A/N: Hello readers old and new, here is my return to the Phineas and Ferb universe. I first published this chapter in 2012 and then didn't touch this story for more than two years. I don't know why, my creative mind was dead tired. But now I'm back and determined to finish this story once and for all, so you'll find chapter 1 rewritten and chapter 2 finally published.
I know it's not the best choice to enter a fandom with a very much non-canon story, but let's face it guys: there is no actual canon story about the missing parents. We can make up all kinds of things about what happened to Phineas's dad, Ferb's mom or Isabella's father. So I thought that as long as I made my non-canon story as strong and solid as possible, it might have a shot at being accepted by the readers.
So here is my own headcanon-story about Isabella's father. The man's name is Oscar Garcia and I hope that you grow to like him as much as I do. Enjoy the story.
A father is a son's first hero and a daughter's first love.
- Author unknown, a famous Father/Dad quote.
Chapter 1
My dad was a very passionate man. Maybe he didn't look that way on the outside - a broad shouldered man with a black beard and a booming voice - but it was true. Everything he did, he told me, he did with love. One day when I was four he explained why.
"Isabella", he said when I sat down on his lap, "if you do things without love, whatever you do will be empty and meaningless. Make sure that everything you do, you do with care and devotion."
"Even cleanin' my room?" I asked confused. "But I don't like clean'ing my room, daddy. It's stupid."
Dad chuckled. "Yes Bella, even those things." he said with a nod. "Sometimes the things which seem stupid or pointless have the biggest meaning of all."
I tilted my head. "But how, daddy?"
"Because that way you won't regret doing them. Even when you hated the activity at that moment, you can't fully regret doing it if you put at least a little bit of care in it. You will be able to look back at those moments and not think 'boy, that was awful' but 'well, that wasn't so bad'. You understand?"
No, not really. Stupid things can become nice things if you put love in it? I did put effort in keeping my room clean but that didn't make tidying up more fun to do.
My father saw my confused look and laughed. "I'm sorry sweetheart, let me say it in another way." He cradled me close and I leaned my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
"Life is too short to do things we will regret Bella." He told me softly and brushed my hair back from my forehead. "One day you could be living a happy life and the next day it all could be gone. Therefore we better make sure that we fill our life with as much love and care as we can. Carpe diem! Seize the day so love today! You get that, my little girl?"
Dad's words still didn't make sense to me but they had sound so important that I definitely would try to remember them.
I smiled and nodded at him. "Yes, daddy!"
He grinned and wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug. "Very good Bella." I immediately hugged him back and buried my head in his shoulder, breathing in the comforting smell of chilli powder and pine. "That's my smart daughter."
Like I said, my dad was a very passionate man. The greatest loves in his life were his wife, his daughter, and his job. Everyday he woke me up with a kiss and helped me get dressed and braid my hair. Whenever he heard mom sing he always joined her, singing along in his off-key voice. Mom always tried to stop him but he never listened, loving the annoyed look on her face whenever he joined in.
His love for his job was more hidden. When people saw him and heard that he was a fireman they always reacted surprised. Why would such a family man like him seek the danger of fires? Dad would tell them that he thought his love should reach past his own family. He wanted to help other people too, to mean something for them as well and since he never was afraid of fire, it seemed normal to him to become a firefighter.
When I was young I didn't really got what that job meant. Why should you try to fight a fire? I knew fire was dangerous because it was hot and hot things could burn you but I never had seen one of those big fires that my dad apparently fought. They had to be pretty tough since it took a whole group of men to put them out, but dad always came home without a scratch, so fires couldn't be that bad.
That image changed when dad took me to the fire station when I was five. He held me in his arms while he pointed out all the tools that hung on the walls and explained to me how they were used. I was just holding a fire hose in my arms when suddenly a loud siren went off. Before I could ask what it meant a group of firemen came running in, already wearing their suits and grabbing their tools as quick as possible. I recognized the suit as the one my dad wore, but I didn't realize what was going on until one of the men asked my dad to come along. The captain of their company was sick and although it was his day off, the acting captain would be very grateful if my dad could assist them.
