I do not own Phineas and Ferb.


Blood and death is touched upon in this fic. Nothing too graphic, but it is there.


One Unaccounted For

As Second Dimension Doofenshmirtz was escorted to prison by the Firestorm Girls, Second Dimension Candace, Phineas and Ferb, the latter two dressed in full Resistance gear, stepped through the glowing green portal. Second Dimension Phineas and Ferb embraced their counterparts, and a tearful reunion unfolded when Platyborg, the evil literally fried from his system, trotted over to his kids.

Smiling for the first time in a long while, Second Dimension Candace lowered her black shades and scanned the rooftop. But her alternate twin was nowhere to be seen and she asked, "Where's your Candace?"

"Oh, she should be up soon," said Phineas, peeking at the door that led to the roof, as if expecting his sister to cross the threshold at any moment. "She was on the ground, fighting the robots with the others, so it might take her a minute."

Second Dimension Candace hummed. "I guess she's a true solider after all."

"She sure is," said Phineas brightly, and Ferb's chest puffed out with pride. "You should have seen her, she was awesome." He gazed down at Perry, who was sitting by their feet, rubbing at his knuckles. "You okay, dude?" he asked.

Perry jerked his chin up and smiled. He motioned to the metallic shelling around his formerly evil counterpart and shook out his hand. Phineas sucked in air through his teeth. "Oh, yeah, probably hurts to punch a mostly metal platypus, huh?"

Platyborg chirred guiltily and Perry made a 'don't worry about it' gesture. Second Dimension Isabella popped her head through the portal, catching their attention as she spoke. "You guys coming, Chief?"

"Give me a minute. I want to say goodbye to Candace," the Resistance leader answered.

"Okay, but don't take too long," she warned. "We're not sure how long a gateway between dimensions will hold. If it shorts out, you'll be stuck here until we fix it."

Second Dimension Phineas and Ferb glanced at their sister, worry shining in their eyes. Second Dimension Candace pursed her lips. "I won't be more than ten minutes," she promised. The raven-haired girl inclined her chin and vanished deeper into the lair of their former overlord. Second Dimension Candace jabbed her thumb at the portal. "Get in there, boys."

"No," said Second Dimension Phineas stubbornly and his brother nodded in agreement. "If there's a chance of you getting stuck here, then we're getting stuck with you."

"I'm sure Candace will be here really soon," said Phineas quickly. A tap on his shoulder caused him to turn his head, and he smiled brightly when Ferb handed him his cell phone. "Good idea, bro!" He went into Ferb's contacts and pressed Candace's name. He held the phone up his ear, rocking on his heels, and the corners of his lips dipped when he immediately received dead air. "Huh. That's weird. It's not going through."

Perry straightened, his eyes darting over to Phineas, watching as he tried Candace's number again. The redhead's brow scrunched in confusion. Ferb moved closer to his brother, peering over his shoulder. "Try Stacy."

"Oh, right." Phineas flicked through the saved list of numbers until he found Stacy's. The dial tone buzzed in his ear and the teen answered instantly.

"Phineas?"

"Stacy, hi," he said, giving Perry and Ferb a thumbs-up. "Can I speak to Candace? I tried calling her but it wasn't working for some reason."

"I thought she was with you!"

The panic in her voice caused Phineas' blood to run cold. He gripped Ferb's phone with both hands and his voice wavered as he said, "What do you mean?"

"What? What's wrong?" asked Ferb urgently.

"Hang on, Stace, I'm putting you on speakerphone." Phineas lowered the phone and tapped the speakerphone option with a trembling finger. "So Candace isn't with you?"

"No," whispered Stacy, sounding close to tears. "We got separated during the battle. Ever since you guys turned off the robots, I've been trying to find her. I…I don't know what happened to her."

She choked on a sob as her brain led her to imagine the worst, but whatever horrors churning in Stacy's mind were nothing compared to vivid, blood-soaked pictures suddenly consuming Perry's synapses.

