I wrote this one by itself because I felt it did not fit in with the other stories in Don't Deny It and other short Phineabella stories. Like many of my stories, this was inspired by a song, but it is not a songfic. Looking it up, there have been quite a few fan fiction stories based on this song, but none previously for Phineas and Ferb (as far as I know). The song is Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley.

Anyway, this story is rather sad, and has been rated "T" for a reason. But, if I told you those reasons, it would give away the plot. So, I won't.

For best effect, read this story as slowly as possible.

Twenty-five.

That was how old Isabella Garcia-Shapiro was when she died.

Phineas blamed himself. He knew it was his fault. He just couldn't believe that after everything they'd been through, the narrow escapes, the dangerous contraptions, the aliens and monsters, his best friend since childhood had succumbed to alcohol.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Adyson's. Considering that they were standing just a foot away from Isabella's open casket, both were quite valiantly holding their composure. "I guess we can't be too surprised," Adyson whispered.

Phineas nodded in reply, his eyes locked on Isabella's beautiful face. Everyone else at the viewing had stated how peaceful she looked, but Phineas disagreed. She did not look peaceful at all. In all reality, she appeared exactly as she was: dead, nothing more.

"I…I just can't believe she's gone," Phineas replied.

"I know, Phineas. I can't believe it either." Adyson sighed, shaking her head. "We were blind. We should have seen the signs sooner. It's our fault she's gone."

No. It's my fault she's gone, Phineas thought.

"I just doesn't seem possible that Isabella…so strong as she was…could possibly have an alcohol addiction."

Phineas disagreed. But she didn't. She was trying to drink me away…

Six years ago…

It had taken all of Isabella's strength and bravery to ask Phineas here tonight. It had been one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. Years of having her heart pounded on by Phineas's obliviousness had taken its toll, but her love for him only grew. The fire in her heart stung as the only boy she'd ever loved continued to turn a blind eye on her feelings.

But that would end tonight. No longer would she suffer in silence. She'd asked Phineas to dinner, and she was going to tell him how she felt.

Their meal finished, the restaurant just didn't seem like the appropriate place to relay such an important secret, so they returned home, and Isabella urged Phineas into the backyard.

This is where the best moments of our life have been, she thought. Right here, under this tree. Now, we will add another. I hope.

She took a deep breath. "So, Phineas…I wanted to tell you something," she started slowly.

In his usual cheerful tone, Phineas replied, "Sure, Isabella. Anything."

She inhaled deeply again. "I've been keeping this bottled up for a long time, and…I just can't keep my mouth shut any longer. I need to tell you this before…before I have a mental breakdown or something."

"I doubt it's that big a deal, but, okay."

Isabella looked into Phineas's eyes. One last deep breath. "Phineas…I'm in love with you."

The smile faded from Phineas's face.

Unable to tear his eyes away from the casket, Phineas took Adyson's hand, hoping that the warmth of his fiancé's skin would steady his nerves. But the touch did not help.

That was it. That was where this had started. This was why Isabella was gone.

They stared at each other silently, their eyes locked.

"Phineas…?"

Phineas looked away. "I wish you hadn't said that, Isabella."

"Why?"

"Because…I was going to tell you tonight…I wanted your advice on what I should do…" He faced her again. "I'm in love with Adyson."

Phineas looked around the empty room. There were a number of empty chairs and a couch, provided by the funeral home, but he and Adyson were alone. The viewing had ended an hour ago, yet he and Adyson remained.

Adyson didn't have much of a choice. Phineas was her ride. She wasn't about to leave her husband-to-be in his time of need anyway. Isabella was Phineas's best friend. He'd known Isabella even longer than she had. And she was willing to stay until Phineas was ready.

"Do you think you could let me be alone with her for a minute?" Phineas asked without averting his gaze.

Adyson gave his hand a squeeze. "Sure, Phineas. I'll be right outside." She left the room, quietly closing the doors behind her. She really wished there was something she could do to help her fiancé, to know what was on his mind.

She took a seat in a leather chair in the lobby. Everything had seemed so perfect a few days ago…

A few days ago…

"Oh, Adyson, you look beautiful!"

The compliment came from Milly as Adyson emerged from the dressing room in a flowing white wedding dress.

"Stunning!" Gretchen added. "Phineas is going to flip when he sees you walking down the aisle in that."

"Thanks," Adyson said giddily. "I still almost can't believe this is happening! I'm getting married!"

Holly poured a glass of champagne. "I can't believe it, either. I never would have guessed we'd be here dress shopping with you for your marriage to Phineas, instead of Isa- Ow!"

The exclamation was a result of being rather forcefully elbowed in the ribs by Gretchen. "She's sitting right there!" Gretchen whispered in Holly's ear.

"And I'm close enough to hear you whispering," Isabella said. "I know what you meant. It's okay. Phineas and I just weren't meant to be. Adyson is very lucky to have him." She popped the cap on the aluminum water bottle she'd brought with her and took a long swig.

"Thank you, Isabella," Adyson said. "You don't know what it means to me to hear you say that." She stood in front of a long mirror, admiring the dress. "Hmmm…I like it. I'm still going to try on a few more, but I'll put this one aside as a 'definite maybe.'"

