Nobody said anything until they were on the road.

Dipper and Mabel were in the backseat of Robbie's truck. Dipper had an arm around Mabel, who was fighting to keep her eyes open. Robbie, still pale-faced, pulled out of the theater parking lot and started towards the Museum.

"What. . . happened?" he asked quietly.

Dipper looked at Mabel. "Do you want to tell him, or should I?"

"Possessed," she murmured. "I got. . . possessed." That seemed to be all the strength she had to speak.

"Possessed? Like in horror movies?"

Dipper leaned his head against the back window. "Yeah. She got possessed by a demon, who destroyed the laptop and tried to destroy the Journal. But it's not her fault. He tricked her."

"It — " Mabel cut in. "It was my fault. I was. . . obsessed. . . I should've slept more. . . I shouldn't have listened. . ."

Dipper shushed her gently. "It's okay, Mabes, it's not your fault. You're okay. Just relax."

"Are you sure she should be going to the Museum?" Robbie asked. "Shouldn't we get her to a hospital?"

Dipper shook his head. "Ford. She needs to get to Ford. He might know something about possessions. If Mabel falls asleep. . . the demon might come back. We need to know she's safe."

They reached the Museum. Thank goodness this town was so small. Dipper helped Mabel back into Robbie's arms, then ran inside.

"Ford! Ford!"

"Woah, Dipper." Melody came around a corner, looking alarmed. "What is it? Why are you home early?"

"I need Ford."

"Ford is still sick — "

"I need Ford, now!" Dipper shouted. Then he swallowed back his outburst. "It's Mabel. She's hurt."

Melody's eyes widened, and she turned and ran to Ford's room.

Minutes later — but still too long — Mabel was lying on the couch with Ford and Melody bending over her. Robbie and Dipper stood to the side, with Robbie massaging Dipper's shoulders to keep him from running up and getting in the way.

"Nothing is broken," Ford declared. "Just bruised. You're going to be okay, Mabel."

"C-can I sleep?" she whispered.

"Of course you can sleep."

"N-no," she said, shaking her head weakly. "Can I sleep?"

Ford frowned and looked at Dipper. "I don't understand."

"Bill," Dipper blurted. "It was Bill. Bill Cipher. She got possessed by Bill Cipher."

Ford's entire body went rigid.

"What. . ." His voice was almost inaudible. "What did you say?"

"Bill Cipher," Mabel repeated. "Do you. . . know him?"

Ford sat down hard on the couch next to Mabel and put a hand to his forehead. There was a long, long silence.

Finally, Ford whispered, "He's back?"

"This is the second time we've met him," Dipper said. "The first was in Robbie's mind — "

"Wait, what?" said Robbie.

" — and then today, when he possessed Mabel."

Mabel reached out her hand for Ford, but he was too far away from her. "Grunkle Ford. . ." A tear slid down her face. "Grunkle Ford, he destroyed the laptop. I'm sorry."

More silence. It was suffocating.

"Grunkle Ford," Mabel said again. He looked up from studying the carpet. "Grunkle Ford, can I sleep? Will. . . will Bill possess me again if I sleep?"

Dipper's heart broke from the fear in her voice.

"How did you get him out in the first place?" Ford asked slowly.

"Mabel's body was so tired that he fell asleep," Dipper said. "He attacked me, and I tried to make him think of how tired he was, and he passed out. Then Mabel re-entered her body."

"Can I sleep?" Mabel repeated.

"Y-yes," Ford said. "You can sleep. Unless the deal you made said he could take over more than once."

Mabel's brow furrowed in drowsy concentration. "I don't. . . think so. He said. . . he said he needed my help getting rid of a ghost. . . but he actually meant me."

Ford nodded grimly. "He's sly. He'll catch you in a half-truth. But you should be safe. He can't take over any more."

Relief spread across Mabel's face. "Thanks," she whispered, closing her eyes. But they immediately flew open again, and distress contorted her features. "Wait — Ford — I — I ruined everything — "

Ford leaned over and gently smoothed her hair back from her forehead. "No, no. It's okay, Mabel. Bill can get to even the best of us. None of this is your fault. It's okay. Just sleep. Sleep, and heal."

Mabel grasped Ford's wrist with her hand and, with a shuddering breath, closed her eyes.

They all waited until her breathing was deep and even. Then Ford carefully removed his hand from her grip and stood up.

