Runaway

Chapter 10

(Dipper pov)

I clock out of work and pull my jacket on, my feet insanely sore but in a good way. I'm glad to be working again instead of just sitting around not doing anything all day. I enjoy the productivity and it's a job that I love with my whole being.

I go across the street to the diner like I do everyday since I got this job to meet up with Mabel. The minute she sees me she runs up to me hugging me tightly nearly knocking me over.

After I manage to peel her off of me we sit at our usual table. "So? How was work?"

"It was fine, Mabel. Tiring, but in a really really good way."

"That's good. How are things with Bill going?"

"Things are going great with him. He's just.....he's everything I need to help me get my stuff figured out."

"Dad called me last night asking about you."

"Why?"

"He said that Mark called him, saying that you were missing and wanted to know if we had heard from you. Dad said he hadn't and I of course told dad that I hadn't heard anything from you either. Dad is worried though, you should talk to him and let me know what's going on. Tell him the truth about Mark and everything."

I can't make myself answer, my hands clenching my knees tightly as my blood goes icey cold. He knows that I'm in this city? But how?! I went through so much work giving him a false trail that lead away from me. Just fucking how did he figure out that I'm in this city specifically?!

"....Dipper?" Mabel reaches for me but I jerk away as I rise out of my seat, the chair loudly getting knocked over behind me.

"I-I have to go....I'm sorry...."

I rush out of there before she can say anything, rushing down the sidewalk as fast as I can desperate to get away from even the thought of Mark knowing that I'm here.

What if he actually goes after Mabel to try and find me? What if he hurts her when she doesn't tell him where I am? What if he does find me? He will do unspeakable things to me for being with Bill! And Bill....oh fuck, I can't even imagive what he'll do to him.

I stop walking feeling tears stinging my cheeks as my hands clench my shirt, it getting harder and almost impossible to breathe. My eyes glance around and the panic only gets worse as ever guy's face I see pass by me looks like Mark. I stumble into an alley and lean against the wall sliding down to the ground desparately trying to make my lungs work as darkness overtakes everything.

................................................

I feel someone shaking my shoulder gently making me groan, everything sore and uncomfortable. Opening my eyes everything is blurry and it takes me blinking a few times to finally recognize Bill's worried expression.

"Thank god your okay, Dipper."

"Bill? What are you doing here?" I glance up and realize that the night stars and moon are out.

"You didn't come home and I got worried that something happened. You weren't picking up your phone and Mabel said she hadn't seen you since you left the diner hours ago. I've been searching everywhere you might go. Hey, what's wrong?" It isn't until he holds my face in his hands that I realize that I'm even crying.

".......he knows I'm here.....he knows that I'm not in San Fransisco.....he's going to come after me."

"Hey, it's going to be okay. We'll figure it out."

"How? He's a monster with no limits. He doesn't let anything or anyone ever get in his way."

"What if we went to the police? Maybe they could help?"

"No! He's a cop so they'll just side with him and tell me that I was stupid to ever leave him! They'll just hold me and wait for him to come and get me!"

"Dipper, calm down, please. We will work it out together, I promise. I will not let him take you away from me. Trust me on that." He wipes my tears away and kisses my forehead softly before he helps me up to my feet and putting his arm around my shoulders he leads me back home.

We get into the apartment and I instantly lock every lock on the door. Bill rubs my shoulder and kisses the back of my head gently.

"You want me to warm you up some dinner? Then maybe we can relax with a movie?"

"Yeah....yeah that sounds good."

He heads into the kitchen as I go to the living room picking up the remote turning the tv on to pick a movie.

As I'm clicking through different channels trying to find a good movie when a news broadcast spills onto the screen and the remote nearly falls from my hands in horror at what I see.

The news is talking about a body found in the alley behind the diner, not too far from where Bill had found me. But what's worse is when they say the identity of the body: Mabel Pines.

Everything goes numb and all noise around me just stops altogether. I feel the tears falling down my cheeks as I fall to my knees. No no no no no! This can't be fucking happening it just can't!

I feel Bill wrap his arms wround me from behind and pull me back against his chest as I just helplessly sob.

"Sh-She's gone! He fucking killed her!" I feel him run his hand through my hair trying to help calm me down with not much success.

"I've got you, Dipper, I've got you...I know you didn't want to earlier, but I really really think now is the time to go to the police. Tell them about what happened to you and about how dangerous he is."

"I can't! They would just-"

"Just because Mark and his friends were bad cops doesn't mean that every cop is that way. You don't have to tell them much, just the minimum so they understand that Mark is dangerous. They can help protect you. Just please let other people around you help you."

".....can you promise that they won't be like him?"

"I promise."