Several months passed without incident. Ferb and Gretchen began discreetly buying items for their pending arrival, and the occasional piece of slightly larger clothing for her. Thankfully for the couple their unborn child decided not to make it's presence known; and the ultrasounds showed it to be healthy and well within the size range for the set due date. Summer arrived bringing with it the sounds of people playing in pools and the smell of meat sizzling on grills. Gretchen was nearing the end of her second trimester when Phineas finally noticed that Gretchen had possibly put on a few pounds.

"Huh...weird..." Phineas muttered.

"What is weird?" Ferb inquired.

Phineas turned towards his brother, "Has Gretchen put on a few pounds?"

Ferb raised an eyebrow.

"No, seriously bro, has she put on a few?" Phineas asked.

"Phineas..." Sienna, now Phineas' fiancée, warned.

"I'm not going to answer that," Ferb said evenly.

"Seriously, she's getting a bit pudgy," Phineas remarked, unaware of Gretchen coming up behind him.

Ferb went wide eyed as he saw tears form in her eyes, then as she turned on her heel and ran off, "He didn't really mean it love, you know how his mouth just blurts things out," he called after her. He then gave Phineas a hard look, "Next time bro, keep it to yourself."

"She heard me didn't she?" Phineas asked as a wave of guilt came over him.

"Yes, yes she did," Sienna remarked.

Ferb shook his head then went after Gretchen. He passed the four year old Lillian as she trotted up to her father.

"Daddy? Why is Aunt Gretchen crying?" she inquired.

"Daddy just said something he shouldn't have," Sienna said, giving the red head a look.

"Daddy said a bad word?" Lillian asked, wide eyed.

"Something like that," Sienna muttered.

"I was just curious," Phineas said sheepishly.

"You know what they say. Curiosity killed the cat," Sienna remarked.

Lillian burst into tears, "Poor kitty!"

Phineas went inside and tracked Ferb down. Ferb was in the den and Phineas decided to talk to him about Gretchen.

"Is it her time? She's awfully emotional lately," Phineas inquired a few seconds before Ferb's fist made contact with the side of his face.

"Ferb what is your issue?" Phineas yelped, holding the side of his face as he fought off the wave of dizziness that followed the contact.

"Phineas, just leave her alone. Do you realize how long it took me to get her un-stressed?" Ferb nearly snapped.

"Does this have to do with when you two went out of town?" Phineas inquired.

"That is none of your business Phineas. Focus on your pending nuptials, not on my relationship with my wife," Ferb snapped this time, his ire quickly rising.

"You guys got married when you were twenty and she was nineteen. Mom could have sworn that she was pregnant at the time," Phineas commented.

"Well she wasn't and that's all you need to know," Ferb's ire was now evident in his voice.

"If she wasn't pregnant when you got married…." Phineas paused to think a second, "Oh... that's too bad, probably for the best seeing how young you both were."

Ferb shook his head, "PHINEAS!" he took a breath before continuing, "What goes on in my house is my business; not yours."

"You're being awfully testy Ferb, just chill," Phineas said, and this unfortunately got Ferb worked up.

"Chill? You want me to chill? You insult Gretchen to her face and you want ME to chill? If I didn't have so much to worry about right now, I'd..." Ferb stopped and grabbed a chair for support as his back went into spasm.

"Ferb? Are you all right?" Phineas asked.

"Peachy," Ferb replied as he tried to move, obviously having difficulties.

"Is it your back? Is there something I can do?" Phineas asked, beginning to panic.

Ferb responded through gritted teeth, "No Phineas, it'll go away in a minute or two."

"Do you want me to go get Dad or-" Phineas was cut off by Ferb.

"Leave Gretchen alone, you've already upset her once today. That one time is enough," Ferb snapped.

"I'll go get Dad then," Phineas said as Lawrence came into the living and saw his biological son in pain.

Lawrence wrapped arm around Ferb, "Come on son, let's get you seated."

Ferb shook his head, "That doesn't help."

"Ferb, son, tell me what you need," Lawrence said gently.

Ferb shook his head again.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Phineas asked.

Ferb glared and replied with obvious sarcasm, "No, this is how I relax."

"I'm going to go get Gretchen," Phineas said.

