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Chapter 2 – The Talk

Predicament time.

Candace could either walk out of the room, pretending not to hear her little brother, or turn around and face the conversation that she was dreading to have. Or, as a third option, she could run around the room with her brother's Easter Island statue on her head.

The first and third options, however, were not looking too good. So, to stall, she said the first thing that came to her mind.

"What?"

"I said, does Isabella like me?"

She turned around, her hand still on the frame. Phineas' face was barely holding back what appeared to be a look of concern, worry, and frustration all rolled into one. The book was still open in front of him, with a picture of Isabella and him building the second rollercoaster.

"What gave you that idea, Phineas?"

"Well," he started, flicking the corner of the page with his finger, "There's all these pictures of us in here. We spend a lot of time together, but I didn't know that she...treasured them so much."

"That fits her, though," Candace retorted. "She knows that you're a great friend to her."

"But is that all she thinks of me?" Phineas said, throwing her hands in the air. "I mean, come on now! This book is giant. And some of these photos are...well...they seem more than 'friend' to me. They're kind of obvious."

He heard a scoff come from the door and saw his sister covering her mouth with her hand. "What?"

"I'm sorry, Phineas," Candace muffled, "But you're not exactly the leading expert when it comes to noticing the obvious."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

The teen begrudgingly walked back into the room, sitting herself down on Phineas' bed. "Phineas, I'm going to tell you something that you probably either don't want to hear or will blow your mind. And quite possibly both."

"Does it have to do with Isabella?" Phineas inquired.

"Yeah...yeah it does."

"Does it have to do with the book?"

"...Yeah."

"Does it have to do with her possibly liking me more than a friend?"

"Phineas, are you going to let me tell you or not?"

He held his hands up in defense. "OK, sorry. Go ahead."

Candace steadied herself, knowing that this discussion was not going to end well at all. Finally getting enough resolve, she said the words that would surely put her little brother over the edge.

"Phineas...Isabella does like you."

He nodded slightly, taking her statement in.

"More than a friend."

"OK."

Candace was confused. Certainly she thought there would be more brain exploding in the premises, but no such organ was coming out of his body. "You're taking this surprisingly well."

Phineas glanced at her. "I've actually been sitting on this for a little bit. Like, since Christmas. Since I got her present (he pat the book in front of him). But now that I know for real, I don't have to worry about it as much."

"How do you feel about it? Isabella liking you?"

His gaze fell to the ceiling, his eyes lost in thought. "It's cool...I guess. I mean, it's been a week. I'm sure that her feelings haven't been around for long. Because it would be weird if she had been liking me for more than the week."

Uh oh.

"Why would you say that?" Candace said slowly.

"I've been friends with Isabella since we were little, Candace," her brother stated, closing the scrapbook. "I'm pretty sure I would know if she liked me for a longer period of time."

Candace silently chided herself for her earlier mistake. What she was about to say was going to put Phineas over the edge.

"Yeah...about that..."

"Sis," Phineas said, narrowing her eyes at her, "Please tell me that she hasn't liked me for more than the week."

Candace sat there, twiddling her thumbs, her silence speaking volumes to him.

"Oh. My. Gosh." Phineas went wide-eyed at her non-response. "How long has she liked me?"

"Well," Candace responded, a finger to her chin. "Today's Saturday, so...forever."

"Forever? Like...since we were little?"

"Yeah, that long. Or at least that's what she told me."

"She told you that? Oh man. This is not good." He began smacking his hand against his head. "I am such an idiot!" He grabbed the book, making a move to beat himself over the head with it.

"Phineas!" Candace yelled, grabbing her brother by the shoulders. "You need to calm down! It's not the end of the world!"

"Not the end of the world?" Phineas was hysterical at this point. "I just found out that my best friend has had a crush on me for years! How am I suppose to calm down?"

"I was just like you when Jeremy told me that he liked me. It's something that takes a while to get used to."

"But it's different, Candace! You've had a crush on Jeremy for ages, while I..." He sputtered to a stop, and Candace restarted her worries about permanent brain damage.

"You what?" she said quietly.

"I...I don't know how I feel about her."

Suddenly she understood. The anguish, the worry, all of that were similar to her emotions about Jeremy. It saddened her a little to see her brother like this, but it was a big sister's job, she thought, to help out her little brother in any way she could.

"Listen, Phineas," Candace said, scooting the book over to sit closer to him, "Let's think about it from a different way, OK? Do you like her?"

"Of course I like her, Candace!" he yelled. "She's my best friend. Why would I not like her?"

"That is not what I mean, and you know it," she retorted firmly.

"I'm sorry; I didn't realize there was a sliding measurable scale of 'liking' someone!"

