Nothing says 3 AM like another update to the story. Chapter 8 will be up sometime in the afternoon, I promise. But in the meantime...enjoy.

Disclaimer: All characters and places in Phineas and Ferb are the property of the creators and Disney Channel.

Chapter 7 - The Gift

"Phineas, where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

"How come you said that weirdly?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Phineas had left his brother to qualm any sort of worries his friends or parents may have had if they noticed him gone. He was currently dragging Isabella toward the spot he was planning to talk to her, but it was clear Isabella would need some explanation first.

"Phineas," she said, wrenching her hand out of his grasp, "What is going on?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

"What, exactly?"

"That's the thing. I need a comfortable spot."

Isabella stopped next to the face of a cliff, trying to catch her breath. "Don't you think this is far enough?"

Phineas leaned next to her, somewhat out of breath himself. "Horizontally, yes. Vertically, no."

"...What do you mean, 'vertically'?"

He smiled at her, then pressed the side of the cliff.

And the ground began to move up.

"What in the..." Isabella grabbed Phineas' arm, not believing her eyes. "I didn't know there was an elevator to the top of the cliff here."

"There wasn't. At least, not this morning there wasn't."

The lift continued up for a bit until it came to a stop at the top of the cliff. Facing the party up top was an ordinary park bench, devoid of the recent snow that had fallen. It seemed almost out of place up here, and so did the sudden warmth.

"I took the liberty of putting a few space heaters into the ground up here," Phineas said, answering her question. "Just so that we're not freezing our butts off up here."

Isabella slowly walked toward the bench, taking off her heavy jacket. She certainly wouldn't need it while they were here. Her sweater would suffice. Phineas plunked himself down to her right, his jacket folded beside him.

Then she looked out through the clearing.

They were not extraordinarily high up, but it was enough to get a great view of the entire party about a quarter mile away. The giant TV had been set up behind the fireworks display, beaming in the New Year's celebration being held in New York. The people below were mere specks from their vantage point, their conversations lost to the wind. The night sky, when Isabella looked up, was clear, not a cloud covering the numerous amount of stars that were out.

"Wow." Isabella was struck by how serene the view was. "This is so beautiful."

"Yeah," Phineas agreed, "It is."

They sat together for a moment, just enjoying the sight. Realizing that he was there with her for a reason, Phineas quickly turned toward her.

"So...um...I needed to talk to you about something."

"Yes, I guessed as much," Isabella replied, looking into his eyes, "Otherwise, you wouldn't have dragged me out here."

"Right." He felt for sure that his chest was going to burst open, and he hadn't even started yet. This was going to be a long night if he didn't get some sort of ball rolling.

"You know how...people hang out together for a long time, and they're really good friends, but one of them has a sort of...epiphany?"

Isabella tilted her head slightly, still looking at him. "What do you mean, epiphany?"

"You know, like one of them realizes something important and it's a wonder how they didn't know about whatever they didn't know because it should have been blatantly obvious?"

"...Phineas, you're speaking mumbo-jumbo. Why don't you take a breath and relax?"

Well, that wasn't going to happen. The relaxing, anyway.

He attempted a sigh anyway, seeing that it did a minute amount of calming. Only about a few thousand of these and he would be at an acceptable level of calm. Too bad he didn't have that kind of time. Time to go to Plan B.

"Here, let me do something. Just...stay right there." He held both of his hands up and reached around to the back of the bench.

"Phineas, I can't exactly go anywhere. You took me up here with your elevator, remember? I don't-Where did you get that?" She saw that Phineas had pulled out a guitar.

"Magic?"

"Or it was here the entire time."

"Can't fool you, can I?" he quipped, tuning the string as a way to keep his shaking hands busy.

Isabella couldn't take it anymore, it seemed. "Phineas...what is going on? You've been distant all afternoon, you go off on your own to build something that we all could've helped you on, you drag me up here and pull out a guitar and...I..."

She trailed off, her eyes opening wider with each passing second. Phineas knew that this was the time to tell her.

"Isabella, I just want you to sit back and relax. Don't try to talk. Don't," he added, seeing her open her mouth. "If I don't get this out now, I'm going to go crazy. Just...listen, OK?"

She sat back, her hands now trembling like his own.

"I had this whole speech planned about what I was going to say to you tonight, because today I realized...well...that perhaps that you and I are...something great. And as I was working on my project...the more and more I felt something start to come up in my mind. Something other than the friendship we have. The good times we've had.

