Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Phineas and Ferb. They are copyrighted by Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, Dan Povenmire, and Disney. Mary Poppins is also owned by Disney. 7-Up is owned by Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc
OCs: Wisteria Alder-Warden, Glenn Alder-Warden, Sam (Samantha) Alder-Warden, Parker Alder-Warden, Rachel Alder-Warden, Kurtis Warden, and Nancy Garcia-Shapiro
Rating: T altough it could pass as K+ I think, but mentioning of character dying so I am paranoid so went with T
"Hey guys Whatcha do" Isabella Garcia-Shapiro stopped halfway through her catchphrase when she realized who had opened the door, "Where's Gretchen?"
"We don't know Chief," Adyson Sweetwater responded, a little panic in her voice.
"She is never late for anything" Holly Wilson stated, a slight note of panic in her voice as well.
"Hang on girls let me give her a call" Isabella said, pulling out her light pink cell phone.
Isabella quickly dialed Gretchen's phone number. The phone rang for a few seconds then Gretchen picked the phone up. Isabella put the phone on speaker.
"Why aren't you here Gretchen" Isabella inquired.
"Not feeling well" They heard Gretchen Adler-Warden (A/N/: Pronounced War-den, which some of you would probably already know) respond.
"How so" Isabella inquired
"Chief unless you want me there upheaving my stomach contents every thirty minutes, then it would be a better idea if I stay home" Gretchen said, sounding very tired, "That has been happening since 8 o' clock last night."
"Wow" Adyson commenting quietly
"You have me on speaker don't you Isabella" Gretchen commented, picking up Adyson's voice through the phone.
"Even when you are sick you still have ability to detect subtle things" Isabella commented surprised.
This brought a coughing laugh from the troop's second-in-command. The laugh got them nervous.
"I know you guys all too well" Gretchen said, "umm…..you guys gotta excuse me for a second"
The Fireside Girls in the woods headquarters heard a door shut in the background. After a few moments of silence, Gretchen came back on the phone.
"Ugh I hate being sick" Gretchen commented
"Was that" Katie Nelson began.
"Yes it was and you do not want to know" Gretchen stated interrupting.
"That good" Adyson inquired sarcastically
"Not funny Addy" Gretchen said seriously.
"I was joking Gretchen" Adyson commented
"Okay, you guys go ahead and get your patches for day and I know that Isabella will fill me in later" Gretchen said.
"Okay Gretchen see you later then" Isabella said and closed her cell phone.
"So what are we going to do today Isabella" Ginger Hirano asked
"We are going to do what we always do Ginger, We are going to see what Phineas and Ferb are doing" Isabella answered (A/N: A little ha ha for those of you who used to watch Pinky and the Brain).
The six of the seven Fireside Girls went over to Phineas and Ferb's backyard.
"Hey Phineas Whatcha doin?" Isabella inquired.
"We don't know yet, Isabella" Phineas Flynn responded.
"Phineas do you notice anyone missing other than Perry" inquired Phineas' British step-brother, Ferb Fletcher.
"What? Oh one of the Fireside Girls is missing" Phineas noted.
"Gretchen is sick today" Isabella muttered
"Really? Gretchen is sick," Phineas inquired.
"Yes now that is enough Phineas Flynn" snapped Adyson.
Phineas was taken aback at Adyson comment. Adyson had never snapped at him like that before.
"Easy Addy" Milly said grabbing the brunette's arm then whispered in to Adyson ear, "Don't harm Phineas or Ferb, we don't want Isabella or Gretchen on your case"
"All right" Adyson muttered.
"Hmm….Maybe there is something we can do for her. What do you think Isabella" Phineas mused
"Yeah maybe we can do something for Gretchen," Isabella stated
"Chicken soup….crackers, ugh I don't know" Phineas said
Isabella's phone rang. The ringtone was Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, It was Gretchen's ringtone.
"Wow Beethoven" Ferb whistled
"Gretchen was playing it and I recorded it and set it as her ringtone" Isabella explained, as she pulled out her phone.
"Gretchen plays the piano" Phineas inquired while Isabella was talking on her phone with Gretchen.
"Yeah she plays it quite well" Adyson commented.
"Well that I didn't know" Phineas replied, "There isn't a lot known about you girls now is there."
*STORY STOPS FOR THIS CONVERSATION*
"PHINEAS FLYNN! YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BREAK THE FOURTH WALL!" I, Numbuh26Z Shout.
"Well you are the one who wrote that so basically it's not my fault, it's yours" Phineas replies
"I was making a causal observation" I state.
