Wendy and Dipper could do nothing but look on powerlessly as the grotto began to fill again, with each adventurer growing more terrified with every passing second. The once-gentle stream that poured into the ravine was now a raging, unrelenting current that promptly flooded the chamber.

Even worse, the duo raised their sights to the sky as it appeared that the cave had begun to rain from the inside. Countless drips of freezing precipitation oozing from the tempest outside squeezed from between the cracks of the ceiling and its many stalagmites onto the friends.

The super-tall ginger rose up to her limit, as the blockage holding her captive pinched her leg tightly as a reminder. Wendy gasped loudly as the dark liquid grew around her, making her twist her head about in shock. Within seconds, the water rose back up past her scrapped thighs.

"Uhh!" Wendy tossed her head back in disgust. "It figures: the one time – the one time I forget to bring my hatchet, and now, I need it more than ever…"

Baffled by her off-the-collar remark, Dipper lowered his gaze, "What do you – " He paused as the intention struck him, making his face twist in disgust, "Wendy, you don't really mean that, do you?"

"Well, we're kinda running out of options, aren't we?!" Her tone switched mid-sentence from angered to panicked. The combination of the cave-shower mixed with the flood coming from the beach left each adolescent completely soaked and chilled. Their hair clung to the back of their necks and heads. Their ruined clothing was turned sticky and ripped due to the day's unpleasant events. Both pairs of hands and feet were growing numb part in thanks to the water's temperature becoming more frigid with every passing moment.

Wendy turned away from her injured pal and let out a blow of air to try to regain some self-control. "Dipper, I didn't – "

As she faced Dipper, the ingenious boy was already in motion. He drove his noodle arms into the ravine, only to return a moment later with the still-solid torch. Its once-mighty flame that had previously given them light was extinguished due to the recycled rainfall.

Going by pure instinct, Dipper raced towards the obstruction holding Wendy's foot and forced the branch deep within the numerous boulders. Once the stick was firmly planned within, the little rescuer gripped the top with both hands, throwing all of his weight down upon it.

"Eeggghhh!" Dipper grunted as his feet dangled off the muddy floor. "Eeggghhh!"

"Mmmpphh!"

Another cry came from behind as Dipper felt something tug hard on his back side. He turned around to see Wendy holding him in a death grip.

"Keep going!" Wendy said. "On 3…2…1…"

Both Dipper and Wendy yanked down as hard as they could, groaning as they used their combined weight to try to pry the stones from their set formation. All of a sudden, the lumberjane started to finally feel some relief on her ped.

"H-Hold up!" Her voice almost broke as the surprise hit her. "It's starting to move!"

The friends continued to put more pressure on the branch, hoping to widen the opening just enough for Wendy to slide though…

*CRACK!*

"AAAHHH!"

Wendy cried out in pain as the rocks dropped into her foot. She fell back into the still-growing waters, forcing herself up above the surface by placing her palms against the cave's bottom. The current was now at the same level as her skinned knees.

"Wendy!" Dipper's nerves hit the roof upon hearing the sound, fearing that they might have shattered her frail joint like glass. An even worse truth was revealed as his eyes focused back on the pry clasped in between his hands. It had been broken into two smaller pieces; neither of which would serve as a proper replacement.

"Oh…" The smaller child let the damaged wood slip from his fingers.

"…no…" Wendy breathed loudly as the familiar sense of gloom returned with a vengeance.

"No…no…" Dipper began to pace in disbelief, his shortened legs sloshing through the stream, "It had to do something…"

"Dipper…"

Yet again, he threw himself onto the rock pile and dug around in hopes of a new break or part – something; anything that could be shown as progress being made towards Wendy's freedom.

"Dipper…" Wendy's voice broke as she called to him a second time, not because of her own doomed fate, but by merely watching her attempted hero become more manic with every defeat.

He spun around with moisture surrounding his brown eyes, "It had to do something! It just had to!"

Dipper returned to the site of the blockade, the very same that held his main squeeze prisoner, and went on fighting against the dark waves in order to find sort of escape. His scientific-based logic simply couldn't accept the reality of the situation.

This was far from the first time they had experienced some type of peril while adventuring, but there had always been a way out. Ropes could be untied or cut off. Shackles could be unchained using the proper key or removed with the right lock pick. But this was of another nature that he couldn't understand. There was no rhyme or reason to be found there.

In Dipper's eyes, it was as if the earth itself had reached up and grasped Wendy's ankle in a near-unbreakable grip and refused to let go. It couldn't be argued or pleaded with – that the unsympathetic and cruel force of nature could care less of the consequences of what came with such an action, even if it cost Wendy her life.

