S'up, dudes! Long time, no see! I'm so sorry I haven't posted in 3 years! I was dealing with some baggage in my life and, long story short, it killed my desire to write and I just couldn't muster the energy to continue what I had started back in mid 2016 (my final year in college, which kinda got in the way of the writing process) with my Finnceline Story "Return of the Undead Jerkwad" and my attempts to rekindle that spark with its prequel "Attraction that is Blossoming" in mid 2017 (when college was no longer an issue and I had more free time). However, after much deliberation and a great sense of longing, I figured I would give myself another shot at this writing business and continue my efforts to see my alternate universes come to life, reuploading previously deleted stories and finishing my first! Are these ideas totally outdated and unnecessary? Absolutely! But, they're still fun to write, nonetheless, and I doubt you will mind too much if I indulge your desire to see your favorite ships unfold (and even if you don't ship these characters, I hope you still come to love the story for their own merits)! I will not promise I will crank these chapters out in droves, but I will do my darndest to make sure I don't fall into despair, again, and try to make every attempt to write as frequently as I can and hopefully improve my skills as a writer in the process. But, before we can begin today's story, I feel I should go over a brief history of its creation. :)

Originally posted in early 2019, "Recovery of the Feelings That Extend Beyond Platonic", a title parody of my buddy nintendomaximus' "Restored Attraction", was my first attempt at both a "Gravity Falls" fanfic as well as an introductory piece into the Candy-Dip's " Fanonverse, not unlike my previous attempt with Finnceline's "Disgruntled Fanonverse" (both of which I still plan to finish). Ever since mid-2018 , I had fallen in love with the concept of Dipper Pines and Candy Chiu forming a romantic relationship, even though canonically that ship was sunk in its introductory episode "Roadside Attraction," of which Candy lost interest in Dipper for his cowardice in the face of danger. However, I never gave up on the possibility that Candy could change her mind if she actually got to know Dipper a little better, and "Restored Attraction" was the catalyst which would bring my story to life. In it, Candy falls for Dipper once more when she sees, first hand, his bravery during Weirdmageddon, and the two form a long-distance relationship to make up for lost time. In this story, I basically took that concept and put my own spin on it, as you will soon see for yourself. However, because of my own self criticism and doubt, I deleted the story, thinking it wasn't good enough, yet, and needed more time in the oven before it was ready. However, reading the story again, last week, while it certainly needed some polishing (And probably will still need some in the future), I found it to be a rather sweet, compelling story about overcoming self doubt and taking chances (not to toot my own horn…ok kinda, sorta tooting my own horn). Lastly, much like how in my Finnceline AU where every episode after "Escape From the Citadel" is not canonical to my stories, this story and hopefully future Gravity Falls stories will only take the events of the show into account, as I really don't care about the events detailed in the real life journals or in the graphic novel "Lost Legends." This is mostly to streamline the plot, but it's also because I haven't read them and don't really want to fork over the cash to do so.

So, without further ado, let's get this gravy train a gravying and let's see if I still got this writing thing down, three years later! Enjoy, peeps! ;D

Recovery of the Feelings That Extend Beyond Platonic

Candy Chiu sat on her bed, fervently writing in her diary about the strange events that unfolded not more than two days ago.

Candy's Journal Entry No. 435

Dear diary,

I've had quite an adventure in the past couple of days. Gravity Falls got turned into a living "word I'm not supposed to say out loud" by a giant, evil triangle man in a cute top hat and bow tie, my parents were turned into living statues, screaming in agony, by a giant, flying eyeball, and my house and all my valuable possessions (including my dog, General Sparkles) were eaten whole by a giant monster version of my Halmeoni, causing me to run for my very life to the Mystery Shack with Grenda, thinking that everyone and everything I ever loved would be dead, really soon. It was emotionally scarring, to say the least. But, it turned out ok, in the end. I helped turn the Mystery Shack into a giant robot to fight the giant, evil triangle man and his minions, Mabel and her family saved the entire world through the power of love, or something, and now everything is completely back to normal, again. You know. No biggie.

However, that's not the strangest part that happened to me. You remember Mabel's brother, Dipper? The boy I used to have a crush on during that road trip with his uncle, Stan, before I lost interest in him when he ran from that spider woman, screaming like a baby? Well, while I was hiding in the Mystery Shack with Grenda, he and Mabel gave us a rousing speech that granted us and all the other refugees the courage to fight back and save Gravity Falls. And…well…I sorta, kinda…started developing a crush on him, again, after that…*insert me blushing, right here.* It was so weird. The Dipper I saw in the Mystery Shack that day was completely different from the Dipper I saw up in the mountains. That latter Dipper felt very fake, in hindsight, just trying to look cool to hide the fact that he was a scared, little boy who didn't know how to talk to girls or anything about being brave. But this Dipper felt…genuine. Like a real-life superhero or a beautiful guardian angel (albeit a very sweaty, kinda stinky guardian angel with cheesy breath) watching out for us in those dark times. And when Mabel told me that Dipper had risked his life to save her from one of the triangle man's devious plan of trapping her in a magical fun land (a sentence that would make very little sense in any other context) and after seeing him, firsthand, leading the rescue team to save his other uncle, Ford, by diving headfirst into the flying pyramid on nothing but a patchwork parachute, I just…I just…

"Candy!" Candy's mother shouted while opening the door to her room.

"Yeep!" Candy squeaked as she dropped her diary and pencil on the floor and dived into her blankets. She peeked her head out from under the covers. "Y-yes, Umma?"

"Quit loudly expositing past events to no one in particular and come down, already! You'll be late for Mabel's birthday party!"

"C-coming, Umma!" Candy stuffed her diary and pencil into a book bag and jumped off her bed.

"Do you have Mabel's birthday present ready?"

"Already in my bookbag, Umma."

"Then, let's go!" As Candy and her mother came down the stairs, they walked past Candy's grandmother, a thin, elderly woman in comically large glasses sitting in a comfy armchair with a small Scottish terrier lying down in her lap, shivering in fear. "We'll be back in a couple of hours, Eomeoni. Please don't eat the house while we're gone, ok?"

"Don't worry, dear," Granny Yunlee assured her, shakily reaching to adjust her glasses. "I made sure to take my vitamins, this time. Have fun at your little party, Candy."

"Thank you, Halmeoni!" Shouted as she waved goodbye and headed out the door. However, she peaked her head back in to say, "And take good care of General Sparkles for me, ok? He's still a little 'traumatized' from before!" Then she closed the door.

"Don't worry, my little peach dumpling!" her grandmother called out. "Sparky and I will be the best of friends, won't we, boy?"

General Sparkles whined and shivered in terror at the sight of Granny's toothy smile, suffering from flashbacks of being in her digestive tract for an uncomfortable amount of time. He tried to stealthily slip out of her arms, but her grip on him was too tight for him to do so.

"Aw, you're so cute, Sparky. So cute, in fact, that I could just…EAT…YOU…UP!" she said as she leaned in to kiss his little head.

Sparkles gave out a loud whine and pulled with all his might out of Granny's arms and ran all the way up the stairs into Candy's room, hiding under her bed.

"Huh," Halmeoni said, simply. "Must've been something I ate." She breathed in her hand and took a whiff. "Hmm. Why do I smell Formica?" Then she found herself gagging and coughing out an entire end table. "Oh! So that's where my favorite foot rest went!"

Candy rode with her folks in the family car on their way to the Mystery Shack, her father in the driver seat, her mother riding shotgun, and herself sitting in the middle back seat, continuing where she left off in her journal.

*insert me clearing my throat for dramatic effect here* Anyway… I just got all of the warm fuzzies in my tummy! I realize, now, that I was too harsh on Dipper, and that he might very well be the man of my dreams…well, at least in the top ten men of my dreams. Probably number six or seven, tops. But, he's definitely the one I think I actually have a shot with. So, I think today is finally the day. When I get to the Mystery Shack, I will tell him how I really feel. *dramatic realizing gasp* But, what if he says "no?" What if he thinks less of me after I compared him to a baby? *More dramatic realizing gasp* And this is his and Mabel's final day in Gravity Falls, so even if he said yes, he would still have to leave. I'm not sure I could handle a long-distant relationship. *Depressed sigh* Maybe I should just leave it alone. Save myself the pain. *Dramatic burst of confidence* No! I have to try! Good or bad, I can't let this opportunity go! If I don't get it off my chest now, I may come to regret it later! When I get to the Mystery Shack, I'll tell Dipper that I like him!

Signed,

Candy Chiu, sixth grade

"Aw, isn't that sweet," Candy's dad mused. "Our little girl is narrating aloud about her crush on a boy."

"What?!" Candy shouted, hiding her diary, blushing like crazy. "N-n-no I wasn't, Appa!"

"Harold! Don't encourage her!" Candy's mom protested. "You know people look at her funny when she randomly exposits about her life's story for no adequate reason."

"Umma!" Candy whined, blushing even harder. "Not in front of Appa!"

"Aw, let her have her fun, Jenny," Harold put his hand on his wife's knee and looked at her, lovingly. "Remember when you had your first crush? I remember, like it was yesterday, when I was sending love letters to the most beautiful girl in the world?" He leaned in to try and kiss her.