"Just…just keep looking, okay?" said Phineas desperately. "We'll start searching for her too."

"Let us know if you find her," added Ferb.

"Of course," said Stacy with a sniffle. "Stay safe, guys."

She hung up and Perry sprang to his feet, ignoring the pain shivering down his limbs. He chattered sharply, pointing between Second Dimension Candace and his boys.

"You've got it," she said, hustling Phineas and Ferb closer to her. "We're staying right here."

"But we want to come," cried Phineas, looking at the platypus pleadingly. "We'll find her quicker if we split up."

Perry shook his head firmly. He already had one kid missing in action and he wanted Phineas and Ferb rooted in place. Second Dimension Candace wasn't his girl, but she was the next best thing, and he trusted her to protect his boys until he returned.

"You can't make her stay, Perry," said Ferb quietly.

"He's not," Second Dimension Candace assured him. "If the portal crashes while he's out looking, so be it. You guys are the reason we're free and this is the least we can do."

"Yeah, we're not going anywhere," said Second Dimension Phineas earnestly, and his brother set his hand on his counterpart's shoulder.

"But…but…" Phineas' face twisted as tears filled his eyes. "Candace might need us."

Perry gripped his hand, squeezing hard, and chirred soothingly. Ferb took a slow, steadying breath, and though it pained him to do so, he said, "Perry's search will probably go faster if we stay here. That way he won't have to worry about us and Candace, and when he finds her, he'll be able to bring her to us right away."

"O…Okay," whispered Phineas. "We'll wait here."

Perry reluctantly let go and walked to the edge of the roof. He pressed a button on the side of his wrist communicator and his hang glider unfolded from his fedora. Before he activated the rocket, he sent his boys a quick, encouraging smile, keeping the worry from his eyes, and they waved weakly at him.

The platypus pitched off the building, the wind rushing through his fur. The rocket flared to life and propelled him into a stable flight path. He gripped the bar tightly, his eyes locked on the city streets below. Most of downtown was deserted, thanks to the robot invasion, but the kids who had been involved in the battle were lingering.

The self-destruction of Second Dimension Doofenshmirtz's robots had eradicated most of Phineas and Ferb's replicated inventions. The Fireside Girls seemed to have taken up the responsibility of cleaning up the mess, piles of scrap metal and wood being shovelled into piles by the few mechanical bulls that survived the miniature explosions.

The tree house robots were nowhere in sight, which led Perry to assume they also had been a causality of the self-destruct button.

What if she didn't get out in time?

His stomach turned sour and Perry forced himself to breathe. He couldn't entertain the worst possible scenario. He would drown in the spiral and that wouldn't help Candace or his boys. He needed to be calm, rational, and make judgements based on clues, not his own emotions.

He looped over the streets, swooping low to give himself a closer vantage point. He scanned the scattered children for the familiar flash of red and white, disappointment and anxiety swelling in his gut when each block turned up empty.

He turned a corner, and what he discovered ripped a horrified cry from his throat.

Chunks of pink slates of wood and thick tree limbs split in halves and quarters were piled at the base of a skyscraper. The concrete surrounding the remains of the tree house robot was cracked, spidering in all directions, and shards of glass sparkled in the sun, the force of the tricked-out tree house's destruction having shattered the skyscraper's revolving door and lower windows.

Deep holes were burned into the wreckage, the edges charcoal black. Perry dove for the ground, his landing rushed, and the rocket of the hang glider slammed off the ground with an ugly clang. Through the roaring of his blood, through the ringing in his ears, Perry managed to remember to turn off the rocket before he abandoned his hang glider and sprinted for the towering pile of wood.

He chattered desperately, the sound echoing down the silent stretch of street. He clambered up the wood, his paws scraping against the splintered ends, looking frantically for a way to see inside the pile. Near the top was the decapitated head of the robot and Perry wiggled through the mouth.

The inside of the wreckage was dark, with a few rays of sunlight piercing through the thin gaps. Perry gripped onto a tree branch, his back heaving and his eyes squeezed shut. He forced himself to gulp down air solely to try and decrease the shrill ringing between his ears. When it eased, he opened his eyes and listened intently for Candace, but heard nothing.