"And I wrote all of it down and practiced it in the mirror and that's when I knew...that wasn't me. So, Isabella," he continued, setting his guitar in his lap, "I'm going to tell you something. And it will be in the best way I know how."

Phineas started strumming on the guitar. It was just a simple chord; nothing too complicated was needed. And now was the time for the words. He had always prided himself in the ability to write a song on a moment's whim. But this was different. Most times, he had a crowd to please.

But now...he only had an audience of one.

He took a deep breath, and started singing:

The thought that I am going to try to elaborate,

Is one I didn't think about until the time was late.

But it's a thought I never thought to think about, to view,

Because the very thing that I am talking 'bout...is you.

He checked to make sure she was still with her; her eyes were glazed over, her hands clasped together, fully enjoying the moment. He continued onward, using the same strum:

We've been in each other's company for what seems to be forever,

Those times were filled with happiness; an ever long-lasting endeavor,

But it seems to me that something's changed in my mind, a thought anew.

And now I wasted enough of the night; it's time for me to say...to you.

And now the kicker.

Here is the thing I've wanted to say, and know that this is true...

And here we go.

I love being around you...

He drew out the last syllable in the line, seeing Isabella's immediate jubilant reaction. Her eyes were beginning to water, and her smile was infectious. And this was just the first part. He was all ready to start his second verse.

And then the most wondrous thing happened.

Isabella cut in. Her sweet voice filled the air, supplementing the song.

To me, you took up all your time to try to write a song,

But you didn't take into account that I would sing along,

For every time we come together, it makes me feel brand new.

And now that I've got your attention, here's what I will say...to you.

She flipped her hair back behind her ear, blushing profusely. It took all of Phineas' willpower to keep playing his guitar. Isabella continued onward:

You remember the time you took your bike and made it into a jet?

I told you that your math was off...

Phineas rolled his eyes, smiling. "Yeah, that's one I won't forget."

And the day that you gave me the greatest sundae the world have ever seen.

Could you imagine me eating it all?

"Yeah, that would have been a scene."

Every day we spend together is one I cherish forever,

And I agree with you on this; it's an ever long-lasting endeavor.

I know it's time to say my part; in my heart I always knew,

That this is the thing I wanted to say...

She breathed in deeply, her next words the strongest she would say that night.

I love being around you...too.

Hearing her say that was the best thing that Phineas could have ever hoped for. His heart leapt in his throat, threatening to jump out if he sang any further.

But he had to. Because now, like so many times before, he had a singing partner.

Phineas and Isabella, as if by magic, sang together the final part:

Through all the times we've been together, the memories we recall.

The coasters, the lasers, the robots galore; we know we've been through it all.

But now on the eve of a brand new year, it's time to make an oath.

To the people we care about most of all...

"To you." Phineas said.

"To you." Isabella mirrored at the same time.

To both.

And now we end the tune with a phrase we now know to be true...

The two of them looked into each other's eyes, that magical connection knowing what exactly to say.

I love being around you.

The note was held for a while, and with one final strum, the song was done, the air quiet once again.

Phineas thought that once he had finished, the uneasiness in his body would subside; unfortunately, all it seemed to do was exacerbate it even more. He put the guitar back down on the ground, getting ready for the second part of his plan.

But not before Isabella had launched over to him, wrapping him in a bear hug. He put his arms around her waist with just as much force.

No words were uttered. No gestures were needed. There was only the two of them, enjoying the moment that they had created. This was a moment that Phineas would never forget.

And speaking of "moments", this was the time for the second part.

"Isabella," he said, gingerly straightening her up, "I know that you're probably processing a lot of stuff right now, but I need to give you something."

"Give me something?" she repeated. "You've already given me the song; what else do you need to do?"

Phineas rummaged through his coat laying next to him. "I thought that this would be the cap to the evening. It's a little thing that I thought up."

"Phineas, you didn't have to get me anything else. That menorah you made for Christmas was wonderful enough."

"I know. I just felt like I needed to give you something...else."

"Else?"

Now she noticed that Phineas was turned around to her, holding out his hand. In it was a long wooden box, about half a foot long and tied in red ribbon. It would have been mundane had it not looked like it had been hand-carved. She gingerly took it out of his hands, running her fingers around the top.

"Am I allowed to guess what it is?"

