A/N
Okay, I'm happier with this chapter than I was with the last. Just giving a little help for those still looking for the hint, it's just after Peter regains control. It's a play on a word, and it occurs twice, but trust me, when you see it, it becomes obvious if you've seen the right episodes, and in the reviews, I won't confirm or deny suspicions! Wheeeeeeee, onto the reviews!
NattyMc: Aw, have a little sympathy for Peter, even a little. He was forced against his will to do it! Though I have to say, your review made me laugh. A lot. You always seem to be able to make me laugh, so thank you!
teacup918: I have a look at your stories as soon as I can then! Yay!
Sierra-275: Yes! My little hints worked then. I dropped little hints in each of Peter's appearances to try and make the reader wonder if he was being controlled. I like the ^_^ face! It looks like my actual happy face haha!
writer-person2: Yus yus yus!
MuchuFox: Yus! Poor Peter, he's really a good agent in this world. But Heart of Courage? Well, Peter is matched perfectly with his opponent from the evil side. Just a little evil hint there aha! And nope nope, certainly not good, at all!
Wii Guy: Thank you. I can't quite put my finger on it, I just didn't like it :/ And yeah, I used to do that, but it's a pain trying to write reviews on an iPhone :( So I gave up and left review writing for the computer. Aww, give him a chance! In the follow-up story, he really proves himself to be on the good side, and shows how far he'll go to make up for what happened. Haha! I laughed at the last hint, I couldn't stop laughing at that line in the actual episode! And no problem, I can't wait to see it! I can't wait till Platypus day, even though I have to stay awake all night to watch it on my laptop, as I'm in Britain :(
Mimi-loves-llamas: I actually read a good story recently where Thaddeus was the culprit, with Thor as his, I think it'd be top henchman? It's called 'Kidnapped' and if you haven't read it, you totally should! And thank you, I agree with you, though I dislike Peter for invading Perry and Doof's frenemy-ship, he was only doing his job.
PersonNoOneCaresAbout: I love Baljeet! He's just adorable and hilarious, and probably the character I can relate most to off the show, being a self-proclaimed nerd myself haha, and no problem!
WordNerb93: Yay! Someone else who doesn't completely hate Peter! It is a shame for him, and if you'd like to confirm the hint you think you saw, I gave a tip in the author's note up the top :) Haha! Do you ever stop throwing things?
Perry groaned when the alarm clock woke him up in the morning. He looked over to Ferb's bed and sighed when he saw it empty yet again. Either the boy had had another nightmare, or he'd gone to work early again. Perry felt sorry for Ferb, the whole situation, though taking its toll on all of them, was hitting Ferb the worst. Each night he'd wake up in a sweat, after his mind forced him to watch his brother or his girlfriend killed in front of him. Perry got up slowly, making sure not too stretch too much so his side wouldn't hurt, and turned off the alarm clock.
He hopped out of bed and slowly made his way down the stairs, grunting each time he went down a step, a twinge of pain in his ribs pestering him. He chattered loudly, expressing his discomfort for anyone who was bothered to listen. Not that he wouldn't take it all again to protect his owners, but Perry wished Peter hadn't turned on them in the first place.
He walked out to the kitchen, to be greeted by Candace and Jeremy already at the breakfast bar. Candace looked down towards Perry and smiled groggily at him. It was obvious Perry hadn't got up much later than them: Candace's hair was still a ruffled mess, and Jeremy still looked half asleep. He went over to his bowl, chewing slowly on his food.
"Ferb already left for work, Perry?" Perry didn't look over at Candace, he simply nodded his head and carried on eating. "I worry about him, you know. I'm scared enough, with Phineas somewhere out there, with god knows who. But Ferb… Ferb must have it worse. With Vanessa gone, and the ransom note directed at him. He must feel so awful, like it's his fault…"
Candace slowly trailed off and started eating again. But what she'd said made Perry think: it was probably because of guilt that Ferb worked longer than them all, pushing himself to the extreme and beyond. Perry made a mental note to make sure Ferb stopped pushing himself so hard, and to make him realise that they were all in it together, it wasn't his fault.
"Time to get up, Dad!" Heinz rolled over and pressed the pillow against his face, trying to pretend he didn't hear Norm call him. But his attempt was in vain. Norm walked into his room, each footstep like an elephant, and pulled the sheets off Doofenshmirtz. When the evil scientist still persisted in ignoring the robot, Norm picked Heinz up and carried him out into the living room. Pinky quickly tagged along from his spot next to Heinz's bed. Heinz looked over his shoulder, confused at the small Chihuahua following him. He opened his mouth and raised his finger, ready to question who Pinky was, when the Chihuahua pulled his fedora out and wiggled it at Heinz, rolling his eyes. The evil scientist's eyes lit up with recognition, and he beamed at the Chihuahua. Pinky sighed. This had happened for 3 days running.
