Colorful Darkness

Chapter 2

The brakes squeaked loudly waking Dipper from his sleep. Sitting up, he felt his heart jump in hope as he heard Mabel fumble for her belongings.

"Come on Dip." She says dully whether it be from sleep or lack of enthusiasm, Dipper still felt his heart flutter as he fumbled for his belongings and stumbled after her.

"Grunkle Stan! Grunkle Ford!" Mabel called cheerfully as Dipper hear her jump from the bus steps and most likely into their great uncles' arms.

"Hey kiddo! Been a while, you've grown quite a bit!" He heard Stan say cheerfully to Mabel while Dipper hesitantly made his way down the steps.

"Dipper." Ford says in acknowledgment as he stepped out of the bus. "How was school? Perfect grades I assume. How are your parents? Good I also assume."  Ford asked and mumbled out answers for his questions before Dipper could say anything.

"No actually Dipper failed over half his classes." Mabel said with a tone that hinted she was smiling... "and as for our parents... I'm guessing you haven't heard..."

"We haven't heard anything from the moment you both got on that bus... we've been overseas" Stan said cautiously as if he knew that whatever news he was to receive was bad.

"I hate being the one to tell you... especially so soon after seeing each other." Mabel started, her voice cracking slightly.

"Mabel." I said in slight warning, fear that she was about to spill the very thing I hoped to keep secret.

"The day we returned home, we were in a car wreck... our mother, Im afraid has passed." Mabel said slowly, a heavy feeling took over his chest and he grit his teeth harshly.

Silence followed and Dipper stood awkwardly, his head down in case either Ford or Stand glances to him.

As the silence reached on further than necessary, Mabel cleared her throat from a bit farther off and realization dawned in him as he awkwardly dragged his baggage towards the place he'd heard Mabel from.

"If your going to keep this a secret, you'd better try harder." Mabel whispered to him as he reached her.

"I'm trying." Dipper muttered but then froze as Mabel's arm went around his shoulder.

Together the twins made their way to the car and got in together.

"I'm very sorry about your mother..." Ford whispered softly it was almost inaudible.

No one spoke for a while during the drive, Dipper suspected Ford was driving since the ride was so calm compared to car rides with Stan last summer.

Suddenly a hand tapped on Dippers shoulder and as he turned to the source, he was met with cold plastic poking the sides of his face as his dark glasses were slid onto his face.

"You'll need them if you want to hide your eyes." She whispered in Dippers ear before leaning back and leaving him sitting there quietly.

It was a few more minutes before the car finally pulled to a stop and they were at the mystery shack.

"Wow, it's really been fixed up!" Mabel gasped.

Dipper scowled, wishing he could know what it looks like but made no move to ask his sister.

"Yea, Soos and his girl fixed it up all year." Stan said as he stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind him.

Mabel tapped on his shoulder a second after Stan spoke before she opened the car door and stepped out, Dipper following close behind.

"Dipper, you've been rather quiet this whole time, are you not feeling well?" Ford questioned from somewhere to his side and cause him to jump slightly.

"No, thank you Ford." Dipper said as he subtly tried to grope for Mabel's hand. It only took a few seconds till he found it but he still felt heat rise in his face knowing Ford has seen.

Putting a death grip on Mabels hand, he followed her hesitantly, tripping over the steps up onto the shacks deck. Dipper heard Stan chuckle from behind him and heat rose to his cheeks once again.

"What're ya? Blind?" Stan laughed.

Dipper just gulped audibly and let go of Mabel's hand. And using his memory of the Mystery Shack, he tried to navigate on his own.

Surprisingly enough, he'd only run into a few things before he was safely in the attic where they'd stayed their first year here.

"What's it look like?" Dipper asked Mabel who'd been over on her own side adjusting to the room once again.

"Just like before... nearly everything's the same on the inside. The outside is just fixed up a bit more." Mabel said followed by the sound of beeping which he suspected was her phone. "I'm inviting Candy and Grenda over so don't interrupt anything." She said a second later.

"I won't." Dipper muttered, his face twisted into a frown as he made his way to his side of the room.

"Mabel, is my journal in here?" He asked as he felt around the bed.

"I don't see your nerd book. Not that you'd need it anyway." She said with a sharp edge in her voice.

Once again Dipper frowned but instead of saying anything, began to make his way downstairs to ask Ford where is was.

As he reached the bottom of the steps, a familiar laughter made his heart clench. His hands clenched tightly and he gulped loudly.

Following the noise, Dipper's mind was racing with thoughts of the girl he'd loved last summer, the girl who'd plagued his thoughts all year.

Though as much as he was glad to hear her and know she was here. He didn't want her to see him. He didn't want her to find out and pity him. He didn't want her to look at him differently now with his condition.

"Dipper?" He heard her voice and his heart fluttered in his chest wildly. He could barely even speak as he felt his throat dry and tighten. Taking a breath he choked out her name.

"Wendy."