Little Dipper

Family

As promised, they were returned to the moment they were taken from. Their gear was back on, but Mabel was holding the Time Wish. She tried to get Bill to hold it, but he reminded her he wasn't allowed to.

"So...let's find Question Mark." Bill looked around through the fog.

"Watch out!" Wendy came out of the fog and fired past them. "Someone almost got you! Don't space out! What's that?" She pointed to the glowing orb in Mabel's arms.

"It's a present for Soos!" Mabel smiled.

"We fought in Globnar! It was amazing!" Dipper said excitedly.

"Uh...huh? I'm gonna need an explanation later. Soos is over there." She pointed behind her and ran off firing at someone. "And start firing! You're leaving yourselves open!"

Bill shrugged and aimed his gun, firing at different people. "Let's find Question Mark!"

"Soos! Soos, where are you?" Mabel called, heading in the direction Wendy pointed.

–

"It's awfully pretty." Soos said, looking at the orb as they left the Laser Tag place. "A Time Wish, you said?"

"Yeah!" Mabel nodded. "I don't know why you're so sad on your birthday, but maybe this birthday wish can make everything better!"

"And you fought in...'Globnar' for it?" Soos asked her.

Mabel nodded. "Is it...is it okay? I know you don't like your birthday, Stan told me, so I didn't want to say anything before..."

"No, no! It's great! I just..." Soos looked at the orb. "...I just realized I don't need what I would've wished for. I have youse guys." He smiled at them.

"What happened to make you so sad?" Dipper asked.

"My dad....he kept promising to come for my birthdays...but he never came. I haven't seen him in so many years...he left my mom and me." Soos sighed. "I just kept getting postcards apologizing and promising to come 'next year'...so I finally decided to stop celebrating. But, I have just decided that I don't need my real dad to keep me happy on my birthday! I have you all! Let's go have a good birthday!" He pulled them all, even Bill and Wendy, into a tight hug.

"Oof! But, then what are you gonna wish for?" Bill asked.

"Uhm...oh!" Soos released them and then held the orb in his hand. It pulsated and glowed brightly and then changed into...a slice of pizza? "This thing!"

"A slice of pizza?" Bill laughed. "Question Mark, what? We can have pizza for dinner!"

"No, no! It's a never-ending, completely un-expirable slice of pizza!" Soos took a bite and it restored itself. "See? It's perfect!"

Mabel laughed. "Sounds like the perfect gift for sure!"

"Yep! Thanks, guys!" Soos hugged them again.

"Well, what do we want to actually eat for dinner, then? Because I was thinking pizza." Wendy shrugged.

"Let's take this pizza slice home first." Soos nodded sagely and headed for his truck.

Blendin came out from behind a garbage can. "He used a Time Wish for THAT?!"

"Yep. Humans, always surprising me." Bill chuckled.

–

"No." Stan stared at Blendin with an annoyed expression. "We are running out of rooms here. Soos, can he stay with you?"

"Sure!" Soos said happily.

"Good. And guess what?" Stan wrote something on a sticker and stuck it on Blendin's chest. "If you're going to be hanging around here not buying anything, you're going to work."

"But--" Blendin looked at the sticker. It had his name written down in marker. "But I—I have to watch him, I can't be away from him!"

"Can't we stick him in the basement? He can hang out with Tyrone." Bill suggested.

"Bill, we can't just stick random guys in the basement." Mabel shook her head. "Let him stay in your room!"

"Better idea, let's ask Tad if he can take him!" Bill suggested.

"Can't he get his own place?" Wendy asked.

"But, I have to--"

"We heard you, Blendin. Which is, guess what, why it's ideal for you to work here, where Bill is working!" Stan gestured around them. "Come on, whaddaya say? Gideon could use the help, with his dad being in the hospital right now."

"Well...I guess...I could." Blendin nodded. "But, I don't have any money from this time period!"

"We'll pay you." Stan waved it off. "Hey, Bill, the lizards are hungry and you know how to make their food best. Plus, Liam won't take it from anyone but you or Mabel."

Bill chuckled. "On it." He walked off to the kitchen.

"Aww, his baby loves him." Mabel smiled.

"Isn't that your baby, too?" Dipper asked.

"Technically, yeah." Mabel shrugged.

"Well, I'm gonna head out. It's getting dark." Wendy looked at Soos. "Hey, cake and stuff tomorrow?"

"Sure!" Soos smiled. "Today was fun, by the way! Thanks!"

Wendy waved and walked out.

"Maybe you should give her a ride." Stan suggested to him. "I gotta add Blendin to the payroll."

"Okay!" Soos headed out after Wendy.

"Should we get him a cell-phone?" Mabel asked.

"Doesn't he have something provided by Time Baby or whatever?" Stan asked, heading into the back.

"I don't know if it works for this time." Blendin admitted. "And I'll need clothes from this time, too...I was not expecting to be seen."

Bill poked his head in. "Just ask Gideon, he'll get you what you need. He's a master tailor." He continued on to the waiting hungry dinos and Gobblewonker.

"Gideon?" Blendin asked.

"You'll meet him tomorrow. For now, let's get you a place to sleep. Bill, can't he use the couch in your room?" Mabel asked.

Bill looked over at them with an annoyed expression. "No! Don't we have that one room the wax figures were in? I will not have a COP in my room watching me sleep!"

"It's not exactly equipped for people to sleep in." Mabel pointed out. "One night, just long enough for us to put a bed in that room. Please?"

Bill groaned and threw up his hands. "Fine! But he better not mess with my stuff! And one night only!"

"He won't. Right?" She looked at Blendin.

"I was told to watch him, not investigate him." Blendin nodded. "I time-swear not to mess with your things!"

"Fine. I'm busy, can you show him there?" Bill asked.

"Yep. Come on, Blendin." Mabel headed to the back area.