Jenny put her hands to her face as she went into dreamland. "Ah yes…and I remember Steve. Oh Steve. What a hunk! That tall, muscular body, that sexy voice that could melt butter a mile away, and those long, flowing locks were just so…" She gave a high pitch snicker.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Harold jealously dismissed, rubbing his balding head as he venomously hissed, "Steve. Thinks he's so smooth just because he has the perfect body, job, car, house, and large amounts of money and girls. What a complete tool."

"Oh, I'm just teasing you, honey," She kissed him on the cheek. "You know how much I love you..." Harold smiled in satisfaction, until Jenny added, under her breath, "It's almost as much as I love Steve."

"What?!"

"Kidding! Kidding!"

As her parents went on about their crushes, Candy, for the moment, forgot about hers, as all she could think to herself was, Who the heck is Steve?

"Oh! Looks like we're here," Harold said, parking just outside the Mystery Shack.

As the family got out of the car, Candy scanned the area, trying to find her two best friends in the world. Luckily for her, the number of guests was still rather small, right now, and, in only a few seconds, she found Mabel sitting down on the couch just the side porch to the Mystery Shack, kicking, excitedly, no doubt in anticipation for the upcoming party, with her pet pig, Waddles, sitting by her side. "Ah! Yes! Mabel is here! But..." Candy scanned the area again, but couldn't find her other lifelong best friend. "Where is Grenda?"

Then, as if on cue, Candy saw Grenda's gigantic meat of a mother running with an enormous boulder on her back, atop of which sat a tiny mouse of a mant that was her dad, the former smashing, face first, into a tree. Grenda herself followed soon after, with her own, slightly smaller and misshapen boulder on her back, also crashing, face first, into the boulder her mother carried, causing it break into several pieces and also pushing her mother further into the tree, causing it to break and collapse into even more trees, knocking them down like a set of dominoes and making various woodland creatures run or fly away in terror.

"Oh," Candy simply said with a smile. "There she is."

"Ha! I win again!" Grenda's mom shouted, spitting out tree bark and some of her teeth.

"Nice work, dear," Grenda's dad supportively squeaked. He looked at a stopwatch in his hand. "You beat your old record by twenty seconds."

"Argh! Darn it, Mom!" Grenda panted. "You're too fast!"

"You came close, though," Her mom assured her with a firm but loving pat on the head. "Just keep running with 3 ton boulders on your back, you'll be just as fast as me, in no time."

"And also be sure to always stretch before every run, honey," her dad added, climbing down his wife's back. "Loose muscles add more hustle," He shook his little rump and said, "And tight butts make lickety cuts."

"Aw, thanks, Mom and Dad!" Grenda said, as she picked up her dad and embraced her mother's shin in a group hug. Finally, she took notice of her best friend. "Candy!"

"Grenda!" Candy shouted back, the two embracing each other in a hug. "I'm so glad you could come today!"

"Me, too!" Grenda shouted. "Marius is a total drama queen, but Mabel's thirteenth birthday party means a hundred times more to me than an entire weekend in a tropical resort with my smoking hot, rich and foreign boyfriend…but only by a small margin. I'll make it up to him, in about a week or so. Glad to see you didn't have to go to music camp this year."

"Well, my parents said that they would let me off this one time, for Mabel's last day here. Speaking of which," Candy went to hug her parents. "Thank you so much for letting me go to Mabel's party, Umma and Appa. This means so much to me."

"Aw, we couldn't just let you NOT say goodbye to one your lifelong best friends." Her father said, affectionately.

"Although I would love for you to continue your piano lessons," her mother added. "Mabel clearly means a lot to you, so we'll allow it."

"Plus, you did help save the world in a giant robot," Her father said with some nerdy glee. "So, that's gotta be worthy of a free pass, right?"

"Just don't keep using that as an excuse to get out of music camp, ok?" her mother said with a playful wink.

"Don't worry," Candy said, before finally giving them one last hug. "I won't."

"Now, go on, you little scamp!" Harold said as he playfully ruffled his daughter's hair, causing her to giggle. "You and Grenda have fun today."

"Ok, Appa! I will!" Candy said, waving to her parents as she ran to Grenda.

"And good luck with that 'special boy of yours', today." Her father said with a knowing chuckle.

"Appa!" Candy protested, blush a bright shade of red. Her father laughed at her embarrassment.

"Come on, Candy!" Grenda shouted. "Let's go and see Mabel!"

"Right behind you, Grenda!" Candy answered back, trying her best to cover up her tomato-esque face.

As Candy's folks saw their daughter run with her friend over to the Mystery Shack, they held each other, lovingly.

"Aw, such a good kid," Harold said. "She deserves to be happy, today."

"I hope she'll be ok," Jenny worried. "I get the feeling that this will just be a really awkward time, for her and this Dipper boy."

"Don't worry," Harold assured his wife, kissing her on the cheek. "She'll be ok. If she can survive the apocalypse, then I'm sure she can handle a bit of awkwardness."

Jenny gave a more confident smile, and returned her husband's kiss. "You always look on the bright side, don't you, Harold?"

Harold shrugged. "I do my best," Grenda's parents walked over to them to converse. "Hey there, George! Still working on that swing of yours?"

"I sure am, Harry," George squeaked, happily. "I can now hit a hole in one from up to ten feet away…and NOT break my knees in the process!"

"Greta," Jenny said to Grenda's mom. "Looking good, girl! Your legs are utterly gorgeous! So, tell me, what's your secret?"

"Rocks, Jenny!" Greta answered, plainly. "Lots and lots of rocks!"

"Mabel!" Candy and Grenda shouted as they ran towards Mabel.

"Guys!" Mabel shouted back, jumping off the couch and embracing her friends in a hug. "You made it to the party! I was so worried you wouldn't be able to come!"

"My parents decided that they would let me off the hook from music camp, this year, so I could be here for your last day in Gravity Falls!" Candy answered, happily.

"And I told Marius to stuff it, and that I was gonna be here for my best friend's birthday party, whether he liked it or not!" Grenda proudly announced.

"Aw, you guys are the best!" Mabel said, holding back tears. "The three greatest friends finally together for one last hurrah!"

"And that's not all," Candy said excitedly, digging for something in her bag. "I got a present for you. And…" After a few seconds of deliberately pulling the object out slowly, she presented Mabel with a CD. "Boom!"

"Splugh!" Mabel gasped, her eyes and mouth widened from the beauty of the cover art. "OMG, It's…the 'Sev'ral Timez Super, Mega, Ultra Deluxe Album!'"

"The 'Multiplied by Sev'ral' Edition." Candy proudly added.

"This is supposed to be only available for their European tour," Mabel mused. "Where the heck did you get it, Candy?"

Candy blushed. "Well, I…I'd rather not say. But, rest assured I most certainly DIDN'T buy it off of a shady guy who lives around my corner using a fraction of my college savings…and am pretty sure WASN'T convicted of mass murder. No…no siree…not at all." Candy rubbed her head in embarrassment.

"And I got you…" Grenda dropped the misshapen boulder she was carrying on her back onto the ground, causing it to shake the earth. "This big rock that kinda looks like the three of us standing on top of a whale carcass, together!" The three girls just looked at the rock for a few seconds, blank smiles on their faces. "Pretty sure that's Waddles on the whale's right butt cheek." Waddles sniffed the part of the rock that supposedly looked like him, before nibbling on it and giving out a squeal.

"He says he likes it," Mabel said, simply. Then, her eyes welled with tears, engaging her friends and Waddles in an even bigger hug. "Guys, these gifts are so amazing! Thank you so much!"

"Anything for our lifelong best friend!" Grenda shouted.

"We couldn't let you leave without giving you the best gifts we could get." Candy added.

"Well, come on, guys!" Mabel shouted, before deciding to ballroom dance with Waddles. "Let's party it up like there's no tomorrow!"

"Ok!" Candy giggled, performing some disco moves. "Let's get jiggy with our bad selves!"

"Yeah! Woohoo!" Grenda shouted, jumping up and down, wildly. "Let's go crazy!" The force of her jumps were enough to cause tremors across the whole party, making several partygoers fall on their behinds, and even some of them to yell "earthquake!" before running for the hills.

As the girls cut the proverbial rug for several seconds, a flash of realization hit Candy like how Grenda hits…well…everything. She gasped. Oh my gosh! I forgot about Dipper! "Wait…Mabel! Grenda! Hold on for one sec!" And with that, Mabel, Waddles and Grenda stopped dead in their tracks, save for a moment when Grenda gave one more jump to get it all out of her system.

"What's wrong, Candy?" Mabel worried. "You don't want us to dance, anymore?"

"No, no! I really do want to keep dancing with you guys," Candy assured her. She then found herself blushing really hard, twisting a lock of her hair, nervously. "But…before we continue to party like its 2099, I…I…really need to know something, really bad."

Mabel smiled, warmly. "Sure, Candy. What is it?"

"Do…you…do you…do you know where…" Candy mumbled. She grumbled out of frustration to herself, before finally shouting out, "Do you know where Dipper is, right now?! I really need to talk to him!" Candy covered her own mouth, turning the brightest shade of red her peach skin could muster.

Mabel and Grenda's eyes looked at her in surprise, then at each other for conformation for what they just heard, then back at Candy, again, and then back at each other, again, then back at Candy for one more time, then back at each other for one more time, before giggling to themselves.

"What?" Candy squeaked. "What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing, Candy," Grenda said, suggestively, before poking Candy in her rosy cheeks. "Just that someone is clearly still in loooooooove!"