Dad looked at me for a moment, and then nodded and put me in the fire engine. During the fast ride my dad told me where we were going and that I should stay in the truck no matter what happened. My heart started beating like crazy. I was going to see a real fire, a real big fire for the first time in my life. It all felt very exciting and scary.
When we arrived at the burning flat, the company got out of the truck faster than lighting. They all immediately ran off to clear the area and get the hose ready. Even from the inside the truck I could see how big the fire was that raged inside the building. Black smoke filled the sky, red and orange flames came out of the windows and the fire made this strange roaring noise, like an angry tiger.
That sound alone already brought shivers down my spine. The men outside worked as fast as they could but I still saw no water and the flames only grew higher and higher. My hands started to shake and tears filled my eyes. I wanted to run outside and scream at the men. They had to run away, they could get hurt or worse!
But suddenly I saw my dad. He was standing not far from the fire with his arms crossed and watching the fire with a calculating gaze. He didn't seem affected by the heat or the smoke; he simply stood there, speaking to the acting captain while the rest of the company rolled out the fire hose and started to spray. He didn't even flinch when one of the windows of the flat broke with a loud pang.
That image of dad calmly standing was so impressive that all my fears melted disappeared. Dad seemed to be in total control of the situation. He even turned around and waved at me with a reassuring smile, letting me know that everything was all right.
I slowly released my breath. It's going to be okay, I thought. Daddy knows what to do. They're going to put the fire out and everything will be over soon. Things are going to be fine.
And I was right. After a few minutes I heard one of the men call "Under Control!" and fifteen minutes later the fire completely went out. When dad got back in the truck I immediately started hugging and kissing him while I told him how awesome he was. He just laughed and hugged me back, telling me how brave I had been. It was true: on the way home I couldn't stop talking about how brave all the other men had been and how big the fire had been. The company just shook their heads and laughed at my excitement but I could see how much they enjoyed my compliments.
But mom wasn't proud of dad at all. When we got home she got incredibly angry at him. How could he take a five-year old with him on the call? And why didn't he stay with my at the station, he didn't even have to answer the call. I had never seen her so upset but dad waved her worries away.
"Relax Vivian, we are both fine. Bella stayed in the truck the whole time and we had the situation under control in half-an-hour. You know I would never let anything happen to herViva! Please my love, don't worry so much."
But mom did worry. Dad was a very passionate man, and that wasn't always a good thing. Sometimes when dad was away mom said that although she was happy dad loved his job so much, she wished that he loved us more.
That saying really confused me. What was wrong with dad's love? I loved all the hugs and kisses he gave me and I knew mom secretly liked that he sang along with her. He was such great and strong fireman and not afraid of anything. What harm did all that love of him do?
A lot more than I thought.
Only when I got older I started to understand what mom meant. Dad was a man who hang around the fire station on his day-offs. Who had no problem bringing his young daughter along when a call came in. He jumped into the fire engine whenever his crew asked for help. In those moments the fire was more important than anything in the world. Even more important than his family.
I don't mean that dad was obsessed with fires or something. He never headed into a situation without thinking. But that day at the station was an example of what kind of man my dad was. A very passionate man, but sometimes a bit too much.
But that wasn't bad. As long as everything was okay and he got home safe, nothing was wrong. As long as my dad was there, everything would be all right, just like I always knew it would be.
Until it wasn't all right anymore and the call came from one of dad's men that he was so sorry to tell my mom this, but my daddy was gone.
Disclaimer: Phineas and Ferb and all related characters are owned by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh.
A/N: And on that cliffhanger, I leave you guys to wait for the next chapter. Writers love nothing more than feedback, so please let me know what you think of the story (and Oscar) so far.