"You have a valid point there but wouldn't it be easier to just do an author's note on it" Phineas asks me.
"Hey blame the creators of the show Phineas, not me" I grumble.
"Well maybe they can't think of anything" Phineas suggests.
"Maybe, oh well I will try and not make you break the fourth wall" I say slightly irritated.
*STORY RESUMES*
"You really didn't know Gretchen plays the piano" Adyson questioned Phineas.
"No I did not" Phineas replies
"Well she can. There is only like three of us that have the patience to learn piano" Adyson explains, "Isabella has the patience enough to play slightly but not as well as Gretchen."
"But Gretchen" Phineas and Adyson heard Isabella say, "All right fine. I understand."
Isabella sighed as she hung up her phone again.
"She is very stubborn sometimes" Isabella grumbled
"Well she is the second-in-command but not just any second in command she is your Second" Adyson pointed out.
"Wait, Gretchen is the second-in-command" Phineas asked surprised, and Ferb's eyes widen.
The other members of Fireside Girls Danville Troop 46231 stood around the Flynn-Fletcher duo.
"We thought Adyson was your second Isabella" Phineas mumbled.
"Actually we get that surprised reaction a lot" Adyson commented with a laugh "I am too accident prone to be the second-in-command"
"Really" Phineas asked
"One word: bio dome" Adyson responded.
"Oh" Phineas said quietly, "You had a lot of accidents that day"
Adyson chuckled, "Well I don't have that many in one day, but one or two everyday"
"How about we surprise her at home" Isabella suggested.
Everyone present cheered in agreement. About five minutes later they arrived at the Warden household.
"Hi Mrs. Adler-Wareden may we see Gretchen" Isabella asked politely.
"Okay but be careful Isabella, I don't want you or the Fireside Girls or Phineas and Ferb getting sick" Wisteria Alder-Wareden, Gretchen's mom, said, "You girls know where her room is"
Phineas and Ferb followed the Fireside Girls up the stairs. Isabella gave a knock on the door on the right at the top of the stairs.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you" Gretchen's oldest brother commented coming down the hall, "Brainiac has been sick for two days now"
"I am well aware of that Glenn" Isabella said glaring at him.
"Glenn Richard Alder-Wareden! You leave them alone!" Gretchen's voice, raspy but flooded with anger struck the group from behind. Many of them initially reacted with a flinch, but they all turned to see the smallest member of Fireside Girls troop 46231 standing where the shout had come from. Gretchen was in a depressing shape; her skin was pale and the bright red color of her ears told of the high fever that plagued her. Nonetheless the aggravation her bright blue eyes shot at her brother didn't falter.
"You are supposed to stay in your room" Glenn stated ignoring the harsh stare from his youngest sibling
"Not really, but you are supposed to be at your summer school classes" Gretchen retorted, fidgeting slightly in her loose deep emerald green pajamas.
"Ugh whatever I have to go now" Glenn commented before taking off down the stairs.
"Okay, come on" Gretchen said slightly irritated, opening her bedroom door, "Watch where you step, my dog is around here somewhere"
Phineas and Ferb looked around noticed how neat and organized Gretchen's room was. At one end of the room was the bed, the sheets were a little bit ruffled. A computer desk complete with a desktop computer was sitting next to the window seat. A laptop sat on top of the desktop's tower. The selves on the book case that stood on the opposite side of the room were full of books on various subjects, but one shelf was completely devoted to Fireside Girls manuals and pamphlets, as well as older Lil' Sparks magazines. In between two of the bookcases was a TV stand with a cabinet underneath it. The cabinet was open revealing many DVDs and VHSs. The TV that stood on top of the stand was an older TV. Sitting above the TV was a VHS/DVD player, which was running an older movie. They noticed the stereo system sitting on a shelf next to window seat. There were several bean bags in a semi-circle around the TV. The colors of the walls were more subdued colors. Next to the door was a collection of patches. Each case was labeled: 'Lil' Sparks Patches' and 'Fireside Girls Patches'. There were many patches in each case. There was one case completely devoted to the 'help thy neighbor' patch. On the same wall were various photos: several with all the Fireside Girls, some at different ages, a couple of photos with Gretchen and Isabella, and one with a younger Isabella and Gretchen, as well as Sam, and an older girl who looked a lot like Isabella.
"What's with the beanbags" Phineas inquired.
"Sitting in, obviously," Gretchen replied while the other Fireside Girls snickered a little bit.
