AN: Happy Birthday to my co-writer Robot Wolf 26Z
Sixteen-year-old Gretchen re-read the text reply from her boyfriend. Nothing. She re-read the communiqué over-and-over. He wanted nothing for his birthday. She knew he didn't want a party; he was quite adamant about that when Phineas brought it up.
When Phineas pushed the subject, Ferb dug his heels in further. "I don't want a party, not that you would know how to throw a party that I could possibly enjoy." There was no doubt that those words hurt the red-head, he was only trying to do something nice for his brother.
Ferb felt guilty. Guilty enough to text an apology to his brother and vent his frustrations to the only other person who truly knew him; his girlfriend, Gretchen. I'm sure he meant well. Gretchen had replied. I don't doubt that, it's just that I'm only technically 16… as you know I'm a… the send button had been pressed.
Gretchen waited almost five minutes before she replied, You're a leapling. She could almost see him nodding his agreement at that fact. What she didn't know was that those words struck a chord and made him more upset.
Gretchen put her phone down and turned to her computer. She opened up a search and looked for things that she thought Ferb might like. She had this conversation with the gang last week about what she should do. Isabella and Ginger had suggestions that Gretchen didn't feel completely comfortable with. Holly suggested she talk to Ferb about what he would like. Milly and Katie thought a romantic dinner at home might work.
Gretchen thought for a couple of hours as she poked through the great aether, searching for the 'perfect gift'. Nothing seemed to fit 'perfect gift'.
She picked up her phone and sent the same text she sent every night. I love you, happy dreams, sleep well.
Ferb read the text that came in. You're a leapling. It felt as though he had been punched in the gut. It was the truth. His birthday only came around once every four years. He turned his phone off then undressed to his shorts. His mother kept the heat turned up during the winter so it was always comfortable. He popped his contacts out and picked his glasses from his headboard before throwing himself onto his bed while simultaneously grabbing and opening his book to where he left off.
Forty-five minutes later, Ferb was still looking at the same three words. He placed his bookmark, one that Gretchen had made out of pressed flowers three years ago, before replacing the book on his shelf and putting his glasses on his headboard. 'Maybe I should take her out to dinner... for putting up with me.' he thought. 'I could suggest we go to dinner and the movies or bowling… unless she wants to see that new exhibit at the museum.'
Phineas awoke to his alarm. For the first time in years, he felt miserable. He pulled on his jeans and shirt, then walked across the hall and knocked on his brother's bedroom door. "Ferb? Are you awake?" After a moment Phineas knocked again, then turned the knob. What he saw made him feel horrible. Ferb was sitting on the edge of his bed, looking at his phone. His hair was messier than normal and he was only half dressed. "Ferb?" Phineas spoke quietly and waited for an answer. He offered a soft smile when his brother looked up at him. Phineas' grin widened. "Happy birthday Bro. How's it feel to be sixteen?"
Ferb shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I won't be sixteen for another forty-eight years." A laugh escaped the red-head and he immediately regretted it. Phineas ran a hand through his hair to hide his embarrassment. "Sorry Ferb. Is there anything I can do?"
Ferb shook his head. "Not unless you can change my birthday." Phineas thought for a moment. "I'm fairly sure that's impossible, even for us. However, you're special. More special than you'll ever know. Not too many people can say that their birthday is the 29th of February." Ferb stood up and finished getting dressed.
Phineas watched as Ferb popped in one contact lense, then the other. "Are you going to school today?" Ferb nodded. "Of course. Why wouldn't I?"
Ferb managed to escape just about everyone, it helped that he kept a low profile, until lunch. He took his seat at his regular table, then looked up in horror as Isabella and the rest of her entourage headed toward him.
He looked for an escape route, but the guys were coming in from the other end of the cafeteria. Ferb was trapped.
Gretchen took her seat beside him and everyone else took their seats around the table. No one mentioned his birthday. Good. He thought to himself.
"Ferb?" Gretchen inquired with a head tilt. Ferb looked at her and raised an eyebrow, inviting her to continue. "Would you like to go out this weekend?" She asked and he nodded, that was what he was thinking anyhow; that he should take her out on a date.
Gretchen offered her shy smile to him. "We'll finalize plans later?" He nodded and Isabella jumped into the private conversation. "Why not finalize plans now?" Gretchen's eyes narrowed and she leaned forward. "We'll finalize our plans later. We don't want anyone bothering us."
Isabella and Ginger seemed to think they knew what Gretchen had in mind, they couldn't be further from the truth.
After the final bell rang for the day, Ferb grabbed his bag and closed his locker. He jumped, ever so slightly, when he saw Gretchen standing there. "Hey." She laughed. "Walk me home?"
Ferb plucked her school bag from her arm and slung it over his shoulder. "Would you like to stop off at the coffee shop?" He offered. Gretchen leaned against his arm, "Hot chocolates?" She fluttered her eyes at him and he chuckled. "With whipped cream and chocolate shavings." He replied as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
The couple made their way to the coffee shop. Ferb moved to open the door when Gretchen placed her hand on his. "My treat today." She told him. "It's your birthday, after all." Ferb sighed. "If I let you pick up the tab for today, I'm taking you out tomorrow night. Dinner and anything else you'd like."
Gretchen went up to the counter and paid for two hot chocolates and a couple of lemon squares. She returned to the table where Ferb was sitting. Taking the chair across from him she inquired. "I've tried to come up with something for your birthday, but I just can't. Is there anything you'd like?"
Ferb took in her words and sipped his beverage. "I'd like to spend the entire day with the one person who matters the most to me. I'd like to hold her in my arms and never let go."
The next day Ferb awoke and got dressed. He went downstairs for a quick breakfast and before anyone else woke up, he had texted Gretchen that he was ready to come over.
He dressed for the weather and walked to her place. He climbed the three steps to her front door and took a breath before knocking. The door was answered by an attractive woman who was obviously Gretchen's mother. "Mrs. Weiss." Ferb greeted.
Trudy Weiss stepped aside, "Ferb, it's so good to see you again. Gretchen will be down in a moment." She opened the coat closet and took his coat before hanging it up. Ferb crouched down to take his boots off and when he stood up, Gretchen was standing before him, smiling.
Trudy tapped her daughter on the shoulder. "Your father and I will be in and out all day. We've got some things we need to take care of. And the cabinet maker is coming by in an hour." Gretchen nodded. "Of course." She replied and reached for Ferb's hand.
Gretchen led Ferb to the family room and the sank into the couch. She turned to him, "I really wanted to do something special for your birthday. I wanted to get you something-" he cut her off with a kiss. "Spending the day with you is all I want. I love you Gretchen." He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her.
The young couple spent the next few hours sitting on the couch talking, kissing and cuddling. After the cabinet maker left, Gretchen went into the kitchen to heat up some leftovers from the fridge. Ferb and Gretchen ate their lunch and continued talking and laughing together.
Gretchen led him back to the couch and snuggled up against him. "Let's order up a movie and some dinner. What would you like? Chinese? Pizza? Italian…" She glanced up to look at him. After a moment's thought, Ferb nodded. "We could order up some Chinese."
Will and Trudy Weiss came home and spied the young couple in the family room. "They're young." Will commented and Trudy nodded, "We were young once." She reminded him then added, "They're less impulsive than we were. I don't think we've got anything to worry about until Ferb's next birthday." Will's back straightened, "Next year?" Trudy shook her head and held in a giggle, "Ferb's a leapling dear, his next birthday is four years from now."