Just something that I came up with after having a nightmare. It is now half past five in the morning, so forgive me if I screw up something.

ficklepickle7: The debate boy didn't know about Perry being an agent; he just knew it was Perry when he saw him.

Guest: Yes! Do that! And thank you

Ryan: I may have it as a future story, but for now Ferb can keep a secret.

d-u: I'm not going to ask you to stop reviewing, just to please only review under one name. The constant reviews really stressed me out and did not help with my situation at all. Thank you for being concerned: I'm not feeling all that great mentally, hence my recent dark stories.

amber faulkner: While H2O was the inspiration for the original plot of this story arc, I don't want to use it in the actual stories. Also, this series is mainly about Candace, so I'd rather not throw in OC characters unless absolutely necessary. Good idea though!

gyardosmaster2: Can you be a little more specific?

Guys, please please please please. I have no prompts for this anymore, and the only reason I managed to think of this one was because of a nightmare I had. Please leave me plots or one word prompts (those are actually preferred) that I can actually use so that I can continue to update this story.

I don't own Phineas and Ferb.

GENERAL POV

Candace screamed and struggled violently underneath the cold metal band that strapped her to the table.

Water covered her torso completely, and she thrashed at the restraints even as her tail formed, trying desperately to break free.

"Now now," her unknown captor said in a tone that was anything but soothing. "Struggling will only hurt you more, my pet."

Candace snarled up at whoever waas speaking to her, and then yelped as an electric shock coursed through her body, sending her to the brink of unconciousness before pulling back.

The mermaid gasped in pain, turning tear filled eyes up to the torture room. "What...what do you want from me?" she whimpered, her gaze straying to a knife that lay on a nearby counter.

The voice laughed, though the more appropriate term would be "cackle."

"Why Candace, I only want answers. That's a simpe request, isn't it?"

The orange haired girl glared in anger at where she believed her speaker to be."Depends. What answers?"

Another shock went through her body, and as she writhed in agony, Candace spotted an air duct being pulled open at the top of the room, Perry looking out anxiously. When the platypus saw her, he growled and leapt into the air.

Candace opened her mouth, trying to warn him, but a claw shot from the wall and wrapped around Perry's waist, shoving the monotreme into solid concrete wall.

"Tsk tsk. Your little pet should know better. Now, Candace...those questions?"

Candace turned her head away, refusing to answer, but out of the corner of her eye she spotted a claw pick up the knife from the side table and move towards Perry, stopping just at the animals neck.

The girl froze and the voice chuckled. "Yes. I thought so. Now, Candace. I'll ask you: who do you work for?"

Candace hesitated, staring Perry in the eye. The platypus managed a tiny shake of his head and Candace glared defiantly at her captor. There was no response; the knife merely moved closer to Perry's skin, this time breaking it and drawing blood.

"Monogram!" Candace yelped desperately, her eyes filling with tears as she watched her pet struggling against his bonds, against the knife at his throat. "Francis Monogram."

"Good. Now we're getting somewhere. Tell me, Candace. How are you a mermaid?"

Candace shook her head. "I don't know..." she lied softly, praying that the captor wouldn't see through her.

The knife dug deeper and crimson red spilled down Perry's fur. The platypus writhed against the metal and Candace shrieked. "An inator! I got hit by a mermaid-inator!"

The knife stopped moving and the torturer laughed. "Good. Very good. Now. Tell me where to find your brothers."

Perry's gaze flshed to Candace and his eyes spoke what he couldn't chatter, not with the blade pressed to his vocal cords. Don't you dare.

Candace shook her head, and to her amazement, the knife pulled away from Perry's skin. They both breathed a sigh of relief as the intercom the woman had been using crackled to life.

"One last chance, Candace. Where do I find your brothers?"

Candace crossed her arms over the metal restraining bar at her wasit and stared angrily at the ceiling.

"Suit yourself."

Shock waves coursed over her body and just as her vision darkened, she saw the knife swoop through the air and slide neatly across Perry's neck, dark red pouring down into the water below.

"NO!" Candace screamed, bolting upright in bed, her heart pounding against her chest in terror as she clawed at her blanket.

Breathing heavily, Candace looked around and sighed in relief at the sight of her bedroom. She slowly loosened the grip she held on her comforter and pressed her trembling fingers to her lips, trying to shake away the nightmare.

Her door burst open and the girl jumped before seeing her brothers standing there, both looking concerned. Perry was cradled in Phineas' arms, and the platypus was alert as he scanned the room for trouble.

"Are you okay?" Phineas asked softly, stepping into her room with Ferb at his side.

Candace nodded, shaking, and the boys glanced at one another before climbing onto the bed with her. Phineas deposited Perry into Candace's lap, and to everyone's surpise, Candace yanked him into her arms and clung to him tightly, running her fingers slowly through his fur as she assured herself that he was okay.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Phineas asked his sister softly, concern in his dark blue eyes.

Candace shivered. "I was in a lab..." she whispered.

That was all she had to say. Phineas leapt from the bed and headed for the door. "I'll make some hot cocoa," he promised. "Be right back."

The boy darted from the room and Ferb turned to Candace, gently prying Perry from her arms. "Candace? Was that all?"

She shook her head and pulled Perry back into her lap, much more restrained this time. "No. She was torturing me, asking questions, and Perry came in. She captured him and..."

The girl shuddered and pulled Perry to her chest. The semi-aquatic mammal was startled by how shaky she was, how much her heart was pounding, and he chattered soothingly, patting her shoulder.

"And...?" Ferb pushed gently, reaching over and grabbing his sister's hand.

"And I woke up just as she sliced his throat," the girl whispered hoarsley.

Perry stared at her in horror before standing on his hind legs and wrapping her in a hug, Ferb not far behind.

"Candace, I'm fine. I promise," Perry murmured, patting her hand with his.

She nodded. "I know...it was just so awful."

The three glanced up as the stairs creaked and Perry dropped to his paws just before Phineas walked in the door, balancing three mugs of hot cocoa in his hands. He handed one each to Ferb and Candace and then crawled back onto the bed next to his sister.

"Want us to stay with you?" the triangular boy asked softly, sipping the scalding liquid carefully.

Candace glanced at her brothers and pet and smiled lightly. "That would be really nice."

That's how Linda and Lawrence found the siblings the next morning, curled up together with empty mugs scattered around the room and Perry perched atop Phineas' back.

Linda raised an eyebrow. "What went on in here last night?" she wondered.

Lawrence chuckled and kissed her on the cheek. "I'd say sibling bonding."

Woop. That's that. Shorter and darker. Sorry about that.

Again. Please submit prompts. I'm utterly useless when it comes to ideas these days. Or anything, really.

Review?