That night, I sat directly across from Ford at dinner. I stared at him the entire time. He didn't seem to notice,but I was persistent.
"Grunkle Ford," I said, although he still ignored me. "Why didn't you tell me about all of your PhDs?" He sighed.
"Mabel, Gravity Rises is an extremely dangerous place. If it were up to me you would even be here. But unfortunately I can't send you back after so long with no explanation."
"So you admit it. There are monsters here and there are mysteries." Ford sighed again.
"Putting it simply, yes. There are in fact, monsters and mysteries."
"Aha!" I stood up. "Which means that I was right! And that Gideon was right! And that you did write the-" I stopped myself. Ford looked at me with curiosity.
"Wrote what?" I didn't answer him. "Mabel!" I stood like a deer caught in headlights.
It seemed fitting that at that exact moment, the journal decided to fall from my coat.
Ford gasped as I scrambles to pick it up and shave it in my jacket again.
"A journal! Where did you get that?" My worst flaw happened to be my tendency to squeal under pressure, which I did.
"I- I found it in the woods on the day I twisted my ankle! I fell in the hole and Gideon carried me home!" Ford slammed his fist on the table.
"Did he get a chance to look at the pages?" He stood up. "Give it to me!"
"No!" I said.
"What did you just say?" Ford asked, appalled.
"This book is the only thing that I have to help me uncover the mysteries of this town! You're not going to help!" I stepped back.
"Mabel, give me the journal. It'll be a lot easier on the both of us." I had never wished more for Melody's presence.
"How can you say that?" I asked. "What happened to change you? What made you lose your passion?"
"Mabel, give me the journal! I can't lose you too!" Ford shouted.
"Too?" I asked. Ford's eyes went wide with realization.
"Mabel, I- he- it's nothing!" He shook his head. "The journal, Mabel!"
"No!" I ran outside, the only place I knew Ford wouldn't be able to follow me.
I ran towards the trees and didn't stop running until I couldn't hear my footsteps over the sound of my labored breathing. I stopped and looked around. It was dark, pitch black with no moon. A cold wind bit at my ears and tugged at my coat.
I collapsed to my knees and started crying tears that stung with warmth.
"I'm going to die out here...." For a brief moment I realized that maybe I should have listened to Ford and given him his journal.
"Honestly, Pines, this is getting a little ridiculous." I looked up and through my tears I saw Gideon hovering a few inches above my head. He dropped into the snow and knelt down beside me, holding his hand to my forehead. "You're freezing. Let's change that."
He motioned with his hand and a group of sticks flew into his hand. A spot of snow cleared out and be arranged the sticks, before snapping his fingers and igniting them.
"Gideon, why are you here?"
"I couldn't just leave you out here in the cold now could I?" I chuckled.
"Thank you."
"You can thank me when your body temperature is acceptable. You'd think you would have stopped running into the woods by now." He gestured again and suddenly we were enclosed in a tent.
"Why are you doing all this?" I asked.
"Because, Pines, despite what you might think I do care as to whether or not you freeze to death." I chuckled again.
"Thanks, Gideon." I yawned, and rested my head on his shoulder.
"Wh-what in heavens name are you doing!" He panicked.
"Just face it Gideon, we're friends now. You'll just have to deal with it."
(A/N) I'm so sorry!