~Heaven Was Needing a Hero~
A Phineas and Ferb fanfiction
Written by Urhairsmellsnice
A tribute to the three men that died in the Theatre Massacre
Covering their girlfriends' bodies with their own.
Those three men died that night
but they live forever in our hearts and memories.
Rest in Peace.
The movie theatre was crowded, of course, it was. It was a premier night, after all. We sat in the middle, because Phineas liked to put his feet on the handicap bars in front of those seats. We were early, Ferb liked to be early for things, he always was. Phineas went along with coming early because he got his pick of seats and minimal line for popcorn. Phineas really loved popcorn. I had laughed watching him struggle to carry a sack of popcorn nearly as big as him to his seat. He was great fun. When asked he said he'd gotten the double extra large sack instead of the regular extra large because he was sharing with Isabella. One glance at the chief and I knew she was considering whether or not that comment had been calling her fat. In any case, there was no way she'd eat that much popcorn, though I was sure Phineas would finish it with or without her help. I looked at Phineas, sitting on my right, sure enough, he had already made a considerable dent in the popcorn and the lights hadn't dimmed yet. On the other side of him Isabella had yet to eat a bite of it, sipping her diet coke instead.
On my left Ferb silently passed me a few red sour patch kids. I smiled and accepted them, thinking how sweet it was for him to give me his favorite kind because he knew I liked them. I would soon find out there were sweeter things for a boy to do. The lights dimmed and a green screen told us what audience the following previews were appropriate for, this was my first R rated movie, Candace had bought the tickets for us. I snuggled into my seat and tucked my feet under me, inadvertently causing me to lean towards Ferb. I was suddenly self-conscious, why wasn't the armrest between us down? Ferb settled himself in as well and leaned slightly towards me, I relaxed. At the close proximity, I could smell his cologne, Old Spice, I think. My brother used the same stuff, but it smelled better on Ferb. Maybe because he used it in combination with actually bathing? Probably so.
Several people around the theatre were dressed up as characters from the movie, complete with fake guns and blood. I, however, was just wearing my red plaid skirt and gray blouse, nothing fancy, or scary. Feeling my anticipation for the upcoming horror film Ferb looked over at me, "Maybe next time we should just go see that," He said gesturing to the screen where a preview played for an animated feature about a talking dog that changes the world. Several people shushed him.
I laughed as the title 'Sparky Come Home' was emblazoned across the screen. "Oh, we have too," I agreed in a whisper. I was returned by several more shushes and several junior mints flying in my direction. I rubbed my forehead where one had struck me, "rude" I muttered, Ferb laughed. More junior mints flew and Ferb caught one in his mouth. "Show off" I whispered practically inaudibly and hit him in the side. He stifled his chuckles and quieted as the movie started.
The camera panned down a dismal, grey dirt road finally resting on a shabby house down the street. The four of us had our eight collective eyes glued to screen, determined not to jump the highest when something scary happened. We munched our snacks methodically, waiting for something to happen. The heroine made her way down the dimly lit hallway to the linen closet at the end. "Don't open it," I could hear several voices around the theatre whisper in fear. She opened the closet. A green man with a machete drenched in horribly fake blood jumped out, Ferb and I laughed but Isabella screamed and jumped practically into Phineas's lap. Her foot hit his popcorn, spilled the huge thing over me. I sighed and looked at Ferb.
"I guess that's what you get for laughing," He murmured, plucking a piece from my hair and eating it, then pushing my hair back behind my ear. I smiled at him and leaned closer, turning back to the movie. I could feel his warm shoulder against mine in the cold theatre and took comfort in it. There was someone here to protect me.
The movie progressed; Isabella kept her head buried in Phineas's shirt, refusing to look at the screen. He didn't seem to mind at all. One of the characters was working on his car, the engine block dangling on a chain above him. Being a bit of a car fanatic myself, I winced as the killer released the chain. I shrieked and whirled away as the boy's body was severed under the heavy weight of the engine block. Ferb put his arm around me, brushing the popcorn from my shoulder and patting it comfortingly. I leaned my head against him and closed my eyes. Death by engine block, nice. While the fake gore was entertaining this movie had a thin plot and it was late. I was getting tired. I swear he smirked just as I was dozing off on his shoulder.
