So sorry I haven't updated in a while! I hope that this 1483 worded chapter will make up for it :3

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Mabel perched over the bed, hovering anxiously. A few minutes ago, she had just finished pacing. For the seventh time.

How long had he been asleep for?

An hour?

Two hours?

Dipper was curled up on his bed, his eyes squeezed shut, his chest barely rising and falling. If Mabel just glanced at him, it looked like he wasn't even breathing.

This was scaring her. A serious, actual, scare. It's not like her brother would just become critically sick and she would just wave it off; uncaringly. She just loved him too much that she didn't want anything bad to happen to him.

Dipper'd hardly flinched at all; he'd only done so twice, whimpering one time, but he became quite silent afterward.

Stan and Ford sat on Mabel's bed, whispering quietly in low tones so Mabel couldn't make the words out. Every now and then, one of them would cast an anxious glance at Dipper's unmoving body as if their stare would bring him back to reality.

But to no avail.

The clock was ticking; Mabel had noticed. Just a minute ago, they'd reached the peak of the fifth hour of which Dipper had been asleep. She picked up her head that was resting on the edge of Dipper's bed to glance at her great uncles behind her.

"What do we do?" She whispered, her voice cracking quietly.

Stan stood up and walked briskly over to Mabel, crouching down beside her and putting an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him. "There's not a lot we can do," he replied flatly.

Ford's face was expressionless, but anyone could tell ideas were flowing through his head. He gazed at his great niece steadily, his eyes hollow, but shining. "Mabel, if anyone can withstand this and pull through strongly; it's your brother."

Mabel nodded, wanting to believe Ford's words, but being unable to, due to the fact Dipper was perfectly still. She wiped her watering eyes with her sweater sleeve silently, Stanley watching her with a sad frown.

"Is there any doctors we can call or anything like that?" She managed, mustering up the courage to look up at Ford's face, which evidently immediately reminded her of Dipper and she felt upset all over again. She choked back a sob, not wanting to make her uncles feel worse than they probably already did.

"Mabel, please," Ford scoffed, standing up and coming over to sit on Dipper's bed. "All the doctors I've ever met, are total nut jobs and they don't even know what they're doing. You'd have a better chance with my awards and grants than some lousy doctoral degree hanging in a display frame." He leaned forward and touched Dipper's head lightly with the back of his hand.

Mabel turned around and watched Dipper's face for any sign of movement.

Nothing.

Again.

"He's running a '99," Ford inspected, clearly surprised that his nephew's temperature wasn't above 101.

Mabel felt a small flicker of hope tug at her heart. Maybe, just maybe...

Wendy and Soos walked in soundlessly, shutting the door behind them and they made their way over to the bed. Today, they'd been taking care of the Shack since Stan vowed to watch over Dipper. They sold merchandise, gave tours, put up with spoiled kids. (And parents...)

"How is he?" Soos asked fearfully, expecting the worst.

"Alright, actually," Stan spoke up before Ford could open his mouth to reply. "The kid hasn't moved, but at least he isn't in flames."

Wendy padded over to the top of the bed, peering down at Dipper. She sighed softly.

Mabel was still watching Dipper. Her eyes moved around his face, his hair, the thin blanket he was wrapped up in. His leg twitched and Mabel blinked.

Just a figment of my imagination, she thought despairingly.

Her eyes welled up again. What if he never moved again? What if they could never be the Mystery Twins again? What if when she-

Dipper's body shook. Lightly at the beginning, then gradually rocked more roughly. His face contorted in pain and his physical features looked like he was really annoyed.

Almost immediately, Ford got off the bed and Mabel sprang up. Stan followed hastily, brushing himself off when he stood. Wendy and Soos had backed themselves farther over to Mabel's bed to give the Pines some space.

"He's having a spasm!" Ford hissed under his breath as he struggled to untangle Dipper from the blanket.

Wendy, Stan, and Soos looked nervous and fear filled their eyes.

"Do we try to wake him up?" Mabel asked frantically.

"No," Ford replied stiffly, finally managing to pull to blanket off the boy. "Since he's been out for so long, his body might just be waking up again."

Mabel grasped desperately for clues and answers in her mind. It was as though she was caught in a sea current and she was spiraling into the depths of the ocean, with nothing to grab onto to be saved. What was happening to her? She'd never felt this desperate for missing puzzle pieces in her whole life. Never felt the need to fall over and weep continuously. What was going on?!

Then, Dipper's eyes shot open and he sat up as fast as he'd woken up. He was still shaking, but it was more of a shiver of horror due to being frightened rather than uncontrollable movement. He looked around the attic, startled. There was people crowding around him. Mabel, Stan, Ford, Soos... Wendy? What was Wendy doing here? Had she been here the whole time?!

"Dipper!" Mabel cried joyfully, flinging herself at her brother. He stared at her like she had antlers sprouting out of her head and she stopped herself short. "W-what...?"

Dipper continued to gaze at her quietly, his tremors stopping.

Ford and Stan were eyeing Dipper warily, Mabel looked at him pleadingly, and Wendy and Soos seemed mildly confused.

"Dipper...?" Mabel asked in desperation, almost to the point of hysterics. You could hear it in her voice; she was reaching a breaking point.

"Kid, come on," Stan urged, taking a few steps towards the bed.

Wendy peeked out from behind Ford, looking at Dipper with longing in her eyes.

That did it.

Dipper felt the blood rush to his cheeks, emitting a bright blush as a wide smile broke across his face. He hadn't been sure if everyone was real or not. Bill had been testing him in his dreams. Wait, no. Not dreams; nightmares.

The tension in the air sizzled away as everyone sighed with relief.

Mabel leapt at Dipper and hugged him tightly, smiling and holding back cries of relief. He hugged her back, equally as tight, maybe more so. He was just glad he could actually touch her, unlike all of Bill's fake holograms.

Wendy and Soos exchanged a thankful look and headed for the door. Dipper watched them go over Mabel's shoulder.

Stan and Ford walked over to the twins and Mabel let go of Dipper, letting her uncles embrace him.

"Glad to see your back on your feet," Stan murmured, hugging Dipper. "Or awake, at least."

Ford flashed a broad I-told-you-so smile in Mabel's direction and her face flushed. Yeah, he had known all along. Mabel'd gotten so worked up over nothing. What was the big deal with that, huh?

"I'm gonna go make some lunch," Stan murmured, heading to the door. "I'll be right back."

"And I need to go check...some things..." Ford called, leaving the attic.

The room was quiet. But so many words could've taken up the space. Now just didn't seem like the right time for them to be spoken.

Dipper looked at Mabel fearfully and when she saw his face, she got goosebumps. "W-what is it...?"

Dipper cleared his throat and stretched before answering. "It's Bill, that's what," he growled, a vicious expression entering his face. "He made me ache and fall asleep. I'm so sorry I worried you."

"It's alright," Mabel replied nervously. "I figured it was out of your control..."

Out of control...

Suddenly, without warning, Dipper's eyes flashed yellow and his pupils arched into long, black slits. His eyes narrowed at Mabel, a malicious grin creeping over his face.

Mabel started. She felt for the bed post behind her, and took two slow steps backwards.

The attic door slammed open and in walked Stan, carrying two plates of sandwiches and chip flavored crackers.

Mabel ripped her shocked gaze from Dipper's nasty grin and looked over at Stan. Her uncle waved at her. Mabel glanced back at Dipper.

Who appeared to be perfectly fine.

His eyes were normal again; black pupil and white brim. There was the tiniest tint of amber, but who knows, it could've just been the light.