Back From The Grave

Sorry Doesn't Make It Hurt Less

He stepped in quietly, not sure if Cipher had included Dipper in the his warning. And he was showing his face again. Oh God.
Almost as soon as the door latched his presence was noticed and a blue flame engulfed his view. He didn't have a chance to apologize or defend himself. This was it, and it was so hot. He opened his mouth to scream, feeling the blood along his fingertips begin to boil.
Oh god, make it stop. He'd do anything. He'd even be willing to drop dead at this point if it made it stop.
And then it did.
Dipper fell to his knees, his body shaking and unable to hold itself up any longer, but he was fine. His hands were shaking, but they weren't burnt. His body help no sensation of ever being on fire.
A strangled cry brought his attention back to his surroundings. He was in a sort of library with a ceiling several stories high with books lining the walls. He would've been awed or even s little giddy at the age and variety of what the books provided, but he turned his attention to the small clone curled in the corner underneath a velvet chair.
"It's okay. He's okay. I promise. It was just a joke. No one is going to die today." Bill tried to coax the kid out, crouched on floor and reaching blindly for him. His attention had been completely abandoned from Dipper.
Dipper briefly thanked the gods for this child's innocence. Missing his brother probably didn't put him in the best mindset, but he didn't seem to be seeking revenge like Cipher did. He just wanted the death to stop.
Wether it be for scoring redemption points with Cipher or just for the well being of clone three, he spoke up.
"I'm fine, see?" He willed his legs to stop shaking as he stood and forced a chuckle. "He got me good this time, huh?"
Bill only spared him a glance, but didn't argue with the brunette as to not give away the truth of the situation.
"Really?" The boy choked out.
The boys sensitivity to violence struck Dipper as more than just odd. He lived with a demon. Wouldn't this sort of thing be normal for him to witness. Unless Bill was wise enough to hide it from him.
Or he hasn't acted out at all.
"Really." Dipper nodded, before watching the boy crawl out. He looked Dipper on over, confirming what the man had told him. A grin split his face suddenly, as if his twelve year old mind had gone to a completely different topic. He turned to Bill, confirming Dippers suspicion that he had. He sincerely hoped he hadn't been this scatterbrained when he was a kid.
"Does this mean we're going outside today?" The clone said with a smile. He believed his name was Alphonse, or was it Alex? Alfred?
"I think that's a good idea. Mcgucket seems to be missing you." Dipper agreed, wishing he didn't catch a glimpse of Bills hard glare that probably translated into 'Don't you dare' .
"You heard the man. You've cooped up long enough." Bill blew him off, leading Alex, definitely Alex, out of the room. Dipper was sure to keep close to the clone. If he were to tempt Bill into roasting him again, he had a better chance of making it out alive if a child was their audience.
Down the hall Alex ran ahead of the other two, but much to Dippers appreciation, he stayed in eyes sight. But unfortunately out of eye shot.
"I'm disappointed. I thought you had more sense than your Grunkle." Bill muttered, but he didn't seem malicious. Still, Dipper knew he was walking on eggshells and he was never the most socially graceful person.
"Look, I'm sorry. I wouldn't even know how to beg-"
"Pine tree." Bill interrupted, and the nickname throwing Dipper for a loop. It had been ages since he's heard it and ever time someone mentioned pine trees it would give him a chill. The nickname had haunted him, and with Bill apparent change in looks and voice, he had almost never connected this Bill that helped McGucket, cared for the twins, and cared more for their well being than his revenge with the one that possessed him as a child, that played Ford for years, and tried to rule the world. But it wasn't the same person.
Technically it was and Bill was still a demon at heart, but for the most part, he's changed. Or changed enough where he wasn't an immediate threat.
"Why does it matter that you regret it? I don't understand any of you. You regret it, okay. But why do you feel the need to tell me?" Bill spoke up, but kept his eyes trained on the kid running down the hall. He sounded genuinely confused and it was clear he wished they would change the subject.
"I... " Dipper tried replying, but he found that he didn't know the answer either. The only thing closed to answer was that he hoped it would make himself feel better, but that was incredibly selfish now that it was spelled out for him. "How's he doing?" Dipper changed the subject.
Bill hesitated, as if picking between a whole list of answers. "I don't know." was said quietly and Dipper was taken aback by the level of honesty.
This meant one of two things. Either A. This was were the bad guy in the movie was about to kill the good guy and didn't care enough to lie to them or B. Bill had no idea how humans worked and since the kid was a literal clone of Dipper, maybe he's would know what to do.
Although Dipper was afraid of the likelihood of A being the correct answer, he felt in the wrong called Bill the villain. If anything, Dipper was the villain in this situation; the blood was not his hands and not Bill's. Dipper shook his head at that. As much as he could have stopped what had happened, he was only an audience or maybe the villains henchmen if he wanted to continue the metaphor.
"Children grieve in weird ways." Dipper replied. If he was actually sorry, he'd make a point to show it. It was the least he could do. "We'll figure it out." He invited himself into Bills closed off world. He felt that this is were he was supposed to playfully sock Bill arm to coax a smile out of him, but Bill looked at him with an unreadable expression and Dipper kept his hands to himself.