As Adyson headed back to the dressing room, Holly turned to Isabella. "Sorry about that, Isabella. I didn't…I mean…"

Isabella held up her hand, silencing Holly's stuttering. "It's okay, Holly. I'm fine with it." She took another swig from her water bottle.

Holly held out a champagne glass. "You want some?"

Isabella held up the aluminum bottle. "I'm good, but thanks."

"Come on, Isabella," Gretchen said. "Have some. Live a little."

"That's okay." She tilted her head back and drained what liquid was left. Realizing it was empty, she put the bottle down. "Okay, maybe I will have a glass."

Phineas sighed. He brushed the back of his hand against Isabella's cold cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Isabella. This is all my fault. I had no idea you'd take it so badly…"

Isabella's heart felt like it had just dropped into her stomach. "You…you're in love with Adyson?"

Phineas rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah…"

"Since when?"

"Since…uh…I don't even know. It wasn't, like, an all at once realization. It was just a thing that was quietly growing in the back of my mind for a while now…and…well…"

Isabella stood. There were tears beginning to moisten the corners of her eyes. Phineas saw it and gave her a rather awkward hug.

"I'm sorry, Isabella," he said sincerely. "I had no idea."

She shuttered as she inhaled. "It's okay, Phineas."

"I doubt she has any feelings at all for me, anyway. But you and me…I…I always thought we were just friends." Isabella said nothing. "It's like we've got some kind of weird love triangle here," Phineas continued with a nervous laugh, trying unsuccessfully to lighten the moment. "You love me, I love Adyson, she doesn't love me and I don't love you. It's a love triangle where none of the sides connect."

Isabella slid out of his arms. She wouldn't look at him.

"Are you okay?" Phineas asked.

"Yeah," she replied through a few tears. "Peachy."

"You sure?"

"Uh-huh."

"We still friends?"

She nodded.

"Okay." He gave her another quick hug. "I'm sorry, Isabella. You wanna come in?"

"No. I'm going home."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But you weren't okay. And I should have known that." Phineas lightly cupped his hand around her chin. "I couldn't even tell you were still upset. Some best friend I turned out to be. I spent the last six years being just as oblivious to your feelings as I was the dozen years before that."

He looked harder at Isabella's face. "Am I a terrible person?" he asked as if she could reply to the question.

"This is the one. Definitely this one."

"You're sure?"

"This is the one I want. Phineas is just gonna love it."

Adyson held her arms out and twirled around in the dress. It didn't have a long train like a traditional wedding dress, so she needn't worry about tripping.

"Alright! We have a dress!" Gretchen announced.

Adyson changed back into clothes and returned carrying the wedding dress in its plastic bag. "Okay. Time to write out the biggest check to pay for clothing I ever have."

Milly stood up from her chair. "Bet you wrote a bigger check that time we went shopping at the Superduper Mega Store."

Gretchen examined the tag on the plastic wrapper. "You would be wrong."

The girls' heads suddenly whipped around at the sound of a something falling to the carpeted floor. Isabella had stood up and tripped over her own feet, crumpling to the ground.

"Isabella! Are you okay?" Adyson asked.

Isabella grabbed the arm of the chair and shakily pulled herself to her feet. "Yeah, I'm…I'm good. Good, good, good."

Adyson raised an eyebrow. "You don't look okay."

"I'm fffine."

"Isabella…are you drunk?"

Isabella closed her eyes as she spoke, swaying slightly on her feet. "No. Why would I be?"

Adyson walked over and picked up Isabella's aluminum water bottle from where it had landed on the floor. Isabella tried to take it away from her, but Adyson spun away and popped open the top. She took a sniff of the empty bottle. "What were you drinking?"

"You know…liquid."

"Did you have…?" She sniffed again. "I don't know what, but it was strong, whatever it was."

"It was whiskey," Isabella suddenly admitted.

"Whiskey? Since when do you drink whiskey?"

"Since know…I mean now."

"This is because I'm marrying Phineas, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

Adyson sighed. "Are you gonna be okay? Like, in the future? You've been pining over Phineas for as long as I can remember, and now he's officially off the market."

"Adyssson…I'll be fine. Just wallowing in the sorrow a little."

Adyson was not entirely convinced, but she didn't press the matter further. She just handed back the bottle and grabbed Isabella's arm to make sure she didn't trip again as they made their way to the front of the store.

"Why didn't I see it then?" Adyson asked herself aloud. There was no one there to hear her, so she had no inhibitions about talking to herself. "Why didn't I see it? I could have gotten her help."

A few past instances crept into Adyson's memory. There were a few parties and trips to bars over the years where Isabella had gone overboard, drinking until she threw up, that she could think of, but it never occurred to Adyson that Isabella had a drinking problem. Those incidents were few and far between. Everyone just assumed Isabella liked to party.

Apparently, that was not the case. It was much more serious than that.

Much more serious.

He didn't cry when he heard the news of her death. He didn't cry in the days leading up to this night. He didn't cry at the viewing. He'd held his composure long enough.

Phineas sank to his knees beside Isabella's casket and cried.

I know this isn't like anything I normally write, but don't worry, there will be a classic American muscle car in a later chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this. Let me know what you think!