P&F Story- Romance, Friendship, Tragedy, H/C, Adventure, Sci-Fi,

(Summary)

It was a long day, a day nobody saw coming. A day, that shouldn't have ever happened. As cliche as it may sound, the day was dark. It was dark, in more ways than one.

(Full Present-Day Prologue)

Doof was at a low point, Phineas and Isabella were going through rough times as friends even, Ferb had just broken up with Vanessa, Candace was now gone, at least happily with Jeremy, on the other side of the continent, as they are going to college at the University of California Berkley. Django couldn't paint anything, Adyson had gotten sick and couldn't sing, Holly and Milly had been forced to move by their parents after the place they worked got attacked (and collapsed) by foreign invaders during the war. Katie's father was a soldier overseas in the war, so she was going through a rough time, and Perry had now been caught leaving by Phineas and Ferb's parents, meaning he was now a full-time OWCA member.

Even the new kids were not having an easy time getting along yet. They were still getting used to living in a war-torn area, and as much as they hated school, they would much rather be going to school then be doing something so dangerous as making weapons and ammunition for he Danville Military, especially when a couple of them weren't getting along. Lucas was still trying to heal himself from his parents' deaths, Emily's sister, Christina had already been killed overseas, which was a real blow to her, and Danny and Isaac were having a brotherly fight for attention as their parents were being overworked due to the need of military materials and would not be home for much longer than Dinner before having to work again. Dinner is all they could see their kids.

However, as bad as all those things may seem, especially Emily's, nothing, NOTHING could compare to what Valerie Collins had gone through. She found out her Uncle had been sent overseas and was killed by the Guerrillas as they were known, her Aunts on both sides had been diagnosed with two totally different diseases, but both were life threatening and occurred around the same time. Her Grandparents on her fathers side died trying to visit them, in a plane that was hacked by the Guerrillas, and on her mothers side, they were being held captive as civilian POWs. None of this was the worst, however. This was only the beginning of her struggle. She saw what happened to her parents, and to her brother, of which she knew nothing of until that day. Oh, that dreaded, most hated day of her life. She would never forget it, and, she would never have a reason to. The war impacted her like no other, in fact so much so that the leader of Danville had given her personally, a hand signed document stating that she was excused from any participation in the war effort. She was the only person on the continent excused from war over the age of 10.

It was a World War III like no other- North America verses Asia, and Danville was right in the heart of it. It had already been going on for 10 years now. There were some signs that the war was slowing down in Danville at least. However, nobody knew what was to come. Not even the leaders. The war was just heating up. At least, that's how it appeared to them.

As for Val, she has lived through the worst. The good news for her is that it can't get any worse. It just won't get any better either. At least, not yet.

(End of Prologue)

(Flashback- 6 Years Prior)

"Mom? What's that?" The 10 year old at the time asked.

"It's just your imagination, don't worry." Her mother responded.

"Val, I know you don't know me that well yet, but you have to trust me, okay? Keep this with you. Hide it somewhere safe. Somewhere where you know where it will be if you need it. NEVER lose this, okay? It's real important, so protect it as best you can. Please?" Her older brother asked of her.

"Okay. I trust you. Is it for me?" Val asked, taking the letter, her not knowing how many there were.

"It will be. Just not yet. Now get behind the couch, and duck. Stay safe. Protect yourself as best you can, okay?" Her brother requested.

"Yes. I promise, and I won't do anything until I know it's safe." She responded. Just then as if right on cue, the Guerrillas broke down her door. Valerie stayed safely behind the couch, as she watched the guerrillas kill her mother and father. Right in front of her. Her brother was 16, so legally they could not kill him yet, instead choosing to arrest him, and put him in the POW camp for young boys they had set up outside of Danville. She knew of the atrocities that occurred there, but chose not to think about it. She had just witnessed her mother and father get killed, and her brother get taken captive. What was she supposed to do now? As soon as she knew the soldiers had gone through her town and all of them had left, she went over to Isabella's house. She found Isabella and her mother were both completely safe, and no harm had been done, luckily to them. That was when she started living with Isabella.

(End of the Flashback)

(Present Day- Plot Starts)

She was now her brothers age when that occurred, 16. Her brother was still in the camp, alive somehow she was told by fellow spies, but he was definitely going through lots of torture over there, most likely both mentally and physically. She was with Emily now, who had since become one of Valerie's best friends, along with Isabella. No matter what they were going through with anybody else, NOTHING would stop them from being friends. They would go through anything together, and they could do anything they wanted to. Just like they would when they were younger. Emily and Isabella were trying to console Valerie as best they could.