"Don't you even think about that!" Ferb snapped.

"She's your wife. If anybody knows how to help it'll be her," Phineas replied

"I don't want you anywhere near her for the rest of the day," Ferb growled.

"Then what do you suggest?" Phineas retorted.

"Lillian," Ferb said simply.

Phineas was confused, "What about my daughter?"

"Lillian can go get Gretchen, if need be," Ferb replied.

"You're being stubborn, and very protective of Gretchen," Phineas noted.

"Son are you two having difficulties again?" Lawrence asked.

Ferb shook his head, "No, Phineas just insulted her and I don't want him to do it again."

Phineas said something to his daughter who scampered out of room.

"I've asked Lillian to bring Gretchen," Phineas said.

Ferb stood up straight; pain clearly etched onto his face and snarled, "You just can't leave well enough alone, can you?"

"Ferb, you're keeping secrets again," Phineas remarked.

Lawrence stepped aside when Gretchen came over to see what Ferb had done to his back. Upon noting that it was going to be an easy fix she stood back to back with him. She linked elbows with him, and she leaned forward forcing the green haired man to lean backwards. Ferb was now in an inward panic, he didn't want his family to know just yet.

"Gretchen, be careful. You don't want anything to happen," Ferb pleaded with her.

Phineas' eyes went wide. And understanding dawned for Lawrence.

Realizing that the secret was out, Gretchen grabbed a tissue off the table and proceeded to shred it, "Cat's outta the bag now isn't it?"

"You shouldn't have done that," Ferb muttered.

"And leave you in pain? I don't think so, and Ferb, honey, I know my own limits," Gretchen replied.

"That information is not to leave this room until we're ready to say something about it," Ferb informed the other two men.

"How far-" Lawrence began to ask.

"Five," Ferb cut him off.

"I'm just going to.." Phineas trailed off at the hostile look on Ferb's face.

"You're just going to WHAT exactly?" Ferb asked.

Phineas stepped up to couple, "Say I'm sorry. I-I'm happy for you guys."

"When were you planning on saying something?" Lawrence asked.

"In a few months," Ferb replied instantly.

Gretchen gave a nervous laugh, "Ferb was going to call everyone from the hospital."

"That's in a few months," Ferb said placidly.

"No one else knows?" Lawrence inquired.

"Just Gretchen, myself and the Doctor," Ferb answered.

"He said to avoid stressful situations," Gretchen mumbled.

"So that's why you purposely avoided Baby related topics," Lawrence mused aloud.

"Yes. Could you please not mention this to mum?" Ferb asked.

"I'll try my best not to mention this," Lawrence replied.

Ferb gave Phineas a hard look, "Do not mention this to Mum, Candace, Sienna or

Isabella."

Phineas put his hands in the air, "I won't, I promise."

"You guys have been married for four years, I thought you were anxious for children," Phineas said.

Gretchen's lip started to tremble.

"Phineas," Ferb warned.

"Okay, enough. If there's anything you need, let me know," Lawrence offered.

Ferb gave a nod in reply.

"I'll check and see if there's anything lying about that you could use," Phineas offered.

"No thanks. We'll take care of everything," Gretchen politely declined.

"Is everyone ready for dinner?" Linda asked as she stuck her head in the room.

"Aunt Gretchen is having a baby!" Lillian blurted.

There was a still moment before it was broken by four simultaneous facepalms. Ferb then pinched the bridge of his nose. Gretchen grabbed a few more tissues and shredded them. Phineas was the first to regain his voice.

"Lillian Emma Flynn!" He said exasperatedly.

"What?" the girl innocently asked.

"What's this about a baby?" Linda inquired.

"The cat's majorly out of the bag now," Ferb muttered with a sigh.

"What Cat?" Lillian asked.

"Linda darling..." Lawrence began.

Linda rushed up to Gretchen and hugged her tight, "You're pregnant? It's about time. You should have done this years ago."

"I need to sit down," Gretchen mumbled.

Ferb helped Gretchen to sit on the couch, then spoke softly to her. Phineas helped to put his sister-in-law's feet on the coffee table.

"How did this happen?" Linda asked.

All the other adults in the room just gave her a look.

