It's been a while, but here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. Enjoy!

"Adventure day! Adventure day!" Mabel bursts into the bedroom, a grin plastered across her face. She has a bag on her back and a notebook in hand.

Pacifica starts, but quickly realizes that it is just an ordinary notebook and not the one which Dipper carries around as if it is attached to his hip. She swings her legs around and slips from the bed. "Kinda late, don't you think?" She smirks and raises a brow.

Mabel puffs her lips out and narrows her eyes. "Only cause Dipper," She yells his name over her shoulder. "Wouldn't come up out of the basement."

Pacifica makes a soft sound of acknowledgement. Figures as much. "He's ready now though, right?" She sets her newest book down. Mabel has gone into town and borrowed it from the library for her. Just one among the many ways her friend showed her affection.

Mabel bounces up and down. "Yep! So let's go!" She waves Pacifica on before spinning on her heel and rushing out of the room.

Pacifica is in no rush. She meanders toward the door, pausing at the threshold. Oh, right. She hurries back to the nightstand and nabs her pen off it. With nowhere to stash it because of her sweater she opts to keep it in hand and twirl it between her fingers. She then dashes downstairs and into the living room, a frown lighting on her lips as she sees the twins.

"Coooome oooon, Dipper." Mabel tugs at her brother's arm. "You proooomised."

Dipper tugs right back as he sits, trying to get his arm out of her grip. "Mabel, stop." It's not like she's stronger than him. Then again, he isn't all that strong either. Unfortunately they are equal, as in every other aspect of their lives. "I said I'd play in the yard, not trek across the forest."

"Dipper," Mabel stretches out his name as long as possible.

"Come on Dipper." Pacifica crosses her arms as she approaches. "Don't be such a jerk." She sees the fire spark in his eyes and the retort on his lips, so she quickly gets in her cutting remark. "Or are you afraid?" She shoots him a hard, meaningful look.

Dipper stiffens. The snappy response dies on his lips and his mouth goes dry. "No," He manages to conjure up a scowl. "I just don't want to waste time on stupid things."

Pacifica winces and grimaces.

Mabel stops, releasing him. She blinks as she stares blankly at him. "Stupid…?" Her voice is tiny and her expression falls. "You think the things I do are…stupid?"

Dipper's eyes shoot open wide and his mouth gapes. "N-No!" He waves his hands back and forth. "That's not what I meant! I just- it's that-" There's no way to explain without revealed secrets he swore to never speak of to anyone in the family – anyone but Ford. "Just that B-" He cuts himself off. "Other things are causing problems."

Mabel averts her eyes. "No he isn't." She murmurs. "You know he isn't. He hasn't been around since Gabe. Don't you get it? There's nothing wrong. So just…stop."

Dipper stares in disbelief. Fear coils in his stomach and a panic swells in him. She's wrong. Bill is a real threat. Ever present. Omnipotent. If only he could tell her everything, then she'd understand. She'd she he was right. But…but…

Pacifica looks back and forth between them. She bites the inside of her cheek. The wheels in her head spin as she searches for a solution to the hurt. If only she knew the whole story. Then she'd know who was right or wrong. "Guys," She's surprised by how soft her voice sounds to her ears. "Can't we just go for a walk? You know…just to be together?" She clenches a hand at her chest as she holds her breath.

The twins look at her and contemplate her in their own way. Dipper scrutinizes her, searching for some sort of trick or ulterior motive. Mabel looks to understand the unnatural tone to Pacifica's voice. Does it really bother her that much? If so, then, "I still want to." Mabel whispers. She picks at the spiral binding of her notebook.

Dipper tears his gaze from Pacifica to look at Mabel. He tightens his grip on the journal and bites his lips. "I'm sorry Mabel." He brushes his fingers along the torn edge of the book. "I'll go with you." He stands.

Mabel manages a tiny smile. "I won't go too far." She concedes.

Pacifica lets out a breath. "Alright then." She puts on a smile that feels so incredibly fake. There is a bitterness that lingers despite their apologies. It makes her tense and almost wish that she had convinced them to do something inside instead. "I'll lead."

Mabel gasps. She jumps to attention. "No way! It's my adventure. I lead!" She bounds after Pacifica.

Dipper follows, but at a much slower pace. He keeps his distance as they make their way to the edge of the forest and prepare to enter. It shouldn't, logically speaking, make him feel so uneasy. Then again, logically it should. Many creatures dwell within, many they have gone head to head with. Who knows which ones might decide to try and take a bite out of them this time. It makes his skin crawl and has him stopping just outside of the tree line.