He chattered loudly, his throat aching from the strength of it, and waited a few beats. There were no cries for help, no whimpers of pain, no relieved exclamations of his name.

She's not here. She's not here.

Or she might be so injured that she can't make a sound. Or she can't answer you because she's dead.

Perry's body shuddered, his chest ensnared in tight knots, his breaths leaving him in short puffs. He climbed his way through the narrow spaces between planks of wood and cracked branches. His conscious would not be settled until he was absolutely certain his girl wasn't at the bottom of this debris.

Limbs askew, bent and broken, neck twisted—

Perry slapped the side of his face, the stinging just barely enough to keep him from sinking further in his morbid thoughts. He inched his way further into the pile, wincing at every creak and groan the wood made. He gazed warily at the unstable structure around him, knowing one misstep could bring the whole thing crashing down.

He arched his back, limboing beneath a pink-painted plank, and when he straightened, he found himself eye-level with a smear of bright red blood.

For a moment, his every sense shut down, and there was only darkness and silence.

Then panic erupted, breaking the brittle mental chains he had used to contain it, flooding his being to the core. His heart was skipping beats, his breath was strangled, and his nerves numb as he scrabbled further into the pile. Bile surged in his throat at the streaks of blood staining the wood, a grisly trail that seemed to lead to the very depths.

What had he been thinking? He'd nearly lost them to a boiling pit of lava, only to let them fight in a life-or-death battle against an army of soulless robots. Yes, they were capable, yes, they were brilliant and brave, but they were still kids. They were his kids. And one of them died on his watch—

The noise that tore from his throat was one he'd never made before. It came from his soul, a mournful, grief-stricken cry, and he didn't care that his flesh was now being ripped from his body as he recklessly barrelled through the wood blocking his path. Crimson red oozed from his cuts, mixing with the splatters of Candace's blood. Tears dripped down his cheeks, dampening his fur, and his body convulsed with silent sobs.

What was he going to tell his boys? They were never going to forgive him, he was never going to forgive himself—

"Perry?"

He froze. After a few seconds, the fear-filled shout sounded again. "Perry, are you in there? Are you okay?"

It was his girl.

With a single kick, he broke through the wooden pile, emerging into the bright afternoon sunlight. The debris of the tree house robot collapsed inwards, a dust cloud rising into the air, and Perry spared the commotion one glance to ensure it would not harm Candace.

She was standing a few feet away, her arms and legs covered in scratches and scrapes. Her right hand was wrapped in a thick, white bandage and there was a black bruise on her chin. Relief had shone in her eyes when her platypus burst from the wreckage of her tree house robot, but it dulled when she registered the state he was in.

Tears and blood stained his fur and he was staring at her numbly. His chest was heaving, his limbs shaking, and Candace flicked her gaze between Perry and the debris, realization dawning. She put one hand over her mouth, eyes widening.

"Oh, did you think—I'm so sorry, I didn't mean—I'm fine, I promise, I just—"

Perry leapt at her, wrapping his arms and legs around her torso, chirring brokenly with immense relief. She instantly returned the hug, hoisting him to rest against her shoulder, and he nuzzled his bill against her neck, breathing in her scent deeply.

"Sorry," she repeated. "I should have told someone I was leaving, especially considering, you know, this."

She glanced at the destroyed invention, but found her gaze redirected as Perry cupped her cheeks, turning her head. His eyes were still wet and bloodshot, and his paws trembled, but his breathing was normal. His bill dipped into a frown as he gestured to Candace's injuries.

"It was heck trying to get out of that stick pile," grumbled Candace. "But I'm fine, seriously." Her brow furrowed in worry. "What about you? You're bleeding."

He waved a paw dismissively. The wounds stung, but it was a dull sensation compared to the torrent of emotions he had experienced a few minutes ago. He formed a 'call me' sign with his fingers, his eyebrow lifting in question.