"Duh. There's liking someone, and then there's liking someone, and then there's like-liking someone-"

"Candace, I'm not interested in the proportion of feelings to the amount of times you use the word 'like'."

"Sorry." Getting an idea, she reached over to the book, setting it in her lap. "Let me ask another question then. Do you care about her?"

"Sis, I just said-"

"It's different, Phineas," she said, stopping him mid-sentence. "You don't have to have romantic feelings for someone to care about them. You just want what's best for them. Like Mom and Dad want for us. Like what I want for Stacy and Jeremy and all of my friends." She opened the book to the beginning and slowly began to leaf through the pages. "All of these times you hung out with her were times that she cherished. That she remembered fondly. She obviously cares about you enough to make this book and give this to you."

"Mmhmm." Phineas was carefully listening to all that she was saying, albeit rubbing his temple to probably ward off his impending headache.

"And for my point of view, you obviously care about her since you spend so much time with her. If you didn't like her on some degree you wouldn't do that."

He said nothing, still looking at the current photo of her and Isabella riding the carousel at the recent carnival.

"Let me ask you something, Phineas," Candace continued. "What did you get her for Christmas?"

"A new menorah for her room. One that had different colors for every candle. I made it for her."

"You made it for her? That's very thoughtful of you."

"I mean, she said she wanted a new one ages ago. I just wanted to get the right materials because some of them are only in stock for a few weeks out of the year."

Candace stopped, looking down at her brother. "You mean that you went out of your way to make sure that she got something perfect for Christmas?"

"Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I-"

He paused, his mouth slightly open and a look of realization gradually going over his face. Candace smiled widely; she knew that things were finally getting through to him. She put her hand on his head, ruffling his hair a little.

"You see what I'm saying, Phineas. You may like her more than you thought you did."

Her brother sat still, trying to wrap his head around his revelation. "What do you think I should do?"

"I don't know. You're not technically obligated to do anything, Phineas."

"I feel like I should do something, though."

"Hmm." Candace pretended to rake her brain for an idea, even though one had already entered since the realization had surfaced. "Why don't you get here something?"

"You mean, like a present?"

"Kind of. Get her something that just lets her know how much you care about her. It's doesn't have to be over the top or anything, like what you normally do. You know how much Mom says 'It's the thought that counts'? Go with something like that. And yes," Candace said, noting Phineas' getting ready to interrupt her, "You already got her a present for Christmas. I know. Just make this one a little more...personal."

Candace saw her brother start playing with his fingers, deep in thought. They started intertwining and bending, as if he was trying to solve a Rubik's cube. She also kept hearing him mutter "the thought" over and over again.

"Are you thinking of something?"

"More than thinking," Phineas said, straightening up. "I know exactly what I'm going to do!"

"That's good!" Candace wiped her brow in relief. "So...what are you doing?"

"It's a secret."

"It's—what?" She did a double take in Phineas' direction as he jumped off the bed. "Phineas, you just thought it up five seconds ago! Are you at least going to tell me?"

"I have to keep it a secret from everyone, Candace. Even you." He grabbed a few blueprints from his shelf, haphazardly stuffing them into his winter coat. "It's nothing against you; the surprise will be better if no one knows."

"O...K. I guess that's fine."

Phineas, having finished his rummaging, turned toward her and gave her a hug. Candace, surprised, could only hug him back in response.

"Thanks, Candace. I really needed that talk."

"No problem, kiddo," she replied, patting him on the head. "Anytime."

With that, he ran out of the room, seemingly headed outside. Outside, Candace thought...

"Phineas! You guys are going to finish that firework thing soon, right?"

"Yeah, we are," her brother's muffled voice replied. "We'll have it taken care of."

Candace smiled slightly. She wished that she could help out a little more with Phineas' plan, but if it wanted to go it alone, that was his decision. It wasn't like her brother was incapable or anything.

The page that Phineas left on caught her attention. The photo was from atop from a tall building, Phineas hugging his pet platypus Perry, with the rest of his friends joining in the fun. It was humorous to note that Isabella had him by the waist, locking him in an embrace that seemed to be more for him and for the platypus.

And speaking of said platypus...

"Hey," Candace said aloud, looking around the room, "Where is Perry?"

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yeah, where is that lovable platypus?

It wouldn't be a proper Phineas and Ferb episode without some sort of Doof scheme. You'll find out about it next chapter.

Phineas and Candace's relationship is one, to me, that doesn't really get enough time in the spotlight. Yes, he drives her crazy, but they're family. And family leans on each other when problems arise. Candace is no different. And when it comes to Isabella, Candace is going to help in any way she can for her oblivious little brother.

A little Perry time is due up next chapter, along with what will appear to be a plot forming. Maybe. Can't guarantee it.

Read and review, if you like. Laters.