Best friends for Ava

Chapter 21: The rest of the story.

This story is not official in anyway for the Phineas and Ferb series.

Ava Fletcher-Bertram belongs to me. Please don't use without permission.

The stress has been killing him. Ferb has been spending many hours decidinging on what he should do. He has to choose between leaving his current family, which includes Phineas, or lose the chance to permantly reunite with the one person he's missing for 8 years. It's a hard choice for him. And to really make him angry, all of this time he's been spending thinking could be used to play with the one he'll have to leave.

Bluntly put...

"...Phineas...or Ava. Phineas, or Ava. WHY CAN'T I DECIDE!"

"Maybe because you love them both very dearly?"

Caught off-gaurd, Ferb turnss and sees that the voice was from his own father, who's standing at the doorway, waiting to be invited in. Sadly, Ferb isn't in the mood to talk to him. So he walks up to the door and shuts it in Lawrence's face.

"Ow, my nose!" He says. "Ferb, I'm not here to make you stay, I'm just here to talk. Maybe I can be a neutral party since I wouldn't be able to stand seeing you lose Phineas OR Ava, so I might help you with your decision."

This really is something Ferb would rather try and decide on his own, but since he's running out of time to decide, he can use all of the help he can get. And Lawrence is right, he wouldn't force Ferb to not leave with Ava. Although hesitant to do so, Ferb finally agrees to open his door and let his Dad inside.

As far as they know, it's only the two of them in the room. Outside the bedroom, not far from where Lawrence was, lies the eavesdropper, interested in hearing what they will be saying.

"Hmm. Even I'm not sure if this will hurt me or not." Ava says to herself. "Ignoring this may cost me."

As worried as she is, Ava is still feeling confident enough that Ferb will choose to go with her. But just to be safe, she chooses to listen in.

Inside the bedroom...

"Ferb, I would like to tell you that I'm very sorry that I've kept my little...secret...from you and the family. And I understand that you hate me for it."

And Ferb answers..."It's Linda I'm mad at. If you two never met, things wouldn't have to of change."

Lawrence becomes surprised by what Ferb just said. He was thinking that he was the one who Ferb was mad at. But, after thinking it over in his head...

"Oh, I guess you don't quite know the whole story, do you? About how me and your mother got seperated?"

Now Ferb is the one who's confused. From what he remembers, his Dad met Linda, chose Linda over Barabra, and moved to never knew that there was really anything more then that. In fact, even Ava seems oblivious to the fact that there's more to the story. She's now very glad she's listening in on this.

"Ok, let me think. Where did I left off at?"

Oh, that's right. I ended my story before saying by mentioning that I brought Linda to the Love Handle concert, and when straight to the divorce. Because of how I put it, I can see how you hate Linda for it. Allow me to shift the blame away from her.

You already know how we met, and how we first kissed at the concert, but now let me tell you what happened after that. You see, I had to return to England shortly after the concert, but I got to give my final goodbye to Linda first.

"I had a great time last night, and I think our kids had fun with each other too. Maybe...we can scedule another date some time?"

"Umm, Linda, did you forget? Me and Ferb have to head home today. But...I had a lovely time with you too. I'm glad you let me bring you to the concert."

"Trust me. It was my pleasure." She said. "I haven't been interested in having another man in my life, but after spending time with you, it'll be hard to find someone as great as you are."

And before I got to leave, she gave me a last kiss on the cheek, you said bye to Phineas, and we went back to England. Now Ferb, this next part will be hard for me to tell you. But you surely desearve nothing less then the truth.

Anyway, one of the big things I was hoping for by taking the business trip to England was to give me and your mother time to cool off and hopefully patach up our marriage after I got home. For the most part, it seemed to have worked. We weren't yelling as much, things got quiet, things were actually pleasent.

But...that was only because I never said anything about Linda, and as much as I loved your mother, I just felt she was no longer the one for me.

"So Ferb, you shouldn't be mad at Linda. I had to women to pick from, and I chose Linda. You should be mad at me, not her."

