Chapter 16: "He's Messing With You!"

Dipper looked at everyone's expressions carefully. He had finished explaining, and honestly, he was scared. Bill had stood beside him, awkwardly, and kept a firm grip on his hand. The first to explode was Stan. "Bill, what did you do to my nephew?!" Bill took a small step back, and Dipper stood in front of him, scowling. "He didn't do anything to me! We really are dating." Next, Ford stood from his chair, and came closer to Dipper. "Dipper, he's got you brainwashed or something. Everyone knows you hate this demon more than anything!" He didn't know what to do. Would no one believe him? Why did they think Bill was controlling him? "So you don't believe me? Then go on. Ask me a question only the real me would know! Since you seem to think I can't give someone a second chance." Dipper let every single memory come to the front of his mind. "Alright." Ford sighed, holding an arm in front of Stan to stop him from hitting Bill in the head with his bat. He had to think for a minute. "When me and you first went out there, on a hill by the bridge, what did we discover?" Dipper thought back to that day and answered instantly. "An alien hideout. Tiles with unreadable markings. Pod ships." Ford nodded. Stan decided to ask him something, from the way he opened his mouth, but Dipper only heard Mabel. "Dipper, you are my brother, and my best friend, and I love you. I know you better than you know yourself. Your smart. Curious. Brave. And, if you say you and Bill are dating...." Dipper looked at the ground, ready for another outburst. Surely, Mabel would believe him! She was his twin! His sister! She knew him like the back of her hand. But she only stepped closer, and hugged him, eyes a little glassy. "I believe you. And, even after everything Bill put us through, I accept it. I'll try and not hold a grudge. After all, we just got a bad first impression, right?" Dipper hugged her back, so thankful his sister believed him, and just as speechless. "Mabel, Dipper, get it through your head! He's messing with you! He only wants to destroy the world, or take it over, or-" Bill took a step forward. "Listen, sixer. I made a deal with Pinetree, I regained his trust, and I'm not losing it again! So, you better believe I love him and he loves me back, because I'm done playing the villain. And of shooting star here believes it, then I don't see why you wouldn't. After all, you know the kid with all your heart, right?" Ford narrowed his eyes, then stared at the floor, but didn't say anything. Stan, meanwhile, hefted his bat. Dipper let go of his sister, and stared at him, saying, "Grunkle Stan, I'm warning you. Put that bat down." "No can do, kid. It's clear that he's playing his tricks again. And you've fallen for it again." He raised the bat, but before it could hit Bill, Dipper threw himself in between the two, and glared at Stan. Telling him to stop the bat, or he would risk giving his nephew a concussion. But it was too late. A searing pain ripped through his head, meaning he'd been hit, and he fell, welcoming the darkness.