Gretchen awoke to the sound of leaves rustling outside. She rolled onto her side, opened her eyes and took in her surroundings, then screamed.

The bedroom door flew open and Candace came charging in. "What's wrong?" She demanded, Gretchen bolted out of the bed and covered her mouth with her hands. Candace came over to her and placed her hands on Gretchen's arms. "You fell asleep on Ferb's chest." Candace said calmly then continued. "Phineas picked you up and brought you here, to his room, so you could sleep properly. He slept downstairs on the couch." She said and looked carefully at the younger girl. "It was almost 3am when your folks left and they didn't want to wake you."

Ferb and Phineas were sitting at the kitchen table having breakfast. "I don't know Ferb." Phineas answered his brother's question. They heard Gretchen scream and both looked up. "Check on her, I'll be there soon." Ferb told his brother as they both got up from the table.

Phineas ran through the living room, almost tripping over the coffee table, up the stairs and into his room. He saw Candace trying to calm Gretchen down and he stepped closer. "Gretchen, what's wrong?" He asked her and she stood stock-still. Phineas nodded to Candace, who stepped out of the way, and took Gretchen's hand and led her back to his bed. "Just have a seat." He whispered as he sat down with her. "Ferb's on his way, he'll just be a minute."

Ferb came into the room, cane in hand and sat down on Phineas' bed. He placed a hand on Gretchen's back and she turned and wrapped her arms around him. Ferb wrapped his good arm around her, kissed her forehead and rested his cheek on top of her head.

Phineas and Candace left the room. "You know, I think they care more about each other than I care about Jeremy." She said and Phineas nodded. "Yeah, I've got that feeling too." He replied sadly. They went downstairs. "Are you and Isabella having difficulties?" She asked and Phineas shook his head. "I don't know. I do know that what we've got pales in comparison, to them." He said and went to finish his breakfast.

Lawrence walked into the kitchen and poured himself a coffee. "Good morning Phin." He said cheerfully. Phineas turned and looked worriedly at his father. "Morning Dad." He replied unenthusiastically. Lawrence took a seat. "That was really nice of you to let Gretchen sleep in your bed last night." He said and Phineas nodded. "It's not a problem, the couch isn't that bad. I need to ask you something, but not here... not where Ferb might hear."

Lawrence poured his coffee into a travel cup and grabbed a slice of bread and buttered it. "Let's go clear your conscience then." He said as he pulled his keys out of his pocket. Phineas stood up, went to put his shoes on then met his father at the car.

Lawrence was driving and Phineas was looking out the passenger window. "What's bothering you, son?" Phineas was asked. "I'm I a bad person Dad?" Lawrence stopped at a red light. "I wouldn't say that. Who's calling you that?" Phineas shook his head. "No one, yet." He continued to look out the window. Lawrence drove in silence waiting for Phineas to talk, he knew the lad would talk when he was ready. "Is Ferb really going to be all right?" Phineas finally asked.

Lawrence continued driving. "He's got a long road ahead of him, but I'm sure he'll be fine." He replied. Phineas sat silently again for a few minutes. "Gretchen really cares about him. Candace said that Ferb seems to love Gretchen more than Jeremy loves her." He said and Lawrence nodded but remained silent.

Father and son drove for another ten minutes in complete silence with only the sound of the engine to keep them company. "Ferb's going to hate me." Phineas choked out causing Lawrence to look at him. "Why would you say that?" Phineas covered his face with his hands. "I'm in love with Gretchen." Lawrence slammed on the brakes causing the seat belts to lock. Fortunately, they were on a residential street with no traffic.

Lawrence turned to look directly at Phineas. "What makes you say that?" He asked. Phineas looked out the window and wiped away a few tears. "Don't get me wrong, I love Isabella a lot. It's just I want to take Gretchen in my arms and hold her; tell her everything's okay." Phineas then turned to look at his father. "Last night, when I helped Gretchen to my room, so she could sleep... part of me wanted to lie down with her and just hold her all night." He wiped away a few more tears and Lawrence sighed.

Lawrence put his hand on Phineas' shoulder. "Without using the word 'love', tell me, how did you feel about Gretchen when the school year started?" Phineas looked at his hands. "I...cared about her." Lawrence nodded. "And how did you feel about Isabella?" The red-head blinked a couple of times. "I cared about her too... but more, much more." Lawrence nodded then continued. "What about at your birthday?" Phineas turned red. "I don't know, both were... wow, sexy." Lawrence smiled and chuckled a bit. "Okay, Phin. How did you feel about Gretchen at the beginning of summer, before Ferb came home?" Phineas thought for a few minutes then responded. "She was nice, helpful, smart... she's always been smart. I never really thought about her." Lawrence nodded again. "And how about Isabella?" With a smile Phineas sighed. "Isabella was cute, beautiful, bubbly... are you trying to say that I'm in love with both of them now?" He asked.

Lawrence shook his head. "I've another question for you. How did you feel about Isabella when Ferb had the heart attack?" Phineas looked out the wind shield. "Isabella was the pillar holding my world together as it fell apart around me." Lawrence nodded. "And Gretchen?" Phineas closed his eyes then replied. "Her world was falling apart as well. What does this mean?"

