I do not own Phineas & Ferb. Dan, Jeff & Disney are the rightful owners.
A/N: Wow, I can't believe I finished this. This story's not for the faint of heart, there are some issues that some might find disturbing... assault, teen pregnancy, suggestion of suicide. I would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to foobar137 for permitting me to bounce ideas off him and for giving me honest answers to questions posed.
It was the end of June and 14-year-old Phineas was working on a project with his friends. The back gate opened up and a few others walked in. "Whatcha' doin'?" Isabella said sweetly as she came in. Phineas looked up from an indiscernible piece. "Just making a constellation projector. It'll fill in the lines on any constellation and give a brief story behind it."
The projector was finished and tested by mid-afternoon. "How about everyone come back at dusk tonight and we'll do some stargazing?" He suggested. "Sounds great Phineas." Isabella said.
Just before dusk, everyone came back. Phineas and his friends had set up chairs in the backyard and started up the projection system. "What is this monstrosity?" 19-year-old Candace said as she looked out her bedroom window. Her brother looked up and replied. "It's a constellation projection unit. It'll fill in the lines on any constellation and give a brief story behind it." Candace looked out her window a few moments longer. "Don't stay up too late, you have to be at the airport early." She then retreated into her room and closed the window.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Isabella asked. "You have to be at the airport early? Are you going on vacation?" Phineas shook his head. "Ferb's coming home tomorrow." He said sadly. Isabella looked to her neighbour. "You don't seem very excited about that." She said. He looked to her. "I'll tell you later." He said as he tried to keep his voice calm.
After everyone was finished stargazing the backyard emptied out. "Isabella." Phineas said. She turned to him and saw that he had a solemn look on his face. "Phineas, what happened? Is he all right?" He quickly nodded. "It sounds crazy, but I always thought that Ferb and I were a team. Ever since he decided he was going to study abroad, we've been drifting apart. He only returns during school breaks. It's not fair. He was last home during Spring Break and he only worked on three projects. That's it."
The pair walked into the house and went to Phineas' room. Isabella put her hand on his arm. "Have you talked to Ferb about this? I mean, every big idea you guys have ever worked on for the past six years, they've all been your ideas; haven't they. I realise that he's not really lived here for the past three years, but did he ever come up with an idea on his own?"
Phineas sat down at his desk and pulled out some scrap papers and started to come up with complex calculations. "I thought you enjoyed working on projects with me – I mean everyone." He said. Isabella smiled at him. "Of course, I enjoy working with you and everyone else. I was just asking if your brother-" she emphasised the word "-had ever come up with any ideas of his own?" The red-head looked up at her. "He never volunteered any projects. Why are you taking his side in this anyway?" He accused. The raven-haired girl dropped her gaze a moment then looked at her friend with fire in her eyes. "I can't take sides, he's not even here. I just asked a question; did he ever come up with an idea on his own, or were all those big and wonderful ideas all yours?"
The tip of Phineas' pencil snapped. "They were all my ideas, each and every one of them. He's the one who made them work. In essence, they were just as much his ideas as mine... once he corrected all the calculations." Isabella sat on the yellow inflatable bed. "Phineas, here's a thought. How about you let him come up with an idea. Give yourself a break for a day." She said with a smile. Phineas tapped his chin with the end of his pencil. "I could do that. I could let him come up with an invention. I'm sure whatever he comes up with will be spectacular." He said enthusiastically.
In the morning, Linda awoke early and started to prepare breakfast for her family. Lawrence came downstairs just as the coffee was ready. "Thank you darling. Are you sure you don't want me to come with you to the airport?" He said. Linda shook her head. "Someone has to look after the store." She said with a smile. Phineas and Candace soon came downstairs. "What are your plans for today twerp?" Candace asked her brother. Phineas looked across the table at her. "I'm going with Mom to pick Ferb up from the airport, then he and I'll come up with an idea. Who knows, we might just take it easy today and head out to the pool. If you think about it, he's already had a full day... he might be somewhat tired." Lawrence nodded.
Candace was buttering her toast and sprinkling some pepper on her eggs when she looked at the clock. "It's that late? I'm supposed to meet up with Stacy in 40 minutes and I don't have a thing to wear." Linda turned to her daughter. "Where are you and Stacy going today?" The older teen looked incredulously at her mother. "Stacy and I always get our nails done on Wednesdays. Then we wait in the food court for Jeremy to have his break." She said the last in a dreamy voice. Phineas shook his head. "I don't know what I'd do if I ever found out some girl entered la-la-land every time they they saw me or said my name."