"Val, you're safe with us. We can't bring your parents back, no, but we can take care of you like they'd want us to, only if you let us. Here, since you are 16 now, I figure I'd let you read this. You had it on you when you ran over here that day. I promise I didn't read any of it." Isabella said.

"Val, like Isabella said, we are here for you. If you need anything, ever, you will always have me, Isa, or my and her parents. We all want what's best for you. If you want to read it alone, with someone else, by yourself, or not at all, let us know." Emily added.

"I think we should get Vivian too. I think she should hear this. Can we?" Val asked

"Whatever you want. Mom! Come here for a second!" Isabella yelled.

"In a Minute Isa!" Vivian yelled back. Shortly after that, Vivian was upstairs, and she looked at the letter, and asked about it, and they told her their combined story of its importance.

"Well. Here we go. Valerie, my daughter. I hope you do not have to read this, and if you are, I am truly sorry for you and always know I love you." Val read as she started crying already. "Whatever happens, please be a good girl Val, and don't do anything you will ever regret." Emily was hugging her already, as they were all having a hard time holding off tears. "Valerie, please do whatever you think you should do, and don't hold anything back, anything against anyone, or anything that hurts you. You are a strong girl, and whatever you are doing now as you read this, you will succeed at. Val, we love you so much, and we miss you more than you will ever miss us. Signed with Love, Mom and Dad." They all joined in for a group hug, which seemed like an eternity, and felt like nothing would stop it. Until Val got out to read the second letter there, from her brother.

"Dear Sister, I'm sorry I didn't get to spend much time with you. I hope and wish that it would've been more. I hope that the Guerrillas are fighting by the rules and have only taken me to a camp and haven't killed me yet. Anyways, I'm glad you have kept this safe, if you are still the one reading this. I trusted you, and I'm glad you Trust me, despite how little I've seen you. So, I'll trust you with another little secret of mine. Isabella should have a Webster's Dictionary. This will translate the rest of my letters to you if I can send anymore. The secret code is Letter/Number. So A1, B2, C3, etc. I hope to talk to you more. Sincerely, your favorite amazing brother. :)" Val finished, still somewhat upset about her brother being taken to the camp. Well, at least he was still alive, they thought.

"Val, we are all okay. Everything will be as good as you let it be." Vivian said, giving her a hug before continuing cooking the dinner for the four of them plus Emily's parents. As it was Val's Sweet 16, however sweet it was supposed to be, she decided that she wanted something that all 6 of them would like. Vivian knew exactly what that would be, and said she would make it a surprise.

Val, Isabella and Emily were just talking about life and friends, and everything else, when Isabella's phone went off. It was Phineas's old ringtone. Of course, she hadn't talked to him very often because of the war, but she still liked him, and she still wanted to be friends, and it was finally time for them to make up. As Isabella read the message on her phone, she began crying, happily. Very Happily. Phineas's message he sent to Isabella was simple, but he wanted to keep it a secret from Val.

"Izzy, I see the sun. Not literally, but I see the light from the sun. It's coming out. Alex, Alex is dead now." Isabella quickly ran downstairs, yelling and screaming for her mom, of course Vivian was kind of scared, but she realized Isabella was happy about something, so she listened.

"Mom! Mom! Alex is dead! Their leader got assassinated! We are free!" Isabella seemed overjoyed. It had been a long ten years for her too. Not seeing Phineas very often, the Fireside Girls getting disbanded, and the war in general, trying to console all her friends about things that would come up. All of that, would be over.

"Oh my goodness! That's amazing sweetie! Does Valerie know yet?" Vivian asked

"No, we are going to make it a surprise for her. We will tell her at dinner." Isabella responded.

"Okay, now shall I get back to cooking? I don't want to burn these!" Vivian said.

"Okay Mom!" Isabella said, finally responding to Phineas's text. "Well, Phin, shall we come over? Me, Em and Val?" She quickly got a response back.

"Yeah, bring your mom too. We've got a surprise for you all we want you to see." Isabella responded quickly with an okay sounds good, and got Val and Em from upstairs.

"Guys, we are all going over Phineas's house. Now, even you mom! Phineas said he wants you there too." Isabella commanded.

"Okay, then let me set this to auto-cook... There, okay, let's go." Vivian said. Emily and Valerie were both slightly worried about what was happening as they didn't know the war had ended yet, but Vivian was going with them, and there was power in numbers, so they felt okay with it. They then knocked on their door.

"Hey, what's up?" Emily asked "Is this safe?" She wanted to make sure.

