AVAVA

( Author's Note )

VAVAV

This is the conclusion of Riches to Rags. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This chapter I had been holding back, because of the time of the year. Christmas. And Well with it Snowing in Gravity Falls, I figured. Lets add a bit of the season. Pacifica might even enjoy it. Dipper sure will.

AVAVA

( Pacifica Northwest )

VAVAV

She sat at the kitchen table of her little cabin, where Dipper had told her to sit, and stay put. As if she was some puppy! The nerve of that boy!

She glanced over at him, as he pealed off the tape and cardboard that had been what was covering the windows. In fact, that's why she was sentenced to 'kitchen table land', she had tried stopping him, from removing the cardboard. Telling him all that would do was let in the cold air. She didn't know that while he had been gone earlier that day, he had went to the hardware store.

Pacifica watched as he carefully cut pieces of glass, and fit them into the spots that he had cleared the broken glass from.

Alright, so the boy was semi redeemable.

But she had never asked for his help.

"Hmph," She crossed her arms and looked away from him. Then she got even more aggravated when he started humming some song.

Couldn't he at least pay attention to her, when she was ignoring him?

"Alright, next." He said happily, as he moved away from the last window that he had fixed. He tossed a couple more logs onto the fire, and smiled over at her. Smug Pines boy.

"Y'know, I didn't..." She started, as he continued past her. Then she muttered, "...ask for your help."

Didn't matter, it would be dark soon, and no matter what. He couldn't work in the dark, so maybe she'd finally get some peace and quiet from him, and she wouldn't have to see that smug... admittedly cute... smile on his face.

"Alright, next lets see what we can do with this stove." He walked over to the wood burning stove. She had attempted to use it, but couldn't figure it out. All she managed was to fill the small cabin with smoke. "The floo is stuck." He muttered to himself, while looking through one of the bags that he had brought from the store. He pulled out a can of something, and sprayed a little level, hit it a few times with a hammer, then she heard something move, like metal grinding on metal. A few more sprays, and the grinding sound, turned into a sliding sound. "That should do it."

"I don't have anything to store food in, that works without electricity, anyways. So... I don't see the point." She muttered.

"This stove will put off more heat, for longer, than the fireplace will. Because the stove is cast-iron. The metal will radiate heat, for a long time, even after the fire is out." He got up, and went to her sink. At least the water worked, even if she had to take cold showers.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Mr. Pines, or something?" She asked, just wishing that he would go away. She couldn't take much more of this charity from him. Not when she had treated him so badly. She didn't deserve it, and it was eating her up inside.

"Stan, can handle himself. Tourist season is over, so he's spending his time in front of the TV. Helping him out, was just a reason to get me back here, so I could check on you." Dipper said while he did something next to the nonworking refrigerator. Then he went to, what she assumed was, the fuse box. Another thing that was pointless. He replaced the fuses. "That should do it."

"That should do what?" she looked at him.

"You'll see." He smiled as he walked passed her and out of the cabin. She wanted to know what he was doing, but it was too cold out there to play that. No way was she going out there to follow him. Not when she was sure he might throw snow at her.

Like she hadn't seen him and his sister, throw snow at each other a couple years ago, when they came for Christmas.

Something that sounded like a giant chainsaw roared to life outside, causing her to jump, and again when the lights in the cabin came on.

"What did you do?" She asked Dipper as he walked back in, that semi adorable cocky grin on his face.

"I just hooked up one of Stan's extra generators." Dipper shrugged, "Not like he'll miss it."

"Well that's fine and all, but I can't afford the gas for it." She hated admitting that to him. To anyone that knew who she was. A Northwest that couldn't afford something. That was unheard of.

"Then I suppose I'll have to buy the gas, for now. Until I get the electricity turned on." She started to protest, and he stopped her. "Look, I can't let you freeze to death. And I can't let you live like this. Pacifica. It's okay to let me help. Sometimes people need help. And to me, its only right to help someone when they need it, and ask for it. And yes... I know you didn't ask for it. I know. But you didn't need to. I want to help"

Maybe he was right. Maybe people needed, and deserved help sometimes. Maybe she could have been nicer to people that needed help. Like her friends, and people around town.

"So, what do you want for dinner?" Dipper asked, as he sat next to her at the table.

"Greasy's?" Pacifica threw out there. That's where she had been going, since Susan had been helping her out, and letting her help out around the diner, if she didn't have any money. At least she could eat, if she earned it.

"Well, I kinda wanted to see how the stove worked, so how about we pick up something for tonight, see how the refrigerator works, and if stays cold throughout the night, and tomorrow. We'll get more stuff to put in it." He smiled slightly looking at her. "What do you say?"

