Hello! I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's another fairly long one.

I have good news, too, because the next two chapters are nearly finished. Thank you kindly for your patience with me. I hope the story is captivating enough that you don't mind too much. But enough of me. On to chapter third-seven!

Disclaimer: I do not own Phineas and Ferb.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN:

Alive

Everything had officially gone to hell when the horse died, but things hadn't exactly been sunshine and roses before then, either.

"Four meatling attacks and five run-ins with Rogerick's men," Bufavalous groused. Then, in case the others hadn't heard him make this point several times in the past few marks, he repeated, "Four freaking meatling attacks and five freaking run-ins with Rogerick's damn men!"

While Ferb was tired of hearing Bufavalous' repetitive bellyaching, the brute had been working overtime. Between him, Phineas, Baljeetolus, and the still-recovering Ferb, Bufavalous was the only one who could really carry his own weight in battle. So, as Bufavalous liked to remind them, when they were attacked four times by meatlings and five times by Rogerick's men, the brute was the singular reason they were all still alive.

Except for their horse.

Poor Alis—the horse, not Southern—had been a trooper, really. Even with that swollen knee, it still pulled the cart that carried Isabel's unconscious form, as well as Ferb from time to time, for miles on end nearly an entire day. But after a nasty struggle with a particularly conniving group of thugs, things had taken a turn for the worst.

One of the men had eschewed attacking them and gone straight for Alis, slashing up the horse's legs and hindquarters something fierce. Between Bufavalous and Baljeetolus, they had managed to knock out two of their assailants and scare the rest away, but the damage had been done. Alis was no longer fit for duty.

In the end, it had been Baljeetolus, stone-faced and determined, who had put their trusty friend out of its misery. Ferb held his brother; Phineas had been too upset to watch. Judging by the look on Phineas' face, Ferb knew he was wishing he had potion ingredients. He could have maybe done something, if only he did.

Ferb hated the idea of Phineas thinking of himself as useless now; not after what he'd done to save Ferb's life. Ferb knew it wasn't like his brother to doubt himself, but Ferb was worried nevertheless. He was protective, and wanted his brother to know just how incredible he was.

"Yo, Pointy," Bufavalous said while they were waiting for Baljeetolus to return—he had led Alis away the best he could before doing what needed to be done, saving the rest of them from seeing it. Now Bufavalous, Phineas, and Ferb stood like sentries by the cart, where Isabel still remained utterly dormant.

"Mm?" Phineas sighed, acknowledging the brute.

Ferb watched as Bufavalous hefted something from the ground: a sword. It had belonged to one of the men Bufavalous had knocked out. Tossing the sword around in his hand as if to appraise it, he said, "I got something for you."

Phineas made the connection, but it was preposterous. He didn't want a weapon. He thought he'd made that perfectly clear back in Amias, when they were in Irving's shop.

"Oh! Whoa, Bufavalous, I already told you I—"

"Yeah, shut up," Bufavalous cut him off. "I heard you before, you're 'not a weapons person,' yadda yadda." He shoved the sword against Phineas' chest. "But I know you're a defend your friends kind of person, and right now, this is how you do it."

Phineas blinked at him. Hesitantly, his arms wrapped around the sheath, and Bufavalous let go, but he wasn't prepared to concede.

"It's heavy," Phineas breathed.

"You carried Girlie no problem, you'll survive."

"I'm left-handed?"

Bufavalous crossed his arms. "With that hilt, it don't matter."

"But I don't know how to use it."

"You can learn."

"Not when we have to keep moving, and keep getting attacked, and keep—"

"No better time to learn," Bufavalous countered. He clapped Phineas on the shoulder. "Listen, Pointy, I wouldn't give you this if I thought you couldn't handle it. I can't have you up and dying on me, you hear?"

Phineas looked to Ferb, uncertain, and the older brother didn't know with whom to agree. He knew Phineas didn't like to hurt anyone, especially in a way so forwardly violent as with a sword. At the same time, he really liked the idea of Phineas being able to fight. He nodded encouragingly.

"But Ferb—"

"I'll help you," Ferb said gently, taking his brother's arm while he let his eyes say even more; I'll teach you how to defend yourself.

Phineas turned his tentative gaze toward the cart. Isabel hadn't made a sound, hadn't stirred even an inch since he'd laid her there. Both brothers had repeatedly had to make sure she was still breathing, because one wouldn't have thought it just looking at her.

Man, her magic… After hearing the full story from the others while they traveled, Ferb could hardly believe it. What she was capable of… Those strong gusts of wind were nothing like what she'd conjured before. They'd stretched the entire clearing and beyond, far into the surrounding trees. It had been so strong it was able to send the heavy spears in the air spiraling like feathers. And that lightning. She'd summoned a strike for every gargoyle, dozens, maybe a hundred, maybe even more. It was an inconceivable amount of power.

Ferb wasn't bothered by it, not in the slightest. She had saved them, after all. If not for her magic, the rest of his friends would have ended up like him: skewered by a spear. Or maybe bashed by a gargoyle. There simply were too many of them, and had she not done what she had, he thought they wouldn't have survived.

But Ferb was bothered. It was an image, something he had seen, impressed in his mind like a searing brand of hot iron: Isabel suspended in the sky with those fire-white eyes. They radiated sheer light magic—fairy's magic. And they were exactly as Ferb had seen when he'd reached out for Jenny's hand, when he was dreaming and touched Isabel's aura.

He'd seen things from their past. Now it appeared he'd seen something from her future. He'd seen those glowing white eyes. His imagination was not nearly so skilled as to have just come up with it while he'd been dreaming. It had been more than an image; it was a vision. It had been real.

And he'd seen other things, too. Dangerous things. A blade had been pressed against her throat. He could see it clearly—the way it dug into her skin. There had been the faintest bead of blood at its tip.

Lost, Jenny had said. She'll be lost.

Ferb found it incredibly hard to swallow.

"What do we do now?" Phineas said, glancing down awkwardly at the sword he held—even more awkwardly—in his arms. "I mean, Isabel can't walk, obviously. And Ferb—" He met Ferb's eyes. "Well, you're doing really well, but you definitely can't carry her."

This was true. What would they do with a cart without a horse? And especially when they had an unconscious fairy? All eyes turned to Bufavalous. Huffily, the brute crossed his arms.

"Don't look at me," he grumbled. "I ain't touching her."

Phineas blinked at him. "You can't be serious."

Bufavalous raised his eyebrow dangerously. "I. Don't. Do. Magic."

"Then we have arrived at quite the quandary," Baljeetolus said somberly. He looked tired as he rejoined them. Quietly, he muttered, "It is done."

They owed Eliza a horse. Ferb thought perhaps that could maybe, possibly be a contributing factor to Bufavalous' ludicrously bad attitude. At least, Ferb had to convince himself of that to keep himself from pulling his sword on the brute and really getting angry. But instead, Ferb forced himself to remain calm, because looking at the elf, he realized his friend was shaken.

He stepped forward and took Baljeetolus' shoulder. When the elf looked up, Ferb made sure his meaning was clear: thank you.

Baljeetolus let out a quivering breath before nodding. "So we need solutions," he rushed on. "Are we to push the cart from here? Portem is only a few marks away. We cannot stay there; that is clear from the sheer quantity of attacks we have faced. However, we could use supplies."

"Food," Phineas agreed, "and new clothes for Ferb and me." Ferb's shirt had been torn apart, and Phineas was practically covered head to foot in dried blood. He looked back to Isabel. "And I don't know, medicine? Do you think anything will help her?"

