[author's note]: uhhh tw torture? keep safe!

***

Dipper and Mabel couldn't believe their eyes, but the one person they wanted to see most was standing right in front of them. "Grunkle Stan!" they shouted in unison.

"Kids!" Stan dropped the baseball bat and rushed over, wrapping them both in a bear hug. He had waited so long to see them again—along with Soos and Wendy, who quickly joined in the embrace.

But the one person who had promised she would return with them... wasn't there.

The twins noticed Stan's expression shift before he even asked the question. "Where is she?" he demanded, his voice tinged with desperation.

Dipper's frown deepened, guilt and sorrow clouding his eyes. "She... she was taken by an eyebat," he admitted, his voice trembling. Stan's face fell, the weight of the news hitting him hard. He had held onto hope that she would make it back safely, that they would all be together again.

The refugees all muttered to one another after they heard the news from Dipper. Not Y/n...

"And I'm guessing with you here and not with my brother, he was taken too?" Stan guessed, turning to his great-nephew.

Dipper nodded, avoiding his gaze as he anxiously rubbed his arm.

Stan clenched his fist. "When I get my hands on that... monster, I'll—"

"You don't understand, Stan. It was supposed to be me," Dipper interrupted. "I stupidly ran across the street like an idiot, and the next thing I knew, she pushed me out of the way and got caught instead. Why would she do that?" His voice was filled with frustration and confusion.

Stan placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, their eyes meeting. "I think you and me both know why Y/n would do that."

Dipper stayed silent, knowing the answer but unable to say it out loud.

"The important thing is that you guys are back here, safe," Stan said softly.

Mabel stepped forward, giving her brother a comforting smile. "We'll get her back, Dipper. I promise." Then she added, "Meanwhile, can we talk about how Pacifica is wearing a potato sack?"

"Hey!" Pacifica interjected, clearly annoyed. "Even in a sack, I still look better than you."

"Hey, everyone!" Pituitary shouted, pointing outside the door. "EYE-BAT!"

The group gasped, and Dipper felt a chill run down his spine. They immediately ducked as one of the gnomes yelled, "Evasive maneuvers!"

Stan sprinted to the door and slammed it shut. Everyone else sprang into action, keeping quiet and blowing out the lights—anything to stay out of the eyebat's sight.

***

https://youtu.be/RJMkgJfUAYM

***

Stan lit a match and tossed it into a can, casting a warm glow that illuminated the Shack and the weary faces gathered within. "Welcome to what's left of normal around here. Home base."

Dipper and Mabel scanned the room, recognizing familiar faces etched with pain and exhaustion from the effects of Weirdmageddon. From the littlest Lilliputian to Sev'ral Timez, who were singing about their injuries, it was clear everyone was struggling. Dipper was even surprised to see Rumble McSkirmish, now calling himself Humble McSkirmish.

"Grunkle Stan, how'd this all happen?" Mabel asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Stan began to pace, the twins following closely. "Well, after I went inside the Mystery Shack, Y/n and I were preparing to ration the supplies to last the end of the world. Then something unexpected happened. Y/n explained it was the unicorn voodoo you and my brother placed on the Shack that made it invincible to weirdness."

Dipper's face lit up in understanding. "Of course!"

Stan continued, "Then Y/n opened the door to this Possum Breath over here," he pointed at a clueless McGucket, "who showed up leading a bunch of injured stragglers through the forest. They needed a place to stay, and while Y/n tended to everyone's wounds like an all-around Mother Teresa, I elected myself de facto chief since the mayor got captured." He puffed up his chest, motioning to the red sash he wore, and grabbed a can off the shelf.

"The plan's to stay in here and eat Brown Meat until we run out. Then I vote we eat the gnomes."

"Hey! I'm short, not deaf!" Jeff protested.

Stan placed a finger on the gnome's lips. "Shh! Shh! Stress will make you chewy."

"Grunkle Stan, we can't all just hide inside the Shack. There's a town in need of saving!" Dipper insisted. "We can't do that without Uncle Ford."

"Honestly, serve that jerk right," Stan argued, popping open the can of brown meat. "My brother's had some stupid plans, but going up against an all-powerful space demon was his worst one yet. And with that sea otter thing? He stood no chance!"