Candace blinked at him in confusion. "You tried to call me? That's weird, I must have missed it." She slapped at her pockets, finding them empty, and she looked at the debris in horror. "No. My phone is still in there!"

She started to run back to the collapsed wood and Perry pinched her ear. She yelped and came to a halt, returning his glare with full force. "Perry, my phone. Mom is going to kill me!" Perry shook his head, his hard expression softening when she finally huffed in acceptance. "Fine, whatever. I guess I can tell Mom I lost it when I crashed my bike."

When Perry gazed at her in bewilderment, she clarified, "After my tree house warrior bit the dust, I went to get Mom. I always fail when I try to bust my brothers, right? So I figured the same would happen if I tried to get her to see the robot invasion. The theater was really dark, so she didn't know I was hurt until we got outside, and she kinda freaked. Since the robots weren't there anymore, 'cause I totally saved the day, I lied and told her I wiped out on my bike. She wouldn't let me leave until one of the employees patched me up with their first-aid kit, so that's why I took so long."

Perry's jaw dropped. He had been having a breakdown because he thought she was dead, and she'd been out trying to bust her brothers for the sake of the world.

A hysterical laugh bubbled out of him and Candace recoiled, having never heard him so much as chuckle before. When she recovered, her forehead wrinkled and her dark blue eyes flashed with hurt. "It's not funny," she snapped, cheeks flushing red. She promptly let go, and unlike all the other times she had done so, Perry landed expertly on his feet.

He got a hold of himself, chirring apologetically. He lightly placed his paw against her leg and, when she scowled down at him, he motioned between the wrecked tree house robot and her before slashing a finger across his throat.

The colour immediately fled from Candace's face. "You…you thought I was dead?" she said, stricken.

Perry nodded with a weak, humourless smile. Guilt and remorse clawed at Candace's chest and she dropped to her knees, hugging Perry tightly. "I'm so sorry for putting you through that," she whispered. "I wasn't thinking. I had the idea of getting Mom and I just…forgot about everything else."

The platypus gently peeled himself from Candace's grip, reaching to cradle her cheek. He narrowed his eyes, smoothing the creases from her forehead with his thumb. He twirled his finger next his temple and Candace sniffled, wiping at her wet eyes with the back of her hand.

"Yeah, sometimes I lose it, too. I get it. But I should have known better. It was a really bad time for me to go off without saying anything." She peered at the platypus intently. "Seriously, Perry, I'm sor—"

He placed a finger against her lips, cutting her off, and he shook his head. He didn't need apologies, didn't want her to wallow in guilt. She was safe, she was alive, and Perry thought he might float away from how light he felt from relief and joy.

Candace must have seen that in his expression, for she smiled with sincerity and gave him one last hug before standing. "I love you, you little meat brick. Do you know where Phineas and Ferb are?" She bit down on her bottom lip. "Are they looking for me too?"

Perry shook his head hard and Candace smiled. "I didn't think you'd let them wander downtown alone after everything that happened." She paused and mumbled, "I freaked them out, didn't I?"

Perry gave a gentle, confirming chatter and she turned her gaze down the desolate street, her fingers curling into fists as she mentally beat herself up for causing her brothers unnecessary worry. Perry retrieved his hang glider and chirred, bringing Candace's attention back to him. He extended his paw and she nervously approached.

"This is the fastest way to get to the boys, isn't it?"

Perry nodded, his paw still held out, and he waited patiently. Taking a deep breath, Candace accepted it, allowing him to guide her long limbs into place, and she took the bar in a white-knuckled grip. She squeezed her eyes shut and rested her chin against Perry's fedora.

"All right, I'm ready."

The rocket activated and they soared into the air, Candace's shrieking overriding the roar of the engine. Perry slid his paw along the bar to settle overtop her hand in comfort. As Doofenshmirtz's building came into view, Perry gave in to the urge to increase his speed, restless to spend as many precious seconds with all of his kids as possible.

He didn't know how many more he would have left with them.