*real world*

( Dipper's  POV )

3 days. It's been 3 days.

Mabel, how is life back there?

This is all my fault, I caused all this mess.

I sat at my bed, looking at her side of the room. If none of this had happened, she would be right there, yakking on life.

Sigh.

How I miss her.

The worst part of this is that even if I want to help, which obviously I do, there's nothing I can do. I've told Stan about it, turns out he got messed up with Bill too a few years back (Stan's twin brother gone? Who knows wating for season 3 :D) and knows that Bill isn't something to be taken lightly.

Stan has revealed his secret past to me (vending machine), which I must say, I was shocked when I learnt of his past.. Never mind about this, speaking of Mabel, Stan told me not to do anything. Be cautious, because he can backstab you anytime.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

The familiar 3 quick knocks.

My face lit up as the door opened. Pacifica stood there, holding two cans of soda. I moved aside on my bed, allowing her space to squeeze beside me.She gave a smile as she handed me a can.I must say, she has been my pillar of support these few days.

I feel so comfortable around her.

I mean, she didn't judge me or anything when I cried because of Mabel, she 's so sweet and kind and pretty. Her ponytail is so cute, I mean, look at it! I hope I am good in concealing my feelings though, Mabel would totally embarrass me.

Oh right, Mabel isn't here..

"Oh come on Dipper, she will be back soon, I mean, you don't feel that Mabel's having a hard time? I bet she's okay, she misses you all too and a week will soon be over," sometimes, I'm really grateful on how optimistic she sounds.

Our sibling telepathy. True, I didn't feel anything.

Mabel should be fine.

---

*in the dream realm*

"You can't catch mee!" the look on Mabel's face was priceless, one of pure joy.  Her face was flushed red, she was sweating profusely.

"What's this! Hey, I still don't know what to do! Stop running from me!"

"Just touch me and I lose! And you must run with your two feet!" Mabel shouted in excitement on the other side of the room, amid Bill's repeated protests.

It has been a long time since she has played catching.. This game was one of her childhood favourites, Dipper and her used to play it in the forest around the Mystery Shack too. Well, playing this game with Bill sure did evoke her childhood self, and she was enjoying it.

Bill stood still, not quite understanding what he should do. Nevertheless, he had to take the moment to wonder how this can make her so happy.

Why run away from him?  Isn't catching her really simple?

"Hey- hey! Bill! That's cheating, you can't do this! Hey!" Mabel protested as she felt her feet leave the ground and felt herself involuntarily drifting towards Bill.

He reached out his long fingers and touched her shoulder.

"Shooting Star, I win! Right?"

She gave a playful glare. "This is cheating! You can't levitate people! Let me down!"

He smirked and was about to release her from his grip, when suddenly, an electric bolt shot from his hand, like static electricity, aiming for his head. He felt a sudden piercing pain and his head was  in a whirl.

What is happening?!

He closed his eyes momentarily, the sudden pain still present, akin to a bee's sting. His eyes felt the worst, and the more he tried to shut them, the more they screamed at him to open. His hands were at his head, trying to sooth the pain in his head, to no avail.

On the other side, Mabel, still hovering above ground, was confused.

"B-ill? Bill? Are you okay?" Bill opened his eyes and Mabel stifled a scream.

His eyes were hot red.

On the other side, as Bill saw Mabel, sudden flashbacks of the past flashed across his head. Back to 4 years ago, when he hated them with a burning passion.

Images of torture appeared as well. His cackle and sarcastic laughter, watching his victims being destroyed, one by one, as the rest, the pathetic humans, stand and watch helplessly, the best form of toture..

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" the evil cackling resounded across the whole room, and Mabel recognised that voice.

The old Bill.

"SHOOTING STAR, YOU aRe going DOWN!" he cackled and with Mabel still in her grasp, she was his. ( dramatic speeches )

She was confused and scared at the same time. What had happened to him? What is happening?

Suddenly she didn't feel as safe around him anymore.

He was lost in his head, his veins coursing with adrenaline. He has controlled, for so long, now he would reveal his true self, he felt so free..The flickering blue flames appeared on his hands and Mabel felt a piercing pain on her left arm.

"ARGH, argh, Bill stop it please!"

That spurred him on.

Her whole body was screaming in pain now, she curled into a ball, tears flowing freely, her face contorted in pain.

"Please, what is happening to you, why are you so different now?" she whimpered.

She was confused, how did an innocent game turn to this?

And then, as soon as it came, the adrenaline stopped, although the glare in his eyes were still fiery red.

Then, his thoughts drifted to the night in the pizza restaurant, how she was so comforting and trustable to make him reveal his past. No one has ever shown him so much concern, never. Only her.

In shock, he jerked his head up and looked at her. The streaks of tears across her cheeks as she curled in a ball. The sobbing and shrieks of pain, the way her perfect face was ruined, because of him..

He snapped, wanting to release her from this suffering, but as he tried, the pain in his head resurfaced, now more pain than ever.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?

Something was controlling him. Whatever that thing was, it wanted to continue the toture. Bill wanted to defy it, no, he needed to defy it. For her.

Despite the contorting pain, he managed to release her with much difficulty, as she landed softly on the ground. His eyes returned to his normal shade of yellow.

"Shooting Star-" he walked towards her, as Mabel stared at him, in fear, eye brimming with tears. She blinked and the tears fell down to her cheeks. She looked so scared and insecure, he felt so regretful, she looked so vulnerable, he wanted to protect her..

"Shooting Star, I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened to me, it suddenly came over me, I didn't mean it, I didn't want to, I'm serious, I'm not lying, I'm-"

She turned away.

"-so sorry,"

He went down, until he was at eye level with her eyes and took  a good look at her. Her pretty eyes were now red from crying, no, this was all his doing, no, how could he inflict such pain on her?

Gingerly, he reached out his hands, and slowly cupped her cheeks.

Mabel almost flinched at his touch, but then she thought of the Bill a few days ago, the heart warming Bill...

She let him touch her and slowly she looked at him.

As Bill cupped her cheeks with his hands he could feel her wet tears.

Not knowing what to offer as consolation, he gingerly used his fingers to wipe away the tears.Mabel felt his hands.

Although these were the exact same hands that have the power to torture her and these were the hands that were capable of burning her with those bight, blue flames, these hands felt so warm and sweet. She leaned into the touch and closed her eyes.

He was so close now, he could see every teardrop on her eyelid.

He was about to lean in even closer when, the same pain appeared in a certain part of his head.

Oh no.

"Shooting Star, I hope you do know that I'm really sorry, I really am and I think it's best if I distance myself away from you, I don't want to harm you again. It really pains me," he ended the last sentence, lingering for a moment, before letting go and teleporting away, leaving her behind, alone.

She could feel the warm breath against her cheeks as he breathed his words into her ear, before he let go.

Mabel didn't open her eyes to see him leave, but just stood there as she let her feelings settle down.

She didn't know what happened, but part of her knew it was intentional.

Suddenly, without him, she felt a bit empty.

Could it be..?

She opened her eyes and looked around. She decided to go to her bed and take a long nap.

Sleep was the best option to avoid facing her feelings.She drifted off to sleep, with his touch still lingering in her cheeks, with his face the last thing she saw before falling asleep.

---

HAHAHA im sorry this isn't edited oops I may edit some other time ;)Do leave your thoughts in the comments below, rmbr to vote! :) I hope this was a nice chapter

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btw bonus question :)

Could it be...? Be what? :D the most creative answer wins ;) hope there would be responses :) :) :)