Chapter 4: F #$*!Zone

Dipper kept his eye on the window as the bus started to get closer to its stop. Mabel could sense the nervousness coming out of Dipper, in his mind so many questions started to fill his head. Who was the guy standing next to her, an old friend, and long lost brother, or worst case scenario a boy...

"Dipper?" said Mabel snapping him back to reality.

"Yeah?"

"I know that look, come on I'm pretty sure whatever you're thinking is not what it seems so how about we go and say hi!" said Mabel trying to get him to cheer up. "Come on they're all waiting, cheer up the mystery twins are back!"

"Yeah okay, you're right," said Dipper taking a deep breath before fist bump Mabel. The bus stopped as all the people started to exit one by one. A familiar feeling came to Dipper as he started to make his way down the seemingly endless steps on his way to touch the Gravity Falls soil one more time. This would mark the third time he came to this small town. What adventures would he have this time around, what mysteries are left for him to solve, and who was he going to see again.

The twins knew they were going to get a special welcome, but what they weren't expecting was the changes that were coming their way.

"Welcome Back!" scream both Candy and Grenda. The girls ran to hug the twins, and both parties were surprise at all the big changes. For one Candy was surprise to find that Dipper is way taller than Mabel. On the other hand, Mabel was surprise at Candy's new look sporting new glasses, and a nice set of clothes. But of course the biggest surprise came in the form of Grenda and her sudden transformation. The slime tall girl looked at both of the twins expecting a few question.

"Grenda?"

"Go ahead ask," good to see that her voice didn't change, or else the twins would be sure that they are talking to someone completely different.

"What happened to you?"

"Oh well don't be alarm I'm still really strong, I just finally found my calling in life in the octagon!"

"What!?"

"That's right you are looking at the junior division undefeated pound for pound champion!"

"Wow Grenda that's so cool!"

"Yeah come on let's get some chocolate and catch up."

"Later Dipper."

Dipper waved goodbye knowing that there was one person left waiting to greet him personally. Soos finally finish carrying all the luggage out of the bus, he started to look at the remaining teens, and quickly started to get the feeling that he wasn't supposed to be there. "SO I should go check on the store your uncle is not getting any younger," said Soos as he jolted away. All that was left were the three teens.

"Hey..." said Dipper almost trying to hold back his excitement of seeing his friend, on the other hand Pacifica wasn't as subtle. The young blond started to hug Dipper tight enough that it felt like he was going to explode. She quickly releases her grip in order to get a good look at Dipper, and boy did she look surprise.

"Dipper so good to see you, took you long enough."

"Yeah traffic was a riot, anyway how are you..." Dipper stopped right on his track as the other guy started to walk closer.

"Oh that's right Dipper this is..." said Pacifica pointing at the guy by her side.

"Oh look at the time I better go help Soos unpack," announce Dipper not wanting anything to do with what was about to be said.

"Dipper wait," yelled Pacifica shock at how fast Dipper seemed to just leave her. Maybe he wasn't as excited as she was to for this little reunion.

(Mystery Shack)

The Shack stood the same as always, as in it barely stood at all. Mabel was the first one to arrive, she was so happy to be back to her home away from home. Mabel took her time saying 'hi' to all the old stains, and crack around the store, and greet any new ones. About thirty minutes after Mabel and the girls got settle, Dipper arrive a few minutes later, taking the chance to let out some some of the things he is feeling.

(One confession later)

"So you just left her?" said Mabel while taking a sip on her drink.

"Yeah," responded Dipper with a guilty smile.

"Why?"

"Because," said Dipper getting up from his chair, scratching his head. "when I saw her with that guy I guess the first thing that came to my mind was who's that guy, is he her boyfriend."

"Well they do hang out a lot" said Grenda casually adding to the conversation. Suddenly her phone started to ring. "Oh great I need to get this"

"Match?"

"No is from Austria."

"Still, I thought you wanted to break it off."

"I did, but then we spend the spring in Italy one thing led to another, and now he sponsors my gym."

"Grenda you animal."

"Oh stop it anyway I need to get this," said Grenda leaving the room.

With Grenda gone Dipper just kept on pouring out his heart about the whole situation. "Well there it is"

"So what are you going to do now?" ask Candy.

"I guess just tough it out and see what she has to say."

"Well here is your chance she's coming," said Candy looking out the window.

"What I'm not here," said Dipper jumping to the other side of the counter quickly ducking down.

Pacifica entered the shack waving at the girls. Grenda, Candy and Mabel had to admit it was still weird seeing Pacifica acting so nice to them. "Hey pacifica," said Mabel breaking the awkward silence.