"Grenda! Stop it!" Candy whined as she jerked her face away to hide her cheeks. "I just…want to give him his present before too many people get here, is all." However, seeing that her friends weren't buying any of this and just plain being tired of hiding her feelings, she simply sighed and answered, "Ok, I admit it. I…I have a crush on Dipper, again."

"Ha! I knew it!" Mabel shouted, hugging Waddles and pumping her fist in the air. "I really AM the best matchmaker in the world!"

Candy smiled, sheepishly. "I just…I just noticed how brave he was, during the, what was it called, again? The Strangepocalypse? The Abnormalclysm? I can't remember the name." Her friends just shrugged, not knowing the answer themselves. "Well, anyway, he was just so brave during that time, and when you told me he saved you, himself…I just…I just felt it was right to give him another chance, you know?"

Grenda and Mabel squeed in joy, the former picking all of them up and spinning in excitement.

"OMG!" Grenda exclaimed. "Candy's gonna have a boyfriend, just like me!"

"And it's going to be my brother!" Mabel added, excitedly. She gasped in realization. "Candy could become my future sister-in-law! It's a dream come true!"

"Guys! Guys! Come down!" Candy giggled. "I haven't even asked him out, yet."

"Oh. Right," Grenda said, putting the three of them down. "Sorry, Candy."

"It's ok, Grenda," Candy said, chuckling. "So, Mabel…do you…know where Dipper is?"

Mabel gave a smug smile. "Oh…he's just talking to Grunkle Ford behind the Mystery Shack…but if you catch him…you could have a chance to chat with him, too. WINK!"

Candy blushed, still rather nervous, but she did her best to hide her fears in front of her friends. "Awesome! Great to know! I'll go see him, right now!" And with that, Candy walked off to the back of the Shack.

Mabel and Grenda giggled to themselves as their friend went to see her "man." They chanted, "Candy-Dip! Candy-Dip! This will be the greatest ship!"

Waddles capped them off with a squeal.

As soon as she was out of sight of her friends, she walked more slowly and anxiously as she approached Dipper and his uncle, madly rehearsing to herself what she would say to Dipper when she finally got to him, and she only had about a minute to come up with something. "Ok. Ok. You can do this, Candy. Let's see. Hmm. 'Oh hi, Dipper, what's new with you…I like you…let's date!'" She face palmed. "No, that's too forced. Then, Candy went into a more "flirty" mode. "'Oh hey, Dipper…I think you're cute…and you look like a marble statue…and I just want to carve you up, and…" She stopped herself, as that line really gave her the willies. "Ugh. What am I? A slasher villain?" Finally, Candy attempted to speak in a more seductive way. "'Um…hey, Dipper…" She coughed, trying to make her voice lower and sultrier. "Hey, Dipper…Is that a pen in your pocket or are you just…'" Candy stopped herself in time to realize what she was about to say. She face-palmed once more, before giving out a loud sigh. "Oh boy, I'm so dead…"

"So," Grunkle Ford said, startling Candy and causing her to hide behind some bushes barely big enough to conceal her presence, doing her best to peek out her head enough to see the conversation without being noticed. "Are you sure you don't want to be my apprentice, Dipper? You've already proven yourself more than worthy, a thousand times over, by helping to save the world from Bill's influence."

"Thanks, Great-Uncle Ford," Dipper said calmly, but confidently. "But…I think I'd be much happier growing up with Mabel, if that's ok."

Ford just smiled. "I understand." He kneeled down to hug his nephew. "Just know this, Dipper; I'm still proud of you, no matter what you do."

"Thanks, Grunkle Ford," Dipper said, warmly, returning the hug. "So, what will do, now? Gonna go try to find another candidate for apprenticeship?"

Stan scratched his chin. "Something like that…" He pulled out a photo of Stanley and him as kids and looked it over with a smile. "And I think he might be closer than you think."

"That's great to hear, Uncle Ford."

"Well, Dipper," Ford, said, putting away the picture. "I've gotta go find Stan to make sure he hasn't mucked anything up or lost his memory, again," he said with a wink. "See you in a few minutes, Dipper."

"Yeah," Dipper said, waving to his uncle as he left. "See ya soon, Grunkle Ford."

Aaaw that was so sweet, Candy mused. Dipper is a really sentimental guy. Maybe this will be a lot easier than I…

"Hello, Candy!" Ford greeted, causing Candy to gasp in surprise. "Beautiful morning, isn't it?" and with that he was off.

"Candy?" Dipper question.

"D-dipper!" Candy shouted, blushing in embarrassment and she sheepishly pulled some twigs from her hair. "F-f-fancy meeting you here."

"Why were you haphazardly hiding in the bushes?" He eyed her suspiciously. "Did Mabel put you up to this? Does she want to make sure that I said 'no' to Grunkle Ford's proposal, even though I said I would?" He became angered by the prospect. "Dang it, Mabel! I thought she trusted me! I told her to stop using others to spy on me! I hate people staring at me without my knowing…it makes me feel sweaty and awkward!"

"No, no, Dipper!" Candy reassured him. "Mabel has absolutely nothing to do with this!" She blushed really hard, trying to find the right words to say. "I just…I just wanted to talk to you about something for a second, that's all."

"Oh. Phew," Dipper said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Thank goodness… So, um… what's up, Candy?"

"Well…I... I just…" Candy found that the words she wanted to say were caught in her throat. Come on Candy! her mind shouted. Say it! Say that you want to date him! "I just…I just…I just…" She stammered, causing Dipper to tilt his head in confusion. Come on, girl, you're losing him! Pull yourself together! "I just…I just…" Say it! Say it, now! You won't get another chance! But, despite the hyping her brain was giving her, she just couldn't say the words. Instead, she just gave a frustrated sigh. "I just…wanted to thank you for saving Mabel, and the rest of the world. I thought that was very brave of you to do."

Dipper smiled, blushing a little from the attention. "Aw shucks, Candy, thanks. But, really, it was Grunkle Stan who saved the world. I just…kinda helped a little."

"But it was you who inspired us to rise up against the triangle guy and save our home," She added, before hanging head down from guilt. "And I was wrong to think you were just a coward and a jerk…I'm…I'm really sorry about that."

Dipper smiled, warmly, and patted her shoulder, causing her to blush even harder. "Hey, don't worry about it, Candy. All water under the bridge. And hey! you were really brave, too, ya know?"

Candy perked her head up in surprise. "R-really?"

"Sure," He said with sincerity. "Not many girls I know who could think on the fly with a giant spider monster chasing them down…and hanging from a deadly height, no less! And all just from reading travel pamphlets? Man, you're not just brave, Candy, but you're smart, too!"

Candy blushed and sweated even harder from Dipper's acknowledgement of her accomplishment. No boy had ever given her such praise before…or given her any sort of praise, for that matter. In fact, she couldn't remember a time in her life where any boy her age would even notice her, much less say how smart and brave she was. This was quite a new experience for her, to say the least. "Wow, D-Dipper…I…I mean…"

"Or when you helped pilot the Shacktron and fought all those giant demon guys? Heck, most adults I know would've been too scared to try that. Granted, I doubt most adults would even know how to pilot a giant robot arm within the course of a couple of hours…but that just adds to my point! You were both brave enough and smart enough to hold your own against an enemy we thought we couldn't beat and you stuck with us to the very end even when all seemed lost." he gave her reassuring smile and two comforting hands on her shoulders, her face turning much redder than seemed humanly possible. "So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't sweat it, Candy. I haven't thought about that road trip in a long time and… I appreciate the apology and…I guess…that as brave as I might be, you're no less brave for what you've done, either. And after all we went through during Weirdmageddon, no one will be able to tell you otherwise. And, if nothing else, Mabel and I will always remember the incredible things you've done this summer. Understand?"

A rush of excitement rushed over Candy as she looked into the eyes of her crush. Sure, Dipper still perspired that acrid musk that the boy species are known to have at his age, but as she stared into his eyes, she was once again reminded of that genuine guy she saw during Weirdmageddon, and, for the first time, she finally started to believe that this kid may very well be "the one." "Gee Dipper…I…I…" Now's your chance, Candy! Say it! Say it! Say it! Say it! Say it! Say it! She opened her mouth, trying to force out the words she really wanted to say. But again, all she could do was huff and hang her head low, before bringing it back up to give him a weak smile. "Thank you, Dipper. That…means a lot to me."

Dipper smiled back. "Glad to hear it, Candy. See ya at the front in five?"

"Yes, Dipper. I'll see you, then."

"Great. Take care, Candy."

As Dipper walked off, Candy hung her head in defeat, feeling so stupid and weak. Smooth move, Candy! However, she realized that she had forgotten to give something to Dipper. "Dipper! Wait!"

"W-what is it, Candy?" Dipper questioned, slightly worried. "Everything alright?"

"I…I forgot to give you your birthday present."

"Can't you just give it to me when the party starts?"

"No!" Candy angrily shouted, causing Dipper to flinch in alarm. Realizing what she did, she calmed herself down and said, "I…I'm sorry. I just wanted to give you and Mabel something before the party to show how much I really appreciate you guys. In the short time that I've known her, Mabel has become one of my lifelong best friends, and you…well…I really do think you're the bravest boy I've ever known and…well…you're my hero, Dipper."

Dipper blushed, rubbing his shoulder in embarrassment. "Gee, Candy, I…I….thanks."