"If you insist." She muttered, still not wanting the charity. "But... only if I pay you back."

"You don't have to do that." Dipper looked up at her. "But... if it makes you feel better, then alright."

"It does." Him helping wasn't... so bad. But she did want to pay him back for it. Because, well... her pride demanded it.

AVAVA

She leaned back on the couch, her stomach felt more full than it had in a very long time. Who knew Dipper could cook? She sure didn't, but she was glad that he could, because she would have messed up if she tried. Her eyes were slowly drifting closed as she felt the cushion she was on shift. She opened her eyes looking at Dipper who was now sitting next to her, his head back, and eyes closed.

"So, you're planning to come back tomorrow, huh?" That was stupid, of course he was. He already mentioned doing something tomorrow, but her mind was too tired to remember what it was.

"Coming back, would imply that I was leaving." Dipper's voice was soft, sounded as if he was nearing sleep.

"Y-You can't stay here! I've only got the couch... and... and... it might be big enough for two... but we'd have to be like... pressed together." She stammered.

"'Pressed together'?. Don't you mean cuddle?" Dipper smirked, even his eyes still closed.

"I... I... D-D-Dipper, we can't do th-that!" She continued to stammer. What did Dipper think? That he would fix a few things, and she would just spread her...

"I'm messing with you, Pacifica. I have an air mattress, and pillows and a blanket. They are out in the car." He laughed a little. "C'mon, Pacifica. You know me better than that. I wouldn't expect that from you. You might have lost a lot, but you still have your pride, and dignity. No way would I ever try to take those."

AVAVA

"Jesus, is that an air mattress or a blowup raft?" Pacifica just stared at the thing that was the size of a king size bed.

"It's mine and Mabel's. For when we went camping. Mom and dad thought it was a good idea to have a big one, 'cause well Mabel kicks in her sleep, a lot. So, I wouldn't get hurt at night. It takes up the entire tent. Which is neat, sometimes. Not all the time." Dipper muttered while putting the sheet on it.

It was big enough, that two Mabel and Dipper's could sleep on the bed, and not meet in the middle of the night.

"Alright, I put logs in the stove, so we should stay warm all night. If it starts to get cold, make a fire in the fireplace. I don't want you putting logs in the stove, until we get something you can use to open it. I don't want you to get burned. Alright?"

"Alright." She muttered laying on the couch. When was the last time that someone cared if she got hurt? She couldn't remember.

She had to admit, that with the windows fixed, and the holes in the cabin filled, it was a lot warmer. Then again, it could have been because the stove put out more heat.

"Goodnight, Pacifica." How long had it been since someone said 'goodnight' to her? Even her parents hadn't said it to her... Maybe Butler did. Or one of the maids. But even that, had been a long time ago.

"Goodnight, Dipper." She replied, after a moment's hesitation.

AVAVA

Pacifica pulled her blanket tighter around her, she was barely awake. But she was awake enough to know that it was much colder than it was when she had fallen asleep. She opened her eyes slowly, and gazed around her little cabin.

She looked over at the dark fireplace, and sighed. It wouldn't have been the first time the fire had gone out on her in the middle of the night. There wasn't a good way to judge how much wood she needed. Some of it burned faster, some slower. So she never knew how much she actually needed.

Sighing again, she pushed herself off the couch, and started towards the fireplace, keeping her blanket wrapped around her.

Part of her missed the days where she could just order someone to do something like this. Yet, another part of her actually liked doing it on her own. Yes, she didn't have the money she had before, or the power. But she had something she hadn't really had before. She had freedom. Real freedom to do what she wanted.

One shuffled step after another, until her foot hit something, causing her to tumble forward.

She braced herself expecting to his the hard, cold, wooden floor, and was mildly surprised, when she hit something soft, warm, and groaned.

"Pacifica?" Who was...

'Oh yeah,' she thought to herself. Dipper had spent the night on his air mattress. Maybe if she just ignored everything, he'd go back to sleep.

"Pacifica? Are you alright?" He shifted, and she looked up, hoping he couldn't tell she was awake.

'Maybe if he thinks I was sleep walking,' Another thought... It could work.

"Strange." He mumbled, then picked her up. "Can't have you half off the mattress. C'mon," she spoke to her, even thought she was sure, that he thought she was sleeping. "I better get the fire started."

She had almost forgotten that it was cold... if it was so cold, why did she feel like she was burning up?

When he returned, she felt the air mattress shift, and a blanket get tossed over her. Wasn't so bad. And the mattress was actually pretty comfortable.

AVAVA

When she awoke she was, unexpectedly alone on the blowup mattress. What was also unexpected was how she felt. She felt relaxed and rested. It had been a long time, since she had slept on anything that wasn't the couch, and her body seemed to love the mattress. Maybe when Dipper left, she might ask him, if he could loan it to her for a while.

