Ford had locked himself away downstairs. He didn't even come up for meals, and none of us dared go downstairs, even though it hurt me, I tried not to take too much offense in his obvious hatred for me.

No one else knew I was back yet. I was still sort of angry that everyone had helped lie to Mabel, but I tried to ignore that too. They were my best friends. All of them. Well, except maybe Gideon and Robbie.

It had only been seventy two hours since Mabel had summoned me back to earth. And I had sworn to never, ever, ever go back to the Nightmare realm. Ever.

Stan wasn't talking to Ford again. And he was trying to be as nice to me as possible. But I didn't want him to be nice. I wanted everything to be normal again. Like it had been last Summer. But it seemed like that was impossible now.

And we were over halfway through the summer already. I couldn't help but think of what would happen when Mabel had to go back home. I couldn't leave Gravity Falls. Not with the barrier still up. And fat chance Ford would tell me how to break it. Not that it mattered. It could only be broken with power like Bill's or Alcor's.

Alcor. I still shuddered at the idea that any day Bill and I could be fused together to create some homicidal all powerful killing machine. Despite their attitudes, I knew Mabel and Stan were terrified of Alcor. Bill and I hadn't told them yet who Alcor actually was. I had just assured them that he wouldn't come back. I really hoped that was true.

But as awkward and stressful life was right now. I had a horrible sense that this was as close to normal as we'd ever get. And of course, among the hundreds and hundreds of other worries, there was one irrefutable fact that had recently returned to haunt my waking nightmares.

Bill and I were immortal.

That meant that eventually we would watch Mabel grow older and older, and I would try to grow with her. I could alter my image to look any age I wanted, and when Mabel had come back I had changed myself to look slightly older. But the truth was that I would stay the same, frozen in time, and Mabel would age. And she had to live her life as well. She couldn't stay in Gravity Falls with me, just because I couldn't leave. And I knew she would. Just because I was her brother. Because she cared.

All of these worries piled up in my mind until I felt like screaming. And the worst part was that every roadblock, every obstacle, every complication was my fault. My fault.

And I had no way to fix any of them. None that I knew how.

I was lying on my bed, alone in our room, staring at the stuff that Stan and Ford had kept in my room, albeit layered with dust. That Pterodactyl tooth, all my old theories up on the wall, my collection of fountain pens and my notebooks and reading books piled up on the shelves. I didn't have the heart to move a single piece. It had been here too long. And it almost felt as if this wasn't my stuff anymore.

Hey, you've been quiet. I said to Bill, deciding to leave my thoughts for the moment.

Just thinking.

That sounds dangerous.

Ha ha. Its about White.

The demon who left us behind in Gehenna's castle?

Obviously. I was wondering whether he'll come back.

Why would he come back? He got his wish.

Demons aren't like the honest little hick town folk you have here, Pine tree. I hardly need to remind you that demons aren't to be trusted. As long as he knows that we have the other four wishes he's a threat.

Seriously? Then Mabel's in danger!

Not necessarily. I mean, White doesn't know anything about Shooting Star or your ties to Gravity Falls. He'll hardly suspect that we'd just hand the time wishes over willingly to a mortal.

Don't call her that.

I'll call her what I want. She's a mortal. We're immortal. Are you going to keep living in denial forever?

Just ... Don't change the subject. White can't be a problem, right? Not unless he's summoned here. And what are the chances of that?

Well... The rulers get special treatment. They can cross into here any time they want. With whomever they choose.

WHAT?! Then we could be attacked at any minute!?

Yep.

BUT!... Then why haven't they done that yet?

Who knows? Maybe they're just biding their time until the perfect moment.

Oh great. Then we're not safe no matter what we do?

If only Sixer would trust me. I'd help him develop a few working Weapons of I wasn't worried he'd use them on us.

So then we have to convince him.

How Pine tree? He hasn't trusted us since the day we told Mabel the truth. He tried to convince her we were the enemy. He's so afraid of being tricked again he's completely lost his sense of reason.

Well then I suppose its you to blame for him not trusting us.

That's not fair, Pine tree. How was I to know?

Does the word "omniscient" mean anything to you?

I'm not omniscient ... I've just been around a long time.

So, What if Gehenna does find us?

We'll have to draw attention away from Shooting Star. Make sure she doesn't try to get any of them. But aside from that, I suppose we'd just have to try to survive.