Chapter Three – Remember?

Mabel floated over to what little glass remained on the windows of the shack and began to write out a message into the glass, using her finger to write out the letters. This caused cracks to form on the window, which shaped out the letters Mabel was tracing with her finger.

The continues cracking noise got Dippers attention and he looked around, searching for the source of the noise. He walked out of the room, looking over at the window to find a little message engraved in it.

The scrapbook! The scrapbook has to work! Read it to Stan and get his memory back!

-Mabel

Dipper felt his breath catch in his throat. He re-read the words over and over, feeling a weight form in his stomach. Mabel was here? Mabel was still alive? No, that doesn't make sense. You can't cure death.

There were small cracking noises, gaining Dippers attention.

Please Dipper… Trust me. I want our great uncle Stanley back…

Dipper felt tears burn at the corners of his eyes. That was Mabel. There was no doubt now. His sister had taken on the life of a ghost. What's strange is, usually you were able to see those ghosts. So why couldn't he see Mabel?

As if Mabel had read his mind, she began to write out another message.

I don't want to scare Stan, and I want you guys to focus on him, not me. He's the one you should get back. Besides, I'm dead. Nothing can change that. I already feel terrible for causing the apocalypse, and I don't want anyone to lose more of their happiness because of me.

Dipper swallowed. Mabel had started the apocalypse? Dipper took a deep breath, and nodded. He had to take things into her perspective. She was sad, scared, and alone. Besides, she never trusted Bill in the first place, so it's obvious that he had possessed someone to get the rift. Dipper turned on his heels and walked back into the living room "Don't worry Mabel, I'll get our grunkle Stanley back," he mumbled.

Dipper looked around on the floor, in search of Mabel's scrapbook. He spotted it laying under some wood. He walked over to it, moved the wood out of the way, and picked up the scrapbook.

He walked over to Stan and sat down beside him on the small chair "We have to try this," said Dipper, turning to the first page of the book "Here's the first day we came to Gravity Falls, Grunkle Stan," said Dipper, pointing to a picture of Stan, Mabel, and himself standing in front of the Mystery Shack. He continued to flip through the pages as Ford, and Soos walked over to him, standing behind the chair and looking down at the book "That time we went fishing? That Summerween we spent together? Don't you remember any of it?" he asked, pointing to various pictures in the book. Stan frowned "I'm sorry," he began "I don't know what this is or who you are or –"

Stan was interrupted when Waddles jumped onto his lap, oinking with happiness that Stan was here and well. To Waddles Stan was like his replacement Mabel, and since he couldn't find Mabel, he wanted Stan for comfort.

"Gah!" Stan exclaimed "Quit it, Waddles!" he snapped, getting up from the chair. He held the pig out, away from him "I'm trying to remember my life story!" he added.

Dipper gasped "What did you just say?" he asked, eyes wide with hope "I said get Waddles off of me," Stan snapped. Waddles licked Stan's cheek happily.

Ford gasped, eyes wide with hope "It's working!" he exclaimed, a smile slipping onto his lips "Keep reading," he added, placing a hand on Dipper's shoulder. Soos pointed to the book "Skip to my page!" he exclaimed, happily "He needs to remember our boss-employee relationship!" he added, an excited look on his face.

Stan adjusted his fez, with Waddles tucked under his arm "Hey, just cuz I have amnesia, don't go tryin' to give yourself a raise, Soos," he grumbled, taking a seat back down in the chair, placing Waddles on his lap.

Mabel grinned wide, floating beside Soos "It's happening! Keep going Dipper!" she said, not caring if she couldn't be heard "Get our great uncle Stanley back! We can do it!" she cheered, a wave of happiness and relief washing over her.

Dipper smiled "Okay, here we go…" he began, looking over the page he was on "Day two. Grunkle Stan smells weird, but we're starting to bond. He told us a lot about being a business man in the '80s and seemed happy when we pretended to listen…"

Stan looked down at a picture of Mabel and Dipper, with wide smiles on their faces. Stan pointed to the picture "Hold on," he cut in "Who's she?" he asked, pointing to Mabel.

Dipper smiled sadly "That's Mabel… She was your great niece," he explained. Stan frowned, looking around the room "Then where is she?" he asked.

Soos sniffled, wiping a few stray tears from his eyes. Ford shifted his gaze, swallowing. Dipper bit his bottom lip, letting out a breath "She, uh… She passed away…" he said, blinking back tears.

Stan frowned, a sad look crossing his face "O-oh…" he mumbled "I… I'm sorry…"

Dipper shook his head "It's okay," he said, giving Stan a reassuring smile "You didn't know… She would have been happy to see you. I'm sure of that."

For some reason, Stan felt a huge weight of guilt form in the pit of his stomach. He, for some reason, felt that it was his fault Mabel passed away.

