Chapter 1 What an unexpected surprise!
As soon as Phineas stepped off the train he realized what a bad idea this really was. He didn't know anyone in Luckenbach. He didn't know anyone in Texas! He had nothing planned, nowhere to stay, no one to help him. He stood awkwardly outside the train doors as people pushed past him, in a hurry to meet their own trains. He shifted his precious guitar uncomfortably on his shoulders. The sun beat down on his head and he was sweating buckets.
He was searching train times back home on the big board by the station door when he heard it. Someone calling his name. Phineas skimmed the crowd for a familiar face but he didn't recognize anyone. Maybe some else here's named Phineas? He thought, but it's not a very common name.. Then he saw her. Pushing her way through the crowd, waving and shouting his name. Isabella. She was much tanner then the last time he had seen her, and her black hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail but it was defiantly her.
"Phineas!" She yelled to him again. She was wearing jeans, cut short so that the pockets showed under them and a red plaid button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, all topped off with a cowboy hat and boots.
"Isabella? W-What are you doing here?" He asked incredulously. Isabella threw her arms around her his neck and pulled him into a back-breaking hug. She was much stronger then her thin appearance let on.
"Just picking up some campers then I saw you and had to some say hello!" She said when she finally let him go. "Whatcha doin, in Luckenbach?" Phineas couldn't help but smile, remembering her old catch phase
"I-I'm actually not sure. I just bought a ticket this morning and well, here I am." Phineas smiled weakly "By the way, you look. . . Wow." He had meant to sound more intelligent.
Isabella blushed, "Thanks."
"Wait, what are you doing in Texas? I thought you married some jock and moved to New York." Phineas remembered being invited to the wedding but he had been on an important business trip and was unable to make it.
Isabella frowned, "That's in the past. I don't like to dwell on the past."
"Fair enough." Phineas could tell this was not a subject to push her on.
"So, are you going to be in town for a few days?" Isabella asked.
Phineas shrugged, "I'm not sure. I don't actually have anywhere to stay."
"Say no more." Isabella picked up the small suitcase Phineas had packed, "You can stay with me."
"Oh, no. I couldn't-" He started but Isabella laughed off concerns.
"Don't worry about it." She smiled slyly and started to walk off with his suitcase "I'm sure you can earn your keep somehow."
Phineas just shrugged and followed. His guitar still slung over her back. They pushed their way inside the station where they were greeted by a group of young girls. There were about 7 of them with ages anywhere from 10 to 15 years old. They were all in full fireside girl uniforms which hadn't changed much from when Phineas and Isabella were kids. They all saluted when they saw Isabella.
"Fireside girl troop 13427 reporting!" One girl announced. She maybe 14 with long red hair and huge blue eyes. Millions of freckles dotted her pale face.
"Thank you, Abby," Isabella saluted back. "At ease girls!"
The girls lowered their hands.
"We missed you, Captain!" Abby said.
"I missed you too." Isabella looked over the group of girls. A hint of pride sparked in her eyes. "Now, grab your things and hurry! I left Cari in the van."
The girls picked up the bags which were littered at their feet and began walking, chatting as they went. Phineas grabbed Isabella's arm as she turned to follow them."
"What's all this about?" Phineas asked, gesturing to the group of giggly girls.
"Oh, right." Isabella said. "This was the troop I use to lead back when I lived in New York and every summer I invite them down to, you know, camp and stuff. It's really fun!"
"Wow, that's really cool!" Phineas said, impressed.
"I enjoy it." Isabella said with a grin. "I think you will too, that is if you decide to stick around."
"I can probably stay for a week or two. . ." Phineas said. They followed the fireside girls outside.
"That long? Arn't you like CEO of a major corporation? Won't it all fall apart if your not there?"
"Nah," Phineas fiddled with the handle of his suitcase. "Ferb does most of the work. . . I just handle the P.R. stuff."
Isabella nodded, "Yeah, you were always a people person."
"Yeah," Phineas lowered his head. "I don't think I'll be missed much."
"Oh, don't be silly!" They stopped walking in front of a large gray van. The troop was already inside, their bags discarded by the back of the van. Isabella began loading them into the trunk.
"Here," Phineas said, attempting to help set his suitcase in the back. "Let me help you."
"Thanks, but I got it." Isabella wrenched the case from his hands. Taken aback by this sudden outburst, Phineas stepped back and watched. He estimated it was about 1000 degrees outside without wind and he was still in a full business suit. Suddenly he was very jealous of Isabella's shorts.
