"so….where do we start?" Dipper had become a lot more open minded to the unusual since the start of the summer, but seeing his sister as a ghost who says she can't enter eternal peace until she finds a way to bring two old men who had been parted all their lives was pushing even him.

"As much as I want to give Grunkle Stan a big ghost hug, I think we should start with Grunkle Ford….he seems like the type who will believe as soon as he sees, besides I know Grunkle Stan better than just about anyone, and I know that he's a little hardheaded," Mabel responded.

"A little?" Dipper chided, if this was going to be the last great adventure with his sibling he wanted to enjoy squeezing each moment with her with joy and laughter.

Ford was down in his lab, sitting among the tubes and data that had been his life's work, wondering what if any worth it truly had now.

"Hi Grunkle Ford!" a spunky voice that Ford felt he would never hear again shouted. At first Ford was sure he was just hallucinating, until he turned his head towards where the sound was coming.

"MABEL!" Ford shouted. He was in complete and utter shock, he looked like he was about to faint after seeing a literal ghost, but Dipper was there to catch him.

When Ford had calmed down a little he tried to embrace the girl, but he came to Dipper's heartbreaking realization that he could no longer actually touch her.

"You know Grunkle Ford, I may not be physically here anymore, but there are lots of people still here that love you a whole lot," Mabel started.

"Mabel….Mabel….I've ruined everything, this is all my fault I-" Ford couldn't even get coherent thoughts out of his mouth through the tears.

"No Grunkle Ford, it was my fault….I should have just stayed out of the way like you wanted, everyone would have been safe if I had only listened," Mabel whispered as her own tears began to fall.

"Oh sweetheart….if I had only listened to you….tried to get to know you, then you would have understood….and now because of me….I will never have the chance," Ford said as the tears fell faster as he realized the true gravity of what his isolated personality had cost him.

"You know Grunkle Ford, it may be too late to get to know me, but there is someone still here who is actually a lot like me, and I know that he wants to get to know you again more than anything in the whole wide world," Mabel gently coaxed.

Ford smiled through his tears. He knew that as smart as he thought he was, that the girl had things figured out he could never comprehend.

Stan was sitting in his old armchair in the living room, staring sadly at a photo of he and Mabel fishing from the start of the summer. He had tears spilling down his face, thinking that he was alone and could let his wall of grief crumble, until he heard a gentle voice.

"Don't cry Grunkle Stan,"

Much like Ford at first Stan simply thought he was hallucinating. It couldn't be….could it?

He looked up to not only see the ghost form of his beloved Mabel, but also Ford and Dipper.

Instead of nearly fainting Stan simply tried wiping his eyes, certain that if he could just clear his eyes the three forms would disappear and he would just be alone again…..there was no such luck.

"Mabel….pumpkin? Is it really you?" Stan whispered as he reached his hand out to stroke her face. He hated himself for allowing his hopes to raise, but he thought that maybe just maybe Ford had managed to do the impossible and bring the dead back. When his hand simply faded through the heartbreak sunk in.

"It's me Grunkle Stan, but not really….it's complicated," Mabel admitted defeatedly.

"Please don't be sad Grunkle Stan….I'm not in any pain," she assured.

"I'm so sorry Mabel…." Was all that Stan could managed.

"I forgive you Grunkle Stan, and I'm sorry too, but I'm not the only one who's sorry," she said as she glanced at her Grunkle Ford.

"I'm sorry too Stanley-" Ford said sincerely.

Stan looked at his brother with a strange mix of relief for finally hearing the words from his brother, but also heartbreak as it dawned him that Mabel's sacrifice was a permanent one.

"You know Grunkle Stan….Just because my life is ending doesn't mean that yours should too….then what would I have died for? I was selfish when I made my deal with Bill, but now you and Ford and Dipper have a chance to really live,"

She turned so she was facing her whole family, "there were times this summer when I acted selfishly towards all of you, and….and for that I'm truly sorry, but maybe through….maybe through my death some good can come out of it for all of you," she said as tears streamed down her face.

"I don't feel like there will be any good in my life without you sis," Dipper whispered as tears flowed from his own face. Stan and Ford nodded an affirmative.

Mabel smiled sadly at all of them, "I will never fully leave you guys….every time you allow yourselves to laugh too loud, or do something silly, or see a shooting star, I'll be there, and hey as long as we stay a family we can survive anything…right?" she asked pleadingly.

The three Pines men looked at each other and then at the beautiful girl who they knew had fulfilled her purpose, tragic as it was. They slowly began to smile at each other and welcome healing, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of the girl who had finally come through with a truly selfless act to permanently glue together what seemed beyond broken.

"PINES PINES PINES!" They chanted with tears flowing down their faces as the girl slowly faded away.

Of course healing wasn't instant, but Mabel was right. They were slowly able to rebuild their lives knowing that her spirit was a breath and a shooting star away.