Eleanor's POV

"What? Who's Ford?" I asked confused.

Bill looked around frantically. "There's too much to explain. He must have found a way to travel in time and tried to stop your fate to come here!"

"Come here?" I repeated hastily. "I don't understand what you're saying!"

"You and your parents were supposed to live in Gravity Falls from the day you were born, but he must have altered the past to make you be in California. But your fate caught up with you... He is more ingenious than I thought..."

"Please tell me who this is!" I begged.

"That doesn't matter! What matters is that he's still alive..but he's not here." Bill took deep breathes. "He must have changed only one thing and forgot about the variables in between. That's why you came back here." Bill looked up. "You would have come here to fulfill your fate no matter what it cost..."

I paled in fear. It all made sense now. Why my parents had suddenly wanted to move, why I found Mabel and Dipper so quickly, how I had easily agreed with Bill to give him my blood and trust him and why everything happened. Everything had been mapped out the entire time and I had no power to make the right choice, because this was all supposed to happen. Everything that happened would have found a way to happen one way or another.

It wasn't my fault. It wasn't my fault! "OH MY GOD!" I dropped to my knees. "It's not my fault!" I felt like crying in happiness, but I couldn't find the right happiness to express, I was in shock. "So my entire life..." I looked up at Bill. "My entire life I have been controlled. This was all supposed to happen and not supposed to happen?"

Bill nodded. "Yes..."

I stood up. "Everything I did...it wasn't me."

Bill looked crestfallen. "Yes...."

"So Dipper was supposed to die all along..." My voice cracked. "How can this be possible..?"

"It shouldn't be. But he managed to outrun any bad outcomes while he was at it." Bill took my hands. "And, I guess I have been being controlled as well."

My breathing was shallow and uneven. I have been controlled my whole life. "Bill, what do I do?"

"I don't want to talk about this..." Bill murmured.

"But I do. I need to. Bill, I've been a puppet my entire life. All my choices have been monitored and controlled. It was like my life wasn't living. It was like I have been following a program and I had no say."

Bill's eye was hollowed out and empty. "I know..." He clenched his fists. "But I can't change that. That isn't my job, not my power.... Bedsides, I got what I wanted."

When he said that I felt like he wasn't being sincere. "Why would this Ford guy do what he did?"

"He was trying to stop me..."

So this Ford guy knew this would happen.... I shook my head and looked at Bill, a traumatized look upon his face. I knew what he was thinking. The utter thought that he too had been being controlled must have been mortifying. "Should-should we go the ballroom for the celebration?"

"I'm sorry I almost killed you." Bill ignored my question.

"I-" I clamped my mouth shut. "It wasn't your fault." So, Bill did care. What he did, he couldn't stop it. Maybe all those things he did weren't his true nature..?

Bill smiled. "It wasn't your fault either."

I took a deep breath. "I-I..." I didn't know if I could say it. "I forgive you."

Bill's eye widened to the size of saucers. "Really?! You do?!" Shock and pure joy radiated off of him.

I thought for a moment, to make sure I was really sure. "Yes, yes I'm sure."

Bill smiled and hugged me tightly. "Thank you..."

I hugged him back. "You're welcome..."

******

Bill and I walked down the halls in silence. I felt like every move I made was being controlled and that seriously unnerved me. I just had to push that aside and focus on the celebration. I honestly didn't care about the celebration, but I desperately wanted to forget about the most recent moment. It certainly would drive me insane.

I didn't want to reminisce on that scene every time I do anything. It's almost as annoying as being aware of the exact time when you blink or that strange ringing sound in your ear.

You're welcome for that ^ btw. Now you can think about when you blink right now or the next moment and that in silence you hear dat ringing...
Hehehehehe

Bill was now holding my hand very tightly, almost like he was afraid I would vanish. What if he thinks you like him? My brain whispered. I scoffed to myself. I just forgave him. That's. It.

I felt Bill shift his gaze to me, pain struck across his face. I didn't look at him. Dammit, I forgot he can read my thoughts... I tried my best not to think, but in silence, that was all I could do.

Bill cleared his throat. "The celebration will be fun, Arrow."

I nodded.

Bill fiddled with his bow tie and the corner of my mouth quirked up at that. "It will be fun." Bill persisted.

"There's no doubt in my mind that it won't be." I said just for Bill's self confidence.

Bill smiled brightly. "Are you all right with dancing again?" He asked.

"Of course." I answered without hesitation.

Bill was being unexplainably kind to me, and this was my favor in return. Besides, I might as well enjoy my moments while the world was still in one piece, before Bill destroyed it...

No, don't think about that. I told myself. I was going to enjoy this celebration wether I liked it or not...then maybe I could think of an escape plan to save the world. Bill let go of my hand when he brought out his arm, showing me to go into the ballroom.

I exhaled and turned the corner, stepping into the room. The entire place was alive with action and music of all different types. The bone chandelier was lit up with both blue and regular flames. All the torches were lit, making it brighter than it should be. A large buffet table was covered in food and drinks of all kinds. Creatures of all types danced around and I lurched back in fear and landed in Bill's arms.

