-Hello! I was actually working on a larger Gravity Falls themed story when the idea for this tale popped into my head. At first, I tried to figure out a way to use this idea as part of that story, but ultimately decided this story works so much better as a stand-alone. I originally intended for this to be a one-shot, but 45 pages is an awful lot to take in, in one sitting, so I separated this into four shorter chapters. Besides, the mystery elements of this story just work better in a chapter format. Anyway, this story is slight AU if you want to call it that, taking place an undisclosed number of years into the future. All I can tell you is that the Pines Twins are and were adults when all the events from this story take place and had been living in Gravity Falls for a while.

Chapter 1: This Place Used to be Home

Every mile marker Dipper Pines passed on that familiar highway headed north felt like a short eternity racked with anxiety, dread, fear, regret, and even a touch of hope sprinkled somewhere in with all the bad junk for good measure. His fingers vibrating nervously against the steering wheel further told the tale of just how anxious he really was. His frequent trips to Gravity Falls had always passed with anxious anticipation... The only difference now, was that this long seemingly never-ending drive used to be a positive experience. Like a kid waiting for Christmas morning, or the anticipation of a sports fan whose team is playing in the championship game. That excitement had turned into intense stomach-churning dread. The little town that had once been his home-away-from-home... Hell, it became his home pretty much the day after he turned eighteen. There was no other place he could imagine spending at least the next chapter of his life... It had been six long years since the last time he'd stepped foot in that town... After he'd suddenly found himself no longer welcome there.

The saddest part of it all was that Dipper couldn't even remember why the town had turned on him. His memory from that day was non-existent, and his family tight-lipped about what had actually gone down... What the hell it was he'd apparently done that had been so wrong. All he did know was that the town had never been the same since, and the blame was squarely placed on his shoulders. People he'd once considered friends, or at least allies, had completely turned on him. There was only one reason he was even braving this trip into a town where he was now despised, and that was because one of the few people who hadn't vilified him still lived there and had been begging him for months to come visit. His twin sister Mabel... Why she couldn't just come down to California and visit him he couldn't understand, but Dipper assumed it was just one of his twin's persistent attempts to repair his relationship with the townsfolk. Why she couldn't accept that those relationships had deteriorated far beyond the point where they could be repaired, he just couldn't understand. That was his sister in a nutshell though, the ultimate optimist. The only reason he even dared brave this trip to the spooky little town. He missed his sister, and it'd been far too long since he'd seen her.

As for the rest of the folks he'd been closest too in that town, their opinions of him were much more difficult to pin down... As not a one of them seemed completely sure themselves what to think of the young man. Grunkle Ford, once his mentor, barely even spoke to him anymore. He was never openly cruel or hostile towards him, but the strong apprentice/mentor relationship they'd forged over the years had been severed. The best Dipper could hope for was a distant hello, and not much else. He was no longer welcome in any of Ford's labs, and any offer to help with any research or project his Grunkle happened to be working on was swiftly declined. His relationship with Stan was considerably better... The old codger at least made an attempt to treat him no differently than he had in the old days, though a small rift was still there and quite noticeable. His cordial treatment of Dipper seemed more for Mabel's benefit rather than any sort of affection he still possessed for the male half of the younger Pines twins. The situation with Soos was similar to Stan, though slightly warmer. The jolly man-child tried to act himself when face-to-face with Dipper, but like everyone else outside of Mabel, he could still sense some distance there. None more obvious than when Dipper unofficially found himself banded from the Mystery Shack during business hours, a place where he'd basically grown up. He understood why, it was bad for business being so closely associated with the most hated person in town. The entire Pines/Mystery Shack family had felt the sting of being linked to him, but thankfully, after a while at least, people stopped taking their grudge against him out on his sister and uncles, and simply multiplied the revulsion they felt towards him.