Phineas shrugged, desperately trying to calm his heartbeat. "If you want to, but it's probably better off that you just open it."

"Is it a pair of chopsticks that tear through dimensions?"

"No."

"Is it a pen that writes in seven different languages and twelve colors?"

"No."

"It's not another miniature airplane that's going to pick up Pinky and put him in the pool again, right?"

"Like I said last summer," Phineas said, stifling a chuckle, "That was an error in the programming. I didn't mean for it to do that."

"Is it-"

"Isabella!" He cut her off, holding his hands out. "Just...open it. Please."

"Okay." She started to untie the bow around the box, still attempting to grasp what could be in the box. "But if it's another airplane, I'm going to hit you."

"It's not another airplane. Although, you still may want to hit me after opening it," Phineas mumbled to himself.

"Phineas, I was just joking. I would never hit you," Isabella said, creaking the lid open. "Why would you ever think-"

Her sentence came to a screeching halt, her mouth still open as she stared at the contents of the box. Phineas peered over the lid, glanced at Isabella, and pointed at the object inside.

"...I'm going to say because of that."

"That" was a necklace, the chain made entirely out of pure silver. Phineas had covered it with a special coating so that it would not rust. The pendant hanging from it was small and egg-shaped, also made out of silver. The ornate stencil carving that adorned it had been filled in with some sort of pink liquid, appearing almost translucent in nature. A flower cutting was on the top on it, the petals the same light pink color.

And now that it was seeing the outside air for the first time instead of the dankness of the garage, it seemed to shine in an otherworldly fashion.

"Oh my gosh."

Isabella's first words after opening the box appeared ...good. At least to Phineas, anyway. It was hard to tell between the damp cheeks and blush on her neck, but the response looked well enough.

"This is...oh my gosh." Isabella's motor ability seemed inclined to repeat that phrase every few seconds. "This is so beautiful, Phineas. I don't even know what to say."

He smiled, knowing full well the best part was yet to come. "And you haven't even opened the locket yet."

"Wait, it opens?"

And now Phineas was even more nervous. "Yes, it does."

Seeing a tiny latch on the side of it, she unlocked it, flipping the locket open with a trembling hand.

And was shut up for a second time.

On the left half of the locket was a five-year-old Isabella, in a pink t-shirt and overalls, on what appeared to be a swing. On the right side was Phineas, the same age as she, in his blue shirt and matching overalls, pushing her.

And they both had huge smiles on their faces.

Isabella traced the outline of the pictures with her finger, stunned. Feeling a rough texture, she lifted her hand to see cursive around the borders of the photos.

Isabella Ariel Garcia-Shapiro

Phineas Jeremiah Flynn

The lettering was ornate, meticulous. Phineas recalled it being somewhat of a pain to do writing that small, but he thought that it had come out great. He was lost in recollecting that, so he missed the thing that Isabella was whispering.

"Sorry, what?"

"...You remembered."

"Oh, that." Phineas rubbed the back of his head. "I heard you mention your middle name once before, but I kind of had to call your mom to confirm-"

"No, not that." Isabella was staring at her younger self, lost in thought. "I mean, yeah, that too. But...I can't believe you remembered this."

She pointed to the two photos, finally looking Phineas in the eye for the first time since opening the box.

"This was the day we first met."

Phineas silently nodded, glad that she knew where the photos came from. He could feel himself being sent back to that day, the day that his life was changed forever...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I had an actual already-made song in this chapter ready to go Then I quite literally yelled, "To heck with that!" and made my own original song. Actually I said a bad word that starts with a F and rhymes with "duck", but it's the same thing, really. But that's where "I Love Being Around You" comes in. If you're trying to think of a rhythm to the song, it's just a simple strum. Simple rhyme scheme. I didn't want to over-complicate it. It wouldn't be a P&F story without an original song, right?

Ariel is the middle name I've given to Isabella for story purposes. It's the name of a dear friend of mine, and one that I particularly like a lot, so it was natural to give it to her.

Yeah...not much else to say. This chapter was hard to write, from both an emotional standpoint and a writer's one. Trying to fit everything in here you wanted was very difficult. I hope that anyone who reads this gets that and enjoys it.

Flashback city is in store for the next chapter, which will be the last one before the New Year (and second-to-last in total). Hang on to your hats, folks; this story's not done yet.

Read and review, if you like.