If I can't Get to Heaven

Nothing Really Stays

"What's up, Pinetree?"

Dipper pines stood open mouthed in front of the door to the Mystery Shack. It had been such a long time since he had returned. He was 16 now, and his parents had urged him to get a job for the summer, though it really wasn't his scene. He told them that he and Mabel would go work for their Grunkle Stan, but he was lying. He had expected everything to change. For Ford to have taken down all of the cheap "Mystery Shack" junk and turn it back into his home. He expected all the great problems he had once had to deal with to be gone. But no. It was all still here. All the "strange and rare creatures" that Stan used to exploit the public, all of the same people he once knew stood at the door to greet him. And by all, he meant ALL.

"BILL?" He said in disbelief.

To his surprise, it was Stan who answered. "Yeah! Can you believe it kid?"

"Grunkle Stan, what the hell is he doing here?" He continued, gesturing towards the human version of his old enemy.

"Well, come on inside and I'll explain." So Dipper and Mabel followed Stan and Ford into the shack, carrying their bags for the summer.

"Wow Stan!" Dipper heard Mabel say, as they stepped into the old gift shop. "It's like nothing's changed! I love it!"

At this, Dipper had to smile. Mabel always made him smile. It was always good to know that even at 16, she still retained her child-like personality. He guessed she would never really mature, and he had no problem with that. But it really was as though nothing had changed.

"Grunkle Ford, I thought you were getting rid of all this?"

"Well, I had a talk with Stan," he replied. "I agreed to let him keep up his Mystery Shack, if he agreed to stay out of my work downstairs. It was a simple deal really, and we're both good where we are. I'm actually a bit glad that the Mystery Shack hasn't changed." He then looked over at his nephew. "Can't say the same about you though!" He chuckled, playfully punching him on the arm.

Dipper smiled and rubbed his hand on the back of his head, out of bashfulness. It was true he had changed. Instead of that nerdy vest he used to wear, he now wore a blue hoodie instead, and he upgraded to jeans instead of shorts. He even went and got a few tattoos (though he did get some glares from people for being so young ). As much as he had changed, however, he would never get rid of the hat he got from Stan on the first days of summer.

"Hey. Yeah, I guess I have changed haven't I?"

At that moment, he caught a glance over at the front rest of the gift shop. "Wendy!"

The redhead looked up from the magazine she was reading.

"Heeeey! Dippin' sauce! You made it!" She walked over, and they shared a hug. "Man you look great."

"Heh, don't go hitting on me now, Corduroy," he joked. "I was over you ages ago." They both laughed for a while, before Stan walked into the room.

"Dipper, you joinin' me or not?"

"Comin'!"

At that moment Mabel also popped in. "Wendy!"

Dipper walked out and let Mabel and Wendy talk for a while. He followed Stan into the kitchen, where they sat down on the table.

"About Cypher," Stan explained, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Ford came up to me one day and gave me the news that he wasn't entirely gone. Some of his power still remained, but he has no way of regaining that power. To make sure of it, we found a way to trap him in-"

"A human body." Dipper recognized that shrill voice anywhere. He turned around and saw the dream demon floating nonchalantly into the kitchen, the usual grin on his face. Dipper took a moment to look him over. He had a yellow hoodie on, and open over a black tank-top with a brick pattern on it, and simple skin color cargo shorts. What caught his eye were his tattoos. He had what resembled his summoning circle wrapped around his ankle. At this Dipper's eyes widened and he took a glance at his arm. He had the same tattoo. He quickly put his hoodie back on, covering it up before Bill could see it.