As nerve-rackingly long as the drive took, Dipper found himself within the city limit of Gravity Falls far sooner than he was ready. His breath shortened to a point he was nearly hyper-ventilating. So many bad memories... So many things that could possibly go wrong... So many people who may possibly harbor ill-intentions towards him... And wouldn't you know it, almost the second he passed a familiar water tower, flashing lights appeared in his rear-view.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." Dipper mumbled grumpily. He knew he hadn't disobeyed any traffic laws, so there was only one reason the local police would be pulling him over. They recognized his car; the same one he'd been driving for years. Dipper begrudgingly pulled over to the side of the road and waited sourly as the officer who'd pulled him over, took his sweet time hauling his abnormally lazy ass out of his squad and slowly meandered his way to Dipper's driver side window. None too surprisingly, Dipper found the graying and unusually stern looking face of Sheriff Blubs scowling down at him. Yes, even through those sunglasses you could tell he was glaring.

"Well darn, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it... How long has it been Pines? Five, six years?... Finally worked up the nerve to show that face again have we?"

"Is there a reason you pulled me over officer?" Dipper asked, already sounding exasperated. He had very little tolerance for the long time Gravity Falls peace officer... The same guy who'd been making a mockery of his profession with his lethargic and largely incompetent approach to police work, and yet when it came to Dipper, Blubs suddenly turned into Dirty Harry. While he'd be lying if he ever claimed to outright respect the sheriff, his brand of buffoonery made him difficult to take seriously, but Dipper could appreciate the officer was well-meaning when he wasn't busy being lazy or stupid. Nowadays though... That badge just seemed to make Blubs think he was entitled to harass and pester Dipper whenever the opportunity presented itself. Time had apparently not healed any wounds, as here he was not a mile into town, and already the diminutive cop was in his face. Funny how you could probably commit murder right under his nose and he'd somehow miss it, yet he could remember what Dipper's car looked like all these year later. "I know I wasn't disobeying any traffic laws so..."

"Oh, I don't reckon I'd have much trouble coming up with a reasonable excuse... Speeding, disobeying traffic signs, busted taillight... I can dream up just about anything and nobody in this town would even bat an eyelash, just as long as I haul you into the station and have this piece of junk you're driving around in impounded."

"You're not going to do anything of the sort, not without me actually committing a crime... You're incompetent not crooked Blubs..."

"Well... I suppose you got me there," he responded, looking slightly confused. He was a bit too far left of stupid to realize Dipper was half poking fun at him. "Still, have you lost your mind, showing up in this town again after what you did? You best turn this hunk of junk around and mosey on back where you came from."

"I'm not here to stay Blubs... Just passing through really, to visit my sister, and then I'll be out of everyone's hair for good..."

Blubs softened slightly at the mention of Dipper's sister. Not that it changed his feelings towards the male Pines twin at all, but he did have sympathy for Mabel and everything she'd been through, as did much of the town. "Fine, but I'll be keeping my eye on you Pines... Slip up once, and I won't hesitate to toss you in lockup! You'll get a lot worse than just gettin' run outta town again, that's for sure..."

"I'll be on my best behavior officer," Dipper sneered, trying to dial back the sarcasm. "Can I please go now? I've got people waiting on me, and I'm already late."

Finally, Dipper cleared the red-tape, and was off on his way to find his sister's house. Dipper couldn't help but note how odd it was to see Blubs in action without that goober Durland by his side... But then again, that might be why the Sheriff seemed to have it out for him.

Dipper Pines took in a deep breath before pulling his car back out onto the otherwise empty road, hoping he could find his sister's house on Beaver Creek road based purely off his memory alone, no GPS to guide him. He'd been by her home a few times in the past, his twin just happened not to have been living there at the time. Thankfully, the rustic little cabin was off the beaten path, much as the Mystery Shack had always been, meaning Dipper wouldn't have to worry about going into town. That way he could avoid... Well, any potential conflict his presence might stir up, similar to what had just gone down with the Sheriff. Blubs opinion of Mason Pines was pretty much in step with most of the population of Gravity Falls.