Candy pulled off her bookbag, ruffled through it a bit, before taking out a journal to give to Dipper. "Here. A little something from me. To start your new adventures into teenagehood and beyond."

Dipper looked through the finely detailed journal in amazement, its brown, leathery cover perfectly accented by the slightly yellowed pages, giving it a very authentic, rustic look. "Wow! Candy, this…this is amazing…" Then, a small pen attached to a leather string tethered to the book fell out. Dipper gasped in wonder. "And it comes with an ultra-durable travel pen, too?!"

"For when you get tired of having to find an extra pen you always keep losing in the seat cushions or your dog's tummy," Candy added.

Dipper began choking up from this and, despite himself, decided to embrace her in a hug, causing Candy to blush harder than she ever had before, his body convulsing from the ". "Thank you so much, Candy! This gift was really sweet of you!"

Candy found herself short on breath, her body tingling from the sensation she was feeling, right now. Dipper was actually making intimate contact with her, and couldn't quite figure out what do with herself, in the moment. "Y-you're welcome, Dipper." Tentatively, Candy puckered her lips and slowly moved them towards Dipper's cheek. That's it, Candy! Give him some of your sugar! Embrace your womanhood!

"You're a really great friend, Candy," Dipper said, causing Candy to cease her advances. "I'll always treasure our friendship ."

Candy gave Dipper a weak smile to hide her embarrassment and frustration. "Yeah. Right. Friend," Just wanting to let this awkwardness end, she gave a cough and hastily said, "Well, gotta go, Dipper. See you at the party." And with that, she took off like a shot, leaving a rather puzzled Dipper.

"Candy, wait," Dipper called to her, but she had already turned the corner. Dipper scratched his head in confusion. "Was it something I said? Was it something I did? Do I smell bad?" Dipper sniffed his own pits, before scrunching his nose in disgust. "Phew! Yeah, definitely the smell that drove her off."

"No! No! No! Bad Candy!" Candy shouted as she hit her head in anger. "Stupid, stupid, stupid Candy! You totally blew it! He had you right in his arms and you blew it!" She sobbed into her hands. "I thought I could do it. I thought I could ask him out without freezing up like a possum on the side of the road." She brushed the tears from her eyes. "Now, what am I going to tell Mabel and Grenda?"

"Hi, Candy!" Grenda shouted, suggestively, as Candy turned the corner, causing the latter to jump in surprise. "So, how'd it go?"

Candy blushed, and rubbed her arm. "Well…I…I…"

"Yeah, tell us, Candy?" Mabel said with her hands smooshed on her face, all ears to the events that unfolded. "Did Dipper say 'yes?'"

"Well, he…he…" Candy whimpered.

"Yeah, tell us, Can-Can. Did you…" Grenda said, folding her index fingers together. "Finally tie the knot with Dipper?"

"I Just…I just...I just…"

Waddles grunted and tilted his head, questionably.

Candy blushed in embarrassment, feeling herself shrink as her friends hounded her with questions. "I…I…I…" Candy tried to say, feeling a great deal of anxiety of seeing her friends stare her down in anticipation. She sighed and held her head down in defeat, deciding it would be too painful to admit the truth. "He said 'no.'"

"What!" Mabel and Grenda shouted in surprise.

"But…how could he?" Mabel questioned, extremely miffed. "You're so cute and adorable…" she picked up Waddles and made him do some punching motions. "And a total butt-kicker! You would've been totally perfect together!"

"Grrr! I swear to a non-specific deity," Grenda said in bloodthirsty rage, crushing a small rock in her hand. "That I'm gonna beat his face in for rejecting my best friend's advances!" Grenda stuffed the gravel into her mouth and grinded it with her teeth, but instead of spitting it out to show her toughness, she took a liking to the taste and swallowed it, making her demeanor more chipper. "Mmm. So, that's why birds like to eat this stuff. Yummy." Then, her demeanor quickly return to its bloodthirsty state. "Errrgh! But I'm still mad as heck! Let'me at him, Candy! I'm gonna give Dipper a piece of my mind AND my fist!"

"Grenda! Grenda! It's ok!" Candy said, trying to dissuade her friend from violence. She hung her head in disappointment. "Honestly, I think it's better this way. I mean, you guys are gonna leave very soon, anyway, and even if he had said yes, I don't think we could handle a long-distance relationship." She sighed, sadly.

"Aw, Can-Can," Mabel said, tearing up, and went in for a hug. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, Candy," Grenda said, equally teary-eyed, hugging them both and picking them straight up. "You deserve better than this."

Candy simply smiled, warmly, and returned their hug in kind. "Don't worry about me, guys. I'm just happy I got to be here for my best friend's birthday party. "So, let's just celebrate with our frowns upside down, ok?"

After a moment of contemplation, Grenda and Mabel decided to smile back, realizing it was not as bad as it seemed.

"You're right, Candy!" Mabel said with renewed vigor. "Let's just have fun, together, for one last time!"

"Yeah! Woohoo!" Grenda agreed, carrying the other girls to the front of the Mystery Shack while chanting, "Upside down frowns! Upside down frowns!" of which Mabel and Candy quickly started chanting along with her, Waddles squealing in joy as he followed them.

However, as Mabel and Grenda continued to chant, Candy took notice of Dipper from over Grenda's shoulder as he came from behind the shack, writing in his new journal. He also took notice of Candy, smiling and giving her a friendly wave, of which was like a knife being twisted into her heart. She waved back at him with a forced smile, before turning away to wipe a tear from her eye.

From ten in the morning 'til six in the evening, the three girls and a pig had the time of their lives, playing various games like "Melodically Inclined Effigies" and "Pin the Questionable Appendages on the Lovecraftian Horror,'' eating tons of cake and various other sweets that caused them to go on a sugar rush, dancing at the most inopportune or inappropriate times and places (including the roof of the Mystery Shack, the top of Thompson's van, much to his chagrin, and even a bear den, at one point, of which Grenda's mom and Manly Dan had to step in to fight off the bears). As soon as their just-recently-turned-adolescent bodies burned out from the excess energy and most of the party members were gone, they girls collapsed on the ground, heads pointing towards one another in a small circle. They all panted and chuckled in glee.

"Woohoo!" Mabel breathily shouted, raising her fist in the air. "That was…the best party…I ever had in my life."

"Yeah…Woo…you…said it, Mabel!" Grenda shouted with just as much breathiness. "I…coulda…done that whole party, three and half times over!"

Waddles simply laid on his sides, legs jerking erratically and foaming at the mouth from all the sweets.

"Hehehe," Mabel chuckled. "Looks like Waddles had a good time, too."

Candy grumbled in pain as she held her belly. "I must be a cannibal, 'cuz…ergh…I don't…ergh…feel so good after eating all that candy." She inevitably turned on her side and vomited all the sweets out of her gut. Mabel and Grenda couldn't help but chuckle at their friend's misfortune.

"Hehehe, don't worry Candy," Mabel dazedly assured her. "I went through something like that, not too long ago. Let's just say I won't be eating 'Smile Dip', ever again."

"So, what else are we gonna do, guys?" Grenda questioned. "We've already done pretty much everything at the party, and it's not even nighttime yet."

"That's a very good question, Grenda," Mabel mused, tiredly. "I kinda wanna keep on doing party stuff, but…" She tried to get up, but her body was just too worn out to do so. "I can't even feel my legs, let alone party with them."

After emptying out the rest of her contents, Candy rolled onto her back, and found herself in a state of ease. "Guys, why don't we just relax and enjoy the sunset, together? Sometimes, it's just best to take in the scenery after a long day of partying hard."

Mabel and Grenda looked at each other for confirmation, and after a moment of thinking, they simply nodded and smiled at one another.

"Yeah, Candy," Mabel agreed. "That sounds like a great idea."

"Sure beats getting mauled by bears," Grenda said with a shrug. "Ok. Let's do it."

Waddles still answered with another froth of the mouth, and Mabel answered back with a hug.

"Waddles agrees."

The girls took a sigh of content as they laid on the ground, watching the glorious purple and orange streaks of the fading daylight, just happy they even had a sunset to look forward to. A continuously red, nightmarish sky covered with monster eyeballs would've gotten pretty dull, after a while. Candy especially felt much better after the day she had, almost having forgotten about the whole Dipper thing, completely, and satisfied she could spend all this amount of time with her two lifelong best friends, before the inevitable end of the summer. Although a brief flash of this depressing realization swept over her mind at that fact, it was largely outnumbered by thoughts of joyfulness and contentment. I hope this moment lasts, forever. I can't imagine a better way to end a day, like this. I sure hope somebody doesn't snap me back into reality.

"Candy! It's time to go!" Candy's mom called to her.

Candy sighed, exasperatedly, disappointed in jinxing her own joy. "One minute, Umma!"

"Grenda!" Grenda's mom shouted. "Get your big butt back up and let's run off all those excess calories!"

"Ugh!" Grenda scoffed. "It's not fat, Mom! It's just my lovely lady lumps." She pulled on her belly fat and wiggled it around in curiosity. "Hmm. Guess my lady lumps went all the way down to my gut."

"Aw, man," Mabel whined. "Over already?" The girls all got up, sluggishly, their legs stiff and their tummies all swishy. Waddles was still in a sugar coma, so Mabel had to pick him up, though his weight caused her to stumble a bit. Mabel gave her friends the brightest smile she could, even if, deep down, she was still rather sad at today's ending. "Thank you guys so much for coming to my party. You guys really are the best friends a girl could ever have."

