Music suggestion: Kyle Landry – Dango Daikazoku

Chapter 4: Accepted

Candy and Pacifica arrived at the Mystery Shack at the same time. As Candy walked past the familiar totem pole, Pacifica's limousine arrived next to her. The driver opened the door to Pacifica, and the heiress stepped out with an indignant huff as the henchmen gave her a judgmental look. Her parents didn't like the fact that she spent time with the poor. They started to care more for her, but they were still far away from good peoples. Pacifica couldn't care less. She loved spending time with the Pines and their friends. They were funny, and she hated the Northwest legacy more and more as she spent time with them.

She angrily nodded her head to the henchmen and he drove away, probably to report to her parents. She was in a light pink sweater that she got from Mabel, paired with a cowgirl styled light brown pants, and with dark brown boots on her feet. She started to love the sweaters Mabel made for everyone, and she made, at her request, some form-fitting ones that looked good with this setup.

"Greetings." Candy said, as she walked closer to Pacifica, while greeting her in her own unique style. She wore one of her emblematic green striped sweaters with a purple skirt, and for the sake of variety, she wore red flats.

"Hi." Returned Pacifica the gesture to Candy. They never talked too much, because the Asian girl was too weird for Pacifica to comprehend. She had good ideas and a unique way to express herself, but she was a little too much for her sometimes.

"Something's not right." Pacifica said as they closed to the gift store's porch and all the lights beside the kitchen were out. They had movie nights before and usually by now Mabel would be barrelling out of the door, greeting them and tugging them in. Now it was silent, save for the cicada's songs. The door's window was shattered and pieces of it were on the porch. As they stepped closer taking care not to tread on the yellow tinted glass of the gift store's entrance. They looked at each other and Pacifica knocked on the door.

Suddenly the Grunkles were tugged back to reality by a knock on the front door. It was already dark outside as Stan stood up with a grunt. Ford was still processing the revelations as he stayed at the kitchen table and sipping in his cold coffee absentmindedly.

"Who the hell is that?" Asked Stan, without wanting an answer, as he went to the front door. He saw through the broken window that it was Candy Chiu and Pacifica Northwest standing in front of it. As he saw them he facepalmed, remembering Mabel planned a movie night tonight.

"Great. Tonight is going to be a disaster." Said Stan to no one in particular, grumbling under his nose as he opened the door. The girls looked at him in confusion, and Candy even tilted her head sideways. Pacifica started to say something, but Stan interrupted her, with his palms held up.

"Look kids. The movie night is cancelled." Stan knew Dipper well enough to know she is going to be really upset if she can't plan forward the revelation to her friends. They were still not here, so her friends would see her when they come back, and her secret would be out.

"The twins are already sleeping… Damn, I forgot to call you two!" Exclaimed Stan trying not to be plain about lying. But he saw Pacifica wasn't satisfied. Stan was too tired to pull one of his cunning tactics.

"What happened, old man?" Asked Pacifica with anger in her voice as she looked around. She pointed at the broken glass. She knew something wasn't right and she wanted answers. She liked the twins too much to let the matter slide. Secretly she started to develop a rather intimate interest in Dipper, the nerdy boy.

Candy was concerned too as she heard Stan, but she knew the twins enough to not be too afraid. They can protect themselves if they were in trouble, but nonetheless, she was concerned.

"Are they alright?" Asked Candy, looking at Stan in front of her, unconsciously fidgeting with his watch.

"Yeah, they are going to be fine." Answered Stan to the girl gladly, as he wasn't able to come up with a good answer to Pacifica's question.

"Then I going to talk to them tomorrow. You should go too, Paz." Said the Asian girl to Pacifica as she started to walk away. She knew if the twins needed alone time she shouldn't disturb them. They went through a lot of things, and she could tell from their actions. But the gang agreed that they will intervene if the twins act strange tonight, and this was more than strange. She gathered her phone as she stepped on the road that leads to her summer home. She started to type messages, to alert the other members of the crew. They are going to do something for them, even if the twins didn't think that they needed it.