"I need to think," he said simply. "Melody, can you watch over her? Rest and recuperation is going to be the best thing. Her body just needs time."

"Of course," Melody replied evenly, though Dipper thought he could hear a small tremble to her voice.

"Thank you. Dipper, my Journal, please."

Dipper handed it to him.

"I. . . I have to go."

He left the living room and disappeared into the depths of the Mystery Museum.

Dipper, Melody, and Robbie all watched Mabel for a moment before Robbie finally broke the silence. "Dipper. . . what are we going to do about the set?"

Dipper winced. "I don't know," he said. "I'll have to help fix it, but the show was supposed to open on Monday. . ."

"Not enough time," Robbie said. "They'll have to move it back." He sighed. "I'll go back to theater and help clean up. I'll tell them you need to spend some time with Mabel, but that you'll be back. . ."

"Soon," Dipper finished. "I'll come back soon. Like in an hour."

"You sure?" Melody asked.

"I'm fine," Dipper said. "Mabel's the one that got hurt. And she's asleep, so I can't really help right now. I'll join you soon, Robbie."

"Okay." Robbie shot a concerned look down at Mabel, rubbed at his arm, and then left.

Dipper sighed deeply and sat on the couch next to Mabel, where Ford had sat moments before. Melody put a hand on Dipper's shoulder, and together the two of them breathed in and out, matching cadence with Mabel, following the rise and fall of her chest.

"I should've been a better brother," Dipper whispered.

"What?" Melody asked.

"I shouldn't have taken the spotlighting job. I should've just helped Mabel with the laptop. I told her I needed time to myself, I told her she was being selfish and obsessive, but I was being selfish, I — I let her run herself to the ground, and then all this happened, and. . . I should've been there for her."

Melody breathed out slowly as she knelt down next to Dipper, looking him in the eyes. He hesitated, but returned her gaze.

"You," Melody said firmly, "are a good brother."

Tears welled up in Dipper's eyes. "You're sure?" he asked, his voice wet and cracked.

"Yes. I'm sure. You've done so much for Mabel this winter, and it's no wonder you needed time to do what you wanted to do. You weren't being selfish at all. No one should spend their entire life being there for someone else. I've had to learn that the hard way. You have to be there for yourself, too."

Melody took his hand in hers. "And as for letting her hurt herself, Mabel is responsible for her own actions. She made some mistakes this week, it's true. She did some things she shouldn't have. She was being selfish."

Dipper opened his mouth to defend his sister.

"But." Melody cut him off. "That's okay. She's still a good person. You still love her, don't you?"

Dipper nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"We can still love someone and acknowledge their mistakes. And maybe you made some mistakes this week, too. But I don't think so. I don't think any of this is your fault." She met his eyes again — they'd drifted back to Mabel — and smiled. "You did good, Dip."

That was all Dipper needed to hear. He smiled back feebly through his tears, but he couldn't see much. Melody drew his head to her chest and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, as he wetted her shirt with his tears. He didn't sob, he wasn't loud, but his breathing shook and wavered as he tried to get enough air into his lungs.

I'm a good brother, he repeated to himself. I'm a good brother. It's okay if I'm not there all the time. I'm a good brother. Mabel's going to be okay. I'm a good brother.

Finally, he drew back and wiped at his face, grimacing at the mucus that came away on his hand.

"I'll get the tissues," Melody said, getting up and crossing the room.

Once Dipper was all cleaned up and fed (Melody insisted on getting him a quick dinner before he left), he felt composed enough to go back to the theater. He would do his best to fix that mistake, even if it wasn't really his.

"You sure you'll be alright?" Melody asked as they stood by the front door.

"I think so," Dipper said. "Although there may be a certain pretty girl who hates my guts now."

Melody shrugged. "I think theatre people are pretty forgiving. Go find out."

He nodded. "You'll keep Mabel safe?"

"Definitely. No demon is getting past me."

Dipper believed her.

He pulled the door open, but didn't step outside just yet. Instead, he took a sweeping glance across the Mystery Museum, his eyes landing on the form of his still-sleeping sister.

He had needed this week for himself. But he also needed to be around family. The Mystery Museum was his home.

Mabel was his home.

And so it was hard to leave for the theater. But it was okay, too.

Dipper knew he would always come back home.