Hey guys, my first Gravity Falls fanfiction is underway! I hope you guys like the first chapter and this story so far, I will be working on this one at a constant rate. I already have ideas. Many, many ideas. So please, if you liked, review this story, it helps me continue. Thanks!

"We're going to have to drive to Portland. Looks like there's no damage there." Grunkle Stan broke the long silence as the five continued their drive far from Gravity Falls. They had made a plan to just drive until they figured out which cities hadn't been wrecked by the paranormal portal under the Mystery Shack. Dipper and Mabel were squished between Grunkle Stan's new found twin brother in the back, and Soos was up front with Stan riding shotgun. Luckily Stan's car wasn't destroyed like most of the cars in the area. Dust had settled on the windshield and Grunkle Stan had continued to spray it down and wipe it until it was clean. The windshield was cracked slightly, but it wasn't enough to impair driving.

Grunkle Stan had gathered up as much money as he could, emptying out the cash register and checking his bank account before the trip. He had assured everyone he had enough for a good while. He instructed everyone to grab what they could; clothing, other possessions. He even lent his brother his old clothes. Since the government was still out for him, he had to keep a keen eye out and watch the children especially. He didn't want to risk them getting hurt.

"Grunkle Stan? Can we get snacks on the way?" Mabel piped up from the back seat, frowning. "I'm hungry."

"Dude, I second that." Soos chimed in.

Stanford sighed. "…Alright. But we need to make it quick. We are only an hour in and we have three to go until we arrive in Portland."

Dipper continued to stare out the window at the sky, dark with bright stars. He hadn't said a word since discovering Grunkle Stan's secret twin. Many questions swam in his mind, but he didn't dare open his mouth. He was angry. Especially at Mabel. Mabel frowned as she glanced over at her brother. "Hey, bro bro. You want snacks too, right?" she poked him, smiling slightly.

Dipper pulled his hat down further, barely grunting. Leave me alone. He thought, annoyance pricking in his body. Mabel's smile dropped as she sighed inwardly.

I just wanted to do what was right. Mabel thought. Please know that, Dipper.

After another fifteen minutes of driving, Stanford pulled over to a small gas station, a neon sign lit declaring it was selling the best hotdogs in town. Mabel unlocked the door and hopped out after Stanley, his combat boots clicking on the pavement. "So, Grandpa Stanley…" Mabel started as Stanley motioned her toward the small convenience store.

"Go on ahead, young one. I'm going to have a word with your brother." Stanley grunted, hopping back in the car and shutting the door behind him.

"I'll just… grab you some beef jerky or something… you look like a beef jerky kind of guy… hmmm…" Mabel mumbled to herself as she followed her uncle into the store.

Dipper swallowed as he was left alone with his grandfather; Soos had followed the others into the store. Awkward silence followed. Dipper fiddled with a loose string on his shorts, averting his eyes away from the man sitting next to him.

"I know you have a lot of questions… uh… what was your name again, son?" Stanley started in a gruff voice that made Dipper jump slightly.

"Dipper." Dipper answered softly. He had argued with himself to not talk to a soul until he felt it was needed. But he was slightly afraid of this man. He didn't even know him. He just knew it was his grandfather, someone he had never met before. Someone he knew as dead, long gone.

"Right. And your sister?"

"…Mabel." The name dripped off his tongue like venom. Mabel.

"I know I have a lot of catching up to do. And you have many questions. And I may not have the answers. And I know you're angry and distrusting."

"So?" Dipper snapped, his head lifting slightly to glare at Stanley from under his hat. "And why should I listen? Why should I even care?"

There was another silence. A tapping on the glass alerted that Mabel was back from the shop. Stanley cleared his throat and opened the door, scooting over and crushing Dipper against the opposite door. Dipper growled under his breath. Stanley moved over slightly until Dipper was no longer suffocating, Mabel throwing a bag of chips in his direction. Dipper fumbled with the bag, catching it before it fell to the floor. Mabel then handed her grandfather a bag of beef jerky.

"Oh, uh, thanks, kiddo." Stanley answered, patting her head. Mabel grinned up at him, also handing him a bottle of water.