Lawrence started driving again. "Phin, when you see Ferb and Gretchen together are you jealous?" The boy looked out the window while subconsciously playing with his hands. "I guess, a little. Their relationship just came so easy for them, I feel I have to work to keep Isabella happy." Lawrence turned a corner. "What if I were to tell you that I know, for a fact, that they've argued about things." Phineas turned to look at his father. "Really? They argue?" He asked and Lawrence nodded. "Your mother and I argue about things." Phineas turned away. "Yeah, I know." He said sadly.

"You see Phin, relationships take work. You might be jealous of your brother because they can work around their differences. They compromise. He might take her out to the movies, and she chooses which one. He might not like her choice but he's not going to complain about it because the last time they went out he picked the movie and she wasn't happy." Phineas pondered what his father just told him. "So, I'm not in love with Gretchen?" Lawrence nodded as they pulled back into the driveway. "It would seem that way." He replied and Phineas leapt out of the car and ran into the house.

Phineas kicked his shoes off and ran upstairs. "Ferb!" He yelled. "Ferb! Ferb! Ferb!" He looked in Ferb's room and didn't see them. He went back to his room They better not be making out on my bed! He thought to himself as he opened the door to find the room empty. He turned around and went back to the hallway. "Ferb!" He bellowed again.

Gretchen went up the stairs. "Ferb's in the kitchen, what do you need Phineas?" She asked him. Phineas grabbed her by the shoulders and smiled at her, then grabbed her hand and ran down the stairs. "Slow down!" Gretchen cried. "I'm going to trip." Phineas ignored her but didn't let go of her hand. "Ferb!" He yelled again. "Ears!" Gretchen yelled back at him.

Ferb stepped out of the kitchen and noticed that Phineas was holding his girlfriend's hand. "Ferb!" Phineas yelled again. Ferb's eyebrow went up. "I'm right here and I'm not deaf... yet." He replied calmly. Phineas spun Gretchen to face him and took her by the shoulders again. "I'm not in love with you! I love Isabella!"

Gretchen tried to pull Phineas' hands off her shoulders when he hugged her tight. "Phineas let me go." Gretchen squeaked and Ferb came over. "She said 'let go'." Phineas released Gretchen then hugged his brother, startling him and causing the cane to fall. Ferb gasped as Phineas wrapped his arms around his torso, squeezing his bruised ribs. "Let go." The Brit whispered weakly. Phineas tightened his hold on his brother. "You're not perfect." Gretchen started pulling on the red-head's arms trying to get him to release Ferb. "You're crushing him!" She cried and Phineas finally let go.

Gretchen caught Ferb and let him lean on her. "Ferb?" She quietly asked then felt his hand rub her back. "Oh, thank goodness." She said as she rested her forehead against his chest.

Gretchen returned to school on Monday. Ferb had returned to her house and continued with his routine of studying, and going to his parents' shop; rehab sessions were on hold for the next four weeks. Gretchen was sitting down to lunch with Isabella and the rest of her friends when her phone indicated an incoming text.

Gretchen read the text, smiled and replied. Over the course of her lunch break, she received and replied to 20 subsequent messages. The bell rang at the end of lunch break and everyone started to disperse. "Who's texting you?" Ginger asked as the two girls walked to their lockers. Gretchen leaned against her locker and sighed. "Ferb." Ginger rolled her eyes. "What did he want, and where is he anyhow? He was here last week." She observed. Gretchen opened her locker and pulled out the books she needed for her class. "He's studying. He just wanted to remind me that he loves me." Ginger pulled her books and closed her locker, the girls started walking. "Are you two going to the dance on Friday?"

Gretchen paused and shook her head sadly. "He said he would take me... but that was before..." She said and Ginger looked at her friend in anticipation. "Before? Before what?" Gretchen drew a sharp breath. "Didn't you hear? Jason and his friends pushed him down the stairs and beat him up." The taller girl gasped. "You're kidding. Jason beat up Ferb? Why?" She asked and Gretchen hung her head then started talking in a very quiet voice. "Remember last year when I was dating him for a while?" Ginger nodded and Gretchen continued. "He wanted to sleep with me. I told him 'No' and broke up with him, well, he swore that he'd get back at me."

Ginger wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Is Ferb okay?" She inquired and Gretchen tilted her head to the side before answering. "No, not really. He's got two crushed vertebrae, his eye's swollen, stitches, split lip and bruised ribs. My dad's called one of his lawyer friends and they're pressing charges of assault." Ginger stopped walking. "I can't believe that. Poor Ferb." Gretchen nodded sadly, sniffed then picked up her pace. Gretchen entered her class and took her seat.

After class Gretchen went to her locker, grabbed her books and left for the day. She went home, straight to her room and lay down on her bed and sobbed.

Ferb went into the kitchen to help with dinner when there was a knock on the door. "Can you answer that for me?" Trudy asked him. Ferb opened the front door and the entire Fireside Girl troop was standing there. He looked toward his host who nodded that they could come in and Ferb stood aside. The girls walked into the house and Ferb went to finish helping with dinner.

"Hey Ferb." Isabella greeted, Ferb raised his hand slightly in response. "Is Gretchen home?" She asked. Trudy patted Ferb's hand. Ferb walked out of the kitchen, motioned for the girls to follow him and led the way down the hall to Gretchen's room. He pointed at the door then entered his own room.

Ferb entered his room and closed the door. He went to his bureau and pulled out a pin, he clipped it to his shirt and pressed the button on his watch. He then took the neck brace off and lay down.