"Hey guys so what's up?"

"Nothing still trying to get organized to tell you the truth we brought a lot more things this time around."

"Cool, well if organizing is too much I could always offer some butlers."

"That is really nice of you," said Mabel.

"So where's dipper?"

"Oh umm he is busy."

"Busy?"

"Yeah he has a project that he brought with him to show our uncles and he is really excited about it."

"Well that explains a lot, he kind of just ran off before we got a chance to talk."

"I'm sure he feels awful about that I'll talk to him about it."

"Alright I better go, hey let me know about the butlers."

With Pacifica gone, Mabel expression changed."Grenda."

"Right come here love puppy," said Grenda lifting Dipper up.

"Hey let go! Wow you are freakishly strong," said Dipper.

"Thanks."

"Dipper how dare you ignore her?" Ask Mabel

"I know I can't avoid it," sight Dipper. "Okay I'll go talk to her."

"Alright good luck."

"Okay later."

(Downtown)

Dipper started to wonder around town hoping not to bump into Pacifica. Interesting enough the town doesn't seem to have changed a lot. Yeah, a few new faces here and there, but overall it's just like last time. This feeling of nostalgia was just what dipper needs to get his mind of Pacifica, and there it is again. Dipper's one true weakness, girls, last time it was Wendy, and now it's Pacifica. When did that happen? This was his sister's enemy a girl whose reputation is as long as her hair. A real mystery, how he allowed this to happen, and now he is stuck in the friend... Just then a small piece of paper flew toward his face. "HUH"

Missing Cows

"Missing cows, why not," said Dipper clearly taking any opportunity to get out of talking to Pacifica.

(Farm)

Dipper made his way to the field where the local cows were getting taken away. "Okay so who do I talk to about..."

"Kid, what are you doing in my farm?" ask the local farmer walking toward Dipper.

"Oh hey sir I'm here about the cows."

"Oh okay very well." The farmer took Dipper deeper into the field closer to the forest. The bus did pass by the forest on their way to the town, looking at the woods always gave Dipper such a chill, he knew that the things living in the woods were more dangerous than any local hunter. "Here we are the cows, a few days ago we had a thunderstorm, that's when I notice a few of them were gone, figured they just got scared, but they never came back."

"Any idea what might have taken them?"

"At first I figured some animal was biting more then he can chew, after placing a few traps, I realize that something else was going on, there were no tracks, no blood, nothing, my cows just vanished."

"Interesting I'll start looking."

"Take care, there might be another storm tonight."

The day ended with little sign of the cows, but dipper felt relax. This really wasn't about the cows, but just an excuse to get away nothing could bring him down that is of course until his phone started to ring.

Paz

"Shit, I really don't want to talk right now so..." dipper chose not to answer. On his way back his phone wouldn't stop ringing, but each time it was met with the same response. Of course this wasn't going to fly with Pacifica.

(Mystery Shack)

"why is he ignoring me!" yelled Pacifica bursting into the shack.

"What are you talking about?" ask Mabel.

"Don't play dumb he hasn't been answering his phone and he didn't even say anything to me since you guys showed up, like did I do anything?"

"No Paz listen Dipper is just very busy."

"Busy we once talk about SpongeBob while he was stalking a shadow he thought was a ghost."

"Oh"

"Just tell her," suggested Candy.

"Tell me what?"

"Listen I think the problem is what you didn't tell him."

"What."

"You know?"

"No I don't stop acting weird or else."

"I'm home," announce Dipper barely escaping the rain.

"There you are, what the hell Dipper why are you ignoring me!"

"Oh boy," said Mabel sitting down with the girls.

"I...I"

(Ring)

"Yeah...?" answer Dipper picking up his phone, ignoring her.

"Kid the beast is back it wants my cows!"

"I'm on it"

"On no you don't I'm still talking to you," said Pacifica standing in front of the door.

"Look I have to go I'll talk to you later." Not waiting for a response Dipper quickly moved pass her leaving her speechless.

"That little… come on we're following him," said Pacifica.

"The rain is too strong," warned Mabel.

"He can't just ditch me like this," yelled Pacifica in frustration.

Soos took the chance to enter the room, "Hey girls the rain is about to stop any moment now, how about I drive you to the farm when it ends."

Dipper got to the farm as the clouds started to disappear. With the sky cleared Dipper looked around noticing the cows were gone. "How, I don't remember reading anything about UFO sightings, and there are no tracks." Dipper was getting frustrated at all the question this mystery was raising, and what happen in the shack wasn't helping. Suddenly a cow fell from the sky, Dipper quickly started to run toward it. The girls arrived to field and started to look for Dipper. Finally reaching Dipper as he was inspecting a cow.

