When Vanessa walks into the Flynn-Fletcher kitchen, Ferb almost chokes on his breakfast cereal.
"Hey, Ferb!" she says. "Sorry to startle you. Phineas let me in on his way out the front door. He was running across the street before I could ask—is Candace home?
"Sleepover at Stacy's last night," he replies, having managed to swallow his food and get his breath back with no visible distress. "Lovely to see you. Candace didn't mention you'd be in Danville this weekend."
"She didn't know; it was a last-minute thing. Sorry to show up unannounced so early on a Saturday morning, but I figured you guys aren't the kind I would catch in their pajamas unless I got here before five o'clock." She laughs at the odd, trapped sort of look on his face. "Don't worry, I promise I won't ever show up before eight. You don't have to sleep fully dressed for the day. Although I've seen you in your pajamas, remember?"
"I did outgrow the footie pajamas some years ago."
"Too bad. They were super cute."
He shifts forward, as if to stand, but she holds a hand out to forestall him and takes a seat, tossing her keys on the table in front of her.
"I only have a few minutes," she says. "I have a breakfast date with Monty and was hoping to catch Candace first."
"That's back on, then?" he asks, his attention on swirling his spoon through his remaining cereal.
She sighs. "Kind of. Long distance didn't work out, but since I'll be moving back to Danville in two months…"
His eyes lift from the bowl to her face.
"Yeah, I decided to come back after graduation and help my dad run his company. Weird, with all the 'beholding,' but he really isn't great at self-promoting when it comes to business. Speaking of business, we're starting a summer internship program in research and development. You should totally apply."
He looks regretful. "I'll be taking a few courses at Danville University."
"Engineering, or film studies?"
"Both, actually. And medieval literature."
She laughs. "Classic Ferb. We'll probably do the internship again; keep us in mind for next summer."
He nods.
Vanessa taps her fingers on the table. "Sooo... Candace probably won't be back in the next ten minutes, huh?"
He shakes his head. "But I'm here."
She smiles. "You always are. Okay, then... I'm just not sure this is a good idea. Me and Monty starting over. It was fun in high school, but now I'm kind of wondering if that was mostly because we were sneaking around behind our dads' backs. And with them on the same side... I guess I don't think Monty really gets my dad, you know? He used to be a little weirded out by all the Inators, and I don't think it was just because they were supposed to be evil. It's like...you know how you and Phineas used to build all those things every summer, and Jeremy loved them? My dad needs a son-in-law like that."
Ferb quirks an eyebrow as he takes his last bite of cereal.
"What? Ew, no, not actual Jeremy. Not that Jeremy is...I mean, for Candace it's…" She reaches over and shoves the silently chuckling teenager. "Oh, cut it out."
She rolls her eyes. "How about you? I'm sure you've had a lot of girls running after you, suave British genius that you are."
He shrugs, a slight smirk crossing his face.
"How do you know when you like one of them enough to try to make it work?" she asks.
He stares at her solemnly.
"I know I like Monty," Vanessa tries to explain, "but it's not…"
"...hearts and flowers and his own theme song?"
"No, not anything like that." She grins. "I knew there must be somebody. Who gets hearts and flowers and her own theme song?"
He looks away uncomfortably.
"It's okay, you don't have to tell me. I'd say she better be good enough for you, but I trust your judgment. Does she know?"
He shakes his head.
"Well, anybody would be lucky to have you. You're a great listener."
"And a suave British genius?"
She laughs. "Yeah, all those things, too."
He smiles. "Maybe someday."
"Just promise you won't disappear on me when you start dating? So many guy friends do."
"I will endeavor to be seeing you," he says, and he looks so sincere that Vanessa feels completely reassured. She catches a glimpse of the clock behind him.
"Is that the time? I'm late!" She grabs her keys and gets out of her chair. "I'll have to call Monty so he knows I'm on my way. Thanks for the talk."
Vanessa starts to lean down for her customary farewell, but Ferb stands, and she does a minor double-take. "Since when are you this much taller than me?"
He looks a little surprised, himself.
Vanessa pushes up onto her tiptoes and kisses him on the cheek, steadying herself with her hands on his shoulders. He brings a hand to her elbow, and she pulls back, shaking her head. "Sorry, that's...kind of weird now. I think you're too tall for goodbye kisses."
"I won't stand up next time," he offers, and in the past for a comment like that he would have gotten his hair ruffled, but...
He's really too tall for that now.