"I do not know a thing about this magical malady," Baljeetolus exhaled glumly. "But the rest of us could certainly use a dose of civilization. It is clearly going to be a difficult few days, and we need nutrients."

"That's not the most pressing problem," Phineas said, trying to get them back on track, but the attempt seemed to positively outrage Bufavalous.

"Right!" Bufavalous declared. "The most pressing problem is that you two—" He pointed to Phineas and Ferb, "and especially you—" Bufavalous leaned close to Ferb, his lips curled almost into a growl, "are in complete denial that we're traveling with a magical bomb that could explode at the drop of a hat!"

Ferb angrily threw his arms down.

"Ferb's right," Phineas translated, "Isabel didn't—"

"Arguing will get us nowhere," Baljeetolus tried to interject, but Bufavalous was already talking over them both.

"She's dangerous, damn it!" the brute spat. "Too dangerous to be around. Maybe if you weren't so blind—"

Ferb reeled indignantly. Too dangerous? It was Isabel, for crying out loud! She wasn't dangerous.

"Come on," Phineas tried to placate both of them. "I mean, she saved our lives, didn't she? If not for all the wind she created, maybe those spears would have—"

"Saved our lives?" Bufavalous scoffed. "She was out of control!"

"She was just—"

"Oh, no." Bufavalous stabbed a finger in the direction of the cart. "You want proof she's out of control? Just look at her lifeless body in there! We don't need that kind of baggage if you ask me."

Ferb faltered, his hands clenching into fists. Phineas could tell he was two seconds away from pulling Excaliferb on the brute, so he chose that moment to step between them.

"Whoa, whoa. Maybe you should calm down," Phineas said, his hands raised. "We don't—"

"No," Bufavalous growled. "Lover Boy needs to hear this. This magic? It ain't natural. In fact, it's so unnatural not even her body can handle it! She's so dangerous she's nearly killed herself!"

"Bufavalous," Baljeetolus said evenly. "You are not helping anything."

"I ain't here to help, I'm here to survive," Bufavalous snapped, taking Phineas and Ferb by surprise as he wheeled on the elf, getting in his face now. "You know why I hate magic, Baljeetolus, you know exactly why! And you know she's dangerous, too! So I ain't helping her, ain't touching her, ain't wanting nothing to do with her, you hear!"

"I hear you clearly," Baljeetolus responded, every bit as calm as before. "Of course I remember. I understand, Bufavalous, I am not saying I do not. I am saying that that does not solve our problem."

Their words made Ferb think Phineas and he were missing something, some backstory there, but he was honestly too angry at that moment to care. It didn't matter what past experiences Bufavalous had with magic; they weren't Isabel's fault, and they were not leaving her behind.

"So I'll solve it," Phineas stated loudly. All eyes turned to him, and Phineas stood even straighter, pulling out his usual confidence. "Bufavalous doesn't want to carry her? That's not the first time these past couple days. If we're a few marks from Portem, I'll carry her myself if I have to."

Ferb stepped in front of his brother, his eyebrows furrowing; no. Phineas had to be dead tired; he'd been traveling already at a killer pace while being attacked left and right. How did he think he could carry Isabel through the forest? Forget what Ferb feared about Phineas feeling useless; clearly he was experiencing the opposite problem. He was thinking he could take on too much.

"I can do it," Phineas said, watching Ferb. "I have to do it, so I will. It's that simple."

As if to prove his point, Phineas shoved his new sword back into Bufavalous' hands and climbed up into the back of the cart. Ferb reached out to stop him, but his brother was already beyond his fingertips, taking Isabel under her arms and pulling her back towards the edge of the cart.

"Besides," the alchemist said, sounding impossibly cheerful, "you can't carry her, Ferb, you have yourself to worry about. Jeet obviously can't." At this, Bufavalous snorted, and Baljeetolus, thin thing he was, turned pink. "And think about it; if Byoof was busy carrying her, who'd fight whatever we run into?"

Ferb went still. He wanted so badly to be furious with Bufavalous for his weird selfish phobia he hated to think that his little brother actually had a point. But still, for Phineas to carry Isabel for marks?

Phineas jumped down from the cart, brushing his hands off. He smiled at Ferb. "Help shift her only my back? Like a piggy back ride. I'll manage from there. Besides, you all know we really have to keep going. We don't have time to just stand around and argue."

Ferb could only stare at Phineas. Everything seemed so preposterous he couldn't really bring himself to respond or move. Bufavalous looked like he'd eaten something sour. That left Baljeetolus to step forward and clumsily try to help Phineas. He wasn't exactly strong in the first place, but with his brunt arm still wrapped up, he could hardly move her. Seeing it was enough to finally unlock Ferb's joints. He closed the distance to the others and helped ease Isabel onto Phineas' back.

Phineas shifted, adjusting for the new weight, but after a moment, he beamed at them. Remarkably, Ferb didn't think it was false or fake. If anything, it was bold and determined.

"Well," he chuckled, "Let's keep moving. We don't exactly have time to waste, right? Let's go!"

Phineas started trailblazing through the trees, before Baljeetolus called out, "That is the wrong way, Phineas."

Once those words settled in Phineas' mind, he froze. Then he swung around on his heel, grinning sheepishly.

"Besides, first thing's first," Bufavalous said. He stepped toward the cart, his ax raised, and Ferb found himself ducking out of the way as the brute swung. Thwack. The blade connected with a panel of wood, which splintered almost to the point of breaking.

"There," Bufavalous exhaled. He tucked Phineas' new sword into his belt and took ahold of the fractured wood. He yanked on it, and a large chunk of it snapped off into his hand.

"Oh, that is brilliant," Baljeetolus commented, looking positively baffled. Ferb agreed; they hadn't been bothered by a single monster since they'd surrounded themselves with the cockatrice blood. It was really smart to bring along something that still had its scent, and the wood of their cart was covered in the dried blood.

"Don't need to sound so surprised," Bufavalous grumbled. "I've always been a genius, I just don't like to show it. You'd start expecting too much from me."

"Oh, just tell us which way to go, Jeet," Phineas snorted. The elf laughed and started walking, and as the others followed, Phineas added, "And I'm sure we all believe you, Byoof."

Altogether, it had taken way too long to finally make it to Portem. What would have been half a day's journey by horse had turned into nearly two days, thanks to all the attacks and injuries.

It made Ferb wonder how the kingdom was. They must have left home at least a month ago. That was a whole month that they weren't entirely sure what Malifishmirtz was doing. He was sending his monsters after them and hunting for sprites. He obviously wanted Isabel for her magical power. Did that mean he was running low on magic? Was that how it worked? He needed to replenish his stock?

Ferb realized they had been so focused on making it through the south alive so they could travel north that maybe they hadn't fully recognized the fact that they weren't certain where Malifishmirtz was. They were heading to the northern mountains—to Shadow Quarry—because that was where Mount Doof was before. What if Malifishmirtz wasn't even there? They seriously had some things to figure out.

Was the rest of the kingdom suffering from a drought, like Danvillage was starting to before they left? Did the refugees make it to the G.W.C.A.? Did Perrible make it to their parents? Who else was struggling now that Rogerick had abandoned his friendly façade? Surely the kingdom was no longer buying into his staging as the kindly protector; his goons were treating towns like their personal playgrounds.

All of this was whirring in Ferb's mind as they finally made it to Portem. He wondered what problems they'd run into here. They always seemed to find trouble, every single step of the way. He held Excaliferb in front of him, just waiting for the next attack.

They stopped behind a low building, probably storing farming equipment, a decent ways outside of the town. They decided they wouldn't actually venture into settlement, which was a shame, Ferb thought. Out of all the towns he'd seen, Portem was his favorite so far.

Kaigate had of course been completely destroyed. Amias felt claustrophobic, being so closely surrounded by forest. It had felt like the town was being strangled by a tall collar of trees. Thryth was too closely controlled by Rogerick to allow for a single hair to be free, and the layout of the city was nothing short of intimidating. But Portem, with its low-rising buildings and the vast halo of fields surrounding it, felt so different. It felt easier to breathe there.

Which was of course why they couldn't afford to experience it. As it was, Baljeetolus was the only one to venture into the market. Phineas and Ferb were being hunted, of course, and toting around an unconscious girl would only draw even more attention. And apparently Bufavalous had a certain… reputation amongst Rogerick's men; when they saw a hulking brute with an ax, they knew who he was.

So it was Baljeetolus who slipped into town, toting Bufavalous' travel pack and promising to be back with new clothing and food as quickly as possible. It was truly ironic when, out of their group, the elf was the one to be most discreet. The rest of them hung in the outskirts. At least Phineas got a break from holding Isabella; he deposited her against the farm building with Ferb's help, and collapsed on the dirt with a groan.

It was an awkward ten minutes, waiting for Baljeetolus. Bufavalous didn't say a word; he only leaned against the paneled wall and stared at the ground. Ferb was tempted to think that was a good thing, but he wasn't sure. He didn't like having this tension between them. Bufavalous was such a valuable member of the team. And a friend… Man, things had gotten so twisted around. Heaven knew they had enough enemies without fighting each other, too.

Ferb was having a silent conversation with his brother about it. It went something like this:

Phineas: Should we say something?

Ferb: No.

Phineas: But we're friends.

Ferb: Leave him alone.

Phineas: We should try to get along better.

Ferb: He's nuts.

They didn't make it much further, because then Bufavalous was standing straight again. Baljeetolus was approaching quickly, a few bundles in his hands.

"I accrued a decent bounty of food, Bufavalous, so you should be pleased," he said before coming to a stop in front of Phineas and Ferb. "And for you two, I did my best on the sizes." He shoved the bundles in his arms into Phineas and Ferb's hands. "As for designs and colors, I simply had to go with what might fit. I was uncertain—"

"I'm sure it's fine, Jeet," Phineas said, getting to his feet. He was already pulling his old tunic over his head. "Anything's better than these bloody ones."

Ferb glanced down at his own chest. He'd rinsed himself, but all he was wearing was scraps of his old shirt around his ribs in a makeshift bandage. He smiled his agreement at the elf. He didn't care if his shirt was pink and orange polka dots, he would take it.

To their surprise, Phineas and Ferb both got new shirts and pants. It made sense, considering how spoiled their clothing had been before; he just hadn't expected it. No one else was around, so they stripped whatever remained of their old clothes. Moments later, they were both dressed, and Ferb felt like a whole new person.

"Well… those are interesting," Phineas chuckled, and it took Ferb a second to realize his brother was referring to his pants.

Ferb looked down. He supposed his pants were rather interesting looking. His cream-colored tunic was fairly average, but his pants were a shade of gray that was almost purple. In the right light, they really did look purple. Ferb didn't really care. He kind of liked them. With a smirk, he shrugged.

"I like the color of mine," Phineas said, tugging his sleeves into place. Ferb could see why. His shirt was a faint yellow, Phineas' favorite color. His pants were a dark, dark blue, and they definitely looked like they'd be warm.

"They do not match—particularly your pants, Ferb—but I thought they would do," Baljeetolus said.

"They're great." Phineas stretched up on his toes, and Ferb caught the slight frown he sent towards Isabel. His muscles were probably sore since he'd carried her so far, and Ferb could imagine he wasn't looking forward to carrying her even further. Nevertheless, he regained his smile as he bent down in front of the fairy.

Gently, he moved some of Isabel's hair from her face. "Isabel?" he questioned, and when she didn't stir, he sighed. "Ferb, help her onto my back again?"

Ferb still wasn't completely sold on the idea, but he did as his brother asked. He took the opportunity to feel Isabel's forehead, then her pulse. She was disturbingly cold, and just like Phineas and Baljeetolus had reported, he couldn't feel her pulse. It was more than a little unnerving, but if Ferb allowed himself to think on it too long or hard, he knew he would start to unravel.

They continued on their way after that, feasting on some hot, fresh bread Baljeetolus had brought them. It warmed Ferb to the core eating it, but I also made him sad. Isabel would have loved it. Instead, she was possibly starving to death. She hadn't eaten in two days, after all, in this magical coma. But again, Ferb couldn't let his thoughts dwell. He had to think about other things. He had to. He'd go nuts if he didn't.

They traveled until Phineas was going to drop, and made camp for the night. Ferb couldn't believe they hadn't been attacked at Portem. They ventured far into town, save Baljeetolus, so Ferb knew they'd managed to avoid Rogerick's men, but it was still a surprise. He wasn't used to strokes of good luck. It was bizarre.

The next day was much like the first since Ferb had woken up: they were attacked by three groups of meatlings by the time it was noon. They were traveling north along a river, so they were far enough off the beaten path that they stopped running into Rogerick's men every fifty seconds, but the meatlings still posed a problem. They couldn't waste the Jeet Root, and it wasn't like they could shove the meatling remains into the water; who knew what that kind of dark magic would do to it.

The trouble started brewing just as the sun started setting. They ran into a group of scouts. The men recognized them immediately. There were six of them, wide-eyed and startled at their fortune. Ferb didn't even want to know what the bounty Rogerick surely placed on them was. It had to be monumental.

Phineas was still carrying Isabel, and Baljeetolus stood by them protectively. Meanwhile, Bufavalous charged the group of men, despite all mathematical sense otherwise. He apparently didn't care that he was outnumbered, which Ferb still hadn't yet decided was brave or incredibly idiotic.

Idiotic. That was Ferb's conclusion. He was harboring more than a little frustration with the brute, after all.

Ferb had watched Bufavalous fight for all of them since he'd woken up. Truthfully, watching had been all Ferb could do; he'd been so weak. But he felt strong now. Maybe not his strongest, but strong enough to fight. He skidded in front of Phineas, muttering, "Stick close to Bufavalous," to his brother as he raised Excaliferb. He didn't like it, but the brute was the best chance Phineas and Isabel had in the face of any threat.

Ferb parried the strike of the man in front of him. It wasn't until their blades collided that Ferb felt his own weakness. Excaliferb already felt less stable in his hands when he fought humans instead of magical beings, and now he was recovering from an injury, too. He had to jump back, dodging the swipe instead of meeting it. Force on force, he would have been overpowered.

He could do this. He tightened his grip, preparing to dive for the man's left side, which didn't seem as well protected. Then Bufavalous was suddenly in front of him, batting the man's strike away—and punching the guy in the face. He went down hard.

Ferb blinked once, twice, still processing why Bufavalous was helping him, of all members of their group. He probably needed the help the least, even with his injury. Where were Phineas and Isabel? They surely needed the brute's protection more.

Even more bizarre was Bufavalous' growled, "You." He took Ferb's arm, flinging him forward, where the others were clustered by a tree. "You don't get five steps away from me, you hear?"

Ferb didn't need Bufavalous to baby him. They'd need to have a serious talk when this was all over, but for now, he rushed at a man behind Baljeetolus. He swept Excaliferb out in an arc, making the man back up, but it didn't appear he would be running away. Ferb stepped closer, and the man thrust his sword low, at Ferb's legs. Ferb jumped, kicking out, and managed to knock the sword from man's hand. Finally, success.

"What the hell did I just say?" Bufavalous said, throwing one of the men down on the dirt. He was making his way to Ferb again, where he promptly knocked out the man Ferb had been fighting. But Bufavalous didn't even appear to be paying attention to that. He was glaring at Ferb. "You ain't fighting, you hear me?"

Before Ferb could respond, he realized they'd taken care of the group of Rogerick's men. He wondered if Bufavalous had really beaten up all of them—even the ones Ferb had tried to fight. Unnecessarily, Ferb reminded himself. While he hadn't been running at his full capacity, Ferb definitely would have been able to manage.

He tucked Excaliferb away and stepped in front of Bufavalous. He crossed his arms; what the heck was that?

"That was me covering your ass," Bufavalous answered.

Ferb glared; I was fine.

He scoffed. "No you weren't."

Ferb took a step in toward the brute. He wouldn't be bullied, and Bufavalous definitely didn't the dictate how things were. "It's not your call what I do."

Bufavalous raised his eyebrow. "The hell it ain't."

"If you don't trust me to—" Ferb began, but he never finished.

"Damn it, you almost died," Bufavalous hollered, stepping uncomfortably close. "In fact, you were dead, completely dead, if not for Pointy here pulling a miracle out of his ass!"

"Byoof—" Phineas tried to interject, but Bufavalous only got louder.

"You died trying to save someone who almost killed the rest of us a moment later, and now you're running around half-cocked, ready to fight again with no regard for your own life! I've got promises to keep!" He jabbed his finger in Ferb's face. "And I'm not going to let your hero complex run you straight onto the wrong edge of a sword!"

Bufavalous abruptly turned away from them, crossing his arms as he seethed.

"Promises?" Phineas questioned, shooting Ferb a puzzled look before he watched the brute again. Bufavalous was suspiciously rigid as the alchemist asked, "What do you mean you've got promises to keep?"

Bufavalous shook his head fiercely, making Ferb think he hadn't actually meant to mention that. "Nothing," he grumbled.

"It doesn't sound like nothing," Phineas pressed, but as Bufavalous slowly clenched his hands at his sides, Ferb didn't think it was the best idea to push him on this.

"It ain't nothing," Bufavalous insisted, his tone low and dangerous.

Even as he said it, a memory tugged at Ferb. It was Eliza's face he thought of—the look on it as she and Bufavalous said their parting words. You'll get your brothers back soon. I promise. That was what Bufavalous had told her, and that was the promise, Ferb knew, to which he'd referred just now.

After Ferb had dream-witnessed the interaction between Eliza and Bufavalous on her porch the day before they left, Ferb knew Bufavalous' promise went deeper than just getting her brothers out of the mines. Ferb also remembered what Eliza had told Bufavalous: Buford, that's my little brother going to face Malifishmirtz. I don't care if he technically isn't, Ferb's my brother.

It wasn't until now, as he studied Bufavalous' clenched fists, that Ferb fully realized what that whole exchange meant to Bufavalous. He had promised to keep Ferb safe, and he would fiercely fight to make sure he followed through on it. While that unraveled the mystery of his words and actions during the fight, it did present something else baffling: the intense sense of obligation Bufavalous felt to Eliza. That was perhaps a bit more than Ferb was prepared for.

At the same time, it made a lot of sense. Eliza's little brother had been lost to magic while he had been under Bufavalous' care. Now, since he'd made that promise, Bufavalous viewed himself as responsible for Ferb, too—and Ferb had nearly died because of magic as well. Maybe some of this hostility and anger was because all of this struck too close to home for the brute. He didn't want to let Eliza down again. Or maybe he didn't want to let himself down again.

And maybe that was only a small portion of the damage magic had done in Bufavalous' life. Ferb knew so little about him, all things considered. He didn't know all the horrors Bufavalous had seen, or what losses he had experienced.

Realizing all of this made something inside Ferb soften. He didn't want to argue with Bufavalous anymore. Ferb knew he wasn't wrong, but neither was Bufavalous, exactly. Arguing would get them nowhere. And besides, Ferb had his own promise to keep: the innate promise that he would be there for Isabel, no matter what. He wouldn't apologize for the consequences of that decision, even if it put him at risk. It was a risk he would always take.

"I hate to interrupt," Baljeetolus said, "but I am facing a mathematical dilemma."

"A—what?" Phineas asked, shrugging Isabel up onto his shoulders a little more securely.

"There are five men here," the elf answered, gesturing to the unconscious goons on the ground, "when I initially counted six."

"One got away?" Bufavalous bellowed. "Aw man!"

"Does that mean they'll report us, or something?" Phineas turned in a circle, like he might be able to catch sight of the escapee through the trees. "That'd be bad."

"It most certainly would not be good," Baljeetolus agreed.

"We really, really need to keep moving then," Phineas continued. "I mean, like, traveling-all-night, need to keep moving. We can't be anywhere near where Rogerick expects us to be."

Ferb frowned and put his hand on Phineas' shoulder; you can't travel all night. Not carrying her.

"We can travel as long as possible," Phineas said. "I know I can go longer than I did last night. If need be, we can sleep some during the day, as long as we get away from here."

It was a plan in which they were grasping at straws, but it was a plan nonetheless. Would they be able to outrun Rogerick's army? Probably not. Would they wear themselves out trying to? Most likely. But did they have to try anyway? Absolutely. It was this mutual knowledge that filled them at once with both determination and dread.

Ferb nodded at his brother; you set the pace, and the rest of us will follow it.

So Phineas did. It wasn't the quickest pace, but they were going for endurance. Ferb knew Isabel wasn't very heavy, but after so long, Phineas would need all the help he could get. He honestly couldn't see how his brother had managed to make it this far. He grew to wonder how his brother kept going.

The time stretched long, long into the night before Phineas staggered. Even then, he slept for only three marks before he was waking back up. He probably had the most reason not to continue on, but he was the one encouraging the rest anyway.

"We'll sleep during the day if we have to," he kept insisting. "So long as we put more miles behind us."

He was right, of course, and it was like the universe was trying to show it; by the time the sun was high in the sky, they encountered a small cluster of dwellings along the river. It wasn't quite large and diverse enough to be called a town, or even a village, but one of the houses had two extra bedrooms, which the owners had apparently decided qualified it as an "Inn."

It probably wasn't wise to leave Bufavalous to the negotiations, but it was simple since this place didn't get a lot of visitors. The town was called Forlyn, according to the innkeepers, but it was so small and so far out of the way, nestled along a river that marked the end of Monster Territory, that it wasn't even on the map.

Ferb wasn't complaining, though. Bufavalous got a really good fare since they were only staying for a portion of the day, instead of the entire night. Plus, since it wasn't on the map, maybe that would provide some protection from Rogerick. Ferb knew it was a flimsy hope, but it was a hope nevertheless. They got both available rooms, four beds total, and Ferb didn't think anyone was even paying attention to where they dropped; they all picked a bed and passed out.

Isabel didn't feel good. That was the first thought that groaned through her mind as it finally trudged its way back to the land of the living. She really, really didn't feel good. Her head was killing her, and she felt nauseous and hallow, like she hadn't eaten in a month. But those weren't exactly anything new to her. It was more than that.

Her insides weren't right. That much she was certain of right away. Her chest felt piercingly heavy. It was like her ribcage had imprisoned lightning under her skin. It had roiled such a tempest in her veins that it broke her. She could feelit. She could feel something broken inside of her.

She knew what she had done, kind of. She knew what happened, but the person she had been—she couldn't make the connection that it had been herself. It was like there was this being who had taken her place, who had snapped. It was someone else who had risen from the ground and summoned those winds. It was someone else who released that lightning. It was some immensely powerful creature—yes, creature was the right word—because it hadn't been her.

But there was a problem with that, because as much as she was committed to thinking it hadn't been her, she knew it had. She remembered the raw power arcing through her core. She remembered that she liked how it felt—unleashing that kind of power. She had been able to take the emotions that threatened to destroy her and force them out of herself, upon her enemies. She had been able to destroy them.

And it had also been her, undeniably, that had been gaped at by her friends. Phineas, Bufavalous, Baljeetolus—all staring at her, mouths hanging open and eyes wide, like she was the most terrifying thing they'd ever seen. She probably was. She couldn't get that image out of her head: that fear, etched onto the faces of those she loved in reaction to her.

What was most devastating of all was that Isabel knew it was deserved. In that inexplicable, incomprehensible moment of magic expulsion, the notion of control had no longer existed. How easy it could have been, how disturbingly probable, for her to have hurt one of them. For Phineas or Bufavalous or Baljeetolus to have been blasted just like all those gargoyles, scattered pieces in her raging storm.

She thought all of this by the time she finally opened her eyes. She was in a room she didn't recognize. In a room, that was surprising. It was definitely a big change from the forest. Was she in Portem? How long had she been out?

She pushed a heavy quilt off of her and sat up. Beside the bed was a basin and a pitcher of water. Her mouth was so, so dry, but she felt like if she consumed anything, she would throw up. She clearly hadn't eaten in a while, but she wasn't hungry. Maybe she broke her body. Fairy or not, she knew she wasn't physically supposed to do what she had done. It had been too much.

She caved and took a sip of water, straight from the pitcher. It was just a small drink—she couldn't stomach much more than that—but it helped ease the dryness of her mouth. She waited a minute before the ventured another sip. When she felt ready, she took one more. Maybe her body would remember it should be hungry. But then again, maybe not. There was a chasm stretching through her chest to her gut, a chasm she didn't know how to fill.

She needed to get out of her head. She needed to figure out what was going on. She was the only one in the room. Where were her friends?

Oh. Ferb. Ferb. He'd been dying, pierced in the chest by a spear. He'd done it to save her, and she'd lost it, and she didn't know what happened after that. Everything had gone black. She needed to know what happened to him!

Isabel got to her feet, and swayed suddenly. It must have been some time that she'd been out. Her sense of balance was off and her legs were feeble and stiff. She stumbled over to the window, holding onto the sill until her blood was flowing to her muscles again. Through the glass plane, remarkably, he saw her friends.

There were a number of things that were instantly confusing. Phineas was holding a sword, swinging it around. Bufavalous appeared to be instructing him. And Ferb—Ferb—was sheathing his own sword. Ferb said something to the others that she couldn't hear, before turning away from them—toward her, and she could see his face. He was alive. Ferb was alive. He was alive, and he seemed to be okay.

Isabel wasn't sure if she should smile or cry, but she ended up doing both, in a sudden rush. A tiny bit of that schism in her chest stitched itself back together. She was so confused, but so, so happy.

She was going to open the window and call out to them, but then Ferb was waving at the others. Phineas grinned and said something, lifting the sword in his hand. Ferb was already walking away, to this building, as he nodded in response. Then Ferb disappeared from her sight.

Isabel's heart went ka-thunk in her chest. She whirled around toward the door, waiting and trying to remember how to swallow despite all the emotions seizing her throat. She quickly grew impatient. She swerved around the bed, planning to meet him halfway, but then the door opened and Isabel froze.

Ferb was standing there, Ferb, standing and breathing. Breathing and free from all that blood. Isabel felt all at once like she'd been sucker punched, staggering, falling; yet she was still, and none of it was quite a bad thing. It was incredible and yet left her feeling so completely numb.

Ferb stared at her, eyes wide. "You're awake."

He watched her, and what he saw almost made him break down after so much worrying. Her eyes were blue. They weren't that surreal, glowing white, but blue, and bright, and alert, and exactly what they were supposed to be.

"And you're alive," she responded. She was trembling, almost painfully. Although he could feel the uncertainty radiating from her, his insides were unknotting. He was often silent, but the pure sense of relief weaving around his bones actually rendered him speechless.

He knew that he should approach her, should say something, but for the moment he just needed to look at her and appreciate the fact that she was looking back—no longer lifeless, cold, and void of the color now speckling her cheeks.

She couldn't quite understand the look he was giving her, like he was baffled and amazed by her audacity to be awake. Or perhaps he remembered what happened. How she'd completely lost control.

"I thought you were going to die," she told him. Or maybe she was telling herself. But he was right here, in front of her. She felt herself shake—out of relief? Shock? Both? Her eyes pricked with tears, but she swallowed them down before they could fall.

Ferb lifted a hand to his mouth. His gaze didn't waver from hers; he studied her face with such intensity it fell awkwardly between exquisite and agonizing. As he slowly moved his hand from his mouth to the back of his neck, he sucked in an unsteady breath.

"I've been told that a lot these past couple days," he said quietly. "But I thought you were going to , Bel, I—I thought…"

There was so much emotion in his voice that Isabel had to quickly look down. She bit her lip. If she were him, she would be freaking terrified of her. Of what she could do. She'd completely lost it, lost control, and it was petrifying when she imagined what she must have looked like... He was right to sound so scared.

She wasn't sure she wanted to know what he thought of her now. If she could even handle what he thought of her… She'd frightened herself beyond all recognition, and she hadn't even had to witness her actions.

Her hands snapped to her mouth. She gasped quick breaths through her fingers, but couldn't seem to get enough air. Her legs felt weak, and she stumbled back clumsily onto the edge of the bed. She could no longer hold back the tears from her eyes, which she kept aimed on the floor. She couldn't bear to look at him now. Not now. Not when she finally knew what she was capable of.

"I'm sorry," she choked. "I'm so sorry. I didn't—I-I couldn't—I'm sorry, Ferb, I… I…"

She found she could barely breathe, and that didn't get any better when she realized Ferb was crouching in front of her. She nearly jumped out of her skin, he was so close. He reached up and took her cheek, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He was forcing her to look at him now, and the tenderness in his eyes was too much.

Isabel shot up, springing away from him. She kept her hands locked over her mouth, like that would hold all her fear and self-loathing back, but it didn't. She scrambled to the far wall, turning just enough so her back fell against the hard surface. She felt like her legs were going to give out on her.

Panic, sheer panic—Ferb was following her. He was reaching out to her, but she didn't think she could face her guilt. How easily she could have hurt any one of them. How close she'd come. How he got hurt because of her in the first place.

Ferb took her wrists, and she her resistance was anything but strong as he gently pried them away from her mouth and against his chest. It didn't make it any easier to breathe once they were gone. She was hyper aware of that broken feeling inside of her, and it wasn't going away.

He didn't know what to tell her, so he kissed her forehead instead. He couldn't believe she was finding something to blame herself for in all of this. Didn't she realize she had saved them? He didn't care what Bufavalous thought, if she hadn't summoned all that lightning, they never would have survived. He let his lips linger just above her brow, breathing her in while she calmed down.

"Ferb?" she exhaled after an unbearably long minute.

He pulled back, letting her wrists go in a sign of good faith, and waited.

She licked her lips, before she stuttered, "I didn't mean to… I promise I never meant to…"

Ferb pressed his thumb over her lips, silencing her. Despite everything, he actually smiled at her. It was so soothing and understanding Isabel hardly knew how to handle it. Because he was alive. He was alive, and here she was ignoring that miracle and tainting it with her fear.

She suddenly couldn't help but throw her arms around his shoulders and pull him close, hugging him as tightly as she could manage. Ferb hesitated one moment in surprise, before he chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist. He let her run her hand into his hair and hold him to her. He was much taller than her, but he relaxed into her embrace, nuzzling into her collarbone for as long as she needed.

And she needed it. Whatever she'd unleashed in that forest—whatever magic, whatever emotion—had left her fractured in a way she'd never known was possible. But as deep and irreparable as that chasm felt just moments before, holding him like this seemed to make it mend, if ever so slowly, and all she had to do was keep him close.

She was thankful he was so patient as time passed. She came to realize it was ridiculous that she felt so fragile, but the realization didn't make her feel any stronger. Holding him did, though. This was good. She would be alright.

He shifted slightly, and Isabel felt his lips brush her neck. But no, they didn't just brush her neck, she quickly realized. They remained there, moving against her skin with unmistakable purpose, and Isabel immediately felt lightheaded.

"What'cha doing?" she stammered.

In response, the hand that had been on her waist moved up to her cheek, and he increased his pressure on her neck enough to make her knees go weak all over again.

"Ferb?" she breathed. Or did she? Was she breathing? By the Lady, it didn't even matter.

He took a step forward, pressing her completely against the wall. Despite her shock, she found herself pulling him even closer. His lips moved from her neck to her jaw, and she inhaled sharply. Her fingers tightened in his hair, which elicited some kind of noise from him, one that made her cheeks practically melt.

"Ferb," she tried again, but the only sound that came out of her mouth was a desperate sort of whimper. She couldn't quite believe someone's kiss could feel so incredibly good.

He pulled back from her jaw and slowly pressed his lips to her cheek. Then he moved them to her other cheek, and just along her cheekbone where she'd been cut during the cockatrice fight, then the corner of her eye, then up on her temple. He pressed his lips to her forehead again, finally bringing things full circle.

Her eyes closed of their own accord. She was breathless and trembling, but she didn't care. In that moment, she stopped questioning what he was doing and pressed her hand against the base of his neck, inviting him to do more—which was infinitely frustrating, because that was when he pulled back.

She tried not to glare at him as he stood upright again; it wasn't exactly like he'd done anything wrong. Still, she wasn't happy with the change…

"Don't apologize," he whispered, looking at her with heavy eyes. "If anything, we should be thanking you. You saved us."

Isabel felt her eyes prickle with tears again, because he was being absolutely preposterous now. She needed to be the one thanking him. He'd taken a spear for her. It was at once unforgivable and made her insides liquefy into a warm, irrevocable mess.

He could tell what she was thinking, but she didn't need to thank him. He kissed her before she could. He marveled at how the action could be filled with all his sense of urgency, and yet feel too agonizingly slow. That ever-tightening string between them had snapped, and there was no more reason for hesitancy or indecision.

He kissed her with all the pent-up emotion that had been coursing through his body for years, even more deeply than he'd been able to just a few days ago, in the woods. He wouldn't be bothered by all those reasons they couldn't do this. His hands settled on her waist again and his fingers inched their way along the peppered holes in her tunic. He needed to touch her. Was every part of her as warm as her mouth?

Mhm, yes. He wouldn't have thought it possible, but this was better than before. They were even more eager, impatient, no longer timid since they'd been so cruelly assaulted with the fragility of their own luck. They were high on the fact that they were both alive, and he could feel it in the way her mouth moved so hungrily against his. He consumed her presence just as greedily, and time no longer mattered. There was nothing else.

Suddenly she was pulling him—or was he pushing her? Either way they were moving, guiding each other to fall onto the surface of the bed. She was scooting back underneath him, gripping his shirt to bring him with her, and every last vestige of space between their bodies melted. The feel of it was so much it made him shiver, and he forced himself to pause.

"Bel…"

"I need you to kiss me," she demanded, her voice so much clearer than it had been before. There was no reluctance in it now, and damn, they were so close. Ferb was completely surprised by it; he didn't think his imagination could have ever have created something so incredibly perfect. Really, who was he to protest?

He lowered himself again, completely on top of and against her, and the instant his lips met hers, the sound of something shattering filled the room. Ferb felt water fly against his skin, and knew she'd just magically made the water pitcher explode, but he didn't care. A small noise escaped the back of her throat, and that, coupled with the exploding pitcher, made his stomach stir. He loved how easily he could see how he affected her.

His free hand moved from her waist to the small of her back, pressing her against him, and her arms were once again wound around his neck. He tried to keep his weight off of her, and if he was failing or it bothered her, she wasn't letting it show. She arched up into him, relishing the way his hand drifted across her back and up her side. Ferb didn't know if it was due directly to this new touch, but she was kissing him even more fervently now.

Isabel always fought to maintain her control. Now she felt every ounce of her control slipping, but in a way she never imagined. She whimpered in approval, gripping his shirt again to bring him closer, but he was already as close as he could get, and it made her insides ache. She captured his bottom lip between hers, her hand tumbling down to his stomach, before sliding up to his shoulder.

This was so beyond anything he'd ever known or expected that he didn't even fully realize at what point he'd lost his shirt completely. He only knew as Isabel was pressing him away from her gently, and her fingers trailed up his bare chest. Her eyes hesitated in the same place her hand did: over his right lung.

His skin was terribly scarred. It was unavoidable, after what had happened. The place where he'd been pierced was rough and pink, raised in the near-perfect shape of a starburst almost as big as her palm. It was unbelievable, but undeniable.

Isabel pushed herself up onto her elbows, so he sat up as well, practically sitting on her hips in the position they were in. That made a number of things suddenly very real to him—that he was straddling her on a bed—butif she recognized that fact, it didn't show as she studied him intently.

"How is this possible?" she whispered. Hesitantly, her fingers brushed over his injury. Ferb had expected it to hurt, but instead, he felt his whole body begin to tingle. He was incredibly excited to answer her.

"Magic."

Isabel met his gaze for just a second, something significant passing between them with that word. Her eyes glinted in a way he'd never seen before, a way he couldn't quite dare to name. Then her fingers moved from his injury to his ribcage, as she suddenly leaned up and pressed her lips against the scar. Ferb halfway wondered if she'd lost control of her magic again, because he could have sworn she'd hit him with a lightning bolt. His hand found itself clinched in her hair, holding her where she was as she kissed him again. This time, he gasped.

Now she kissed his collarbone, and his neck, and his jaw, and then he felt her breath by his ear, and his whole mind went white. It was all Ferb could do to tighten his hold in her hair and close his eyes as she fell back again, pulling him with her. His forehead was against hers, and they were both panting from the thrill. But who needed breathing anyway? He claimed her lips as his own.

"Hey, I—whoa!" Suddenly Phineas' startled cry filled the room. It was a strange sound, one that didn't belong, and that took far too long to register. Then it did, and Ferb pulled away from Isabel so quickly he got a head rush. Both of their gazes snapped to the open door. Their favorite alchemist stood in the doorway, his jaw almost unhinged with how far it was dropped.

Isabel pushed herself up onto her elbows again, her face turning an even deeper shade of pink than before, but that was as far as either of them moved. They could only stare, dumbfounded, at their intruder. Ferb's fingers were still woven through her hair, while hers hovered on his ribcage, so close to his scar. And of course he was still on top of her, shirtless, in the middle of a bed. And they were panting, disheveled, and flushed beyond measure.

Ferb wanted to tell Phineas that it wasn't what it looked like, but of course it was exactly what it looked like, and then some.

"Phineas?" Isabel squeaked.

That seemed to jar said alchemist enough for him to stop gawking and start thinking again. He quickly closed the door—only he closed the door behind him, so he was still in the room. What was he still doing in here? Ferb loved his brother, that was irrefutable, but at this ten seconds, he could have absolutely killed him.

"I—I didn't know you were awake!" Phineas quickly explained. "I was just checking up on you! I wanted to make sure… Well…"

Isabel blinked at him as his voice fizzled out. His face was every bit as red now as she was certain hers was. He hadn't moved an inch past the door, and now that he'd closed it, he seemed unsure what to do with himself. His mouth was still gaping. His eyes flashed between Ferb and her, and she could tell he had reverted to complete and utter inanity.

Ferb let out a quiet groan and removed himself from Isabel, coming to a sitting position on the edge of the bed. He hefted one of his legs up to his chest and buried his face in his hand. At least it wasn't Baljeetolus this time, though that was only a small consolation. His voice was a mess of irritation and embarrassment as he said, "Yes, Phineas?"

"I, uh… Well, uh…" Phineas stopped himself and let out a huge breath. "Hey, I guess I'm happy the two of you are finally together, huh?"

Of all the oblivious, innocently sweet, Phineas things to say… Isabel actually couldn't help but let out a small laugh. She honestly couldn't decide if his comment made this less awkward, or even more. It wasn't possible for it to do both, was it?

Isabel decided it would be wise to follow Ferb's example and sit up. She stayed in the center of the bed, thinking it might be smart to leave a little distance between Ferb and her, given the way Phineas was still staring at them dumbly. Thank goodness she still had her shirt on—but oh, oh, that thought really didn't help anything. She could absolutely not afford to begin thinking about the sheer impossibility of their intent or trajectory had Phineas not interrupted.

Heh… maybe Phineas barging in wasn't the worst thing. Of course it felt like the worst thing. But maybe it wasn't. This was all so new, and she hadn't realized how easy it was to get swept up in it. She pulled her legs up to her chest, crossing them at her ankles, and blushed into her knees.

"You okay?" Phineas blurted out, which was horrible, because now Ferb was looking back at her too, and his face was still flushed and he had yet to retrieve his shirt, and Isabel had no idea what to do with the emotions that were now tumbling violently inside her.

She didn't trust herself to speak, so she nodded mutely, resisting the urge to bury her face completely in her knees. If Ferb didn't stop looking at her like that right this very second, she thought she might combust.

It was a moment when Ferb wondered if it was a good thing that he could understand his fairy so well. As she was now, half-hiding her face as her eyes darted up to him then quickly away, he realized she was midway between fleeing the room and pouncing on him. Neither would be quite the best option right now. Not that he would have necessarily complained with option two…

Still, he quickly stood up, thinking that not having both of them on the bed would alleviate some of the rising tension. He turned his back to her, facing his brother, and let out a breath. He wasn't sure if it was his movement that that stirred his brother from his stupor or something else, but now Phineas approached Ferb, staring intently at his chest.

Ferb almost backed up when Phineas reached out to him, touching his scar. It was so strange having his brother study the marred skin that had so recently belonged entirely to Isabel.

"That potion did more than I ever could have hoped," he commented intently. Of course Phineas instantly forgot the awkwardness from before at the opportunity to discuss potions. "I guess it's because I plucked it right from the banks of Lake Avalos. It had more potent magic than I realized. I—" He choked up, just slightly, before grinning up at Ferb. "I'm so glad."

Ferb smiled down at his brother, all previous forms of irritation vanishing. He was still mortified, sure, but he could never actually be mad at Phineas. It just wasn't possible. He nodded, taking Phineas' upper arm and giving it an appreciative squeeze. Then Phineas slowly turned bright red again.

"But, uh—you should probably put your shirt back on, Ferb. That's why I came up here." He faltered and he suddenly grew even redder. "I mean, I didn't come up here to make sure you both still had your clothes on, I came up to make sure you were both ready." He smacked his forehead. "Oh gosh, I mean—"

"Oh Phineas, please just stop," Isabel groaned, hiding her face. This had just become agonizing again.

"I—okay," Phineas forced his thoughts to gather. Ferb had never seen him quite so flustered as he was just then, mortified by his own confused words. "Okay. Right. I meant to say I wanted to check on you, Isabel, because we really need to keep moving, ready to go, and all that. Leaving. Traveling again. Not—never mind. Just—we need to be ready to leave." He ran his hand down his face, looking apologetically at his older brother. "And you'll need your shirt for that… obviously…"

Ferb hadn't realized his body could hold so much animosity and amusement at one singular moment. As for his shirt… he honestly didn't even know where it was. Isabel had been the one to discard it, after all. He glanced behind him, resolutely avoiding looking at her figure still on the bed, and spotted his shirt on the floor. He quickly moved to pull it back over his head.

"We should really meet up with the others," Phineas continued. "They're downstairs. I'm sure they'd feel better if we leave as soon as possible." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean, so long as you're cool with that."

Isabel was on her feet again, and now came to stand beside them.

"Yeah, of course," she said in a quiet voice.

Upon hearing it, Phineas grinned at her sheepishly. "And you know, sorry about my, uh—my timing." He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck again.

Isabel sighed in resignation, propping her forehead against her fingertips. "Don't mention it, Phineas."

"Yeah, I—"

"Ever," she added.

"Uh, right," Phineas agreed. "Okay. Ever. So… So yeah…"

The wave of awkward that came with his words was near palpable, and Ferb suddenly decided if it was going to be awkward anyway, he might as well get the most out of it. They were always getting interrupted, but something significant had shifted between Isabel and him the moment that spear struck. It was a scary shift, and definitely a good one. They both owed it to themselves and each other to see that it got the proper recognition it deserved. No more half-expressed sentiments, no more decisions cut short before fruition.

His poor brother… but Ferb didn't care. He established himself directly in front of Isabel, took her cheeks in his palms, and kissed her as thoroughly as he could possibly manage.

"Wha—aw god, Ferb!" Phineas' cry was clear and mortified, but again, Ferb didn't care. His brother didn't have to watch anyway.

Ferb slid one of his hands to the base of Isabel's neck and deepened the kiss. She made a lilting, falling sound in her throat. Her fingers wove themselves into the bottom of his tunic like she was anchoring herself, and he could practically feel her melting under his touch. For once, he would follow through on what they'd started, and he would only see it end on his own terms.

He let his movements naturally slow before he finally, reluctantly, pulled back. Isabel's lashes fluttered open, and she was dazed as she stared up at him. Then the most bizarre and wonderful thing happened: she giggled in a way he'd never heard before, the sound light and thrilling, and blushed fiercely. She looked away, and he realized just how flustered his actions had made her. He rather fancied that.

"Ferb?" Phineas said quietly. Ferb looked behind him, where Phineas stood with his back to them. Every visible part of his little brother's skin was the color of a radish. "Are you finished?" he asked in a strangled voice, not turning around.

Ferb directed his attention back to Isabel, trying not to laugh. And damn, she was still so flushed and so beautiful he didn't think he was. Bufavalous and Baljeetolus could wait a moment more. Instead of answering his brother, Ferb leaned down and met his fairy again.

This kiss was slower, more precise and vital. Isabel sensed the change and pushed up on her toes, giving herself better access to him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered that Phineas had repeated his name, but he knew his silence would be answer enough. He just wanted a moment more. Just a moment more before he finally let her go.

"Whoa…" she exhaled. He could swear she almost looked dizzy, and that thought filled him to the seams with pride. Plus it was immensely nice to actually do what he'd initially set out to do, interruptions be damned.

He smirked at her. Sure, it was a little smug, but he thought he had a right to be smug just then. He'd practically left her breathless; he'd never known he had that ability. Ferb was happy his brother didn't make any comments while he studied Isabel's face, because this moment was his. His and his fairy's.

His hand fell all the way down her arm to her wrist as he took a step back, but as he did, she took a step forward, keeping close. But then she seemed to remember where they were and what they needed to do. She took a slight step back again and cleared her throat.

"Finished?" Phineas repeated. His fingers massaged the bridge of his nose, and he seemed determined not to turn around until he was absolutely sure.

Ferb nodded his head toward his little brother, and Isabel smiled, if not somewhat embarrassedly, in agreement. Before she could walk away from him completely, though, he leaned down to press his lips softly against her temple. With that, he felt he was sufficiently mollified, at least for the moment.

"Right," Isabel said airily, shaking her head as if to clear it as she approached Phineas. "Um, yeah, Phin. Yeah, we… we're good."

"You sure?" he responded dryly, and Isabel laughed.

"Pretty sure. Maybe." She gave Ferb one more playful look before bounding up to Phineas and hugging him from behind. "I have no idea what happened Phineas, but I'm guessing you saved us, right?"

Phineas stiffened, before he turned around. "Something like that," he admitted. "But how did you know I—"

"Because it's impossible," she cut him off. "It's completely impossible, for all of us to be standing here—not only alive, but actually okay. So I know you must be responsible, Phineas."

Phineas quickly looked to Ferb, his expression a little stunned. Ferb knew his brother was too humble to be fully cognizant of his reputation. He smiled at him in a way that said, No one does impossible like you, bro.

"Well, uh… thanks," Phineas muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

Isabel glanced at Ferb incredulously. Why the heck was Phineas thanking them? "Phin," she snorted, "gees, we're the ones who should be thanking you, not the other way around."

"Sorry?" He chuckled. "But then, I suppose I shouldn't be apologizing either, right?"

Ferb couldn't help but throw his arm fondly around his brother's shoulder, and together they made their way into the hall.

"I'll fill you in on what happened, Isabel," Phineas continued. "But we should probably save that for when we're on the move again. I mean, we really need to keep going. We've been attacked a lot."

That was a sobering development. They had been attacked while she'd been unconscious? She wondered exactly how much a lot was. Obviously they emerged from the fights alright, but she still felt a swell of worry.

Before she could inquire further, they were at the bottom of the stairs, and were reunited with Bufavalous and Baljeetolus, who had apparently been in the middle of a heated debate. Between them, both boys clutched the sides of a map.

"We should follow the river, so at least we can make sure we are on the right path. Trekking straight through uncultivated forest, we cannot guarantee we will not take a wrong turn or—" Baljeetolus faltered as he noticed them. "Oh, you are finally—"

"Well that took way too long," Bufavalous accused, crossing his arms. "I said grab her and go, Pointy, not—"

"Yes, but that was before we realized Isabel had awaken," Baljeetolus said, waving Bufavalous down. "That certainly explains the delay."

"Yeah, sorry," Phineas said. "Isabel—was just waking up. Yeah. But now we can leave, and at least she's doing alright, right?"

Baljeetolus raised an eyebrow at Isabel, and there was something suspicious in the gaze. She understood the motivation behind it; Phineas was an absolutely horrible liar. Still, to the elf's merit, he didn't comment. Isabel really appreciated that.

"Are you alright?" Baljeetolus inquired. "Four days is a long time to be unconscious."

"Four days?" Isabel gasped. Her hand flew to her forehead while she tried to comprehend that.

"Yes," Baljeetolus said. His voice suddenly took on a coy tone, and he glanced at Ferb. "I would have assumed Phineas had already disclosed that, considering the time he spent fetching you."

"Slipped my mind," Phineas said with a chuckle. Bless him, he was so transparent.

"Yeah, whatever," Bufavalous huffed. "We can fill Girlie in on the road." His expression darkened. "Ever since that stunt you pulled back in the woods, we've been hounded by Rogerick and Malifishmirtz's monsters."

"Stunt?" Isabel repeated, her eyes widening. Suddenly Ferb put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she was startled by the dark glare he gave Bufavalous.

"Peace," Baljeetolus intervened. "We should not get into this again. Let us depart quickly."

Get into it again? Isabel feared what that could mean. And she was really uncomfortable with the way Bufavalous was looking at her. It was so surprisingly… hostile. Yes, that was the right word for it. He looked like he wanted nothing to do with her. She tried not to let that sting.

It sounded like Bufavalous really hadn't been kidding; they had been hounded by Rogerick and Malifishmirtz. She couldn't help but shed a tear when she heard about their horse. He'd been such a beautiful creature. Now that they were traveling on foot again, she didn't know what the road would bring.

"We have been discussing things," Baljeetolus said, nodding his head at Bufavalous. "And we believe the best tactical move would be to go to Cantere."

"Cantere?" Phineas cut in. "Like, the capital of the Tri-Kingdom Area, Cantere?"

Baljeetolus nodded. "Precisely."

Phineas looked at Ferb and Isabel, heaving a loud breath. Surely they must have thought that sounded nuts, too. "It's been bad enough traveling through random forest, but the capital? I don't even want to know how many badguys are there."

"Eh, most the time it's easier in a big city," Bufavalous shrugged. "Lots of people, lots going on. Don't draw as much attention. Besides," he swiped his thumb across his nose, "we know some people there."

"I suppose you could call it a communication network," Baljeetolus added.

Bufavalous finished, "They're our best bet for finding Mal-Fish Breath."

Phineas thought about this for a moment before he slowly nodded. "Right. Well, I guess that works, then."

They were outside, heading in what Isabel assumed to be the north to northeastern direction, since Baljeetolus was leading them, when she said, "I guess it's nice to have a set location, at least."

Phineas glanced back over his shoulder at her, his expression immensely fond. "That's a great way to think about it." He slowed, so that he fell into step beside Ferb and her. His fingers brushed her arm as he said, "It's good to have you back. We were worried."

Isabel's smile faltered. She'd half expected the others to be scared of her after what she'd done—and clearly Bufavalous was. But instead, when Phineas looked at her, she realized he loved her. And so did Baljeetolus, who was smiling back at her, too. They loved her just as much as she'd grown to love them. She was every bit a part of their family as they were hers. And Ferb was alive, against all odds.

She wasn't sure if she had ever been happier than she was right then, at that very moment.

It was clear their journey would be taking a turn now for the more dangerous. And she would have to be prepared for that. They all would. They would be hunted like never before.

But for now, Isabel held Ferb's hand and smiled at Phineas again, wholeheartedly this time. She appreciated the sunset for what it was, and felt amusement as Bufavalous and Baljeetolus bickered about the best path to take. It would be dangerous, but just for that moment, she marveled at the fact that they could all still take that first step into danger together.

"Well," Phineas exhaled, nodding at the road ahead of them. "Shall we?"

Isabel glanced up at Ferb, and the corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. Seeing it, she turned back to Phineas. After all he'd done for them, she thought their alchemist deserved to be humored.

She beamed at Phineas, before lifting her fist in the air. In a clear voice, she called, "Fellowship of the Broken Sword, away!"

End of Part I

Well, as you can see, this marks the end of Part I of this story. Part II will continue to be posted from here. It also shouldn't be as long as Part I. This just marks a shift in the story, and allows me to break apart my current document (it's over 700 pages now, single spaced) into smaller parts.

I really hoped you enjoyed this. I'd love to see a review! They mean so much to me.

~Lilly-Belle