It was Friday night of the yearly Flynn-Fletcher family weekend. The weekend where Phineas, Isabella, Ferb, and Vanessa all forgot about the stresses of running their own multinational corporation, Flynn & Fletcher Inc, and just kicked back and had fun together all under one roof. This year, it was at Phineas and Isabella's place because Isabella was about-to-pop pregnant with a sister for Phineas Jr, or PJ as everyone called him. Ferb and Vanessa had naturally brought their two kids, Tommy and Joanna and the cousins had spent most of the day running each other and whichever adult was playing with them ragged.
It was the kids' bedtime and Phineas was on story duty and Vanessa was tired from the drive so she had gone to bed early, so it was just Ferb and Isabella watching TV in the living room.
"So, how's the baby treating you, Iz?"
"Kicking my butt. Babies are great and I love PJ and I'm definitely gonna love this one, but pregnancy is so overrated."
Ferb chuckled, "Vanessa was like that during both her pregnancies and, yet, lately, she's been talking about wanting another one."
"Yeah, she mentioned that. will you oblige her on that front?"
"Probably, I'm still thinking it over, weighing pros and cons, but, honestly, I wouldn't mind another kid."
"That's very sweet of you, Ferb," Isabella said to her brother-in-law with a kind smile before she remembered something she'd been wanting to ask Ferb about.
"Hey, I was wondering something."
"What's up?"
"Did you ever, you know...have a thing for me?"
Ferb turned to look at her, with a surprised smile before responding, "Yeah, actually, I did."
"You did? When?"
"When you first moved in across the street, your mum brought you over to meet us and I thought "Wow, the new neighbor girl is cute" and then I saw the look you had when you met Phineas and I thought, "Oh, never mind." Lasted almost two whole minutes, that crush."
Isabella was definitely surprised at this, "Really, that was it?"
"Yeah, why do you ask?"
"Well, remember that crazy adventure we had with the time machine and going into the future and meeting Candace and her kids and-"
Ferb cut her off, laughing a bit, "Oh, yeah, I remember that," He then went into pitch-perfect impressions of Candace's daughter, Amanda, "That girl looks like Aunt Isabella" Isabella herself, "Did you hear that? Aunt Isabella, that means I'm gonna marry Phineas!" and then Candace, "Or Ferb" before switching back to his own voice, "And then I turned around and winked at you."
Isabella had a lot to address in that summation, "Yeah, that was it. First off, you're surprisingly good at those impressions."
"Oh, thank you."
"Second, so, did you not actually think of me "that way" when you did that?"
"Oh no, by then, you were a good friend who was practically like a sister. I just saw an opportunity to mess with you and I took it. It seemed funny at the time, you know?"
Isabella started to laugh a little, "Actually, yeah, that does seem kinda funny. Wait a minute, you knew I had a crush on Phineas when we first met?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you say anything? I spent eleven years trying to get his attention when you could have at least helped!"
"It wasn't the right time."
"Huh?"
"I've always had a sixth sense about these things, I know when a couple is meant to be together but I also know the timing has to be just right. If you and Phineas had gotten together literally any time before you were heading off for college, it would have fallen apart."
Isabella didn't know what to say to that, "R-really? You just have it down to an exact science like that?"
"I don't know if I'd call it an exact science, but I've definitely honed the craft over the years. You know I was the one that introduced our mother and father?"
"Wow, I didn't know that. Had the gift ever since you were a kid, huh?"
"Oh yeah, it just took time to realize certain couples needed to get together at a certain point in their lives. It's like an internal timer, I'm the only one who knows when it goes ding and I set off to do what I can."
"Did you know when you saw her in Blueprint Heaven that you and Vanessa were meant to be?"
Ferb chuckled some more, "No, I barely registered the meant-to-be feeling the first time we met. Partially because I was just blown away by the goddess that was standing next to me. In hindsight, it was also difficult to gauge the gift when it's about myself. Anyway, I'm sure you've heard about the time I helped her in the Superduper Mega Superstore?
