A/N Well, how does the saying go? If it wasn't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Man, I really wanted to get this out before the next episode but once again reality got in the way. Stupid reality! Hmm, that seems oddly appropriate...

Anyway, sorry for the delay, but at least it's a short one this time around, though I missed my personal deadline. UGH! The last few months have been, trying to say the least and just when I think things are finally getting better... Long story short, aside from already being busy enough as it is: Winter has officially arrived here, I am a klutz and that means I had to type most of this chapter with one hand which is slow going and annoying! Feel free to fill in the blanks.

Thanks to my reviewers as always. You guys are awesome.

TMNTGFKittySidekick01: Sorry for the delay, I tried. Hope you like this chapter you awesome person you!

littlestmchenrys: Thank you so much for the fave and follow and review! I'm so happy you like this!

Princess Dia: School should come first, I applaud your willpower. I haven't seen it yet myself, I probably won't get to watch until Thursday which sucks but I have my reasons, namely my BFF (who is a fan of GF because of me) wants us to watch it together when we're both free. I'm glad you're enjoying my story so far and I hope you like this next chapter!

plasma Sodalite: Ummm...thanks? I think? Not sure what to say to that. LOL

Extreme Light 9: Yeah, I think I'd be overwhelmed if someone I cared about and trusted more than anyone else in the world told me my whole reality was a lie... Thanks for the reviews, I'm glad you're enjoying this!

shootingstar34: Happy to be back! Thanks for the review, I'm glad you like it!

Well, on with the story!

Enjoy!

Chapter Three

"Mabel!" Dipper called out, getting a little frantic, "What happened to her?"

"Something must've happened when everything got all weird," Soos frowned before he cupped his hands around his mouth and called out, "Mabel? Where are you Hambone?"

Wendy headed back towards the edge of the bubble and the others followed, "Do you think she got out?"

"Doubt it," Dipper replied, tentatively reaching for the edge, "this is a prison, remember? I think Mabel disappeared because she got too close," he sighed worriedly, "I should've known there was a catch. It had seemed too easy…" he tried to touch the transparent pink aura of the bubble's edge and yelped in pain and surprise when he felt an electric shock knock him off his feet.

"Dipper!" Wendy cried in alarm, rushing to his aid, "Are you OK?"

He nodded, looking a little bewildered and shaken as they all glanced up and saw the bubble from the inside ripple like a wave. For a moment they could see the real world outside tinted pink as the bubble's edge cracked before retaining the illusion of a transparent pink aura and the fake reality came back into view.

"I'm OK, but I don't think we can get out either. Not that I would try and leave without Mabel... Come on, we need to find her. Once we find her again we'll figure something out," Dipper decided, picking himself up with Wendy and Soos's help. He brushed the dirt from his clothes and started back towards the Mystery Shack.

"Did you guys notice that pink thing?" Wendy asked, looking around for a sign of Mabel as they walked, "When Mabel disappeared and things seemed to flicker out of existence for a second?"

Dipper nodded, "Yeah, what was that?"

"It flashed too quickly to tell but based on how big the bubble was on the outside, I'd say whatever it was, dudes, it's right in the middle of this thing," Soos said.

"Which would be where in here?" Dipper wondered, "Something tells me that's what we need to find in order to get out of here."

"Don't know, dude," Soos shrugged, "this illusion doesn't seem to be to the same scale as reality. This bubble dudes, seems bigger on the inside."

"Yeah," Dipper sighed. "Mabel!" he called out again fearfully.

"Don't worry," Wendy said, putting her hand on his shoulder, "We'll find her, she'll be OK."

They reached the Mystery Shack and saw Stan exactly where he had been before when they first arrived, happily collecting money from his guests. Mabel stepped out of the Gift Shop with a light skip to her step, Waddles by her side.

"Mabel!" Dipper called out, waving, "What the heck happened to you? You disappeared and we were worried."

"Hey guys," she smiled, cocking her head to the side in confusion, "What are you talking about broseph? I've been here for the last couple of hours helping Grunkle Stan with the shop, remember?"

