Phineas and Ferb

Worldwide

Chapter 4: Rift

Disclaimer: Phineas and Ferb does not belong to me. It belongs to the two geniuses Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh. Keep up the good work, gentlemen!

While the kids were all preparing for the party, Isabella was preparing herself for her trip. She was upstairs, in her room, packing her bags. Her thoughts were still conflicting over what she wanted to do when it came to the potential scholarship she could be offered. All she had to do was make a good impression on her chaperone. The thought of trying to make a bad impression on herself to lose her opportunity did cross her mind. But she was so sweet, generous, and all-around cute that it would be nearly impossible to do.

While she was packing her things, she came across a framed picture of her and Phineas, sitting underneath the big oak tree in Phineas's backyard, hugging each other with huge smiles on their faces. They appeared extremely happy together. A tear came to her eyes as she thought back to all of the good times she shared with Phineas, and all of the bad times they had together. She swore to herself and to Phineas that she would never, ever do anything to hurt him, especially after seeing how stressed he would make himself just to please her out of guilt.

There was a knock at the door. "Isa?" It was her mother.

"Door's open, Mom." Isabella said quietly. Vivian opened the door and let herself in. "I'm almost finished packing."

"Is that a picture of you and Phineas?" Vivian asked, noticing the framed picture in her daughter's hands.

"Yep. I was just reminiscing on all the good and bad times I've shared with him." Affectionately, she kissed the picture.

"You really love that boy, don't you?"

"He means everything to me. Oh, he's just so adorable and so fun loving, and so optimistic. I love hugging him and kissing him. He's as cute as a little baby, and I love that little laugh more than anything. Mom, I don't want to leave Phineas behind. But...I don't know. This is amazing for me, and I might end up regretting not taking up that scholarship if I turn it down."

"Honey, I know that this is confusing for you. But I don't want you making any rash decisions."

"I know, Mom. I'm not really sure I want to go for that scholarship. If it means leaving everybody that I love behind forever, I couldn't possibly do that, especially Phineas."

"I'm not saying you have to, Isa. I would be perfectly fine if you chose not to take up that offer and chose to stay here."

"You would?"

"Of course. I know how much being here means to you, and I know how devoted you are to your friends. Don't feel like you have to do this just because I may want you to."

"Do you want me to, Mom?"

"Well, I'm not really sure myself. Being able to study World Culture all the way across the globe is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If I were given the opportunity when I was younger, I might have taken it. But I don't want that to be the reason you decide to go for it."

"I just don't know what to do."

"You still have some time to think about this. In the meantime, why don't you just go back to packing and forget about this for a little while. OK?'

"Alright, Mom."

"I'll bring you up something to eat." She kissed her daughter's forehead and left the room to give her some more thinking time. Isabella went right back to thinking about what she was going to do. She went so deep into though that she didn't even notice her mother return with a plate of food for her. Finally, she decided to just take a break and enjoy the meal provided to her.

Not long after, her mother came back up into the room, with a phone in her hand. "Isa?"

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Phineas is on the phone. He wants you to meet him in his backyard right away. He says he has a big surprise for you."

"Surprise? Hmm, I wonder what it could be."

"Why don't you head on over and find out."

"OK, but this better not be a trick. I am so not in the mood." She closed her suitcase, giggled, and then ran downstairs to the front door, towards Phineas's house, where the party was just about ready for Isabella. The finishing touches were being put up, and by the time everything was put into place, it was the most amazing and spectacular going-away party anybody could ever ask for. The sun was slowly setting, and the Flynn-Fletcher backyard was the perfect spot for the best view of the beautiful sunset.

"Isabella is coming!" Irving, who was appointed look-out for her, shouted to everyone else.

"Everyone get into position, now!" Phineas instructed to all of the kids, as they all found some place to hide for Isabella. She walked ever so slowly into the backyard, hoping to see Phineas's cute and smiling face somewhere in the backyard.

"Phineas?" She called quietly. "Where are you?" She stepped in, scanning the backyard, hoping to see him. But no luck. With each minute, her confidence continued to diminish, and she grew frustrated with him. "I don't have time for this, Phineas! If you're just going to mess with me, then I'll just go-"

"SURPRISE!" Everybody popped out of their hiding place and shouted to her, as confetti shot up from seemingly nowhere and fell slowly to the ground. Everyone started cheering as Isabella's face changed from utter surprise to pure delight.

"Phineas, what on Earth is this?" She piped up, naturally surprised.

"It's your party. Your going-away party."

"Going-away party?"

"Yeah. Since today's your last day in Danville before you have to leave for your week long trip, we figured we would give you one last hoorah so you wouldn't miss us all that much."

Isabella gasped slightly. She knew what Phineas meant with what he said, but it just didn't sound right to her. "Miss you?" And to show him this, she ran up to him and gave him the biggest hug she ever gave him. "It doesn't matter what you guys do for me. I would always miss you. But the party look amazing."

"Only the best for you, Isabella." He wiped a tear dripping from her eye. "Don't cry. This is supposed to be a happy party."

"I know. It's just...I-I can't believe you would actually go through all of this trouble to throw me a party celebrating me leaving." She and Phineas walked over to the refreshment table together, hand-in-hand.

"What's wrong? Did you think that I would just let this go and pretend like nothing's happening?"