"There you are Dipper you better explain yourself! " yelled Pacifica.

"These aren't bite marks," said Dipper sounding scared. "Girls what are you doing here."

"Us, Dipper we're here to talk to you, you've been dodging Paz all day it's not fair," said Mabel.

"You want to know what's not fair getting played!" snapped Dipper.

"What?" said Pacifica.

"You know what I'm talking about, so we've been talking for a while now. I don't know a year, a year and you've never once mention that you were seeing someone, I mean come on I thought you were better than that."

Suddenly the sound of thunder could be heard.

"Dipper I"

"No look I get it I'm just your nerd friend what do you care about how I feel," said Dipper going around the subject. "You know I don't even care I..." suddenly a black figured flew down from the sky smashing one of the cows.

"What the heck is that!" yelled Grenda.

"It's a bird?" said Mabel.

The bird started to flap its wings creating the sound of thunder. "They're not bite marks they're talons."

"Dipper?" Said Mabel.

"Run." The bird suddenly started to fly toward the group.

"Quickly into the woods."

"They're you are you monster" yelled the farmer pointing his gun at the creature firing as much as he could. "That's for my cows." the bird quickly flew up high disappearing. "Hah I knew it was nothing but a big chick..." The bird descended at full force to the house smashing it into pieces. Roaring one more time before hitting the farmer. The group on the other hand started to hide on the woods.

"Uh Dipper?"

"Hold on that thing it's called a thunder bird, it's some kind of native American bird able to create the sound of thunder with it's wings. The coming of the storms. If we are not careful it will attack us!" The bird started to flap its wings preparing to soar one more time. Once in the air the sky filled with the sound of thunder. "We're save," said Dipper.

"Are you nuts that thing is heading to town!" Said Mabel.

"Shit come on!" said Dipper. "How are we going to catch up?"

"The same way we caught up to you," said Mabel walking to a truck where Soos was sleeping.

"Soos!?"

"Oh hey dude crazy weather we're having that thunder keeps waking me up."

"Soos we don't have time takes us back to the town!" demanded Dipper.

"Okay hey were you and Pacifica able to talk about..."

"DRIVE!" yelled the whole group.

"So what creature are we going after now?"

"A bird"

"Bird?"

"A big bird."

"Oh okay"

"Guys I don't hear anything," said Grenda.

"Maybe it flew away?" said Pacifica.

Suddenly the bird landed in front of the car. "Wow!" The car was send flying before landing right-side up. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah."

"Thank goodness for seat-belts they protect from anything," said Soos. The bird quickly landed ripping through the door forcing the group to exit the other side. "EXCEPT FOR THAT, it does not protect us from that!"

The bird once more started to prepare for another attack. Thinking quickly Dipper notice the gas leak coming from the car. "Okay this ends now!" said Dipper running toward the gas leak. Pulling out one of his water gallons from his bag he filled it with the gasoline.

"Dipper?" said Mabel.

Dipper quickly threw it to the bird. The blinded bird quickly smack Dipper. The blow was so powerful it knocked Dipper to the floor.

"Dipper!" The whole group gathered around him waiting for him to respond.

"Burn..." said Dipper pulling out a match lighting it and burning the bird. The bird flew a few feet before falling down.

"We did it," said Candy.

"Dipper?" said Pacifica.

Grenda and Soos started to help Dipper up. "Easy dude."

"Yeah you took a hit," said Grenda.

"I just need to sit, " said Dipper making it to the car and was quickly placed in the front seat.

"Well I guess I'll call a tow truck your insurance is covered right?" ask Pacifica.

"Well?"

"Never mind I'll pay for it, I just want this to be over." The bird got up one more time this time running toward the group placing its claws on the truck as it started to fly away with it. "DIPPER!"

"Soos!" said Mabel.

"I um hold on Dipper."

The bird was flying as high as it could, fortunately thanks to its injuries and the size of the truck it was only flying above the trees. Inside the truck Dipper was stuck thinking of a plan. "Shit... what am I, wait a minute" Dipper started to break the inside of the car exposing the wires. "Come on" after moving a few thing Dipper found his solution. "ALRIGHT" Dipper started to climb out of the car trying not to fall off. He made it to hood of the car which was dangling in midair. "Come down, don't look down," Dipper started to tinker some more with the motor. Finally wrapping up Dipper pulled a match. "HEY UGLY IT'S OVER." Said Dipper throwing the match inside the engine creating a chain of events that led to an explosion. Dipper jump out quickly enough to miss the explosion but the aftershock pushed him towards a tree that he hit full force. Quickly starting to fall all the way down. Seconds before he lost consciousness as he started to hear his name.