"Aw, thanks, Mabel," Grenda said, as she and Candy gave her a hug. "You're definitely the bestest friend we ever had."

"You've made our lives more magical by your presence, Mabel," Candy said with tears in her eyes. "I just wish the magic didn't have to die so soon."

"Aw, Candy," Mabel said, reassuringly patting her back. "The magic's not dead. It's always gonna be here," Mabel pointed her finger at Candy's chest. "Right our your hearts…and maybe some other places I'm not supposed to touch…I dunno, the spleen, maybe?" Candy and Grenda smiled, tearfully, and embraced their friend, one last time. "Aw, thanks guys. See ya tomorrow, at the bus stop?"

"Yeah," Grenda said, as she wiped a tear from her eye. "See ya then, Mabel."

"Yes, Mabel," Candy agreed. "We will be there, as soon as possible."

Mabel smiled, warmly. "Cool. See ya guys, then."

"Grenda! Come on, already!" Grenda's mom yelled. "That cellulite isn't gonna torch itself!"

"Sheesh! Alright! I'm coming, Mom!" Grenda irritably shouted back.

"And don't forget to do your stretches, sweety." Her father added. "loose muscles, more hussle, Remember?"

"Ugh! Yeeeees, Daaaaad!"After some brief stretching, Grenda ran with all her might to where her parents were, picking up her dad and placing him on her back. "Grenda AWAAAAAAAAAAAY!" And with that, she and her mom ran off.

Candy and Mabel laughed at Grenda's enthusiasm (or lack thereof), before Mabel put a comforting hand on Candy's shoulder. "Hey. You gonna be ok, Can-Can?"

Candy cringed at the question, not really a hundred percent sure, herself, but not wanting to end the night on a bad note, she gave Mabel a smile and nodded. "I'll be ok, Mabel. I barely even thought about it, in the last couple of hours."

Mabel smiled back. "Awesome." She gave Candy one last hug, before Candy ran to her parents. "See ya, tomorrow morning, Candy!"

"Ok!" Candy shouted as she waved back at her friend. "See you then, Mabel!"

Candy ran into the arms of her parents, who greeted her warmly.

"Hey there, sport!" Candy's Dad said, ruffling his daughter's hair. "Did you have fun at the party?"

"I sure did, Appa!" Candy shouted in glee. "I did just about everything with Mabel and Grenda, today!"

"I saw that," he said, worriedly. "But, maybe next time, don't dance on people's roofs…or in the caves of hungry bears? I think we all know what would've happened if Grenda's mom or Mr. Corduroy weren't there to save you."

Candy giggled. "Don't worry, Appa, I won't."

"You didn't eat too many sweets, did you?" Her mother inquired. "Too much glucose will ruin your regularity."

"Noooooooo," Candy lied, unconvincingly. She noticed a bit of the vomit on her glasses, and quickly wiped it away, giving her folks a feigned smile. "Not too much."

"So," Candy's dad inquired, excitedly. "How did that 'talk' with Dipper go? Did you guys get 'serious'?"

Candy recoiled at the question. She'd hoped to be strong enough to fight those feelings she had after what she went through, but the sound of her crush's name cut her down to the bone. She began tearing up, and held her head down in disappointment.

Her parents frowned at the sight of this, with Jenny elbowing her husband in the arm for making their daughter cry.

"Hey!" Harold complained, rubbing his arm. "What did I do?"

Jenny tilted Candy's chin to look her in the eye. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. I know that must have been very difficult, for you." She embraced her daughter in a comforting hug, rubbing her back. "Do you need to talk about it?"

"No, Umma," Candy said, chokingly. "I just…I just want to go home and get to bed, right now."

"I understand, sweetie," Her mom said, knowingly. "Just get some rest, tonight, and you'll feel better, in the morning. I promise."

Harold rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, and, fearing he would make the situation worse, he just coughed and said, "Well then, let's get going, gang," and went to the driver seat and started the car.

All the way home, Candy didn't say another word to her parents, who also kept to themselves so as to not frustrate her further, though they occasionally looked at her, worriedly, to see if she was alright. As soon as the family came home, Candy immediately crossed the living room past her sleeping grandmother, too tired and drained to question why General Sparkles was not with her (nor why the end table her feet rested on was covered in saliva), and headed up to her bedroom. She tossed her book bag on the floor and collapsed on top of her bed, extremely drained and unwilling to move. However, when a curious Sparkles popped out from under her bed to greet her with some licks to her cheek, Candy perked up a bit and petted the small dog.

"Hello, Sparky," Candy said, dazedly. "How was your time with Halmeoni?"

The dog just whined at that question, eyeing the door and shaking nervously, fearing that Gramma would burst in at any moment to feast on his flesh.

Candy gave a knowing nod. "Yeah, my day wasn't so hot, either." She gave a frustrated sigh, wanting so bad to just fall asleep and let this depressing day end. However, she found herself completely restless, haunted by the mistake she made, today. She tossed and turned in her bed, trying to get comfortable, until she decided to just get up, get her diary, and just start writing all of her feelings down, hoping that she could get the pain off her chest.

Candy's Journal Entry No. 436:

Dear diary,

I really blew it, this time. I had a golden opportunity to win Dipper's heart, and I just got cold feet. I just…couldn't tell him how I really felt. I wanted to, believe me, I did. I wanted so badly to pour my heart out to him and give him the kiss he really deserved. But…I just couldn't. Everything felt wrong. The way I acted, the way I talked, the way I responded. My mind was telling me yes, but my body was saying no. I looked like a complete idiot in front of him! Now I don't know what I'm going to do when I see him at the bus stop, tomorrow. It's just going to be really awkward, and end with no fanfare. And, oh yeah, I just remembered it's going to be Mabel's last day tomorrow, as well! That's just great! First, my crush is going to leave me, and now my lifelong best friend is going to leave me, too! It's just not fair! Why did this have to happen to me! I wanted so badly for this day to be great and it turned into complete dookey. I just feel like dying. Please, sweet angels, sing thee to thy rest and don't let me wake up!

Signed,

Candy Chiu, a big, stupid, cowardly crybaby!

Candy bursted out in tears, and stuffed her face into her pillow, letting the waterworks just seep into the fabric and not ceasing. All General Sparkles could do was try and comfort her with his licks, but the poor girl just couldn't be consoled.

Harold and Jenny silently crack open the door to see their daughter in tears, looks of worry and pain on their faces. Much as they wanted to, they feared that confronting her at that moment would only make the situation worse. So they turned their eyes downward and silently closed the door

"Oh, Harold," Jenny fretted. "What are we going to do? Candy is so distraught about this whole Dipper thing.

"I know," Harold said, sadly. "And it's all my fault. I was just trying to help her, and now she's in utter torment because I had to open my big, fat mouth. He hung his head in disappointment.

Jenny frowned, worriedly, feeling guilty for blaming her husband for what happened earlier. She then smiled and put a hand to her husband's cheek, bringing his face to eye level. "It's not your fault, dear. It was very sweet of you to want to connect to Candy in such a way. It was bound to happen, whether we got involved or not."

Harold gave her a smile, putting his hand on his wife's. "Thanks, Jenny. I'm glad you think so."

Jenny then frowned in confusion. "Perhaps it's best if Candy doesn't see Mabel and Dipper off. It's only going to hurt her even worse.

"No!" Harold said with more resolve. "If Candy is going to feel better about this whole thing, then she's going to have to face her fears, head on." He pulled out his cellphone, typed in a number. "And I know just what to do to help her."

"Hello," the voice of Grenda's dad squeaked. "This is the Grendinator's residents. How may I help you?"

"Hey, George! Sorry to call you so late, but I need a favor from you."

"Anything for you, Harry," George warmly assured him. "Whaddya need?"

"Is Grenda still up?"

"She is, actually. But, what do you need her for?"

"Oh, just wanted to know if she wanted to come with us and Candy…" Harold winked at his wife. "To the bus stop, tomorrow."

Jenny gave a surprised look, and then gave a big smile and a nod.

In the early morning light, Candy was still fast asleep, with General Sparky lying between her legs. Unbeknownst to either of them, Candy's mother quietly walked into the room and gently patted her daughter on the shoulder. "Candy…Candy, wake up. It's time to go."

"W-Wha…" Candy groggily looked up at her mother, and after a brief moment, decided to drift off back to bed, turning over to face the pillow. "I don't want to, Umma. I don't feel like it, today…Just…let me die a coward's death. It's what I deserve."

Her mother smiled, rubbing her daughter's back. "Oh, come on now, sleepy head. Don't be such such a macabre, sour puss. I made you breakfast," The sound of that caused Candy and even General Sparkles to look up in curiosity. "And, your appa and I invited someone over to join you."

Candy gave her mother a questionable look. "Really? Who?"

As Candy, her mother and General Sparkles came down the stairs to the kitchen, they were greeted by several bowls and plates worth of rice, tofu, veggie omelellets, egg toast and savory pancakes, and a familiar face sitting between Candy's dad and her grandmother.

"Hi, Candy!" Grenda said with a mouthful of savory pancakes, violently stabbing a chopstick into the plate to obtain even more. "Your mom makes the best pancakes ever! Just wish there was some syrup around!"