"But…you were just with us and…" Dipper started but stopped when it occurred to him what might've happened. The bubble…it's a prison designed by Bill, I think Mabel's stuck in a time loop or something…that's how it's keeping her here. Maybe it resets itself when she gets too close to escaping? Oh man, how do we get her out of this?

"Yeah," she chuckled, "this morning! When you and I saw Bigfoot. That was an adventure, wasn't it? Well anyway, I'm just about to go hang out with Candy and Grenda…"

"Wait, Mabel," Dipper said, "You don't remember joining us just now?" Please say you remember…

Mabel shook her head, "How could I have been when I was helping out Grunkle Stan with…" she paused, her smile fading as she winced, her hand going to her head, "Wait…what?"

"Are you OK?" Dipper asked.

"Uh…yeah," she replied, "I just…you ever get the feeling of déjà vu?"

"Once in a while…you must be feeling it a lot lately," Dipper guessed, and it made him a little hopeful. I think…if I'm right and she is in a time loop or whatever…maybe our arrival has thrown things off balance.

"Yeah, and it's really strong right now, like crazy intense," she admitted, "it's weird."

"Do you remember joining us in the woods just now?" Dipper asked again.

"No," Mabel said, "but…I feel like I have. Something doesn't feel quite right…" she frowned, looking a little unsteady. Meanwhile, the weather, which had returned back to being perfect when everything flickered back into existence was starting to get cooler again as clouds began to roll in. "Um, why do you ask? What makes you think…?"

"Mabel, are you sure you're OK?" Wendy asked carefully.

"Yeah dude, you look like you saw a ghost," Soos added.

"I…I need to go inside for a minute, you guys want to join me?" she asked, "I just made a fresh batch of Mabel Juice…wait…didn't we…?"

"Already do that?" Dipper asked, "We did. Before we went into the woods."

"What's wrong with me today?" she wondered out loud, bewildered as the wind picked up while she quickly began to look more and more unsettled by the situation.

She remembers, Dipper thought, hoping his theory was right, she's remembering when she's not supposed to.

"Mabel, do you remember going into the woods just now?" Dipper asked again, slowly, carefully, "Because we did. And then you disappeared and ended up back here, exactly where we found you before."

She looked him in the eye, looking lost and confused and shook her head, "I…I don't…what's going on?" she asked, crossing her arms and leading the way inside in a daze, Dipper, Wendy and Soos following close behind. She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of Mabel Juice and took a sip before spitting it out. "Blech!" she groaned, "This is supposed to taste like my favourite thing! It's so gross! Wait, this…this isn't right! Something's off…something's wrong!" she stood up, looking frantic as outside the dreary clouds turned dark and thunder boomed. The lights began to flicker and she looked panicked, "Dipper?" she turned to him, "What's going on?"

"Bill," he said as way of explanation, "He trapped you in a fake reality, do you remember? Do you remember me telling you this?"

She shook her head, "That's crazy! Is he messing with you aga—?" she gasped, "This is a dream, right? It has to be!"

"It's no dream, dude," Soos cut in, "it's real. Well, this isn't real, it's an illusion…"

"But what I told you in the woods, it's real," Dipper said, "Do you remember? Do you remember any of it?"

"Bill took over the world," Wendy said.

"He got hold of the Rift, the interdimensional Rift that formed when the Portal opened, do you remember? You have to remember," Dipper pleaded. She remembers, she's not meant to but she does somewhere deep down, I know it!

"Y-you're wrong, you're all wrong," she insisted, though it was clear she didn't believe what she was saying.

"Before you disappeared and ended up here again, you said that what I was describing sounded familiar like a dream you once had, remember? Mabel this reality right here isn't real, and that thing you thought your dreamt once, that's what really happened… we need you, you have to believe us," Dipper continued desperately.

"Mabel!"

She startled when she heard her brother call her name from the opposite side of the room from he was standing. She turned to look and everyone looked in shock as another Dipper entered the room, along with Grunkle Stan. Mabel looked back and forth between the two as the real Dipper and company gaped at his doppelganger and the fake version of Stan.

Standing between the two groups, an already overwhelmed Mabel fell to her knees, "What's going on?!" she cried.

"Mabel, please you have to listen, don't trust them, they're not real," fake Dipper pleaded, "they did something to you, they're messing with you. I think they were created by Bill."

