Phineas sighed miserably. Tonight was Christmas Eve, and he was all alone.
Well, not exactly all alone, but with Ferb celebrating Christ-Hanukah-Mas with Isabella's family and Candace celebrating Christmas with the Johnsons, Phineas was celebrating Christmas on his own.
Worse, this was the first Christmas he spent without his parents. Before Doofenshmirtz was defeated, Phineas was looking forward to spending Christmas with his family. It was the only time the Flynn-Fletchers would be together.
But sadly, everything changed ever since August 5th. Phineas closed his eyes as he remembered when his own parents were killed in an explosion courtesy of the Normbots. He let tears pour from his closed eyes, letting out a small sob. He was wearing a special pair of Dooferalls. They were the ones his mom made for him last year, the only pair he still had. He refused to burn the only memory he had from the last Christmas he spent with his parents.
However, his thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. His eyes were wide open as he got up and opened the front door, only to see the most beautiful girl in all of Danville looking back at him.
"How's it goin'?" Vanessa asked. When she saw Phineas, she was confused by his ensemble. "Um...why are you wearing Dooferalls? Didn't you burn all of the ones you had?"
Phineas looked at the ground. "This pair was made by my mom last Christmas," he explained. "I couldn't stand to burn something that reminds me of the last time I celebrated the holidays with my parents."
Vanessa walked inside and closed the door. She was wearing a yellow sundress with white flowers printed on the skirt part and her pink sneakers. "Is that the dress I gave you?" Phineas asked.
"It sure is," Vanessa replied with a smile. "I wanted to wear something special just for tonight."
"Why?" Phineas asked. "Aren't you celebrating Christmas Eve with your family?"
"I'd rather spend it with you," Vanessa insisted. "When Ferb told me you weren't coming to the Christ-Hanukah-Mas party, I decided to come here and comfort you."
"Thanks..." Phineas quietly said, still looking at the ground.
At that point, Vanessa couldn't stand to see her boyfriend like this. She held Phineas' hand and walked over to the couch. When she sat down, she started to hum an unfamiliar tune.
Phineas loved it when Vanessa sang. Her songs offered him comfort and warmth, making him feel happy. So when she started humming, he sat next to her as she began to sing, his dark blue-dark green eyes sparkling in the low light.
When he was just a boy
He was safe from the world
But his parents left him alone
So he ran away in his sleep
And dreamed of para-para-paradise,
Para-para-paradise,
Para-para-paradise
Every time he closed his eyes
Phineas closed him eyes as he repositioned himself so he was laying next to Vanessa, his head on her chest and his arms draped on her shoulders. Vanessa gave Phineas a one-arm hug as she used her free hand to reach up to the top of his head and caress his short red hair.
When he was just a boy
He was safe from the world
But his parents left him alone
And a missile gave him a scar
Life goes on, it gets so heavy
The wheel breaks the butterfly
Every tear a waterfall
In the night the stormy night he'll close his eyes
In the night the stormy night away he'd fly
And dreams of para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh
He'd dream of para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh-oh
Phineas smiled as he felt his girlfriend caress his hair. He loved the feeling of her slender fingers gently massaging his scalp. That feeling plus hearing her voice singing a modified version of Paradise by Coldplay just for him was so peaceful, he couldn't help but let out a sigh.
And so lying underneath those stormy skies
He'd say, oh, ohohohoh I know the sun must set to rise
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh
This could be para-para-paradise
Para-para-paradise
This could be para-para-paradise
Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh-oh
As Vanessa hummed the last few notes of the song, Phineas felt her kiss his closed eyelids. "Thank you, Vanessa..." he whispered.
Later that night, Ferb and Candace finally came home. They were both exhausted from the fun they had from the parties they attended.
"So Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro approves of me dating her daughter," Ferb said. "She pratically welcomed me into the family."
"At least you had fun," Candace said. "Jeremy attempted to kiss me underneath a weed hanging from the ceiling."
Before Ferb could explain the purpose of mistletoe, he and Candace walked over to the living room. Phineas and Vanessa fell asleep a few hours ago, so now they were sleeping on the couch right next to each other. Vanessa held Phineas close and he was smiling in his sleep, her fingers still in his hair.
"Are those the Dooferalls mum made for Phineas last Christmas?" Ferb asked Candace, noticing what his stepbrother was wearing.
"Yes," Candace replied. "Yes they are."