Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Phineas and Ferb. They are copyrighted by Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, Dan Povenmire, and Disney.
OCs: Abigail Flynn, Lyra Chase, Kyle Chase, Maddie and Kayla DuBois, Elise Van Stomm, Karou Tjinder, Linus Fletcher
Rated T
A/N: I've switched from 1st person point of view to 3rd person.
In the ensuing few weeks, Kyle Chase was home all of three days before he had to leave again. Lyra could see the disappointment in her mother's face.
"Kyle, you said you were going to be home for a while this time," Gretchen remarked as he repacked his suitcase.
"I'm sorry dear. I have to go where the company needs me," Kyle responded.
"Kyle…" Gretchen sighed.
"I promise, I'll make it up to you and Lyra," Kyle promised.
"Kyle, you do realize that Lyra's birthday is in a month," Gretchen pointed out.
"I know, I'll be back before then," Kyle said.
"You better be Kyle. You missed her birthday last year," Gretchen stated.
"Don't worry. I will," Kyle promised.
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Baljeet stood at the front of his class room with a green haired boy. He was just as silent as his father was as a youth. Baljeet sighed as the janitor brought in a new desk and chair. He instructed it to be put in Lyra's and Abby's table.
"Linus! How's Uncle Ferb?" Abby asked of her green haired cousin.
Linus gave a slight shrug, then fixed his gaze on Lyra.
"Uh…hello Linus," Lyra greeted the boy uncertainly.
"Hello," Linus returned the greeting.
"Have you spent a great deal of time in Britain, Linus?" Lyra inquired.
"Yes," Linus confirmed.
"Uncle Ferb's British so was Aunt Catherine," Abby pipped up.
Linus gave his cousin a wounded look at the mention of his mother's name.
"I can't imagine what it's like to lose a parent," Lyra said softly, a pang of sympathy for the green haired boy rushed through her.
A month passed and Lyra's birthday came. Not too many of her classmates came, parents were invited as well. Lyra cast her mother a concerned look as she talked to her father on the phone. Gretchen's face was a flush red and her expression was aggravated. Thankfully a distraction arrived in the form of Linus and his tall father, who also had green hair.
"Ferb! See you found the place," Phineas called out to his brother while Linus joined Lyra and Abby.
"Is something wrong Lyra?" Linus inquired quietly.
"Dad told Mom this morning that he couldn't make it. This is the second year in a row he's missed my birthday," Lyra replied.
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"Kyle, you promised that you would be here," Gretchen said into the phone.
"I'm sorry. Work just got backed up," Kyle apologized.
"Your work gets backed up rather frequently," Gretchen remarked, sounding a little bitter.
"It's just the way things are," Kyle responded, aware of how frustrated his wife was.
"Didn't you want a second child?" Gretchen inquired.
"Of course I want a second child, but my work schedule makes it impossible," Kyle returned.
"We need to discuss a few things when you get home Kyle. I'll call you before I put our daughter to bed," Gretchen said then hung up.
Gretchen rejoined the party and upon spotting the green haired Brit, gave him a friendly hug.
"How have you been Ferb?" Gretchen asked.
"Things have been rough since Catherine died, but Linus and I are working through it," Ferb responded.
"Must be rough for your son to lose his mother in that manner," Gretchen remarked.
"Linus is a little too much like me. He doesn't really show his reaction that much. By the way, how far along are you?" Ferb said.
Gretchen blinked then looked at the man, "About thirteen weeks. How could you tell?"
"You have a certain glow about you. I remember it when you first announced about little miss feisty pants over there," Ferb returned.
Gretchen rolled her eyes and gave the Brit a playful shove.
Ferb smirked in response. He had such an easy going relationship with the Germanic woman. It took her a good four years to actually speak in front of him, alone. She laughed and gave him another shove.
"So when are you going to tell Kyle?" Ferb asked.
"When he gets back," Gretchen replied, then bit her lip.
"Is something wrong?" Ferb asked.
"Something doesn't feel right when he comes home," Gretchen admitted.
"He'd be stupid if he's doing something he's not supposed to do. You know Buford will kill him," Ferb remarked.
"Maim, not kill," Gretchen corrected.
"He's still an 'angry wall of meat' according to himself. He's also got Rook," Ferb pointed out.
"It'll be fine Ferb," Gretchen mumbled.
"For your sake and your girls' sake, I hope your right," Ferb said.
"How are you so sure it's a girl?" Gretchen shot at him.
"Despite the glow about you, you really don't look it. So ergo, it's more than likely a girl," Ferb returned.
"I'm surprised that Buford has a daughter," Gretchen commented.
"She's more like her mum than him," Ferb noted.
Gretchen nodded, "According to Lyra, Elise maybe on the husky side, she can be accident prone. Though she does have a temper."
Ferb winced, "Adyson's accident proneness combined with Buford's temper.."
"Not a good combo," Gretchen finished for him.
Lyra came running up to the two adults.
"Mom, can we do the Pizza now? Everyone's getting hungry," Lyra stated.
"All right dear. Then you can go back to playing then cake and presents," Gretchen said.
Lyra fist pumped, "Yes!" then took off to find Abby and Linus.
Ferb gave Gretchen an 'I told you so' smirk. Gretchen gave the man a playful shove again. Sometimes Ferb was just asking for trouble. Though he had known Gretchen long enough to know how to push her buttons but in the same way, she could push his buttons quite well. Though there was a line which both never crossed. Ferb couldn't help but smirk as he watched her give out slices of pizza on plates.
