We'll meet again,
Don't know where, don't know when,
But I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.

Thank J, who always gets me to write. Also inspired by a gorgeous work of art on tumblr by linklyshow.

Chapter One: We'll Meet Again

Deep in the forest, in a part unknown to many people, there is a small placed covered in vines and leaves. Upon entering this small area, it seems as though the entire forest is trying to hide It. Yet nothing stays secret in Gravity Falls for long, even if it takes years, even the forest itself cannot protect the creatures from the entity it tries to hide.

Birds learn not to sit on It. Bugs do not crawl on It. In fact, the only living thing near It is the vines and grass that wrap around It to keep It hidden and out of sight. They do this, not because they want to, but to bury the past and stop It from coming back. It is a very strange thing, something so unnatural and yet natural at the same time. It lays underneath the dirt and waits, It waits for its time, and soon enough, the time will come. After all, some stories were never meant to end.

It wasn't a peaceful silence that surrounded the area over It, but a stale silence that settled wrong on the ears. There was nothing more than a deafening silence as the birds refused to sing, and the insects refused to hum. No one wanted to go near It, not after the third bird had landed on the outstretched arm and had burst into flames just a moment later.

There was so much rumor in the air about It. No one is really sure about It. The people who live in town not so far away, they do not know about It. That is the way the forest would like to keep it.

But It sits. It waits. It hungers.

"Dipper! We're here, wake up, wake up, wake up!"

The sleepy brunet jolted awake at the sound of his sister's voice, and blearily looked out the window of the bus. Just in time to see the sign that said 'Welcome to Gravity Falls!' Go past them. It felt right to be back, and Dipper breathed a sigh of relief that the long bus ride was finally over with. It seemed to never want to end.

Mabel bounced up and down in her seat, watching as the bus stop finally came into view. This was their first summer back since they had turned thirteen, and now the teens were both eighteen. The Stan's had finally come back from their many years of traveling the ocean, and as a last present, they were coming to let Dipper and Mabel spend their last summer in Gravity Falls.

After this, there would be no play time, no Summer's of idleness and sleeping until noon. It would be college and jobs and responsibility, and the twins were ready. They were ready for one final summer full of adventures and friends and family.

Soos was still running the Mystery Shack, and was more than happy to let the Pines family come back to spend one last summer there. Though they probably could have stayed anywhere, seeing as how they were still heroes to the small town. Yet nothing said nostalgia like staying in the place where it had all started.

The bus rolled up to the stop, and Dipper and Mabel were the only passengers on the long trip. Not that they minded. Sal, their bus driver, didn't care how loud they got, and even played along with their games to help pass the time. After all, on a long bus ride such as this one, games to pass the time made things so much better.

Standing at the station were two old men, one leaning on a cane with an actual need instead of just a show, and the other one as poised as ever with his hands behind his back. The two had only taken a break from their adventures at sea, coming back only for them.

Mabel was the first one off the bus, and she hadn't even set her feet on the ground before she had tackled the two old men. They didn't fall, but they did stumble back as they did their best not to fall to the ground.

Dipper managed to grab all of their suitcases, hauling them off the bus and giving a wave to Sal as he took off. Mabel and Stan and Ford were all laughing together, with Mabel showing off her newest sweater and the older men talking about how much she had grown.

It really was strange to suddenly be the same height as Stanley and Ford, and Dipper marveled at that as he no longer had to look up to meet their gaze. He had grown so much, his shoulders broader, his stance wider, his face covered in a little bit of stubble, and actual muscle toning his arms and chest. He wasn't the same weak twelve year old boy anymore.

"Look at this kid!" Stanley laughed, clapping Dipper on the back. Dipper hardly flinched, even though the old man still packed a punch. "I remember when you were such a shrimp. Now look at you! Almost as tough as Mabel, right?"

"You know it! Alpha twin! Alpha twin!" Mabel chanted, and Ford laughed quietly before joining in with her. Dipper and Stan rolled their eyes together, and the elder helped the younger pick up the suitcases.

"Still the same Gravity Falls?" Dipper asked, grinning from ear to ear. Stan laughed, hefting Mabel's bag of art supplies over his shoulder.

"Still the same Gravity Falls."

The Mystery Shack had new attractions, and yet it still had the same kind of clients. Dipper glanced around at some of the newest creations that Melody and Soos had made, seeing how well done they were. It was easy to see they took inspiration from the very creatures that lived in the forest.

"Dude!" Soos suddenly came out of the back, still wearing the same faded red fez and the typical suit that Stan would wear for tours. Dipper and Mabel had been looking around the giftshop, pointing out new things to one another, and also seeing the things that had stayed the same over the years.

Before the twins could do anything, they were suddenly engulfed in a large bear hug from Soos, but no protests left Dipper or Mabel's lips. It was great to be back home and reunited with old friends. Dipper laughed, being set down on the floor a moment later.

"I missed you two!" Soos cried happily, and Mabel didn't let go of her hug just yet, but Dipper took a step back to regain his personal space once more.

Once back on their feet and catching up, Soos grabbed one of the hats that he kept in stock and shoved it on Dipper's head. The young man had stopped wearing hats a while ago, but the nostalgia instantly made him righten the hat and feel at home. Mabel didn't need anything, since she still had her grappling hook and proudly showed it to Soos when he asked.

"Whatcha do with the hat Wendy gave ya, dude?" Soos brought up as he helped the twins carry their bags up the stairs. The Stan twins had moved in the day before, taking Stanford's old room, since Melody and Soos now slept in the place where Stanley had slept.

A light blush crossed his cheeks at the mention of Wendy, remembering how much of a dork he acted around her back then. "I stopped wearing hats a while ago. I left Wendy's hat back in Piedmont."

"He's lying! I saw it in his bag!" Mabel shouted, as though trying to alert the whole house.

"Mabel!" Dipper's blush was completely red by now, and he glared at his twin before he took the bags from Soos. At least that way he wouldn't have to deal with the mocking laughter. Mabel still laughed, and Soos didn't say anything as he let Dipper have the bags.

Settling back in was as easy as before, and Dipper quickly found it much easier than the summer they had to leave. It felt like coming back to their second home, like they had never really left. Mabel felt the same, and soon enough she had all of her posters hanging from the walls.

"It's good to be home." Dipper sighed happily as Mabel jumped on her bed.

"It really is."

The silence that was so heavy before seemed to get heavier to the birds and the bees, a large weight that settled over them. Things that were near It suddenly managed to get farther away, and the smallest sound was heard to break the silence. It sounded like electricity crackling across the surface of the earth.

It was almost time, It was ready, It was waiting.