Meanwhile, back at the mid-sized cabin Mabel Pines called home, she waited impatiently, hoping her brother wouldn't bail on her at the last second as he had so many times before. It was so difficult getting Dipper to even entertain the thought of returning to the Falls, not that she could blame him after all he'd been through. This was Gravity Falls though! Their home, where all their favorite memories were shared... The place just wasn't the same without her nerdy Bro-Bro around especially after... After their mother's accident a couple of years prior, the last time she'd actually seen her brother in person rather than on a telephone or computer screen, and sadly it had been at their mother's funeral. As for their father well... Let's just say he took the loss of his wife about as poorly as a human being possibly could and leave it at that. Dipper was the only family Mabel had left that didn't have Stan somewhere in the name, and there were times when she really needed him to be close... Even for just a day or two. She worried that her brother may just actually resent her for essentially choosing Gravity Falls over him... Which Mabel had basically done, but what else was she to do? This was her home, where the people she cared about the most in the world called home... Everyone except for her twin, and Mabel Pines was hoping to change that. Thankfully she did have some moral support in case Dipper decided to disappoint her once again.

"Relax Pumpkin, he probably just took a wrong turn off the interstate somewhere," Stanley Pines tried to convince her. "It has been years since he's stepped so much as a pinky toe in this town... Give 'em some time to reacquaint himself with the lay of the land. It'll come back to him, you wait and see!"

"Or he never left California, and he's still trying to work up the nerve to call and tell me he's not coming again," Mabel grumbled cynically, having experienced that exact scenario with her brother far too many times for that fear not to linger at the back of her mind. She honestly felt that this time would be different, but that nagging doubt was ever persistent. Dipper had promised her he'd make the trip this time, something he'd always refrained from doing because he knew he wouldn't be able to back out if he did. Dipper had never broken a promise to Mabel if it was within his power to keep, and Mabel had to believe that her twin wouldn't start now. "Would it kill him to call and ask for directions if he got lost? Then again, this is Dipper. God forbid he do something as scandalous as use a cell phone while driving!"

"Well, like I said, he'll figure it out. Your house is only a mile away from the shack, and I'm pretty confident he can still find his way there. Dip might not have the best sense of direction in the world, but at least he's not as bad as Sixer here when he was young. When he was eight, he got lost once while camping out in the back yard!"

"Don't be preposterous! It's impossible to lose your way in such a small enclosed..." Ford paused, then just frowned in annoyance at the grinning visage of his brother upon realizing Stan had again capitalized on Ford's tendency to take things too literally, thus making him the butt of Stan's joke. "I can get around just fine thank you."

"Sure, you can now pointdexter, but back then, woof!" The semi-retired professional conman, those of his ilk rarely actually do, turned his attention back to his niece. "Point being, Dipper will be here when he gets here... If he was gona cop out, he wouldn't wait to the last minute to do it."

That was a good point, Mabel thought, but didn't voice her agreement aloud. She was perpetually impatient by her own nature anyway, and her nerves weren't exactly helping matters. After what the twins had experienced that odd six years before, Mabel had walked out of it in one piece physically, but soon after developed one hell of an anxiety disorder. Xanax could only help so much, and at times, even minor bouts with stress could feel like entire mountains to climb. Her brother knew this, though not to the extent of how bad it was as Mabel was afraid that he'd blame himself for her condition, but he knew better than to get her anxious. Grunkle Stan was right though. Anytime Dipper had backed out of an arranged visit before, it was usually with several days' notice, and at worst a call the night before to gently break the news that he'd be disappointing her again.

"It might be for the best if he did decide to stay home," Ford said absently, as he cleaned a smudge off the left lens of this glasses. Both Stan and Soos cringed, knowing the subject could potentially set Mabel off. Stanford Pines was a genius in many areas but speaking tactfully in emotionally sensitive situations wasn't one of them. "Most of the town, unfortunately, won't take too kindly to his return. I don't think anyone would try anything foolish, but... Dipper may find a considerably less than warm reception if he decides to venture into town..."

"Well, those idiots just need to get over it!" Mabel shouted defensively, and Ford immediately recognized he'd probably said the wrong thing, or at least said it in the wrong way. "What happened wasn't his fault, and everyone just needs to stop being lazy by putting all the blame on him!"

"I'm afraid the town doesn't see it that way Mabel. Six years may feel like an eternity to us, but for many of the denizens of Gravity Falls, those wounds are still fresh. The town is just now showing signs of recovery. Dipper reappearing so suddenly might bring out some... Adversarial feelings in the townsfolk."

