Dipper, Wendy, and Mabel sat on the curb in front of Wendy's house. They had just recounted to Mabel what had happened.

"Sounds like I missed a lot," she said.

Dipper nodded. "Yeah, you did."

"I can't believe Gideon wears a wig. I wonder if he has a whole room full of them. Just wigs."

Wendy laughed.

Mabel stood up and grabbed Waddles from beside her. "Well, I'm gonna go feed this little guy. I'll see you two later."

Dipper turned and watched as Mabel walked down the driveway. He waited until she was out of earshot, then turned to Wendy.

"Um. . . listen, I have to tell you something."

Dipper put his hand on Wendy's knee. He met her eyes, then took a deep breath.

"Look, I really like you okay? I was afraid that if I told you that you would be weirded out because of our age difference."

Wendy's breath caught in his throat. "Dipper, I-I like you too."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I have since I got here."

"You have?"

"Yeah, I have. And I need to tell you something too."

"Okay."

Wendy scooted closer towards Dipper. "Remember that night at the Mystery Shack, during that party? I told you I was freakishly tall. Well, I also happen to be freakishly smart. I skipped two grades, and, well. . .I tell everyone I'm fifteen. It saves me a lot of trouble."

Even in the limited light of the street lamp, Wendy could see the shocked expression on Dipper's face.

"Well, you're a pretty good actor. You definitely had me convinced."

"Yeah. I had- have-a lot of other people convinced too. But I still know. It's kinda hard to hide it sometimes."

Wendy reached for Dipper's hand.

"But it's okay. At least now I told the only person that I ever really wanted to tell."

Dipper was speechless.

"Wait, does that mean you're
only. . . ?"

Wendy nodded. "Yeah. I'm thirteen."

A smile slowly formed on Dipper's lips.

"Then that means. . . no more age difference."

Wendy nodded. "Yeah. No more age difference."

Dipper squeezed Wendy's hand, feeling a sudden wave of confidence. "Well, uh, in that case, would you like to go out with me?"

Wendy's face lit up. "Yes, yes I would."

Wendy leaned her head against Dipper's shoulder. They stayed like that for a while, just soaking in what had just happened, then got up and started towards the house when Dipper suggested it.

They walked through the door to Wendy's building hand in hand. Mabel immediately caught Dippers attention, looked between him and Wendy and wiggled her eyebrows up and down. Dipper laughed and nodded at his twin, who let out a silent squeal.

Once Mabel calmed herself down, she turned to face Stan, who was sitting in a chair in the corner if the room.

"I heard you told Gideon off pretty good," she said.

Stan adjusted his fez. "I just did what I had to do. I can't imagine what would've happened if I lost you two in that fire."

Mabel gasped over dramatically. "He does love us! Mwahp mwhap!" She poked at Stan's ankles.

"Hey, cut it out." Stan was smiling.

Dipper looked down at his and Wendy's intertwined fingers. Maybe Gideon burning down the shack was a good thing, he thought to himself.

It was true. Gideon's burning of the shack had caused Stan to show how much he really did love Dipper and Mabel, while also simultaneously bringing Dipper and Wendy together. Maybe they didn't have the shack anymore, but that was only I minor detail. When it came down to the worst, they had each other. And that's all that any if them could have ever asked for.