A Life Before (Ended)

Chapter 18

Dipper lied on his bed, his arm behind his head. He had had another dream, yet this one felt different. As though he had seen something he shouldn't have.

Figuring it would help, he grabbed his notebook and began to write in it. He wrote about the dream, making sure to underline anything about the dream that seemed off.

He looked over the page once he was done, reading it through. It took him a few reads to realize what it was that was so wrong.

He grabbed the book, reading the passage over again carefully. 'Pharaoh looked down at me, tears trailing down his cheeks. He looked at me with his golden eyes. He said something to me, but I couldn't hear anything. Pharaoh turned away, everything turning red. No. Pharaoh was turning red.'

He stopped, his brain working on overdrive. Gold eyes. Turning red. And his appearance. Dipper felt his stomach drop. Then he felt something else. Something boiling deep inside of him.

Dipper got up, quickly leaving his room. He had reached the main floor when he heard someone calling him. He didn't stop to talk with them, instead storming out of the shack.

Bill was standing by a tree outside the barrier, frowning when he saw his Pine tree walking over to him in a bad mood.

He was about to ask what was wrong when he felt someone collide with his jaw, sending him to the ground. Looking up, he saw Dipper standing over him. The rest of the Pines were standing at the door in shock.

"You... You manipulative..." Dipper was shaking with anger. "I trusted you! I kept saying that you changed! I thought you were different... But you're not!"

Bill stood up, wanting to comfort the shaking teen. "Dipper, I..." "Shut up! I don't know what you thought you'd get out of this, but I'm done! Leave me and my family alone."

Dipper turned to leave, but Bill grabbed his arm. "Sapling, what are you talking about? I haven't..." Dipper pulled his arm away, glaring at the demon. "I know, Cipher! Did you think I'd never find out? No, wait, let me guess, you were hoping I would and that my feelings as Asteraki would cloud any and all judgement!"

Dipper was clearly furious, but Bill could still see the pain in the boy's eyes. "I thought you loved me... But everything... It was just another one of your lies!"

"Sapling, wait. Please, let me explain." He finally understood what Dipper meant. He was angry at himself for not telling Dipper the truth. "Please, Dipper."

Dipper shook his head, back away. "I can't hear any more lies, Bill... Just... Just stay away from me... I don't want to see you ever again..."

Bill stared at Dipper in disbelief as said teen ran back into the shack. He didn't stop as Bill or his family called for him. He just went to his bed and cried.

***

It was dark out when Dipper woke. He looked around but didn't see Mabel. "Can't be that late then..." He said softly, slowly getting out of bed.

He made his way down to the kitchen, finding Stan and Ford sitting at the table. "Dipper. How are you feeling?" He shrugged, sitting down at the table. "Where's Mabel?" He asked, noticing her absent.

"She said she was sleeping over with the girls tonight." Ford said, seeming confused about the statement. "She's with Candy and Grenda." Dipper said, clearing up Ford's confusion.

"Dipper. I know you don't want to talk about it..." Dipper frowned at his grunkles. "But what happened between you and Cipher this morning?"

Dipper looked down at the table. He figured that they had heard everything, but didn't understand all of it. "I... I'm still trying to figure everything out..."

Ford opening his mouth to ask more questions, but Stan stopped him. "Take your time, Dipper. Bill kind of disappeared after you yelled at him."

Dipper looked up, surprised by this. He had figured Bill wouldn't dropped the act. Yet he had just left. "Mabel said he seemed upset. I don't really care. Hopefully now he'll leave us alone. At least long enough for you two to head home."

Dipper looked at Ford confused. "Grunkle Ford, did you know about the barrier around Gravity Falls?" Ford nodded, pulling out one of his new notebooks. "I learned about it years ago. Studied it enough to learn how to take it down."

Dipper looked down. Had that been what Bill was after? He knew he couldn't get to Ford, so had he gone after Dipper? That was all Bill wanted. Had he even really cared?

"Dipper, Stan and I were just about to get up. We put your dinner in the fridge. Eat up then get some more sleep." Ford clapped a hand on Dipper's shoulder before he and Stan left.

Dipper sat for a little longer before deciding to listen to Ford. He quickly ate his dinner plus some fruit before heading back to his room.

***

"What flavour should out cake be?" Mabel asked Dipper. She could tell her brother was still upset over Bill and had hoped that planning their party would help.

"I don't really care..." Dipper said, looking out the window. Mabel looked at her brother, frowning. She knew he wouldn't get over it in a day, but she had hoped that she could at least distract him.

She looked down at her list. She had written down everything that needed to be done for their seventeenth birthday party. She just wished that Dipper could be a little more excited. Or helpful.

"Come on, Dip Dot. It's our party. If I decided everything you'll hate it." Mabel said, hoping to get his attention. She knew she when he looked over.

"Sorry, Mabel. I'm just not in the mood for a birthday party." He saw her beginning to frown and stopped himself. "I'm sorry, Mabel. Just... Not today..."

Dipper got up, heading back up to their room. Mabel watched him as he left, not even noticing that Stan and Ford had walked in. They had seen Dipper leaving, noticing that he was still acting distant.

"I thought he'd have gotten better by now." Ford said, looking to his twin. "Kid lets his feeling cloud his judgement. He's going to be upset about this for a while."

Mabel frowned. Their birthday was in four days and Dipper seemed to want nothing to do with it. He didn't seem like himself. And she knew why.

"I have an idea... But you won't like it..." Mabel said, looking at her grunkles. "What is it, pumpkin?" Stan asked, Ford looked over as well, just as curious as his twin. "We have to get Dipper to talk to Bill."