"But it's not just him who's in danger. We need to save Y/n too!" Dipper added urgently.

Stan's expression softened at the mention of Y/n. He quickly tried to mask his concern with a practical attitude. "Trust me, we got a good deal here. It's better to be safe than dead."

A small hand tugged at Stan's sleeve. He looked down to see Gorney, eyes brimming with tears. "Excuse me, mistah. Is there really a man out there who can bring back my parents? I'm so lonely!" he cried.

Stan felt a sweat drop trickle down his forehead. Usually, Y/n would be the one consoling these people, but she wasn't here right now.

"This monster destroyed half of Northwest Manor," Pacifica said, a deep frown on her face. "Our whole fortune is gone, and the weirdest thing of all? I actually miss my parents."

"You think you know heartbreak?" someone said, and everyone glanced over to a corner where Officer Blubs was sulking under a random spotlight. Where did that come from? "What's a sheriff without his deputy? I got nobody to share the good times with! Without him, a seesaw is just an uncomfortable, stationary BENCH!"

Stan was slowly losing his mind at the rising chaos around him. He gritted his teeth, trying to keep everyone calm. "Alright, alright! Enough with the sob stories!"

Suddenly, Mabel clambered onto the Multi-Bear, catching everyone's attention. "Guys, don't you see? Our friends need us, but we can only save them if we fight back!"

Dipper followed suit, climbing onto the bear's head with a boost from his sister. "Mabel's right. Bill wants us to run and hide. He wants us to think he's invincible. But Ford told me before he got captured that he knows Bill's secret weakness."

The refugees perked up, exchanging hopeful murmurs. "Weakness?"

Dipper nodded, his voice gaining strength. "If we band together, combine our strength, our smarts, and whatever Toby brings to the table..."

"Various rashes!" Toby added.

"...then we might just be able to rescue Ford and Y/n, learn Bill's weakness, and save Gravity Falls!"

The room erupted in cheers, a united force ready to take on the impossible and reclaim their town. "Don't worry, Ford and Y/n, we're coming for you!"

***

"Wake up. Wake up!"

Y/n gasped as she finally regained her senses, air rushing into her lungs as she was freed from her stone prison. She breathed heavily, her eyes darting around as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Where am I?

"Daisy... Daisy..."

Her head whipped around, recognizing the familiar, taunting voice. Show yourself.

"Give me your answer do... I'm fully crazy, all for the hate of you..."

At the far end of the room, a fireplace flickered, casting shadows on the walls. In front of it, a yellow pyramid with a top hat sat, swirling a drink in his glass. It was Bill Cipher, and he wasn't exactly singing—he sounded more like he was reciting a poem to himself, his voice a haunting melody in the dim light.

Y/n saw her chance. She crept forward, each step light and calculated. As she broke into a sprint, ready to strike, Bill snapped his fingers, and she felt her legs freeze.

She looked down in horror as her body began to turn to stone once more. She struggled, writhed, but quickly realized that escape was impossible.

"I heard from a little eyebat that you got captured," Bill turned around, his large singular eye gleaming with mockery. The glow around his form flickered as he laughed loudly. "Seriously?!"

Y/n glared at him, refusing to let his taunts get to her.

Bill caught his breath after his bout of laughter. "Hey, fun fact, I didn't even send my henchmen after you. I just knew you would trip and fall into a trap. Lemme guess, you took someone else's place? Ha! Classic Daisy, taking someone's place." His boisterous laughter filled the room, and though it annoyed Y/n to her core, she was silently grateful that Dipper wasn't in her position.

"I was looking for you..." Bill's voice was low, almost subdued.

"Why would you look for me?"

"Well, if you really want to know," Bill sipped from his martini glass before smashing it on the floor, the glass shattering into pieces. Y/n furrowed her brows, observing his behavior. His words were slurry, and he was floating idly. He looked... drunk, if that was even possible. "I need your help."

Bill? Needing help? If one must know, when this dream demon needed anything, he'd always want something in return.

"Why should I help you?"

He chuckled darkly, his single eye locking onto hers with a malevolent glint. "I know your weakness, Daisy," he sneered, the word sending shivers down her spine. No. "I've been watching you ever since you were given form. You think I wouldn't see it? Clearly, they have some sort of vendetta against me."