"I remember that story, you were helping her get...some chemical for her dad and then saved her from a killer lawnmower?"
"Bullseye. It wasn't until she left and thanked me with a kiss on the cheek. That was when I knew we were meant to be."
"But you didn't do anything for a while because of the internal timer?"
"That and even then I knew the age difference would be an issue for a while. Over the years, we'd meet again and again, we became friends, even when I serenaded her and Monty at the Halloween party, I thought, "Patience, old chap, you'll get there eventually," the key was to not force it in any way, not be one of those guys who felt entitled to her love, to respect her choices. Just bide my time and wait for the right moment to make my move. The gift had never been wrong before and considering we've been married for eight years now, we have two children, and she still makes me feel the way she did back in Blueprint Heaven all those years ago, I'd say it paid off this time."
Though she thought part of it might be the baby hormones, Isabella was near tears hearing about how dedicated Ferb was to the woman he loved. This was when Phineas came back into the living room.
"Man, those kids love a good story" he saw his wife wiping away some tears and rushed to her side, "Oh god, what is it? What's wrong? Do you need something? Is something wrong with the baby?" he asked quickly, trying hard not to panic.
Isabella calmed down her husband, "I'm fine, Phineas. Ferb was just telling me about his sixth sense for when couples belong together and he was saying how patient he was in winning Vanessa over and how she makes him feel, it was kinda touching."
"Oh yeah, I remember that. The whole internal timer and that stuff. You know, he's the one that introduced our parents, right?"
"Yeah, he mentioned that," Isabella said before turning back to Ferb, "Ferb? When you get the timing right on a couple, will they be together forever?"
"So far, all the couples I've been right about are still together, so I'd say so."
With a kind smile, Phineas reached his arm around and put his hand on Isabella's shoulder and the other hand on her pregnant belly, "Forever does have a nice ring to it," he said in a loving tone looking at his wife.
She glanced back at him with a matching smile and tone, "Yeah, it does."
Ferb looked over at his brother and sister-in-law, inwardly congratulating himself on his handiwork, and just admired the love between them and he made a decision.
Later that night, Ferb snuck into the guest bedroom trying not to wake Vanessa, and softly climbed into bed pulling her close.
Vanessa let out a groan of approval, "'Ello there" she whispered in a sleepy fake British accent.
"I'm sorry, love, I didn't want to wake you up."
"I don't mind, Ferbsies, I like feeling you against me."
Ferb was silent for a beat, just taking in this sweet time with the woman he loved more than anything, and then he remembered.
"You know, I was talking to Isabella about her pregnancy and it got me thinking..."
"Yeah?"
"About that little talk we had...about another baby..."
"Yeah?"
"It doesn't have to be tonight because I know you're tired and it is someone else's house, but, I figured...well and why not, let's go for it, let's try for another one."
Vanessa almost burst with happiness as she rolled over to look at him.
"Really? You want to try for number three?"
He gently ran his finger down her cheek, "Yeah, the world needs more of this beauty in it, anyway," he said pointing at her face.
Vanessa's smile got even bigger as she told him, "Well, Buster, I got good news for you. We won't even have to try."
Even though he was still smiling, Ferb was a little confused, and then his eyes went wide as it clicked for him, "You're...you're pregnant again?"
Vanessa responded softly, "Surprise! I found out on Monday. I guess I'm three weeks along now. That's why I was so tired, not just from the drive. I asked if you'd want another one just to see where you were on the subject."
Ferb was more amused than anything, "And what if I didn't want another one?"
"I probably would have told you T.S. because it's happening. You aren't mad, are you?"
"Why would I be mad? We're having another baby!" He nearly yelled before remembering it was late and hushing himself down, "Hopefully, Jo and Tommy will be happy to hear about this."
"Even if they aren't, they'll come around," Vanessa said as she and Ferb wrapped their arms around each other, secure in their love and their happy, growing, family.