Phineas quickly finished his breakfast and got dressed. Candace came charging downstairs. "MOM-MOM-MOM... I need you to drop me off at the mall. I'm late and I need to be there NOW." Linda sighed, "Fine, get in the car. I hope Ferb can wait a few extra minutes."
After dropping Candace off at the mall Linda and Phineas headed to the airport. "You know, every time Ferb comes home for the holidays things seem strange." Phineas commented. Linda looked to her son. "Why's that dear?" He looked out the window. "It just seems that he and I are not as close as we used to be. I have to re-learn who he is every time he comes home. He's changed so much over the past couple of years." He said. At a red light, Linda turned to look at her son. "You've changed quite a bit yourself in the past few years. You've grown taller and you stutter less than you used to. Your voice has changed..." Phineas scoffed. "That's not what I mean Mom. Ferb's dated. He's supposedly some big shot on campus or whatever. I've never even kissed anyone." Linda covered a slight laugh with a sigh. "Is that all? I'm sure if you asked her, Isabella would give you a kiss." Phineas shook his head. "She's my best friend... that would be weird."
They arrived at the airport and headed inside to the 'Arrivals' area. "Oh, good. We're just in time." Linda said as she saw a horde of people come out from the customs area with their luggage. She waited with the other friends and families for Ferb to arrive. After ten minutes the throng of people thinned out and there was still no sign of Ferb. Another ten minutes went by and the last stragglers exited the area. "Where could he be?" She inquired of Phineas who shook his head then replied. "Maybe he got held up in customs for some reason." Linda nodded and went to the information desk.
Linda came back and sat beside her son. "They can't or won't tell me if he was on the plane. I'm his mother. I've a right to know."
"Linda? Is that you?" Someone said from behind. Linda turned around "Charlene. What are you doing here?" The dark-haired woman smiled. "I'm here to pick my daughter and her boyfriend up. They were on a trip to Australia."
For forty minutes Ferb was trying to keep his luggage together and find a luggage trolley. Every time he came close to putting his hands on one, someone else would snatch it away. Just as he thought he might catch a break, another airline unloaded it's hold of luggage. An employee came into the area with a line of carts. "Can you please bring one over to me?" Ferb asked out of desperation. The employee had a headset on and didn't hear him.
People started to arrive into the area and someone bumped into him. "Watch where you're going." A male voice said. Ferb caught his balance and looked at the person, then looked at the person beside him and his eyes went wide. The young woman looked at Ferb and smiled. "Ferb? Is that really you?" Vanessa said. Ferb nodded. "Nice choice of wardrobe, going for the mix-and-match look? What are you doing here?" She inquired as she noticed he was wearing a button shirt and long soccer shorts. Ferb looked around. "I'm trying to find a luggage trolley." Vanessa took a good look at him. "Monty can you go get a cart for him?" Vanessa's escort turned and looked at the teen. "All right. But only because he's unable to get one for himself." Ferb's gaze shifted from Vanessa to Monty to the floor. He tried breathing calmly. Vanessa put her hand on his shoulder. "Don't mind him, it's been a long flight." Ferb nodded.
Monty came back with the luggage cart. "Here you go. What happened anyhow?" He said. Ferb tried lifting his luggage onto the cart when Vanessa came over to help. "Do you need a ride home?" She asked him. Ferb shook his head. "My folks should be here. They're probably worried about me."
Monty put his and Vanessa's luggage on the cart as well. "I guess I'll push this, seeing as you've got your hands full." He said to Ferb who started to manoeuvre his crutches to walk out to meet up with his family. "What happened to your leg Ferb?" Vanessa asked him. Ferb looked ahead as he tried to avoid the other passengers. "Ski accident."
Linda was talking to Charlene. "We've been here over an hour. I don't know where my son is. The information desk isn't able to tell me if he's being held in customs or if he was even on the plane." Charlene hugged her friend. "It's all right Linda, I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for him not being here." The dark-haired woman looked at the passengers coming down the hallway and saw her daughter with her boyfriend. Vanessa had her hand on another young man's back. Linda half-heartedly watched this new set of passengers arrive when she saw a familiar shock of green hair. "Oh, thank goodness. There he is."