I awoke to the sound of gunshots; I blinked to focus my eyes after my short nap and saw the gun fight on the screen. Blood shot from the victims at comically odd angles and the bullets from the killer's submachine gun were clearly animated. Girls were cowering against their boyfriends and guys were trying to act tough and cool. I held back a chuckle, this was pathetic. A dark figure crossed my vision as a man made his way back from his seat after what I presumed to be a bathroom break. The man paused and pulled off a piece of his costume. It took my mind a few seconds to register it was a gun. Was this guy trying to be funny, pulling out his fake gun during the shooting scene? I wondered briefly.
That's when all Hell broke loose. Several people screamed and some got up and attempted to run. It's just a fake gun, I told myself. During, my moments of shock and wonder, Phineas and Ferb had obviously been thinking. I felt myself hit the floor, heard several gunshots, sounding far different and more real than those playing in the movie did. I felt a warm body covering me, but I couldn't tell if it was Phineas or Ferb. In my fear I reached out and grabbed the persons hand, he squeezed mine and wrapped his arms tighter around me.
"Shh, Adyson, just stay down, everything's ok, it'll be ok, I promise," The British accent gave away the identity of my protector.
More gunshots rang out around us, "Ferb," I whimpered into his chest.
"Quiet please, it's ok, nothing bad will happen to you, I told you I promise, you're safe," He paused his comforting words and bent to kiss my forehead, keeping me covered the whole occurred to me that this was the most he'd ever spoken to me, must it have been under such dire circumstance? I could hear Isabella crying close by and Phineas whispering to her as Ferb did for me. Had anyone called 911? My cell phone was in my purse, under the seat.
"My phone," I whispered urgently to Ferb.
"Don't worry about it, Adyson, the police will be here soon" Ferb soothed, "Everything will—" He paused when he heard a shout from Phineas and Isabella cry out in fear.
"Phineas? Phineas, please be ok! Phineas…" Isabella's voice pleaded, I wanted badly to go to her, to both comfort and seek it. Ferb's head jerked up to look at his brother. I don't know what he saw but he gritted his teeth and kept covering me. I could hear sirens coming from outside, I breathed slowly, it would be over soon.
"It'll be ok Isa-." I started to call to her but a final shot rang out.
"Adyson," Said Ferb urgently, gripping me tighter. He screamed out in pain and I screamed his name. The gunshots stopped and all I could hear was Ferb's rugged panting and groans of pain and Isabella's sobs and Phineas' soft whimpers, I knew he'd lose consciousness soon . I could feel something warm and sticky dripping on to me from Ferb's side. This wasn't good. Footsteps sounded as the gunman left. I waited a minute and sat up pulling Ferb with me. His wound looked bad even in the dark. I couldn't help thinking how it should have been mine. I should have been bleeding; he took that bullet for me. I shook my head to clear it and ripped his jacket off him, using it to wrap his stomach and stop the bleeding.
"It'll be ok, Ferb" I said firmly, like a command, and then kissed him on the mouth.
His eyes fluttered and weakly his hand caught mine "It already is," he told me, before losing consciousness once more.
Trying my best to keep composure I crawled to Isabella who had recently slapped Phineas awake. He was squeezing her hand against the pain; the shot he'd taken was to his shoulder. Painful, but if we could stop the bleeding, not fatal. I ripped the hem of my blouse and balled it up for Phineas to bite on while Isabella helped me wrap his wound,
His eyes asked me a question, how was Ferb? I looked away and didn't meet his gaze again. I couldn't answer that. I looked at the two of them; covered in blood splatters, I was sure I didn't look much better. Medical personnel swarmed into the room looking for survivors. Two spotted us and made a beeline. "Are you two alright?" The blond haired woman asked Isabella and I. We nodded wide-eyed; the anxiety from the situation was now kicking in.
"It's our boyfriends," Isabella sniffled, gesturing to the brothers on the floor. I was taken aback, was Ferb my boyfriend? It didn't matter, I pushed it aside. He needed help. The blond paramedic and I knelt by Ferb, Isabella led the man to Phineas.
The woman in took a breath when she looked at Ferb and the blood pulling around him. "What's his name?"
"Ferb," I answered without hesitation, eager to help.
"Ferb, sweetie, if you can hear me I need you to do something," Te woman said as she felt for his pulse. She frowned. My heart sank. She dropped his wrist and felt his neck instead, "Ferb?" She frowned once more. I felt like I could die. She leaned forward and listened for breath. She frowned again. My chest heaved and the world swam as the woman pulled a clean blue sheet from her pack and covered Ferb with it, the way he had covered me. My heart shattered.