But suddenly Pacifica looked at the leaving girl in disbelief, as she heard the nickname Dipper gave her. She didn't like if someone else called her that, but she can't say anything about it, or else they will find out her interest in him. She looked at Stan than at Candy then back at the old man. Moments passed as they looked each other in the eyes, then Pacifica crossed her arms, with an indignant pose.

"Spill the beans old man, I'm not leaving." Said Pacifica with an evil grin on her face, as she saw Stan pale. She won and she knew it. She felt that Stan lied to her, and she didn't like that the Grunkle of the twins were lying about her friends. She only then realized that Stan wasn't pale because of her when he ran past her.

As Dipper cried while holding them like her life depended on it, her voice became weaker and weaker. After the first few minutes her painful expression became more peaceful, and slowly a small yet happy smile curled up the corners of her mouth. Wendy petted her back with utmost care not to cause pain, but to show her she cared, and nothing would change that. As Dipper felt her touch she hiccupped and started crying again, but this time it was a happy cry.

"It's alright sis… Let it out." Said Mabel with a weak smile and caring voice as she wept as well, moved by her sisters bottled up feelings. She knew she needed help but didn't know she accumulated this much stress, pain and sorrow. It wasn't normal from Dipper, that all of her emotions exploded out of her like this. A shiver ran through her spine as she thought about what could happened later, as she was already on the edge of sanity. She could tell. She was glad that her sister's secret was out now and she can be herself again, without fears.

"We are not going to rejecting you." Said Wendy in the name of the others as well, while hugging them both and petting Dippers back. She was glad she found this secret, and now Dipper could start to heal from all the emotional wounds. They stayed this way, while Dipper's crying died down to weeping then to snivelling as her feelings smoothed out. As Dipper's shaking died down Wendy slowly released them, and sat down beside them on the ground, with a long, deep sigh.

Mabel's emotions slowly smoothed out too, as she felt her sister calming down, and Wendy releasing them from her hug. She slowly sat up, but not letting go her sister's hand as she looked down at her with a tender smile. Dipper looked up at her with tears still in her eyes, but a weak, happy smile on her face.

"We need to go home, and take care of you, dork." Mabel said as she assessed Dipper's injuries. They weren't so bad, but there were a lot of them, and she needed rest after cleaning them. Wendy thought the same as she looked down at Dipper. Her clothes were tattered, her body covered in scratches and bruises. She was dirty as hell. Her head injury was the most severe one, but fortunately, the bleeding stopped by now. Dipper slowly sat up fully as she gingerly touched the back of her head. As the pain kicked in, causing her to hiss and close her left eye in a painful grimace, but she was glad her hand was clean from fresh blood.

"Can you walk?" Asked Wendy as she stood up, and putting her axe in her belt, then looked down on Dipper's swollen ankles, and instantly throw the thought out of the window. Dipper looked up at her and cringed as she saw where Wendy looked and saw her own swollen ankles.

"Piggyback then." Stated Wendy as she crouched next to Dipper.

"But I'm all bloody…" Dipper started, but Wendy interrupted her.

"I don't care. Hop on, so we can go back." Wendy urged Dipper as the night became thicker by the second. They needed to find the way back home, but in the woods at night, it is going to be difficult.

"Don't worry. We got Dipper, and she's is great at pathfinding." Mabel said as she helped Dipper climb to Wendy's back. Between the two of them, Mabel was the better fighter and Dipper was the better tracker and pathfinder. She was great with people while her sister was great in science, so they balanced each other out as a team.

"So, which way?" Asked Wendy as she climbed the hill, careful not to fall while carrying Dipper on her back, holding her by her tights. Mabel climbed next to them in arm's reach and her baseball bat in her left hand, so her right hand would be free if they needed her help.

