Dipper Pines made it into the jungle with little to no problem, save for the sun angrily clawing at his back, beading his forehead and neck with sweat. He moved as quickly as he dared, not wanting to travel recklessly, lest he disturb a beast that could be lurking around the corner. He panted heavily, his grip on his sword turning his knuckles white as he swung the blade through the air to dislodge some vines in his way.

The brunet got the distinct feeling that the jungle was more... alive than it had been the last time he entered it. In fact, the whole island seemed more active. He could hear bugs humming and buzzing in unseen places. He heard the chattering of birds in the distance, and more than once nearly jumped out of his skin at the screams of a previously resting flock startled into flight by his approach. Bushes trembled as small creatures ducked out of his way before he could even lay eyes on them, causing his spine to tingle with the indescribable feeling that there were hundreds of unseen eyes trained on him...

Dipper couldn't help but make the connection in his mind: the island was coming to life as the siren was dying. Like the incessant ticking of a clock, constantly reminding one of the passage of time, so was the nature of the wildlife sounds, growing steadily louder. It was as if every creature confined to this place sensed the trembling in the hierarchy. In the same manner animals can predict the coming of a storm, the young pirate knew that their gradually increasing frenzy was in preparation for the power vacuum to come.

Dipper quickened his pace.

After what  must have been only a few minutes, yet seemed like an eternity, Dipper came upon the semi-clearing in which he had stumbled upon the fruit the first time. Things were quieter, in this tree-canopied clearing, the relative silence sending shivers up and down Dipper's spine. He gripped his sword even tighter, turning about with shifty eyes, trying to catch the shimmering movement of the shadow beasts... No such flashing caught his eye, but that did nothing to soothe his nerves. He brandished the sword before him, mustering as much ferocity in his stance and glare as he could, hoping that the creatures in the shadows would remember the blade, and perhaps fear it, and by extension its wielder. A rather large sounding bird screamed in the distance, startling Dipper from his staring contest with the shadows and reminding him that his time was limited.

The brunet whipped around, searching for the tree where he had found the fruit before. There were a few faintly golden fruits on the jungle floor, but they were browned and seemed as though they'd been stomped upon by a passing animal. Those were no good, Dipper decided, and he looked higher up into the branches to see if he could find a more suitable Aureum Ignis to give to the siren...

"There!" Dipper whispered aloud, having located a shimmery golden fruit that had his mouth watering just by looking at it. That was definitely the same kind of fruit he had stumbled upon before... just looking at it made him want to cut it down and devour it whole. It was like it was luring him in, clouding his senses, much like the sensation of the siren songs, though nowhere near as strong. Thankfully, though, it seemed that being aware of their allure, he wasn't as affected. Dipper sent a silent prayer to whatever god might be listening that he hadn't eaten the fruit the first time he found it... He imagined burning alive from the inside out was not a pleasant experience.

Dipper winced at that thought, his mind latching on to the image in his head, turning it around on him, closing his throat up with guilt. I imagine it's not very pleasant to witness either... He shook his head to clear his distracted thoughts. It was a risk they had to take. This was the only way.

The brunet began climbing the tree. He had to return his blade to a loop in his belt, the oddly knotted tree requiring both hands to traverse. It didn't take him long to reach the branch from which the Aureum Ignis dangled, but his shirt was soaked with sweat, his hair sticking to his face, arms beaded and palms sweaty. It was definitely getting hotter with every passing moment, Dipper thought. Perhaps that was another affect the siren's suffering had upon the island...? Though, Dipper wasn't exactly sure how that made any sense. But telling himself that the rising heat was just another sign that it wasn't too late certainly helped him ignore the ever growing panic in his chest. Dipper wrapped his legs around the tree branch below the fruit, reaching up carefully so as to maintain his balance. He tugged on the golden fruit, but the stem didn't give way so easily. He frowned, pulling harder, twisting it a few times before giving one final yank. The resistance snapped, the backwards momentum nearly causing Dipper to slip from the branch. Gasping with a sharp inhale, Dipper quickly wrapped his arms around the branch as well, gripping the Aureum Ignis tightly. Once stable, the brunet let out a sigh. He made his way to start down the tree when a noise caught his attention, freezing him in place.

Were those... footsteps?

Dipper held his breath, listening intently. He could hear a rhythmic crunching of grass and leaves, the occasional sound of a branch pushed aside and swinging back into place. Distinctly human sounding...

Mabel?

For a heart stopping moment, Dipper wondered if he was too late, if the siren had died in her arms and she was coming to find him and relay the news. Pain and guilt caused his breath to hitch in his throat, but before his stinging eyes could produce any panicked tears, the brunet made an important distinction. The footfalls were much too heavy sounding to be Mabel's. This was a stranger. An adult stranger, by the sound of it. Dipper drew his sword slowly and quietly, keeping the Aureum Ignis held tightly in his non-dominant hand, as he carefully lowered himself a branch closer to the jungle floor. Still hidden by the leaves of the trees, yet close enough to the ground to land safely if he were to jump, Dipper crouched, waiting. The footfalls grew closer and louder. Dipper's heart pounded with anxious yet excited anticipation. He could almost hear the labored breathing of the approaching individual. Closer... closer...

