"-and Tyrone? Where did you get that name from?" Mabel continued to pester her brother even as they walked up the attic stairs to go to bed.

Dipper was sick of it, though he had lost his urge to snap back at Mabel's jokes hours ago.

"I dunno, I thought it was kinda cool" replied Dipper in a bored tone. In the back of his mind he was secretly planning on a way of getting into Ford's lab.

He waited until after all the lights in the shack were turned off and he could her Mabel's soft snorting from the other side of the room.

Dipper took the flashlight from his nightstand and tip-toed out of the room and down the stair case.

It was time for an adventure in the dark.

                       .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

The vending machine was locked when Dipper tried to open it.

Of course, he thought.

Why didn't I think of that?

He looked closely at the keypad then decided to crack open the journal. Next to an entry about codes was a piece of paper with some sort of code written on it.

Up until now he didn't recognize it, but looking back and forth from the page to the vending machine, he recognized the pattern to be the keypad on the vending machine.

Dipper typed in the code written in the journal;
A, 1, B, C, and 3.

The vending machine swung open to reveal the dimly lit passage. Waking down the musty hallway felt like deja vu and the cold feeling sent chills up his spine.

When Dipper finally reached the last stairs that entered the lab, he slowed his pace. He was about to finally talk to the author of the journals, just him and Ford.

He took a small step into the dark lab and found Ford asleep with his head in his arms by his desk. He must've fallen asleep working on something.

Dipper felt stupid for thinking that Ford might be awake, but then again...maybe this was more convenient...

With Ford asleep there was no one to stop Dipper from looking at anything in the lab he wanted.

But where to start? There were so many things in the room- papers flooding out of desk drawers, mysterious gadgets just laying around, and more.

Dipper looked around the room until he found himself standing right in front of the door that led to the portal. Although he already knew the story behind it, he still opened the door to look. But he found that the portal was gone, almost as if it had disappeared.

"You shouldn't be down here."

Dipper jumped when he heard Ford's voice and immediately began to apologize.

"I'm so sorry Great Uncle Ford! I didn't mean to- it's just that I've been looking for you all summer, and now you're here, and I need answers!"

Ford held up a six-fingered hand dismissively, "It's fine, really. I understand that you want answers, you were dead just a few days ago." He pointed out.

Dipper felt relieved that Ford was being so relaxed towards him.

"What happened to the portal?" He asked.

Ford sighed and stared into the empty room,
"I dismantled it, the portal was too dangerous. I was an idiot for letting-" he stopped himself from saying something, then continued "I was fooled into thinking it was for the good of humanity, it turned out to be the opposite."

After a short silence, Ford looked down at Dipper with a raised eyebrow,

"Can you keep a secret?"

Dipper nodded vigorously, "Sure!"

"You can't tell anyone- not even your sister" Ford warned.

Dipper nodded slowly this time.

"Although the portal is no longer functional, dismantling it created this," Ford picked up a small glass globe that almost looked like a snow-globe, but instead of a small cabin or a snowman inside, there was a strange fluid-like substance that looked like a small Galaxy.

"It created a rift, a tear in our dimension. I was able to contain it in this, but it can't hold it for long."

"What happens if it breaks?" Dipper asked, his voice sounding small.

"It could tear apart the very fabric of time, destroy the world and bring on the apocalypse." Ford said gravely.

Dipper felt confused "Why are you telling me this?"

Ford put the rift down on his desk as he spoke "I see myself in you, and you're the most trust-worthy person that could help me with this."

"Really?" Dipper gasped, "you mean, I could be like-"

"My apprentice, yes." Ford nodded, "I know it seems this is moving fast, but we don't have that much time to seal the rift."

"This is so cool!" Dipper squealed, "um, sorry- I'm just really excited, I mean, you're the author- my hero, and I'm finally getting real answers." he said, finally calming himself.

"Is there anything else?" Ford asked with his hands folded behind his back.

"What do you mean?"

"Any questions? I could try and answer all I can." He offered.

Dipper thought back to Gideon, that voice, and Bill. Maybe it was too crazy, he thought. But was it crazier than coming back from the dead?

Dipper mustered all of his courage and finally asked, "What do you know about Bill Cipher?"

Ford's eyes widened and his face grew a sickly pale shade as he mumbled,

"More than I want to admit..."

"You know about Bill?" Ford had first said in a hushed tone, sounding as if he were afraid someone would over-hear.

"I read about him in your journal, and...I, um-" Dipper wasn't sure how to say it, he could tell that Ford was sensitive towards the subject "Bill was in my dream last night."

Ford's eyes grew even wider,

"This can't be good," he said solemnly, "first the rift, and now this? It's a recipe for disaster!" he exclaimed.

"What happens if that thing breaks, exactly? Dipper asked, nodding to the rift.

"Bill can get into our dimension," Ford replied "there's no telling what would happen with him in control."

Although Dipper had very little experience with the demon, he could very well imagine what Bill was capable of. Probably things beyond his own imagination.

"Is there anything else? Anything at all that you know?" Ford asked.

Dipper swallowed and proceeded to explain to Ford about Gideon's strange and sudden death.
He made sure to include all the details he could remember.

"He made a deal..." Ford muttered, "and it must've been a big one if death were the price."

"How do you know about Bill's deals?" Dipper pressed.

Ford paused as a look of deep sorrow crossed over his face.

"I made a deal myself, a long time ago. Bill said that he'd finish the work on the portal if I let him use my mind whenever he liked, which sounded fine at the time, but it was truly the worst mistake I've ever made."

"You mean, he, like possessed you?"

"Yes, but he can't anymore since I had a medal plate installed in my head."

When Dipper didn't look convinced at this statement, Ford tapped the top of his head creating the sound of clanging metal.

"I used to practically worship Bill, he was my muse" Ford said, settling back into his chair looking very old and very tired "my muse turned out to be a monster."

Dipper could now see the endless sadness behind Ford's old eyes. It was almost painful to see him this way.

"Is there anything I can do, Great Uncle Ford?" he spoke up with a sound of hope in his voice.

Ford looked up, his expression hardening again.

"Tell me if you ever encounter Bill again. This is extremely important, the fate of the world depends on it."

Dipper nodded understandingly.

"Now off to bed." Ford said dismissively, pointing to the exit. Just before Dipper turned to leave Ford grabbed him gently by the shoulder (Dipper couldn't help but take a short glance at his six fingers)

"...Dipper, I didn't tell you this to make you sad or scared...I told you because for once in my life, I've found someone I can trust."

Strange to hear that from a man who 30 years ago wrote over and over,

TRUST NO ONE...