"Ready to go?" Isabella asked, snapping Phineas back to reality. He nodded. "You wanna put that in the back?" Isabella gestured to his guitar.
"No I'd rather keep it. Thanks."
Isabella shrugged and Phineas walked to the passenger seat. Sitting the the spot was a little girl, maybe 5 years old. She had dark brown hair, almost black with a big pink bow settled in it. Her baby blue eyes stared up at Phineas curiously and she smiled.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"I'm Phineas." He cocked his head at her. "Who are you?"
"I'm Cari Elizabeth!" She exclaimed happily. Isabella sat down in the drivers seat.
"Cari, move to the back." The little girl scrambled over back of the seat. "Sorry about that."
"No problem." Phineas sat down and shut the door. Never had he ever been so excited to have air conditioning.
"Arn't you going to introduce us?" One of the girls called from the back.
"This is my friend, Phineas." Isabella explained, pulling the car into drive. "He's going to help out for a couple of days so be nice." Then turning to the passenger seat she said, "Phineas, these are my fireside girls, Abby is chief and that is her second in command is Eliot. Then you have Hayden, Kim, Madison, Paige and Lanie. And, of course, you've already meet my daughter, Cari."
"Your daughter?" Phineas said. Isabella nodded.
"Do you have kids?" A girl with glasses asked between bites of a candy bar.
"I never married."
"Doesn't mean you can't have kids."
"Madison!" Isabella scolded the girl.
Madison just shrugged and took another bite of candy, "It's true."
"No. I never had kids either." Phineas said, then smiled. "At least, as far as I know."
"Too much information. . ." Isabella grimaced.
Phineas smiled again, "So, what do you do at this 'camp' exactly?"
"Lots of stuff!" A little girl, no older then 12 said. Her blonde hair was tied into perfect pigtails that bounced when she talked. "Camp, fish, build fires and sing! We all love music!"
Phineas couldn't believe his luck. Music, isn't that what had started his whole thing? Phineas pulled the guitar out and settled it in his lap, tuning it as he spoke;
"Well, I've always been a fan of music," He smiled. "If you'll let me I think I have the perfect song for this very occasion."
"Sing! Sing! Sing!" The girls all chanted from the back.
Phineas smiled again and strummed his guitar.
"The only two things in life that make it worth livin'
Is guitars that tune good and firm feelin' women
I don't need my name in the marquee lights
I got my song and I got you with me tonight
Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love!
Let's go to Luckenbach, Texas"
They call cheered at the mention of the town they all loved.
"With Waylon and Willie and the boys
This successful life we're livin'
Got us feuding like the Hatfields and McCoys
Between Hank Williams' pain songs and
Newberry's train songs and Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain
Out in Luckenbach, Texas ain't nobody feelin' no pain."
The cheering continued and a few of the girls who had heard the song before joined in on the next verse. Phineas looked over at Isabella as he sang. She was smiling and mouthing the lyrics. Her eyes sparkled in the texas sun.
"So baby, let's sell your diamond ring
Buy some boots and faded jeans and go away
This coat and tie is choking me
In your high society you cry all day
We've been so busy keepin' up with the Jones
Four car garage and we're still building on
Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love!
Let's go to Luckenbach, Texas
With Waylon and Willie and the boys
This successful life we're livin' got us feudin'
Like the Hatfield and McCoys
Between Hank Williams' pain songs and
Newberry's train songs and Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain
Out in Luckenbach, Texas ain't nobody feelin' no pain"
Everyone joined in to sing the chorus one last time,
"Let's go to Luckenbach, Texas
With Willie and Waylon and the boys
This successful life we're livin's got us feudin'
Like the Hatfield and McCoys
Between Hank Williams' pain songs
And Jerry Jeff's train songs and Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain
Out in Luckenbach, Texas there ain't nobody feelin' no pain!"
Phineas strummed a few more notes and the song died, leaving its glow on the faces of the children.
"That was great, Phineas!" Isabella praised. "What a perfect way to kick off the summer!"
The fireside girls all voiced their agreement.
"Thanks guys." Phineas beemed. "It's been so long since I've played music, I'm glad I still got it!"
"Why did you stop playing?" The small blonde with pigtails asked.
"Hayden, maybe he doesn't want to talk about it." Isabella said, noticing the uncomfortable look on Phineas' face.
"No, that's okay. I just got busy and I sorta lost myself."
"So you came out here?" Hayden asked.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Your going to fit in well here." She confirmed. The fireside girls agreed.
A/N Yay Isabella! What do you think of the fireside girls? I think I'll do a chapter on each girl so you can get to know them, if you want..? Review!