Unfortunately for Lawrence, Ferb isn't buying this. Ferb still isn't sure where he's been trying to go with this story and neither is Ava."

After a very long sigh..."Alright. I have no other choice then. Ferb, let me finish up my story."

After coming clean with Barabra and telling her about Linda, we talked over our issues little by little over a few days. Eventually, we agreed that a seperation was for the best. What's the point of staying married if you're no longer in love. It was probably the most shameful moment of my life.

But, another issue occured.

"What about the kids?" Lawrence asked.

"Well Larry, normally ex's will have joint custody over children."

"Yes, but I plan on moving to the U.S.A. We obviously can't just mail them back and forth to share them."

'Hmm. And I'm sure you don't want to look like a deadbeat and not bring either of them with you."

Now I have to admit, I was surprised by how cooperative your mother was being. I was lucky she wanted to leave on friendly terms. I actually imagined her simply kicking me out of the house and throw my unclosed suitcase with me. Although I defintely didn't give her an easy time because of my travel plans.

Until...

"What if...we each took one?" He said.

"We each...wait, what?"

"Well, Linda only knows about Ferb and...well, I'd hate to leave you with no one. Afterall, they're your kids too."

"The kids will be absoultely devastated if that's what we do."

"They will be free to hate me all they want."

It was a tough choice for her. She didn't want to seperate you and Ava, but she didn't want me to leave with neither with nothing either. Again, she was surprising calm about it all. In the long run...

"She agreed. I took you with me to America, and your mother kept Ava."

This is the side of the story Ferb has never known about. Sure, Linda was the reason Lawrence wanted to divorce Linda, but it was Lawrence's fault for having Ferb and Ava never see each other again. But there's still one more question.

Ferb asks..."What was the REAL reason you didn't want Ava to come with us, or have me stay with Mother?"

Now Lawrence is in a pinch. Ferb feels that there's still more to the story, and Lawrence knows he's right. And since he promised Ferb to be completely honest...

"Linda only knew about you and not Ava or your mother. If I she had found out about them, my divorce would've been for nothing. So as you can see, none of the Flynns or anyone else is responsible for what's happened. It's all been my fault. You told Linda ruined your life? Well...I'm sorry Ferb, but that was me too."

Ferb's eyes has now been opened by the truth. All of this time, he's been angry at the wrong people. Linda, Candace, Isabella, and even Phineas.

But he's not the only with open eyes.

"YOU GREEDY, GREEDY PIG!"

Unable to hide herself due to her now increasing anger, Ava left the comfort of the shadows and walks into the bedroom in a rage.

"Ava! H-how long have you been there?" Lawrence asks.

"All these years, all of the pain and suffering, and loneliness, my brother taken away from me...ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN SELFISH REASONS!"

No one has even seen Ava behave like this before. The calm, calculating, almost emotionless girl everyone knew has instantly disappeared. All she's feeling right now is rage, rage, and rage. It's hard to blame her though, seeing at the one person who's seemingly ruined her life was none other then her own father.

"Ava, I understand that you're angry." Lawrence says. "You have every right to hate me. I admit, what I did was greedy on my part, and I know I can't be forgiven..."

"You've done FAR more then then you realize! You may have ruined Ferb's life, but you completely DESTROYED mine! Everything that's happened and effected, the person I've become now...It was all caused because of you!"

EVIL CLIFF HANGER!

I feel like I managed to finish this chapter rather quickly. Like I promised, these last few chapters are turning out great in my opinion. :D

Here, we have Lawrence explaining to Ferb about his personal, greedy demons. Next chapter, I'll explain about Ava's. All of you have been hating Ava and have been wanting her to die. But by the end of the next chapter, maybe you'll feel a little differently. That's right, she's getting her own tragic backstory!

Only two chapter's left. Afterwards, I'll get started on my next fic, "To be Human". Enjoy the rest of this while you can. Until then, ciao.