War Never Ends

Chapter 1

(Dipper pov)

I jerk awake the plane shaking violently causing me to grip the armrests tightly, my breathing slightly panicked. "Shit...." I quitely curse under my breath. I jump slightly feeling a hand on my shoulder and realize that it's just the flight attendant.

"Are you alright sir?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm all good. Is the shaking normal?"

"It is. We are landing so it is perfectly normal to experiance a bit of turbulence. It will be over shortly."

She walks off as I rest my head back on the seat, still gripping the armrests tightly.

I fucking hate flying. Always had the fear of the plane crashing and my family being left to identify my charred up skeleton. But flying was the only way for me to really get home. My deployment doesn't end for a few months but I was granted permission to come home to visit my family for a month before I go back.

The plane finally lands, everyone grabbing their bags and rushing off the plane. I wait until most of the crowd has left before I stand up and grab my duffle bag from the overhead compartment. I shoulder it as I exit the plane and make my way through the airport.

Gravity Falls is too small for an airport so I had to take a plane to the nearest city and get a car to drive to Gravity Falls.

I suddenly feel a weight on my back as someone wraps their arms around my shoulders and yells loudly in my ear. "PINETREE!"

"Bill, you are fucking heavy. Get off." I finally manage to get out of his grasp before looking up at him as he smiles down at me with that smile that always makes it seem like he's up to no good.

Bill and I have been best friends since high school when my parents got divorced and our dad moved us down here with our great uncles. He is a pain in the ass sometimes and annoying to most people but I put up with his shit.

"Is that really how you say hi to someone you haven't seen in a year?"

"It's been 11 months. That isn't a year yet."

"It's close to one."

"Well maybe don't jump on me and make me go deaf like that you jerk." I playfully punch him in the shoulder, this making him laugh slightly.

"It's good to see you too."

"I am really happy to see you again, Bill. Just.....stuff over there and it was a long flight."

"Well you can tell me about it during the drive. Come on."

He leads me out of the airport to his black jeep in the parking lot. I set my bag in the back seat before climbing into the passenger seat. He starts up the car driving us out of there.

"So, what happened over there?"

"You know I can't talk about what goes on."

"Don't give specifics then. Be vague. Are you like constantly having shots fired at you and witnessing your mates being blown up?"

"No, no. It isn't anything like that. I really haven't had to use my gun at all. The village we're stationed at is a remotely peaceful one. It's just us staying there as another group wraps up some loose ends. Then in a few months I'm back here for good unless I sign up to do another tour."

"Are you going to?"

"I don't know yet. I've considered it. I know if I do, I'll be gone from Mabel longer and see some stuff I won't be able to unsee some stuff. But I can't just stay in this small town doing nothing. I want to help people."

"I get that but you can help people without putting your life in constant danger. "

"You and Mabel promised you would respect my choice."

"I do. We do. I just want you to know that you have options."

"And I know I do. But this is what I'm choosing to do."

"Okay. Oh, almost forgot." He reaches into a pocket and hands me a necklace. It's a gold metal triangle on a leather cord necklace. "Was saving it for your birthday but now is good time as any."

"This is because of the goodbye gift I gave you, isn't it?"

".....maybe...."

I laugh silently as I pull it on. Before I left, I gave Bill a necklace with a blue pine tree on it to remind him off me since he always calls me a pine tree just because of a hat I no longer wear anymore.

"Well regardless I love it."

"You really mean that and aren't just lying to make me feel better?"

"Of course I really love it."

He pulls up at the Mystery Shack. I get out grabbing my bag before walking up to the door and knocking on it.

The door opens and Mabel stands there for a moment in stunned silence, tears in her eyes.

"Hey, Mabes."

She hugs me so tightly and suddenly that it nearly sends me on my back. She lets go of me and I have to hold up my arms as she starts hitting me with the magazine in her hands.

"You stupid jerk! Why didn't you tell me you were coming home!"

"Will you just quit it for a minute?" I yank the magazine out of her hands so she will stop hitting me. "I'm not back for good yet. They let me come back for a month but then I have to go back."

"For how long?"

"Only a few months. Then I'm back home for good."

"You promise?"

"I promise." I hold out my arms. "Awkward sibling hug?"

She smiles with a small laugh. "Awkward sibling hug."

We both hug each other and pat each others backs as we say "Pat pat." at the same time just like old times. I wish this moment could just stay frozen and last forever.

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

3 months later

I stand outside one of the buildings in the village, walking a patrol of the street. It's quiet just like usual. But something doesn't feel right. I can't put my finger on it but something has the hairs on the back of my neck on edge.

"Mr. Pines!" A little girl, a local in the village, runs up to me with a letter in hand. "I was told to give this to you."

"Oh, thanks." I take the letter from her, seeing the return address was the Mystery Shack. I tear open the envelope and read the letter inside.

Hey bro-bro! Not sure if this letter will come on time but I wanted to send it and wish you a very happy 20th birthday. One more year and we can finally get some drinks to celebate like actual grown ups! I can't wait for you to come home soon. Bill has been planning something for you but he won't tell me what.

He doesn't want me to tell you this but he has something really important to talk to you about when you get home. Figured I would tell you so you have something to look forward to.

Stay safe and always with love,
                             -Mabel

I smile as I fold up the letter putting it in my pocket.

My smile fades as I notice something. I see a little girl Marcy holding something small and round in her hands. Fear sets in as I realize it doesn't have a pin in it, knowing exactly what it is.

It feels like everything slows down, my brain just stops working and instict kicks in. I run over to her, hitting the grenade out of her hands and kick it away. I push her away just as it goes off, feeling heat and pain on the entire right side of my face as the blast sends me on my back a few feet back and everything goes dark.