Alice wasn't sure what to do, hands on her hips, staring into her new apartment.

She knew Gravity Falls was strange, she'd signed up for it when Ford asked her to stay, but she hadn't expected this. She didn't expect the dishes she'd bought to be smashed against the floor and splintered in her walls. Alice sighed, watching as the mattress she'd just bought floated across the room in a neon blue light, bumping into each wall until whatever it was got tired and dropped it.

"This is not something I'm dealing with today-" She hissed under her breath, shoving her hand in her pocket and pulling out her phone. Searching her contacts, she found Dipper and called.

"Hey, Alice!" Dipper answered on the second ring. "What's going on? Everything okay?"

"Dipper," Alice started, her voice calm and cool compared to the panic flaring in her brain. "How worried about ghosts should I be in Gravity Falls?"

"Uh... Well, it depends-" Alic heard him shift, probably setting down a book. "Ghosts aren't exactly unheard of here. You think you have one in your new place?"

"Yep-" Alice breathed out, watching as the mattress fell onto a box of clothes with a loud thud. "Do you and Ford want to come over and take care of it for me? Because I don't know how."

"Sure, we can come over and check it out," Dipper reassured her on the other end of the phone. "Give us a few minutes to get there. You sure you don't want to evacuate or something?"

"No sir," Alice sighed, narrowing her eyes at the mattress and glaring around the room. "I just rented this place, I'm going to live in it."

"Alright, fair enough," The boy chuckled on the other end of the line. "We'll be there soon. Just... Try not to get possessed before we get there, okay?"

Alice thanked him and hung up, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. Wait- Possessed? She breathed in, holding the air and releasing it with a huff. Stepping into the room, Alice tried to look inconspicuous as she started to clean up the broken plates and glasses.

Time seemed to inch by slowly as Alice tidied up the broken dishes, her eyes flickering to every corner of the room, wary and watching for any sign of movement. Whatever was haunting her apartment seemed to be taking a break from terrorizing her belongings. The stillness was eerie, more so than if the entity was present. Finally, as she finished up the cleaning, a knock sounded on the door, making Alice jump.

Alice shot forward, stumbling over her feet as she ripped the door open and stared out at Ford and Dipper, almost sheepish looks on their faces.

"Dipper said possessed?" She gasped out. "What. Did. He. Mean?"

"I didn't mean to scare you," Dipper admitted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was just joking..."

"Mostly," Ford added, patting his great-nephew on the shoulder, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Ghosts don't usually possess people around here."

"Don't usually isn't too comforting when my new china is demolished," Alice narrowed her eyes between the two, holding the door open for them as they stepped into the mess.

Alice had spent the day before painting the room, but the eggshell white walls were covered in scrape marks and small dents. She crossed her arms over her chest, and as if on cue, the ghost started acting up. Her mattress was in the air, bumping against the ceiling and into the lights.

"Oh come on!" Alice wined, throwing her hands up. "Not the lights!"

Ford and Dipper watched in disbelief as the mattress floated through the air, the lights flickering as it bumped into the light. The sheer absurdity of the situation causes both to fall silent. Dipper was the first to speak, a mix of shock and humor in his tone.

"Looks like you got a feisty one, Alice," Dipper chuckled with a shake of his head. 

Alice groaned, burying her head in her hands and letting out a sigh. Was it so much to ask for an easy moving day?

"You know-" Alice mumbled into her hands, dragging her face from her palms. "I don't why I thought today would be easy."

The ghost's tantrum was wreaking havoc on her new place, and Alice would have found it amusing if it wasn't happening to her. Ford stepped forward, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Ghosts aren't known for their courteous behavior," He pointed out, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Though, they're not quite this... Active."

"Good to know," Alice muttered, lifting her gaze to the mattress floating comfortably next to the light. "Can we get it out now, please?"

"Yeah, we'll take care of it," Dipper reassured her, stepping forward and approaching the floating mattress. Ford slipped a journal from one of his coat pockets, quickly flipping through the pages until he found what he was looking for. His eyes scanned the words before glancing back up at the mattress.

"This should be simple enough," He muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "Just need to figure out the trigger..."

"Oh the trigger," Alice mused bluntly, stepping into the apartment and crossing the room to the small kitchenette. She settled herself at the small island and leaned on the counter. "Couldn't be the woman moving into the apartment, could it?"