I didn't know what to do, I was anxious, confused, scared. Though the movie theatre was still cold, I began to sweat and I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. I clutched my chest as pain tore through it, the Paramedic woman noticed and gave me a worried look. Just barely over the sound of my beating heart, I could hear Isabella crying, she must've seen Ferb. No longer aware of the Paramedic I walked over to her and Phineas. He was still biting onto the cloth I had given him; the Paramedic was trying to remove the bullet from his shoulder. His face was white in pain. Isabella was holding his hand, tears streaming down her face as she stared at the blue sheet only a few feet away, blood starting to seep through it. I saw her mouth form Ferb's name though I couldn't hear her. Phineas must have though because he spat out the cloth and jerked upward.
"Ferb!" He shouted, he looked wildly in my direction "Ferb! Adyson, where's Ferb?" If my heart hadn't already shattered on the floor Phineas' desperate expression and pleading words would have done it in for sure. However, except for this anxiety knowing at me and the pain in my chest I could feel nothing. I was numb. "Adyson…" He said quieter this time, "Where's Ferb?"
I knelt down beside Isabella and took a deep breath, "He's not here Phineas…" I began.
"Not here? Where is he? Is he ok?"
"He told me he was," I said, "But Phineas… Ferb's dead." The left over fragments of my heart should have turned to dust as I said that, but they didn't, I was too numb.
Phineas jerked upwards even more, "No! No, he can't! Not now. You're lying!"
"The body's right there," I said in my new, deadened voice.
He looked behind me and saw the blood soaked sheet, "No! That's not Ferb! That's not my brother! He can't have died! No…"
Only then did I realize that the blond woman had been tugging on Isabella and my shoulders the whole time. I turned my hazy vision on her. "Girls, you need to come with me," I could barely hear her tell us over Phineas' protests.
"I can't leave Phineas," Isabella told her stubbornly.
"Neither can I," I stated, crossing my arms.
The woman sighed and handed me my purse, she must have found it under my seat. She firmly wrapped her arms around me and heaved, pulling me away from Isabella and Phineas… And Ferb. "No!" I shrieked, "Put me down, you can't do this! No!" I kicked and screamed, several more people came over and grabbed Isabella and me, I could hear her screaming as well. I think she bit someone on the way out of the room, normally I'd find it funny. I didn't now, but I did think it was a good idea.
They dragged us out to the parking lot and we were set down on the back of a fire truck. "The brunette's in shock" I heard someone say.
An Asian looking Paramedic came over and was checking Isabella out, the blond woman came over to me. "My name's Bianca," She told me "What's yours?"
"Adyson," I whispered, no longer trusting my vocal chords
"Ok Adyson, you've had a rough night, you seemed to have gone into shock, but I'll fix you up and you can make whatever phone calls you need to, ok sweetie?"
I nodded numbly and put on the oxygen mask she gave me. "Now take deep breaths, everything ok, just breathe." She said soothingly "Now can you lie on your back?"
I lay back obediently and raised my feet like I knew people in shock should do, "That's great, sweetie," She said.
I don't know how long she had me lie like that but it seemed like hours, I could hear them trying to treat Isabella for hysteria next to me but she kept wailing. Now that I was sitting up I took a moment to compose myself and tried to decide who to call first. The Flynn-Fletchers, I decided, taking my phone out of my purse, which I had just realized, was stained with blood. I shuddered and set it aside, dialing the Flynn Fletcher home.
"Hello?" Came the sweet, unsuspecting, voice of the boys' mother.
"Hi… It's Adyson," I said, my voice shaking like Pinky the Chihuahua.
"Adyson, what's wrong?" She asked, catching my tone.
"It's the boys, we're at the theatre, and there was a shooting and—and…" My voice broke.
She seemed to understand. "Who? Are they alright?" She began to hyperventilate, "Lawrence!" She screamed.
There was a few second pause and Mr. Fletcher came on the phone, "Adyson, what happened dear?"
"You need to meet us at the hospital, Phineas and Ferb were shot," I told him quickly.
"Hospital, yes." He said, taking a few seconds to compose himself. "Where were they shot?"
"Phineas was in the shoulder, he still conscious as far as I know," I said. "Ferb…" My voice cracked once more, "Ferb was shot in the side, he lost so much blood… Mr. Fletcher I don't think he made it" I broke into a sob at the last part of the sentence, finally allowing myself to cry.
The British man mumbled a prayer, "Ok, Adyson, we'll alert Candace and be right there." He sounded broken, his only biological son, likely dead. The numbness was gone, but I wished it would come back.