Just as a figure broke into the clearing, Dipper let out a shout, dropping from the tree right on top of the newcomer. With a cry of surprise, the man was knocked to the ground, the brunet atop him, pinning him down with his knees, his sword poised at his throat. Dipper held the Aureum Ignis high above him, making sure it was out of harm's way in case the man lashed back at him. His teeth were bared, his eyes narrowed, then the man spoke.

"Oh, Dipper! Thank the Maker! You're alright!"

 Dipper's chest turned cold, the ice spreading up his spine despite the blistering heat of the island. His eyes widened and he struggled to speak for a moment.

"You... But I thought... I thought you were dead!" he stuttered, his shock keeping him from releasing the man, the sword still positioned at his throat. Standford Pines winced, guilt flashing across his face.

"Dipper, I will explain everything, but first, I have to know..." Dipper pursed his lips, unsure of the doubt that was rising in his chest. "Your sister, is she alright?" The brunet blinked, slightly surprised by the question.

"Yeah, she's alright, she's with..." Dipper's stomach sank. "Shit!" he cried, jumping to his feet. Stanford scrambled into a sitting position.

"What is it? Is she in danger?" he asked in a panicked manner. Dipper shook his head.

"No, she's fine! I said she was fine! It's Bill, I've gotta... I need to..." Dipper's head was pounding, his heart thumping, his hands shaking. He took off running.

"Wait! Dipper!" the older man struggled to his feet, running after the brunet. If not for the young pirate tripping over a vine and stumbling, Ford wouldn't have been able to catch up, Dipper's pace was driven by a panic. The older man grabbed the boy's arm.

"Dipper, my boy, what's going on? What's wrong with Bill?" he demanded. Dipper tried to pull away but this only heightened the ex-captain's concern. He pulled the teen closer, eyes scrutinizing as he checked his eyes, trying to see if the boy was under one of the siren's songs.

"Please, tell me what's wrong!" Ford pleaded. Dipper let out a whimpering of a groan, wanting nothing more than to race back to the siren's side, but he knew that his great uncle wouldn't stop until he knew the answer.

"Bill is dying, and this fruit might be the only way to save him!" he told him in a hurried manner. Ford furrowed his brow in a confused nature.

"Dying...? Wait, shouldn't that be a good thing? Isn't he holding you here hostage?" Dipper's chest burned with an indignant fire that had him scowling and yanking his arm away.

"No!" he cried out, stepping away from his great uncle, his heart pounding in his throat. "Bill is dying because he got hurt saving me! This is all my fault! I have to... have to..." Without even bothering to finish his sentence, Dipper whipped around and ran full speed back to the cave, the sound of his great uncle shouting his name lost on the wind that whipped past the brunet's ears as he sprinted back to the cave. He didn't care what animals he disturbed, didn't care what thorns and branches scratched at his sides, he didn't care. Bill was dying, and it was his fault. Something was burning within him, something that fueled him forward, something that pushed his muscles to their limits and beyond. His side was splitting with agony, his every breath like sharp glass in his throat, his legs burning with such a numbness that he felt as though if he stopped moving, he was simply fall to the ground. Yet, none of this mattered to him. He kept running. It was more than adrenaline that had him in such a frenzied state, but Dipper didn't quite know what to call it...

Dipper skid down the rocky hill side, splashing through the shallow parts of the lake that fed into the mouth of the cave. Without hardly slowing down, he dropped to his knees, skidding across the damp cave floor. Mabel helped him adjust Bill into his arms and held the fruit up to his lips. The demon siren was pale, the black veins spreading up his neck and into his face, completely patterned across his chest like a net. His eyes were closed, and he only half shivered, trembling as though he didn't have the energy to wince any longer.

"P-Pi...ne....Tr..." he struggled, his voice so weak it had Dipper's eyes stinging, his throat closing up.

"Shhh, please, eat this... it's the fruit you asked for!" Dipper begged him, his own voice trembling. The siren made a feeble attempt to bite into the fruit, but it seemed he was too weak. Dipper whimpered in fear.

"H-here," he stuttered, tearing open the fruit and ripping a piece off that would be easier for the siren to chew. He placed it on his lips, pressing gently to get the blond to open his mouth. Bill did as told, finally managing to eat a piece of the fruit. In that manner, making slow and painful progress, Bill ate the entire Aureum Ignis. The Pines Twins waited with baited breath. At first it seemed to be doing nothing, and despair began to wash over the brunettes, but then Bill gasped, his eyes flying open. In a surge of strength, he sat up and clutched tightly to Dipper, panting in pain.

"P-Pine T-Tree..." he struggled. He grunted, closing his eyes in pain. The black of his veins was beginning to shine a bright gold, giving him an ethereal visage that had Dipper's heart pounding in concern. The siren cried out in pain, convulsing and falling to the cave floor. He was breathing rapidly and heavily, body tensed against the pain.

