"Who can tell me what Pythagoras' theorem is?"

Five different 14 year-olds sat in the back of the math class all in their own little worlds.

"Pick me! Pick me!"

Baljeet Rai bobbed up and down in his seat with anticipation. Mathematics was his favorite subject and he could do it in his sleep.

Next to him, Buford van Stomm was scribbling a crudely drawn picture of their math teacher being eaten by a dragon.

Behind him, Phineas Flynn was doodling in his sketchbook. His drawings usually ranged from inventions to memories of adventure to his pet platypus to his family and friends.

Today, he was deeply indulged within drawings of fantasy-lands with a few minor algebraic equations at the sides.

Peering over his shoulder was Isabella Garcia-Shapiro. She was a popular girl with a busy schedule and enough brains and skill to fit in with her group of male friends. She was used to sometimes getting undivided attention because she was the only girl and at other times being ignored for the same exact reason.

She found herself mesmerized by the boy's drawings and sighed heavily.

She sat back in her chair and turned her attention to the boy at her right.

Ferb Fletcher.

She squinted at the object in his hands.

It was his cell phone.

She shook her head and resumed flipping through her notebook.

"How about you Baljeet?" Mr. Aarons said pointing towards the boy.

" A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared!"

Mr. Aarons nodded as he wrote the formula on the blackboard.

Mr. Aarons opened his mouth to speak but was cut-off by the bell. As usual his lectures had extended over leaving them out of time.

The five teens gathered their things and exited the classroom.

"Oh! That had got to be the easiest math class ever!" Baljeet said happily as the teens reached the cafeteria.

"I mean everyone knows that Pythagoras' theorem is A-squared plus B-squared equals C-squared!"

Buford rolled his eyes and cornered the boy.

"If you're so smart check out this equation! My fist plus your face equals concussion!" he said shaking his fist.

Baljeet shivered as the others laughed.

"I can't believe he pronounced concussion correctly." Isabella whispered to Phineas and Ferb causing the laughter to begin again.

Once they reached the lunch table, Isabella spoke.

"So Ferb, who were you texting in Aarons' class hmm?"

Ferb's expression remained neutral.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Isabella smirked.

"Was it that Goth girl?"

Ferb shook his head.

"Was it your mommy?" Buford teased.

Ferb narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"Then who was it?"

Ferb shrugged and responded.

"Just an old friend. That's all."

Phineas looked puzzled.

"Old friend? What old friend?"

Ferb didn't offer him an answer and took a bite out of his sandwich.

The others looked on in confusion, wanting to know more about this "friend".

Ferb swallowed a bite before speaking again.

"She's visiting Danville with her parents. They might move here, if everything checks out ok."

Isabella stroked her chin.

"So it's a girl…hmm."

Ferb rolled his eyes and returned back to his sandwich.

"Can we at least get a name of this girl? Or are you gonna leave us in the dark?"

Ferb swallowed again and shifted his gaze towards Buford.

"Emily. Emily Kinney."

Isabella smiled.

"That's a pretty name! Oh! When is she visiting?"

Ferb shrugged.

"I don't know…she didn't tell me."

The others looked crestfallen.

Phineas tapped his chin.

"So your 'old friend' Emily told you she's coming to Danville but she didn't tell you when? I find that a little odd…"

Buford rolled his eyes.

"Dinner bell you're 'a little odd' you have no right to judge random girls that we aren't even sure exist."

Ferb sighed.

"Emily is definitely real Buford. She was my best friend."

"A-hem!" Phineas said pointing at himself cockily.

"That is until I moved to America and met Phineas."

Phineas grinned at the sound of his name.

"Maybe you should call her." Isabella pointed out.

Ferb shook his head.

"No use. Her phone is a little funny. It doesn't pick-up long distance sometimes but can send out once in a while."

"Hmm…suspicious."

Buford smacked Baljeet upside his head and turned his attention back at the green-haired Brit.