The Fireside Girls, Phineas, and Ferb heard a woof from under Gretchen's bed. Phineas and Ferb jumped, while Gretchen bent down and looked under the bed.
"Come here Geist" Gretchen said pulling out a German Shepard puppy. It was black and brown, and very fluffy. (A/N: Geist means Ghost in German)
"Aww it is so cute" Adyson commented.
"You want to hold Geist, Addy" Gretchen inquired.
"Okay" Adyson replied a bit unsure.
"Don't worry Addy she's housebroken" Gretchen reassured Adyson, and then addressing the whole group, "You guys can sit in the beanbags, that's what they are there for"
There was a collective poof of air as most of the Fireside Girls, Phineas and Ferb sat in the beanbags. They sat facing away from the TV. Gretchen handed Adyson Geist, while the puppy licked her hands.
"So how old is Geist" Phineas queried.
"She is fourteen weeks old" Gretchen replied sitting on the floor at the foot of her bed.
"What does her name mean" Katie inquired
"Ghost" Milly answered surprising everyone including Gretchen.
"Exactly, poltergeist means noisy ghost" Gretchen explained further.
A beep from the computer made everyone except Gretchen jump. Geist wriggled out of Adyson's lap and joined her owner as she strode over to the desktop computer. Gretchen hit a few keys and pulled the computer out of sleep mode. She pulled up the site that caused her computer to ping. Gretchen hit a few keystrokes, sighed in disgust, and rebooted the site.
"Ugh plagued by viruses" Gretchen commented.
"What" Holly asked
"The site for our troop and myself have been plagued by viruses" Gretchen replied, "This is the third time I had to reboot the site"
"Can you do anything about it" Isabella asked.
"Yes I can but I need to find IP address that is causing the problem" Gretchen replied.
"Can it possibly our own server" Ginger asked
"No, someone has hacked the site and is overriding my virus wipes" Gretchen answered, "here let me log out and Isabella you log in on my desktop and I will log in on my laptop"
"Okay" Isabella replied slightly hesitant
Isabella came over to the desktop. The Fireside Girls site was asking for Troop Number, Badge Number and Password. The site had been upgraded since the summer began, to avoid hackers gaining access to the site. Isabella quickly typed in 46231, 25463, and Phineas.
Gretchen pulled out her laptop and quickly pulled up the site. She logged in as well typing in: 46231, 28011, and Blitz Geist. She didn't want to give any indication that she actually liked Ferb, unlike Isabella who had Phineas as her password.
"Okay it needs to a complete override with yours and I will block the IP from coming anywhere near the site" Gretchen instructed.
It was done in a couple of moments. Isabella logged out. Gretchen rebooted the sited one final time and looked it over.
"Okay we are all clear" Gretchen announced closing the lid of her laptop.
Katie looked at her watch; they had been there for almost half an hour. Geist had come over to and was now lying in front of her beanbag. Katie absentmindedly stroked the puppy's soft fur.
Gretchen noted the time as well. Isabella sat back down in the beanbag she had vacated. She sat at the foot of her bed again. Geist walked over from Katie and came over to her owner. Geist then curled up in Gretchen's lap.
"Who is the girl who looks like Isabella in the picture" Phineas asked, as it had been bothering him since they arrived.
Isabella and Gretchen looked at one another. The feeling in the room went from relaxed to very uneasy. The other Fireside Girls had never inquired about it, especially since Isabella and Gretchen caught them glancing at it, and told them it was a subject they never wanted to talk about it. The Girls tensed up when Phineas asked his question. Something in both Isabella's and Gretchen's expressions had changed. Isabella's' went from relaxed to expressionless. Gretchen's face got even paler and a grim slash was set in her face.
"Is there a problem with it" Phineas inquired sensing he said something wrong.
Isabella sighed before saying "Phineas do you really want to know"
"Yes, Yes I do" Phineas stated.
"All right, that girl in that picture with Gretchen, Sam, and I is my older sister" Isabella said quietly.
Five of the Fireside Girls looked at one another as they did not know this bit of information. Gretchen looked down and started stroking Geist rapidly. Isabella glanced at her best friend and second-in-command. Gretchen avoided eye contact with her.
"Gretchen I need you here" Isabella pleaded quietly, tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Okay Izzy," Gretchen replied, tears also starting to form in her eyes, looking up at Isabella, "Do you want me to explain?"
"No we can both explain it" Isabella stated
"All right then" Gretchen replied, then went into a coughing fit.
"You okay" Isabella queried her concern flashing visibly across her face.
