Isabella had been concerned about Phineas after Thanksgiving; he seemed down over the fight between their mothers. She tried to convince him that it hadn't been his fault, but he wasn't buying it.

He spent the days of the long holiday weekend with them, evidently trying to convince himself he deserved to be Becky's father, and trying to stay away from his parents.

On Monday, Vivian was somewhat subdued when Isabella dropped off Becky. They didn't talk much during drop-off or pick-up. Phineas came over for dinner, played with Becky for a bit, then read her a story and tucked her in, kissing her forehead and running his hand through her hair to wish her goodnight. He talked to Isabella for a half-hour or so before going home.

A couple minutes after the door closed behind him, Becky started crying. Isabella went in to see what the problem was.

"Daddy come back?" Becky asked, sobbing.

"He'll be back tomorrow morning," Isabella said, holding her daughter.

"Promise?"

"He'll give you that promise if you'd like," Isabella said, after a brief moment of hesitation that she cursed herself for.

"'Buela said..." Becky sobbed, and Isabella's eyes narrowed.

"Abuela said he might not come back?"

Becky nodded into her shoulder.

"He'll come back. He'll be here tomorrow. Maybe some time he'll go away for a little while, but he'll always come back to you. He's your Daddy."

She held her daughter as she calmed down, falling asleep on her shoulder. Isabella laid her in the bed, pulling the covers up again.


The next morning, as they arrived at her mother's house, Isabella said, "Becky, why don't you go play for a couple minutes. I need to talk to Abuela."

Becky ran off into the house as Vivian looked at her daughter inquiringly.

"Mama, I don't want you talking to Becky about Phineas. It's not your business."

"I'm just trying to protect her, Isa."

"He's doing the best he can. There's nothing more I could ask him to do for being involved in her life."

"Until he leaves again. I never should have encouraged you two. I never should have let you two move in together before you got married."

"Mama, it wasn't like you could have stopped me. It was my choice."

"You should find some other nice man to be a father to Becky. Let me introduce you to Consuela's son Aron. He's a nice young man."

"I went out on a date with him months ago. He doesn't like kids."

Vivian shrugged. "Okay, so not Aron. We can find somebody else."

"Mama, whether you like it or not, Phineas is Becky's father. I will not stand by and let you sabotage his relationship with his daughter."

"He's done a good enough job of that on his own."

"He's trying to make up for that. I hate to put it this way, Mama, but I don't want you putting Becky in the middle of this. If you have a problem with Phineas, then say it to him. If you keep telling Becky he's going to leave, I'm going to have to find someone else to watch her while I'm at work."

Vivian looked across at her, stunned. "You'd choose him over your own mother? I stood by you when he left, and this is the thanks I get?"

Isabella gave her a wicked grin. "Becky's only got one father. If it comes down to it, she's got another grandmother."

"This is the thanks I get. Everything I've done. Stabbed in the back by my own daughter."

"I thank you for everything you've done. But I'm not going to let you undo everything Phineas has done since he got back."

"When he leaves again, what will you tell Becky?"

"If that happens, I'll deal with it as I see fit. But I'm not going to make her worry prematurely. I had to spend half an hour calming her down again last night after Phineas went home for the night. Even if you won't do it for Phineas...do it for Becky. She doesn't need that."

Vivian gave her a tight-lipped frown, looked over at Becky, and nodded. Acceptance, but not acquiescence. Isabella figured it was the best she'd get, so she nodded agreement.


That night, Phineas tucked Becky into bed, then saw that she was looking at him with tears in her eyes. He kissed her on the forehead, and said, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Promise?"

He took a deep breath, and nodded. "I'm not going away again. I promise."

She hugged him, curled up with her bunny, and put her fingers in her mouth as he left the room.

"Sorry about that," Isabella said as he got out into the living room. "Mama decided she needed to warn her, after Thanksgiving."

"I guessed. I can't say I blame her."

"I told her not to do it again."

He looked at her, surprised. "Thank you."

"Were you thinking about...?"

"I'd be lying to say it never crossed my mind, but...no, not really. I talked to Corinne today, and she said I'm doing better. Besides," he said, looking at Becky's room with a smile, "I made a promise not to go away again."

She lightly punched his shoulder. "Oh, she gets the promise, eh?"

He looked up at her, embarrassed. "I didn't think you'd want one from me any more. I just..."

"That's okay. It's not like a promise to her isn't one to me as well."

"I suppose it is, isn't it?"


Isabella had asked if he was sure he wanted to go to Hanukkah at her mother's, under the circumstances, but he'd insisted. "If I'm going to be part of Becky's life, I need to be there."

He walked across the street, noticing that Isabella's car wasn't there yet. He considered going back home and waiting until she arrived, but he decided that he could deal with Vivian long enough until Isabella got there. He knocked on the door, and Vivian swung it open.

"Happy Hanu...oh," she said, seeing who was there. "You decided to show up, nu?"

"It's the first Hanukkah I get to spend with my daughter. It's important."