He silently sniveled, ignoring the pain as his fingers became stubbed or jammed in search of the separation he had spotted before, knowing that even the smallest bit of slack found would make a world of difference. After several desperate attempts, Dipper sat back in defeat, concluding that the small space they had mustered open together had vanished back into place.

Wendy looked down her chest as the waterline climbed pass her navel. Her pants became more frequent as her lower body grew numb. With her own deadly plight staring her down, she couldn't take her sights off of her trounced admirer. Wendy found herself asking how she ended up in such a predicament. Was it karma getting even for all of the nasty pranks and tricks she did over the years? Was it an ironic punishment for leading such a carefree and casual life, to which her luck ran out now?

Either way, the kind-hearted teen made her choice on one matter: regardless of what would happen to her next, Dipper didn't deserve to share such a fate. She would make sure of it.

"D-D-Dipper?" Wendy fought to keep her teeth from chattering involuntarily.

Upon hearing his name, Dipper pulled himself off the rocks and hurried back towards Wendy's front. She raised her hand and gripped his shoulder gently.

"Do – Do me a favor, okay?"

As he bobbed his head, Wendy took another deep breath, knowing that she had to maintain her composure. He couldn't notice the tears forming in her emerald eyes. She had to keep her voice firm and confident to convince Dipper that she knew what she was doing. He couldn't know that this would be the last time that he would see her alive.

"This is what I need you to do, Dip…" She pointed at the top of the cliff with her free hand. "I want you to go back up to the beach and keep watch…"

"What?! But – "

"No buts…" Wendy remained cool, going as far as to flash a forced, confident grin across her freckled face. "It's like what you said, remember? Soos and Mabel are going to be here any sec. How else are they going to find us? You need to bring them down here to me, okay?"

She watched as Dipper's expression changed from outraged to confounded. Her plan was working. This would be his last memory of her: smiling, cheering him on, and giving him that extra boost to make him believe he could do anything – it was everything that she'd hope for her sensitive companion. He would miss her last moments, when the remainder of resilience would be sapped away, leaving Wendy a terrified and blubbering mess as she was hurled into the throes of death.

"No!"

"What do you mean, "no"?"

Dipper threw his arms out, "You know I can't just up and go like that…"

Wendy argued back, poking the stubborn boy in his stout chest, "But what about what we agreed, huh? You promised me you'd listen, kid!"

"I don't care! I'm not doing it!"

The flow was nearing Wendy's shoulders, "You have to do this for me!"

"Would you leave me if everything was reversed?"

"You know I wouldn't! But this is different!"

"This isn't what you meant before, and you know it!"

"Dipper, please!"

"I won't – "

"Damn it, will you just listen?! I don't want you to watch me drown - *GASP!*

Wendy was caught unaware as the flooding scaled below her chin. In her shock, her palms slipped on the slick soil, making her sink beneath the surface.

"NO!"

Before she became completely submerged, Wendy felt herself being held up at the last moment. She looked to her side to see that Dipper had maneuvered beneath her gangly form, sacrificing himself as her prop-pillow. While his support definitely helped her battered body stay in a sitting position against the strong current, she knew that it wouldn't last forever.

Wendy pointed her head upwards, trying her best to keep her mouth away from the flow as she heard mumblings coming from her left side.

"I…did this…it's all because of me…"

She gazed across to see Dipper staring at the ground, his grip around her never faltering in the slightest, and yet, he silently sobbed to himself.

"Hey…"

Wendy tried to look Dipper in the eyes while attempting to remain above the water, knowing that this could possibly be the last thing she could get to tell her loyal cohort. She placed her hand on top of his left holding her front.

"This is not on you, okay?" Wendy started. "This is more like, the world's way of getting even for all of the crap I pulled and got away with. You can't cheat fate forever…"

"But – Wendy,"

"Listen," she rubbed his shaking hand with her thumb, biting her lip to control her own spontaneous tears, "Things look super-bad right now, but I swear to you, Dipper. You're going to be alright. Things are going to be alright. Just – don't give up on life because of this – or me, okay? The best thing you can ever do for me is to keep being "Dipper.""

"Wendy…" His sights grew blurry from her heartfelt good-bye, "You know, I – I love –"

"I know." She finished his sentence for him, not wanting Dipper to tax himself any further, "And you know I - *GURGLE!*

Dipper hopped back as the unthinkable had finally happened. The water level moved past Wendy's mouth, completely silencing her voice, save for escaping air bubbles. Her nose tilted upwards was her last resort for fresh air – and that, too would be covered within mere moments.

