A/N: Hey everyone, long time no see. So this is kind of a...personal story I decided to write and post in light of recent events. Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and Marissa Flynn...

Marissa was quiet on the bus ride home from school that day which was highly unusual. She always liked talking with Phineas and his friends about her day and the day's invention that awaited their return home. The silence of his sister concerned the triangular headed inventor. He couldn't help but wonder what the cause of Marissa's silence could be. Given past experience, he's been able to decipher when his sister was upset about something. However, this time, it was hard to figure out. What could be the cause this time?

Was she bullied? Unfortunately, Marissa had always had a list of things people make fun of her for. Between her abnormally long neck, disability and fierce attachment to her brother, Marissa had been bullied a lot in school. Nobody really physically touched her, but they would make fun of her to the point of tears. Because of this, Marissa didn't have any friends in high school. Actually that wasn't entirely true. There was one person who was friends with Marissa, but that's another story.

Did a teacher yell at her? Marissa tried to be a good student, but there were a few teachers once in a while. Those teachers would ignore her needs or issues such as placing her at the back of the class despite needing to be at the front to see clearly. Sometimes they would move too fast for her to take notes. She would politely ask for them to slow down, but they wouldn't listen. Some teachers would punish her- -the whole class mainly- -for something a few bad students were doing. Marissa was never good at asking for help when she was confused either. She was too embarrassed to admit it. Because of this, she would fail some of her assignments and tests for difficult classes- -mainly science and history related classes. The teachers for those classes would come down on her about it, and inadvertently make her think she was stupid.

Perhaps she was denied a solo in choir. It had happened before. Marissa would try out for a solo in the choir, but someone else got it. It always left her wondering what she did wrong. Did her voice crack? Did she sing off key? Was her voice just not pretty enough? Maybe she'd better just quit altogether. Of course, Phineas would help her gain her confidence back in some way.

Whatever the cause, Marissa just stared out the window of the bus without a word. Phineas stared at her with concern. She didn't seem puffy eyed, so she hadn't been crying. That was good at least. She wasn't drawing or reading a book like she sometimes did on the bus. She wasn't playing a game. Phineas didn't know what to think, but he knew something was up with his sister. He'd have to talk to her when they got home.

Marissa put her backpack in its designated spot, and she went to her bed and laid down. Luckily, there was no homework that day. She hugged her pillow.

"Marissa?" there was a knock and Phineas' voice, "Marissa, can I come in?"

"Why not?" Marissa mumbled, "it's your room too."

"I know, but...if you need space, just say it."

"No...I'm fine," Marissa replied.

"No, you're not. What happened?"

Marissa didn't answer, and Phineas opened the door. Following him were Ferb and Candace. All three of them had noticed their sister was upset.

"Marissa, you know us better than this. We aren't gonna stop nagging until you tell us what it is," Candace replied as she sat on the bed across from Marissa's, "now come on, spill."

They asked her about everything that usually bugged her. She denied it all, but she finally whispered, "I...learned something that...I kinda wish I hadn't."

Her siblings exchanged glances at each other. What could she have possibly learned about today? History class did seem to upset her more than anything. She hated learning about war and the Holocaust, but she'd learned about that a couple years ago. She went through the tears of the movie "Boy in the Striped Pajamas" before. Math was her best subject, so it couldn't be that.

"Was it something in science class?" Phineas asked,- -knowing full well that science had distrubed his sister before- -but she shook her head, "or was it just something you came across while browsing. Heh, heh, Ferb sure has done that."

Ferb blushed a little, considering it was true. He could tell his brother was just trying to brighten up the mood a little bit. It sadly wasn't working, and Phineas sighed.

"Come on, sis, ya gotta give us something," the redhead complained.

Marissa remained silent. She didn't know if she dared to mention what it was in front of her little brother. He was too young and innocent to know about the disturbing truth she learned today. Candace went through Marissa's class schedule in her mind. Her eyes widened as she realized what other class could have revealed something upsetting or shocking to her.

"Health class," Candace whispered.

Marissa nodded, and Candace understood instantly what Marissa learned. It didn't take long for Ferb to realize either. He had learned of the topic while doing some research in the library. He hadn't MEANT to learn of the subject. It just popped up. Ah yes, he had read about it in a book he was reading, and he wanted to learn more about what it was he was reading. It had shocked him for sure, but it was what it was. Phineas, however, had no knowledge of what Marissa had learned. He was a little too young and innocent to even have stumbled on the knowledge. While it was a question everyone wondered as a child, some came out realizing why parents were so evasive of the answer...and regretting ever wondering to begin with.

"I know it's shocking, sis, but…" Candace began, "what has got you so upset about it?"

Marissa looked at Phineas, and she hugged her pillow harder. She couldn't rob him of his innocent bliss of the situation. He'd learn when he was older. Ferb and Candace exchanged looks, realizing that the topic shouldn't be discussed in front of Phineas. It wasn't that he was stupid. Far from it, but he was oblivious. He didn't need to know yet. His idea of romance was fine as it was. It didn't need to be changed.

"Phineas? Can you come here for a moment?" their mother called from downstairs.

Saved by the bell- -or in this case, the mother's voice- -, Phineas rushed down. Ferb sat on the bed next to his younger stepsister, and Candace knelt down.

"You learned where babies come from, didn't you?" Candace asked cautiously, and Marissa nodded.

"All those years of wondering, and I wish I could delete it from my mind," she shook, "just the idea grosses me out so much."

Candace went and sat on the other side of her sister, "I'm sure when we get older we stop feeling that way. Otherwise we wouldn't be here right?"