By the end of the day all five teens headed home.

Ferb sulked and ignored all the screaming hormonally-struck teen girls calling for him.

The other four looked on worriedly.

It wasn't like Ferb to purposely ignore the girls. He would often flash a smooth smile and then continue walking.

Phineas made his way through the crowd and patted his brother on the shoulder.

"A lot on your mind?"

Ferb sighed.

Once Buford had scared off all the screaming fan girls, the teens continued on their way home.

"So." Isabella said smoothing out her shirt.

"Ummm…when do you plan on talking to Emily again?"

Ferb shrugged.

The rest of the walk he remained silent. However, not his usual silence but an awkward silence.

Phineas waved goodbye to Isabella as he and Ferb entered the Flynn-Fletcher household.

"AHEM!"

Phineas turned his attention to the female standing over him with her hands on her hips. They were face to face, noses touching.

"Uh…hey Candace."

Candace didn't respond but narrowed her eyes.

"What are you up to?"

Phineas shook his head.

"Nothing Candace…"

"Good."

Candace stood up straight and dusted off her hands proudly.

"You're too old for those silly little escapades anyway."

Phineas scoffed and headed up to his shared bedroom.

He plopped down onto his bed and sighed.

He couldn't believe Candace just said that. It was preposterous if you think about it. She was implying that just because he was a little older that he had no real belief in seizing the day. She had practically said that he had lost his adventurous spirit. And worst of all…

She had doubted him.

He buried his face in the sleeves of his hoodie and groaned.

Ferb sat at the kitchen table tapping his foot restlessly.

He was currently watching his father talk to Emily's parents over the phone. He wasn't exactly sure of the conversation because he only heard his father say insignificant little words.

"Yes…well."

There goes two more. Insignificant little words.

He took a deep breath as he saw his father hang up the phone.

"Ferb…"

Ferb felt his arms shake and his eyes swell.

He knew that tone. That sympathetic little tone. He knew that tone well.

"Ferb…I'm sorry I broke your really important little statuette."

"Ferb…you remember the little English bulldog?She's lost."

"Ferb…Mum's dead."

He sat expectant to hear what it would be this time.

Lawrence played with his fingers as he spoke.

"Emily isn't able to come visit…her parents said that something has come up. I'm sorry."

Ferb felt his world shatter. To anyone else it wouldn't have been a big deal, but to Ferb this wasn't just some girl. This was Emily Kinney. This was the last piece of his old life, the one thing that connected him to his mother.

Ferb stood up and pushed the chair back.

"Ferb…are you ok?"

The teen turned back to face her father.

"Yeah…I'm kinda used to being disappointed…"

He ran up to his shared room and sat down on his bed. At any other time, he would focus more on the fact that his brother seemed unhappy rather than on his own problems but right now he just hugged his knees to his chest and rocked back and forth. He let only one tear roll down his cheek.

His mother always said not crying made you weak and ignorant but crying boatloads made you easily manipulated. She said crying one tear; only one tear put you exactly where you wanted to be. She said that even heroes cried.

Ferb smiled at the memory of his biological mother. Her long green hair reaching the small of her back and her big brown eyes which shone when she was happy and glistened when she was sad.

He dug his head into his arms as he continued to clutch onto his knees.

He let himself cry, he knew that his mother usually wouldn't approve but felt that she would understand.

Author's Note: Do not let this first chapter fool you. It was not made to make you sad but I felt that Ferb needed a backstory especially in this story. Also Emily Kinney is Melty94's (DeviantART) OC. She's really awesome and I love her! But yes, don't let this chapter be your guide to my entire story because then you're totally WRONG! This fic is about adventure, friendship, sibling bond, acceptance of one another (Mainly between Candace and Phineas) a little bit of humor (the sarcastic comedy stylings of Buford van Stomm xD)

Please R&R and leave a review; reviews are like beautiful floating woodland pixies (inside joke xD)

M&M is out, Peace!