Back From The Grave

This Probably Doesn't Count As College Work

"You can't be serious."
Dipper hadn't gotten home until well after lunch time, so when he walked in the door he was dragged into the basement for what he assumed was an impromptu lesson. Ford was always one to rush to catch up on loss time. But when they reached the office floor of the basement, the amount of scattered papers on demons and dreams and a trigonometry textbook (really Ford?) the cursive scrawl of How To Send send Bill back to the mindscape became an answer for everything.
You can't be serious.
Okay, you have two options. You either
A) Tell him he has crossed the line and is out of his blessed mind and do not help him with his studies, fully knowing that he'll figure out a way to land Alexander parentless and Ford avoiding Dipper.
B) Pretend he's being persuaded into helping so he knows what Ford knows and possibly botch his plans before they have a chance of working.
Okay, I really don't have two options.
"Why?"
"What do you mean 'why'? He's dangerous!"
"Okay, but what if he's changed? McGucket seems to trust him and you remember how their relationship was 40 years ago."
"Yes, I know. He hated him, but Bill is cunning. I was fooled by his charm and so can Fiddleford. He's still at demon at- well I wouldn't say he has a heart, but you know very well what I mean."
Right, charm. Nothing more charming than a half asleep demon paranoid of being unloved.
"What are you planning to do? We're mystery hunters; not exorcists."
"It's our job to protect this town from the supernatural like Bill. Exorcism or not, we have to contain him."
"Why? The manitaurs are almost as dangerous, or- or the knomes or the multi-bear. Sure, we protect the town from them, but it's by compromise. I had a case at the Northwest manor. I thought 'it's a ghost terrorizing them. It's evil.' but it was a citizen from this town that spurred the spirit. You can't go into the blindly and one sided just killing and exercising anything that isn't a citizen!"
"Bill is a demon! There is no compromise with him! It's just trickery! He had proved what he wanted to do with this town, and he will not settle for less."
Okay, no surprise. Ford isn't going to budge on his stance.
"Okay... Well we need to be careful with this. He can't know we are after him." To be honest, Dipper had no intention of letting Bill know Ford was pursuing him. But it wasn't to save his own skin. He didn't want Bill to know that someone was actively working against him. Of course he realized that Bill probably wouldn't do much if he did know.
He would only just get more upset.
"I knew you would see reason." Ford smiled, moving towards the table of scattered papers. Dipper wished he could leave. He felt sick.
He's never lied to Grunkle Ford before. He was his idol, but now he could see the man's faults.

That was seven painful hours ago. Dipper was beginning to thank the years spent sharing a room with Mabel to his acting skills or more how to act like you're listening to rants. The discussion didn't lead to much other than Dipper learning a bit more about Ford and Bills past relationship than he wanted to know.
Now he was laying flat on his bed waiting for sleep to take him when a soft rap on his door disturbed him.
"Dip-dop?" Mabel spoke up, peeking into his room. She hadn't waited for him to answer to enter.
"Hmm?"
"What's new?" She sat at the edge of the bed. He hasn't had a chance to act weird or suspicious around her lately. He was impressed with his sisters people reading skills.
"Can I tell you something?"
"Of course."
"You can't tell anyone. Not even the Stans."
"I know, bro." She smiled. Dipper felt his guilt edge away. Mabel always made it okay.
"Bill is back."
He smile faltered, but didn't fade away completely. She was waiting for the catch.
"A-and I think- I know he's changed."
"Then what's the problem?" She shrugged. It was a refreshing difference from Ford. She believed him. All she needed was his word, no proof, and she accepted it as truth. Dipper let out an airy breath. His tension almost vanished.
"Ford doesn't. Bills living with McGucket and actually taking care of him as well as my two lost clones-"
"Those two are still alive?!"
"W-well... Ford killed one just to get Bill to act out, but all Bill did was an empty threat. He's just mourning."
She got quiet and her expression unreadable.
"Is that were you were yesterday?"
"Yeah... " He was unwilling to lie to her.
"What are we going to about it?" She smiled, squeezed his arm, and it was okay. He hadn't realized he was this worried about Bill or Ford until Mabel offered her help. They could take on whatever Ford could do together. He wasn't alone in this.
"I'm researching with Ford so I know what he know and what he's planning as it happens."
"Does Bill know?"
"He knows that Ford hates him and that Ford knows where he lives."
"We have to warn-"
"No. He's... He just can't know. He can't handle anymore regrets from that summer. He loves those clones like sons and McGucket is like an adopted father, but they have nightmares his mistakes. He can't know."
She nods and squeezes his arm once more.
"I want to see them." She smiled. Dipper could only laugh at that.
"I guess we're visiting tomorrow."
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I totally forgot McGucket actually had a son. :/ oops. But it's been one hell of a week. Just a whole bunch of couch surfing after being threatened to be kicked out and general perils of living in the closed minded conservative Texas country side. At this point I'm totally up for anyone to chat me up (idk maybe rp?) ahh, please talk to me.