He'd been spending Hanukkah with the Garcia-Shapiros since even before he and Isabella started dating; Vivian had always loved having him there. The last one he'd been there for, two years before, he and Isabella had been living together for about six months. Vivian had dropped some not-very-subtle hints about marriage, which he took in stride. He'd been planning to pop the question on Valentine's Day, but Isabella's unexpected pregnancy had caused him to delay.

Vivian pursed her lips as she looked at him, and stepped aside to let him in. "You missed her first Hanukkah."

Phineas took a deep breath. "I did. I know. I'm sorry - I know how much you wanted Isabella and I to be together. I'm just trying to be a father to my daughter now."

"Not trying to get back together with Isabella?" she asked sharply.

"She was the best thing that ever happened to me. And I threw it away. I know I don't deserve a second chance with her."

She looked across at him flatly, and said, "I hope you don't expect me to try to convince you otherwise."

He was still trying to think of a response when a knock at the door indicated Isabella had arrived.


Phineas sat back in the chair in Corinne's office, trying to answer her question. "What would I like?" he pondered. He shrugged, and asked, "Does it really matter? I've got a relationship with my daughter. I've already got more than I deserve."

Corinne tapped her lips with the pen. "You use that word 'deserve' a lot. Why don't you deserve happiness?"

He stared at her. "I abandoned my girlfriend and newborn child. Just ask Vivian, she'll tell you what I deserve."

"Yes, you've told me what Vivian thinks. It sounds like Isabella is on your side against her, though. And just because your daughter's grandmother doesn't like you doesn't mean you aren't allowed to be happy. You made a mistake. You're trying to correct it."

"It's not like I can be forgiven for what I've done."

"You're allowed forgiveness. You're allowed to accept that forgiveness. You're even allowed to forgive yourself, although I know that one's a ways off."

Phineas sat back, pondering. He shook his head. "Maybe I'm allowed forgiveness, but I don't think I'm ready for it yet, even if somebody gives me some."


Isabella smiled at Phineas as he carried Becky into his parents' house for Christmas. They'd had a small celebration this morning, where Becky had gotten some toys in her stocking; Linda had asked them to have most of the presents at her house.

Becky had loved the tree both times she'd seen it before, but now that it had all those fascinating boxes underneath it, she was enthralled. Ferb and Vanessa were there before them, sitting together on the couch; Candace and Jeremy were on the other couch, while their three children sat in front of them on the floor. Amanda clearly considered herself in charge - truly her mother's child. Xavier and Fred were sitting patiently, playing with small toys they'd gotten in their stockings that morning. Linda and Amanda quickly got to work sorting presents while Phineas and Becky took a seat in front of Ferb. Ferb leaned down to say something quietly, and Phineas laughed, pointing to the pile of presents.

Isabella stood back a bit with Lawrence, who was busily trying to take pictures of the day's events. She looked over at Phineas, trying so hard to be the perfect father to their daughter, and wondered.

Can I forgive him? Do I want to?

In a way, the whole thing hadn't even been his fault. Or, at least, not all his fault. She hadn't realized he hadn't been sleeping; she just knew he was covering the overnight feedings, and she reveled in being able to sleep. Anyone who had gone as long without sleep as he had could have a breakdown like that.

Not that it makes it hurt any less. For me, or for him. And not that he'd ever believe it isn't his fault.

She thought back to one of the nights of Hanukkah, when she'd arrived before Phineas had. While Becky played with a dreidel, her mother had commented quietly on Phineas saying he didn't deserve forgiveness, and how she agreed with him. And then her mother had looked at her, sighed, and said, "You've always been single-minded about him. Ever since you met him, you've never given any other guy a chance. Maybe it's time for you to move on finally. Or am I wrong?"

She hadn't been able to answer at the time, but now, after some time to think, she realized that, yes, her mother was wrong. That even after what he'd done to her and Becky, that she still loved Phineas, and even though it wasn't the magical reunion she'd dreamed of, that he had come back to stay. And maybe someday, they could be a family again.

But right now, he needed to get his feet under him first. That was okay. She was used to waiting for him to be ready for a relationship. And she suspected he wouldn't take as long to come around this time.


Phineas watched Amanda try to stay awake as the TV show from New York slowly ground toward midnight. She'd gotten special permission from her parents to stay up; her brothers were already in bed and supposedly asleep.

Candace had asked him to watch the kids so she could go to the Danville New Year's Party with Jeremy, and he'd accepted. Isabella had decided not to go, and so he'd helped get Becky down for the night before coming over to babysit. Phineas suspected that Isabella didn't really want a reminder of the last New Year's they had spent together either.

They'd celebrated together in their apartment, enjoying a bottle of champagne together. One thing had led to another, and they'd gotten careless in their passion. They were both pretty sure that that had been the night Becky had been conceived.

He wondered what her New Year's had been like last year. Alone with a three-month-old child, not knowing if the girl's father was ever coming back.

Still better than mine, blackout-drunk under an awning in Portland. At least it kept me out of the rain for the night.

My New Year's resolutions: build myself a life again. Be a father to my daughter. And be here next year to make a new resolution.

"Amanda," he said, startling the girl awake. "It's almost midnight."

"Thanks, Uncle Phineas," she said, smiling at him.