"Well, screw them! He doesn't have to go into town! He's coming mainly to see us anyway, so he can hang out at my place during his visit, and not even leave the house if he doesn't want too!"

"That's the spirit kiddo! And of course, you both know you're always welcome at my place. I won't even charge you room and board if you decide to stay over... Well for the first night anyway!"

"Thanks, Grunkle Stan..." Mabel finally managed a smile, something that once came so easy to her. "We might just take you up on that!"

"And Dipper knows he's always welcome at the Mystery Shack too," Soos added. "I know how important that place is to him and junk, so I couldn't take it away from him even if I wanted too!"

"You mean after hours, right? When you're sure nobody will be able to see you with him!" Mabel spat bitterly, catching the normally jolly fellow off guard. He hung his head, clearly hurt by the accusation, but didn't feel he had the right to dispute it since it was kind of true. Publicity was a huge part of the shack's business model, and Dipper only brought the bad kind with him. He couldn't slash wouldn't defend himself, so Stan decided to do it for him.

"Now Pumpkin, give Soos a break! He supports your brother, but you know business at the shack ain't been doing so hot lately. As much as we may not agree with it, if anyone in town happens to see Dipper hangin' out at the shack, business is likely to go completely down the crap-hole... He's got a wife and kids to think about Mabel..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know... Other than me, for whatever reason being seen with Dipper in this town is social suicide!... Sorry if I offended you Soos, I'm just on edge right now..."

"Heh, it's not a problem hambone... It's nothing personal. You know I'll always have your backs when it really matters."

"I know Soos, it's fine..." It wasn't fine, and Mabel was lying through her teeth. Mabel had a deadly serious no middle-ground position when it came to supporting her brother. You either did or you didn't, none of this I'm on your side as long as nobody's looking bull crap. She wasn't a fan of Ford's colder and more aloof attitude towards her brother either. Sure, he didn't downright mistreat him, but the mentor was clearly putting some distance between himself and his formal pupil. Quite frankly, it was hurting his relationship with her too. Thank goodness for Grunkle Stan, the one person she knew she could always count on when the rest of the world turned against them. Like Stan himself once joked, most of the world was already against him anyway, so it was nice to finally have some kindred spirits. The brotherhood of the scorned as he liked to call them.

"Hey dudes, there's a car coming up the road," Soos announced, liberating Mabel from the thoughts she'd been caught wandering around in. There was a car cautiously climbing the hilly road, if an automobile was capable of looking cautious, and Mabel immediately recognized it as her brothers.

"Holy ham on crackers, he really did come!" Mabel shrieked before she raced towards the road. Stan smiled in amusement, simply happy to see how excited Mabel was, Soos appeared happy but conflicted, and as for Ford well... For whatever reason, it appeared he wished this entire homecoming wasn't happening at all.

Dipper hadn't even put the car in park before Mabel was knocking on his window, and barely had time to unstrap and step foot out of his vehicle before being engulfed in one of the most ferocious hugs he'd ever endured. Dipper chuckled softly, before returning the embrace the best he could. "Ease up just a bit there Mabel... It's good to see you too."

"You came, you came... I was so sure you were going to back out again," Mabel explained, her voice slightly muffled, via her face being smushed against his chest. Teary-eyed, she pulled back and gave her brother a once over. "Man, you are way too skinny! I need to fatten you up while you're in town! A few of my Mabel specials should fix you right up!"

Dipper flinched in mock horror, which would've been overridden by the amused smirk on his face anyhow. "Aren't most of your specials pretty much just normal dishes where you add a lot of sugar?"

"Name one meal that a little of Mabel's special spice didn't zest up and make taste a hundred times better!"

"How about all the meals that don't normally involve adding sugar?... Seriously, how haven't you discovered a third strain of diabetes by now?"

Mabel gave her brother a playful whack on the arm, as Stan strolled up and inserted himself in the reunion. "Hey there knucklehead! Glad you made it! Now I won't have to listen to Mabel whine and complain all night because you never showed up! Oh, and it's good to see you too I guess!"

