I do not own Phineas & Ferb; thank you Dan, Jeff & Disney.

AN: If you've read 'Life Turned Upsidedown' and 'Life Goes On', this piece takes place between the two when Ferb is seventeen and Gretchen is just shy of her sixteenth birthday.

This piece is for Robot Wolf 26Z. Happy birthday!

November in London was never warm. Ferb took a breath and continued moving forward. A few other people on the street nodded as he passed, others gave him a wide berth. Ferb sighed and tightened his grip on his cane. He looked up at Big Ben and nodded to himself. Plenty of time.

Ferb walked another couple of blocks and turned the corner, then he started looking at the addresses. He found the one he was looking for and opened the door. A woman with brown hair and glasses looked up from her computer and smiled at him. "Can I help you?"

Ferb pulled the door closed behind himself. "I've got a two-thirty appointment with Ms. Duncan. Frederick Fletcher." The woman looked at her computer screen a moment, then stood up and smiled. "Have a seat. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? Hot Chocolate?" Ferb shook his head. "No thank you." He replied as he took a seat on the plush sofa in the reception area.

"You can hang your coat on the coat tree in the corner." The brunette suggested.

Ferb nodded and double checked to make sure his pockets were empty before hanging up his coat. The door to the main office area opened and a middle-aged woman with black hair came out. "Paige, is my two o'clock here?"

Paige, the receptionist shook her head as she looked at her boss. "Your two-thirty is here. Mr. Fletcher." She tilted her head toward the reception area and the other woman nodded. "Thank you." She said before walking around the desk.

Ferb stood up and tried to smile. The woman extended her hand. "I'm Ms. Duncan, but you can call me Barbara. Follow me, I've been reviewing your resume and I must say I'm quite impressed." She lead Ferb past Paige and through the door to the office area.

Ferb followed Ms. Duncan, Barbara, down a short well-light hallway and paused as she opened the double glass door to her office.

"Gretchen! Gretchen, there you are. We've been looking all over the school for you." Alexandra, one of Gretchen's classmates rushed into the library screaming.

Gretchen looked up in exasperation. "Alex, what is it?" She said, much quieter than her friend. Alexandra and Dina took seats across from Gretchen and shared a look.

Dina seemed worried about something, yet it was Alex who spoke. "We're so sorry, but we thought you should know." Gretchen's brow creased, "Know what?" She inquired.

Dina spoke up this time, "It's your boyfriend… or ex-boyfriend." She paused to take a breath and Gretchen's eyes bugged out. "Ferb? What about him? Of course he's my boyfriend."

Alex shook her head in pity. "Are you sure about that? Because we saw him with another girl. He was giving her jewelry." Dina had a pained expression as she slid her phone across the table to reveal a photo of Ferb holding a flat rectangular box out to a tall leggy blonde.

Gretchen looked at the photo for a moment and shook her head. "I don't believe it." Alex reached across and patted Gretchen's hand. "We're so sorry."

Ferb flexed his hand around the grip of his cane as he reached into his pants pocket with his other hand for his keys. He slid the key into the lock and entered the flat he shared with his cousin Beckham.

Ferb was hanging his coat on the hook when he heard his cousin call out, "That you mate?" from the other room. Ferb silently chuckled to himself a moment before answering. "Nope, I'm the Easter Bunny."

"Suit yourself Flopsy. I'm ordering up take-away, what do you want?" Beckham called back from the kitchen area. Ferb entered the living space and nodded to the leggy blonde sitting on the sofa. "Good evening, Missy." The then turned toward the kitchen, "What are you thinking, Beckham?"

The tall young man in the kitchen stood looking over some take-away menus. "What do you think? Pizza, curry or fish and chips?" Ferb pondered this information for a moment. "Did you ask Missy what she'd like?"

Beckham's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped, he then called out, "Hey Missy, what do you want to eat?"

Ferb chuckled. "I've got to get ready, I'm picking Gretchen up to take her to the theater." He then left the kitchen for his room.

Gretchen was in her dorm room, running a brush through her hair. "There's got to be a perfectly logical explanation… Ferb wouldn't go out with another girl, would he?" She started applying her makeup. "I'm just being paranoid. Ferb would say something, wouldn't he?"

Dina, Gretchen's roommate, poked her nose into the bathroom where Gretchen was doing her makeup. "Ferb's here. Do you want me to tell him you're busy?" Gretchen paused in the application of her lipstick. "No. I'm supposed to be going out with him tonight."

Dina offered her friend a sympathetic look. "Call me if you need to get out of there, okay?" Gretchen rolled her eyes and Dina continued. "I'm serious. Alex is planning to tail you guys all night."

Gretchen finished her makeup, flicked the switch on the bathroom light and headed to the door, grabbing her purse and slipping her flats on before grabbing her coat. Dina sighed as she took Gretchen's purse from her. "Get your coat on properly, here's your purse. Be careful. I know you think you know this guy, but trust me, he's got a bit of a reputation here. Now that he's graduated… that only makes him more desirable to the rest of us."

The shocked expression on Gretchen's face must have spoke volumes because Dina was quick to add, "Not that type of reputation. He's a great guy who's always willing to help. Everyone wanted to date him because he was always so… formal."