Pacifica glances over her shoulder and notices him holding back. "Dipper," She says firmly. "Hurry up."

Dipper snaps to attention and scurries forward. With the burst of energy he is able to catch up to them and follow just at their heels. Still, it does not soothe the creeping fear that slithers up his spine and curls around his arms and legs as if a tangible force. Geez, he hadn't realized that shack had become such a safe haven to him. He didn't think he could get worse than how he was within those walls.

It's quiet for at least ten minutes as they walk deeper into the forest. Only then does Pacifica look to Mabel and ask, "So what do you want to do exactly?"

Mabel shrugs. She had a plan before – to slap stickers on things and mark paths so they could easily navigate the place if they ever wanted to venture out alone yet were a bit afraid. Her brother and herself because of the creatures of the night and Pacifica in case she was uneasy about being found by her parents and not being able to find her way back in her panic.

Pacifica frowns. She continues to weave the pen between her fingers and in the next instant on her fingers runs across the trigger. She yelps as a sharp beam of red shoots from the tip and blackens the ground. It is such a shock she drops the pen and it clatters to the forest floor.

Mabel gasps and pivots. "What is it? What happened?"

Dipper starts. What the-? Oh. He sees the pen. So she still has that thing. "I told you to be careful with stuff Great Uncle Ford gives you." He moves around them and bends down, picking it up for her. "He really can invent some crazy things." He extends the pen to her.

Pacifica breathes in deeply. Wow. So that was for real, huh? Just wow. A smile slowly stretches across her face. "Incredible." She snatches it up from Dipper. "That uncle of yours is crazy." She laughs.

Dipper raises a brow. "Um…thanks?" He makes a face. He sees nothing but admiration in her expression and tone so he can't really be offended even though he feels crazy isn't exactly a compliment in most cases. Oh well. Different is different.

"Hey Mabel," Pacifica holds out the pen and shoots. She draws a circle around what appears to be some sort of bug on the ground. "What's that?" She flashes her friend a wide grin and her eyes light up like fireworks.

Mabel hops forward. She bends down. "Oooh." She sticks her finger out and the creature crawls up on it. "It's a caterpillar!" She giggles. "And a…cloudless sulfur." She frowns. "I…think."

Pacifica lets out a single syllable laugh. "You know what it is? Like exactly?" Her body tingles from the excitement. "That's amazing! Well, um," She searches the area. "How about that?" She draws a circle around another object.

Mabel rushes over to it. "Sir Wellington!" She squeals in delight. "A Great Basin Spadefoot frog I caught and named before." She strokes the top of it head before it leaps away from her.

Dipper shakes his head. "There's no way that was the same frog." Still, he smiles at her excitement. That's one thing he has always envied of his twin – her ability to find the purest delight in the most absurd and simple things.

Pacifica whirls around. "Your turn then." She grins almost devilishly.

Dipper narrows his eyes and his lips tighten into a thin line. "No. I don't play guess who."

Mabel snorts. "It's not guess who." She stands. "You just gotta know your stuff."

Pacifica looks away for a split second. She shoots a circle around something else and quickly brings her gaze back around to Dipper. "That!" She points.

Dipper deadpans. "It's a rock."

"Metamorphic!" Mabel chimes in.

Pacifica chooses another target. "Come on, Dipper." She laughs. "What is it?"

Dipper rolls his eyes. "A leaf." This really is the dumbest thing ever. And they are only doing it to make fun of him. Mabel at least definitely knows it is one thing he has not studied. He looks into the supernatural – she catalogues the normal.

"Maple leaf!" Mabel is just as quick as the first time. "Come on bro bro. You can do better than that." She giggles.

Dipper frowns. Then again, maybe his sister really does think he is just that smart. And yeah, if he really tried maybe he could riddle it out, but he's in no mood. He agreed to go on a walk, not play fifty questions.

"Now this one." Pacifica clenches her hands in anticipation.

Dipper sighs. Oh well, at least they're having fun. It's hard not to smile because of that. "Butterfly."

Mabel runs after the creature to get a closer look. It's hard to tell with it trying to evade her, but within a minute she spits out the answer. "Wood Nymph!" She nods firmly. "Yep! That's what it is." She spins around to face them. "Let's go deeper for more." She wriggles in place.