"Of course it is." Phineas responded while hugging all of them. Phineas said nothing to Val, only giving her a hug, which she was kind of surprised by, but thought that with everything that had happened it was okay for him to forget. "Well, I'll let you in now. Val, can you go upstairs really quick? I want to talk to Emily and Isabella by themselves for a minute." Phineas requested, Val seemed kind of a little annoyed, and surprised, but she didn't care that much, saying okay, and going upstairs to talk to Ferb. "Hey, you can come out here now, Val's upstairs." Phineas said, to some ghost in the kitchen, the figure was not a ghost. He was however, somewhat unrecognizable to them. The young man explained who he was. Leaving both Emily and Isabella, as well as Vivian in complete Shock. Emily even more so, not knowing that the war had ended until that moment.

"So... Alex. Alex is dead?" Emily asked quietly to the man, who only responded with a yes, through sobs from Emily and Isabella. They, all 5 of them, (Phineas, Emily, Isabella, Vivian and the Man) all came together for a group hug. When they disbanded, Isabella asked the man if they should get Val yet.

"She's been through it this long, what's a couple minutes more going to hurt?" The man responded. They all just gave him a sarcastic smirk. Eventually, they agreed to let her be. Isabella and Phineas went to the backyard to watch the sun come out for the first time in 10 years, Vivian, the man, and Phineas and Ferb's parents talked about adult life outside the camp, and Emily went upstairs to talk to Lucas and exchange stories with him about the war. Meanwhile, Ferb was listening to all Valerie's stories, and eventually suggested going downstairs.

"Sure, I guess." She responded. Ferb then got everybody first, back together again in the living room, and told the man to get to his hiding spot again. Then Ferb walked downstairs, bringing Val with him. The rest of the group sat calmly and just chatted, listening to each other's stories when Phineas asked if anyone was thirsty. Emily asked for some water, knowing what Phineas was doing trying to cover for him.

"I'll be back soon" he said, as he went to the Kitchen. The mans hiding area.

"Now?" The man asked, as Phineas got his camera, set it to record, and then gave his bold command. "Now." He said as he started rolling. The man took a couple of steps, and then he ended up in the living room.

Valerie took a long look, the man just standing there, smiling. Something she had never seen before. Val was already starting to cry, as Phineas kept recording.

"Is that? Are you? E-Ethan? A-Are- Are you okay? Are you here?!" Val asked.

"Not as good as I was, but, yes. I'm here. It's me." Ethan (the man) responded

"This is. This is. What's happening?! I haven't cried like this in six years!" Val exclaimed.

"I hope so. Well, 3, 2, 1." Ethan counted down.

"Happy Sweet 16!" Everybody cheered. As Valerie couldn't stand it anymore. She ran up to her brother, and gave him a bear hug. Everybody else joined in, and came together for a big group hug. It was great. The first celebration any of them had had in 10 years. Valerie was overwhelmed with emotion. It's the first time she had been happy since that day. They all then, as a large group, went back to Vivian's house, and they had a large meal, where they would share war stories, and tell tales of the things that had happened. Some things were returning to normal. It was nice to take a breather. Of course, for the teens, life was going to take some time to get back to normal. Some longer than others. The adults, especially Ethan, would have some trouble adjusting back to regular society. This might have been the end of the war, but most of life was still left for them. Tomorrow, everything would change, so they celebrated like no other day before. Valerie was having the time of her life. They would all go to sleep happy that night. Then it was time to wake up, and go back to reality.

(The Next Day)

Adyson was already feeling like normal Django was painting again, and had just finished a picture of the first sunrise, his best picture yet, Doof was going back to being evil and had his fight with Perry, Phineas and Isabella had made up, and Katie found out her dad would return home in a couple of days. Danny and Isaac's parents were home all the time now, and so they could each get more than enough attention. They were all going back go normal. Emily was starting to get back to her normal life without her sister, which was a little hard, and Val was getting back to her life, with her brother instead of her parents. All the parents were having normal days again however, and things were looking up. Phineas sent out a text to everybody, saying that he was having a Post-War Party later, and that he needed help with the decorations, so everybody was invited to come over and help, and they all came. Little did they know, it was actually a set up by Phineas to try and get some couples together, as he knew it would make some people happier. Of course, nobody else knew that, so they all decided to go help Phineas, and he got his plan all set up. All of this would be just in time for his first guest. Isabella Garcia-Shapiro. The girl he had had a crush on before the war started.

So, I hope everybody enjoyed this one-shot that of course has a cliffhanger that will never be answered, unless I get enough visitors, views or reviews to warrant a sequel, or an additional chapter or chapters. I hope you guys liked this Memorial Day Story, and I'll see you guys around. Thanks for reading!

RWC