Missing

Bonding and Talking

Amelia honestly didn't remember how she lost the eye.

She had arrived at Gravity Falls a week ago. Ford and Stan ran the Shack together. Melody and Soos had moved to Portland to start a family. Her reason for coming was quick to spread.

She had stopped by the police station to pick up the copy of the police report that Sheriff Blubs had promised her. People in Gravity Falls adored the twins, and they knew that there was a chance.

The fact that someone was willing to take that chance had won the support of the town.

Toby Determined had stopped her, handing her a copy of the newspaper from that week. She had thanked him as she headed into the diner. An hour later, she had started to head home.

Then blackness.

She had awoken on the Shack's doorstep to Ford's screaming. There was blood dripping down her cheek. Then she realized her eye was gone with an unsurprising amount of pain. The newspaper and police report were burnt ashes in her pocket, along with a note.

STOP LOOKING

Amelia was off to a bad start.

There had been no trace of the twins, the report had said. No footprints, no bodies, nothing. No sign of struggle or reasons for them to run away. All that was found was Dipper's pine tree hat and a blue journal with a pine tree on the cover.

Looking through the book, she had found Bill Cipher's page.

That led to here.

The tea soaking her skin was nothing compared to the demon's nasty glare. (That was also unsurprising. He had been turned to stone for six years by her family.) "So, what? Is Pine Tree gonna-"

"Dipper and Mabel Pines have been presumed dead for six years."

Silence.

"What?"

"They disappeared six years ago. No bodies, no trace. You're going to help me find them."

The demon laughter was echoing, dark. "Give me a good reason to-" He stopped. "You... you bound us."

With my blood, I bind you...

"Yes." Amelia touched the cheek under her missing eye. She really needed to cover this up. It was a good source of blood though. "I read about bonds. I know you have to help me." She took a step forward. "I know Dipper and Mabel were your dearest enemies. You can exit the Mindscape, make a body."

She held out a hand.

"Just help me."

There was silence. Bill stared at her, seeming to try to decide if she was serious. She stared back.

She was.

"Deal."

Hands a lit with blue fire, they shook.