Alternate Ending (BillDip)

- 9 -

Thanksgiving approached much faster than anyone could have hoped. Dipper was constantly on edge, which caused him to become sick. He was  taking tons of medicine, trying to get better before the day came. Bill devoted all his attention to his sick partner, doing anything in his ability to try to help. The thing that helped him the most, however, was Bill's ability to show Dipper calming images, which helped him to fall asleep at night.

Mabel and Dallas helped with cooking and cleaning while Dipper was incapacitated. The night before Thanksgiving, Dipper had fallen asleep before dinner, and Bill was resting on the couch. He had never felt so exhausted in his life.
     "It's amazing," Mabel started as she sat next to Bill, who had his eyes closed, "The way you two interact. It's like nothing I've ever seen."

"I'm sure people said that about you and Pine Tree when you were younger, too," Bill smiled, his eyes still closed.

"Well, of course. But we aren't like that anymore. After I left for college, we stopped talking. I only saw him around Christmas, and I called him on his birthday... I lost him," Mabel explained.

Bill shrugged, "It happens with most siblings I've met. As children, you are very close. You have to be, because it is expected of you. When you're adults, you learn you have different ideals, different morals. Suddenly you aren't as close as you thought."

Mabel turned to Bill, "You act like you would know."

"I was very close with Ford. Even though I was using him, he told me everything. I know what happened between him and Stanley, and I've seen it throughout time with many people. That's just how it is."

Mabel turned away, resting her head against the cushion. Was she going to turn out like Stan? Suddenly she wished she hadn't said anything to the demon she shared the couch with.

~

The morning of Thanksgiving, Dipper woke up very early and showered. He had turned on some soft piano music to listen to while he stood in the hot water that scalded his skin. Dipper felt miserable; his stomach churned repeatedly, and he was afraid of becoming sick again. He wasn't really taking a shower either, but rather standing in the water thinking about all the terrible things that could happen. He wasn't all that concerned about what Stan would think because they didn't have much of a history. However, Ford...

Dipper washed his hair with a soap that smelt like lavender and vanilla. He was never really fond of soap intended for men; all of it reminded him of being bullied by Robbie. He didn't want to turn into that kind of person, so he used soaps he liked despite what anyone else said.

Ford would be furious, he knew that for sure. Bill tricked him time and time again to get what he wanted. But Ford cared for Dipper...would that change anything? Dipper grabbed a bar of soap from a little rack hanging from the shower head. He scrubbed his skin until he was in pain, hoping Bill's scent would disappear. The soap didn't mask the bruises that covered his neck...his torso...his waist...

He washed his face, and rinsed with cold water. He was finally awake, and he was more terrified than ever.

There was a soft knock on the door. "Pine Tree, can I come in?" Bill asked from the other side. Dipper unlocked the knob and in walked a groggy man, rubbing his eye.

"Sorry if I woke you, but I couldn't sleep," Dipper whispered while combing his hair. "I can't stop thinking about Ford."

Bill sat on the edge of the bathtub and smiled sleepily. "Didn't I tell you to stop worrying? Everything will be fine, Dipper. Mabel is behind us. What can go wrong?"

Dipper chuckled darkly, "Do you want the list?"

Bill frowned and stood back up. He took the sweater folded neatly on the counter in front of Dipper and analyzed it. Red argyle, one of Bill's favorites. "You're going to look very dashing. I wonder what I should wear."

"You look good in anything," Dipper muttered, grabbing the sweater and putting in on.

Bill smiled and faced Dipper, running his fingers lightly down his neck. "You really should wear a scarf or jacket." A grin spread across Dipper's face, and he wrapped his arms around the demon.

Once he was dressed, the two walked out of the bathroom together and into the kitchen where Dipper made a large pot of hazelnut coffee.

Bill picked up a book he had been reading and sat across the dining table from his boyfriend. "Despite what you think, I have a very good feeling about today."

~

It was nearly noon. Dipper, Bill, Mabel, and Dallas all loaded into Dipper's truck, and sped down the dirt road. Dipper gripped the wheel so violently that his knuckles were completely white. Mabel and Dallas were chatting mindlessly in the back seat about various things they had to complete when they returned home, and Bill was silent in the passenger seat. He frequently looked over at Dipper to check on him, but never said a word.

Soon enough they were pulling into the driveway of the Mystery Shack. Soos and Melody were standing on the front porch, waving madly. When Dipper saw the two together, he felt instant joy. He yanked the key from the ignition and ran to greet his old friend, who had changed a considerable amount. He no longer looked like the baby-faced handyman, but had grown nicely into the character of Mr. Mystery. He also greeted Melody, Soos' wife of three years. Dipper didn't know her very well, but he knew they were a perfect fit.

The group walked into the shack. It was much cleaner than Dipper remembered it, but Stan was no longer the owner. The aroma of turkey and pumpkin pie filled the air; Dipper inhaled deeply, trying to burn the memory into his brain before it was blown apart. He reached for Bill's hand, only because he noticed how fearful his partner seems. They migrated to the kitchen, where Ford was stirring something in a pot on the stove. Stan, who was seated at the table, was the first to notice the crew, and a large smile spread across his wrinkled face.

He had lost a considerable amount of weight, probably from being on the road for such a long time. His ears and nose seemed larger while his eyes were smaller. "Kids!" Stan growled as he stood from the table. He walked over and embraced his niece and nephew.

Everything was wonderful. Until he saw Bill.