"He's lying," the real Dipper cut in, "he's an illusion and so is Stan and so is this whole world around you. Bill trapped you in this prison bubble and the real world is outside it, remember? Bill tore a hole between dimensions and took over the world. Remember me telling you this? I think you were starting to believe me, and I think you're starting to believe me now. I think deep down you remember…"

"It's a trick," fake Dipper stated, "Bill's trying to trick you and take you away from me."

She shook her head, "B-but…the unicorn hair…it's protected the Shack, Bill can't get in…"

"That's why he sent doppelgangers of me, Soos and Wendy, to trick you…" fake Dipper argued.

"This isn't the real Mystery Shack," the real Dipper said, "and they're not real too. They're both part of the illusion Bill created to keep you here."

"He's telling the truth, Mabel," Wendy added.

"Yeah," Soos nodded, "you have to believe us, Hambone."

"Mabel, sweetie, it's OK, come to us," Stan pleaded, reaching out for her, "we won't let them take you."

Both groups started to approach her but she backed away from all of them. "How do I know any of you are real? Maybe you're all fake, maybe I'm dreaming and…and...Dipper, how do I know you didn't use the copier again? Is this some sort of sick joke?"

"It's not a joke," both Dippers said in unison.

"You know I wouldn't pull a prank like this," the real Dipper added, "Come on, think. Use your head, you remember, deep down you remember and you know I'm telling the truth. This world is trying to make you forget…"

"He's lying, in your heart you know he is. He's trying to lure you into Bill's trap," fake Dipper pleaded.

Mabel clutched her head, "STOP IT! Just shut up!" she cried as lightning flashed outside. She squeezed her eyes shut with a wince, "I feel so strange right now, like…like I've been here before, like I've done this before but it's so different… I feel like I'm forgetting something important and you guys aren't helping!"

Everyone went quiet as outside a storm began to rage. Mabel glanced back and forth between the two groups, a look of distress, but also deep concentration on her face. Finally she murmured, glancing at the real Dipper, "What does this Rift thingie you mentioned look like?" Her voice was quiet, and rough as she spoke, her eyes an open window revealing a lost soul desperate for answers.

"The best way I can describe it is that it looks like a snow globe…"

"…but instead of snow, it looks like a galaxy inside," she finished his sentence and Dipper noticed his doppelganger scowl and fake Stan clench his fist, but when Mabel glanced their way their expressions softened back into concern and worry. She glanced back at her real brother, "And wh-what happened to it?"

"It broke," he replied, "and that let Bill take physical form in our world. He's taken over and everything is in chaos. Creatures from his realm have invaded…it's the Apocalypse out there."

A tear fell down Mabel's cheek, "And there's nothing that can be done to stop him?"

"Not without you," Dipper replied. You believe me, don't you? "Attempts had been made but…they didn't end well." He shuddered, remembering with sadness and clarity Ford being turned into a gold statue, and the journals turning to ashes. He remembered helicopters and fighter jets and missiles being disintegrated with a snap of Bill's fingers; there had been several attempts, not just the one shot Ford had tried and Dipper's pathetic effort to strike him, and they all ended in disaster.

"And what makes you think I'd be any help?" she asked.

"Because, you're the only one who defeated him in the past."

"That was different, and I didn't defeat him, I just got rid of him for a while because he was possessing you and I knew your weaknesses, not his."

"So? It still counts. You're resourceful and I think your weirdness is enough to rival his. If anyone could figure out how to defeat him, it would be you I think. Besides, you and me, we make a great team," Dipper added, glancing at Wendy with a small grin, "Mystery Twins, remember? We can be pretty unstoppable together."

"Don't listen to him, sweetie," fake Stan cut in.

"He's lying," fake Dipper added, "all three of them are imposters. You know I'm right because we truly are a great team. You and me, not him."

Mabel glared at them, "I'm not talking to you yet, wait your turn." She turned back to the real Dipper, "What if you're wrong? What if I come with you and we get out of this bubble or whatever it is, and we fail? What then?"

"You believe me?" Dipper asked, hopeful.

"What then? The world ends? You die? I die? Everyone dies?" Mabel began to cry, "Bill and his buddies take over?"