She sat up in looking around. No sign of Dipper, except the smell something that smelt delicious.

Upon inspection of the kitchen, she found a note from Dipper, Telling her that her breakfast was on the counter, and that he had went to his great uncles gimmick shop, and would be back soon.

"Awful sweet of him, if you ask me." Someone said, and she agreed, nodding her head.

"Yeah, he is sweet, isn't... Hey..." She finally realized who the voice was. "What did I do this time?"

"Nothing, just coming to check on you... And you seem to be learning, what you need to." They lady, walked heavily on her cane, into the kitchen.

"So... does that mean, its over?" She asked, wondering if this was over. If she could finally be happy again.

"No. You're learning, which is good. But there is still a bit more." The lady, looked and sounded much kinder than before. "Shouldn't be long now. But you should know. When the curse is lifted... you won't get your old life back. What's done is done. I just won't interfere anymore."

"You know what? Maybe it was for the best." She mumbled. She hated the old lady for everything that happened to her. But still, she wouldn't have learned so much on her own. She wouldn't have earned anything. She wouldn't have gained freedom. "I don't want my old life back. Okay, so the money was nice... but that's all."

"Good. There is hope for you yet, Miss... Northwest... doesn't seem to fit anymore. Since a Northwest, would have never accepted anything less than riches and fame."

"Hmm. I guess your right. Just call me Pac..." She paused in the lady was gone. "Maybe I should call her Here-then-gone."

"You're awake." Dipper's voice came from behind her as the door opened. No wonder. The Lady, always left when Dipper showed up.

"Yeah, thanks for breakfast. You must have gotten up early." She said looking down at her plate.

"Yeah, but it was worth it, because it was for you." He said simply. Why did he always have to be so cute? So... charming? It was nice, but she knew that she didn't deserve it. She shook her head. "So what's in all those bags?"

"Oh... Christmas stuff. Y'know, decorations and such." Christmas, she had almost forgotten about Christmas. One would think a spoiled rich girl would always be awaiting Christmas. A time of the year when she got presents. She had it all, so presents didn't matter. Her family didn't gather around Christmas morning. Nothing she got had ever been wrapped. And a tree, in the mansion? Yeah right. Like her parents would allow something so dirty into their home.

One could argue, if they bought a faux tree, that it wouldn't be dirty. She had once brought it up to her father. His only reply was, 'Plastic tree? And be like some... some... lower class person? No, I won't have it. Nor will I have a real one. What does one need with a tree anyways.'

She couldn't actually argue, she didn't know what any of it had to do with anything. Gift giving, trees, decorations, a big fat man in red. None of it would go together, if Christmas didn't exist.

"Got a tree out in Stan's truck, that I'm borrowing. Some food out in the car. Stuff we'll need for a while." He said, putting down the bags.

"Oh, that's... for a while?" He didn't plan on leaving? He planned on staying here, with her? Who in their right mind, would give up a house, and actual house. Even if it was filled with cheap, fake mysteries. To be in a shack, with her?

"Yep, I plan to be here... well..." he shrugged, "Until you don't want me here, I suppose."

AVAVA

( Dipper Pines )

VAVAV

He couldn't believe that Pacifica hadn't ever had a Christmas tree. It was actually nice to see surprise in her eyes. The look of discovering something new. The girl that once had it all, seen it all. Found wonderment in something that everyone else had seen, and enjoyed for generations. It made him glad that he could give her a happy memory.

On the other side of the same coin, he couldn't help but despise her parents. What kind of parents would keep something like this from their child? One that wanted her to have everything, all the other children wanted. But deprived her what all the other children had.

Happiness.

Fun.

Freedom.

The ability to show a full range of emotions, and not just... whatever they were.

This was the first time, since he arrived the day before, that he had seen her look happy. Completely happy. A genuine smile on her face, and not like the one that would fade after a while.

AVAVA

He stood next to her as she admired their work. A simple tree in the beginning, now decorated with various colored glass ornaments, flashing lights, and reflective garland, that made the lights look more plentiful. His arm found it's way over her shoulder, and she didn't push him away. She didn't flinch, she just leaned towards him. Not a complete show of affection, but it was a start.

"So, what do you think?" Dipper asked her after a moment of enjoying the closeness of being with Pacifica. He had a crush on her, had since before he left Gravity Falls, after their first Summer there. But she had always been unattainable.

He had wondered if he was only interested in females that were so far out of his league, that he stood no chance with.

"Wonderful." She whispered, just staring at the tree.

