I know it's been a week or two since I've updated, but the holidays have been kinda nuts and I hadn't found time. So here goes. Hopefully I'll be posting back on schedule soon.

He sat in silence, clinging to his sister. He knew that she wouldn't support his decision. She would insist that he not do this for her.

But he had to. He couldn't live without her. She was his sister. He owed her so much. He sat with her, one of her hands folded tight in both of his, tears streaming silently down his face. The others had left them so that they could be alone for a while, and he was glad for that. He needed to be alone with her. Leaning his head into her shoulder, he took in her scent for what he knew would be the last time. He had always been calmed by that smell, and she by his, but this time was different. This time he couldn't find any solace in it. He could find only sadness.

There was a small click behind him, and he looked up to see that the window had fallen open, allowing the chilly morning air to drift slowly into the room. If there had been curtains over the window, they would have fluttered lightly. The draft made him shiver slightly, pulling closer to his sleeping sister. A moment later, he spotted two dark eyes in the shadowed corner of the room, and he froze.

Bellidor was here.

It stood in the dark corner of the room, in the place where the morning sun couldn't yet reach, its eyes locked on Phineas, unblinking. Although it hadn't any skin on its chalk-white skull, it was clear that it was smiling. When it spoke, its voice was harshly hollow. "So? Have you made your choice?"

Phineas shrank back from the monster, clinging tighter to his sister as if she would be able to provide any protection for him. He tried to speak, but his voice had all but gone. Instead he just sat, shaking.

"It doesn't really matter, you know," Bellidor told him, taking a step forward that made him wince. Its arms were crossed in front of it, two pairs of strong jaws folded over its bare ribcage chest. It cocked an eyebrow. "If you die for her, she'll be weak. It won't be hard to feed on her when the time comes. If you prefer to save your own skin, well, the same would happen to you, wouldn't it?"

Phineas could feel himself shaking as he sat, clutching Marissa in his arms, his eyes locked fearfully onto Bellidor. Finally finding his voice, he managed to whisper: "Wh-what do you want? Why are you doing this to us?"

"Because I'm hungry," Bellidor snapped, "I'm higher on the food chain than you. I'm stronger and faster and smarter than you. I get whatever I want, and I won't let anyone stop me," as it spoke, its tail lashed back and forth in irritation, its sharp end like a nasty wasp waiting to sting.

Phineas shrank back, but then glared. He could feel his heart pounding, and he was fairly certain Bellidor could hear the same, but he refused to let himself be intimidated so easily. "Why us?" he demanded, his voice quivering but determined, "Why not go and pick on someone else?"

Bellidor chuckled. "Because I hate you," it stated simply, "Thanks to you I've had to go hungry once already. I won't let the same happen again. I will have you," and it lunged, both its forearms splitting open to show its rows of jagged teeth, and caught him by the back of his t-shirt as he turned to run. Its teeth left little sharp holes in the shirt as it pulled him back, finding a better hold on his throat and holding him up high off the floor. It wouldn't kill him - not yet, not till it had had its way with him. He had to understand never to cross a soul-sucker.

Or maybe it would slaughter him. It had him pinned helplessly off the ground, after all, and it was terribly hungry. The new moon wouldn't be until nightfall, but as long as its prey wasn't dead until then it could do what it wanted. It knew exactly what it could do without killing the little vermin, since it had plenty of experience. Its eyes settled on one of Phineas' hands, each tugging weakly at the jaws around his neck, and decided that would be the best place to start. It gave him a malicious glare, and then snapped-

Moon's blade struck it hard in the ribs, its end wedged between them, and Bellidor dropped Phineas hard onto the wooden floor. It turned to see Moon standing in the doorway, with Isabella and Ferb each hidden behind her. Her eyes narrowed.

Phineas landed hard on the floor, coughing, and then quickly scrambled back to Moon, throwing his arms around her waist as tears welled up in his eyes. He wanted to speak but she quickly pried him away, setting him back with Ferb and Isabella. Turning back to Bellidor she growled.

Bellidor yanked the knife out of its side, wincing slightly as it slid out from its ribcage, and tossed it aside. "You again," it hissed, "I should have known you'd escape-"

"I helped," Isabella said bravely, still hiding behind Moon but giving Bellidor a glare. "If it wasn't for that little creature-"

"-what creature?" Moon and Bellidor asked together.

Isabella gulped. "Oops..."

"No matter," Bellidor resolved, "After I'm done with you I'll kill that too."

"Not a chance," Moon snarled, taking an aggressive step forward. She kept her eyes locked on Bellidor, like a wolf watching a deer, waiting for a chance to strike. She was certain she could take the monster down, if given the chance.

Bellidor only watched, unmoving. After a moment its jaws snapped just, both simultaneously, giving a tiny echo but nothing more. It knew that this hot-headed human would be no match for it. It had taken down many bigger than she was, and at the moment it had very little patience. With a fierce growl it lunged, quickly pinning Moon down with its strong arms and lashing its tail sharply over its head. Its eyes narrowed in determination, its tail driven down hard into the old wooden floor where Moon's head had been a split second before. With both legs she kicked the monster, sending it skidding back away from her and leaving hard scratches in the floor from its sharp claws. Keeping one eye on it she briefly glanced to the others. "Run."

"But, Moon, we can't leave you here!" Phineas protested.

Moon shrugged. "Fine. Sit and watch, then. I don't care," she turned back to Bellidor just in time to see it pounce, and instantly the two of them were locked in the deadliest of fights. Teeth and claws flew from both sides, and for a long time it was impossible to tell who would win.

Finally at an apparent stalemate, they both just stood to catch their breath. Moon was bleeding in several places, but she seemed to ignore it as she watched the monster for its next move. She had a sharp cut over one eye, making her seem like a stereotypical action-movie hero, and as she shook a strand of stray hair our of her face, small flecks of blood went with it.

Just as suddenly the pause had come it was over, and they both leaped back into battle. After a moment Moon pinned the daemon down, using a trick she'd seen in a cartoon when she was little, and held both its arms tight behind its back. Its tail was wrapped tight in her legs, and although the end twitched occasionally she knew it wasn't dangerous. Breathing heavily, she turned to Isabella and the boys. "You guys wanna kill it? I've kinda got my hands full."

"Um, Moon, don't you think we could do something else about it?" Phineas asked, "Maybe release it somewhere in the jungle or something where it won't hurt anyone?"

Moon frowned. "What for?"

"So then we won't have to kill it. Killing things isn't nice," Phineas told her.

Moon rolled her eyes. "Fine. Then can you at least hand me the knife? I'll kill it."

Ferb picked up her dagger, handing it hilt-first to her, and then stood for a moment over Bellidor. Without a word he bent down and gave the monster a small pinch in the shoulder.

Instantly the monster fell limp.

Moon cocked an eyebrow. "Well...okay."