He searched the ravine to try to any way to save Wendy. His vision switched back and forth between the reaching, hazy darkness surrounded by the double downpour, and the pair of bright green eyes sticking out of the pond. "There's got to be something…"

A strange solution came to pass. At first, Dipper dismissed it, labeling it as something crazy that he had seen on TV. But when no other ideas came forth, he took a step forward and breathed deep. Wendy watched her friend's every moment with puzzled anticipation as the liquid went over her nostrils.

"Wendy…" The smaller detective bent over, "Please don't hate me for this…"

Before Wendy knew what was happening, Dipper ducked into the water and pressed his mouth over hers. Her emerald eyes grew larger as their lips met beneath the deluge. She was stunned by the action; while thinking it was most unquestionably the wrong place and time, Wendy couldn't help being touched by her devotee's farewell gift…

…until she felt him blow against her still-closed mouth.

"Hmm?" At first, Wendy felt bad for Dipper, chalking the awkward kiss up to his lack of experience. It was only when she saw him rise up and take another deep breath did she begin to understand.

"Oh…Oh!"

Dipper returned beneath the surface and sealed his lips against Wendy's, releasing another pocket of air. Wendy inhaled the recycled air, her body thankful for the small bits of oxygen given. Going into a set rhythm, he repeatedly delivered as much air to his trapped crush as possible.

After countless rescue breaths, Wendy noticed that something wasn't right. Dipper's face was changing colors. As he lowered himself for another refresher, he let off a series of jagged coughs while giving out his last gulp. He bowed over and gagged into his hands as he struggled to catch his breath.

"He can't keep doing this forever," she understood. "Otherwise, he's gonna wind up killing himself…"

Dipper opened his eyes, and gaped below the surface at Wendy. Even though they couldn't openly communicate, the simple exchanges of looks easily told the same message. He held out his index finger, signaling her, before taking the deepest breath ever. The small redeemer transferred the largest breath yet before pulling above the water.

With a nod, Dipper fled from the wedged girl, and climbed up the cliff's side, much to Wendy's alarm.

"He's…leaving…"

Before she knew what had happened, Dipper was already well out of sight. Her lungs flamed as they demanded new air. Her cheeks held on to the last iota of oxygen given. Despite the circumstances in before her, Wendy couldn't find a speck of anger towards her buddy; after all, this harsh reality was what she had wanted. She didn't want Dipper to always remember her as a bloated, lifeless corpse.

And yet, now that her demand was granted – that she was left by herself with her fate, Wendy found herself filled with regret. She argued against her protective nature – the same that looked over her own family, and now, the Pines clan, and wished that she didn't have to die alone.

The world swirled around her as light-headedness set in. She had trouble keeping her eyes open. The last of Wendy's air escaped through a series of bubbles that passed through her nose. Her body relaxed, sinking further into the depths. Her life flashed before her eyes, playing out memories of her loved ones and favorite pranks and exploits.

As Wendy could have sworn to sense a nearby splash, her mind replayed that of her most recent friend. She smiled, knowing how much she treasured and was meant to such an extraordinary person.

Suddenly, the auburn-haired beauty was sat upwards by a foreign hand. Something was pressed against her lips. Wendy opened her mouth, letting out a few random gags, finding that she could once again inhale air; sweet, pure, clean oxygen!

"But how?"

Wendy opened her eyes to see Dipper standing over her on the other side of the surface. The water was now up to his shoulders. She checked the area around her, finding that he placed a leg against her back to keep her from falling down.

Her fingertips followed along her new air source, finding it all-too-familiar.

"The bamboo sticks!" The teenager finally understood. Dipper didn't abandon her to her death. He took the thick reeds planted outside of the beachside cave and linked them together. Using the hollowed tubes as a substitute snorkel, Wendy's head was gently guided back, so that the tip of the chain would remain over the pool's surface.

"I can't believe it," the astonished cashier thought. She recalled that Dipper had seen this ninja-survival tactic during one of her "lame" kung-fu movie marathons. "He did pay attention…"

Wendy could make out a blurred version of her defender as he helped her guide the breathing cylinder. He slipped his free hand into her right one and squeezed; a small gesture to signal that he was there for her.

Within all of the madness, Wendy regained a new calm with Dipper at her side. She wrung his hand back, letting him know she appreciated his efforts as always.

All of a sudden, she made out a loud noise coming from above water. At first, Wendy thought it was more thunder as the storm increased its hold on the secret beach. It was only as she saw Dipper moving that it was him shouting to the heavens.

"HERE!" His squeaky voice was muffled from beneath the grotto, "WE'RE HERE!"

*SPLASH!*

A huge force shook the rising tide, almost to the point of knocking the bamboo tubes out of Dipper and Wendy's hands. A few moments later, she noticed something fumbling about by her lodged ankle. The pressure produced by the numerous rocks seemed to get lighter until finally, it became a gentle numbness.