"Oh god..." Mabel breathed, her eyes beginning to water. Dipper couldn't breathe as he watched the siren writhe. He opened his mouth to speak, to suggest some course of action with which they could remedy their mistakes, but no sound other than a pitiful whimper came out. It wasn't working... he was burning alive from the inside out. They were killing him... he had almost been dead, and now they were just prolonging it, making it more painful...

Dipper broke down. He brought his head down to his knees, tears streaming down his face. He reached a hand out, clutching the siren's wrist.

"I'm sorry... Bill, I'm so sorry!" he sobbed, crawling to bring himself closer to the demon siren. Bill hissed in pain again, twisting about on the cave floor. Guilt stabbed at Dipper with such ferocity that he was sure the wounds were visible. Dipper chest heaved with his tears as he watched, helplessly, as the creature before him suffered.

"W-wa...ter..." Bill managed through gritted teeth. After only a brief hesitation to register what he had said, Dipper acquiesced. Struggling a bit, since his body was trembling from tears and he was still rather weak from his desperate sprint, with some help from his sister, Dipper managed to carry the siren to the water. Bill twisted in pain, writhing and causing himself to fall out of the brunet's arms. He fell into the water with a splash that soaked both Dipper and Mabel, but Dipper didn't care. He fell to his knees again, crawling to the edge of the water. Bill, who was still shallow enough to remain in human form and above water, suddenly grabbed Dipper's wrist, holding on tightly and with strength Dipper didn't think he still possessed. His golden eyes locked onto Dipper's brown ones with such fierceness, Dipper felt as though he was staring into his soul. Which, for all Dipper knew, was entirely possible.

"Di...pp...er..." he stuttered, struggling to speak through the pain. "I... I lo- GAH!" he broke off with a sudden scream, wincing terribly and recoiling, letting go of the brunet and rolling deeper into the water, clutching himself.

"Bill!" Dipper cried out, lunging forward, but he was too late. The siren slipped beneath the surface of the water and disappeared into the darkness. After a while, the bubbles that he formed when he first went under had dissipated, and there was still no sign of the demon siren. Neither Dipper nor Mabel said a word. They both just waited, their breathing labored and panicked, Dipper's more so than Mabel's. It seemed that the young girl was beginning to accept the undeniable... it was too late. Their plan had failed... Bill was gone. After another few minutes had passed, Mabel winced and opened her mouth to speak. As if her brother had sensed what she was going to say, he shook his head. His eyes were red with tears, his face pale. He was still on his knees in the water, his shorts soaked, but he didn't care. He was still visibly trembling.

"No... no no no no no..." he whispered. "NO!" he cried out, lashing out at the water, as if it was the thief who stole Bill away from him. He began sobbing again, the sound echoing about the cave. The island was painfully quiet. Not a single bird or bug could be heard. Even the waterfall seemed to be dampened.

Wait...

Somewhere in the back of Dipper's mind, the silence registered. Silence... silence... What was so significant about the silence? His head felt too muddled and confused to make the connection he so desperately wanted to make. The pain in his chest was too great, he couldn't focus on anything other than the confusing agony that was wrapped around his heart.

"Dipper...? Mabel...?" It was Stanford. He had finally managed to locate the cave Dipper had run to. He'd seen it... not all of it, but enough of it... He approached Dipper carefully, since he seemed to be the more distressed of the two.

"G-Great Uncle Ford?" Mabel asked incredulously. "But... how did you-?"

"Mabel, sweetie, I'll explain everything later, but right now I need to-"

He got too close. His hand was on Dipper's shoulder. Too close... Not for Dipper, the teen didn't even register the contact, but someone else. Stanford Pines was way too close to what belonged to him... 

There was a flash of brilliant light, burning like golden flames, deep from within the lake. Before Ford could do more than simply widen his eyes, the source of the light erupted from the lake. Bill Cipher, burning with the intensity of the sun, snarled, his voice echoing across the island as if it were a cave, amplifying his every sound tenfold.

"Don't you even dare!" he hissed in a scathing manner. "He's MINE!" 

Before even Dipper himself could react, the the demon siren swooped down, grabbing Dipper, along with the Pine Tree engraved sword. He arched back over in a large loop, plunging back into the depths with his treasures.

Stunned by the suddenness of it all, there was only silence in the cave for a good while. Then, just as Mabel mustered the energy to try and speak, Stanford Pines fell to his knees.

He fell to his knees, and wept.

A/N: Yeaaaaahhhhh, idk how I feel about this one... Let me know what you guys think though! I love getting feedback from you all! Sorry this took so long for me to get to you guys... I have so much I wanna say I don't think I can figure out how to say it, so I guess... Thank you all for everything you do! You mean the world to me! I wish I could write more and write better for you all... I'm sorry! I hope you liked this chapter regardless, and I'll howl to you later! Love you guys!!!