14AmyChan: okay, so this update should be a little satisfactory. *^_^*

Dog!Phineas: *Bark!*

Isabella: *picks up Dog!Phineas* what did you do?!

14AmyChan: I'll explain after the chapter~! *^_^*

Ferb: Miss Amy does not own my brother nor I nor even the show. Please continue to read on.

14AmyChan: *squees*

"So..." Isabella sighed, unsure how to begin this particular conversation. Though she knew that not talking would get them both nowhere fast, she didn't know what to say. She always thought she'd just... know what to do when the time came to confess. Now that it was here, a cat had suddenly grabbed a hold of her usually quick tongue. She glanced from one object to another, still uncertain as to what to do. Moments earlier, Ferb had just said to be honest, but how to do that or even start was a huge obstacle.

"Whatcha thinking?" Phineas asked from beside her. She smiled at his tweaking of her famous line and began to feel a little more comfortable. He was still the only one who was unofficially allowed to do so. The consequence for others (*coughcoughBufordcough*) was still an elbow in the gut.

"I don't really know what to say right now," she replied, staring at the fence across from where they were sitting. Despite the awkwardness she felt, she continued. "I always thought I would, you know?"

"Not really..." he replied truthfully. He had never really applied romance to his life. True, he had thought about it during hat quiz last week, and again when she had accidentally told him how she felt, yet being shocked speechless both times had tipped him off that he probably would not know what to say, either. A thought suddenly occurred to him.

"How long have you...?" Phineas asked, unsure how to end that question. It was not exactly easy to ask your best friend of the other gender how long they've had feelings for you. Fortunately, she caught on fast and answered with a blush on her cheeks.

"It's been... Well..." Isabella tried to recall the memory where she'd first realized her crush on her neighbor, but the entire process had been so gradual she wasn't sure when it began. All she really knew was that she'd harbored this crush for at least four years. "It's been a long time," she said, sure that was the safest route.

"How long is a long time?" Phineas inquired. For all he knew, this could have been going on from a few days to a few years. He felt he needed to know what he was working with here. Isabella was his best friend and he loved her dearly, but was it in that way?

"At least three or four years..." she reluctantly answered. She shut her eyes tightly and awaited his reaction. He was far too kind to flat-out reject her. He would probably try to let her down easy. Say that he would rather them be friends. Offer the obvious reasoning that thirteen was still a little too young to be dating.

"Okay..." Phineas said carefully, letting out a breath. Though he had to admit he was still extremely confused and not to mention flat put embarrassed, he was glad she'd told him straight out the second time. That still left the blaring question of how he felt towards her, other than a best friend. He didn't feel anything like they showed in the movies or that he's seen in romantic novels that were required reading at school. No zaps of electricity or illogical giddiness.

No, he felt as he normally felt around her, simply amplified. He still felt she was a trustworthy, honest, kind, and stubborn person. This was still the same person who he had grown up with, but... when he looked at her... when he thought about it really hard... there was something... something that was... intriguing? Almost as if he still had more to figure out about her, even though he was her best friend and could probably write a pretty good biography on her life...

Isabella had also been doing her own amount of thinking. As the boy beside her sorted his thoughts, she took a moment to recollect her own. Yes, she had loved him for the longest time, and yes, she wanted him to return her feelings-however, she had given up on the centuars and rainbows last summer-yet she knew more than anyone that Phineas still had no valid clue about romance. Now that she was rethinking it, she realized that even though she'd told him how she felt, he may not understand enough to return her long-harbored feelings. Though the thought left her feeling sad, she decided to try and accept the truth.

Phineas was roused from his thoughts by the girl beside him standing up. He quickly followed suit, hastily brushing the grass off his backside in the process. His thoughts shifted from the relationship the two could share to the present moment, where something was obviously distressing the girl he cared so much about.

"Something wrong, Izzy?" Phineas asked, barely noticing that he had used a new nickname for the girl he'd been with his entire life. However, the new name did not escape her notice.

"Izzy?" she questioned, tilting her head in a curious manner, unaware that the simple motion sent Phineas' heart into a sudden sprint for its life, and sent the sweat to his palms. He hastily wiped his hands on his shorts and attempted to justify the nickname to Isabella... and himself.

