She WAS My Sister (an Adoption AU story)

Chapter 4: Being Orphaned with Mabel

Dipper barely spoke at lunch. He just sat there eating his food while Mabel and Pacifica talked to each other. It was funny, when he first came to this town, he never imagined he'd end up becoming good friends with her, let alone see his own daughter become friends with her too.

Truth was, he really wanted to speak. He wanted to talk with them. But how could he when he had to prepare himself to relive his final years with Mabel. Life had taken a turn for the worst after that one day at the end of the first summer. But as the dust settled, he and Mabel had learned to accept the new reality they were cast into.

But it hurt Dipper that he was able to live such a successful life. A life he had once never thought about. After all, he had told Ford he never really knew what he wanted to do in the future. Mabel on the other hand had dreams. Dreams of going to art school. Dreams of having a family and dreams of seeing the world. But in the end, she never lived to even graduate high school. 

The thought of having to relive that made him scared. Was he ready to face those memories he had repressed so hard for so long again? Would he cry the second he remembered? Was it right to make his daughter witness such a sight?

Dipper's train of thought was interrupted when Mabel started tugging on his shirt, "hey dad, I'm done. Can we go to that place now?" she asked.

"Oh. Uh, yeah, sure. Come on sweetie," said Dipper.

"Oh, where are you both heading off to?" asked Pacifica.

Dipper looked back to her, "Hey uh, Mabel, why don't you go wait for me in the car. I'll be a minute," he said.

Mabel nodded her head and left.

Once she was gone, Dipper spoke, "Well. Earlier today we were both cleaning out the attic when...when she found Mabel's old scrapbook."

Upon hearing that, Pacifica felt the tug of emotions Dipper must have been feeling as well, given how taken aback she was at hearing that.

"Oh my goodness. How are you handling it?" she asked.

"Much better than last time she asked me about her," he said, "She wants to know. And this time I've decided not to stay silent. I'm telling her everything now. No holding back."

"Even...even you know what?" asked Pacifica.

"Yes. I'm gonna tell her about Brad and Janice. What choice do I have?" replied Dipper.

"Why are you hurting yourself like this, Dipper? Mabel's still a kid. She doesn't need to know all this yet."

"That's what Grunkle Stan said when I asked him if Gravity Falls really was weird. He told me I'm just a kid and I don't need to know this stuff yet," said Dipper.

"But that's different to talking about well...your life story," said Pacifica, "You think she can handle it? You're about to tell her the parts that even I cried over."

"Trust me, Mabel's different. She's much stronger than me emotionally. I'd say she gets that from Wendy. I just hope I'll be able to pull through this time. She deserves to know and I need to be able to tell her without crying."

Pacifica gave him a hug, "it'll be alright," she said, "Trust me. You might even feel much better afterwards. You know how Mabel used to say that talking about your problems to someone who cares for you is the best way to get over them. That's how I got over my fear of talking back to my parents."

Dipper smiled, "Yeah. She always was good with that life advice. Thanks Pacifica. Oh, that reminds me, the bill."

Pacifica grabbed Dipper's hand as he reached for his wallet, "hey, don't worry. It's on the house. Now go and tell her the story!"