica, leaving a deep red welt.

"Let go of me!" I yelled as Mr. Northwest yanked me out of the room. He slammed the door so I can't see what was happening inside Pacifica's room. All I could hear was muffled screaming.

Mr. Northwest was surprisingly strong because he held me up like a doll and carried me outside while I tried to wriggle free. I tried to run back in to save Pacifica, but he punched me in the chest.

"If you know what's best for you, you will stay away from my daughter. You made her do this, I know you did. You're keeping her from being a real Northwest, and if you don't stay away from Pacifica, I'll make sure that you'll suffer just she will," he threatened. Before I could say anything else, he pushed me onto the concrete and slammed the door.

I ran up to the door again and pounded my fists against it. "Let me in! Let me in! PACIFICA!" I shouted until my throat was hoarse.

I looked up Pacifica's bedroom window. All I could see was Pacifica's silhouette being pounded by her mother's. I slumped against the doors in defeat, Pacifica can't be saved.

Soon I heard footsteps, and I looked up to see Mabel and her friends smiling. They were outside checking out the garden while I was comforting Pacifica.

"Dipper, did you see the peacocks in the garden?! They are so cute, they ate right outta my—what's wrong?" Mabel's happiness turned to sorrow as she saw me crying.

I was so upset that all I could do was point up at the window where Pacifica was being pummeled by her parents.

Mabel sat down next to me and hugged me. Candy and Grenda saw the fight and they slumped down next to Mabel.

Soon, I finally found the courage to say something. "Pacifica isn't a normal girl, Mabel," I croaked slowly as tears trickled down my cheeks.

"I know," Mabel replied as raindrops started pouring down on us.