"You could have done more," a voice in the back of his mind spoke up "But you were too slow. So, you're the reason she's gone."

Stan opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Dipper noticed Stan and shifted his gaze from the book to his great uncle "What's wrong?" he asked. Stan blinked "It's not… My fault she's gone… Is it?" he asked, shifting his gaze to Dipper. Ford's eyes widen "No!" he quickly cut in "No, you didn't do anything wrong. If anything, it's my fault," he said, his voice lowering to a whisper.

Dipper shook his head "No. You're both wrong," he said "It was Bills fault," he grumbled, feeling his grip on the scrap book tighten "It was all Bill…"

"Who's Bill?" Stan asked. A rush of anger filled his mind at the name. He had no idea who Bill was, but he found that he hated him.

Dipper shook his head "For now, we should focus on getting the basic memories back," he mumbled, flipping a few pages in the scrapbook, stopping on Soos and Stan's page.

-O-O-O-O-

Three weeks had passed and Stan had recovered most of his memory. There was a few pieces still missing, which Ford is going to help fill in.

Dipper was in his room with Journal 3 in his hands. After Bill was defeated, many things where restored, such as the journals that Bill had destroyed. Dipper wrote down the events in the journal, a wide smile on his face.

"It turns out that the memory ray's effects can be undone through exposure to important images and people from your past (in the same way that McGucket began his road to recovery when he saw the tape of himself as a young inventor). The reason Stan recovered so much faster is that we began recovery while the erasure was still fresh – less than an hour after initial contact."

Dipper paused his writing when he heard a knock on the attic door. He placed his book down, marking the page with his pen. He got off the bed and walked over to the door, opening it.

Ford stood in front of him, a smile on his face "I know you're probably busy… But… Stan and I thought that… With everything that had happened… Well…" Ford stammered, rubbing the back of his head "What I mean is… Would you like to marathon our – Stan's and my - childhood with us?" he asked. Dipper smiled, nodding his head "That'd be nice," he said.

After a few hours of the three watching Stan and Ford as kids search for the "Jersey Devil," they had fallen asleep. Ford had fallen asleep on Stan's shoulder, and Dipper had fallen asleep on Stan's lap.

Mabel smiled lightly at the scene "I love you guys," she mumbled. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

"Do you have any last words?" came a voice.

Mabel turned around to find the memory of Wendy floating behind her. Mabel raised an eyebrow "That's aloud?" she asked. Wendy shrugged "Usually, no. But I'm willing to make an exception," she said. Wendy snapped her fingers "You can pick things up and use them now," she explained. Mabel smiled wide, wrapping Wendy into a tight hug "Thank you," she said. Mabel quickly let go and floated up to the ceiling, going through it to get upstairs into the attic. She floated over to the journal that was on Dippers bed and picked it up, along with the pen that marked the page Dipper had previously been writing on. She turned to the end of the book and wrote down a message.

To, my family, friends, and the town of Gravity Falls,

Thank you… For everything. I may not be alive, but I'm glad that all of you made it out okay, and I'm glad that everyone is safe.

Great uncle Stanford, I'm sorry for causing the apocalypse, and I'm really sorry for hurting you guys… I love all of you and I wish I could go back in time and fix this, but I can't. All I ask is… Don't worry about me. I'll be okay, and I want to say that I love you guys… And I'm sorry… If I could, I would take all of you with me and we could have a ghost party or something! But, I guess this dimension thought otherwise… Heh, glcoprp googwmj fxzwg.

Love, Mabel

P.S. Tell mom and dad that I'll miss them!

P.P.S. Dipper, you were the best little (by five minutes) brother anyone could ask for, and I'm sorry for all the things that I never did for you. You sacrificed so much for me, and all I gave you in return was a thank you and an awkward sibling hug… I'll miss you, bro-bor, but I don't want to see you in the afterlife for a very, very, very long time. Live life to its fullest. And don't worry, if you ever feel sad or lonely, remember that you've got a whole lot of friends here in Gravity Falls.

Mabel quickly drew a doodle of herself as a ghost, smiling wide. She put the book down, and turned to face Wendy, who had followed her up to the attic "Anything else?" Wendy asked, a light smile on her face. Mabel thought for a minute then nodded "One last thing," she said. Mabel floated through the floor boards, back down to the living room. She floated over to Ford and placed a kiss on his cheek, then Stan, then Dipper. She let out a breath through her nose and turned to Wendy "Okay… I'm ready to go," she said. Wendy held out her hand "You're not scared, are you?" she asked. Mabel shook her head "No. Not one bit," she said, a smile on her face. Mabel took hold of Wendy's hand "Ready to head into the unknown?" Wendy asked. Mabel grinned "Nope."