"Um... i-it's a n-nickname!" he stuttered, his face becoming beet red in the process. He could not believe he used the nickname he had given her in his head. He had only come up with it a moment ago, and now he had said it to her. Since she simply stood there, silent, he took that as rejection and made a hasty and none too tactful retreat.

"B-but if you d-don't like it, then..." Phineas, for the first time, struggled for his words. He looked down at his hands, unsure of what the say next. He noted how they seemed to continue sweating. He once again wiped them off on his shorts, unsure of why they continued to have this strange reaction.

Isabella simply watched as her best friend and lifelong crush flopped around a little bit and sighed. If they all remembered what had happened on that day, she thought everything would be fine. She thought he would understand at least a little. After a slight pause, she smiled softly, and thought about her new nickname.

"I do..." she murmured softly, momentarily halting the boy's confused ramblings. After realizing what she had said and how he might perceive it, she quickly clarified, so as to not freak him out. "The nickname, I like it..."

"Really?" Phineas asked, mentally sighing in relief. He had no idea why he had just had his small panic session, or why the longer he spent with Isabella, the more he felt like he was forgetting something, but the thoughts vacated his mind as he watched her smile. It was a smile that grew a little bit after his question.

"Yes, really," she confirmed, content with the moment as it was. They were both in a good mood, they were alone, he knew how she felt and didn't immediately reject her... in fact... she still didn't know how he felt about that... Her smile faltered.

"Phineas?" Isabella asked, a new determination rekindled. She would figure what he was thinking about the situation. She had to. She looked him dead in the eye, searching them for anything other than confusion. There was something... he looked happy. Though it was normal for him to be happy and chipper, something just looked a bit different today. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her... perhaps...

"Isabella?" Phineas returned. Whatever had been bothering her before had made a hasty return, and he felt he knew what it was about. Come to think of it, they had not gotten a lot of talking done. More of they had started, then gotten sidetracked by something or another. But that-talking and laughing and getting sidetracked-had given him his answer. He took a deep breath as he gently reached for her hand and held it in his own. He felt a zing of electricity through his fingers and smiled. Yes, he definitely had his answer.

She did her best not to jump when he held her hand. Startled, she looked at her enclosed fingers, then back to Phineas' flushed face. Could he really mean...?

"We've been friends for as long as I can remember," Phineas started, almost chickening out. However, he saw that Isabella looked just as panicked as he felt and plucked up the courage to continue. "You were there when I made my first invention. I cheered you on during Li'l Sparks and later on in the Fireside girls. You talked sense into me on the island and kept my spirits up every day. I thought it was because we were best friends."

"We are, though!" Isabella said hurriedly, her fears seemingly coming to life before her. Phineas was not only rejecting her, but he didn't even want to be her friend anymore! Before her mind could spiral out of control, a slight pressure on her hand reminded her Phineas still had a hold on it. She attempted not to panic as she looked at him, unaware that the panic was evident on her face.

"Izzy..." he said to regain her attention. Once he had it, he smiled. He may not have a good hold of the whole romantic concept, but he did know that he wanted to keep the girl in front of him safe and happy for as long as he possibly could. He had always felt that way. To him, that was all that truly mattered at this point. That he was the one to keep her safe and happy. And that was when it all clicked for him.

Time stood still for a moment. For both of them. Both of their hearts pounded in their chests, blocking out all other sounds. He gathered his courage as he drew her in close and used his free hand to gently nudge her face upwards to his. She let him take the lead, and melted into the kiss quickly, entwining her fingers with his. It was their own personal slice of heaven on earth.

14AmyChan: okay, so here's the deal. There's gonna be an epilogue, then after that, I'm gonna have Dog!Phineas be open to some questions~! But here's the kicker, you ready for it...?

Dog!Phineas: *Bark!*

14AmyChan: I'm most likely going to draw the answers~! *^_^* how fun is that?

Isabella: what the heck?! Where are you gonna put these drawn answers? They won't show up on fanfiction!

14AmyChan: Precisely! I've got an account on Deviantart and I'll post the answers there. *^_^* So tell me what you think of the idea. Should I draw the ideas out, or should I simply add another chapter on the epilogue?

Ferb: Please review with your answer.

14AmyChan: *^_^*