Isabella had finally regained composure and grabbed my hand squeezing it for comfort. I let out another sob and hugged her, burying my face in her blouse, trying to ignore the iron smell from the blood splatters there. She held me firmly and not for the first time but more than any other time I was glad for the embrace of my best friend. I felt awful that Phineas wouldn't have his best friend to comfort him like this anymore. My sobs quieted and I realized that if I couldn't be strong for me, I had to be strong for Phineas and Ferb, even if he hadn't survived the night. He was strong for me. I owed it back to him. I couldn't think like he was dead, maybe they could resecitate him at the hospital... Couldn't they?
"Do you want to call your mom or should I?" I asked Isabella, pulling back from the hug.
"I will," said Isabella, taking my phone and dialing her mom's number from memory "Hi mom," she paused "There was an incident at the movie theatre…" "Well Phineas and Ferb… they saved our lives." She took a shaky breath and waited for her mom to finish speaking. Isabella broke off into Spanish, as he family members often did when upset, "Un hombre entró en la sala de cine, que tenía una pistola"
I wished I hadn't dropped out of Spanish class now, all I understood was, a man, movie theatre, and gun. I could hear her mother shouting in Spanish on the other end. Isabella started again "No, mamá, yo no resultó herido. Adyson sólo entró en shock, pero ella está bien ahora. Phineas y Ferb nos salvó. Phineas es tan buena como puede ser, pero mamá, Ferb recibió un disparo en el estómago, creo que está muerto." Isabella's voice broke when she said she thought Ferb was dead. I blinked back the tears. "Necesitamos que tu nos recogiera y nos lleve al hospital. ¿Nos puede traer una muda de ropa, por favor? Sí, los de Flynn-Fletchers se les dijo, que van a estar allí. Adyson no ha llamado a ella madre todavía, pero ella hará. Gracias, mamá… Te amo demasiado." She hung up.
"Sorry about the Spanish," She said, handing me the phone back.
I shrugged, "I caught some of it. I guess I should call my step-mom, then."
"Yeah, probably," She said.
I made the phone call and of course got a secretary, "Elizabeth Sweetwater's office, Carla speaking."
"Yeah, hi Carla, it's Adyson, I need to talk to my mom," I told her.
I could hear her clicking away at her keyboard, "Sorry, I'm the night secretary; Ms. Sweetwater doesn't take calls after nine."
"I'm her daughter," I said, frustrated, "It's kind of an emergency."
"Alright," Said Carla, I could imagine her rolling her eyes. "I'll go ask if a phone call is alright, but seriously kid; it's one in the morning, what could be such an emergency?" She put me on hold; I clenched my fists ready to strangle the woman. Isabella patted my arm comfortingly, I gave her a thankful look.
"Adyson, are you alright?" My stepmother asked, sounding mildly interested.
"Yes ma'am," I responded automatically, "There was a shooting at the theatre."
She spat out her drink, "What?" She exclaimed, slightly muffled, probably because she was wiping her mouth.
"I'm ok but they're taking Phineas and Ferb to the hospital," I said, "Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro is gonna bring me and Isabella over there, so you don't have to come by."
"Well… ok," She sounded hesitant, "Is there anything you need, Addie? Anything at all?"
I smiled bitterly, "Yeah, I need a do over of this night."
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry…" She seemed at a loss for words, "Are you going to stay the night at the hospital?"
"If I can," I answered carefully.
"I know exactly how you're feeling, Addie, go ahead," She said, trying to sound soothing, "I'll swing by as soon as I can and bring you some stuff."
"You don't have to," I said, "Mrs. Garcia-Shapiro-"
She cut me off, "I know, but I want to, dear. See you in about an hour."
"Alright, bye," I said.
"Bye, I love you," She said. I hung up.
Just as I put the phone in my pocket not wanting to put it in the blood stained purse Isabella's mom drove up. She screeched the Volkswagen Beatle into a parallel park position and ran to us. "Oh, my baby!" She said, catching Isabella in her arms and kissing her face. "Adyson, come here," she commanded and embraced me as well. "You look horrendous, how awful!" She said leading us to the back seat of her car, "We'll be at the hospital in no time and you too can clean up.
We climbed into the bright yellow vehicle and she took off, accelerator flat on the floor. She was right; we were halfway across town at the hospital in no time. We rushed into the waiting room to find Phineas and Ferb's parents already there. They gaped at us and catching sight of my reflection in the window, I knew why. Blood wasn't just splattered on me, it was smeared all over me, my shirt was ripped, my hair was matted, and my face was streaked with tears. Linda fainted. While everyone rushed around her, Isabella and I figured it would be better if we cleaned up before she came to.