His behavior was erratic, flailing around like a tantrum-throwing child. This was the first time Y/n had seen him so vulnerable, his facade cracking in front of his supposed enemy. He was crying and laughing simultaneously, gasping for breath and seemingly losing his mind. "I didn't even do anything wrong!" He whined. Whined.

Y/n watched in stunned silence, a mix of fear and pity swirling within her. This was the all-powerful Bill Cipher, reduced to a madman before her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to keep her composure. "What are you talking about?" she asked cautiously, trying to make sense of his ramblings.

"Living in the second dimension, you wouldn't understand," Bill said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Flat minds in a flat world with flat dreams. So what do you do? You simply set yourself free."

As he spoke, his eye projected a hologram, showing him pushing against the dome around Gravity Falls. "I just want to do the same favor for you and for your dimension, but my weirdness can't escape the... magical confines of this town. There's something keeping me in," he continued, his pupil sliding up to her, eagerly anticipating her reaction.

"Too bad," Y/n replied, her voice steely and unwavering.

Bill's eye narrowed, his amusement fading. "Too bad?" he echoed, his tone darkening.

Y/n met his gaze, unflinching. "Yes, too bad. You think you can manipulate me into helping you, but I see through your lies. I'd never help you on something as world-ending as that."

Bill simply snapped his fingers, and to Y/n's left, a triangular window appeared with Ford encased inside. Ford looked confused at first, then his eyes widened as he spotted his assistant. He dashed to the glass, pounding his fist against it, his mouth moving rapidly as he tried to scream her name. Y/n couldn't hear him, but the desperation on his face was unmistakable.

"Ford!" she gasped, craning her neck to call out his name. She turned back to Bill, her voice filled with urgency. "Let him go!"

Bill floated closer, his eye widening. "You can't hear him, he can't hear us," he said, not mentioning that he could hear every word of Sixer's pleas. Ford was screaming her name, warning her not to take any deals.

"I've already interrogated the guy, but it appears he doesn't have what I want," Bill continued, his tone dripping with disdain. "But you, Daisy, you might prove to be more useful."

She clenched her fists, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She looked at Ford, still pounding on the glass, and knew she had to find a way out of this. But how?

***

McGucket laid down some blueprints and showed them to the twins. "Alright. I've made some thingamadiculous robomajigs in my day, but this is the first one that won't be used for evil!"

"Whoa! These blueprints are incredible, McGucket!" Dipper exclaimed with a smile.

"This is your most amazing invention yet!" Mabel agreed, nodding.

"Question, does it have any gun-swords?" Soos asked in a skeptical tone. "I watch a lot of anime and, uh, trust me, you're gonna want some gun-swords."

McGucket narrowed his eyes in curiosity. "What's an "anime"?"

Soos simply placed a hand on the older man's shoulder, nodding in understanding. "We have much to discuss."

"Discuss nothing!" Stan interjected from the other side of the table. "These scribbles are a bunch of cockamamie balderdash! Excuse my French."

"Je ne sais quoi sacrebleu au revoir!" A French Lilliputtian corrected from the shelf.

Stan continued, "And where would you even find a bunch of idiots crazy enough to build it?"

"Grunkle Stan, you're looking at those idiots," Mabel replied with a proud smirk. The crowd cheered as they were filled with motivation.

***

He reveled in the sound of his desperate screams each time his hand made contact with her skin.

They were still in the penthouse, just the three of them. He kept demanding the key to unlock the force field, but she remained defiant. "I'll never tell you."

Bill's eye gleamed with cruel delight. "Wrong answer."

He slapped her hard, the force of it echoing in the room. She was unmoving, unhurt, but she was silently thankful that Bill muted the sound coming from Ford's cage; she couldn't bear listening to him. Bill had already drunk his 100th drink while moving on to more brutal methods— electrifying her body, cutting off her breath...

These methods were more about eliciting a reaction from Ford than actually breaking her. Each scream from him only fueled Bill's sadistic pleasure. He fed off the scientist's despair, enjoying every moment of his torment.

The triangle outstretched an arm and forced to turn her jaw towards Ford, laughing a heartless sound. "Look at him, Daisy. He's suffering because of you. All you have to do is open the door and this can all end."