"Dipper, catch!" Mabel tossed a bottle of Gatorade to her brother, it hitting his knee and falling to the ground at his feet. Dipper picked it up with no response. Soos and Grunkle Stan entered the car, shutting the doors simultaneously.

"Ready?" Stanford asked, adjusting the mirror to gaze at the passengers in the back seats. Everyone nodded but Dipper, who just continued to stare blankly out the window. "Then let's hit the road."

It was a long drive. The destination was a somewhat decent hotel in the heart of Portland. Grunkle Stan had turned up the car radio and tuned the station to classic rock as Mabel and her uncle sang along, trying to keep the mood at least somewhat optimistic. Dipper rolled his eyes and huffed quietly, deeming the city lights to be more appealing. Stanley was flipping through Journal Number One, furrowing his brow.

"Alright guys, we made it." Grunkle Stan turned the radio down, announcing their arrival. He pulled up to a three story lodging hotel next to a breakfast diner. "Now, I can book three separate rooms. Dipper and Mabel, you two can have your own room. Stanley and I will take our own, and Soos, you can have a room to yourself."

Dipper narrowed his eyes.

When everything had been moved into the rooms and situated, Mabel changed into her pajamas and flopped onto the bed, switching on the TV. Grunkle Stan had given everyone ten dollars, announcing that he was "not made of money" and to "not spend it all in one night". Mabel took that as a challenge.

Dipper sat on the edge of his bed, staring absentmindedly at the wall. "Dipper…" Mabel broke into his thoughts. Dipper ignored her. "You didn't eat anything. Aren't you hungry?"

Mabel was right, Dipper hadn't eaten, and he was in fact hungry. But sleep tugged on him and his eyes were starting to droop. Maybe I should sleep a bit. Before…

"I know Soos kinda stole your chips earlier… I didn't see that coming. I mean, I did, but…" Mabel broke into the boy's thoughts. "Sorry, Dip. At least Grunkle Stan gave us each ten dollars."

Dipper slipped off his shoes.

"Well, I'm going to hit the hay. It's late and Grunkle Stan says we have a lot of traveling to do tomorrow. Wonder what that means?" Mabel places a finger on her chin. Dipper ignored her. He flopped on the bed without pulling the covers over him like his sister did and closed his eyes. He set his internal clock for a half hour.

Dipper's eyes shot open. A horrible nightmare, his shirt stuck to his body with sweat. He gulped in stale air and sighed quietly, glancing over at Mabel in the darkness. She rolled over, snoring softly. It had been an hour. Dipper rubbed his forehead, grabbing his hat on the bedside table and putting it on. He grabbed his vest and slipped on his shoes, his eyes darting over to his sleeping sister. She was still asleep. Good.

Dipper was entrusted with the extra cardkeys to each of the rooms in place of Mabel. He had nodded as Grunkle Stan had given him a lecture just a couple of hours before about how important they were and to not lose them.

Dipper hopped quietly off the bed and fumbled in the darkness for the money that was given to both him and his sister and moved to the door, opening it quietly and shutting it behind him. He breathed a sigh of relief and moved to each of the rooms; Grunkle Stan's and Soos', respectively. Dipper grabbed the money from each of the rooms, the rush of adrenaline in his body as he grabbed it. He swallowed as he heard his grandfather shuffle in the darkness on the bed, fearing he had woken him up. Alright, Dipper, you got this.

"Don't. Move." Dipper heard a voice from across the dark room. He swallowed the lump in his throat, almost dropping the money. He dared to turn around to see his grandfather sitting up in bed without making a move. Then as sudden as he had risen, he had flopped back down, snoring softly.

Oh good. He was just sleep talking. Dipper's heart thudded in his chest.

Dipper grabbed the remainder money from Soos' room and took one more look back at the rooms, stuffing the money into his vest pockets. Safe. I did it. Dipper didn't know where he was going; he just knew he was going. He rushed past the few people that were roaming the hallways for some reason or another at midnight, keeping his hat low, and walked through the revolving doors of the lodge and out into the cool summer Oregon night. No turning back now.