It would have come out as sarcastic if it wasn't for Alice being so tired that she didn't have the energy to be sarcastic. Dipper gave her a sympathetic smile, but Ford seemed far too wrapped up in the mystery to catch her tone. He leaned against the wall, lost in thought as he observed the floating mattress.

"It makes sense," He mused around, Alice could almost hear the clogs turning in his mind. "A ghost feeling territorial..."

Dipper and Alice exchanged a look, the former rolling his eyes at Ford's obliviousness.

"Honey bee," Alice lulled playfully, her brow raising as he observed the floating mass. She leaned on the counter, her foot bouncing against the floor. "I'm feeling territorial..."

Ford's head snapped up, his eyes wide with confusion before registering her tease. He chuckled awkwardly, his cheeks tinged pink as he shoved his journal in his pocket.

"Oh, I-" He stuttered, Dipper snickering behind him, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Right. Sorry."

Alice chuckled lightly, her gaze refocusing on the mattress bumping against the ceiling. It was almost nice, having Dipper and Ford here to take care of a problem she knew nothing about. 

Ford, still shaking off his fluster, returned his attention to the problem at hand, mind already turned back to the task. He studied the way it shifted and moved, trying to figure out a pattern or a trigger. Dipper leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

"Looks like you've got yourself a little problem here," He observed with a smirk, glancing at Alice. "You always seem to attract the strangest things, don't you?"

"Big talk for a kid," Alice shot back, smirking at Dipper as she watched Ford work. Dipper gawked at her, feigning offense as he placed his hand over his chest in mock horror.

"Hey, I'm not a kid anymore," He protested, sticking his tongue at her. "I'm a teenager."

Alice rolled her eyes and refocused on Ford, who seemed to be ignoring their banter and standing directly under the mattress, studying it intently. His six fingers traced invisible patterns in the air, and unwavering focus lay on the mattress.

Alice watched, resting her head in one hand and watching him work. Her gaze flickered up, watching as the mattress shuddered in the air over Ford's head.  She froze, watching the mattress slowly shiver, the ghostly blue glow slowly fading from around it, and she lunged forward.

"Look out!" She cried, colliding with Ford's chest. Ford stumbled back, his arms instinctively wrapping around her, hands gripping her to stabilize them both. Before Alice could push, Dipper barreled not her back, sending the three falling to the floor as the mattress fell.

But it stopped, floating mere inches above their head, swaying in the air.

Alice stared, eyes wide as she glared up at the mattress, propping herself up on Ford's arm. She shoved the mattress up into the air and batted at it as it floated back toward her.

"Alright!" She yelped, narrowing her eyes at the general area of the mattress. "You know what? I'm done- If you don't get out of my apartment, I'm going to burn it."

"Don't antagonize it," Ford warned, his voice low despite Dipper's suppressed smile. "We just need to figure out what's triggering it."

"Oh I'm going to antagonize it-" Alice sneered at the unseen ghost, practically vibrating like an angry cat. "I'm going to antagonize it so hard this stupid ghost will regret ever messing with me."

Alice started forward, grabbing the mattress corners and giving it a solid tug. The mattress, seemingly just as frustrated as Alice, began to flail in her grip. Alice tugged back as the mattress released a high-pitched whine, trying to escape her grasp.

"It's definitely reacting to her," She heard Ford mutter from the other side of the room.

"Get out of my apartment!" Alice yelled at the spirit, stumbling back as the mattress was ripped from her hands and slammed against the other wall. "I worked too hard for this!"

Alice felt the air shift in the room, a chill running down Alice's spine. She watched as a figure began to materialize, transparent and glowing faintly. It looked like a teenage girl, no older than sixteen, her expression twisted into an angry scowl that was focused on Alice. She hovered a few feet above the ground, her form almost blinding in the atmosphere as she narrowed her gaze at the group.

"This is MY home!" She hissed, her voice echoing around the room. "You can't just take it away from me!"

Alice felt Ford grab her arm, pulling her back with him and Dipper, a look of shock etched across their faces. His hand moved to his pocket, ready to act, but Alice fumed.

"No ma'am!" Alice snapped at the young-looking spirit. "You do not get to break all of my crap and make my day a living nightmare! Didn't your parents teach you any manners?"