"Yeah, like I said I hate being sick" Gretchen replied, "Anyway explanation"
"Her name was Nancy" Isabella said, "She was in the Fireside Girls with Sam, as a matter of fact the ironic thing is that Sam and Nancy held the same positions as Gretchen and I"
"Sam was Nancy's Second-in-Command" Gretchen clarified for everyone, "Isabella and I were in the Lil' Sparks program and they were our assigned mentors. Sam was my mentor and Nancy was Isabella's mentor"
"But she doesn't live with" Phineas began.
"Phineas don't even finish that statement" Ferb interrupted his brother, "I think I know why Isabella and Gretchen don't talk about their Lil' Sparks days with anyone"
"We were in the program for about three weeks when we were told that we were being assigned different mentors" Isabella continued, "We were confused, because normally once a Lil' Spark was assigned to a Fireside Girl, the Fireside Girl mentored the Lil' Spark until the Lil' Spark became full-fledged Fireside Girl or the Fireside Girl had been retired."
"We both knew it wasn't either, so we knew whatever it was it wasn't good" Gretchen said, as she stopped stroking Geist, whom had fallen asleep in her lap.
"Sam came in to the office and we could tell something was wrong" Isabella continued, "Our sector overseer was shocked to see Sam in her office"
"Sam was freaking out, she said that she 'didn't want to be the Troop Leader,' that it wasn't her place" Gretchen said shuddering slightly from the memory and from her high fever.
"Gretchen had immediately picked up on the panic and fear in Sam's voice" Isabella commented, "I knew something was wrong because Sam and Nancy were never far apart"
"We informed there that we had to go home, that our parents wanted to see us" Gretchen said quietly.
"Sam lead us back to my old house which was a few blocks away from the Lil' Sparks lodge, which is on the outskirts of town" Isabella said
"It was then we were told that Nancy was hit by a car while trying to prevent a younger kid form getting hit by the same car" Gretchen said, "Sam was present when it happened, she was pretty freaked out"
"We moved shortly after word to across the street from you guys" Isabella finished.
Phineas was silent. The other Fireside Girls were just staring at their Troop Leader and the Second-In-Command. The remaining Fireside Girls were dumbstruck. It was Ferb who broke the silence.
"Let's change the subject shall we" Ferb inquired.
"Yeah that would be a good idea" Phineas responded.
The group was startled by a buzzing noise coming from the TV. Gretchen grabbed the remote from the foot of her bed and switched the TV to regular mode. She pressed the rewind button on the remote to rewind the tape. She then muted the TV. Gretchen put Geist on the dog bed that was in between her bed and her computers.
"Okay then, Parker what are you doing in here" Gretchen said turning around sharply to face her older brother, who had come into the room when the TV started white noising.
"Mom sent me up here to see if you have taken the medicine" Parker replied
"Yeah I have" Gretchen commented making a face that indicated that she didn't like the medicine.
"I agree with you Gretchen, that stuff is nasty" Parker commented smirking slightly, "You haven't vomited in what, almost an hour now"
"Yes and the medicine took a long time to take effect," Gretchen retorted pushing her brother to the door.
"It stops the vomiting but it takes a while for it to kick in, you know that Gretchen" Parker replied, and then he stepped out of her room.
"I just realized this, your ears are extremely red Gretchen" Adyson commented cocking her head slightly.
"I know that Addy, in my family red ears generally mean fever" Gretchen replied, "The brighter the red the higher the fever"
"So you have a pretty high fever then right" Holly commenting from her beanbag.
"Yes last time I checked it was 103.5, But I have taken a fever reducer since then" Gretchen replied, "and I am supposed to take a cough suppressant," She glanced at her watch, "five minutes ago"
"Cough suppressant" Adyson inquired with her eyebrows raised.
"You want me at the next meeting right" Gretchen shot at her, walking in her bathroom
"Well yeah," Adyson replied.
"Well then I have to take it either way," Gretchen called from the bathroom. The group heard a gagging sound followed by violent coughing, "I want to know why the companies make the stuff taste like crud"
"Are you sure you are okay" Isabella asked going to the bathroom door.
"I am pretty sure I will be okay" Gretchen replied, her glasses askew from her coughing fit.
"You seriously don't look okay Gret" Isabella commented giving her longtime friend a concerned look.
"I am fine Isabella" Gretchen replied in a low growl.
"Easy Gret, I am just saying I haven't seen you this pale in years" Isabella said defensively.
"Ferb how about you chose a movie" Gretchen told Ferb, and then returning her attention to Isabella, "I know Izzy, I am just irritable from lack of sleep."
