Gideon Northwest's hands trembled in excitement. The Journal was secure beneath his coat, and his magic carried him over the snow towards the Mystery Museum, where the second Journal was.

Towards the Museum. Away from Mabel.

His hands were trembling — in excitement.

He finally had it! He finally had the first Journal. Mabel had had it all along! She had practically given it to him.

The image of her horrified face suddenly appeared in Gideon's mind. He shook his head violently to dispel it. Don't think about her, he told himself. Getting the Journal is far more important.

He continued through the forest, his cape streaming behind him with blue magic dancing on the ends. This was definitely the way to travel. The Journal was in his jacket, and the weather was nice, with crisp, cold air lit by invigorating sunshine. He had nothing to worry about.

Yet there was Mabel's face again.

Gideon grimaced and pushed it out of his head again. He did what he had to. She wasn't his concern.

Try as he might to stop it, Mabel's face popped up in his mind's eye multiple times before he finally emerged from the forest. He landed in the snow, extinguishing his amulet, and started across the clearing between the woods and the Museum. There was no one around, but careful training had taught him not to use his powers in public. "These powers we've given you are not to be flaunted," his father used to say.

Usually, when the voice of Gideon's father came into his head, he didn't pay attention to it. This time, however, another seemingly unrelated piece of counsel appeared. It was almost as if he could hear it externally. "The key to success, Gideon," Gaston Northwest's voice said, "is never hesitating to crush those who stand in your way."

Strange. Why would Gideon remember that right now?

"Th-that's mine! Gideon!"

Gideon jumped and looked around wildly. He could've sworn he had just heard Mabel shouting at him. But no one was there. That voice had been in his head, too.

Gideon got chills that had nothing to do with the winter air.

His expression hardened, and he quickened his pace towards the Museum. Stop it, Gideon. Stop thinking about her!

She was in my way.

Stop it.

She was in my way, so I—

Stop it!

By the time Gideon threw open the door to the Museum, it was as if he were slamming it in Mabel's face. He wanted her out of his head. He had the Journal now; he shouldn't be thinking about her.

"Gideon?"

Gideon blinked and looked around. Pacifica watched him in concern as she levitated the last of the crystal shards into a trash can. He realized he was standing still in the doorway.

"I found it," he told her breathlessly. It sounded like the breathless part had come from excitement — just like the trembling hands.

Excitement.

The blank look on Pacifica's face turned to surprise. "You mean the Journal?" she said.

Gideon glanced across the room, where he could see Dipper sitting sulkily on the couch. He'd forgotten about him. Did Dipper know about the Journal? Would he recognize it? Would he know that Gideon had stolen it from his sister?

No, he told himself. You didn't steal it. You needed it. Don't worry about Dipper.

Still, Gideon turned away from the boy and lowered his voice. "Yeah, the Journal," he said to Pacifica. "Where's mine? Didn't I leave it here earlier?"

Pacifica nodded. "On the bookshelf. You're sure you found it?"

"Positive," he said. "I have the first Journal."

Keeping it under his jacket for now — he didn't need Dipper to see it — he went over to the bookshelf in the back of the room and pulled his Journal into his arms. The 2 emblazoned on the gold hand never looked so bold. He could practically see the 1 replacing it.

Gideon crossed to the table, where Pacifica joined him, and dropped the second Journal onto the wood with a satisfying thud. Then, with slightly trembling fingers, he unbuttoned his overcoat and pulled out the first Journal. "I have it," he said again, preparing to set it next to the second. "I finally have Journal number—"

He dropped the Journal onto the table in shock.

"Three?"

Where there should have been a 1 — a shiny, black 1 — there was a 3.

"There are three?" Gideon's voice was nearly a whisper. He gingerly picked up the book. Some vain part of his mind hoped that the 3 would magically turn into a 1.

It didn't.

Gideon set the Journal — the third Journal — on the other side of the second. The place for the first was still empty. "But then. . . where's the first?"

He glanced at Pacifica, who was watching with mild interest. She only shrugged.

"I — I thought there were only two. I—" Gideon ran his hands through his hair, his eyes locked on the Journals. "There are three. But she only had this one, right? So where's the—"

"That's my sister's!"

Something slammed into Gideon from behind. No, not something. Someone. Before Gideon knew what was happening, Dipper Pines knocked him off balance and grabbed onto his collar. "That's Mabel's!" Dipper screamed in Gideon's face. "Where did you get it? What did you do to her? Where is she?!"

Gideon was so shocked that he didn't even react, at least not at first. He could only stare at Dipper and at the fury in the boy's face.

Then instinct kicked in: With a blue glow from his amulet, Gideon shoved Dipper away. Even with Dipper away from him, he still felt this. . . weight. Like a stone, in the pit of his stomach. "Listen," he said carefully, "I didn't—"

Dipper lunged at him again. "Where's my sister!"

