Eleanor's POV

It felt like hours that I had been floating in oblivion, inky blackness all around me, before I dropped out of the sky in a white flash and tumbled onto my stomach. The time machine flew out of my hand, landing in a lawn, and I rolled over once - my scream cut short when I slammed into some rose bushes. For a moment I went still, the shock of the matter still catching up with me. I blinked, my gaze fuzzy and my head swirling. I drug myself out of the bushes, the thorns catching onto my already ruined shirt. I yanked my hair out, shaking my head and gasping for breath.

Frantically, I looked around and found the tape measure on the grass and snatched it back. I held it tightly, fearfully. When my blurred vision finally cleared I stumbled to my feet, almost toppling over again. I was in someone's front yard. I was standing on the lawn that was surrounded by rose bushes. A little bit ahead of me was a concrete driveway that lead up to the house. I shakily walked off the grass and down the driveway to the side walk.

I looked up and down the street that divided me from the house in front of me. It was clear. The air smelled clear and the sun was warm on my skin. That's when I looked at the house in front of me. A simple front yard with rosemary bushes lining underneath a bedroom window. The front door caved into the house and a small walkway lead out, lined by thick lantanas, and turned into the drive way. I was in California. I was by my house. My legs turned to jelly and I felt immense fear course through my veins.

I was home. But it didn't feel like home anymore... I slowly walked across the street, my legs sending up little sparks of pain with every step. I finally reach the sidewalk that ran by my house and just stared at the eerily familiar sight. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath so I breathed in deeply, my body trembling. Then the door knob turned.

I jumped at the sound and dove behind the lantanas, the flowers fluttering around me. My heart was racing and I prayed the person exiting the house didn't hear the beating of it. I bit my lip, squeezing my eyes shut tight as I heard the door close and the person walking past the lantanas and down the drive way. I hopped over the bushes to hide from the person and peaked my head up to see who was walking down the sidewalk and gasped.

It was me.

I was wearing a long-sleeve blue cotton sweater with skinny jeans and black boots. I had a burlap sack with a navy blue letter E painted on the side of it.

I remembered this day. I was off to my friend's house - Madison - to carpool with her to art camp. I looked so plain and ordinary. Like any other girl on Earth. The one that walked the streets unnoticed, but knew all the neighbors. The one who would casually wave to say hello at other pedestrians. So ordinary. So, normal.

That's when I remembered what would happen tomorrow. Tomorrow, my parents would drop the bomb of all news that we were moving to Gravity Falls, Oregon. I recalled yelling at them, telling them no and that all my friends were here. Back then, I had no idea what was ahead. But I did now. And I was going to stop it. I tried to pick out anything in my memory that might clue me to what made my parents want to move.

I gasped, remembering, and ran to the mailbox posted at the edge of our yard. I yanked it open and stared into the opening. There it was. The pamphlet. I shakily reached in and drew it out, studying it. On the very top, in bold letters, it read out Gravity Falls. It talked about how beautiful it was up there and all the attractions - even featuring the Mystery Shack on it as one of the tourist traps. This must have been the variable the Ford guy had missed when he went back to stop me from ever coming to Gravity Falls. Who knew one flimsy piece of paper was the cause of all of this.

I clipped the tape measure to my side and held the pamphlet with both hands carefully. If I got rid of it now, I would never go to Gravity Falls, I would never meet Dipper, I would never meet Bill, I would never see Dipper die, I would never fall madly in love with Bill. So many things would never happen. But. I had to do it. Without hesitation, I ripped the pamphlet in half and then ripped those pieces in half as well. I marched over to our neighbor's trash can and tossed the torn up pieces in, letting them flutter to the bottom.

I swallowed hard, knowing I wasn't quite done yet. But I had done this. I knew that I would never ever go on this adventure I just had with terror and violence and pain, but also love. It had to be done...

"One last thing..." I murmured to myself, feeling like crying.

I unhooked the time machine from my shorts and grabbed the strip carefully, thinking of a place and I selected the time. I pressed it and let it fly back and shot out of California with my first job now complete.

The machine dropped me off in the middle of a forest. I landed clumsily on my face, but managed to keep hold of the time machine. I sat up immediately, breathing hard and hurriedly. I knew what I had to do. I snuck through the forest, trying to recall how Dipper had described the area. I had to be careful here, if I was found here, who knew what could happen.

 I finally found the place I was looking for - a small clearing. I darted to it and looked around. I spotted the tree with the panel on it. I knocked on the tree trunk, making sure it was the one. When I heard a short echo, I nodded stiffly to myself and pried it open. Nothing had touched it yet. I flipped some of the switches and finally I heard a hiss of air escape from behind me.

I whirled around, seeing a small space opening up to reveal and confined metal containment inside. I peered inside, finding journal number three resting in its place, untouched. My hands trembling, I reached in, pulling it out of the cobwebs and blew them off, seeing the true and very first journal that Dipper had seen.

Now I had to get rid of it.