He tired to think about the first time that he had ever seen a Christmas Tree. Tired to remember the wonderment that Pacifica was now feeling. But it had been so long ago, that he couldn't. Him and Mabel had been too young. But Pacifica... she would remember this for the rest of her life.

"Mabel's coming to visit for Christmas, with our parents." He said softly, wondering if she would want to go to the Shack, and enjoy the holidays with his family.

"Oh..." Her smile fades slowly, as she looked up at him. "It's alright, you can go... I'll just..."

"No!" She flinched at his outburst, and he felt horrible, hoping this wouldn't ruin her moment of wonderment. "Sorry... But I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me. You've never met our parents. And I think the only time that you were ever at the Shack was during that dance contest."

"You... actually want me to come?" her voice was a little above a whisper.

"No." Her face fell a bit, "I wanted to spend the holiday with you. But Mabel... she didn't want to not be here, We've never had a separate Christmas. So... they decided to come. So, I want you to come with me."

"I-I don't know."

"There'll be plenty of food. Lots to do, games, people to talk to, that want to meet you." He reached out cupping her cheek, hoping that she wouldn't get upset by the action. "The real you. The you that I always knew was inside."

AVAVA

( Pacifica Northwest )

VAVAV

She leaned into his hand as he cupped her cheek. Warmed flowed through her that had nothing to do with the wood stove. "The real you. The you that I always knew was inside."

Stay here. And mourn her past. Mourn the materials that she could have had, but wouldn't have been happy.

Go with him. And enjoy her new life. Less materials in her life. But so much more to enjoy.

Like before, everything around her froze in place.

"You're choice now." The voice called from all around her.

"Which do I choose?" She asked. Not that she thought the older lady would help her. This was a demon, she believed, that was bend on destroying her entire life.

'If she destroyed my life. Why have I been happier than I was before?' She asked herself.

'I need to learn a lesson.' She looked at Dipper, frozen in time, until she decided. Until she made her choice. 'He is the teacher.'

"Before you decide." The voice sounded kind, but that could be a lie, or it could be truth. "Tell me what he has taught you."

"He... showed me..." She thought about it for a moment. He had taught her a lot. A lot more than she even realized until this moment. "He taught me that kindness should be given, even if the other person isn't very kind."

She remembered when she was upset about him fixing the window, and the harsh things she had said to him, and how he just smiled, and continued on about his business.

"He showed me that material items, didn't mean anything without someone to share them with." Not only that, he had shown her a real Christmas. One that she would never forget... even if it wasn't Christmas yet. "That... sometimes people need help, and if you have it, you should..." she realized what she was supposed to learn.

"Yes?" The voice urged her on.

"I'm sorry. I... I should have helped you when you asked... I never realized what it was like for others. I have always had everything, I... I didn't understand that it was hard for some." She had known that others were not as rich as she had been. But she didn't understand that they went without necessities. How naïve had she been? She remembered the feeling in her chest, when people had passed her by when she needed help, before she found the shack. How hopeless it felt.

How she had cried herself to sleep, wherever she could find. How on nights when it rained, nothing was really dry enough for her to lay on, or under.

Remembered the rumble in her stomach upon smelling food that she couldn't afford. What it was like to cry out that it wasn't fair.

The feeling of her price shaking, and starting to crack, when she had to beg Susan at the diner for food. Begged to do anything. Felt small, when she realized, those she had stepped on before, heard her begging now. How her former friends looked down on her.

Called her trash.

Laughed about how far she fell.

The voices around her, talking about her.

Heard them laugh at her.

Saw the Pity, in their eyes.

The heartache, she felt when she heard them talking about going home.

"What's wrong, Pacifica?" Dipper's voice caused her to break down. Her tears streamed down her face, and she wrapped her arms around the boy in front of her. The boy, that no matter what, had seen something in her that was redeemable. Before her fall, and after. "If you don't want to..."

"No! I want to. I just... I'll go anywhere with you." It was true. She would. And it was all going fast, but she didn't want to let it pass her by. This boy was her salvation. Regardless of what the elderly women said. Pass or fail, she didn't want this boy to leave her. She could lose everything else, but as long as she had him, she wouldn't have lost anything important.

He wiped her eyes, and kissed her forehead.

"Grab your coat, and we'll go." He smiled.

She walked to the dining room, where her coat had been draped over the back of one of the chairs. On the table sat a single sheet of paper, with writing on it.

"What's that?" Dipper asked helping her put her coat on.

"Nothing. Just a reminder." She felt his arm around her, she put her arm around his waist as they left the little home.

The entire way she smiled as she thought about the boy, the shack, the tree, and the note, left by the Lady.

'You passed. You're forgiven. Remember your lesson, and never let go of what's important.'