(Dipper's P.O.V.)

(Tuesday, June 23th, 2015)(The Mystery Shack, Gravity Falls, Oregon)

No. No no no no no no no no. This can't be happening.

I ran over to the window and frantically looked outside. It was pouring now. I turned back to Mabel and Wendy.

"Why do all the bad things happen to me?" I asked. "I'm a good boy. I don't break the law. I RECYCLE!"

I took the wolf costume and threw it down on the floor.

"I don't deserve this!"

I stormed to the door leading outside and flung it open.

"I'M NOT BACKIN' DOWN!" I screamed at the sky. "GO AHEAD, STRIKE ME WITH LIGHTING! SEE IF I GIVE A SHIT!!!"

"DIPPER!" Mabel nagged. "Get back inside! You're going to catch pneumonia if you stand out in the rain."

I reluctantly walked back in, and was about to shut the door when I heard a car pull up next to the Shack. I glanced behind me and saw a purple van parked in the driveway.

"Oh, and look!" I said sarcastically. "Robbie's here! My day just keeps getting better and better."

He got out of his van, then ran up and gave me a gigantic squeeze.

"Good morning, Dipper! How's my favorite coworker?!"

He continued to hold on for a good minute or two, until my ribs started to hurt. I slapped him on the arm a few times.

"Can't. Breathe," I sputtered. "Let. Go."

He quickly released me and took a step backwards.

"Sorry, man!" He apologized. "I get a little excited sometimes!"

He punched me in the shoulder. Hard. I swear to God, I could almost feel a bruise beginning to form.

"I'm like a snake," he exclaimed, "squeezing the life out of its prey!"

I chucked, before realizing that he had referred to me as his "prey".

"Wait, did you just-"

He pushed past me to walk inside, completely ignoring what I was saying. I rolled my eyes and followed him in.

"Hello Wendy," he greeted her awkwardly. "You look nice today."

She glanced down at the simple t-shirt and jeans she was wearing.

"Thanks?"

Robbie lifted the strap of his bag over his head and placed it next to the counter.

"Ooh," Mabel marveled, "I love your purse! Where did you get it?!"

The grin on his face instantly became an intense scowl.

"It's a satchel."

His body relaxed once more, as if his anger had an on/off switch.

"But I got it at Hot Topic," he told her. "Thanks for asking!"

I snorted.

"Figures."

He turned to me and gave me the fakest smile I had ever seen in my entire life.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

I returned the smile to him.

"I didn't say anything."

He nodded, but I was certain he didn't believe me.

"So," he said, bringing his attention back to Wendy, "how have you been?"

"Fine."

It was silent for a few moments.

"Aren't you going to ask ME something?" Robbie politely insisted.

"Oh!" She remembered. "Of course!"

She pulled a small key out of her pocket and tossed it to him.

"Can you work the register? Dipper, Mabel, and I have to help Stan."

The look on his face was priceless.

"Um...sure, I guess."

She turned and left the room, with Mabel trailing behind her.

I followed them, but not before giving Robbie a victorious smirk.

The three of us began to make our way towards the museum section of the Shack, but Wendy stopped us when we got to the door.

"I have a plan to get you guys out of here."

"But it's raining," I reminded her. "Even if we got out without Stan noticing, it's still raining."

She have me a doubtful look and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"You're Dipper fucking Pines. Has rain ever stopped you before?"

She was right. How would I ever become a detective/mathematician/journalist/scientist/professional paranormal researcher/President of the United States of America if I let a little rain stop me from perusing my goals?

"No," I agreed. "It hasn't. And I'm not starting now."

I cracked my knuckles.

"What's the plan?"

"Alright. I'm going to distract Stan," Wendy told us. "If you guys can take no more than an hour at the lake, then I can lie and say you're showering so you can 'look your best in your wolf costume' or some shit like that."

I nodded.

"Perfect."

She turned back to the door and placed her hand on the knob.

"Leave now so you can get there quickly."

She left to go talk to Stan, and Mabel and I raced upstairs to our room to get an umbrella and the journal.

Once we were all set to go, we went back down to the gift shop so we could exit out the front door.

"Once we get there," I began, "we'll need to find a way to call Mer-"

"Hey guys! Where are you going?"

We shrieked simoltaneously and turned towards the sound of the voice.

Crap, I thought to myself.

I had completely forgotten that Robbie was still working the register.

"We're going to Lake Gravity Falls," Mabel blurted out.

"UH NO WE'RE NOT!" I insisted.

I still didn't trust Robbie, no matter how nice he was being.

"We are going...to...um..."

I tried to think of a lie, but my mind was blank.

"...the other lake?"

"We have two lakes?"

"Yes. It's called Lake...Falls Gravity?"

"Isn't that just Gravity Falls backw-"

"That's not important!" I interrupted. "We're leaving now! Bye!"

I shoved Mabel out the front door and slammed it behind me. I sighed heavily as we began to make our way down the steps.

"That was close."

"Yeah," Mabel sassed. "Nice save, genius."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

She grabbed the hat off of my head and put it on.

"Um...uh...yeah!" She said, imitating my voice. "We're going to Lake Falls Gravity!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Shut the fuck up."

She slouched her shoulders and started making big hand gestures as she talked.

"I'm Dipper and I'm a nerd! Listen to all the nerdy things I can say!" She continued. "THE MITOCHONDRIA IS THE POWERHOUSE OF THE CELL!"

I took my hat back and playfully grabbed her in a loose headlock.

"You think you're hilarious, don't you?!"

She laughed, then elbowed me in the ribs, causing me to let go.

"Actually, yeah! I though that was pretty funny."

I shoved her arm, and she fell into a large mud puddle.

I stopped and gasped.

"Are you okay?"

She didn't say anything for a few seconds, then looked up at me and grinned.

"Oh, you're so dead."

She got up from the ground, and immediately began chasing me towards the direction of the lake.

Even though my legs hurt from running for so long, I couldn't help but smile. This was what I had been missing. Mabel wasn't going to leave me for Pacifica, or Mermando.

I was her brother, and nothing was going to change that.