A Summer that I won't forget

Power control

POV Third

Stan has been thinking about what has been happening. He pulled Mabel to the side and asked about the Protector role in whatever they were doing.

She explained most of the things, but not Bill's backstory. She only explained that when they first made the bubble they didn't have a protector and that's why the first admit failed. It was a bubble of protection that went wrong.

Even when adding Bill's traumatic experience would make sense about why they need one now she wanted to save that for later... or take it to her grave. Either one would work.

This wasn't Stan's first time keeping an important secret. He pretended to be his brother for a long time without no one knowing. He started to think about Bill...

He hadn't don't anything wrong since he's been here. Mabel had only told him good things about him and how he's made both of them happy. He's also saved them from terrible injuries when they happen.

Even if he did want to kill Bill... it wouldn't make any sense for the situation that his family is in. Dipper has always had these magical powers, but they never developed properly because he grew up in a non-magical place. He needed Dipper to learn how to control his powers, but he couldn't do it and wouldn't let Ford teach him.

He also thought about the kid's happiness...  it would destroy them, but especially Dipper from what Mabel had told him about their 'friendship'. They were so close...

He had to help the kids because he can't risk them getting hurt. He just needed to figure out a way to not get too many people involved or the whole town from finding out.

Yesterday has been a day.

Mabel and Stan were waiting for Dipper to come down the stairs. He bought multiple fire extinguishers and placed them around the house just in case. Mabel knew where they all were just in case he wants there. They did live the in woods after all.

Dipper walked down the stairs slowly and headed to the kitchen. There was an awkward silence at first before they noticed that he didn't look upset at all.

His eyes were red and puffy from crying, the shack wasn't on fire at well during the night, and he didn't not leave his room.

They both looked at each other and both assumed that Bill had appeared before he went into a complete mental breakdown. Stan and Mabel didn't know how to cover up a burned-down shack and the forest.

"Morning Dippin Dots," Mabel smiled.
"Morning," Dipper yawned softly as he went to grab juice.
"How did you sleep?" Mabel asked.
"I slept okay," Dipper mumbled softly, "How about you guys?"
Stan didn't want to have awkward small talk, "Are you feeling okay? Especially from what happened."

Dipper placed his hands flat on the counter as his back faced them.

"Everything is fine," Dipper quickly said, "I don't want to talk about it."
"Dippy," Mabel got up and touched his shoulder, "You might find it helpful to talk about."
"No thanks, Mabel," Dipper mumbled, "I would rather not."
"Okay," Mabel said, "Did he show up yesterday?"
"Yeah," Dipper answered, "We talked... he answered questions that I had."
"Like what?" Stan asked.
"He's planning to help me control my power, but for safety reasons, we won't do it in this realm." He told them as he turned around, "I don't want to hurt anyone here, also Ford might find out with his tech. I can't risk it."
"You can't go to another realm," Stan told him, "What if you get stuck in there or worse?"
"I've been to other realms before and I've always come back," Dipper told him, "He's taken me and he has kept me safe. I won't get stuck."
"But what if you do?" Stan said, "We won't be able to get you back."
"Grunkle Stan?" Mabel said, "I know Dipper isn't going to magically disappear. He'll come back because he's going to be with him. He'll never hurt Dipper in any way and I trust him."
Stan's hand started to shake, "I'm just worried that what if you can't leave the realm... we won't be able to save you unless-"
Dipper sat next to Grunkle Stan, "Why are you worried? Actually... it feels like it really isn't about me that much."
"Ford ended up stuck in another realm and it took me years to get him back," Stan told him, "I'm just worried that it would take us years to get you back. You'll end up just like Ford but less like an asshole- maybe."
"Don't worry," Mabel hugged Stan, "He wouldn't let Dipper stay in another realm for too long. Even if we do we both have necklaces that keep us from going crazy. Depending on the realm."
"Where did you get those?" Stan questioned.
"Bill," They both answered.
"Magic tent lady," Mabel showed him another one.
"It looks very familiar," Stan mumbled.
"It kind of looks like Gideons but Pink," Dipper pointed out.
"It does," Stan agreed.