"Grenda!" Candy said with happy surprise, going to the seat of Grenda and her grandmother, with General Sparkles going between the space between Grenda and Harold's seat to get as far away from Gramma as possible while still getting the scraps of food on the floor. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad, of course, but what's the occasion?"

"Oh, we just figured you could use a friend on your way to see Mabel off," her father answered her. "That, and I'm sure you could use the company of someone who isn't an old-timer."

"What?" Candy' grandmother protested, madly grabbing for the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, but consistently missing the target by several inches. "Who you calling 'old timer, pops!? I'm not old! I'm 75 years young AND I have the eyes of a hawk!" Candy's father just politely adjusted his mother-in-law's glasses and gently placed her chopsticks into her rice boll. "Oh. Thank you dear…" she replied sweetly. But soon, her stubborn pride took her over. "I mean, I meant to do that!"

"Hehehe, of course you did, Eomoni," Jenny chuckled as she took a seat by her husband. "Anyway, like your appa said, we figured you could use some pleasant company to help cheer you up."

Candy smiled. "Wow! Thanks, Umma and Appa!"

"So, your folks tell me you've been really upset about Mabel leaving, huh?" Grenda asked.

Candy gave her a questioning look. "Well, yeah. But, I mean, aren't you also sad about having to leave our best in the world, too?

"Well, yeah, of course I am," Grenda answered. "But they also told me that you still haven't totally gotten over the Dipper thing, either."

Candy blushed even harder. Darn it, Candy! You just had to narrate at your most vulnerable state, didn't you . "Well…I mean…he did just tell me he wasn't interested," Candy answered rather defensively. "So…I mean…yeah. I am still a little bit disappointed by that. Why wouldn't I be."

Grenda just smiled. "Say no more, Can-Can! I'll be there for you, if things get a little too awkward. There's a reason that I'm the most stable and level-headed of this duo." Grenda wolfed down the rest of her breakfast, including the plate itself, and after chewing it all up and swallowing, she gave Candy a big smile full of ceramic shards and a wink.

After some thinking, Candyjust smiled and patted her friend's hand. "Thanks, Grenda. This trip will be a lot less painful with you at my side."

"Then it's settled!" Grenda announced, hugging her friend. "I'll be your anti-awkward shield in these dark times!"

Candy giggled. "And I'll be your…um…" She raised a chopstick into the air. "Your mighty sword of awkward-slicing justice!"

"Excellent!" Harold exclaimed. "I'll go start the car, and we'll be on our way."

"Alright!" Grenda shouted. "Road trip with the Chius! I love it!"

"Also, Grenda," Jenny added. "That plate costed about a hundred and fifty dollars. Tell your father to send us the check, ok?"

Grenda frowned. "Aw man! I keep forgetting that plates aren't like edible wrappers!" Candy just laughed at her friend's crassness.

Candy's parents drove her and Grenda to the bus stop, dropping them off not far from where Stan, Ford, Soos, Wendy, Mabel and Dipper were. They had about thirty minutes before the bus came, so that gave them plenty of time to spend with Mabel (and expose Candy to Dipper).

"Here you are, girls," Harold said. "We'll pick you up at about eight forty-five. Have fun with Mabel, ok? Send her off with a bang."

"Thank you, Appa," Candy said with a smile. "We will."

"Take good care of her, ok, Grenda?" Jenny said, poking her head over her husband's shoulder to see outside the driver's window. "She really needs a friend like you, right now."

"Don't worry, Mrs. C!" Greta said with a thumbs up. "I got her back, one hundred and eighty-seven percent!" Candy's parents smiled and nodded, before driving off. "You ready for this?" Grenda asked Candy.

Candy watched Dipper conversing with Mabel, a feeling of anxiety almost as strong as the day before settling in. She gulped some air, her hands sweaty from anticipation. "I…I don't know. I...I'm still really nervous about this."

Grenda just gave her a smile and patted her back. "Hey! I'm behind ya, all the way. Remember that."

After a brief moment of doubt, Candy smiled back and nodded with a little more confidence. "Ok, Grenda." She took a deep breath and marched forward. Let's do this."

The two girls approached their best friend in the world. "Mabel!" They both shouted as they ran to her.

"Guys! You're here!" Mabel shouted back, tears in her eyes and hugging her friends. "I'm so glad I could see you guys, one last time!"

"So are we, Mabel," Grenda said, also beginning to cry. "This a sad day, for both of us."

"If I could superglue me and Grenda to your sweater so we could never let you go, I would," Candy said, sadly.

"Aw, Candy," Mabel answered, warmly. "The superglue of friendship can never be broken. Just stretched across the country." Mabel thought on that line. "Hmm. That sounds like a great slogan for something." She took out her scrapbook and jotted that down. "Superglue of friendship can never be broken, just stretched across the entire country! Perfect!" She put the scrapbook away. "Plus, we'd need a whole lot more superglue just for Grenda!" All three of them laughed at this.

Candy heard Dipper laughing along with them, and she turned her head to look at him, he just awkwardly chuckled and cleared his throat. Candy blushed as attempted eye-contact with her. Grenda gave an assertive "ahem!" and gave Candy a slight (well, slight by Grenda's standards) push to talk to him.

Dipper smiled at her, nervously, still uncertain of what to say, after their last encounter. "H-hey, Candy, I…guess this is goodbye, huh?"

Candy attempted a smile, as well. "Yeah, I guess it is." The two of them turned their heads, downwards, not knowing what to say to each other. Candy couldn't confess her feelings, now, not after lying to her friends' faces about, and certainly not with only a few minutes left of him being here. Candy just had to face the music; she blew her chances with Dipper and now she had to say goodbye. "Dipper…I…." Candy blushed. She sighed, giving him the warmest smile she could. "I hope you have a safe trip home. The world is full of pretty weird things out there, and I'd hate for you to get eaten before you even got to see your parents."

Dipper gave a sincere smile and chuckle. "Yeah. Thanks, Candy. But, my sister and I can handle it. We're kinda prose at this prose, at this point. " He opened up his arms, inviting her for a hug. Candy was hesitant, at first, but decided to just go for it, wrapping her arms around him, nearly making him lose his balance. She squeezed him as hard as she could, knowing full well that such an embrace like this was not likely to happen, again. Dipper seemed slightly uncomfortable by the surprisingly strong embrace, but he did his best to return the hug without looking ungrateful. After the brief embrace, "You take care of yourself, ok, Candy? "

"Yeah," Candy said with fake enthusiasm. "You too, Dipper." Candy turned to her friends, who gave her a thumbs up for making the attempt to talk to him. Candy feigned a smile at them, but deep down, she still felt empty and unfulfilled.

Then finally, after twenty minutes of hanging out with all their closest friends, playing a few games to pass the time (including 'Count the Zits on Soos' and 'Pinecononopoly', of which Stan was clearly the winner of by cheating) and several tearful goodbyes, Mabel, Dipper and Waddles bid their last farewells and left in the bus. At the last minute, However, a wave of pent up fear, frustration, and guilt flew through Candy like a mighty river (or, in her case, an exceptionally large puddle with angry crawdads in it), and decided to chase the bus down, with everybody else following forth, thinking she was waving them goodbye. "Wait, Dipper! Wait! I have something I wanted to tell you!" However, Dipper misinterpreted her waving arms as one of joy, and he simply waved back with a smile. "No! No! Dipper I really have to say…." But, as the bus left her sight, she began to tear up really hard. "That…I had something really important to tell you! I…I really like you, Dipper!" With her last ounce of strength drained, she fell to her knees, and began balling her eyes out on the ground.

"Candy, what are you talking about?" Grenda questioned, going over to comfort her friend. "I thought you said that Dipper didn't want to date you?"

"I…I lied, Grenda!" Candy cried. "Dipper didn't say he didn't want to date me…I…just couldn't ask him in the first place!" She continued to ball her eyes out as she lay on the ground. "Now I'll never get the chance to tell him how I really feel!"

Grenda stood in shock at what she heard, not expecting her friend to lie about something like that. While initially hurt by her friend not trusting her with such a secret, a wave of compassionate resolve took over Grenda, as she picked up her friend, and shook her out of her pity party. "Now listen up, Candy, I'm not gonna leave you in this love story, all alone and sad! We're gonna chase down that bus, and you're gonna tell Dipper how you really feel! Just like in those rom-coms where the guy chases down the girl in an airplane to show his undying love for her!"

"But, Grenda," Candy sniffled. "How are we going to outrun a bus without a vehicle? By the time my parents get back, the bus will be out of Oregon."

"Ha!" Grenda defiantly scoffed. "You obviously underestimate the speed of a Grendinator!" She threw Candy on top of her shoulders, did some short stretches, and put herself into a running position. "I'll be your vehicle, Candy! Your very own love mobile!" She pumped her fists and went, "Vroom! Vroom!"

Amazed at her friend's resolve, Candy found herself growing more confident, as well.

"You're right, Grenda!" Candy said with renewed vigor. "I'm not going to ruin my one chance because of fear!" She grabbed a hold of Grenda's ponytail. "Let's get 'em!" She pulled on the ponytail like a lever, and did her own "Vroom! Vroom!" of which Grenda began doing with her in tandem, before running off into the road after the bus.

As the two girls ran across the road, Stan, Ford, Soos and Wendy just looked on in utter confusion.

"What…wha…what the heck just happened?" Stan questioned. "I just kinda felt like time stopped for a moment, and…did I just see Grenda carry Candy off to run down that bus?