"The Shack is in that direction." Said Dipper with a sleepy voice as she pointed with her hand. When Wendy nodded Dipper used her hand to hold herself on Wendy. She felt drained of all energy as she clung to Wendy's back. Finally, she was able to relax as they headed home, and she was in good hands. Then suddenly her eyes became big as plates. She started to say something, but Mabel interrupted her.

"Don't worry about the Grunkles." She said as she patted her shoulder, while they walked through the pine forest. Dipper didn't know how, but her sister's words calmed her down. She knew she was busted by her meltdown, and her Grunkles going to be upset, but as Mabel said she didn't need to worry about them. They loved them and she knew that they would accept her. As these thoughts played through her head she slowly fell asleep on Wendy's back from exhaustion.

"She is asleep… This way." Said Mabel to Wendy as she started to ask Dipper where they should go. Her face was peaceful as she slept, and Mabel didn't want to disturb her. This day wore out her enough so far, so she deserved a little peace.

"Aww… She is cute." Said Wendy seeing Dipper's face as she looked back down, straining her neck. She wasn't surprised when Mabel take a couple of photos with her phone, capturing the adorable moment as Dipper slept on her back with dangling hands and peaceful smile. Even the flashlight didn't wake up Dipper in her emotionally drained sleep. With a happy smile on their faces, they stepped out of the woods in front of the shack.

When Stan saw them as they stepped out of the woods, he immediately saw that Dipper was on Wendy's back and badly injured. He ran to them with concern flooding his mind. Deep down of his roughness, he could do anything for his great nieces. As he ran to them Mabel hugged him, stopping him in his run.

"The hell happened!?" He Asked them with concern in his voice. He watched Dipper sleeping on Wendy's back, and immediately dialled back his volume.

"She is alright. She just needs some rest." Mabel said to him as she buried her face in his shirt. She knew he knew so she didn't care to act like her sister was a boy. She would be busted anyway as her now longer than last summer hair was free on her back and she wasn't wearing an ace-wrap. She was on the back of Wendy, but the size of her bust made it clear she was a girl.

"We need to take care of her injuries nonetheless." Said Wendy as she started to walk in the direction of the shack, but stopped as she saw Pacifica.

"Yeah… We have a little bit of a problem." Said Stan scratching the back of his neck, as he saw where Wendy was looking. Pacifica just stood on the porch, rooted to the spot. In the light of the moon and with the lights of the backyard switched on as Grunkle Ford stepped out to the porch she saw that Dipper was injured.

She slowly started to walk in the direction of them, then started to run. She was beyond concerned as she saw the extent of the injuries.

"Oh my God! What happened!?" Pacifica exclaimed in shock as she reached them. In the heat of the moment, she forgot that Dipper looked like a girl now, and demanded answers.

"Calm down. Don't wake her up." Said Wendy shaking her head slowly with a shooting sound.

"Why is he so beat up?" Asked Pacifica like she didn't hear Wendy, but as she saw Dipper's peaceful face she started to calm down. Now she realised she was deeper in love with Dipper than she thought. No one's injuries caused a reaction like this in her, but as she looked at Dipper she realized something was not right.

"Why is she a girl now?" Pacifica's eyes were big with confusion as she asked with a quiet voice.

"Sorry, Paz… I wanted to tell… Sometime…" Said Dipper with a sleepy voice as she woke with the ruckus, opening one of her eyes, looking at Pacifica. Her cheeks were pink with the embarrassment of the situation. As Pacifica changed from her former self and spent more and more time with them she started to have a crush on her. One day she accidentally called her by the nickname she called her in her mind, but seemingly nobody noticed the meaning of it. She was glad of it at that moment, but she hoped Pacifica would realise it. She watched her with a hidden fear of how she would react to the turn of the events.

