Gravity Rises (S2)

OCE: Part Five

Gideon left without getting any hot chocolate.

Dipper and Melody came out of the lab not long after he left. "Did Gideon leave, then?" Melody asked.

Mabel just stood there and stared at her.

"Woah, Mabes, what's wrong?" Dipper asked. "Was he being a jerk to you again?"

"What? No!" Mabel recoiled from Dipper as he reached out to touch her. "Dipper, he saved me!"

Dipper put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay." He looked shocked at Mabel's violent reaction, but she didn't care. "Let's. . . let's get to bed, Mabes."

"Good idea," Melody said. "You two can have your hot chocolate some other time."

Mabel's eyes widened. "The hot chocolate."

"Mabes?" Dipper asked.

She went over and sat numbly at the base of the stairs. "He didn't get any hot chocolate," she murmured.

"Well, no, I guess he wanted to leave as soon as possible to go get his amulet back," Dipper said. "But hey, more for us, right?"

Mabel shot him an incredulous look. How could he be so rude? Gideon was going back to the Manor, back to his father, and Mabel wasn't able to stop it! She couldn't even make sure he got hot chocolate before he - before he-

She broke down in tears.

She cried for lots of reasons. For herself - for the terror she'd gone through tonight. For Ford - after all that, she couldn't even rescue the first Journal. For Gideon - he ran away to save her, and she couldn't even do anything to repay him. He was going to get the brunt of his father's fury - for her.

Dipper sat down next to Mabel and put an arm around her. "It's okay, Mabes," he whispered. "You're safe. Everything's okay now."

No, it's not! She wanted to scream it out, but she couldn't. She couldn't even whisper it. She could only cry. Her shoulders heaved as Dipper held her close.

Melody came and sat next to them, joining in on the hug. The three of them sat there, with Mabel enveloped in Dipper and Melody's arms. It took a long, long time, but eventually her tears slowed, her breathing evened out.

"Let's get you two to bed," Melody said gently.

So Mabel got shakily to her feet. Melody gave both twins a hug and bade them goodnight.

Dipper took Mabel's hand. "C'mon, Mabes, let's go."

The two of them ascended the stairs, and Mabel glanced back at the door one last time before it disappeared from view.

~~~~~

Mabel woke up with rays of sunlight streaming merrily through the attic window. She'd been tossing and turning all night, plagued with nightmares. But now, with the sun brightening the room, the nightmares were swept to the corners of her memories, and she couldn't tell you specifics from them if you asked. She felt, mercifully, rested and ready to face a new day.

The sound of pounding feet came floating through the door, then stopped as they came closer. The door opened silently, and Dipper peered into the attic.

When he saw her sitting up in bed, he pushed the door open wide. "You're up! Sweet! How do you feel?"

Mabel swung her feet over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching. "Better."

"Awesome! Hey, Melody made waffles! She says it's to celebrate your safety, but I'd take waffles any day."

Mabel smiled. "Melody definitely likes to celebrate with food. Not that I'm complaining, no way."