She gritted her teeth, her eyes flicking to Ford's anguished face. Despite the agony she was enduring, she refused to let Bill see her break. Her resolve was unwavering, even as the methods of torture continued to intensify.

What she didn't know was that, on the other side of the glass, Bill was feeding Ford lies, generating those agonizing sounds she never even made, all to manipulate his emotions. Ford was a smart person, fully aware that his assistant was invulnerable to pain, but sometimes the mind plays tricks under stress, making it hard to differentiate between truth and deception.

She was jolted out of her stupor when Bill yanked her harshly, forcing her to face him again, the chair skidding with a squeak. With both of his hands, he grabbed the collar of her shirt, pulling her closer to his eye, which was filled with malevolence. It was fizzing, and Y/n couldn't tell whether it was out of anger, drunkenness, or something else entirely.

"Tell me," he seethed, his pyramidal body glowing as he spoke, despite his slurred speech. "Tell me. What do you have that I don't?"

She furrowed her eyebrows at the question. Why would Bill ask this particular question?

His grip tightened, enough that a normal person would have struggled to breathe, but Y/n was just plain confused. What?

"Daisy..." he blinked. "Daisy... why does Sixer like you more than me?"

Despite her confusion, Y/n mustered a sarcastic remark. "Maybe it's because I don't go around turning people into stone or trying to destroy their lives for fun."

"Real clever," he spat out.

***

After working together to devise a plan to save Ford and Y/n, the refugees found themselves gathered around a campfire in the woods. They couldn't stay in the Mystery Shack now that it had been transformed into something else. The group huddled close, the chilly night air biting at them. Mabel, ever the thoughtful one, had sewn sweaters for everyone to keep warm. Y/n was right.

Mabel shot a glare at Pacifica, who stubbornly refused to wear a sweater despite her shivering. Finally, with an exasperated huff, Pacifica rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll wear it," she muttered, snatching the llama-themed sweater from Mabel and pulling it over her head. The sweater, with its fuzzy llama design, contrasted amusingly with Pacifica's blonde hair, but it warmed her instantly.

The brunette couldn't help but smirk triumphantly as Pacifica begrudgingly accepted the cozy garment. "See? Not so bad, right?" Mabel teased.

Pacifica huffed again but couldn't hide the hint of a smile. "Whatever. It's just for the warmth," she mumbled, settling down closer to the fire.

"Thanks for these apocalypse sweaters, Mabel," Soos said, smiling warmly. "The end of the world has never been so comfortable."

The rest of the crowd nodded and hummed in agreement, snuggling into their cozy new sweaters.

"You all look so comfortable in those!" Mabel exclaimed, clasping her hands together before bending down to retrieve another sweater from her bag. "Since Great Uncle Ford already wears a sweater, I made this one for Y/n." She held up a pastel yellow pullover adorned with cute flower designs for everyone to see.

A chorus of 'aww's filled the air as they admired the sweater. They thought Y/n would look cute in it.

"This is the best day of the end of the world!" Mabel grinned, sitting down beside her brother. "I think we actually have a chance to beat Bill and win back our future."

"Yeah," Dipper sighed. "Getting to actually live to see our 13th birthday party is the only birthday present I want right now," he admitted, causing Mabel to frown as she thought about their approaching birthday again.

Soos tried to cheer the twins up. "Hey, if we're lucky enough to get there, I guarantee this whole town is gonna throw you the best birthday party you've ever seen."

"Thanks, Soos," Dipper replied with a small smile. "Hey, has anyone seen Grunkle Stan?"

Stan was sitting on a separate log, meters away from the campfire, sulking as he vented his thoughts to a very confused Shmebulock. No one could understand what he was going through, and even if Y/n was here, he couldn't share his thoughts about this whole operation.

Mabel and Dipper eventually found him. "Is something wrong, Grunkle Stan? You're acting grunklier than usual," Mabel pointed out with concern.

"It's this darn plan to save my brother. If you didn't notice, I already saved him once from that portal, and he never thanked me! He causes the end of the world, and somehow it's still always 'Stan's the screw-up. Ford's the hero.'" He sighed, staring at the ground. "I never should've let her out in the first place."

The twins were quiet, letting him continue his rant.