"It appears so, Stanley," Ford said, adjusting his glasses. "That Grenda girl is surprisingly fast for her size."

Soos sniffed the air around him. "Hey, is it just me, dudes, or do I smell something…'fan-ficcy' going on around here? Like some kinda love-sick entity is trying to write a romantic comedy about someone in this group." He scratched his chin to ponder the strange occurrence. "And if such is the case…" He slammed his fist on his hand in a "eureka" moment. "Then, I totally bet they're shipping Grenda with Dipper!"

"What?" Wendy asked him in total disbelief. "Seriously, dude?"

"Well, yeah," Soos said, confidently. "I mean, Opposites attract, and what not. Grenda's big and strong, but a little headstrong, whereas Dipper is small and weak, but super smart. Together they'd make an awesome power coupling!"

"Shi…Shipping?" Stan inquired. "What does that even mean? Are they going to turn into were-yachts, or something?" However, not wanting to hear any more young people lingo, he just shrugged and held up his hands in defeat. "Y-ya know what, Soos? I don't even wanna know what sorta sick world you live in that you'd be interested in matchmaking under-aged children. If I could still fire you, I would. I'm outta here. Ford, let's go." And with that, Stan walked back in the direction of town.

"Coming, Stanley," said Ford, following suit. "And speaking of shipping, I can't wait to start building that boat with you."

Wendy elbowed Soos' arm. "Come on, dude! I think Candy and Grenda just really miss their friend a whole lot, ok? Let 'em run a few extra miles to see them off." As she and Soos followed Stan and Ford, she added, "B-T-Dubs, Grenda already has a boyfriend, remember?"

"Hey," Soos said, cheerfully. "Anything's possible in the game of love, dude." He winked at her and gave her the gun fingers. "I ended up with a total hottie, didn't I?"

Wendy chuckled and elbowed his arm again. "Shut up, man."

"Faster, Grenda!" Candy shouted, pointing at the bus right in front of them. "We've almost gained on them!"

"I'm…trying…Candy," Grenda said, panting. "But my…tree trunk-esque legs….can… only go so far…on an empty stomach!"

"But, you just ate, not even an hour ago!"

"Hey! I'm a big girl with a big appetite! I can't help it!" Grenada yelped in pain "And my calves are starting to cramp!"

Candy reached into her backpack, and pulled out a bag of beef jerky. "Here! Eat this! A big boost of protein and electrolytes will make you turbo-charged!"

"Oh boy!" Grenda opened her mouth, really wide, and Candy just dropped it all in. Grenda felt herself more energized and did another "Vroom! Vroom!" while pumping her fist. "Ultra Grenda Grendinator, ultra-burst, super-speed go!" Grenda ran so fast that she managed to actually run along the side of the bus, maintaining her position as she did so.

Candy looked across the windows of the bus, until she eventually came across the large, distinctive head of Dipper, who appeared to be sleeping. "There!" Candy shouted. "I see him!"

"Great!" Grenda answered. "Now let's get his attention!" The girls yelled after him as loud as they could, but the sound of the wind and engine of the bus were too loud for him to hear. "No good! We gotta get his attention some other way!"

"I'm on it!" Candy pulled out various pens and pencils out of her book bag, and started chucking them at the window Dipper was at.

Dipper dazedly woke up to the sounds of clinking glass on the window. "Huh? Wha?" Suddenly, he saw the strange sight of Candy riding atop Grenda as she tossed tons of pens and pencils. "What the heck?!" He gently placed his sleeping sister's head down on the seat as he opened the window. "Candy? Grenda? What the heck are you…?" However he was interrupted by a barrage of sharp writing utensils. "Ow! Hey hey! Ok! Ok! You got my attention! Stop it! Jeez! That's a waist of perfectly good writing implements!"

"Whoops! Sorry, Dipper! I got carried away!" Candy shouted. She blushed hard, her throat tied in a knot. "Listen! I…I really have something I have to tell you! I….I….I…Then, frustrated at her own hesitation, Candy decided to just say it out loud. "I REALLY LIKE YOU, OK?! I REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOU!" She panted, heavily, from finally letting such a big thing off her chest, compounded by her small voice that was not used to screaming so loud. Even so, she smiled at this, not knowing if such. "Hey! I did it! I actually said it!"

"Nice…*huff*…work…*huff, huff*…Candy!" Grenda panted. "Im…*huff*...Proud…*huff* *huff* *huff*…of you!"

"Huh?! What?!" Dipper shouted. He stretched out his hand anhear. "Sorry Candy, I can't hear you! There's too much wind blowing out here!"

Candy froze in disbelief, before sighing in irritation, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Darn it! I thought that would work, the first time!" She took a deep breath and yelled even louder. "I SAID I REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOU, DIPPER!" She panted, her throat becoming sore from the strain.

After a moment of silence, Dipper responded with, "Sorry, I still couldn't hear that! Maybe you should try speaking a little louder!"

Candy started turning red out of anger and frustration. "I said I really, really like…" She began to cough, her voice now too tired and hoarse to yell even louder. "Oh no! Cough! I lost my voice! Cough! Cough! I don't think I can yell it out, again, Grenda!"

Beginning to tire from all this exertion and just generally annoyed by this tedious endeavor, Grenda just rolled her eyes and shouted, "Oh for Pete's sake! Here!" Grenda leaped with all her might onto the bus, digging her fingers into the very frame of the vehicle with considerable effort and obvious strain, causing Dipper to flinch in surprise as he suddenly saw Candy at eye level with him. "There! Now tell him, Candy! And hurry up! I…can't hold…this position…forever!"

"Candy?" Dipper questioned. "What's this all about? Why did you chase me halfway across the state?

"Dipper, I…I…I really, really, really like you!" Candy said with exhaustion, but complete conviction. "I couldn't let you leave without finally getting to say that to you! You're an amazing guy, and I'm glad I got to know Mabel AND you, for the short time that I did! Dipper just stared at her in utter shock. Taking advantage of his dumbstruck state and fearing he might say something to dissuade her, Candy tried to come up with something to say as fast as she could. "Look…I…I know now's not really a great time for us to date, right now, and I doubt will ever get a chance like this, again, but just in case there's a just a modicum of hope for us…" She pulled him closer to her by his vest and planted a kiss on the lips, causing Dipper's face to grow extremely red and his heart to skip several beats. Candy was not too well versed in the ways of kiss-fu, having only practiced the art with pop idols via her magazines as well as the involuntary assistance of lip-licking from her dog during "romantic dreaming time," but in that moment, she didn't give a flying stink if she kissed like a goldfish. She simply held her lips on his for long as she could, twisting her head side-to-side to make this moment feel more romantic. Whether or not Dipper felt the same way in that moment as she did for him, she couldn't possibly know, but still she did best to savor that sweet taste of victory (on top of the semi-pleasant stench of nacho breath and the intoxicating aroma of soda vapor). I'm doing it! Candy thought. I'm actually kissing Dipper! I'm kissing an actual, real life, non-canid or papery boy! This feels absolutely amazing! I really hope nothing ruins this wonderful moment for me…

"Ow! Hand cramp!" Grenda screamed, losing her grip on the bus and pulling Candy away from her kiss, forcing them both to fall off onto the road below, rolling various times before coming to a screeching halt.

Dipper, too paralyzed by shock and surprise, just stood there staring them down as the bus gained distance away from the girls.

"Dipper," Mabel said, groggily blinking her eyes into consciousness. "I had the strangest dream, just now. Candy was flying across the sky, just to tell you that she liked you." She giggled. "And for some reason, she was riding on a magic elephant with laser tusks." She gave a lazy, little chuckle and then drifted off back to sleep.

"Yeah," Dipper said, as he sat back down, rubbing his head in confusion. "A dream." Not knowing how he should feel about what just happened, he fell back asleep, hoping that it would all make more sense, after the trip home.

Candy painfully got up to her feet, her back hurting like the dickens, with the sleeve of her sweater ripped and her glasses cracked. "Ouch. I don't think I'll be doing back stretches, for a while."

"Ugh," Grenda whined. "I think I just broke something." She tried to stand up, but the pain in her foot caused her to fall back down. "Ow! Yep! That's a fractured foot bone!"

Candy looked on at the distance, the bus being gone, by this point, but the presence of it in her memory and the events that unfolded on it were now permanently etched into her mind. However, rather than feeling down about not dating Dipper (or the anxiety about the stern talking to her parents were no doubt going to give to her), Candy felt a sense of peace and relief, and just smiled, dreamily. I did it! Told Dipper how I felt AND I kissed him! I faced my fears and now I can finally die a happy girl!

"Candy!" Grenda cried in horror. "Call your folks! I think my foot's going gangrenous!"

Candy, without looking away from the road, texted her mother. "Hello, Umma. Could you come back and pick us up? And bring Grenda an ice pack, would you? Thanks, Umma." She stuffed the phone back in her pocket, still looking starry-eyed into the distance.

Candy and Grenda were back in the car with the former's parents, while the latter wore an icepack around her swollen ankle. While Grenda winced in pain, Candy just stared out the window with her cheek resting on her hand, a big smile stretching across her face. Her parents, however, were less happy about the situation.

"What in heaven's name were you doing out there?" Candy's mother chastised her. "You ran across the road without supervision, and broke your glasses and your friend's foot in the process!"