"One more, ok?" She draws a half circle, as much as she can from this angle. "This!"

Dipper shakes his head. "Tree."

Mabel bounces in place. "Pine tree!" She hears the words that leave her mouth and freezes.

Dipper's pupils dilate and panic contorts his face. "Don't call me that!" He shrills.

Mabel jumps from the sharpness of his voice. Shock and confusion plaster across her face. Her heart beats double time as she scrambles to understand the severity of his reaction. Is this really…all because of Bill?

Pacifica stares with wide eyes. What the heck? What even just happened? This is ridiculous. That was so heavily out of proportion to the situation that it's insane. What is going on with Dipper? Her brows knit together and she frowns deeply. She has to find out.

Dipper hyperventilates. His body trembles and he wraps his arms around himself to try and keep it from being too noticeable. I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. Maybe if he says it enough it will be true.

"D-Dipper…?" Mabel reaches out for him.

"Don't touch me." He says with no less intensity. He smacks her hand away. "D-Don't…" His voice cracks. "Don't."

Mabel jerks her hand back as if she had touched fire. Her hand trembles and her expression crumbles. "Dipper." There are tears in her voice.

Pacifica bites her lip. He's keeping his cool for the most part, as much as a person on the verge of a mental break can. But the cracks are evident and it won't be long before the last semblance of control he has shatters. She needs to help him, to reach him like he reached her. But first…her eyes catch on Mabel. That's certainly step one. But how… "Mabel," She says with urgency. "I need you to go back to the shack."

Mabel blinks at her. "W-What?" Angry confusion stirs in her voice and blossoms in her eyes. What is Pacifica trying to pull? No way is she just leaving Dipper like this. It isn't happening. They are twins – together through thick and thin. She'll see him through this. Somehow.

Pacifica hesitates for a fraction of a second. Of course she wouldn't want to just leave like this. Still, there must be a way. "It's important." She insists. She lowers her voice as she adds. "For Dipper. Go back and find something that might make him feel better."

Mabel's resolve falters. "But…" Her eyes drift to her brother. As far as she knows the journal is the only thing that does that. And he has that clutched so tightly to his chest his knuckles are white.

Dipper averts his eyes. He pointedly refuses to look at her.

"Mabel," Pacifica whispers. She looks hard at her friend. "Please."

Mabel drags her gaze from Dipper to meet Pacifica's eyes. She picks at her finger nails. "A-Alright…" She passes a glance at Dipper as she turns away, the pain shining clearly in her eyes. She wants so badly to help him, she really does. She's just afraid she can't, not with anything.

Pacifica waits until Mabel is well out of sight and then she turns to face Dipper. "Alright." She crosses her arms. "She's gone now."

Dipper looks coldly at her. "So what?" He mumbles. Slowly but surely his breathing becomes less erratic. This is good. Maybe he'll be ok after all.

"So I know you didn't want her to see you like this." Pacifica shoots him a knowing look. "Now she's not here though. And you can do and say what you want to. What you need to."

Dipper runs his hands over his arms. Her acuity burns him up. Still, he can't. He refuses. "Just because she isn't her doesn't mean I'll say a word to you."

Pacifica sighs in aggravation. "Dang it Dipper! Why can't you just admit it? You're suffering. You have nightmares every night, you carry around a stupid book as a security blanket, and you just about had a panic attack because someone said pine-"

"Stop!" Dipper's hearth skips a beat and his throat constricts. "Don't say it." His breaths comes out shaky and faster.

Pacifica's brows kit together and her lips turn up in a painful smile. "Dipper, let me help you." She approaches cautiously, as if he is a cornered wild animal. In a way she supposes he is. "I can help you."

Dipper shakes his head fervently back and forth. "N-No. No. You can't. If you do I-I can't-"

"You can't what?" Pacifica keeps her voice soft despite her ever mounting intrigue.

"S-Stop…" He whimpers. "Don't make me. You can't make me." With each word spoken his voice grows wilder. "I control me. Not you. Me, me, me." He grips his head.

Pacifica freezes for a minute. She can only watch in wonder as he curls in on himself. She has experienced such a thing, sure, but she has never seen it for herself. It's…something else. "Dipper," There is an urgency to her tone. "I can't make you do anything you don't want to do." She flashes back to her life under the thumb of her parents and shudders. This isn't about her though. "Anything I want is just that – a want." She tentatively reaches out and curls her fingers around his wrists. She does not apply pressure though. She allows him an escape.