"If I knew she would get captured, she wouldn't even see the light of day... but she was just so stubborn in wanting to find her... her teacher. I guess she would follow him to the ends of the earth. Not me."

Stan's voice wavered, and he clenched his fists. Mabel and Dipper exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to comfort him.

"Grunkle Stan, no worries!" Mabel chimed in, slotting her way in between Dipper and Stan and pulling them close to her in an embrace. "Trust me, tomorrow's gonna be great! We can save everyone. Together!"

The older man rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. Just— ugh, let go!" He forcefully slithered out of the girl's hug, coughing a wheeze. "Jeez, kid, your hugs are too strong."

She giggled before exiting out of the scene when one of the manotaurs had troubles of accidentally flexing through their sweater, leaving Stan and Dipper.

As they sat in silence for a moment, Dipper's voice grew quieter, more introspective. "You know, I haven't said this to anyone, but one of my wishes, when all of this is over, is that Y/n doesn't have to sacrifice herself anymore. I want a world where she doesn't have to take the bullet for us."

Stan's expression softened further, the weight of Dipper's words sinking in. "Kid, we all want that. She deserves to live her life without always having to be the one to save everyone else."

"Exactly," Dipper said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "She's done so much for us, for everyone. She deserves to be happy and safe."

***

"NO! STOP!"

Her screams were drowned out by the boisterous laughter of the Henchmaniacs. When nothing had proved useful in Bill's initial interrogation tactics, he resorted to his other plan. Now, Y/n found herself in a similar position as Ford, banging her fists against the glass as she helplessly watched Ford being electrocuted by Bill himself.

His strategy was working; regret seeped into Y/n's heart, each painful thump matching Ford's agonized screams. He was being electrocuted with 500 volts, his body convulsing violently. If it weren't for his cybernetic augmentations, he would likely be dead already.

Bill stopped, turning to face her with his eye half-lidded. "Gonna give me the key now?"

Y/n opened her mouth, but Ford managed to yell out, "No!"

"But—"

"Whatever he says, whatever he does, don't accept any of his deals!" Ford shouted, writhing against his chains.

Bill twisted the chains tighter around Ford's neck. "You stay out of this, Sixer," he threatened. "The only thing you're good for right now is being my blackmail. So just shut your mouth and—"

He suddenly stopped as the Fearamid rumbled. His pupils darted around his eye, puzzled. "Hey, do you hear that?"

One of the triangles that built up the Fearamid was smashed through by the head of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, revealing... the Mystery Shack?!

"What?!" Bill exclaimed, his eye widening. "I just fixed that door!"

The sight was surreal. There stood the Shack, transformed into a colossal robot, with everyone from their ragtag resistance group riding on it.

"It's the Shacktron, dude!" Soos declared, holding up the flag with pride.

Bill's eye narrowed, a mix of fury and disbelief on his face. "You've got to be kidding me. So the mortals are trying to fight back, huh? Adorable!" He sat back on his chair, wriggling his fingers together. "Henchmaniacs, you know what to do! Take them out!"

His minions suddenly grew in size and jumped out of the Fearamid to stand in front of the Shacktron.

The battle between the Henchmaniacs and the Shacktron was nothing short of epic. They fought off multiple eye-bats summoned by Paci-Fire, but they were easily destroyed by the robot's T-Rex hand, part of a Gobblewonker operated by McGucket, and a totem pole that literally shoots cannonballs targeted at demons.

Bill was watching from his throne, growing increasingly frustrated. "You call that fighting?!" he bellowed at his minions. Zanthar rammed the Shack and pushed it back, but with every willpower that they had, the Shacktron pushed forward, slowly but surely turning the tide of the battle.

They grabbed Zanthar and hurled the monster across the hills.

Bill stood up from his throne, massaging his eyelid in irritation. "Guys, seriously? You had, like, one job to do here."

Ford and Y/n couldn't help but smile in pride. The people inside the Mystery Shack were working together to save them. Y/n had a hunch about who orchestrated the entire thing. Bill noticed her expression of admiration directed outside of the Fearamid and, of course, being his evil self, decided to take advantage of that.

"Well, would you look at that," he noted slowly, his voice dripping with malevolence. "Those people really care about you. And you care about them... don't you?" His eye turned red as he spoke in a deep voice.