Death is a funny thing, your eyes are shut, and you feel nothing, but somewhere in the back of your mind you know what is happening.

"Hello"

"Pine Tree, am I right."

"Wha… who are."

"You are perfect, you will give me what I want."

"Who are you."

"Until we see each other again."

It was the wind that woke him up, once his eyes opened he felt all his energy come back. Finally, Dipper sat up to look where he was, to his surprise he wasn't dead, in fact he was in a hospital room. The doctor arrived smiling at Dipper. "Hey there trooper how are you mister," the doctor started to read the name on the clipboard.

"Dipper please."

"Okay well Dipper, you are one tough young man, a few burns a broken rib and you still have the energy to get up."

"Yeah I am very tough," said Dipper pumping his chest.

"Well what I am interesting in are those claw marks. Tell me how did you."

"Oh I was doing some extreme bird watching," laugh Dipper.

"Well we still need to run some test, but you seem fine enough for a visit. What do you say?"

"Um sure."

"Good because they have been outside for a while, and honestly they are disturbing the peace." The doctor made his way to the door opening it up slightly. "You can come in."

"DIPPER!' yelled the girls busting into the room. Mabel, Candy, and Grenda wasted no time jumping into the bed showering the young man with hugs.

"Dipper you're okay," said Mabel.

"You had us so worried," said Candy.

"Don't ever do that again," said Grenda.

"Girls I'm fine, I love you all too, but I need you to let me breath," said Dipper.

Suddenly a small cough was heard coming from outside. This got everyone's attention as Pacifica took the change to walk in, "Yeah Dipper thank goodness you're all right."

"Could you guys," said Dipper.

"Oh right, come on girls," said Mabel walking out with the other girls. When they left Dipper notice a guy standing outside the door waiting. One quick glance and Dipper knew who he was the guy from earlier. However, Dipper knew that this wasn't about him, this was about Pacifica.

"So how are you feeling," ask Pacifica looking at his sorry state.

"Fine, better than ever," said Dipper trying to stretch quickly feeling pain all over.

Pacifica started to smile approaching Dipper and sitting on the bed. "OH right big guy you don't have to try to impress me."

"I guess you're right."

"Naturally," the two started to stare at each other for a moment before Pacifica started to hug Dipper. "You idiot."

"Wha!?"

"I should be mad at you for the way you were treating me today, but knowing that you're alive," Pacifica started to clear up the tears in her eyes as she moved her head up to look at him. "But we need to talk."

"Can it wait?"

"No, now about what you said." It took a minute for Pacifica to get her thoughts together, she knew what he meant, and why he was mad. This is supposed to be simple, she is just supposed to reject him. Still out of all her experience this time she felt like if she used the same song and dance someone would truly get hurt. "Dipper listen."

"Paz please, listen I know I wasn't the best guy in the world today, and I might of step over my boundaries, but when you have a friend, a true friend you just want the best for them, no matter what. Listen how about we start over, and."

Pacifica simple started to hug him, "That's perfect."

"Hey I can't be mad at you, you are my star student," joked Dipper. The two exchanged another hug as Pacifica started to looked at the guy standing outside. One small smile later the guy knew it was okay for him to go inside. Dipper saw him and after a small moment of silence he finally started to say something. "Hey."

"Hi."

"Dipper," said Dipper introducing himself.

"George," said the guy shaking Dipper's hand.

Pacifica took it upon herself to introduce him again, "He is my boyfriend."

"I… yeah."

"Cool," said Dipper sucking up all the pride he ever had and looked up to him, then her then him one more time, and finally accepting where he was.

"Paz told me that you are like her best friend."

"Yeah," he said as every word started to sting. "She's my best friend."

Watching the train wreck from a safe distance the girls all had their own opinion. "Oh shit," said Grenda.

"Why would he do that?" said Candy.

Mabel stood quiet, a few seconds later Soos arrive with Stan, and Stan (ford)… each holding some type of gift for Dipper. "Hey kids," said Stand.

"How is the little dude?" ask Soos.

"He's great," said Candy.

"No he's not," said Mabel. "He is in the worst place ever."

"What, is he in another dimension, limbo," ask Ford.

"Worst… the friendzone."

End of Chapter 4, sorry about the wait. No excuses, but I'm working hard on the next chapter. Tell your friends, tell your friends, next chapter coming soon.