Gretchen nodded cautiously, "I'm well aware of the fact that he's, as you say, formal. I've known him for years." The colour of Dina's cheeks rose. "I-I-I didn't realise…"

A knock sounded on the door and Dina turned to open it. "He's downstairs waiting for you." Alex seemed determined as she looked Gretchen over. "I'm going to follow you guys tonight. I don't want anything happening to my friend." Gretchen sighed, "I doubt anything will happen. I trust Ferb." Alex seemed as though she were going to protest but Gretchen cut her off, "I've known him for well over a decade and we've been dating for over three years."

Alex's eyes went wide, "You're his girlfriend from across the pond? You're the reason he wouldn't get serious with anyone at school?" She then started to curse herself for being so stupid. "But what about the girl he was with?"

Gretchen stepped past Alex and started down the hallway. Dina and Alex shared a quick glance, then hurried after their friend. "We're not dropping this that easily." Alex called out, "We need to look out for each other and if that means that we have to ask the awkward questions we will."

Gretchen stopped abruptly and turned to face her friends. "I'm sure she's no one. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a date."

Gretchen took the stairs, two at a time from the second floor to the lobby. She adjusted her purse strap over her shoulder as she saw Ferb through the glass pane of the door. She took a breath and as she was about to press the lever she was startled by the voices of Alexandra and Dina arguing their way down the stairs.

Gretchen opened the door to the lobby and smiled as Ferb stood, leaning heavily on his cane for support. "Let's get going." Gretchen started toward the door to the outside before Ferb could say anything.

Ferb started to follow Gretchen to the front door as the door to the stairwell slammed against the wall with a bang. "Before we let you take our friend out, we've got some very important questions for you." Alexandra hollered.

Gretchen stopped moving and turned around. For the love of everything just drop it. She thought as she noticed Ferb being pulled aside by Alex. Gretchen exhaled through her nose and went to stand beside her boyfriend.

Alex grabbed Dina's phone and was brandishing it at Ferb. "Who is this? Why are you cheating on our friend?" She demanded.

Ferb looked at the picture and raised an eyebrow. Alex had a triumphant smile playing at her lips. "You don't deny that you were with this other girl?" Ferb shook his head. "I can't deny that I was out with Missy."

"Missy? Her name's Missy?" Alex inquired, rather loudly. Ferb nodded. Dina seemed worried as she looked at Gretchen. "Why are you giving her a bracelet?" Dina asked.

Ferb's eyebrow rose. "A bracelet? I didn't give her a bracelet." He turned to Gretchen, "You have to believe me sweetheart, I didn't give Missy a bracelet." Alex pointed to the picture. "Then what's with the box?"

Ferb, worried, tried to silently explain to Gretchen that this wasn't what it appeared to be. "Missy is Beckham's girlfriend. The box contains a pen set Grandpa Reg wanted to give him."

Gretchen was embarrassed. Ferb walked along beside her in the direction of the tube station. "Your friends are concerned for your well being." He tried and she shrugged him off.

"I would never see anyone behind your back." He muttered and shook his head. "That didn't come out right. You know I'd only ever date one girl at a time." He said as they passed through the turnstiles into the station. Ferb then groaned at his own stupidity. "Gretchen, I love you. I've always loved you. You have to believe me. There's no one but you, it's always been you."

Gretchen tilted her head to the side and looked up at him, he seemed so worried, yet so sincere. "I know." She whispered as she retrieved her ticket. She then reached for his hand and smiled. "I told them," She started, "I told them that you would never. That I trusted you and knew you would never hurt me." She took a breath, "They didn't listen. They didn't believe me."

The pair stepped onto the train a moment before the doors closed. All the seats were taken, it was standing room only. Ferb reached up and slipped his wrist through the strap and held on. Gretchen stepped as close as she could and leaned against him. Ferb adjusted his cane to steady himself and sighed softly.

"Is something the matter?" Gretchen inquired and looked up at her boyfriend who shook his head. "Are you sure?" She pressed and Ferb nodded, "I'm sure." was his soft reply.

After the play, Ferb and Gretchen made their way out of the theater and started walking down the street. "Would you like to stop for coffee?" Ferb suggested. Gretchen smiled and nodded, "That sounds wonderful."

They found a cafe on the corner and entered. They placed their orders and sat at a table. "Do you have many classes left?" Ferb inquired and Gretchen bit her lip, trying not to giggle. "I've got two classes left. If all goes well, I should be finished in a couple of months. Then I start nursing school in April."

Ferb chuckled, "You'll be well on your way to becoming a nurse before you officially graduate." Gretchen put her coffee down and giggled, "I guess you're right."

They finished their coffees and headed toward the tube station. Ferb wrapped his arm around Gretchen as they took seats on the train. "Are you able to remain in dorm?" Gretchen's eyes went wide, "I… no. I'd have to find somewhere else to live."

They exited the tube station near Gretchen's school. "I'm going to be late if I don't hurry." She reminded him. Ferb gripped her hand a bit tighter, "Beckham is moving out in a couple of months. Would you like to move in? You can have his room."

Gretchen's eyes lit up. "I'd like that, though what do I tell my parents?" Ferb thought for a brief moment, "The truth. That you're sharing a flat with someone whom you trust…" He gently brushed a hand down her cheek, "And that you'll have your own room."

Gretchen smiled as she lifted herself onto her toes and kissed him.