"My parents?" The ghost hissed back, her voice dripping with venom. "You want to talk about my parents? Mine abandoned me! Left me alone here all by myself!"

Her form flickered, and Ford's grip tightened on Alice's arm. Alice crossed her arms over her chest, raising her brow at the spirit and taking a step forward.

"Alright!" She waved a hand. "I get it! My mom ditched me when I was a kid! But that's NO excuse to hurt other people!"

"It's not fair!" The ghost girl wailed, her form solidifying again, anger morphing into anguish and confusion. She floated lower, her expression shifting "Why should you get a house, a family, and happiness while I'm stuck here? Alone!"

Alice shivered as the room grew colder, thick with tension. Ford stepped forward, his grip still tight on Alice's arm.

"We understand your anger," He began, his voice reassuring but carrying an authoritative tone. "But lashing out and hurting innocent people won't change your situation."

The spirit's form flickered again, her eyes narrowing. 

Alice noted a hint of curiosity on her face as if she was interested in Ford's calm and reassuring demeanor. Alice slipped her hands into his, threading her fingers into his and gripping his fingers tightly, her other hand reaching out to Dipper. The boy took her hand, and Alice was quick to tug him behind her, shielding him from the possible wrath of the spirit.

"You can't just lash out because you were hurt," Alice elaborated, willing her tone to mimic Ford's. "That's never the answer. And I am sorry you were hurt, but you need to let yourself move forward so you can be happy."

The spirit's gaze flickered between the three, her growing less opaque, almost tangible. Her eyes linger on Alice's hand holding onto Ford's, a flicker of envy, then melancholy crossing her face.

"How can I be happy?" She shot back, her voice cracking with despair. "I'm stuck here! Alone! Forever! There's nothing left for me."

Ford stepped forward, his voice softer, far more understanding than Alice could ever be.

"Can you tell us your name?"

Alice's grip tightened around Dipper's shoulder, pulling him to her side. Her hand stretched between Ford ached, almost shaking with nerves. She wanted to jump in the way, but she thought better of it.

"Elodie-" The teen spirit snapped at Ford, her arms crossing over her chest. Ford nodded, his expression softening as he released Alice's hand.

"Elodie," He repeated, the name rolling off his tongue softly. "It's a lovely name."

"Elodie?" Dipper pipped up, hesitant and careful. "Do you remember when you..."

He trailed off, unsure how to phrase the obvious question. Alice took a step forward, her hand reaching out to rest on Ford's shoulder, her gaze focused on the spirit. 

"Do you remember how you passed?" Alice finished the question, her hands split between Dipper and Ford. Elodie's form flickered at the question, her ghostly image rippling as a pained expression crossed her face.

"I- I was a runaway." Her voice wavered slightly, her form shuddering. The temperature around the group dropped, and a palpable aura of sorrow and regret filled the room. "I didn't want to... to live with my parents anymore. So I ran away and I... I...

Alice watched the girl, a sudden wave of sympathy rolling over her. She wished she could hug the ghost, give her a little more comfort than standing there and listening.

"I'm sorry, Elodie," Alice whispered, releasing Dipper's hand and stepping toward the ghost girl. "That shouldn't have been how your story ended. It's not fair to you."

"You... You care?" Elodie asked, her expression wavering between anger and sadness. The air around them began to stabilize, less chilling as the spirit in front of them opened up. "Like... You actually care?"

"Of course, we care," Ford started, his tone reassuring as he took a small step forward." No one deserves to be forgotten or alone."

"You have the chance to move forward, Elodie," Alice continued, reaching her hand out to the girl's spirit, a comforting smile spreading across her face. "There is happiness out there for you. But you won't find it here, not in this apartment."

Alice watched Elodie's frame hover higher, her form slowly fading as she stared at the outstretched hand. The ghost flickered, her eyes shifting between the three.

"I... I'm scared," She confessed, a ghostly tear streaming down her face, her voice barely loud enough to be heard.

Ford's hand followed Alice's hovering in the air in front of the ghost girl. The wave of sympathy grew stronger in Alice, the fact the girl wasn't just angry but scared broke her heart.

"It's okay to be afraid, Elodie," Ford reassured her. "It's a natural response. But letting fear control you isn't going to help you find happiness."