Two burly arms reached into the waters and wrapped themselves around her hips. Wendy was pulled out of the water and placed over someone's shoulder.

"You okay, Wendy-dude?"

The miasma among her fading, the girl looked to her left to see that she was hoisted onto Soos's shoulders. She could see Dipper gawking up at her with a sense of amazement and gratitude, as if he had witnessed a miracle firsthand.

"Are they okay?!" Mabel looked over the edge of the cliff on her knees to make sure everyone was accounted for.

"I think so!" The heavy-set handyman shouted back, cupping his mouth with his hand. "We're coming up now!"

Soos guided Wendy onto his back so that he'd have both arms free. "Wrap around my neck and hang on tight. Things might get a bit bumpy."

With his secret love still partially lost in the daze, Dipper placed Wendy's hands across his co-worker's collar. Once she was secured, he hopped onto the cliff and pledged, "We're almost out. I'll be here by your side."

Despite being freed, Wendy still didn't feel right. She couldn't catch her breath. The exposure to the open air while Soos climbed actually made her colder than she was while stuck underwater.

"Wendy?" Dipper cocked his head to the right as he ascended the ridge.

The teen lowered her head on Soos's shoulder, her entire form fading away into the welcoming warmth of sleep.

"Wendy…?"

Later that night, the partners in crime were snuggled together on Stan's oversized recliner as movie night went on as promised. With a large blanket covering their bodies (as they couldn't shake the chill that followed them home), each had an injured foot placed on the ottoman before them; due in care of Mabel cleaning and bandaging their respective wounds. A played-out, low-quality karate film playing in the background, while a half-eaten pepperoni and anchovy pizza laid on the floor in a still-warm delivery box. The lid was closed in order to keep Waddles from sniffling about. Empty Pitt Cola cans surrounded the leftovers like small tin soldiers protecting a most valuable prize.

After being rescued, Dipper and Wendy were brought back to the Mystery Shack to warm up and tend to their various injuries. For the first hour of their freedom, both adolescents were savagely chewed out by Mr. Mystery himself for all of the mischief and worry they had caused throughout the day.

Once things cooled off a bit, Mabel rose to the occasion, electing herself to be the Shack's "temporary nurse." With a bit of adult supervision, the pixie concluded that Wendy's ankle was not broken, but luckily, just bruised. For this, "Nurse Mabel" recommended that the best medicine was to stay off her feet and spend the night – a decision that pleased her ever-so-concerned twin.

Even though she was watching one of her favorite flicks, Wendy's mind was elsewhere. She thought about all of the craziness that Dipper and her that to ensure all afternoon; of how many times that they had cheated death, most in part due to them watching out for one another. And yet, after everything was over with, they hadn't talked about what happened, almost pretending like things had been normal.

"Hey, Dipper?"

"Hmm?"

"Listen, things were totally messed up today. I mean, more than usual." Wendy paused for a moment, as heart-wrenching moments weren't exactly her forte. "But no matter what happened or how many times we argued about stupid stuff, I just wanted you to know how much it meant to be that you always had my back…"

Dipper remained speechless, allowing Wendy to move on.

"I mean, you must have said "thank you" a bajillion times today, and I…" She rubbed the back of her head, "Well, I'm saying it now. Thank you for listening to me, knowing when to not listen, and heck, everything you did for me in general…"

To her wonder, the child at her side let out a contented snore.

"Dip?"

Wendy peeked over to see that Dipper was fully asleep. He had contentedly nettled himself between her long red locks and right shoulder. A peaceful expression was plastered across his face as he mumbled in his sleep.

It was such a scene that Wendy wouldn't dare disturb. Upon seeing it, she realized that Dipper had received a greater reward that a mere "thank you." To him, all that mattered was that she was still there with him.

"Ah, well. I tried…"

Being very careful not to wake him, Wendy moved her arm, placing it around his backside so he wouldn't be uncomfortable during the night. She pulled the quilt upwards, making sure that their tops were fully covered. Only their bare feet poked out of the cover.

Wendy took the remote from the armrest and turned the television's volume down to the lowest possible decimal. She leaned back into the chair, to which her aficionado adjusted his spot and griped her even tighter.

She let out a scoff, but gave in to the awkwardness. Figuring that he'd never know, Wendy slanted over and gave Dipper a tender kiss on his birthmarked forehead. She closed her eyes, with boy explorer in her hold, as she swiftly joined him in sleep, knowing that new, exciting adventures for them to share were only a new day away.

"G'night, kiddo. Sweet dreams…"

(June 17th, 2016 – September 14th, 2016)