In The End

Stressed Out

Vulnerable.
If one were to describe the feeling that Dipper felt, it would be vulnerable.
Pacifica and Dipper hadn't talked much about what had happened the other night. It was clear that Pacifica had wanted to bring it up, but how does one even begin to question something like what had happened that night?
While Pacifica wanted answers, she could tell from Dipper's look that not even he knew what had happened.
Instead of talking or doing much of anything, they just quickly packed up and took off. The light show that was Dipper was sure to attract unwanted attention.
So a two uneventful days later, they were still walking.
"We're close to the next town," Pacifica said, breaking the silence between them.
"We should probably get some supplies then," Dipper said, "And hopefully we can find another car."
Pacifica nodded and said, "Exactly what I was thinking."
They walked a few paces.
"So...," Pacifica broke the silence, "It's been a calm two days, huh?"
Dipper stopped quickly and looked around. After a while, he ran to a tree and knocked on it three times.
"Yeah, it has," he said when he came back.
"What the hell was all that about?" Pacifica asked.
"Oh," Dipper sheepishly replied, "well we don't want to jinx it so I learned that if you say something good like that out loud, you should knock on wood three times to make sure it stays that way."
Pacifica gave him a weird look before chuckling and eventually laughing out loud.
Dipper felt a little embarrassed but then eventually started laughing with her as well.
"Who taught you that?" Pacifica said in between laughs.
Dipper's laughter went down a little before he answered, "Who do you think?"
Pacifica's laughter slowly came to a stop as she realized who he was referring to.
"Tell me about him," she said after another moment of silence.
Dipper thought for a moment and then began to keep walking forward.
"Hey," Pacifica started apologizing, "I'm sorry if it's-"
"No," Dipper said, "I want to talk about him.
"He was a good con man, that's for sure. He once tricked an officer into letting him teach a bear how to drive."
Pacifica looked amazed.
"No way!"
"Yup," Dipper continued, "showed the officer a note that he had made at that split second. The officer believed him and let him go.
"But he wasn't just a good con man," Dipper said, his tone and face suddenly turning softer, "He was also a good mentor. He made me chop wood once for a whole week. At first I thought it was just him picking on me and being a dick, but I eventually found out that he was just trying to make me stronger.
"Another time, the day before Great Uncle Ford showed up actually, we found a stash of bottle rockets and fireworks and things like that. Grunkle Stan found us and made sure we didn't blow them up without him."
Pacifica noticed a gleam coming from the corner of Dipper's eye. She felt something cool leave her eye as well and leave a streak across her cheek.
"He told us, Mabel and I-" Dipper's voice began to crack- "he told us, 'oh no you don't' and for a moment I was scared that we were in trouble, but then he said, 'not without me!'"
Dipper finally let tears fall from his eyes.
Pacifica felt another streak go down her cheeks.
Dipper stopped walking and stood there, tears falling from his eyes.
"He said, 'not without me!'" Dipper continued, "not without him! We had ice cream and soda on the roof, I think we even set a tree or a car or something or everything on fire!" Dipper laughed at the memory and took a deep but shaky breathe.
"Not without me..." Dipper said, "that's what Stan told me, but..."
Dipper was not holding back anymore. His tears had a carved veins through the grime, dust, and soot on his face.
Pacifica didn't need him to finish the thought. She understood where he was going with it. Not without Stan, and yet, here they were. Without Stan.
Dipper turned and gazed into Pacifica's eyes.
They held each other's gaze for a while, tears streaming down their faces.
Pacifica went to him and embraced Dipper in her arms.
Dipper was taken aback but relaxed and hugged her back.
He held her as she began to sob and bury her face in his chest.
"I miss my parents," she said, "I miss Stan. I miss Mabel. I miss everyone. I missed you."
Dipper held her.
He realized that although he had gone through hell, so had she. Pacifica had been left alone to survive. She was left with no one and it was finally catching up to her. She had finally felt it and realized that her loneliness was real.
It was as if though at this moment she had realized, all this is real, and there's no changing it.
So Dipper said nothing and simply held her as she cried and sobbed into his chest. Pacifica felt Dipper's tears on her head like raindrops. She welcomed them and held onto Dipper even tighter.
They stood there in the middle of a road, and finally let their feelings, tears, and emotions, that had been building up inside, they finally let them out.

Night had come and the stars were out. The moon was full and the breeze was cool. Dipper was lying on the floor, his head resting on his backpack.
Pacifica was also lying on the floor, covering herself with the blanket. Dipper had insisted that it was her turn to use it, so she obliged.
They were lying next to each other but facing away.
"Still awake?" Dipper asked.
"Yes," Pacifica answered, "aren't you cold?"
Dipper replied, "Not really, how about you?"
"A little," Pacifica said, " the blanket only barely gives warmth."
They stayed in silence for a bit before Dipper said, "Maybe if I...?"
Dipper trailed off.
"Hold me...?" Pacifica continued.
"... I can warm you up?" Dipper finished.
Pacifica paused for a moment before saying, "Yeah, okay."
They turned to face each other. Pacifica put half the blanket on top of Dipper and he put his arms around her.
"Dipper..." Pacifica began
"Yeah?" Dipper said.
Pacifica leaned in and kissed Dipper.
Their lips were locked together for a while before separating.
She looked into his eyes. They kept each other's gaze until they both fell asleep.
But their peaceful sleep was soon interrupted when they heard the sound of a scream echo through the forest.