A/N – It's Ferb + Vanessa + Wedding Plans! One more step in the Epic Ferbnessa Wedding Saga (with lots more to come). This takes place after "The One That Says Ferb and Vanessa" and before "Thumbs Down to the Gown." Mind the rating; as always, I strive to be tasteful, but the "he sleeps, she eats" gag is something I started in "Cooling Down" and I really wanted to play with it some more.

Ferb & Vanessa belong to Dan & Swampy.

Midnight in Ackerton

Ferb Fletcher woke to the sound of munching and the clink of spoon on bowl. His eyes blinked open and were rewarded with the sight of the future Mrs. Fletcher, silhouetted in the dim light, sitting up against the pillows and savoring the contents of the bowl in her hand. Koko Krunchies, guessed Ferb; the chocolatey cereal had been Vanessa's midnight snack of choice for a while now. Stretching his legs, he shifted onto his back, and she looked across him to the alarm clock glowing by his side of the bed.

"Forty-two minutes," she observed in amusement. "I must have really worn you out."

Yes. Yes, she had. Ferb's lips curled into a contented smile as he reached out and trailed the back of a finger down the outside of her arm.

"Hey – hey!" she flinched from him, dropping her spoon into the cereal as she giggled. "No tickling or I'll spill this chocolate milk all over you and it will be practically unintentional."

Ferb had already withdrawn his hand and displayed it innocently for her inspection. "You're still eating on that?" he questioned. He was surprised, if he had been asleep for forty-two minutes, that she hadn't finished snacking already.

Even in the dimness, he caught the little blush in her cheek as she confessed, "This is my second bowl. You wore me out, too."

It was a funny habit to get into, thought Ferb, but one that went all the way back to the first afternoon he had spent with Vanessa in this charming little bungalow that they now shared. Regardless of the time of day they started, once they were both fully satisfied by each other, Ferb was out like a light and Vanessa was in search of something to eat. A quick power nap for him and a bowl of cereal for her and they were ready to face the day or settle down for the night, whichever the case. They probably weren't the only couple who did this, and there was probably some scientific explanation for it, but Ferb didn't really want to know. He liked to think it was Just Them.

Vanessa slurped down the last of the sweetened milk from her bowl and stifled a little burp. She looked so cute, fingertips pressed to her lips, that Ferb paused halfway toward sitting up to plant a kiss on her shoulder. He took the empty bowl and spoon from her with a murmured explanation of, "I have to get up, anyway," before she could protest. He dropped the dishes in the kitchen sink before making a stop in the bathroom then coming back to bed.

Vanessa was still sitting up, folded arms resting on her drawn-up knees and looking as if she was waiting for him. "Ferb, I've been thinking. About the wedding."

"Not calling it off, I hope." He said this with a straight face, although he didn't think this was where she was going.

"No-o-o," she replied with a good-humored groan as he got back in bed and sprawled out with his hands behind his head. Looking down at him, she asked, "Do you have any more thoughts about where you want to get married?"

Ferb closed his eyes and a small grumble tickled his throat. They had already debated multiple wedding venues, including his parents' back yard, her mother's country club, Saint Blomgunde's Drusselsteinian Church, Saint James' Episcopal Church, Danville Municipal Park, Danville National Park, the rooftop of the Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated building, Perry's Secret Spy Lair – this last one was a barely-whispered private joke between them, but honestly, as impossible as it was, it was Ferb's favorite idea so far. Now he said, "You know my opinion. As long as you and I are there with someone to do the honors, I'm happy."

"Good," she said, and he didn't have to open his eyes to sense her sly smile. "Because I know where we're going."

Ferb peeked one eye open as Vanessa stretched out and turned herself over. Lying on her stomach beside him, she angled herself so she could fold her arms over his chest and put her chin on top of them. She managed to keep her silence for several seconds before she gave in and prompted him, "Aren't you going to ask where?"

He had both eyes open now, and spent a little longer just admiring the magnificence of the woman who held sole possession of his heart before he gave in and said, "Where?"

Vanessa beamed with delight and uttered one word. "Paris!"

Was she serious? Ferb's eyes went wide as he raised his head from the pillow to get a better look at her expression.

"I'm serious!" she insisted, obviously reading his reaction. "The last time you and I were there, I ditched you at the top of the Eiffel Tower. I can't think of a better place to promise that I'll never ditch you again."

She was giving him the big eyes and the pouty lips and her fingertips were tracing around his collarbone in that deliberate appeal that he had dubbed 'Pleeease, Ferby-Werby' – even though she had never actually called him Ferby-Werby and would probably vomit if he suggested such a thing. He couldn't possibly say no to that, but… "Won't that be expensive? How will everyone be able to afford it?"

"They won't!" Vanessa struck the triumphant blow. "That's part of the plan."

Taken aback by this, Ferb asserted himself. "I know I said 'just the two of us,' but I'd like to have Mum and Dad there, and I have to have Phineas, he's my Best Man…"

"We'll have them, of course," she rolled her eyes at his foolishness. "All the immediate family; we'll figure that out. But I won't have to deal with some Doofenshmirtz Family Reunion, or Uncle Roger getting Dad all stirred up, or my Mom guilt-tripping herself into inviting her family even though she hasn't seen them in twenty years. We can have your Gran and Grandpa from England," she pointed out encouragingly. "It'll be easier for them to get to France than all the way over here."

She did know his soft spots, Ferb conceded. There were still more questions than answers, however, and he gave voice to another one: "How do we find an officiant in Paris?"

"How do we find one here?" Vanessa groaned. She had a point. They had made no more headway on that issue than they had the venue. "People have destination weddings all the time. There'll be someone we can use." She raised herself enough to get her lips within range of his, and nuzzled his ear. "Come on, it'll be romantic."

"Well, when you put it like that," Ferb's arms enveloped her as he gave in to her nibbling kisses.

"Admit it, I'm brilliant," she urged.

"You…" his lips found her chin and went in search of her mouth "…are…" ah, there it was. He indulged in this distraction until she finally let him up for air, giving him just long enough to gasp out the word, "brilliant!" By then, Ferb knew the conversation was over.

Paris it was.

THE END