Dipcifica: New summer, New start...

Chapter 4: The Mystery Shack

Hey guys! Wow! Lots of updates! I'm really enjoying the storyline, so...

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Dipper's POV, 4:00 pm, same afternoon.

    Dipper opened the door and slapped his hand to his mouth before he could scream. In front of him stood Pacifica, bedraggled and hair matted, her hands pitifully raw and eyes sunken. Ash was smudged on her cheeks, her vest was torn, and angry, red burns covered her body. And most of all, she held her left arm cradled in her right, unable to move it. Dipper could have sworn she looked like she had been mauled by a fire-breathing bear.

    "Pacifica!" Was the first thing he managed to blurt out, his voice a mixture of surprise, horror, and relief. She nodded weakly.

"Yep. That's me."

    "here, let me help you." Dipper let her slip her right arm over his head as he helped her to the couch and allowed her to lay down. Mabel leaped up.

"PACIFICA!" She screamed, and Pacifica slightly opened one eye. Mabel rushed over and stood anxiously over her. "What happened, are you going to be okay? Here, lemme get you some water." She rushed to the kitchen, calling, "SOOS! SOOS!"

    Pacifica coughed. Hard. Her voice was scratchy and faint. "I'm really sorry to get in you guy's hair," she sighed, regretfully, before breaking into coughs once more.

Dipper Squeezed her hand. "It's not your fault." He paused before quickly saying, "and don't worry, you're not bothering anyone."

She smiled slightly. "Thanks for the help."

          Pacifica's POV, later that day.

She shakily got up, steadied by Dipper, and was helped up the stairs. "You can sleep here," Dipper said, pointing to an air mattress he and Mabel had set up. Pacifica couldn't help but stare at the battered and stained mattress with a bit of dislike...she couldn't help it.

"Thanks so much. But, if I'm going to be any trouble-"

             "No." Dipper and Mabel said firmly. "You are staying and that's final," Mabel declared, helping Pacifica so she wouldn't put weight on her broken arm. Pacifica met Dipper's eyes and looked away, blushing. She couldn't keep her crush on him, she still remembered him forgetting her a night ago. But when she looked back her gave her a sincere smile and she smacked her face into her pillow to keep herself from grinning.

            Dipper's POV: 3:00 am

Dipper stared at the ceiling. He could hear Pacifica snoring loudly, tossing and turning on the most likely flea-infested mattress. He could see Her and Mabel's outlines in the moonlight, faint silver against darkness. This whole day had been odd...Especially the looks Pacifica have him. Like she was mad but grateful at the same time. That's probably the case, He thought to himself. Who wouldn't be grateful, but at the same time, he thought, and who wouldn't be mad for being nearly forgotten over the school year.

    He glanced back at the sleeping Northwest. She...had never been especially kind to him. Had never really showed her appreciation. But somehow Dipper still cared about her. He smiled into the dark, and his journal entry popped back into his mind. 'When she hugs you, she smells like champagne and flowers. Is it just me, or is there a vibe going on?' He remembered his surprise at Pacifca's change of heart at the mansion. And the awkward feeling after she hugged him.

He slowly got out of bed. Pacifica's heavy breathing was too distracting for him to fall asleep. So he got to work.