Chapter 23 Walking on air

Quanktumspirit: "Ok, I've written now two doom and gloom chapters. Here is a fun chapter for Heinz and Perry. And for your info, Heinz knows Phineas, Ferb and the others. He needs some cheering up."

Back at the Flynn Fletcher's

Perry the Platypus was lying curled up in his bed for 2 days now. Yesterday he allowed Heinz a day off, but today, despite it being a working day for him, he wasn't feeling like visiting his best friend. Not with the knowledge that he was dying in front of his eyes.

'If only I could do something to cheer him up.' Perry wondered to himself.

He looked up from his pet bed and looked outside at Phineas and Ferb. He noticed the boys have built themselves some small jetpacks and were racing each other around the sky. Perry chuckled, it looks like a lot of fun.

As Phineas and Ferb landed, they looked up to their bedroom window. They saw Perry smiling at them a bit before his smile left him, and he was frowning once more.

"Hey Ferb, you think something is on Perry's mind? Maybe it has something to do with his boyfriend, Heinz Doofenshmirtz." Phineas guessed.

Ferb nodded his head, the boys packed their invention, together, and walked into their home. Perry walked out of the boys' bedroom and walked downstairs, the two boys and platypus entered the living room and Perry sat between both his owners.

Phineas gave Perry a pat on his head, and Ferb gave Perry a small body massage. This was usually what brought a smile, always on the platypus beak, but knowing that his friend was seriously ill, made his smile not return.

Perry glared at the boys a bit for them to stop trying to cheer him up. Instead, he just sulked and stared at the clock.

"Poor Perry, knowing his best friend is dying must be tearing him up on the inside." Phineas sighed.

Ferb wiped his own tears from his face, "Sometimes, ... We have to let the ones we love go. For one's love to re-grow again."

Phineas nodded his head, both Phineas and Ferb have known what it is to lose someone very close. Both their missing parents have died long ago, as they were barely a few months old.

But now they have each other and a step-father and a step-mother who replaced their beloved missing parents very well.

But Perry had no one, Perry hung his head and cried all over again, he doesn't even know how long he has been crying over the fact that his best friend was dying.

Just then Phineas's eyes caught their usual glint, he grinned and pulled out some blueprints, before grabbing Perry, to the poor Platypuses fright.

Phineas carried Perry outside, Ferb raised an eyebrow and followed his brother.

"Phineas, what's wrong?" Ferb asked him.

Phineas was jeering and hugging Perry to his chest, his smile never leaving him again.

"Just... You know when one feels unusually happy? They say you walk on air. So how about, cheering Perry up. We make him walk on air," Phineas suggested.

'Oh no.' Perry thought scared.

Before Perry could run from his owners again, he was placed on a wooden board and Phineas and Ferb began sketching their 'Platypus flying machine' out.

Perry remained as still as a statue. Ferb then raced inside and got some bits and bobs to dress Perry up. Phineas began working on the power unit to get Perry into the air.

Perry was measured in length, height, weight and how he was moving his body around. After working on the skeleton for a while Perry was grabbed again and dressed up within the robot.

Then wings, a fantail, a steering stick and other bits and bobs were attached to Perry. Perry still looked at his owners unsure.

'I wonder if I have pet insurance. These boys are going to kill me... Oh well, if I do die, then I will be back with Heinz in a few days' time. Ouch, Phineas, not so tight.' Perry thought to himself as the kids continued tinkering on his costume.

As Perry was ready for his first test flight, Phineas and Ferb were ready as well. Ferb lifted Perry up and Phineas faced their pet.

"Ok, Perry. You just hold your paws on the two pedals at the bottom, your machine should work with the wind on its own accord, just wave your tale to the left or right to stearin that direction of the flight. Your machine will fly for about 2 hours before you will land, and we will have to restart your motor again. Any other questions?" Phineas asked their pet.

Perry smiled a bit, and then looked at the boys worried, what if he would accidentally crash and fall to his death?