Linda pushed her way to the front and hugged her son as soon as he got close. Ferb was trying to keep his emotions in check, it's been a long day and he found the past hour taxing. "Mum, please." He whispered. Linda took a look at him. "Where were you? We've been waiting for over an hour." Phineas came over to the side of the division partition. "What happened to your leg bro?" Linda then took a good look at her son. "Come over here and sit down." She said as she placed a hand on his back and practically shoved him forward, if it weren't for the crutches, Ferb would have fallen flat on his face.
Vanessa and Monty brought the luggage cart over. "We'll take our bags." She said as she pulled them off the cart. Ferb nodded.
Linda sat down beside Ferb and hugged him tight. "Oh, my poor baby. What happened to you?" Ferb took a couple of deep breaths and found he was incapable of talking without feeling as though he was going to start crying, so he just remained quiet and shook his head. Phineas studied his brother for a moment and saw a scared look in his eyes. "Mom, I think we should go out for lunch or something. Does that sound okay to you Ferb?" The red-head asked. Ferb nodded. "Yeah, that sounds smashing." He whispered as he started to stand. Phineas went to stand behind the trolley. "Let me get this for you. You look exhausted." He said with a smile that felt fake.
They got to the car. "Do you want to ride shotgun or should I?" Phineas inquired. Ferb's lip twitched. "I'll take the back if it's all the same to you. I need to stretch out my leg." He said with a slight chuckle. Phineas got into the front seat and turned around. "Welcome home, Ferb." The Brit responded with a quick half-hearted smile.
Linda took her boys out for lunch at a nice restaurant. When the hostess noticed that Ferb was on crutches, it was suggested that they wait for a table to become available. "We should just head home." Ferb said dispiritedly. Phineas sat beside his brother in the waiting area, he didn't know what to say. "We'll wait." Linda told the hostess who took their name and mentioned that they should only have to wait 10 minutes.
Phineas looked to his brother. "Uh, Ferb?" He said worriedly. Ferb looked over at the red-head sitting beside him and raised an eyebrow. Phineas swallowed and with an uncomfortable look on his face continued. "What happened?" He said while looking at the casted leg. Ferb closed his eyes and sighed. "Ski accident." Phineas nodded. "I've not gone skiing in years, what difficulty level was the run?" Ferb gave his brother a serious look, glanced at his leg and muttered "Quad Black Diamond." Phineas sat there mouth agape.
They were called up, shown to their table and handed menus. "What were you doing on such a difficult ski run?" Linda asked her son, whom she was sitting beside. Ferb shrugged his shoulders. "It wasn't that bad. I'd skied it before without incident." She leaned over and hugged him. "You could have died. You're lucky that you only broke your leg. Don't ever do that again." Ferb rolled his eyes and Phineas snickered behind his menu. "Okay, Mum. I'll just sit in my bedroom and study day and night and never do anything." The green-haired teen said. Linda looked at him. "I just don't want you to get hurt. You're my little boy." Ferb put his menu down and faced her.
Linda looked into Ferb's blue eyes and read a truth that could never be spoken. I may call you Mum. I may think of you as my Mum. But the truth is, you are not my real Mum.
Ferb picked up his menu again and perused it before making his selection. "I'm also on the rugby and football teams." He said matter of factly. "Ferb?" Phineas asked from across the table. Ferb looked up at him and blinked. The younger sibling continued "Is there anything you can't do?" Ferb smirked then replied. "I can't quite stay up for 72 hours straight."
The waitress came to take their orders. "I'll have the cheeseburger with fries and a cola." Phineas said. Linda nodded. "That sounds good, I'll have the same." The waitress turned to Ferb. "What can I get for you?" Ferb handed his menu over and ordered. "I'll have the clubhouse with coleslaw and a lemon-lime drink." The waitress nodded and left.
Ferb winced in pain. "What's wrong Ferb?" Phineas inquired. The Fletcher lad looked, straight-faced, at his brother. "I have a broken leg... it actually hurts." The red-head looked to the table. "Sorry, I didn't realise. Is there anything you can do for it?" Ferb shook his head. Phineas nodded sadly. "How long before you get the cast off?" Ferb felt something catch in this throat, he took a deep breath then said "It's supposed to come off in four to six weeks." Phineas hit the table with his hand. "That's the whole summer Ferb." He almost whined. The injured one looked up and narrowed his eyes. "Sorry. I'll just go back home and you can have your summer back." He said coldly.
Lunch arrived and everyone ate in silence. Once Linda paid the bill, the family of three headed back to the car. "We're going to stop off at the shop for a little while, then I've got some errands to run." Linda said. Ferb shrugged his shoulders and Phineas replied "Fine, whatever."