What was that? Ferb thought as he heard a series of muffled coughs.

There it is again! Ferb slowly opened his eyes and sat up. He listened for more coughing, and he heard it. There was only one other person in the room besides him...

Phineas.

Ferb slowly got out of bed and walked over to the one next to his. He could hear Phineas coughing violently underneath the blankets on his bed. Ferb listened to the coughing for a few moments before it stopped, and Ferb opened his mouth.

"Phin?"

The coughing immediately stopped. Two large blue eyes peeked up from beneath the blankets on the bed. Phineas coughed lightly before answering his brother. "I-I'm sorry... Did I wake you?"

Ferb smiled compassionately. "It's fine. What matters right now is you. You were coughing like crazy... Are you feeling alright?"

Phineas smiled at his brother as he sat up fully in his bed. "Yeah... I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me..." He tried to say through a series of coughs and wheezes. Ferb raised an eyebrow as he watched his brother double over. "Doesn't really sound like it to me."

Phineas sighed. When it came to lying, he wasn't really the best at it. "It's just a little tickle in my throat... That's all," He replied as he scratched his ear.

Even though he couldn't really see his brother clearly, Ferb knew something else was most likely wrong. He reached over and turned on the lamp beside his brother's bed to see him better. The red-head flinched as dim light filled the room.

Ferb gasped as he got a better look at his younger brother. The small red-head was very pale, and he had bags under his eyes. His cheeks were slightly tinted with pink, making him look all the more sickly.

Ferb immediately reached a hand out to touch his brother's forehead, which took him by surprise; making him recoil, only to get caught in another fit of coughing. Ferb became concerned when he felt how hot Phineas' forehead was.

The English born boy waited until his sick brother had stopped coughing to speak. "Feels like you're running a fever, Phin."

Phineas groaned. "Greeeeat... Now I'm gonna have ta stay in bed-!" He was interrupted by a violent cough, as he clutched his chest with one arm, and covered his mouth with the other. Ferb chuckled. If there was one thing Phineas hated to do, it was to lie around all day and not do anything.

"You just lay back, and I'll go get some medicine," He said, gently pushing the red-head back onto his pillow. As he walked toward the door, he heard Phineas call out for him. "If it's the fever reducer, then you can forget it. That stuff is horrible!"

Ferb chuckled as he watched the young inventor make a disgusted face. "Would you take it if I gave you an apple with it?"

The younger brother instantly brightened. "Yay! Apples make everything better!"

The green haired boy laughed softly as he walked down the stairs to the kitchen. Phineas certainly was something. Ferb pretty much loved everything about the young boy: his optimism, kindness, creativity, his ability to listen when things were important... To him, the list just went on and on. Nobody knew Phineas better than Ferb.

Ferb reached the kitchen and walked over to the pantry to get the fever reducer. The medicine had a horrible taste. Ferb had had it once, so he knew why the red head wouldn't take it. But, the family had found that the only thing that would make him take it would to be to have it with an apple. They were his favorite fruit.

He took the medication out, and walked over to the fridge to get the apple. Once he had taken it out and closed the door, he walked back up the stairs and into the room. He saw Phineas with his eyes closed, chest rising and falling steadily with each breath he took. Ferb smiled slightly as he walked over to his brother. He carefully sat on the side of the bed, trying not to disturb him.

The red head coughed slightly and opened his eyes to see Ferb in front of him, smiling softly. "You ready, Phin?"

Phineas nodded weakly. Ferb noticed. He furrowed his brow in concern. "Are you sure you're alright? Have you even slept tonight?" The English born boy glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was 3:00 in the morning.

Phineas stayed silent which was a sign to Ferb that he hadn't. The green haired boy sighed. "Well, I've got the medicine. Open up..."

The young inventor groaned. "Didja get the apple?"

Ferb nodded as he moved the spoon toward Phineas' now slightly open mouth. As the red head closed his mouth down on the medicine, he immediately gagged comically as he instantly reached for the apple and devoured the first bite he took.

Ferb was already laughing silently behind his hand. Phineas shuddered. "Gosh... That stuff is poison, I swear..."

"Phineas... Ferb...? What are you two doing up...?" A drowsy voice sounded from the door. A tired looking Candace stood there with a confused expression on her face.

Phineas blushed as he saw their sister. "S-sorry, Can-!" He was cut off by another fit of coughing as he clutched his stomach. The red headed teenager at once understood. "Gee, you don't sound too good, Phin... Are you feeling alright?"

Ferb shook his head as he listened to his brother wheeze. "He hasn't gotten any sleep all night. I woke up to him coughing like crazy."

Candace walked in with a look of sympathy. "Did you give him anything?"

Ferb nodded as Phineas stopped coughing. "I just gave him some fever reducer... Hey... Are you shaking, Phin?"

Sure enough, the small boy was currently slightly shivering. "It... It is a little c-cold in here..."

Candace became concerned. "Well, if you're cold, it won't help that you've got a fever too... I don't think it would hurt if we all had a little sleepover... With Mom and Dad away with Grandma and Grandpa Fletcher, I think it would be kinda nice. Don't you? I mean, I'm always trying to bust you guys... I kinda miss the times when we would spend time together..."

Phineas smiled weakly. "I like the idea if a sleepover, Candy..."

Ferb nodded. Candace lifted up the covers and slid under them as Ferb did the same. "Why don't we start with a story?" She suggested as she pulled them close. They nodded eagerly. Candace chuckled.

"Well, once upon a time..."