"You know what? I don't care. We need to take care of those injuries." Said Pacifica shaking her head stepping closer and placing a hand on Dippers back. At Pacifica's words, Dipper's eyes become misty and a happy, content smile brightened up her features. Mabel was a little dumbfounded first, but as she saw Pacifica stepping closer, a huge conspiratory smile exploded on her face. She felt something in the air as the two interacted, and now she realized why was the Paz nickname so endearing when said by Dipper.

They don't need my help so far. - Thought Mabel in her mind as she watched them, hoping that her sister finally found someone, that would accept her love.

All of them walked in the Shack, Dipper still on Wendy's back looking at Pacifica with a sleepy but happy smile. She accepted her, and she was incredibly happy with that, even if the relationship would stay at a platonic level. Maybe Dipper had a chance with her after all, but she didn't have high hopes for it. She had enough disappointment in her life so far, and she was lucky with how things turned out so far. Dipper fell asleep again by the time when Wendy put her down on the couch, to rest a little and stretch her joints into a more natural position.

"Don't wake her up. This way she wouldn't feel the pain as you clear her wounds." Said ford as he pointed at Mabel while she tried to wake her sister up.

"Me?" Asked Mabel back, in confusion.

"Of course, short stack. You need to undress her." Wendy said as she picked Dipper up again, slowly in bridal style, and walking to the stair that leads to the attic. Ford gave Mabel a few instructions how to clean her sister's wounds. The head wound wasn't so deep, and thanks to that stitches are not needed so Mabel could handle it, with Ford's instructions. Pacifica's face turned red at the thought of a naked Dipper, but she shook her head and sat down on one of the quest beds.

"I'm going to sleep here." Said Pacifica without space for argument, as she watched Wendy and Mabel going up. She was deep in her thoughts as the old mans looked at each other than with a shrug they went on their own way.

"I'm going to be in the lab if I am needed." Ford told them as he hit the code in the vending machine, then went down on the stairs. He knew the kids needed space, and he needed time to think too, but things looked good for him. A happy smile was on his face as he entered the elevator.

"I'm too old for this. Don't wake me up!" Stan exclaimed as he walked in the direction of his room. He left some space to the kids as he sees Wendy coming down from the attic. Mabel was strong enough to take care of her twin, as he and Ford did in their teen years. He hoped the kids wouldn't do the same mistake what he and Ford did. He was happy how things turned out so far, so he can relax a bit. They would clean things up tomorrow.

Pacifica didn't notice Wendy at first as she sat next to her on another quest bed. She looked up slowly at her and didn't say anything for a few minutes. She was deep in thoughts, but she knew she should say something.

"Sooo…" Started Pacifica, then trailed off as she didn't find the good words to say what she thought.

"Yeah… I'm surprised too." Wendy said as she laid back on her bed, looking at the ceiling. She was surprised, but she didn't care if Dipper was a girl or a boy. She was her friend and that's not going to change anytime soon.

"Right… That's new. Wendy Corduroy surprised by something." Said Pacifica teasingly as she smiled coyly at the redhead. She was happy that something distracted her mind.

"And Pacifica Northwest is concerned for someone." Teased Wendy back remembering how Pacifica reacted to Dipper's injuries. Pacifica's face immediately became red, as her eyes shot fully open. Wendy's mouth curled into a half smile as she seen it from the corner of her eyes.

"Sleep Paz. Today was a long day." Said Wendy to the heiress, punctuating the nickname as she kicked off her boots, and covered herself with her blanket. A tired sigh left her mouth. She was tired, after the emotional events, and carrying Dipper out of the woods. The welcoming darkness of a dreamless sleep almost immediately swallowed her.

Author's notes:

Sorry this chapter took more time to finish folks, but in exchange it get longer.

I'm grateful for KitKatLovesUT's help as a beta reader. I take the responsibility if any grammar issues left in the chapter.

I hope, that you who read this chapter that you liked it, and please let me know what you think about it. You can be honest with me, also I can learn from it, so I can produce a better chapter next time.

Thank you for reading my story and notes.