I LOVE ORANGE SODA.

Anyway, despite my love for brightly colored soft drinks, this chapter was sparked by Buford's love of his dear pet Biff… And the fact that goldfishes don't really live that long.

Fear number two: Loss

Something seemed to be wrong with Buford that day. He kept to himself, not saying a word to anyone. He was even ignoring Baljeet, a surprising fact.

"Hey… Does anybody notice something… wrong with Buford?" asked Phineas. "He's seeming kinda down."

"What do you mean?" asked Isabella.

"He hasn't called me 'Dinner Bell' all day," He looked over at Buford, who was sitting under a tree moping. "Come to think of it, he hasn't said anything all day."

"Yeah…" Isabella's eyebrows kneaded in concern. "I sure hope he's okay."

"Do you know anything about this, Baljeet?"

Baljeet didn't look up from the book he was reading. "Why would I?"

Phineas shrugged. "I dunno. You guys are pretty close. I thought he would've told you something."

"He didn't," said Baljeet, with an almost annoyed tone to his voice.

Baljeet was bothered, not because of Phineas, or because he didn't want to deal with it. Phineas was right. Buford usually told him everything, so why not this time? Baljeet was more than a little hurt.

"Somebody should really go talk to him," said Isabella.

"Hey, Baljeet. Why don't you go?" suggested Phineas.

Baljeet looked up. "Me? Why me?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" responded Ferb. "You're the one person that Buford ever confides in. If anyone is likely to find anything out, it's you."

Baljeet sighed. This was true. "All right. I will talk to him."

He walked over to where his friend was sitting. Buford glanced up, then returned his gaze to the grass below. "Hey," he mumbled.

"Is something bothering you?" asked Baljeet.

"No."

"Buford…"

A long pause. Then Buford sighed. "Okay. There's something bothering me. Happy now?"

Baljeet shook his head. "Tell me what it is."

Buford winced. "I… can't say it."

"Yes you can, Buford," insisted Bajeet.

"I…" Buford stopped, in an attempt to force the words out. "It… It's Biff!" he exclaimed, tears rolling freely down his cheeks. "Biff is dead, okay?!" He began to sob

Baljeet gasped. He remembered that Biff was Buford's mother's name. It struck him as odd that Buford would address her by her first name, but based on the lack of respect he showed towards other adults, it wasn't all too surprising.

"Oh, Buford... I… I am so sorry." Baljeet patted him on the back. "If there is anything that I can do-"

"Hug?" sniffed Buford.

Baljeet sighed. "Of course."

Buford sobbed into the smaller boy's arms for all of about fifteen minutes.

Eventually Baljeet went back over to where the others were.

"So did you figure out what was wrong?" asked Phineas.

Baljeet sighed, nodding solemnly. "Yes."

"Well?"

"His… mother died."

The group showed shock and concern.

Phineas had never been without a mother. Linda had raised him and Candace as a single parent until he was three years old. She was always there, and Phineas couldn't even imagine losing her.

Ferb's mother died when he was about two, just old enough for him to know who she was, but not old enough to know her. Linda was nice, and while Ferb considered her his mother, she still couldn't fill the void. He understood perfectly the pain Buford was feeling.

Isabella had no real experience with grief or loss. Both her parents were alive and well, along with her grandparents, her friends, and her pets. It bothered her that a friend of hers was suffering in a way that she never had, and more than likely never would, at least not until she was much older.

"That's…" Isabella searched in her mind for a word strong enough, but couldn't find one.

"Wow…" said Phineas. "So that's why he's been so upset. Poor guy."

Ferb showed obvious concern on his usually blank face.

"So… What should we do?"

"I don't know, but here he comes."

Sure enough, Buford was shuffling up, red-faced from crying, his head hung low. "Hey, guys…"

"Hey, dude," said Phineas quietly.

"I guess 'Jeet told you?"

"Yeah. We're all really sorry."

Buford sighed. "It's been rough. I don't know how I'm gonna get through this."

Isabella patted him on the back. "You will. I promise."

Buford half-smiled. "Yeah?"

Isabella held up her hand in oath, grinning. "Fireside Girls' honor."

Buford scruffed Isabella's hair. "I gotta be alone for awhile." With that, he left.

Baljeet followed him. "Are you okay, Buford?"

The taller boy sighed. "Yeah. I guess so. It's just… I still can't believe Biff's gone."

"It will be alright."

"Thanks for being there, Jeet. I owe ya." Buford crossed his arms. "Ma didn't get why I was so upset. She wanted to just throw him away."

Baljeet blinked. "What? Throw who away?"

"Biff. You know. My fish."

"Huh?"

"He died, remember."

Baljeet jumped back, shocked. "Biff was your fish?!"

Buford nodded sadly. "And a good fish he was."

Baljeet growled. "I cannot BELIEVE this! You had me going for a FISH?!!"

Buford blinked. "Well, yeah. I told you he was dead."

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR MOTHER!!"

"Why would you think that?"

"Grraghh!!" Baljeet turned around, crossing his arms.

Buford let out a depressed little sigh. "I knew you wouldn't get it."

Baljeet calmed down some, eventually turning around. "Get what?"

This time, Buford was the one to turn around, wanting to hide his tears. "Exactly!" he yelled. He sighed. "My dad left. My brother got shot. Pretty much everyone who's ever had to deal with me either died or got sick of it and left." Buford's shoulders trembled. "I just can't lose anyone else!!"

Baljeet put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You won't lose me."

Buford turned around and smiled. "…Thanks."

The two hugged. After awhile, they both broke away awkwardly.

"So, uh… No homo," said Buford quickly.

Buford nodded, smiling humorously. "Of course not."

After explaining the whole ordeal to their friends, the group sighed.

"Ohhh, okay," sighed Phineas. "I see. Yeah, That makes sense. Still, we're really sorry. Have you had the funeral yet?"

"Nope. Not yet."

"Then, Ferb, I know what we're gonna do today!"

A little sappy on my part, I know. Still, it had to be done, just like giving a monkey a shower.

…You can easily tell that I write and draw my own manga, can't you? Yeah, most of what I do turns out this way. =A=

Next chapter: SUZY JOHNSON.

Candace and Buford: Eek!!

Phineas: I don't get it. She's just a cute little girl.

C and B: NO SHE'S NOT!!

Ferb: Still don't get it.