"What's wrong?" He asked confused as he held me.

"All those...monsters..." I managed to get out. "I'm the only human here."

"You've got me." Bill pointed out.

"You're not human, Bill." I argued.

"I am quite aware of that, miss!" Bill took my arms and twirled me around before he stepped in with me. "Don't worry, no one came throw a party like a Cipher." He smirked at me. "So now you're part of the club."

My face turned bright red. It was utterly disturbing to know 'I was now a Cipher'. I put on a fake smile. "Uh, great!"

Bill pulled me close and whispered to me. "I'm glad you're happy now."

My smile vanished the moment he said those words. "Oh."

Bill's gazed flicked away for a moment before he lead me into the room. As soon as he crossed in, the creatures stopped the ruckus they were making and stood in silence. They all bowed in respect and I felt queasy being in the spot light.

"Care to dance, my lady?" Bill asked, mimicking his request from yesterday.

I exhaled deeply. "Why not...?" I took his hands carefully. With all these monsters surrounding me, I would gladly not revolt. All the creatures had drawn away, leaving us in the center alone. The torches suddenly went out and a spotlight dropped down on us.

Ugh, seriously...? I thought angrily, forgetting Bill could read my thoughts.

"What?" Bill asked.

"Just...the spotlight...." I could feel the hundreds of eyes upon me

Bill smirked. "You'll learn to love it."

"That's what you've said about everything else."
I growled.

Bill's eyes widened. He clenched his hands and warmth seeped into my skin, filling me with this strange numbness. "You are going to love it." His voice was suddenly dark and cold.

I felt something become very taut inside of me. Like he was yanking on a string. All sense of awareness slipped away and it was just Bill. I forgot about Dipper and Mabel, my parents, how the world was ending. Everything. The world spun around quickly and my eyes became wide. I didn't know what I was saying...thinking... "Of course I'll have fun!" I suddenly shouted brightly.

Triumph filled his gaze. "Good." He spun me around and I laughed as we danced across the room. The spotlight didn't matter anymore. Bill tossed me in the air and for a moment I enjoyed the floating nothingness before I landed back into his arms.

The colors from spotlight and the outside world blurred together as I seemed to loose all sensibility. I laughed joyously and spun around with him.

"Happy birthday..." He murmured in my ear.

I was too happy to care that my birthday was yesterday, I was too happy. "Thank you, Bill." I grabbed him and pulled him quickly, kissing him in front of everyone.

I heard the crowd murmuring, but it all was muffled. I felt Bill smile. "I love yah, Billy." I chuckled. A voice in the back of my mind told me otherwise, but my thoughts appeared to be cut short.

"As well as I." Bill held me close and I smiled into his chest.

It was the best night of my life...

******

I woke up drowsily, and I yawned. What had happened last night? It was dark out now, the stars twinkling brightly. I was still in my dress and my hair was full of sparkles and a tangled mess. I rubbed my gaze confused.

Wait.

This wasn't my room.

Dread filled me up. I looked around frantically and threw the comforter away. I rubbed my eyes again, yawning. My mouth tasted like soda and cake. I grimaced in disgust and staggered to my feet. "Bill..." I asked sleepily.

A door suddenly opened up from the wall and Bill stepped out of his dress room. That's when it hit me, all of last night. The dance, the kiss, the partying and how I had passed out cold while talking to him and then...

I screamed and grabbed the closest thing to me, a lamp, and flung it at him. Bill gasped and ducked away, using his magic to still it in mid air. "Arrow, what's up?"

"How dare you use MAGIC on me!" I screeched.

Bill blushed in embarrassment, which was a weird thing to see happen to a demon. "I know..."

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" I cried, feeling humiliated. "I-UGH!" I stomped my feet, feeling like crying. "You made me delusional!" My voice was rising and rising.

Bill played with the strings of his untied bow-tie. "I know..."

"Why?! Why did you do that?!" I screamed.

"You had fun, didn't you?!" Bill shot back.

"No! Actually, the after math is not worth it! I hate you! Why would you control me?!" I felt tears building up in my eyes. I felt so betrayed.

"Because...I wanted to have a good time with you..." Bill admitted shamefully.

"No! You can't take advantage of me like that! You should have just trusted I would have a good time on my own! Now I can't even trust you!" I wanted to throw that lamp at his head again.

Bill looked hurt. "Don't look so regretful, Bill! I know you don't really! Now take me back to my room!" My face was red with fury.

Bill sighed and gave up. "I'm...sorry Arrow."

"No! Just...just don't talk to me." My voice cracked and I spun away, fury coursing through my veins.

Bill swallowed hard and took a deep, shaky breath. "Ok..." He opened his bedroom door and let me go and I stormed off to my room.

"I'm really sorry!" He called as I made my way down the hall.

"Never come near me again!" I raced to my room and slammed the door and cried on the floor. I had never felt so used. I thought he had changed...

Apparently not....