It was meant to be the best day ever. It was spring break in Gravity Falls. Most of the teenagers spent their spring break away from the tiny town that was cut off from the rest of the world, but Dipper and Mabel were more than content to spend their spring break with their beloved adoptive fathers.

They had been planning for this day since the end of summer. The four of them had spent months prepping the family boat, planning the ideal fishing spots, and looking up tasty fish recipes. It was more than just a fishing trip to them; it was a celebration. Six months ago, Dipper and Mabel had undergone a major operation. Dipper had suffered from kidney failure and Mabel selflessly gave him hers. They had to spend months bedridden with nothing to do. Stan and Ford promised them they would make up for the boring summer over Spring Break. They would go out and have a happy memory as a healthy family of four.

But sometimes, even the best-laid plans can be flipped in the blink of an eye.

Mabel woke up with a throbbing pain in her side. "Great…today of all days…" she grumbled.

She looked over at her twin brother still sleeping soundly, but she knew he wouldn't be for long. The first rays of morning light were peering in. She knew her family wanted to get an early start on their fishing day.

She decided then and there she wouldn't let her family know. She knew that was a dumb idea. She knew that their operations had weakened her tiny bodies and she and Dipper were supposed to keep their fathers updated on how they were feeling.

But they had all been looking forward to this day for so long. She just wanted to give her family a happy memory. They deserved that much after all they've been through.

Soon her brother began to stir and open his eyes. Without a trace of grogginess, he shouted, "Woohoo! It's fishing day!" He threw back his covers to reveal he had actually slept in his fishing gear so that he could be ready.

This got a hearty laugh out of Mabel, but as she laughed her side throbbed in pain. She grabbed it and tried to quiet any moans of pain hoping Dipper wouldn't notice.

But of course, the overprotective Dipper was always looking after his sister, especially after the surgery. "You okay, Sis?"

Mabel forced a perky smile. "Of course I am, bro-bro! I just…um…slept on my grappling hook!" Mabel held up said grappling hook as if to prove her case.

"Ouch."

"Yeah…but it's not gonna stop me from catching more fish than you!"

"We'll see about that!" Dipper said playfully.

Mabel got dressed and headed downstairs with her brother.

"Do you think Stan and Ford will be up or will we have to-" Dipper started, until he and Mabel entered the kitchen and noticed their fathers sitting in absurd positions that were clearly meant to put on a show for the kids. Ford had a copy of War and Peace in his hand and was pretending to read all the way through it, while Stan pretended he was about to nod off from pure boredom.

"Well, well, well, look who finally decided to show up, Stanley!" Ford said glancing up from his book with a mischievous grin.

"I can't believe the two of you would leave us old men waiting for so long!" Stan said in a mock elderly voice.

The four of them shared a good laugh and after a quick breakfast of Stan-cakes, they were out the door.

Mabel was quiet on the ride to the lake. She normally filled family car rides (or anywhere actually) with her lively stories, jokes, and just overall jovial nature. It's true these past few years, she had been through an unbelievable amount of hardship, but through it all, Mabel never lost that wonderful personality that essentially made her Mabel. This made her silence especially concerning.

"Are you okay, pumpkin?" Stan asked.

"Mm-hm," Mabel mumbled as she rubbed her side.

"Is your side hurting sweetie?" Ford asked, noticing her discomfort.

"No, I'm fine! It's just…uh…those tacos Grunkle Stan made last night aren't sitting well with my tummy."

"Stan's tacos never sit right with anyone," Dipper teased.

The four of them shared a small laugh as they tried to let their worries melt away.

Mabel could tell that her family was worried about her. She was actually quite distressed herself; she hadn't felt such a strong pain since waking up after the surgery. She longed to tell Ford so he could use his brilliant mind to diagnose her, but she didn't want to risk ruining this day for her family. She thought she could just soldier through this fishing trip and ask Ford to look her over tonight.

When they got to the lake, she did everything she could to show her family that she was fine: she laughed at Stan's corny jokes, made a playful bet with Dipper about who could catch more fish, and listened to Ford's fishing stories about dimensions where the fish were over 12 feet tall. Just a for a moment, the world was at peace.

That peace soon ended as clouds of uncertainty and fear shrouded over them. Mabel stood up to walk toward the front of the boat when the throbbing pain in her side transformed from annoying to so agonizing that it made her lose consciousness. The last thing she remembered was collapsing into a pair of six-fingered arms.