"I won't let that happen, we won't let that happen," Dipper insisted. "Please Mabel, I need you. Do you remember now? Do you believe me?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes wet with unshed tears, "I…I remember. I remember everything you told me before, in the woods a-about what happened. I had thought it was a dream but now…now I know it wasn't. I believe you."

Dipper sighed with relief, "Then come with us, let us save you so we can all save the world together."

Mabel broke into sobs shaking her head, "But I can't…I…I can't do this! I want to help you but I can't! I don't deserve… I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry! This…this was all my fault!" She gasped, her eyes widening in horror as the realization hit her, "Oh god! It's all my fault! All of it!"

"Mabel," Dipper soothed, "please, don't be like that. You did nothing wrong…"

"I had the snow globe Rift thingie!" she cried, "Of course it was my fault, but…I didn't know, I didn't know!"

"It was an accident, you grabbed my backpack by mistake and it was already cracking, that's why Grunkle Ford and I went on that mission that day, to fix it. If anything it was my fault because I had made you so upset…I'm the one who should be sorry," Dipper soothed, taking a step towards her, but she shuffled back until she hit the table. She buried her face in her hands and shook her head in denial.

"No, you don't…you don't understand!" she cried, "It's my fault! I remember! I remember everything!"

Dipper reached for her, but Soos nudged his shoulder and pulled him back and he turned his attention to his doppelganger and the fake Stan. They were both grinning, wide manic smiles as their eyes glowed yellow.

"Oh Mabel, sweetie," 'Stan' said, his voice low and threatening, "you shouldn't have said that."

"You're not supposed to remember," fake Dipper added as they approached her.

Mabel's red, watery eyes widened in fear as she regarded them, she scrambled to her feet, backing away from them as she looked back to the real Dipper and Soos and Wendy, "Go, you guys. Go, get out of here. Save yourselves, save the world," she ordered. She was no longer crying, though tears were still falling freely down her cheeks, but she looked dead serious, "GO!"

"Not without you!"

"I'm stuck here, I can't leave! I had forgotten all about it but I had tried a few times before and I can't leave," Mabel hissed, "Go, bro-bro! You guys need to go now! This place is—!"

"Better do as she says Pine Tree," fake Stan snickered, cutting her off by raising his hand with purpose as Mabel suddenly began to glow pink and lift from the ground with a startled cry. He closed his hand into a fist and Mabel began to choke, gasping weakly for air.

"Mabel!" Dipper cried, as they all tried to go to her aid, but fake Dipper held out his hands and a powerful gust of wind knocked the three of them off their feet, "Let her go!"

"See, here's the thing," fake Stan explained, "she's not supposed to remember. If she doesn't remember, she's happy. She's got everything she asked for and more."

"Wait, what?" Dipper breathed, looking to Mabel who was still suspended in the air, choking in fake Stan's invisible grip, she looked at him desperately and in her eyes he could see shame and regret.

"But then you three showed up and had to ruin everything. You just threw her perfect summer off balance and reminded her of the world she left behind, and that was a mistake," he continued as though Dipper hadn't spoken, "If she remembers, this little utopia of hers becomes a nightmare, and you had to go and remind her and believe me, the more she remembers, the worse this nightmare of hers will get. I will make her life hell."

"Leave her alone!" Dipper snapped.

"So go, get out of here, if you can. Go fight your useless battle, try to save the world. You'll fail, you'll crash and burn, but with you three gone and out of here, she can go back to forgetting if she so chooses, her suffering can end and she can continue to enjoy her perfect, endless summer in peace," fake Stan grinned, "It's what she wants. She made a deal and you ruined it."

"D-Dipper…" Mabel gasped, her eyes rolling back as the world around them flickered in and out of existence as she started to lose consciousness. The brilliant pink glow flashed in the distance, vanishing as the fake kitchen in the Mystery Shack reappeared.

"You want her to be happy, don't you?" he asked mockingly.

"Let her go," Dipper demanded. Fake Stan shrugged and lowered his hand and she dropped to the floor in a heap, gasping for air as the world around them stabilized.

