I watched.
There he was. Crying as he squeezed his... pet? Friend? Perry. I watched him as he hugged his Perry, crying after the best day ever. I didn't like to see him cry. It made him get this...slack expression. Relaxed, solemn, still. Not the energetic Phineas I knew and loved. And yet, as always, his face held a smile. Acceptance. After a final squeeze, he released his hold on the platypus and turned to the white-haired man that was Agent P's superior.
"Alright, sir. We're ready."
He walked over to stand by my side. I saw his fists clench, and I knew he was being brave. I saw his expression. He was frowning. He was sad.
I hate it when he's sad.
I could forget. It wasn't much of a loss for me. But he had something to lose. He had an entire relationship that was destroyed and rebuilt, multiple new friends he had to forget in both this dimension and the second.
He didn't want to forget.
I didn't want him to forget.
I didn't want to forget.
I got an idea.
"Hey, Major Monogram?"
"Yes, little lady?"
"So, nobody's going to remember anything that happened today?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Good."
I grabbed him by the front of the shirt and pressed my lips against his.
Fireworks.
I released him, looking smug.
He gasped.
"Isabella!"
"Hit it, Carl!"
"Wait, wait, wait!
I felt victorious. Not because I finally got to kiss him. But because I knew.
Our memories were not lost. We would remember, one day. Because we would remember, one day.
One day, I would regain the confidence to kiss him. And on that day, a spark will be lit.
And on that day, he would remember.
A flash of cold light.
Darkness.
