Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the computer I used to type this!

Dipper approached the vending machine with a steely resolve, glancing back to make sure Stan wasn't around to stop him, he reached up and typed the code in. The machine swung out, letting him inside. He started down the stairs to the basement.

It'd been almost a week since Ford had joined them at the Shack, and the similarities between the two sets of twins were piling up. He could see a lot of the similarities between Stan and Mabel, and him and Ford. Which worried him.

He saw how bitter, and serious, and angry Ford was all the time.

Dipper didn't want to turn out like that.

He'd tried to understand, to get what Ford was going through. To imagine how he'd feel is Mabel had ruined his dreams. But, he couldn't. There was no understanding how Ford could hold that grudge for so long.

Even if Mabel had ruined his dreams, she'd apologize, she'd do everything in her power to make it up to him. She'd find him a new dream if she had too. He wouldn't be able to bear seeing her like that, desperate to fix something she couldn't.

He'd already seem Mabel at her most depressed, he wouldn't want to see it again. Especially not over him. He wouldn't be able to hold that grudge a week, much less over thirty years.

Stan had tried so hard, for thirty years he searched for the journals, for a way to bring Ford back. Which, their other Uncle didn't even appreciate at all.

Ford had done nothing but complain. Complain about Stan taking his name, complain about the Shack, complain about Stan opening the portal, complain about Stan bringing them here for the summer. It was getting irritating, even for him.

As it was, he was way over his hero worship of the Author. It was thanks to Mabel he'd gotten his head out of the clouds anyway. About the only thing Ford didn't complain about was the stuff he'd added to the Journal.

Though he'd wanted it back. Dipper refused. The Journal was the best thing to ever happen to him, it'd saved their butts more times than he could count.

He wasn't just going to let it go.

Mabel backed him up, and that was that. Stan knew better than to argue with them when they were united like that. Mabel knew how important the journal was to him. Ford had protested but the shouting match that resulted proved to be something that the old man didn't have the energy for, and he'd let it go.

He stepped off the staircase, heading for the portal room, where Ford usually spent his afternoons.

Their other great uncle looked up from his reading when Dipper came into the room. He narrowed his eyes and closed his book. "What do you want?"

The twelve year old crossed his arms, staring down the adult with determination. Unlike when they'd first met, all his giddy excitement was gone. The Author turned out to be a huge jerk, and none of his questions had been answered thus far.

But, he wasn't here to get answers. He took a step forward. "We need to talk."

Ford raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"About Stan." Dipper's arms fell to his sides, curling into fists, and glaring at him. "He's a mess! You're a mess! He spent thirty years here in this crummy shack trying to save you, and you haven't so much as thanked him. Heck, you don't even come up and say good morning!"

He wasn't about to stop now that he'd stopped. Mabel was too nice, she thought they'd work it out on their own. He knew better. He knew Stan and he was almost positive he knew Ford. Neither of them were going to put their pride aside to hug it out.

Their mysterious other Uncle opened his mouth as if to protest, but Dipper wasn't here to listen. He was here to make Ford listen. "No! You don't get to talk!" The younger snarled, taking another step forward. "Stan made a mistake, it got him thrown out of the house and ruined his entire life. You think you had it bad? News flash, you didn't."

Ford looked offended now, as if he couldn't believe the gall of this kid telling him that his view of the world was wrong. "Lee ruined my life! My only shot at-"

Now it was Dipper's turn to get angry. "WRONG." Ford stopped mid sentence, staring aghast at the furious twelve year old. Dipper shook with the effort of containing his emotions. "You still got into a good school, got your PhD, got government funding, became a great researcher!"

Clumsily, Dipper yanked the Journal from it's pocket inside his jacket. Anger building up as he waved the book around. "Stan went to prison, kicked out of the family! And worse? His own brother turned his back on him! Do you have any idea how that must have made him feel?"

He glanced down, glaring at the glossy cover of Number 3. "I would never let something like that come between me and Mabel. She's ruined plenty of opportunities for me. I lost a job at the pool, the girl of my dreams, but I let that go. Because Mabel was more important to me." He was glaring at Ford again.

"Do you, have any idea, how upset you've made Stan? All the guy does is sulk and drink Mabel Juice and try to figure out how to talk to you!" He was pacing now, waving the journal around and trying to get it into Ford's head how badly this was affecting everyone.

Ford was trying to speak again. No, no, he wasn't about to hear it. "Shut up! You don't get to say anything! The portal thing? That was an accident! An accident that could have been avoided if you'd just been nicer! You're siblings! You had to have known Stan wouldn't react well to any of that!"

He threw the Journal at Ford, his anger bursting forth in a flood of impulsiveness. The Journal bounced off the ground and landed at the old man's feet. "You don't get to just come in here and ruin everything! Everything was going fine this summer until Stan tried bringing you back! You're the reason those government guys showed up! You're the reason Stan's in a funk!"

And here was the kicker, he was shouting now, at the top of his lungs. He couldn't hold it back anymore, the face of calmness was completely gone.

"You're the reason Mabel stays up at night worrying and scared! Because she's scared of us turning out like you!"

He pointed at Ford, now speechless in lieu of the shouting preteen. "You know the worst part? I looked up to you! All summer you were my hero! I dreamed about meeting you and learning everything about Gravity Falls! Now? Now I wish I'd never met you!"

Dipper threw both his hands up, an angry bark of laughter escaping him. "I thought the Author would be some amazing mentor. Turns out, you're just an angry, bitter old man who's so busy feeling sorry for himself he can't see how this is affecting his family!"

He turned around pulling the rim of his cap down so that it covered his eyes. He went quiet for a good ten second, calming himself down. When he spoke again, his voice was soft, his energy gone, he'd worn himself out yelling.

"Word of advice, Grunkle Ford. Get over yourself."

And like that, he was gone, leaving the Journal behind and running back upstairs. He didn't stop until he was back in his and Mabel's room, where she and Waddles were trying on sweaters.