"No, it's not that. It's just...I didn't think you would actually do this for me. I thought you would be too upset from me leaving. But..." Isabella stopped for a moment and looked at him. His facial expression showed no sign of dejection of depression. She thought that Phineas would at least seem a little upset at her leaving, and, in actuality, expected him to be sobbing hysterically at that moment. Seeing him not doing so, however, was quite a surprise for her. "...you don't seem like you're gonna miss me."

"Oh. Uh..." Truthfully, Phineas was going to miss her more than she would ever understand. But he wouldn't let her know that, because then that may influence her decision. "What, are you kidding, Isabella? Of course I will, but this is a big chance for you, and I can't hold you back."

"Hold me back?"

"Come on, Isabella. We both know that at some point, I'm gonna start crying."

"Please don't. You know that I hate it when you start crying." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. "You really are going to miss me, aren't you?"

"Of course I am, Isabella. I love you so much, and it hurts me that you're going to be away from me for a week. That's bad enough. But..." He already felt his eyes watering. "The thought of losing you for years and years is...is just...oh, I don't want to think about it."

"Don't think about it, Phineas." She said, shushing him, in an effort to calm him down. "It's not that bad. If it makes you feel any better, I don't think I'm going to go for that scholarship."

Phineas sniffled back some tears, then looked up at her. "W-What do you mean?"

"I don't want to leave all of my friends and family, and I especially don't want to leave you, Phineas. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Isabella." She leaned in and kissed him, to which he did not object. He truly loved Isabella, and would do anything to make her happy. Anything. Even if it meant giving her up so she could enjoy her life. "That's why I want you to take up that scholarship, if they offer it to you, of course."

"You...You do?" She took a step back from him, releasing her grip on him. "But..."

"Yes, I will miss you dearly. In fact, for the first few weeks, I'll probably spend my time crying a lot about it. But, if I'm the reason why you decide not to go for it, then I would never, ever live it down. I don't want to stop you from living your life, even if that means I have to lose you."

"But Phineas, I can't lose you. I love you."

"I love you too. But, I think if you don't take up that offer, or at least considerate it, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." He shied his attention away from her, hoping that she wouldn't see him cry. "I want what's best for you, and if that school in New Zealand is really what's best for you, then you should go for it."

"But I may never see you again."

"That's OK. It's not like I'll be missing much. Just your warm, fuzzy affection, that wonderful baby-like laugh of yours, your natural-born leader..." Now he started really crying. "The wonderful, adorable way you hug and kiss me all the time and make me feel like a prince when I'm feeling down, and..." If there was one thing Phineas did not want to do, it was cry in front of his girlfriend, especially in a time like this. But by now, he felt like he couldn't hold it in anymore. "Don't leave me, Isabella!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "I can't live without you!" He turned away and ran right into the house, crying his eyes out.

Everyone who was already outside and enjoying the party overheard Phineas's outburst, and turned to Isabella. She didn't have a response to give to any of them. All she could think about was Phineas. She never wanted to hurt her best friend in any way, but she knew that it was evident. Ignoring the concerned eyes around her, she ran into the house right behind Phineas, and went up to his room to find the boy crying on his bed.

"Phineas?" She opened the door ad let herself in. "Are you OK?"

The boy looked up with his beat-red eyes and sniffled back tears. "No. No I'm not!" He shouted as she neared his bed.

"You're upset, I know." She placed a hand on his shoulder and sat down on the bed next to him. "You were trying to make it seem like you would be fine without me, but I know better. I know you better than anyone. You want me to stay, don't you?"

He tried to turn away, hoping that he wouldn't show her his tears. But she knew better. "Of course I don't. I would love for you to stay here with me. But I don't want to be the reason you do that."

She laid down and rested herself right next to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Phineas, you're the most important person in my life right now, and I love you more than you could possibly comprehend. You make life so exciting. I love being able to spend every day with you while you and Ferb defy the laws of physics. I love how, even though you are the most romantically-challenged boy on the face of the Earth, you still show so much affection and make me feel like a princess. And most of all, I love being able to come over here every night and sleep right beside you, you and your cute little tushie." Phineas blushed, as he wiped away another tear. "I eagerly await the day we can marry and start our wonderful lives together, and we can't really do that if I'm all the way across the world, can I?"

"No, I guess not. So does this mean you're not going to take that scholarship?"

"I still don't know, actually. I'm just as confused as you are."

"Look, Isabella, all I want is for you to be happy, and if that school is going to do that, then go for it. I'll support you. If it doesn't, then don't go. Just promise that you won't let me be the reasoning behind your decision."

"I promise, Phineas." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, to which he responded with one of his own. "I love you so much. You are just like a little baby." She tickled underneath his chin with her finger, which caused him to break out into adorable baby-like laughter. "Cute, affectionate, and oh-so cuddly. I guess that's why we go great together."

"Yeah, I guess so." She kissed him again, and he chuckled. "Isabella, go back outside and enjoy the party. It'll probably be the last really fun thing you experience before you head out."

"Only if you come with me."

"Alright, alright. I'll come. But only if you promise to keep me company tonight when I go to sleep."

"It would be my pleasure." She helped him off of the bed, and the two lovebirds headed downstairs, back outside to the party. Their thoughts over the agonizing moment where Isabella would have to leave Danville the following day were temporarily put aside, making room for the memories they were going to create in this one day, Isabella's last day in Danville before the big trip. Though her mind was all over the place, focused on a million different things at the same time, her heart was set on one thing: being in Danville with the people she loved, and the boy she loved more than anything.

To be continued...

Next Time: The fateful day arrives. Isabella takes off for her world trip, and Jeremy takes off for his world tour. Will things ever be the same?