"Could you possibly have the flu combined with a summer cold" inquired Isabella
"I don't know Izzy, and that vexes me in a big way" Gretchen answered.
"How about this one" Ferb inquired holding up Mary Poppins.
"Ah 'Mary Poppins' one of my favorite movies based on a very good book series" Gretchen said with a slight smile.
They were halfway through the movie when Phineas' phone rang. Gretchen quickly pressed pause before Phineas could pick his phone up. It was Candace.
"We are hanging out with Gretchen today; yes the Fireside Girl Gretchen, Tell mom we will be home by dinner" Phineas spoke in to the phone.
There was a gentle knock on the door, but Gretchen recognized the knock.
"Come in mom" Gretchen called out.
"Hey kids I brought you some snacks," Wisteria stated coming in to the room. Wisteria glanced over at her youngest child whom replied "Don't worry about me mom I am fine with the saltines and 7-Up, it's the only thing besides the medication that I haven't you know"
"All right then I will just leave this with you kids in here and I will get it later" Wisteria commented setting the tray down on a table beneath the light switch.
Phineas and Ferb glanced at Gretchen, who just shrugged and said "My mom loves to make treats and that sort of thing."
"Her mom makes some great chocolate chip cookies" Katie and Milly commented.
"Cool" Phineas said grabbing one of the chocolate chip cookies. Phineas noticed Ferb had one as well.
"Glad to see you like them" Gretchen said with a smile before taking a sip out of a 7-Up can. Gretchen chuckled softly, and then commented "You have now met my three of my four older siblings, Just Rachel left to meet"
"Rachel, your other older sister" Isabella glanced at Gretchen who nodded.
"So you have two older sisters and two older brothers" Phineas asked Gretchen.
"Yes, Sam, Glenn, Parker and Rachel" Gretchen replied while Phineas took a sip out of his milk carton (A/N: You know the ones they give out at lunch at the schools).
"Cool, no offense but your oldest brother seems like a jerk" Phineas commented.
"No need to worry about that, everyone who meets him thinks that" Gretchen replied with a slight chuckle.
"Seriously" Phineas inquired
"Yup, Glenn is a total dill weed" said a girl who had black hair with bright green eyes with a playful spark in them, coming into the room, "I found this for you, and you never believe where"
"In the fridge" Gretchen inquired jokingly.
The girl chuckled and replied, "Under the grill actually"
"Glenn did it didn't he" Gretchen inquired.
"Yeah he did" Rachel replied, "Don't worry he left for his summer school classes"
"Thank you Rachel" Gretchen said to her older sister.
"No problems lil' sis, you feeling any better" Rachel inquired
"A little bit" Gretchen replied
"Hmmm, your ears are still bright red and I haven't seen your ears this red since you were four and Parker and I were eight" Rachel commented, "Do you still have your copy of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee?"
"Yeah why" Gretchen responded slightly confused
"Apparently Glenn took off with Sam's copy and she needs to do a report for next year on it" Rachel stated with a scowl on her face.
"At the beginning of next school year right" Gretchen inquired
"Yes" Rachel replied starting for the door
"Hang on a sec Rachel" Gretchen said going over to one of the book cases and putting the book in her hand on a shelf and pulled out another book, "Take this to Sam please"
"Okay, I put it in her room" Rachel commented, "I am going to hang out with my friends. If Parker asks just tell him the park okay"
"All right" Gretchen replied nodding.
Rachel left the room. Phineas and Ferb glanced at one another. The other Fireside Girls were smiling slightly.
"Okay so now you two have met all my siblings" Gretchen commented with a nod at Phineas and Ferb.
"And we have already met your mom and step-dad so that is all your family" Phineas replied.
"Well my immediate family" Gretchen replied with a smirk.
Phineas' phone rang again. It was Linda Flynn-Fletcher. Phineas had a quick conversation with his mother.
"Okay Ferb we have got to go home now" Phineas said to his step brother after he hung up.
"Well it is four thirty now and everyone's parents will be looking for them soon" Isabella stated noting the time.
"Here I will walk you guys to the door" Gretchen said, "Besides it would be good if you guys left before Glenn gets back. Otherwise he will start harassing me about how long you have been here."
The Fireside Girls, Phineas, and Ferb bid goodbye to Gretchen.
It was about two hours later when Parker came up to Gretchen's room to see if she was feeling well enough to eat something other than saltines and 7-Up. The answer to that was no.
Okay then Reviews anyone? I need at least one yes reviews to continue the story