Dipper flinches, but he does not wrench himself from her hands.

Pacifica takes this as a sign to go on. She tightens her hold and pulls his hands down from his head until she can see his full face. "Seeing you like this, it hurts." She is very aware of how her voice trembles and forces herself to force to from completely cracking.

Dipper finds enough lucidity to mutter a single word. "Why?"

"Why?" She puffs out a laugh. "You gave me the strength to overcome my parents' stranglehold. You are the reason I even thought to come here in the first place after they kicked me out. You gave me someone to confide in. And I want you to be able to confide in me too."

Dipper's lip trembles and tears well in his eyes. "But if I do…you could be in danger." Bitterness rises to take residence with the panic and pain. "A-And you won't believe me."

Pacifica looks dubiously at him. Danger? Her mind wants desperately to have this question answered. But that's not what's important now. "You'd be surprised what I believe." She has memories, the faintest traces of magical creatures. Every time she hears the twins speak a name from that book it becomes a little clearer. Gravity Falls is no normal town. This she is sure of.

Dipper's resolve wavers. He can't lie, he has been sorely missing a person to lean on. Bottling up all these secrets, it's painful in more ways than one. And as far as the body debacle weeks ago, he didn't want Mabel to know how much it rattled him, scarred him. "Promise?" His voice cracks. "Promise you won't think it's stupid." As long as he doesn't say Bill's name it'll be alright.

"Of course." Pacifica releases her hold on his wrists. "I know what it's like to be alone."

"I…I was…possessed." His trembling turns to shaking. "Thrown out of my own body. By a monster." He grits his teeth and clenches his fists. "He could do whatever he wanted with me and-and everyone I cared about." He brushes a hand across his eyes, but it is useless. The tears rise up and roll down his cheeks. "And there was nothing I could do." Sobs leap forth and muddy up his speech. "Nothing." He covers his face with his hands.

Pacifica is in awe of such a crazy event. It's absolutely incredible, but like everything else about them. Even as her thoughts whir, she never takes her eyes off him. "It's alright." She whispers.

"It's not!" He shoves his hands down in order to yell it. "I-It's my-my fault. All my fault. I made the deal. I let him trick me." He draws his arms around himself. "He got inside me. In my head. And now-now…he's never gone. I can feel it. A part of him. It-It's still in there." He shudders.

Wow. This is so much worse than what she could have ever imagined. She has to be careful about this. "Dipper, you're you." She moves forward, reaching out and laying a hand on his shoulder. "I wasn't there for what happened, but I know you are the same now as every other time I met you. You have control, even if whatever it is is still in there. It isn't strong enough to take over."

"But what if? What if?" Dipper looks with terror filled eyes deep into Pacifica's eyes.

"Live for today, not tomorrow." She heard it from her parents once when she was younger. It may very well be the only good thing they taught her, even if they meant it differently. She runs a thumb across his cheek and wipes away the tears, even if only for a brief moment. "You'll be happier for it."

Dipper stares for a long moment, in disbelief of how understanding she is being. The emotions it invokes in him are overwhelming. And in the next instant he launches himself at her and throws her arms around her. He buries his face in crook of her neck. "Thank you." He balls her sweater up in his fists. "Thank you so much." He goes limp against her.

Pacifica starts at his action – one of deep vulnerability and unwavering trust. She could do virtually anything to him like this. Luckily she wants nothing more than to help. She wraps her arms around him and pats his back. "You'll be alright." She whispers. "Trust me. Trust family."

Dipper nods imperceptibly. "I'll try."

Mabel stands and stares from afar. Pain creases her face as she watches her brother fall apart. She saw it – the important part anyway. Where he all but admitted he couldn't confide in her, his own sister. It makes her feel weak and completely useless. They're twins. They are supposed to be connected. To understand each other and their pain. Yet she hadn't. She had missed just how much pain Dipper was enduring. Just like he had not been willing to reveal his darkest parts to her. Her shoulders slump and she bows her head. Fear sprouts anew in her heart. She suspected it before, but now she sees without a doubt that they are drifting apart. The rift has begun.

I'm not sure if I'm clever for the way I led up to someone saying 'Pine Tree' or just desperate. lol I enjoyed it at least. Finally this brings Dipper's arc more or less to a close. He obviously isn't cured cause that's not how being traumatized works, but the plot prolly won't focus on it much now. I know that should make some people happy. Anyway, please review!