"It's good to see you too Grunkle Stan," Dipper said honestly, both recognizing and appreciating the old man's offbeat brand of humor. It was the closest he was going to get to hearing Stanley Pines say, 'I missed you'.

"What up bro! Long time no see!" Soos made a fist and held it up, only to look confused when Dipper left him hanging for a few seconds. Dipper offered a weak smile, and fist bumped his old friend, despite the feeling that they were a bit too old now to greet one another with such a childish gesture.

"Yeah, sorry I don't make it up this way more often... Or at all for that matter, but you guys know the deal... So Soos, Melody's not going to be upset that you came to greet me?"

"Nah, she's cool with-it dude. She knows you guys well enough now to know you didn't intend for anything bad to happen." Soos paused, and though he looked reluctant, he continued. "You're welcome to stop by the Mystery Shack any time after hours dawg... Just don't be too offended if Melody acts a little distant... I'm cool with it and all, but Melody still kind of worries about how the rest of the town looks at us you know?"

"Soos!" Mabel fused, by Dipper quickly interrupted her.

"It's alright I get it... I doubt I'm going to have time to visit the Shack anyway. I'm only in town for a couple of days, so I think I'm just going to hang around Mabel's and visit with the family."

Soos tried to look disappointed, but deep down he was a bit relieved. He couldn't fault Dipper for wanting to stay away anyhow. The big guy couldn't exactly be as welcoming to his old friend as he'd like to be anyway, so why put himself through the extra stress? Certain plans might have to be adjusted but... "It's cool dude. Just do you, okay?..."

The conversation continued briefly until a gruff cough interrupted the friendly chatter. Dipper turned his head, and to no surprise, the person trying to get his attention was his other Grunkle... Only he was lacking the typical enthusiasm that Ford Pines once had whenever his great-nephew made the trip to Gravity Falls. Ford appeared indifferent if anything, almost business like, as if he had somewhere he needed to be, but first had to slog his way through some tedious task before he could get where he was going.

"Hello Grunkle Ford..."

"Mason, it's good to see you're doing well... Now if you'll excuse me, I have important work I need to get back too... I may speak with you later if I can find the time..."

It was that simple, reminiscent of rushing through a greeting with a casual acquaintance. Ford walked away, leaving Dipper a bit upset, and Mabel tilting towards furious.

"Eck, why'd he even bother to come if that's how he was going to be?! If he's too damn busy to be bothered, he should've just stayed hold up in his stupid lab!"

"Ah, give 'em a break Mabel. That's just the way Sixer is... He didn't want to be rude, but unfortunately can't quite grasp how not to be..." Stan smiled at his niece. "You know, kind of like me, only without my natural roguish charm and wit!"

"Well, if you ask me, he's just being a jerk!" Mabel gave her brother, who was still hanging his head, a pat on the back. "You still got us though Dipper-roo! From now until the end of time!"

Dipper had to laugh at that. "Hooray for me I guess?"

The quartet that remained did some more catching up before Soos and then eventually Stan, had to say their goodbyes. This left the Pines Twins to themselves, allowing Mabel to give her brother a tour of the house he'd never gotten a chance to visit seeing as she acquired it after his exile from Gravity Falls. They soon found themselves seated at her kitchen table catching up, and reminiscing about old times... Well Mabel did most of the reminiscing for them as Dipper's memories still had a lot of pieces missing. Good thing he had Mabel to help fill in the blanks.

"This really is a beautiful place you have here Mabes..." Dipper complimented as he admired the house. While the outside gave the building a rustic log cabin feel, the inside was completely modern.

"It's home, that's for sure," Mabel commented with a bit of a discontented sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I love the place, but it feels so empty living here all by myself. But ya know, that just means I'm going to have plenty of space if I ever do get married and have a couple of kiddo's terrorizing the place."

"The craftsmanship doesn't look cheap Mabes...I take it the shop is doing well if you're able to afford all of this..."

