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Chapter 13

Mabel found it harder to sit in silence waiting for her great uncle to say something. She couldn't understand why Stan was so adamant about showing her random documents before she became friends with Pacifica — something she had already been for years.

"Grunkle Stan. . ?"

He didn't look her in the eye. It was worrying. What could possibly be so bad that even Stan couldn't bear to see his own soul in the eyes of someone else? He nearly caused the end of the world, after all and Mabel still trusted him. Unless he was ready to say something along the lines of: "I killed someone", Mabel didn't see the reason behind the embarrassment.

"Look, kid. I really didn't want you or Dipper to find out about this. Honest. I just want you to know that none of this is your guys' fault." Stan sighed and opened the folder. Several complicated-looking documents sat inside. On top of them all was a contract signed by both Stan, Ford, and the Northwest heads.

"What is that?" Mabel got a closer look.

"A contract with the Northwest family. . . A month or so after you kids went back home, the Northwests became openly furious about the damage done. Because of the journals, the entire town was left in ruins. McGucket moved into their mansion, so you could imagine how that went down. And because a huge amount of money was thanks to Bill, they lost it. They became something like middle-class at best and they were looking for someone to blame. They settled on you guys and demanded to know where you live so you could repay all the damage. Of course, I wouldn't tell them, so they were forced to make a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"Well, Preston and Priscilla didn't want their family name tarnished by ours. That little birthday celebration we had before you left. . .Pacifica wasn't allowed to be there. She snuck in, which of course, made them even more livid with you and Dipper. They forbade her from contacting you again, and if you were to try, they'd have you killed." Mabel's face paled. Although she knew Pacifica would never take part, her parents were a different story. The lengths they would go to was borderline frightening.

Not to mention, she and Dipper saw Pacifica at the mall the night prior and again a little while ago. Had her parents been there, they'd be dead.

Stan continued, "This contract here states that if I keep you and Dipper from talking Pacifica out of her wedding, they'd forget everything and you'd be safe. I'm sorry."

"Gideon told me she was engaged. When is her wedding?"

"If I'm not mistaken, she should be heading to the Southeast home now to make preparations." Stan closed the folder. His head still faced downward in shame.

Mabel shook her head. She wanted to cry. If it were 2012, she definitely would have. But now, she was more confused than ever, "I don't believe this."

"I'm sorry, kid."

"And she's supposed to marry some guy she probably barely knows even though Dipper has feelings for her?" Silence fell between them. Mabel covered her mouth in response to her own question. She glanced over to her great uncle who had a hand on his forehead. She took the contract and read through it. When she got to the last page, she noticed the collection of signatures: Stanley Pines, Stanford Pines, Preston Northwest, Priscilla Northwest, and. . .

"Wait, wait, wait, wait. Why is Pacifica's signature here? Did she not find out about the threats?"

"I don't know, Mabel. But, I don't think that—"

"—Did she read this?!" Her voice was filled with rage, pain, and fear. She couldn't believe Pacifica would allow such a deal to take place, especially when it involved her. Her eyes filled with water as she lost control of her emotions.