If Dipper found the journal, the apocalypse would still be able to come. I wasn't able to burn the journal or its power would be released. It deeply unsettled me to think the Bill of this timeline, watching me, was still possible and him have no idea who I was. It made my skin crawl. I would have to get rid of this journal somewhere. The best I could do was let it sink to the bottom of the lake.

I broke of in a run, whizzing through the trees and when I reached the lake; I knew the end was soon. I opened the journal and looked inside. It read Property Of _____. I swallowed nervously. I knew who now... It all made sense. I picked up one of the charcoaled pieces of wood from the ground and etched in the name Stanford into place. I slammed the journal close and held it over the cliff. I remembered clearly, being here and cashing Mabel and Dipper for the second journal. It was such a horrible feeling. I looked down at the water, almost turning black at how deep it was. I released my grip on the book and it fell into the water with a plop and sank deeper and deeper and deeper.

I forced myself to turn away immediately. I had to go back and hide all evidence of me being in that clearing. I made my way back to the tree and flipped the switch, letting the hiding place seal up. I slammed the panel close, my entire body telling me no and to stop, but I had to do this. I turned to burst off into a sprint when I slammed straight into somebody.

I stumbled backwards, holding my head. "Ow!" I exclaimed and steadied myself on a tree. I looked up at the person, rubbing my head. "Are-" I snapped off instantaneously at the sight of this person.

He sat on the ground, rubbing his head as well, wearing a navy blue vest, red shirt and had maple brown hair. My lips parted open in utter disbelief.

Dipper stood up and shook his head. "I-I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. Are you hurt?"

My voice didn't seem to be working for me. Dipper was alive and talking to me and looking at me. He was alive. Alive. I tried to speak, but words didn't not escape my lips.

Dipper blushed and looked away, clearly embarrassed and confused of why I wasn't speaking.

"I-uh-I-" I spluttered out and swallowed, "N-no, I'm fine...."

Dipper put on a small smile. "Ok, good." His eyes widened when he saw what a mess I was. "Whoa, what happened to you?! It looks like you just went through some type of battle! I mean, it's not the end of the world."

I almost laughed at his incompetence, but I was still in shock. "I-I...that doesn't matter." Tears formed in my eyes. He was holding a bunch of signs that were labeled BEHOLD! and THIS WAY! , along with a hammer and some nails. I guessed that he was actually on his way right now to happen upon the journal. I launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around him tightly, feeling like breaking down.

Dipper let out a gasp and dropped his supplies onto the forest floor. "A-are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine now. You-you're ok." I cried.

"We didn't hit our heads that hard; I'm ok. Really." Dipper said unsteadily.

I drew away, tears running down my face. "I'm just so glad you're ok..."

Dipper seemed confused and rather frightened, but played it off. "I-I like you're hat." He told me in a panic of confusion.

I glanced up, realizing I was wearing his hat that he had died in. I took it off. Maybe he didn't realize it was covered in blood? His blood... "I-" I glanced up to see him wearing a brown hat with a star on it instead. "You can have it!" I said quickly.

Dipper leaned away, baffled. "W-what?"

"Take it! It suits you better anyways." I snatched his hat off of his head and placed the pine tree hat upon his. I held the brown hat in my hands daintily.

Dipper seemed traumatized and nervously fixed the hat on his head. "Um...thanks..." He paused for a moment. "I saw some of these back at the shack."

"Y-you can get a new one if you want. But, I recommend you keeping that one." I pointed at it stiffly. "It's...special."

Dipper gave me a confused look and reached out his hand. "I'm-"

"Dipper." I interrupted him.

His face went white. "How did you-"

"Dipper listen to me. Trust your sister. You'll never know you loved her as much until she's gone. And when you return to California...if you see a girl named Eleanor... say hi. She'd really appreciate it. Don't let your guard down - you're going to need it. Also, Wendy is out of your league. Enjoy your summer..." I wanted to tell him every single thing I knew of the future, but I knew that that could tear the universe apart. I was limited on information that I could hand out. I kissed his forehead, wanting to stay with him and broke off running with his hat.

"Wait!" Dipper screamed in confusion and amazement. "Who are you?! How do you know all this?! What's your name!"

I stopped, but only for a moment. "Eleanor..." I whispered to myself and Dipper tilted his head to the side and I ran away as fast as I could.

I shouldn't have even spoken to Dipper. I messed something up, I had to of. I finally reached the edge of the forest and slumped against a tree trunk, finally allowing myself to cry. I held onto Dipper's original hat and cried into hit, hugging my knees. "Please, Dipper, Bill, remember me..." I whispered and cried even more.

My feet suddenly went numb. I flinched and looked down and to my horror and amazement, I was dissolving. My feet were already gone and the nothingness was crawling up my legs. Since I changed the past, I no longer existed anymore. I should have known this would happen... I held onto Dipper's hat and closed my eyes tightly. I knew I had saved the world, but I had been the price. I finally let go and relaxed against the tree and let the nothingness take me to the point where I had vanished into oblivion, leaving nothing behind.