It's Been Thirty Years

Chapter 6: The Last Thirty Years

The sun set on what had ended up being one incredible reunion. The twins had talked for hours. Mabel introduced her children to Dipper. They were genuinely surprised to see he was their height. Mabel made up an excuse that he hadn't grown since he was 13 due to some illness and it worked as a good cover story. Daron and Mike were still kids after all. They had no idea about the weirdness within this town which had halted Dipper from growing up. But then, Dipper and Mabel had been in the same position when they first began uncovering the mysteries of Gravity Falls all those years ago.

Melody had to go back to work the following day so she had gone to bed early. Daron and Mike were asleep too. It was only Dipper, Mabel and Soos up. Dipper and Mabel sat in the living room and talked.

"No way," said Dipper, "Hong Kong?"

"Yup," replied Mabel, "It was a lovely honeymoon destination as it turned out. I really do wanna go back there one day."

Just then, Soos returned with drinks. Two glasses of wine for himself and Mabel, and a juice box for Dipper.

"Oh, my goodness Soos you did not," said Mabel.

"Yes, it is," said Soos as Mabel grabbed one of the glasses and took a sip.

"I was missing that taste," said Mabel, "Between work, a husband who's always travelling and two kids, this is like therapy all over again!"

"I didn't know you drank," said Dipper, "or went to therapy."

"Well, for one, you've been gone for thirty years so obviously you'd not know, said Mabel, "And, let's just say, I don't do one of those two things anymore." She winked.

The three of them cheered. As Dipper drank his juice, he could hear Mabel and Soos laughing.

"What...what's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," said Mabel.

Dipper shrugged and took another sip of his juice. Mabel and Soos laughed again.

"Okay, seriously, what's so funny?" he yelled.

"Oh, nothing dude," said Soos.

"It's just...we're drinking wine while you're having a juice box," said Mabel.

The two of them burst into laughter.

"Yeah, well, you do know I'm technically as old as you Mabel," said Dipper.

"Yeah, but legally, you're still underaged so we can't let you have any," said Soos.

"You two are already drunk," said Dipper as he rolled his eyes.

"Eh, I'm not always anymore," said Mabel, "I guess the last time I was...was back when I thought about you again that one night."

Dipper looked at his sister. She was now thirty years older but he could still see the Mabel Pines he knew and loved was still alive and well inside her.

"What happened to you Mabel?" said Dipper, "What did the last thirty years do to you?"

Mabel sighed before she took a long sip of her drink. She then looked to Soos, who nodded. Nodding back, she looked foreword to Dipper.

"It all began, on the day you disappeared."

"We looked all day for you," said Soos, "But after the third day, even the police had said the odds were bleak."

"Eventually...Grunkle Stan made the difficult phone call to mom and dad," said Mabel, "They showed up the next day and demanded answers. Grunkle Ford tried spare Stan of the blame but the two wouldn't let each other take more of it. They knew it was both their faults they lost you."