The girl eyed their outstretched hands, before reaching out. Her cold hand pressed into Alice's palm as if there was a real person there, but as Alice pulled her hand back, she saw Elodie's fingers phasing through her palm.

"It's okay, Elodie," Alice reassured her, despite the flicker of fear that stung through her chest. "Everyone gets scared, everyone gets angry. You have to let it go."

"How?" Elodie whispered, a hint of acceptance and understanding seeming to grow in her ghostly eyes. "How do I let it go?"

"It's a process," Ford started, his voice low as he stepped forward, his opposing hand falling atop Elodie's ghostly one. "It's difficult, but it's possible. You have to recognize your anger, feel it completely, accept it as part of you, and then let it go."

"You can't change the past..." Dipper spoke up, his voice hesitant as he stepped forward. "But you can change how you react to it."

"You can free yourself," Alice smiled at the ghost girl. "All you need is to want to let go, want to be free."

Elodie's form flickered again, her eyes scanning the three living people in front of her, searching for reassurance, for understanding. Alice could see it now, the cry for help she had missed because she didn't understand what she was seeing.

"I... I want to be free," Elodie whispered, her voice growing stronger with each syllable. "I want to leave, to find peace... I'm tired of being alone."

"Then be free and don't be alone," Alice whispered, her free hand reaching up to press against the ghostly cheek of the girl. Her hand froze at the contact as if there was a face for her to cup, but Alice didn't think too hard about that fact. "Be free and find rest, Elodie."

Elodie leaned into the touch, a small, bittersweet smile appearing on her face. For a moment, her form solidified, as if she was a real person, feeling the touch of another. Then, as the moment passed, her form flickered as gravity took hold. Her gaze moved between Dipper, and Ford, and finally settled on Alice, a hint of gratitude shimmering in her pale eyes.

"I... I will," She breathed her voice no more than a whisper. "I'll find rest..." Then as if an afterthought, she spoke again. "Thank you."

A blinding light appeared, and when Alice looked back, Elodie was gone.

Alice drew her hand back, sucking in a breath and staring at the space where the ghost girl had once floated. She turned her gaze to Ford, unsure if the pain in her eyes was tears or a headache forming. He reached out, his hands falling on her shoulders, his touch gentle and reassuring as he pulled her into a hug.

"It's okay," he murmured, his voice quiet and soothing. "It's a lot to process, I know..."

Alice felt tears sliding down her cheeks, and she buried her face into Ford's jacket. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tighter to his chest, his heartbeat steady in her ears. She felt Dipper's thin arms wrapping around her, forming a makeshift group hug. Alice's arm slipped around Dipper's shoulder, pulling him into the center of the hug, despite his light protest.

"That poor girl..." She managed to sniffle out, palming her eye. She wiped her tears with her free hand, shaking her head as she tried to take a breath.

Ford, still holding onto Alice and sandwiching Dipper between them, gave a sympathetic nod. His hand rubbed gentle circles into her shoulders, "She was alone... Living with parents who never cared... It's heartbreaking, really."

Alice shifted back, drying her tear-stained hands on her jeans and releasing Dipper from the hug. She sucked in a deep breath, tipping her head back and releasing it in a long hiss.

"Who would have thought..." She mused sadly, brushing her hair back. "Gravity Falls."

Ford stepped back, his hand still resting on Alice's shoulder as he composed herself. Dipper brushed himself off, glancing up at her with a curious expression as he collected himself.

"What do you mean?" The boy asked, his voice filled with confusion.

Alice let a weary smile cross her face, suddenly exhausted from the encounter with Elodie. "It's always going to surprise me."

Ford rubbed his chin in thought, a small, sad smile on his face, "Yes... Gravity Falls has a habit of that..."

"Do you think Elodie will be alright?" Dipper asked, glancing between Ford and Alice.

"I think so," Alice said with a nod, reaching out and gently tussling Dipper's hair. Dipper let out a protest, batting her hands away as she messed up his hair, but a small smile appeared on his face. Ford chuckled lightly, shaking his head.

"It's hard to say for certain... But I think you helped her a lot today, Alice."

"We all did-" Alice shrugged back, shoving her hands in her pockets and starting toward the front door. "But... I think I'm going to spend the night at the Shack today."