Chapter 24

                                    

                                          
I felt more lonely in that moment than I ever had in my life. Everybody I had ever loved in the world had left me: Mabel, Ford, and then Wendy. The only person who loved me truly was Bill, but his love left me feeling... incomplete. Like there should be more than what I was receiving. Like it wasn't enough. I told myself that I shouldn't be so picky - Bill's 'love' was the only thing keeping me going, the only thing worth fighting for.
                          
I stumbled to the darkness of the woods, the forbidden area, so I could be alone. I wouldn't have thought, that in the last week of my life, I would want to be alone, in the pitch black of the foliage. Spending my infinity like this might actually work out alright. It wasn't like anybody here would miss me, after all. To most of them, I was probably already dead.
                          
"I figured you'd finally come here," a husky voice rung out through the hushed quiet of the trees. I looked around frantically, but nobody showed themselves to my begging eyes, which were melting like ice cream in the warmth of the summery twilight around me.
                          
"Who-who's there?" I stammered to the shadows that were closing in. "Wha-what do you w-want?
                          
"After all you'd been through, I thought you might finally be a man," the voice chuckled as I put the pieces together, figuring out who had found me in my despair.
                          
"Wait... Grunkle Stan? Is... is that you?"
                          
Emerging from the inky charcoal backdrop, the old man appeared to me, his wrinkled forehead frowning, his mouth the epitome of disappointment, maybe even regret. I let him down; he wanted so much for me, as he did for Mabel, but, in a single week, neither of us would ever be who he dreamt us to be. And I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not. 
                          
"Yeah, kid," he sat down upon the patchy brown grass beside me, the prickly blades brushing against his dented hand. "Sorry if I scared ya."
                          
I shook my head. "No, I'm fine, I'm just... you caught me a bit off-guard. How did you know I'd be here?"
                          
"You've always went to the forest when you were feeling lost, ever since you first came here when you were twelve. Even though this place is so dangerous, it's where you felt most safe. I'm sorry, Dipper; you should've felt safe with me, but I guess I screwed up as a caregiver, huh?"
                          
He was speaking jokingly, but I could see it in his eyes: he was deadly serious. He was disappointed in himself, not me. He regretted his choices, not mine. I closed my eyes, resting my dainty head on his shoulder, brushing my ruffled hair against his neck.
                          
"I'll always feel safe with you, Grunkle Stan," 
                          
***
                          
Gah I love Stan. Along with Dipper and Bill, he's my favourite character. I just love it when he has more quiet moments like this. Also, I'm so sorry for not updating. My app kept crashing whenever I opened it, so I couldn't publish. To make it up to you, I'll publish the next chapter now too! Sorry for sucking :( Love you guys,
                          
Em xx