Plotting a Trap

It had been difficult for Platyborg to relive the day of his defeat, but apparently it had been even harder for AJ to watch.

He pulled back a little, with a chatter to let her know he was fine with how things were.

With a sniffle, she nodded, wiping the tears away. "You're right. We can't change what happened. Even with a time machine. All we can change, is our future. That's just how things were meant to be."

She patted him. "I know I'm always saying that I'd change the past if I could, but I hope you know that I wouldn't change you for anything, and I know your kids feel the exact same way." She kissed the top of his head.

He smiled. I'm not the one who needs convincing! He'd made his choice… twice now, and considering how things could have turned out, he was fine with the way things were.

He glanced over, and caught Perry's smirk. Does your AJ get this upset?

He shrugged. Probably more upset. She's never really had a reason too.

Platyborg rolled his eye. Right. I forgot that you guys lived in the cushy dimension.

Perry grinned good naturedly at the teasing. His alternate self had earned the right to a few jabs.

AJ sighed. "Again, I'm getting the impression that you guys are talking about me."

At that moment, her watch beeped. She stood up and started explaining why they'd disappeared.

…...

Back at Temporary Headquarters

"An alternate future? What happened? Wait… on second thought, I don't want to know as long as the problem's taken care of. Meet us back here ASAP, Doofenshmirtz has come up with another hair-brained idea that I want to run by you three."

As she closed out the connection, Candace shook her head. A smidgen of curiosity remained, but for the most part, she honestly didn't want to know what had made the older girl's eyes that red. Something had made her cry, and there were only a handful of things that made AJ do that. All of them involved the Flynn-Fletcher family and their pet. The future had probably…

"No, no, no! Focus!"

An innocent voice piped up from behind her. "Focus on what, sis?"

She forced a reassuring smile. "On coming up with our next move, Phineas."

"Oh. Everyone's alright then? I've been a little worried, because Per- um, Platyborg hasn't checked in for a while."

She tapped the intercom she'd been talking into. "AJ just did. They ran into some complications, but everyone's okay."

Phineas beamed. "Okay then!" He started to leave, then slapped his forehead. "Oh! Ferb said to tell you that he thinks he's figured out how to make Doofenshmirtz's plan work."

…...

Just Outside

AJ scrambled out of the car, and held the door open for Perry. "You're 100% sure you're okay?"

Perry nodded with a wry smile. That was the fourth time she'd asked him.

Platyborg landed beside them, looking happier Perry had ever seen him. He gave an excited chatter, an raced in ahead of them. Come on, guys! Let's finish this!

AJ followed him, but the loud, happy, all too familiar cries of, "There you are, Perry!" gave the platypus another dose of homesickness. He pressed his watch, signaling Annie, but there was no answer. He frowned, knowing she would if she could, then shrugged. She was probably with the boys.

With a sudden sense of unease, he followed the other two into the building.

…..

"Alright people I never thought I'd say this, but I'm just going to go ahead, and turn this meeting over to Doofenhsmirtz."

There were a few mumbled complaints to that, but for the most part, everyone realized that if Candace was doing this, it must be necessary.

Alt. Doofenshmirtz stood up beside her. "Ahem. So I've been talking to your little, leader, person here, and it seems to me that you've all been going about this the wrong way. Don't find him, make him come find you. Set a trap."

From the back of the room, Doof nodded, oblivious to the platypus sighing beside him.

"All you need is some bait, and I do believe I've figured out how to make this work."

…..

Those stupid resistance members. Did they really think they'd beaten him? Why, as soon as he got the plans for his portal back, he'd go take over the other dimension, and come back to this one with reinforcements

He'd show them. He'd show all of them! But he'd start with both of those platypuses…

…

Almost everyone headed out to this dimensions DEI.

Three people went back to headquarters. Platyborg was helping Phineas and Ferb with their end of the plan, since they didn't dare let Alt. Doof see them.

Phineas hadn't been happy about being left behind, until he heard that he'd get some time with his pet. Since that moment, he hadn't stopped talking. "It really is great having you back, well, again I guess. You're the best pet ever, you know that right? We've been so worried about you, but you know, you almost look happy! That's a good change."

Platyborg smiled. He didn't mind Phineas' rambling one little bit. It was sort of funny, actually, how much he liked listening to Phineas, or AJ go on, and on, and on… Now Doofenshmirtz was another thing entirely. He couldn't stand listening to him rambling. Must have been all those years as a general.

All this time, Ferb stayed quiet. He seemed to be enjoying himself too, but then, Ferb usually did. Platyborg gave him a thumbs up, and the boy responded in kind, a slight hint of a smile on his face.

Platyborg understood him better than most people did. Neither of them said much; that people could understand anyway.

He sighed happily as he helped the boys solder a piece of metal in place. It was so good to be back. As soon as this ordeal was over, he was going to make sure they got a chance to try an invention that didn't involve takeovers, and he was going to help them do it.

…

Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated

"Down, down, down, down, down…"

AJ cast a worried glance over at Candace, who was busy pounding a nail into the ground, most likely wishing it were the Regurgitator instead.

She sighed. The poor girl had just gotten her chance to be a kid again, and it had been snatched away.

Someone tapped her shoulder, and she turned to see Doof standing there, staring at his feet.

"Um…"

She sighed, in annoyance this time. "What is it?"

He cleared his throat. "I was just wondering, how long you thought this was going to take… I've been gone a while, and well, Perry the platypus isn't the only one who would have noticed I was gone by now. Vanessa might have needed me by now… and" he spat out the word, "Norm needs more oil. Then there's the whole evil scheme thing… and I'm sure someone misses Perry the platypus…"

She shrugged. "I really don't know. I can say that we appreciate your help, and that we'll get you back as soon as we can."

He sighed. "I know. It's just that, well, we found you, and your Perry the Platyborg. Isn't that why we were here?"

She nodded. "At first. But we really can't spare the power to send you back right now. I'm sorry."

A firestorm girl came running up. "We just spotted him! He's on his way here! We've got to move now!"

Doof gulped. "But, we're not ready yet!"

Alt. Doof crossed his arms. "We're going to have to be."

To be continued…

A/N: Well, I'm back! Does anyone remember this story? If you do, you must have an awesome memory! Heh heh… Sorry about the really long wait, and then the really boring update. I can't seem to wrap my mind around the end. Any ideas?

Thanks for reading! You guys are still awesome!