"It's going gang busters! Whatever that means, but whatever... Yeah, there's a surprisingly large market in this town for arts and crafts, and all the weirdo oddities we sell on the side. Too much Stan in me not to try and push some merch with somewhat questionable 'authenticity'... The best part of owning my own business though is making my own hours! Self-employed is the only way to go! I'm not sure what I'd do if I ever had to go back to working for somebody else for a living."

"I'm happy for you Mabel... And I'm glad the town doesn't take their hatred of me out on you..."

"They shouldn't be hating on anyone, least of all you!" Mabel snapped stubbornly. "You had no control over all the horrible things that happened... The geniuses in this town just had to scapegoat the first person they saw though..."

"It's just a matter of differing opinions Mabel," Dipper laughed lightly, as he fidgeted with this still mostly full glass of tea. "I just wish I could remember exactly what I did wrong, so at least then I'd know why exactly I'm feeling so guilty about."

"Didn't you hear me the first time? There's nothing you've done you need to feel guilty over..." Mabel's eyes drifted, staring into her own cup of tea. "Nothing that you should've been vilified and chased out of town for, leaving your home and everyone you love behind... I understand why you had to leave Dipper, but I just hate that in doing so, you basically let those narrowed-minded idiots win..."

"When its hundreds against one, what else can you do? Something bad was going to happen if I stuck around any longer Mabel... And the town was eventually going to turn on you and the rest of the family for supporting me, so leaving made the only logical sense. My life was already ruined, so why ruin all of yours too? Poor Soos is still barely in business and barely scrapping by and it's all because of me... I couldn't be selfish any longer Mabel... I had to leave and find what my place is this world is... Since it obviously wasn't in Gravity Falls anymore..."

"Did you ever find that place?" Mabel asked quietly, feeling guilty that she hoped the answer was no.

Dipper thought about lying... Spinning a yarn about how things were great, that he'd found steady work back in Cali that still allowed him to pursue his paranormal passions. Anything that would prevent her from worrying about him anymore than she already did. He never was good at lying to his sister, however, and figuring she'd see right through it, he sucked it up and told her the truth. "No, Mabel... Wish I could say I have, but no... It's been six years of drifting from place to place, scrounging up what little work I can find…There isn't much demand for an absent-minded hand whose primary skill set is chasing ghosts and hunting for Sasquatch. I basically live out of my car, drifting from place to place until I run out of gas and park it until I scrounge up enough money to get me wherever it is that I'm headed next. That's why it's so hard for me to stay in touch at times... Never know where I'm gona be at any given time, and payphones are more-or-less extinct."

"That's no way to live your life Dipper! It's more like surviving just to spite yourself so you can wallow in your own misery..."

"Maybe that's what I deserve... If I have nothing else, at least every sunrise I live to see feels like a small victory, so that's something. I do get tired of surviving off of cheap fast-food, and whatever I can scrounge up for a couple dollars at the convenience store… What I wouldn't give for a meal from Greasy's. As crappy as I used to think the food was there, it would taste like fine dining compared to the crap I usually cram into my face…"

"Well then..." Mabel paused only briefly before forging ahead and suggesting something that sounded quite crazy. "Do you want to go to Greasy's for lunch then?"

Dipper flinched and gave his sister a look you'd expect a brother to give when he thought his sibling had lost their marbles. "You're joking right? That would involve me going into town, and if that isn't the worst idea ever, it has to be pretty close..."

"Why should you be afraid to go into town? It's a free country, nobody has any right to tell you where you can and can't go! Besides, Greasy's fell under new management a couple of years ago... Owned by people who weren't even around when you committed your 'oh so unforgivable crimes'! They wouldn't even know who you were, and it's not like I'd care if they did or not..."

"The other people in town would recognize me though Mabel, and they might not take too kindly if they see me hanging around... That was all just wishful thinking anyway. If I was going to risk going to town into a potentially hostile environment, it's going to be for something a little more exciting than lunch at Greasy's Diner! Definitely not the hill I want to die on..."

"But that's what makes this such a great idea! Baby steps! Integrate yourself back into town slowly. Grabbing a quick bite to eat at a local restaurant sounds like a pretty good place to start, or at least to me it does!"