Gideon's magic stopped Dipper this time, suspending him in front of his adversary. Gideon had a hard time meeting his eyes with that look of hatred and fear lacing them. "I only — I mean, I didn't — she's—"

Why couldn't Gideon talk?

"That's her Journal! Where did you find it! What did you do to—!"

"I didn't hurt her!" Gideon shouted back.

For a blessed moment, everything was silent.

"I — I didn't—" Gideon stopped and took a deep breath to stop his voice from shaking. This was ridiculous. "I ran across Mabel in the woods. When I saw that she had the Journal, I took it and came back here. That's all."

"You stole it from her!"

Gideon scowled. He didn't need Dipper making him feel bad about this.

She was in your way, his mind whispered, so you—

No. He shoved the thought away.

"You stole it!" Dipper repeated, still glaring at Gideon in full force.

Gideon forced his voice to be level. "Yes. But I didn't hurt her."

"Where is she?" Pacifica asked from behind him.

"Don't tell her!" Dipper shouted.

"I don't know," Gideon said truthfully. He hadn't known where he was when he had come across her, really. And she could be anywhere by now.

Even though he hadn't given Pacifica any clues to Mabel's location, even though he had told the truth, Gideon was still subject to the rage in Dipper's glare. "What's your problem?" Gideon snapped.

"What's my problem?" Dipper shouted back. "Oh, I don't know! You stole the Journal from my sister — and if she was out alone in the woods, she probably had nothing else! And that's not to mention that I've been kidnapped, and you're just standing aside letting it happen! That's my problem!" He pushed against his magical bindings, but they held him firm. His feet weren't quite touching the ground.

Gideon was tired of this. He didn't know why he wanted to flinch under Dipper's tirade, or why Mabel's face wouldn't leave his mind's eye. He didn't know why there was a third Journal, or where the first one could be. "You're not my concern," he finally said, turning his back on Dipper and cancelling the amulet's magic. There was a thud as Dipper fell to the floor.

Gideon looked down at the Journals. A thought occurred to him. He turned slowly back to Dipper. "Unless. . ."

Dipper got to his feet. "Unless what?" he asked, his voice low and guarded.

"Unless you know anything about the first Journal."

Dipper looked confused. Not a good sign.

Gideon took a step closer. He lit up his amulet and kept it at a low burn, if just to remind Dipper who had the power here. "There are three Journals," Gideon said. "Where's the first?"

"How should I know?"

He had to know. If he didn't. . . he had to know.

"You know," Gideon said. "I can tell. You're related to the Author. You must know something."

"Look," Dipper said, "Mabel and I found that thing in the woods. I have no idea where the others are. I don't really care, either."

Gideon slammed his hand on the table, then grabbed Dipper by the collar of his shirt. He almost yelled in the boy's face, but he stopped himself. Instead, "You could be telling the truth," Gideon said softly, "but if you're not, I can force it out of you."

Dipper looked defiantly into Gideon's eyes.

"If you torture me," he said, his voice steady, "Mabel will hate you forever."

Gideon felt his calm expression slip, and he immediately tried to recover. But the damage was done. A twisted triumph spread over Dipper's face as the two locked eyes. They both knew that Gideon wouldn't do anything to hurt Dipper. Not now.

Gideon's amulet flared, and he let go of Dipper, pushing him onto the couch. Dipper hit the back of the couch hard, and Gideon was pleased to hear that it sounded like it hurt. "Fine," Gideon said. "I believe you about the Journal. For now. Just — sit there. And be quiet."

He turned his back and grabbed a chair, sitting down and staring at the Journals in front of him.

The Mystery Museum fell into a tense silence.

Gideon's eyes traced the outline of the 3 on the third Journal until it was seared into his brain. Somehow, even having another Journal — despite it not being the first — wasn't exciting or even comforting. The sight of the third Journal only sickened him.

He heard a sniffle beside him.

He glanced to the side. Pacifica — he had forgotten she was there, to be honest — was sitting in her chair, her back straight but her head lowered. Gideon saw a tear fall onto her skirt, glistening in the shadows.

"Paz?" Gideon said softly.

She looked up at him, then back down at her lap.

"What's wrong?" Out of all the things that were unusual right now, Pacifica crying had to top it all.

"He really—" She took a breath. "He really cares about her, doesn't he?"

It took Gideon a second to realize that she was talking about Dipper and Mabel. Great. How come nobody would let him forget them? Forget her?

Gideon leaned on his elbows and put his chin in his hands. "Yeah," he said to Pacifica, his eyes finding their way back to the third Journal. "Yeah, he does."