Marissa nodded. Maybe Candace was right. Surely, this was just a phase of her being young, and she'd be over it when she's older right?

Ten Years Later

Twenty-five year old Marissa Flynn laid on her bed. She felt awful breaking the man's heart, but she couldn't help the way she felt. He wanted kids, and she...thought she did too...but...every time the idea of intercourse crossed her mind…it grossed her out so much. The guy was a nice guy and understood she was uncomfortable with the idea. However, she felt she was holding him back like so many other guys she dated in the past. He wanted it, and she didn't. What was she to do? She couldn't go on pretending everything was fine.

She hugged a pillow tightly, wondering just what was wrong with her? She was an adult now. Why did anything beyond a Disney rated romance gross her out? Why did she pull away when her tongue touched that of another guy? Why did she feel so insecure about guys touching her body? There had to be a reason. Was this normal? She decided to sit up, and she pulled out her laptop. Marissa stared at the laptop wondering just what she should type. Finally, in the browser, she typed:

"Is it normal to not want to have sex?"

A term came up and interested her, so she clicked on the link. The more she stared at the definition, the more she realized it was her. However, even knowing it was a normal feeling, she still felt so out of place. Phineas and Isabella were expecting a child. Candace had a child and was expecting once again. Even Ferb was going to be a father soon. Marissa hadn't developed any new friendships since she left home. She had, however, heard that Baljeet and Ginger were sexually active. Was she really the only one in her circle of family and friends that wanted nothing to do with sex?

There was a buzz which startled her.

"Marissa? It's Candace, Phineas and Ferb. We heard about the breakup...we brought ice cream for you," Candace called, "we know you love ice cream."

Marissa didn't answer, which concerned her siblings.

"Marissa, come on, we aren't going to let you face this alone. Please let us up," Phineas consoled, "we aren't leaving otherwise."

With a sigh, Marissa stood up, and she pushed the buzzer to let them in. She didn't say anything though. Her brothers and sister came up, and soon there was a knock on the door. They had been told by Marissa that if they were buzzed in, they just needed to knock and then enter at will.

"Hey, sis," Phineas greeted, and he hugged her, "I'm sorry about the breakup."

"Yeah…"

"You okay?" Candace asked, "you seem a little off. Your breakups don't usually end with you this upset. What's wrong?"

Marissa was silent, but Ferb could read her. It definitely wasn't the breakup that upset her. Something else was going on.

"What's wrong," Ferb interrogated, his deep British voice casting its spell on his sister.

"I...I feel so...abnormal," Marissa confessed, "all these years...I thought I would get over it. I wondered why my relationships never lasted. It turns out that the answer was in front of me all along. It had nothing to do with my disability or my age. I just...don't like the idea of somebody's dick in my vagina!"

"You just haven't met the right guy yet, Marissa, once you meet the right person and experience it for yourself, it-" Candace began, but Marissa cut her off.

"NO! Candace, it won't! I will never be comfortable with it! You know why? I'm a freak! I'm...asexual!" Marissa yelled fighting tears, "just another reason I'm not normal!"

Her siblings furrowed their eyebrows, looking at each other. Not normal?

"Uh, Marissa?" Candace began with a little bit of a laugh in her voice (not a condescending laugh but more like a comforting laugh), "have you looked at our family? Nobody here is normal. I mean...what normal family has little boys building crazy inventions every day?"

"And saving the world from alien invasions?" Phineas added.

"Not to mention from another dimension," Ferb added (yes, at some point, they remembered the Second Dimension ordeal and OWCA got their shit together and realized those kids could be assets to the organization)

"And how many normal families have a pet platypus who is a secret agent?" Phineas asked, earning a look from Ferb, "oh right...uh...how many families KNOW their pet is a secret agent?"

"Normal has been off the table for us for a long time, Marissa," Candace added, "us against the universe right?"

Marissa seemed a little comforted by this, but there was one thing that set her apart from everyone she knew…

"But even still...there is something that sets me apart from everyone...even you guys," Marissa lamented.

"So what if you have no desire to have sex. Marissa, that doesn't make you any less human or any less our sister," Phineas comforted, wrapping an arm around his fragile sister, "what did you think we'd alienate you just because you think sex is gross? What do you take us for?"

Ferb added, gently grabbing her hand, "If you aren't comfortable with it, then you aren't comfortable with it. You are not a freak."

"Yeah," Candace began, placing a hand on her shoulder for comfort and reassurance, "so I won't get a niece from you. So what. You're still my sister, and that won't change."

Marissa stared between her siblings who nodded in understanding. Before she knew it, she was in a group hug with them, sobbing. So what if she was asexual. She had her siblings and friends. They would never let her fall into a hole alone, and if she fell, they'd pull her out.

A/N: just so we're clear, I don't think asexuals are freaks. I just feel a little...out of place because most people I know don't have the same issues I do with the subject in this story. I already have a list of things people- -even my family- -look at me differently about, and it felt like this was just another abnormality to that list. I'm not ashamed of my asexuality, and I don't think anyone should be ashamed of it. I...recently broke up with my boyfriend because he wanted sexual activity like kissing, sex, cuddling...rubbing my body in ways I didn't find comfortable, and I realized we just were not right for each other because it's unfair of me to expect him to just...suppress that side of him, just like it would be unfair of him to expect me to just get over the uncomfortableness I feel.

Anyway thanks for reading, and I would really appreciate a review. I don't usually post this kind of content, but I just...I dunno...I felt like posting this one. Hope you liked it

Carpe Diem!