Her eyes widened in realization. No...

"Perhaps torturing your friends will make you talk!"

"No! Don't hurt them, please!" she begged, falling to her knees as her nails scratched against the glass that came between them.

Ford, who had been momentarily released by the chains, tried to interject. "No. No! Not the kids! You ca—"

His speech was cut off as he was turned into gold again.

"Stay put," Bill said before cracking his fingers in anger. "Let's get this over with."

Y/n watched from her glass cage as Bill crawled outside through the triangular hole and grew giant fists, slamming them down on the Shacktron. The impact sent debris flying from the harsh winds. He lifted his fist again, only to find the Shack perfectly fine and running.

"What the? No! NO NO NO NO!" Bill's eye bulged in fury as he sprouted multiple arms, pounding them against the Shack repeatedly. But the unicorn shield held firm, unrelenting against his attacks.

Suddenly, one of the Shacktron's arms reared back, and the T-Rex head lunged at Bill, biting his eye and ripping it from its socket. The demon screamed in agony. "Aah! My eye! Do you have any idea how long it takes to regenerate that?!?"

Meanwhile, the rescue team—Mabel, Stan, Soos, Wendy, Pacifica, Dipper, and Sheriff Blubs—stood ready in their designated exit tubes. With the press of a button, they were shot out of the Gobblewonker's mouth, screaming as they zoomed past Bill and through the Fearamid's opening. They landed safely with their parachutes, gasping at the sight of Bill's grotesque human throne.

"Oh, man. It looks even worse up close," Dipper said grimly.

Mabel shot her grappling hook towards the throne, pulling herself up to a platform. "I found Great-Uncle Ford!" She tossed the grappling hook down to Dipper. "He's golden. But not in a good way!"

"What about Y/n?" Stan shouted back.

Mabel scanned the platform and saw a hollow triangular prism-like cage. Inside, her best friend sat with her back to the glass. "She's here, too! Y/n! Hey, Y/n!"

Y/n perked up at the mention of her name, disbelief on her face. "Mabel?" She jumped to her feet, placing her hands on the glass. "Are you guys okay?! Where's Bill?"

"He's being taken care of at the moment," Mabel assured her with a flip of her brown hair. "But we're here to save you guys!"

Dipper, now on the platform thanks to the grappling hook, rushed to Y/n, trying to break her free. "How are we going to free you—and unfreeze the people on the throne?"

"I—I know!"

A voice caught their attention from above. They looked up to see Gideon, dancing in a cage while wearing a ridiculous suit. He couldn't seem to stop, despite being drenched in sweat. His face was full of suffering as he continued to dance, the music blaring from his cage.

"Gideon! How do we undo this?" Mabel inquired from below.

"Mayor Tyler," Gideon answered hastily. "He's the load-bearing human. Pull him out, and the whole thing goes down."

Without hesitation, Dipper rushed to Mayor Tyler and began pulling at his arm. With a rattle, Tyler turned back to normal and broke free, setting off a chain reaction. The displeasing throne began to collapse, and as it did, the residents trapped within it were returned to normal.

Deputy Durland, now free, stumbled into Gideon's cage, knocking it down and breaking it open. Gideon tumbled out, finally freed from his dancing torment. "No more SAILOR SUIT!" he cried, ripping off his costume and panting heavily.

As the freed residents gathered, everyone had their own touching reunions with their families. Sheriff Blubs rushed to Durland, embracing him tightly, and everyone cheered when they shared an intimate hug.

Behind the twins, Ford was shaking off the golden stiffness, his eyes widening in relief when he saw his assistant, who managed to get out of the glass cube. He called her name, and she responded, crashing towards him.

He pulled her into a tight embrace, knowing that the both of them went through so much torture in the hands of the geometric demon.

Dipper and Mabel ran up to them, joining the hug. "We're so glad you're okay, Y/n," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

Mabel nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "Yeah, we were so worried!"

They made her smile, hugging back just as tightly. "I knew you guys would come through. You always do."

Ford agreed, chuckling with pride. "I knew we could count on you two."

As the group pulled apart, Y/n's eyes landed on a familiar figure approaching them—Fiddleford McGucket. The old inventor looked weary but determined, his eyes softening when he saw Ford and Y/n together.

Her eyes wandered between two of her partners, anticipation in her nerves. He had seen what McGucket had looked like, but only from Dipper's sketches of the old man in the journal, but seeing him right in front of him...

Ford struggled to recognize the man who had once been his closest friend and colleague. The years had not been kind to McGucket; his hair was wilder, his eyes had a haunted look, and his posture was more stooped than Ford remembered.

But despite the disheveled appearance and the passage of time, there was no mistaking the brilliant mind and indomitable spirit that had once worked alongside him in the lab.

"Fiddleford," Ford's voice wavered with a mix of disbelief and recognition. "I-It's been too long."

"Too long, indeed," he remarked, nodding.

"I haven't seen you since we parted ways," Ford said, his voice heavy with regret. "You must hate me." It was the worst apology he could have given, and he knew it. The words hung awkwardly in the air, not even close to expressing how sorry he truly was.

But as the silence dragged on, Ford's eyes showed what his words couldn't: deep regret for the past and a desperate hope for forgiveness. He wished he could take back all the pain McGucket had suffered because of their encounters. But now, all he could do was stand there, offering an apology that felt far too small for the hurt he had caused.

McGucket had every right to be angry at Ford. The years of torment, the nightmares, and the memories of their expeditions gone wrong haunted him. He had tried to cope by forgetting, hoping that erasing the past would bring him peace. But as he stood there, face-to-face with him, it was clear that forgetting hadn't worked. It destroyed his mind, losing his sanity, and he was forced to live in a dumpster.

He could see the conflict in McGucket's eyes—the old anger and hurt mingling with a reluctant acceptance. He realized then that forgetting wasn't the answer for his partner. Maybe, just maybe, forgiveness could offer the healing that forgetting never could.

His expression softened as he looked at Ford. "I've tried forgetting. Maybe it's time to try forgiving. Come here, old friend." He smiled warmly.

Ford was flooded with relief, the tension in his shoulders easing as he hugged McGucket. The simple act of forgiveness felt like a fresh start, mending the wounds of their past and filling him with a deep sense of gratitude.

Seeing the two of them hug it out, Y/n felt a rush of relief and joy. It was heartwarming to see them finally make peace after all they'd been through. Her eyes misted over as she realized how much this moment meant for them. It was a beautiful reminder that even after so much pain, there was still hope for healing and starting fresh.

Overwhelmed by her emotions, Y/n buried her face between Ford and McGucket to hide her tears. Both men welcomed her with open arms, and the three of them shared a heartfelt embrace.

"How sweet," Stan's sarcastic remark broke the silence. "Now that we saved you two, let's get outta here, huh?"

Dipper's panic was evident as he spoke. "Listen, Uncle Ford, we don't have a lot of time. Remember how you told me right before you were frozen that you knew Bill's weakness?"

"Yes, I do," Ford replied, nodding. "Now, I just need to lay it down on the ground so does anyone have a large paper and a pen? Anything?" He asked the crowd, pulling on his dark gloves from his coat.

"Will this work?" Y/n offered as she picked up a random spray paint can from the floor.

His eyes lit up, snatching the can from her. "Perfect!"

He started spraying the blue paint onto the ground, drawing symbols with quick, determined strokes. Dipper looked on, confused. "Uh, we've got Bill outside, but I don't know how long we can keep him occupied...?"

"Yes, yes. Good, good," Ford continued, absorbed in his work.

Stan furrowed his brows in disbelief. "Drawing a circle on the floor. Well, he's lost his mind!"

"My mind is fine," his twin retaliated with a smirk, hands on his hips. "And there is a way to beat him. With this."

Y/n's gaze was fixed on the wheel Ford was creating, which had eleven symbols surrounding a central drawing of Bill Cipher. The design seemed eerily familiar, but she couldn't look away.

Ford began to explain to the crowd his discovery. "The native people of Gravity Falls had prayed to their gods for a force strong enough to vanquish Bill. They were granted a prophecy, and with these eleven symbols, they could defeat Bill, reverse his weirdness, and save the town."

So that's what he found all those years ago.

He continued, "This whole time I thought it was superstition, but seeing you all here now, I finally understand that it's destiny."