"D-Dipper…" she cried, coughing as she caught her breath, "I…"

"Is that true?" he asked quietly in disbelief, "Did you make a deal with Bill?"

Mabel lowered her gaze and nodded.

"Mabel…h-how? How could you?" he asked, hurt and betrayed.

"I…I didn't know," she replied softly.

Dipper was reeling, he didn't know what to make of this revelation. Mabel, made a deal with Bill and handed him the Rift. She just handed it over, giving him the opportunity to take over and end the world just so her summer could last forever?

"What the heck, Mabel?!"

"I'm so, so sorry!" she cried, "I didn't know! I was upset and I wasn't thinking clearly I…"

"All this time…all this time I thought something horrible happened to you, I watched people get turned to stone, devoured by monsters, I spent the last three days on the run, trying to find you, not knowing if you were dead or alive. I struggled to survive and avoid capture or death, each day I grew more tired and hungry and hurt, and I had lost hope, I had almost given up. We nearly died trying to reach this bubble prison of yours, oh sorry, this bubble paradise, and all this time you were having this perfect, endless summer…" Dipper's voice was akin to a growl, low and threatening. "All this time I thought…I thought it was my fault but it wasn't… it wasn't… because you…you made a deal."

"I didn't know what it was! I'm so sorry Dipper!" Mabel sobbed, "I didn't mean it! I didn't know!"

"No, I'm sorry," he spat sarcastically, "I'm sorry I had to come in here and ruin your little party. Don't let me interrupt, we'll see ourselves out. Carry on with your perfect summer then, I'm out of here."

"Dude," Wendy gasped, watching him turn away and start to walk out the door.

"We're just going to leave her here?" Soos asked grabbing his arm to keep him from leaving.

"It's what she wants, isn't it?" Dipper snapped, shaking himself out of Soos's grip, "It's part of her deal apparently. We leave and she can return to her fake life of ignorant bliss while everyone she cares about suffers in the real world," he started to storm out again but stopped on his own accord this time, twirling to Mabel, clearly not finished, "Man, Mabel how could you be so selfish?"

Still on her knees she reached out for him, "I didn't want this to happen! I didn't think—!"

"You never do, do you? You don't think. You're so impulsive you just…dive right into things, you don't even consider the consequences, and you never learn!" Dipper hissed. "Ford was right when he said I shouldn't trust anyone, but I thought…I thought of all people, I could trust you. I was wrong."

"I didn't know! I didn't know what it was, I didn't know it was him!"

But Dipper wasn't listening. A part of him knew he was being irrational and harsh, because how could Mabel have known? Surely if she knew, things would've been different. She wouldn't wish such harm upon anyone, not even her worst enemy.

But he had been through so much, and he had been terrified for his sister. Anything could have happened to her, and his imagination took him to so many dark, horrific places when he wondered what Bill might've done to her. And he thought he was the one to blame. It was a burden he carried for three days, one that got heavier and heavier as the minutes turned to hours, and the hours turned to days. And then to learn that she was fine—not just fine but happy because she had made a deal? The deal that caused it all? It filled him with a strange mix of emotions too profound to comprehend all at once and all he could do was lash out.

"I don't care."

A/N Spot the Doctor Who reference? Anyway, I know that Mabel's turn around was a little rushed, (feels that way to me anyway) and if I had more time and less projects that need my attention, well, I had originally planned a "Groundhog Day" like scenario with a slight twist of Mabel not realizing that she's repeating the same day over again until Dipper and co arrive and she starts to retain some memories of her previous 'day' and in turn remember bits and pieces of reality. Probably for the best, I honestly don't know how I'd pull that one off anyway without becoming too repetitive. And was Dipper overreacting? I think so, but I also think it was understandable considering all he'd been through.

Also IMPORTANT: I have not seen the episode yet, and probably won't until Thursday or so. I also have avoided promos due to being a huge spoilerphobe. So just in case you feel compelled, no spoilers please! I have absolutely no idea what to expect, though I'm sure it'll be much more different from what I have here (and way better because Alex is amazing) and I'd imagine it involves a never-ending summer and copious amounts of glitter or something because this is Mabel we're talking about... And emotional sibling moments. I love sibling moments.

Well, thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon.