I'll be honest, the reason why I managed to write this chapter soon after the last one is because I had written some of these scenes before hand for someone who knows of the idea(s) I have in mind for the entire series. In fact, she's given me ideas for how to continue with the books in themselves, and for that I am grateful. She's also given me something else to use at my disposal, which I am excited to use at the time being. I'm just...so...frigging...happeh.

THIS is where the story really starts. So far, things have been mellow, but this is where everything starts going into motion. It's a slow effect, but rest assured it'll be quite epic going onward (you know, depending on how all of you feel about it).

"Phineas and Ferb" are owned by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, who both work for Disney(c.) (LONG LIVE THE EMPIRE!)

I own this story, and my OCs (for now being Dr. Alice Schnitzel, Applejack the Pygmy Goat, and Danni Alexandria Smith)

My friend, who all of you should know well, owns whatever it is I'm about to reveal. Muwahahahahaaaa...(I don't know why I'm laughing evilly when it's not something bad, but I want to leave you tense.)

Enjoy.

P/F/P/F

Upon the technical fourth night at the Resistance base, Phineas found himself staring at a wall in silence. Actually, that's all he could really do, aside from talking with his sister, his pet platypus, and anyone else willing to talk to him. Due to Candace's great knowledge of Phineas' curiosity, she refrained him from exploring the base, not on his own. He wasn't able to partake in anything unless he were to ask if he could join their ranks, much like Ferb had asked Candace. Upon being given this offer, Phineas couldn't help but hesitate.

And it was then that Phineas suddenly had full grasp of the situation. It bothered him greatly, because either way he'd eventually have to choose. He knew that very well. It was either one side or the other; and either way, he'd be against people that he cared about.

Phineas heard the door open from the side, and immediately knew it was Perry. The said platypus pattered in, and jumped onto the bed next to his owner, soon after patting Phineas on the arm as he always did. Phineas was still shocked at the idea that Perry was a secret agent, but after learning of the risks of him knowing, at least at the time, Phineas understood why he had to remain unawares. Still, even though Phineas was happy to see Perry, a small part of him was telling him that this wasn't the platypus he knew.

Luckily, Phineas always shoved those feelings under the rug, and stepped on them for good measure. He trusted Perry enough to understand. Phineas gave a weak smile to the said platypus, who looked happier than usual. "Hey," he greeted, "How's it going?"

"Good," Perry sighed happily, "Every time Applejack pisses off Isabella, I get a few days off from him. Thank the almighty Lord for THAT."

As Perry laughed, Phineas smirked. "After all this," he said, "I would've assumed that you two would be married by now."

"Ap, ap, ap, I get enough of those jokes from AJ," Perry said, sticking out his tongue, "And they're about Doofenshmirtz..." the platypus shuddered, while Phineas stared a bit mortified at the idea of his father and his pet platypus...

Phineas mentally cursed his mind for existing.

"I also noticed that you managed to get your translator back," Phineas said, wanting to quickly change the subject of the matter.

"Yeah, well," Perry sighed, "After the first time I should've known that he would swipe it from time to time."

"Even under his injuries?"

"He's a rebel, almost like Buford. I say 'almost' because I can give him the credit that he's at least smart than that oaf."

"Aw, c'mon, Buford isn't all too bad."

"Uh-huh..."

"I mean...YEAH he always messes with equipment, and never listens to anyone, and...okay, maybe he's a little...no. You're right. He's pretty bad."

Perry gave a silent nod, though Phineas still smiled a little. "But he's not...horrible at least," he shrugged.

"Accept to Dr. Baljeet," Perry stated with an eye-roll, "Those two are gonna kill each other one day, I swear."

Phineas wanted to correct Perry and say that it would be Buford killing Dr. Baljeet, but then the thought arose of Dr. Baljeet's many weapons that he could probably learn to use. Maybe there was a chance then. Of course, Phineas doubted that Candace would let that happen, anyway.

"So...I never asked this," Phineas said, "What is it that you do here, anyway?"

"I suppose I help Applejack with stuff around here," Perry shrugged, "Apparently, he was placed in Danville as well, along with the Resistance Members still remaining there. Their base was in the Graveyard, though he never explained where those members may have been at the time. Heck, I don't think he even told them that we left."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I get the feeling that they were probably complaining about him skipping some sort of job, or something, because that about all I heard from Candace while she was scolding him. I'm not sure if he's gonna go back to Danville or not, if you're asking."

"Would you miss him if he did?"

"...Not really," Perry said, "I mean, things would be quieter here, but I prefer that over his annoyingness."

"True that," Phineas chuckled, shaking his head, "Hm...you know...I wonder what Candace is doing right now?"

"She's with Isabella," Perry answered what he supposed was actually a rhetorical question, "They're talking about something important with the other FireStorm Girls. Something about their training, or something like that."

"Is she now?" Phineas smiled a little, "That's interesting...think that she'd mind if I see what they're chatting about?"

"Of course she would mind. But you're siblings, so I'm pretty sure that you can get away with this sort of thing. She's probably in her chambers."

Phineas nodded, jumped off his bed, and began to walk away before pausing. He turned and glared at Perry. "If you rip up my sheets again," he said, "I swear to God, I'll personally declaw you."

Perry gulped and hopped off of Phineas' bed, nervously walking out of the room upon Phineas pointing. The boy rolled his eyes, wondering how such a serious agent such as Perry would fall prey to his own instincts (of a different animal, no less), and went to look for his sister which wasn't that hard. With little to go to at this point in time (at least without getting lost), it wasn't too difficult to remember where his sister would often be at.

After a while of walking, he was seen peering through the door of Candace's room, which was much bigger compared to the other rooms, and looked more like an office that he had scene before with Doofenshmirtz and Monogram (what was with leaders having offices, anyway?). There was no bed, Phineas assuming that either she didn't sleep anymore, or, simply by rumor, slept like a horse, and did it while standing against a wall for support. Of course, those two things were debunked once he noticed a mat rolled up underneath Candace's desk. He was nearly disappointed by this, but he supposed that it was still odd enough.

Candace was currently pacing back and forth, rubbing her hands nervously as she began to ramble on to herself. Phineas could only guess that she was planning something to herself, which she would likely recount back with the other members to be sure she was in the right, not that she would listen to their warnings. At least, that's what Buford had said once. He wasn't sure if he could count on Buford's advice, though.

Phineas closed his eyes, and let his ears tune into Candace's voice, another part of his brain remembering an annoying chime that Schnitzel would sing to him and Doofenshmirtz: Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated~. Phineas softly laughed at the memory of Doofenshmirtz smacking Schnitzel in the back of the head for making fun of him, especially after Schnitzel revealed that it was Doofenshmirtz himself who had come up with the jingle during their high school year. Phineas snapped out of his thoughts as he suddenly realized why the thought of those two had come to his head so quickly.

Candace was talking about them.

Phineas leaned more in as Candace went on, her voice sounding more panicked. Was she panicking? Phineas began to realize that, yes, she must be. But why would-?

"They're alive?"

Candace suddenly turned her head to Phineas, who wasn't able to keep himself silent. If he was a ninja, he'd be the worst of them all. Phineas figured that it would be something that Doofenshmirtz would say...maybe Schnitzel...but then he shook his head and entered the room, Candace looking unnerved. "Candace..." Phineas said carefully, "Is it true?"

"...How long have you been standing their?" Candace asked a bit quietly, looking away.

Phineas slowly walked over to his sister. "I...I just got here, actually," he said, "I wanted to see how you were doing."

Candace nodded in understanding. "Of course...of course," she sighed, "How much did you hear?"

"I heard you talking about some of the Resistance Members checking out DEI and stuff," Phineas said, "Only now, though, did you get the information about..." he couldn't help but smile a little, though Candace didn't seem to notice, "...Doofenshmirtz is alive?"

"...Yes," Candace said with regret, "He is..."

"And what about his partner?"

"Dr. Alice Schnitzel? She survives everything, so if Doofus managed to make it, she definitely did."

Phineas let out a sigh that went finally noticed by his sister, who looked at her brother. Candace sighed. "You...you know, don't you?" she asked, "Is that why you haven't been...?"

"...You mean...you knew too?" Phineas tilted his head, "Then...then why do you...?"

Candace stared at her brother for a moment. It was a strange silence between them both, as she went done to her knee. Phineas spoke again before she could, "So...they're okay? They're both alright?"

Those words felt like a knife to the gut for Candace. Her brother caring about her greatest enemy...their father. It was to be expected, but not after everything that Phineas must've gone through. What happened back there that made Doofenshmirtz on such good terms with Phineas?

"Phineas," Candace said, "I...I want to tell you something."

Phineas nodded to Candace, showing her that he was listening. Candace gave a small nod back. "I want you to forget everything that happened back at DEI," she said, earning another confused look from Phineas, "Whatever you think he is, it's a façade, alright? He's just going to hurt you, like he tried to before."

"Before? What do you-?"

"It doesn't matter, okay? It's over now. All of this. You're not going to be trapped with them anymore."

Phineas looked saddened, and that made Candace feel even worse. It felt as bad as betrayal, yet she felt like she want to murder Doofenshmirtz for making her brother feel this way. After he took her home, and took the lives of hundreds, she could never call that man her father. "Please, understand, Phineas," Candace said gently, "Things are a lot more complicated than they seem right now."

"But, Candace, he's our-."

"He's not," Candace said sternly, "He had his chance, and then THIS," she looked around the room, recalling how she gained the position as leader to begin with, "Had to happen...I know that what he's gone through must've been awful, but it doesn't change what he's done."

"Maybe he's...sorry?"

Phineas actually doubted that, but part of him wanted to believe that Doofenshmirtz regretted his decision of taking over. It wasn't likely, though, and Phineas knew that he was only thinking this way because, again, he cared about Doofenshmirtz. But he cared about Candace too, and he paid attention to the look in his sister's eyes.

"I'm telling you for the last time, Phineas," Candace said, "Just forget about him, and his partner, and everything else that happened back there. It's for the best that we leave those memories behind, and look forward. If not for yourself, then for everyone here."

Phineas stared up at Candace, and then looked down to the ground. He didn't know if this was right or not, but he wanted to make his sister happy. Just like before this all came to pass. "...Okay, Candace."

Candace pulled Phineas into a hug, and for some reason that made him feel so sick inside.

Everything just suddenly started hurting, and Phineas couldn't tell why. It felt so familiar, this pain, yet he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It felt like he was being pulled back into reality...being pulled into reality from reality? How did that even work? And why so suddenly?

Why couldn't he remember?

"Kid...kiiiid...Phineas?"

"Ugh...my head...please, stop poking me."

"You've been out for another twenty-four hours; we really need to get that checked, you stupid kid."

Phineas' eyes shot open at the sight of none other than Schnitzel, who giggled at the boy's shock. He quickly glanced around the room to see that he was back in DEI's hospital room, in which many patients lied asleep, who watching Phineas carefully from their beds. Yet when Phineas went to look at them, some of them fearfully looked away, while other began to go into random conversations with everyone else. He looked back to the person who called him back to life.

Schnitzel crossed her arms, smiling a warm, yet cynical smile that Phineas grew to love. "I swear," she said, "We nearly lose you every time...I guess our worry means that we actually CARE about your well being. Who kn-?"

He wasn't going to deny why he clung to Schnitzel of all people, even if she was the only person in the room. Phineas was just glad to see her alive and well. Now that he thought about it, unlike his father, he never got a chance to properly talk to Schnitzel again after the attack. He didn't think about it until just now, as he spoke with her. "You're alive..." he said, "Thank god, you're alive..."

Schnitzel gave a weird grin before she decided to hug the stupid kid back, shaking her head. "Jeez," she said, "You act as though you've seen a ghost."

Phineas paused and pulled away for a second, staring up at Schnitzel, tilting his head. "You're...you're not one, are you?" he asked.

"Uh...I don't think so," Schnitzel said, "Kid are...you alright?"

"I...I...DEI collapsed, and...and...you and dad..."

"Whoa, whoa, kid, you're crying!"

Phineas was shocked when he felt Schnitzel trying to wipe his eyes instead of teasing him for being emotional. However, it wasn't as weird as Schnitzel suddenly sitting on his bed, pulling him close to her into a hug. "It's okay," she cooed, "It's alright...it's going to be alright, Phineas."

The boy seemed to freeze up at the sudden touch, not sure of how to react. Schnitzel ever so calmly began to explain the situation to him. "Ferb escaped DEI," she said, "Perry and Applejack are both gone as well, though we're not sure why. We barely managed to keep you away from him before he nearly blew up the building again."

"Is...is everyone...?"

Phineas suddenly felt a little tired, thought he didn't know why. Schnitzel managed to catch him before he fell back to darkness, seeming to light up the room again with her very gaze. It seemed so motherly, so kind...was Schnitzel ever like this before? Maybe he never noticed how much she cared in the past. She hugged him again.

"Let's not worry ourselves," Schnitzel said sweetly, "We're okay now. That's all that matter."

The boy felt like this hug was invading his personal space, but he decided that he'd let it pass for now, and he leaned onto Schnitzel's side. She felt soft, now that Phineas thought about it. A small smile went on his face as he fell to peace, almost completely forgetting about Candace. Maybe, in his head, he hoped that they were miraculously getting along, instead of it all being-

"Where's dad?"

Phineas suddenly asked this, cutting off his thoughts automatically. Schnitzel stopped stroking the boy's head, freezing up at those words. After a bit, it worried Phineas, who looked up. "Schnitze-?"

"Please, don't ask about that anymore, Phineas."

Phineas was taken aback as Schnitzel's form was replaced by Linda's. For a moment, his mother looked calm and serene, but the moment that he allowed his fearful memories to take over, she suddenly glared and smacked him to the ground. Phineas gasped as he hit the floor, Linda suddenly towering over him cruelly.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CHEER UP, YOU WORTHLESS LITTLE-!"

Linda began to say horrible things, while she began mercilessly kicking her son from the side. Phineas cried out in pain, begging for her to stop. He had no control, however, and Linda continued for it until she suddenly stopped on her own. Phineas thought that she was going to go back upstairs from the basement to get another drink (of what was it that Schnitzel once called it...booze?). Instead, to his horror, Linda rose up her foot over the boy's head, preparing to crush it like a bug as an unfamiliar grin graced Linda's maddened face.

"Oh, god, please, MAKE IT END!"

Phineas suddenly screamed this without having the words actually leave his mouth. Phineas curled up onto the ground, waiting in a paranoid mantra for his mother to end his life effortlessly to make things easier for the both of them. The blow never came, and suddenly Phineas lifted his head and was met with the face of a mutant. He blinked, and Linda was back, ready to kill.

What was going on?

What the HELL was going on?!

Suddenly, he felt a warm embrace from Linda. Phineas' eyes widened in shock, as the voice seemed to morph into someone else familiar. He gasped as he saw Doofenshmirtz's in Linda's place, with no transition to be made. Doofenshmirtz was crying for some reason, and that in itself was weirder than anything else in this...whatever it was. Phineas was certain now that it wasn't real, yet...

"I'm sorry, Phineas, I'm just so sorry..."

"Daddy just did a very bad thing just now..."

"...I could've saved you, but I didn't."

Phineas was shocked to see that they were now in Vanessa's room. To the side was a corpse, and holding him was an insane looking Doofenshmirtz, who was all shaken up. "I...I didn't mean it, I..." Doofenshmirtz cried harder than Phineas had ever seen him sob and shake, "I'm sorry, Vanessa...I'm sorry...I'm sorry Marissa."

Wait, what?

"Kid?"

Phineas snapped out of it as he looked back into the eyes of Schnitzel, now with Doofenshmirtz having entered the familiar scene. Phineas felt like crying really badly. They were still gone from his life right now. They weren't with him actually, were they?

Yet, they both smiled reassuringly, especially Doofenshmirtz, as his hand reached out and wiped the tears away from Phineas' eyes, hushing him calmly. He said nothing, and didn't need to. Schnitzel spoke for them both, in a voice that sounded so genuine, he didn't know if he could disbelieve them.

"We'll come get you. We promise."

Then Dennis the Mutant Rabbit came in and ate them.

Phineas shot his head up, and began to pant heavily while he snatched the chest of his shirt as if he were having a heart-attack. He looked around for his father, realizing then that it had only been a dream. In fact, Phineas figured that it was the middle of the night by now, and that he was ruining a good night's rest. Phineas groaned, sliding his hands to his eyes, shaking his head.

"Why do I have to complicate things...?" his hands dropped and he looked to the side, "I mean...it's over now, isn't it? I won't have to think about it, or even ask about it, or wonder about it at all...I can just forget all about it, like Candace said...yet..."

Phineas sighed again, and plopped his head back on his pillow, the sleeping arrangements being much better here than back at DEI. Why did he miss it, then? Why did he spend every waking moment wondering how they were doing? Not just Doofenshmirtz or even Schnitzel, but literally everyone back at that awful place; even the Cyborgs, like Pinky, hadn't left his mind. He missed them, in spite everything.

It's just that he missed Doofenshmirtz the most. He couldn't help but feel that he'd probably be like this regardless of whether or not Doofenshmirtz was his father. Along with Schnitzel, he had seemed to speak and, dare he say, bond with Doofenshmirtz the most. True, he told Schnitzel everything, but that was because he trusted her more than anyone else there. Doofenshmirtz, on the other-hand, was someone he could relate to, in a strange way...then again, it wasn't that strange. He was Doofenshmirtz's son after all.

Yes, that was still bothering him, especially since it all made so much sense. Doofenshmirtz was evil and cruel, and Phineas would never stoop to such levels, yes. But in the end, they've both have had some kind of agreement unspoken of to each other. There had to have been; why else would Doofenshmirtz tell Phineas, of all people, about Vanessa? His...his sister...oh, god...the more he thought into it, the sicker he became.

It was an awful feeling, learning that a little girl had died in her own bedroom; but the fact that she was his sister made it even worse. He never had a chance to meet her...

What was that other name? It probably didn't matter, but Phineas wondered why his brain seemed to mispronounce Vanessa's name with...ugh...he couldn't remember...it wasn't important. Phineas shook his head again with a sigh.

"Ugh..." Phineas sat back up, and slid out of bed, "I need a drink..."

He was about to walk to the door, when he automatically froze at the sound of footsteps. If it was Candace, he'd have another lecture about getting rest or something about their father, which was the last thing he wanted. He wanted to stop thinking about that for a bit; it'd already been a week, and he'd been thinking so much about it, he wished that it could all just go away.

Instead, through the open door, which he left out of tiredness from the day's activities, he witnessed Isabella, stealthily sneaking through the halls. Phineas remained still, as Isabella went passed his room, without so much as a glance. He blinked in wonder, and tiptoed over to the door, peering over as Isabella just barely disappeared around a corner. As usual, curiosity got the better of him, and he seemed to accordingly follow Isabella, who was none-the-wiser of his presence.

Phineas silently peered his head from the corner of the hall.

Isabella, after shifting her eyes a bit, sighed, and stomped the floor three times, and a flight of stairs opened up in the ground.

Phineas felt his jaw drop. He wasn't sure whether to be shocked that there was a flight of stairs that he wasn't told about, or the fact that there was another floor to the already underground base. Either way, it seemed a little out of place. Why hadn't Candace told him about this before? Was keeping secrets a running theme, or something?

Isabella descended down the flight of stairs. Phineas waited a moment, before slowly walking over to the opening. He peered over, and watched Isabella, as she knocked on a door that was at the bottom. "Hey, Marissa," Isabella called softly, "I got food for ya'."

Moments later, the door opened, and Isabella entered the room. The door shut, eliciting Phineas to quickly walked down the steps himself. He stared at the door, and began to walk over to it. Two red letter were written on the door, Phineas noted. "...M and F..." Phineas murmured, "The M is for...Marissa...where have I...?"

The door began to open once more, and Phineas immediately ducked for cover under the flight of stairs. He held his breath instinctively. Isabella glanced back to a figure. "I'll be back later tomorrow," she said, "Rest well, alright?"

"...Yes," said a voice, "I will...sure..."

Isabella blinked, then shook her head. "I...I'm really sorry about all of-"

"It's...not your...fault," Marissa said slowly, "I don't...blame...anyone...Candace is...only...trying to...protect me, after...all..."

Isabella seemed to glare at this, though it never went noticed by anyone by Phineas himself. "...Yeah," Isabella finally said, "I'm sure she is."

Isabella went back up the stairs, glancing back as Marissa shut the door once more. Isabella let out a sad sigh, and kept walking. She shut the opening from above, earning a rather freaked out look from Phineas. How was he supposed to get out now?!

"Oh well," Phineas whispered to himself, "I guess there's no use..." he looked to the door, "...I wonder..."

Phineas crawled out from under the stairs, and headed over to the door. Being rather specific, Phineas knocked on the door the same way Isabella did. It earned a confused noise from inside the room. "Isabella..." the voice said, "What...is it?"

The door opened again, making Phineas back away a bit. "I do...not need any...thing..."

Marissa slowed down further as she began to stare at Phineas in shock. Phineas himself stared at Marissa, slowly realizing the resemblance that she had with Candace. Phineas looked at Marissa from head to toe, while Marissa proceeded the other way around. They looked curiously at each other. But only one seemed to become increasingly excited at this.

It wasn't Phineas.

Marissa let out a gasp, and pulled Phineas into the room, shutting the door behind her. She practically slammed Phineas onto her bed, earning a squeak from the boy, who looked shocked. Marissa's grin went wide. "It's YOU!" she said clapping her hands together, "You're the boy that Isabella talked about!"

Phineas blinked. "Uh...hi?"

Marissa ignored the greeting, and began to look at Phineas as if he were a valuable artifact that had never been discovered until that point. "I've not seen a boy in years!" Marissa said, more to herself than to Phineas; she patted Phineas's head, giggling, "Ooh, you're hair is so soft!"

Phineas blinked as Marissa began to ramble on and on about certain aspects that normal people wouldn't really care about. The boy blinked. After a while, Marissa seemed to calm down, and she folded her hands once more in front of her skirt, almost becoming shy once more. Her smile calmed as well. "It's...Phineas, right?"

Phineas continued to stare for a moment, before coughing. "Uh, well...yeah," he said, "My name's Phineas. And...and you're-?"

"Marissa," the girl said immediately, "And I apologize for my...uh...outburst. You see, I don't get many visitors aside from Isabella and Candace. Oh, and then...there's..." the excitement turned to fear for a split second, before Marissa seemed to turn completely back to normal. It was as if something had ruined her good mood.

Phineas tilted his head. "...There's...?"

Marissa smiled, weaker than before. "Oh, let's not talk about that," she said, "Let's talk about YOU."

"...Me?"

"Yes," Marissa said, as if it were obvious, "I mean, c'mon, you must know plenty about me already, otherwise you wouldn't be down here," Marissa turned away for a moment, "The LAST time someone knew about me without Candace's consent..." she shuddered, "Ugh, I don't wanna go there..." she then whimpered, "It's too bad to think about, you see."

She turned back to Phineas. "So, Phineas," Marissa went on, "Mind telling me about yourself?"

Phineas stared for a moment, before smiling a bit. Something about this girl made him feel better, though he didn't seem to know of why. She seemed like someone he'd know, someone he must have known. The question: from where?

"...Well..."

A/N:

Marissa Flynn (OC) is owned by Marissa Flynn (author).

From now on, that notification will show up in this book. I know, many of you probably hate me for using an outsiding OC, but I say "screw you" because I absolutely LOVE Marissa (OC), because she's just flipping adorable to me! X3

Also, DO NOT ask me to put your OC in my story; she didn't ask me, I asked her. And let me just say that I was going to make an OC to be Phineas' sister anyway. Yes, I was going into that trope and stuff, but trust me, she's needed oh-so very much. Not gonna go into detail as of yet, but again, DON'T ask me to put in your OC, in case this confuses you. I'm sure I'd love your OC, but I simply don't have use for them in this story. I'm sorry. :(

Hope you all enjoyed!

Please, review, favorite, follow, or whatever, and have a nice week!

-GTS