I stare at him, beaming at the projection screen, wide eyes asking so many questions. I'm starting to see a bit of the real Phineas peek through. That terrifies me. What happens when he gets his memory back? Everything goes back to normal? They build another roller coaster? Try and tame a lion? I push the thought away. I can't believe they had photographic evidence this whole time… I'd have done almost anything for it. Almost. I think back to that night on the bridge. Phineas is always so upbeat, seeing him scared rattles me to my core. He was so scared when he woke up. I was too. What if that was the last time I ever saw him? "Did we really build a time machine?" he snaps me out of my funk.

"Well, I mean technically you guys found it."

"Wow!"

Ferb clicks the remote and the slide changes to a picture of us smiling with Love Händle from mom and dad's anniversary. Isabella explains how we got them back together. I quietly slip away to my room. I decide to text Jeremy.

hey-

-hi candace. i havent seen u in a while hows ur brother?

pretty good-

We talk for a while. He tells me he'll bring over a get well card and a muffin basket his mom prepared after dinner. And thus the rest of the day goes smoothly. Dad comes home. The kids leave. We have dinner. Jeremy comes over with the muffins. He talks to Phineas for a bit and then he leaves, too. Everything feels empty. Dad helps Phineas to bed and I take my nightly meds as mom locks the door. "Goodnight, honey."

"Night, Mom"

I brush my teeth and climb into bed. Closing my eyes I drift into sleep.

His blood is everywhere. I hold on to his limp body as tight as I can, but it's like he slips right through my fingers. I hear Ferb crying but I look around and can't see him anywhere. His blood. I'm covered in his blood. It's pouring out of the gashes on his head and hands and filling up the backyard. I reach for him again but it consumes him. It quickly rises as I stand. Its at my chest now. I take a deep breath as it envelopes my head. I scream and inhale but do not drown. Suddenly I am in empty blackness. There are no sights or sounds. No tastes nor smells. I take a step into the darkness. "Candaaace," I hear him call out to me.

I turn around and there is, standing in a hospital gown, blood dripping down his face."Caaaandaaaace."

"Im here!"

"Caaaandaaaace."

"PHINEAS I'M RIGHT HERE!" I shout.

"Candace, why didn't you do anything?" His voice is like a whisper but as loud as thunder.

"I...I don't understand," I sob.

"Why didn't you save me?"

A giant hand made of blood reaches out of the darkness and takes him from me.

I bolt upright in bed. Covering my mouth with my hands I begin to shake uncontrollably. I try to regulate my breathing and I hear something in the other room. Someone's crying. I barrel out of bed and rush into the hall. Cracking Phineas and Ferbs door open I peer inside. Ferb is sleeping, with Perry. Phineas is sitting up in bed sniffling "C...Candace?" he whimpers. My heart shatters.

"Phineas?" I ask softly, pushing the door open the rest of the way.

"I...I had a nightmare.

I can't see anything. I just hear crying. My hands feel like they are on fire. My head feels like it's being torn open. My chest and arms feel like I am being impaled by a thousand tiny daggers. I try to move but I can't. "Phineas, please" someone begs.

I try and fail to open my mouth. Everything begins shaking around me. My body is thrown about violently. I feel someone open my mouth. Something is shoved inside. It's big and it slides down my throat. I begin to choke. I hear the crying again. I finally break free of whatever is holding me back and make a run for it. I trip on something but instead of hitting the ground there is nothingness. I'm falling.

My eyes burst open. I'm in my room. I sit up. Ferb is sound asleep, holding Perry like a teddy bear. I begin to weep. The door cracks open. "C... Candace?" I manage.

"Phineas?" she gently says coming in.