Harold started tearing up. "Not to mention you wasted fifty dollars worth of perfectly good pens and pencils I bought you for school!" He brushed the tears from his eyes. "And those were the really good brands, too."

"Do you know how much trouble you're in, young lady?" Her mom angrily questioned. "And how much money we're going to have to pay for all this?"

Candy just kept dreamingly looking out the window, not once looking at her mother. "Yes, ma'am. Loud and clear."

Candy's mother looked at her in utter confusion, and looked to Grenda for answers. "What's gotten into her, Grenda? Why does she looks so happy all of a sudden?"

"Well…Because…ya see…Mrs. C," Grenda tried to explain. "Candy was…just trying to finally finish that unfinished business with Dipper…and…well, long story short, we kinda ran down the bus in order to do that. And I broke my foot trying to keep up with a bus going fifty miles an hour." Jenny just stared at her in disbelief. Grenda chuckled. "B-b-but she finally told Dipper how she felt, so it's ok! Right?" She darted her eyes back and forth, waiting for some confirmation.

Harold smiled in satisfaction, a swell of pride brimming through his body. "That's my girl! I'm so proud of her for taking the chance to confront her feelings! I know that must've been challenging for her, so…" He turned to look at Grenda. "Thank you so much for being there for her, Grenda."

"No problem, Mr. C!" Grenda said, holding up her thumb. "Best friends to the end, like always!"

Jenny just sighed at this, but decided to smile at Grenda to show her appreciation. "Yes, Grenda. Thank you so much for helping her. That took a lot of bravery to do what you just did." Grenda smiled, hoping she and Candy were going off the hook for her act of heroism. Then she added, "But it was still very stupid and irresponsible, and Candy's going to be grounded…for an entire month." This caused Grenda to open her mouth in shock.

"B-b-but…I thought that…" Grenda protested.

"And as soon we take you home, Grenda, we'll tell your parents, too, and they'll decide what to do with you, after that!"

"Aw, man!" Grenda whined. "Mom's gonna make me carry five rocks, after this mess!" She rested her hand on her cheek, harrumphing at that prospect. "Probably gonna have to postpone the yacht trip with Marius, again, too! Thanks a lot, Candy! You owe me big time, for this!"

Even knowing she was grounded, Candy still looked dreamily outside the window, satisfied with herself for doing what she did, today.

Later that night, after a trip to the doctor's office to check for any serious injuries, Candy was forced by her parents to stay in her room for the rest of the day, not allowed to play any video games or use her phone to call Grenda in the hospital for an entire month. However, Candy didn't mind. If anything, it gave her more time to focus on writing in her diary, and after today, it was likely she was going to write with even more vigor than ever before.

Candy's Journal Log #437

Dear Diary,

I redeemed myself, today! After many moments of hesitation, I finally managed to tell Dipper how I felt about him, and even managed to give him a kiss before he went. *Squees in joy!* I'm so proud of myself! My first admittance to my crush on a boy AND MY FIRST KISS all in the course of 20 seconds! I mean, yeah. I've been grounded for an entire month, and can't call Grenda in the hospital (BTW, if you manage to read this without my permission, thanks a ton, Grenda), but I think it was all worth it, in the end. *Dreamy thoutfulness* I don't know whether or not Dipper will return his feelings for me, someday, or if he's just going to hide from me for the rest of his life, after putting him on the spot, but right now, I don't even care. I did something I never thought I could do, and I'm totally ok with that. *Another dreamy sigh* Sorry this journal entry was so short, but sometimes quality beats quantity. That, and I'm currently running out of ink in my pen. In hindsight, throwing all my writing utensils away was a pretty dumb move, but oh well. You win some, you lose some.

Signed,

Candy Chiu, sixth grade, soon-to-be seventh grade, and a new, natural woman! *girly giggles*

And with that Candy, closed her journal, placed it on her bed and walked over to her window to look up at the nighttime sky, resting her hand on her cheek, and sighing in happiness. Unbeknownst her, her mother and father were spying on her from behind her door, and they just smiled and gave each other knucks for a job well done, before closing the door, quietly.

Meanwhile in Piedmont, California, Dipper sat in his own bed during the night, writing his own journal about the strange event that happened to him, not too long ago. As Mabel was sharing a room with him, already fast asleep with Waddles in her arm, Dipper did his best not to wake her as he spoke quietly to himself.

Dipper's Journal Entry #1

Well, I just had the weirdest thing happen to me, today. And no, it didn't have to do anything with monsters, or demons, or alien vampire babies, or the like. You see, after saying goodbye to my uncles, Soos, and my old crush, Wendy, I thought I was going to leave Gravity Falls with Mabel without a hitch. Turns out, something even stranger happened. Ya see, Mabel's best friends, Candy and Grenda, decided it was a good idea to chase our bus almost all the way across Oregon, on foot, not for Mabel's sake, mind you, but for mine. You see, at one point, during a road trip with Grunkle Stan and Mabel, Candy developed a bit of a crush on me, all because I was flirting with every girl who wasn't my sister that I came across, all in an attempt to try and get over Wendy. Long story short, it all backfired and Candy lost interest in me, and we parted on good terms. I didn't think she had any further romantic feelings for me.

But, turns out that wasn't the case at all. Not a lick. You see, going back to what I was saying before, Candy chased me down, all so she could tell me that she still had a crush on me, and even gave me a kiss on the lips before we even left the state. And…well, I'm honestly not sure what to feel, right now. I mean on the one hand, it felt so far out of left field and I barely had time to process it. But on the other hand, it was…kinda nice getting my first kiss (And no, Mabel, that moment with Mermando still doesn't count!). And, well, I'm not gonna lie. Candy is kinda cute, for her age, now that I really think about it. She rocks a pair of glasses pretty well, her accent is utterly adorable, and…well...she's a bit of a bookworm, like myself. And she's smart, too. I mean, really, really smart. Dare I say, maybe even smarter than me, in some ways. Way smarter than I thought a girl her age could be.

But, above all else, I thought she was really brave. And not just for fighting spider monsters, or candy golems, or interdimensional demons. She was also brave for managing to admit her feelings to me even when it was hard, not unlike what I did with Wendy in the bunker. In fact, I think we were more alike than I gave us credit for. I honestly don't see why I never saw it before. I honestly think it could've worked between us!

Dipper took a moment to appreciate these new feelings he was developing for Candy, something he had never felt with anyone else, but Wendy. Suddenly, however, a sad realization took over him.

Man, I really wish I had gotten more time to know her, while I was still in Gravity Falls. But, when I first met her, I was still caught up in my feelings for Wendy, and I just saw Candy as another one of Mabel's annoying girlfriends who just liked talking about boys, makeup and all that other junk,stuff that I find repulsive in a girl. But, after those brief moments in our final weeks of Summer Vacation, I finally started to notice a really brave, smart and cute girl who I really wished I had given a chance. I bet she's feeling those exact regrets right now. Maybe, we could still give it a shot? Maybe make some attempts to form a long-distance relationship or I could save up money for another Trip to Gravity Falls? I dunno, man. I just don't wanna make it weird between us, ya know? Especially with her being Mabel's friend and all that. You know how Mabel gets when she tries to be the 'world's greatest matchmaker.' Whether the relationship went smoothly or ended up in flames, I would never hear the end of it. Not to mention the weird fanclubs she would try to create on the internet depicting me and Candy in various romantic situations (some of which I don't dare write in this journal for fear of it being etched in my brain for all eternity). I mean, what kinda sick weirdos would do those things, huh? Those people really need to get a life! Or go to prison! Whichever makes the situation less worse!

Dipper gave a deep sigh of frustration, messaging his head to get an idea out. Then, after a long period of thinking too hard, a sudden epiphany exploded in his head.

Meh. You know what? I can wait. There is honestly no reason to rush into any of this, yet. I mean, these feelings could very well just be a brief moment of infatuation that could dissipate with time. I mean, I know it took me an entire summer vacation to get over Wendy, but I also spent a lot of time with her during that period, and I've only hung out with Candy a fraction of that amount. Maybe in a month or two, I'll get over it like it never happened and I can just go about my life. Buuuuut…if by some chance these feelings do persist, maybe then I can decide to make a move? Either way, I'm gonna do my best not to worry about it too much. Afterall, I just turned thirteen, yesterday. I got plenty of time to think it over.

Signed,

Dipper Pines.

And with that, Dipper gave a satisfied smile, placed his new journal in the desk near his bed and fell peacefully to sleep.

However, unbeknownst to him, Mabel held a recorder detailing all he had said while writing the journal entry. "Hehehe. Shouldn't have exposited so loudly, Dipper," Mabel whispered to herself, evilly. Now I will find a way to get you and Candy together. And I will make that fan club of you and her doing that romantic stuff. And I will become the greatest matchmaker. And there's no way you can stop me. Hehehehehehehehhehe."

"You do know that that exposition problem works both ways, don't you?" Dipper smugly replied, shocking Mabel out of her scheming.

"Um…n-n-n-no…shut up…" Mabel denied, embarrassedly.

There! Finished, dudes! My revamped version of the story I wrote 3 years ago! I hope I made some minor improvements and really hope this leads to bigger projects, sometime down the road! For now, I just hope you enjoyed the story and I hope you leave me a review telling me what you thought and giving me some constructive criticism in the process. Piece out peeps! Hope to see you next time! ;D