Perry looked at them with the fear showing clearly on his face. Phineas and Ferb understood what the Platypus was trying to say.

"Don't worry Perry. I and Ferb will fly over you and keep an eye on your flight construction. As long as you don't do anything too stupid, then everything should be fine." Phineas explained.

Perry gave them his chatter and closed his eyes, 'Help me.'

He felt himself be lifted off the ground as Ferb raced Perry through the garden and then launched him into the air. Perry felt the wind blow around his body, carefully, he moved his tail, pedals and other technical equipment around this construction to remain airborne.

The wind was a nice breeze today, Perry looked down for a while and saw Phineas and Ferb cheering for him, before jumping into their own flying constructions and shot after their pet.

Perry smiled, and the 3 friends flew around each other, up and down, round and round whiles feeling the wind blow against their bodies. Everything was working as Phineas and Ferb imagined.

Perry smiled and looked up at the sun, 'Lovely. I'm feeling right as rain.'

"Hey, Ferb, how about we go and see where Perry and Heinz meet up with each other. Please, Perry?" Phineas suggested.

Perry looked over to Phineas and Ferb and nodded his head, the Platypus and two boys flew their constructions towards Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated.

After a smooth landing, the 3 boys landed on the Doofenshmirtz balcony. Perry pressed a button and both constructions let him and his owners go, so they could enter Heinz's apartment.

As Perry opened the door, the 3 boys entered the apartment. Phineas and Ferb looked around and saw several things were packed together and carried out by other people.

Perry saw Heinz was still sitting on his recliner chair at one end of the room. He was being looked at by a doctor, whiles at the same time had a drip in his arm and a small nose breathing mask for him.

His skin was turning paler and paler. The doctor shook his head sadly and left the room. Heinz leaned back in his chair with tears falling from his face.

Perry looked up at him and Grrrrred worried, of course, Heinz was also wearing his animal translator in his ear and looked down as he heard Perry calling his name.

"Heinz, are you ok?" Perry asked him worried.

Heinz smiled a bit as he saw the boys at the other end of the room, "Oh hi Perry, and Phineas and Ferb. But Perry, you do know I've handed my pass to LOVEMUFFIN back. I'm not your enemy anymore."

Perry nodded his head, "I know Heinz. I just wanted to visit you, and my boys wanted to see how you are doing at the moment."

Heinz chuckled and showed his odd construction of machines linking to his body. "As you can see, Perry. I'm in my Cancer therapy session. They are trying to buy me more time... But my body is just not feeling up to it. My old clock within my chest is slowly ticking the final days down. Then... Then... You know."

Heinz didn't want to speak out what his body was screaming out. Phineas and Ferb bowed their heads down a bit.

"We are sorry that we can't invent or do anything to help you, Heinz." Phineas sighed.

Ferb, however, shook his head a bit. He grabbed Perry, walked closer to Heinz, and placed the platypus on his lap. Perry smiled and understood what his owner was getting at.

Perry nudged Heinz's hand and smiled at him. Heinz smiled at the boys and began stroking Perry's small body. He felt a lot warmer with Perry on his lap than he ever would with a hot water bottle.

Heinz whipped his face as tears were streaming from his eyes, "It's... Its alright boys. If I could I would invent the machine to zap this sickness out of me. But I can't. At least I have some company, of... Of people who actually care for me. So thank you."

Phineas and Ferb smiled, after talking with Heinz for a few more hours, they left his flat with Perry again. Perry was scared that this might be the last time he will see his friend again ever. But Heinz reassured him that he will be there tomorrow.

Perry nodded and the 3 flew back. After the friends flew around Danville for a few hours and then returned home, they landed safe and sound on the ground, first Ferb, then Phineas and then the two boys caught Perry again.

After a few tinkering and unstrapping, they released Perry from the flying construction. Perry has now a calm, small smile on his face. He was truly feeling like he was walking on air. Of sorts.

And Perry was hoping that Heinz won't give up too soon. He adores that man in all his glory.

Quanktumspirit: "Please review."