"You know what I mean. When are you due, oh, I'm so happy! My baby's going to be a father." Linda said.

Ferb said to Phineas, "This is what we were trying to avoid."

"Whoa, Mom. Both Candace and I have kids," Phineas pointed out.

"Both you and Candace weren't married before having a child," Linda replied.

"Mum, please," Ferb started.

"Linda, darling, perhaps we should let them live their lives the way they have been?" Lawrence suggested.

"Does Trudy and Will know?" Linda inquired.

"Mum, please! Can you please give us some space? I don't want Gretchen stressing out," Ferb interjected.

Linda looked over at Gretchen then at Ferb, "You were married so young, now look at you. Gretchen, you're positively glowing."

Gretchen burst into tears, then turned and sobbed into Ferb's chest.

"No one knows anything... or no one's supposed to know anything," Ferb responded, absentmindedly placed a hand on Gretchen's abdomen.

"You can't keep these things secret for very long; how far along are you dear? Two months, not even?" Linda pressed.

"Almost six," Gretchen replied, lifting her head from Ferb's chest and moved away from her husband.

Linda's hands flew to cover her mouth, eyes wide; she hugged Ferb tightly, "You should have said something, we've got to tell.."

"No!" Ferb shouted, then paused, and screamed in pain as his back went into spasm from the awkward hug.

"Here, Ferb. Let me help you," Phineas offered.

"I don't think that's-" Ferb started.

"I can help, I watched Gretchen do it," Phineas cut him off.

"That's not a good idea," Ferb muttered.

"Ferb, just please let me do this?" Phineas pleaded.

Ferb grimaced, "Fine."

Phineas repeated what Gretchen had done earlier.

"I think that we should go," Ferb said.

Sienna walked into room and announced, "Dinner's on the table."

"Who screamed? Phienas, what are you doing to Ferb?" Candace demanded as she walked into the room.

"I'm helping him, what does it look like?" Phineas replied.

"Ferb and Gretchen are having a baby!" Linda beamed.

Candace looked to Ferb and Gretchen, then asked, "No joke?"

"It kind of came it out," Lawrence said.

"That's great! How far along are you?" Candace asked.

Gretchen shredded a tissue before replying, "Ummm, almost six months."

"Okay then," Candace noted the tension in the air, "Uh Mom? Can you help me get Xavier and Fred cleaned up? You know how boys their age can get so dirty."

"Sure Candace," Linda agreed.

"I'll be there in a minute Sienna, could you take Lillian with you?" Phineas asked.

Sienna was a little confused, "Okay sweetheart. Come on baby girl."

"Okay Mama," Lillian said and followed her mother.

"I guess we're not going to be asked 'When are you going to have a baby.' for a while," Gretchen made an attempt at a joke.

"I'm so sorry about my family. We should tell Will and Trudy... soon," Ferb apologized to her.

"I don't know what to say son. This is fabulous news, just tell me, why would you want to keep it secret?" Lawrence inquired.

"Yeah, really Ferb. I didn't want to say anything, but we were starting to wonder if you were incapable," Phineas said.

"Gee, thanks Phin," Ferb said with sarcasm.

Gretchen bit her lip and shredded another tissue.

"What?" Phineas asked.

"We've had difficulties in the past," Ferb admitted

"You could have said something son," Lawrence remarked.

"We've managed to work it out," Ferb said with a shake of his head.

"Have you two found out what it is yet?" Phineas inquired.

"We have that appointment next week," Ferb said.

"Sienna had a home ultrasound machine to monitor Lillian's growth," Phineas offered.

"No thank you," Gretchen declined.

"Really, it's not a problem. It's not like she needs it at the moment," Phineas said.

"No, I wouldn't want to accidentally mix it up with Ferb's TENS machine," Gretchen explained.

"That accident really messed you up, didn't it Ferb?" Phineas asked.

Ferb nodded.

"When he tells me what's wrong, I help him out the best I can," Gretchen added giving her husband a loving look.

"Still stubborn, I see," Lawrence noted

Ferb gave a shrug.

"We should probably get in there before Linda comes back," Lawrence suggested.

Phineas gave a slight shudder, "Yeah, Dad's right."

Ferb draped an arm over Gretchen's shoulders as they headed for the dining room.