"Mabel..." Dipper sighed, unsure of how exactly he should feel about the pure look of determination on his sister's face. "Why is this so important to you? And I'm not referring to just lunch either, I'm talking about convincing me to come back to Gravity Falls in the first place... When you just as easily could've come and visited me wherever I was instead of dragging me back to somewhere I'm not wanted?"

"Because it's not fair okay! For the whole town to shun you like they did... You loved this place Dipper! It was your idea to move here as soon as we turned 18... You appreciate this place a hundred times more than most of the people that have lived here their entire lives, and I'm just supposed to be okay with the fact that they took that all from you?!" Mabel's eyes got misty as she thought about her life over the past several years. "It's not the same without you bro... Gravity Falls was special because it was our place, our secret home-away-from-home turned hometown! With you gone, it's like all the magic has been sucked out of this place, and I'm stuck going through the motions living alone in this big old empty house. I'm not living life right now either Dipper, I'm surviving it too, and I hate it... I was hoping if I could bring you back someday and convince these stupid locals that you're not some kind of demonic monster, maybe the magic would come back..."

"Mabel..." Dipper sighed torn between comforting and berating his sister for her obvious selfishness. "That's the problem with magic Mabel... It's stronger when you're a kid, easier to believe in... When you get older though and things happen, that magic slowly fades... That's why nostalgia is such a powerful thing... Almost like a drug for people who have trouble dealing with change or finding meaning in their present lives, so they cling to the past, to anything that reminds them of a time when life made more sense, or better yet, when it didn't have too... Before we had to grow up and responsibility took over our lives. It's like going to Disney World as a kid, and then going back as an adult... It's still fun, but that sense of childlike wonder just can't be reproduced... Gravity Falls has become my Disney World Mabel... A place I loved and filled me with a sense of wonder and purpose as a kid, but the magic is just not there anymore. Granted, it was stolen from me rather then faded, but I'm afraid this town represents as many bad memories now as it holds goods ones for me."

"Only because you still have trouble remembering the good ones," Mabel grumbled.

"True, but I can't fight reality... It trumps nostalgia every time, because reality just insists on continuing to exist while nostalgia gets buried deeper and deeper into the past. Serious question Mabel. If the magic of this place is gone without me here, then way stay? Why didn't you ever come back to California with me if you're no longer happy here?"

"Because this isn't a Disney vacation for me Dipper! I have a life here! My business is here, my friends, what's left of our family... My entire life is tied to this town, I can't just uproot and leave it! The only thing missing is you... I'm sorry, but if trying to get my brother back in my life sounds selfish, then damn it, just call me selfish!"

"You can have me in your life Mabel... Just not here... I'm sorry, but you can have Gravity Falls or you can have me... It sucks how cold that sounds, but it's not like it's a decision I wanted you to have to make! It's one fate conspired to force you to make... A big part of the reason I don't let you know where I am most of the time is my way of ensuring you don't have to make that decision..."

"Like hell I ever will..." Mabel stood up from her chair, a fire in her belly. "Get whatever you need to take with you, we're going to get some grub!"

Dipper barely resisted face palming. "Mabel... Didn't we just discuss what a terrible idea that was?"

"I don't care! I should be able to treat my brother to lunch without a bunch of ding-dongs getting bent out of shape about it because they can't let go of some old grudge! Who cares what anybody else thinks anyway?! You're going to be gone after a couple days, so they can just deal with it!"

Dipper had to admire his sister's fire. Hell, he couldn't help but smile at it despite his reservations. One thing certainly hadn't changed since they were kids. His sister always had his back, that was one thing he'd always been able to count on, and a memory that had never been lost to him. "If it means that much to you... Fine, I'll go, but any riots that break out are one-hundred percent on you!"

"Yes, that's what I'm talking about! Greasy's pancakes, here we come!"

"Fine, fine... Just as long as I don't have to try my hand at that stupid strength tester for free ones, I'm in."

"Shoot... Well, that is problematic... You mind washing dishes?"

"You spend way too much time with Stan you know that?" Dipper said with affection. For a brief moment, he could feel that old Gravity Falls magic again.

End Chapter 1