"Look Dad! I made you breakfast!" Norm shouted rather optimistically. Heinz groaned and covered his ears, making a mental note to turn Norm's volume down next time he tinkered with him. He looked in front of himself, to be greeted by a plate full of muffins sat on the table, stacked up in all different flavours.
"When did you get to cook these, Norm?" Heinz questioned, eyeing the muffins hungrily. He was torn between the chocolate chip muffin, the banana muffin or the blueberry muffin, all perched around the edge of the plate
"When you've been out each day, Dad! I've been trying new things every day!" Heinz smiled. Even in troublesome time's, as much as he hated to admit it, Norm's optimism and happiness was contagious. And the robot did cook good muffins.
"Thank you Norm," Heinz shouted. He decided to pick a random muffin in the end, so he closed his eyes and spun the plate round, then picked up the first muffin he touched, and bit into it gratefully. It was a nice way to start the day, with one or two of Norm's homemade muffins. He took another bit, then the flavour clicked with him. Blueberry. Vanessa's favourite. A small tear slid down his cheek as he chewed the muffin slowly, wishing he'd picked a different one. He loved blueberry too, but he always ate them with his baby girl who he missed oh so much.
"Dad, are you okay?" Norm questioned in his contradictory happy tone. Heinz looked up at the robot in front of him and smiled softly at him, his eyes sparkling with tears.
"I'm fine, just something in my eye. I better set off to OWCA now…"
"Hey Carl!" Isabella called as she entered OWCA headquarters with the Fireside girls by her side. Carl spun round and smiled at her.
"Hey Isabella. Hey girls." He stopped until she and the Fireside girls had caught up with him, and they started walking along the corridor together. Isabella noticed how she couldn't hear any banging coming from anywhere, which confused her. Ferb was always first in, and last to leave.
"Ferb not here yet Carl?" She asked, the curiosity and confusion apparent in her voice. The Fireside girls watched Carl intently, clearly curious on the matter as well.
"Nope. By the looks of it, the poor lad got a good night sleep. I'm glad. He was working himself so much, I was getting pretty worried about him," Isabella nodded and smiled. She was glad. Although she knew Ferb was just desperate for Phineas and Vanessa back, he was shying away from talking with people even more than before the abduction, and hiding in his work, producing new inventions like a factory.
Isabella's head spun round as she heard the hum and click of the lowering floor panel. She sighed, anticipating the green-haired boy to come through the door behind them. At least he'd come in normal time, not god knows how many hours earlier.
When Candace, Jeremy and Perry walked through, without Ferb, Isabella was more than a little confused. They'd decided to stick in their groups together. She frowned at the idea of Ferb being at home alone, especially after he was confirmed one of the main targets from all the notes.
"Hey! " She shouted, waving at the small cluster walking towards them, "Ferb still in bed?" Isabella smiled sweetly, trying to find out why they'd left him before jumping to conclusion. Candace frowned at Isabella, and her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Um, no, he's already here at work, isn't he?" Perry looked between Isabella and Candace, and started to panic. In the past few days, Ferb hadn't gone anywhere except here and home. He knew Isabella was telling the truth: there was a distinct lack of banging or drilling, the noises which had graced the whole of OWCA headquarters for the duration of the boy's stay.
"What do you mean Candace? He's not here, he hasn't turned up yet. I thought he'd finally gotten a good night sleep." Perry chattered, bringing everyone's attention to him. He shook his head, and curled up on the floor, then got up and shrugged. Isabella's eyes widened as she grasped what Perry was trying to put across, in his terrible actions.
"His bed was already empty when you got up?" Perry nodded slowly and solemnly. The knowledge was pressing on his mind, dragging him down, like a thousand stabs in the heart. Candace held her hand in front of her mouth, as her attempt to speak was choked by rising tears. Carl held his watch to his mouth, calling desperately for Major Monogram. Isabella stood, froze to the spot, unable to react as she realised both her best friends were now gone. The Fireside girls crowded round her as they tried to comfort her, and Jeremy held Candace into his chest as she sobbed, his own eyes sparkling in the light. Everything was a blur, yet Perry could only think of one thing.
Both his owners were missing…
A/N
Don't worry, tomorrow we catch up with everyone's favourite green haired protagonist as he embarks on a journey he's prepared to die on. So just what is running through Ferb's head as he is nearing what he believes to be his end? Tune in tomorrow to find out, and please drop a review! Reviews are like food, and I'm very hungry!