Lullaby For Another Day [BillDip]

Shooting Stars at Dawn

The cool early morning air hung heavy around them, thick with summer moisture. The sun peeked its head just over the horizon, a crown of peach and gold against the retreating darkness. Mabel shivered slightly, refusing to meet Bill's gaze as her eyes remained trained to the dirt. Around them the trees watched with hooded eyes, trailing dark shadows across the forest floor.

He almost felt bad for making her come out here, but Mabel had insisted that they go somewhere private, so that there was no chance anyone could hear them.

"Shooting Star." Bill spoke softly, and the young girl's eyes darted upward to meet his before she looked away again, tears forming in her eyes. A soft sob escaped her lips, and her whole body was shaking.

"This, this has all happened before. Hasn't it?" Bill asked. Mabel took a long shaky breath, turning to face Bill, her dark eyes burning with determination.

"How did you find out?" She asked, her voice quivering slightly before evening out.

"Dreams, mostly. And when Dipper passed out I went into his mindscape to reseal his memories, and I saw..." Bill trailed, not really sure if she would understand. "I saw something from my dreams, I guess." Mabel said nothing, her eyes flitting over the forest floor before closing. The pair stood in silence for a long while as the area around them began to lighten. Finally Mabel opened her eyes.

"Dipper remembered." She spoke, biting off at the end as if the words hurt her.

"He... he did?" Bill asked, confusion racing through his mind. All the pieces were lying before him, clicking softly into place. The only problem was he was missing something, something that was locked away within him, deep inside.

Something he locked away himself.

"June 20th. That's when he first arrived in Gravity falls. I came right after him, only three days later to find he'd somehow gotten himself a boyfriend in that short time. Dipper of all people." Mabel snorted, shaking her head softly.

"At first I didn't make the connection. It took me a whole two months to realize that the Bill Cipher that was dating my brother was the same one who almost destroyed Gravity Falls all those years ago. Can you believe it? Two whole months!" She threw her hands in the air, laughing.

"And boy, was I upset after that. I didn't want him anywhere near you. But... I guess, in those two months, I'd grown to like you too." She met Bill's gaze with a soft smiled, her dark eyes reflecting the light of the rising sun.

"You took me out to the forest, a lot like now actually, and we talked and talked and talked. About four years ago and about the two months you'd been with Dipper. Boy, were you love struck. Whenever you talked about him your face would light up and you'd get this huge 'ol goofy grin on your face and try as I might I just couldn't hate you." Bill felt a small warmth bubble up in his chest, a feeling of familiarity and comradery.

"So our summer came to an end and Dipper and I went to college and you stayed here in Gravity Falls. Dipper bought you a cellphone, that dork, and he was constantly messaging you. I'd come back from classes and there he'd be in his room: his phone propped up as he did homework, chatting with you as you cooked or watched a movie. Geez. I couldn't even distract that boy from his homework and yet there you were. Every day." Her smile grew, eyes glowing with past memories.

"Whenever we had a break from school Dipper and I would drive down here to visit. The Spring break of our freshman year I was finally able to convince you to let me paint your house. I remember forcing you both to help me paint glow in the dark stars all over the ceiling. Your carpet looked radioactive after that. Or that summer when you actually went out and bought a king-sized bed and a futon so that Dipper and I could stay over. He was so embarrassed – his face was red in that way it gets sometimes- and you just kept laughing and laughing." She chuckled, shaking her head before her eyes focused on something just beyond Bill's shoulder.