Taking the bags Isabella's mom had brought for us we hustled into the bathroom. Thankfully she had brought us wash clothes to wash up with, with the blood removed from my body, I peeled off my blood soiled clothes and donned the sweat pants and University of Danville t-shirt I had been brought. I was never so glad Isabella and I wore the same size. I ran the brush through my mouse brown hair until it wasn't so clumped together. With Isabella's approval of my appearance and mine of hers, we left the bathroom.
Linda had woken up and was sitting in her chair, head in her hands. Lawrence looked to us "Phineas is in surgery now… They're doing everything they can for Ferb." By the expression on his face I knew he thought it was futile.
I suddenly felt helpless, like I needed to be doing something, I stopped my pacing and went across the waiting room, mumbling about letting everyone know. I started with the Fireside girls, knowing it'd be much harder to explain to the guys. Every phone call with them was similar, I had woken some up, some had saw the shooting on the news, they were all worried, they all said they'd come by the hospital the next day, they all apologized and told me everything was ok. After those four calls, I was exhausted, but knew I had more work ahead of me. Katie had told me she'd call Irving and Gretchen had offered to call her cousin, Django. That left me with Baljeet and Buford.
I dialed Baljeet's number, he answered after a few rings. "This had better be important, I'm missing my brain sleep," He grumbled sleepily.
I cut right to the chase, "Baljeet, Phineas and Ferb were shot."
"What?" He shouted, and I heard him fall out of bed.
"Phineas was shot in the shoulder, he's in surgery now," I continued.
"And Ferb?" Asked Baljeet worriedly.
"Ferb…" I bit my lip, "Well they're doing everything they can for him."
Baljeet swore in his native language, "I shall send good thoughts out into the universe for the two of them, thank you for letting me know."
I told him it was no problem and that I would text him any updates and we said our goodbyes. Now, that just left Buford, the next contact down. I hit the call button.
He answered on the second ring, "This is Buford," his gruff voice said over the line, "Who needs pumbling?"
"No one," I said, "It's Adyson"
"I'm not gonna pumble Adyson, she's a girl," He said, sounding appalled.
"I meant its Adyson calling," I said dryly.
"Well I figured that from the caller I.D." He told me blandly, I sighed.
"Buford this is serious."
He sobered up immediately, "Ok, I got it. What's wrong, Addie?"
I briefly wondered when he'd started calling me that, "Isabella and I went to the movies with Phineas and Ferb," I began.
"Great to see they got the balls to ask you to out," He replied, "Sorry, serious."
"There was a shooting at the theatre and they were both shot," I said quickly.
I could practically hear him gaping, "Are they ok?"
"Phineas was hit in the shoulder, he's in surgery now." I said.
Buford swore, "Stupid Dina Bell. What about Ferb?" He asked just as a solemn looking doctor walked into the waiting room.
"Shh. Hold on" I told him, moving closer to the group.
"Who's here for Franklin Fletcher?" He asked, looking at his clipboard, "Answers to Ferb." Everyone stood up, so that's what Ferb was short for.
Lawrence put his arm around his wife and stepped forward. "We're his parents."
"I'm sorry, we did everything we could, but your son died at the scene." The man said, Linda wailed about her poor baby, Lawrence completely held her up, whispering comforting words to her, holding back tears himself. Isabella looked down, biting her lip, without the aid of her purple bow her black hair slid over her face like a veil. Her mother put her arm around her comfortingly.
I sank to the floor in the middle of the waiting room. "Addie? Is everything ok? Are you there?" Buford's voice came from the phone that I had forgotten was in my hand.
"I'm here" I said in a watery voice.
"Are you crying? What's wrong?" He asked, worriedly.
"Ferb—Ferb's dead." I sobbed into the phone.
There was a pause, "I'll be right there." He said before hanging up. Normally I'd call back and protest, tell him to go back to sleep, not to inconvenience himself, and to stay home, but looking around and everybody in the room, being held by somebody else like Ferb had held me in the movie I decided against it. Tonight I'd be selfish and let Buford comfort me. Because, everyone, I thought, needed someone.
A/N Well that is officially the longest chapter I've ever written, over 4,000 words, sheesh. Anyway, originally this was going to be a one-shot but there was so much I wanted to do I'm aiming to make it a 3-shot, and if that doesn't work, just a short story. Anyway this is a tribute to the men in the Aurora Massacre that died for their girlfriends, the title comes from the song Heaven Was Needing A Hero by Jo De Messina. This was actually quite intense to write, I almost cried. Anyway tell me what you think, in a respectful manner please