Dipper stepped on the Pine Tree symbol, Mabel onto' the Shooting Star symbol.

"The question mark!" Soos pointed out before placing his fingers on his chin, confused. "This one's unsolvable!"

"That's you, Soos," Y/n said, guiding him to his place on the wheel.

As she observed the symbols, she noticed one associated with each person. The symbol between Ford and Robbie was a flower—a round bud with petals. She had been staring at it, and somehow it looked like— the necklace Ford had given her.

"Was that why you gave me that necklace?" She asked the older man standing beside her, stepping on the wheel.

He turned to her, taking her hand. "I didn't give you the necklace. You wanted it," he said.

That made her wander in thought.

"Hold hands, everyone. This is a mystical human energy circuit," he instructed the group, and in turn, Daisy took the Stitched Heart's hand, not noticing Pine Tree's stare of disapproval. All of a sudden, their bodies glowed blue. Thunder rumbled, and smoke swirled around the Fearamid.

"Yes! This is it!" Ford remarked. He turned to the people outside the circle. "The rest of you, get out! It's too dangerous!"

They didn't hesitate to listen to the smart person, and this place gave them the creeps anyway so they fled out of the pyramid.

The Cipher Wheel was about to work, if it weren't for the missing person between Soos and Ford. He looked down and saw the symbol, one that was prominent in the maroon fez that belonged to his brother. He called for him, beckoned him to join the circle. "Stanley, get over here. You're the only one left!"

Said man was gazing outside of the pyramid, watching the losing fight between the Shacktron and Bill. "You realize this is a bunch of hogwash, right? You really think some caveman graffiti is gonna stop that monster?"

Many from the circle shouted their frustrations. "You're gonna ruin this! Come on!"

"Whoa. Hey. I'm not the enemy here, people. Don't forget who literally created the end of the world," he interjected, pointing at the man.

Ford pleaded. "I'm sorry, Stanley. I know. Just help me fix it. Please."

"Fine," Stan said. He's not that heartless. "Just do one thing. Say 'thank you'."

Ford was perplexed at the request. "What?"

He narrowed his eyes on him. "Y/n and I spent thirty years trying to bring you back, and you've never been grateful. A simple 'thank you' would be nice!"

Y/n's grip on Ford's hand slightly loosened as she looked down, feeling a mix of shame and discomfort. Perhaps she had forgiven Ford a little too quickly, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

Ford noticed her grip faltering, but it didn't matter. He held her tightly to give her strength and comfort as Stan continued his rambling, "Sure, you might've thanked Y/n in private, but what about me, huh? After everything I've done for you? You want me to shake your hand? Say 'thank you'!"

"Fine," Ford deadpanned, mustering the patience to deal with his issues. "Thank you."

To anyone else, it didn't sound genuine at all. But no one commented on it when Stan finally took Ford's hand. "Now, see?" He said, turning to the handyman. "Between me and him, I'm not always the bad twin."

"'Between him and me'."

Uh...

"Grammar, Stanley."

"I'll 'grammar Stanley' you—-!" Stan exclaimed, letting go of Soos' hand and lunged at Ford, pushing him away. "You stuck up son of a gun—!"

"Don't jeopardize this, you idiot! Everything's on the line!" Ford retorted, pushing him back just as harshly. The argument escalated as they shoved each other.

"I mean come on—!"

"Guys, stop it!" Mabel shouted, exasperated.

The group's shouting reached a fever pitch as everyone desperately tried to separate the twins. Y/n wedged herself between them, pushing them apart with urgency. "Just hold hands already and get this over with!" she pleaded, her heart pounding in her chest, anxiety overwhelming her.

Suddenly, she was forcefully pulled to the floor, a red aura surrounding her. Panic set in as she tried to stand, but an immense, invisible weight seemed to pin her down. It was as if an immovable object had settled on top of her. The fighting stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned to Y/n, who was grunting in effort, struggling to rise. The red aura was unmistakable, a chilling sign of who was behind this.

A shadow loomed over them, and Bill Cipher floated up, his hand raised in a closed fist. "Oh, noooo. It's Bill! Right? Isn't that what you're all thinking? Hey, Gideon, why aren't you dancing? Chop chop, huh?"

And all of a sudden, all hope seemed to have been lost.

***