Hello everyone! XD

WordNerb93: Yes poor Phantom... :( I love the Phantom, he's cool.

Galaxina-the-Seedrian: Mine too! Great song! :D

MeWantACookie: Are you kidding? Ramin is AUH-MAZING! :D AND SOOOO CUTE! XDDD lol

Michi41: Drama! DUn dun DUN!

phinbellafan2298: Love that song too! :D

Sieraa-275: I'd love to do the, challenge. BUT as you know I have so much on my plate right now between life and other older unfinished stories. Once I play catch up, write out my other plots and wait for my life to slow down, I can then think of new ideas and more requests again. :)

I don't own PnF

Dawn began to break through, showing that the nighttime was almost over. At the end of the Cony Island pier, there was a desolate bar that was emptying now of its night customers… well, all except one that is. Phineas sat alone at the bar stool, clothes rumple from wearing them all day and night, hair all a muss and in need of a brushing and an empty glass in his hand.

When the bartender walked by again, Phineas motioned over to him, "One more…"

The bartender sighed, "Oh, buddy, don't you think you've had enough? It's practically morning already."

Phineas rammed his drink down on the bar and nearly yelled, "One more, I said!"

The bartender shrugged and began pouring him another drink, "All, right, all right. My shift is over anyway, so let's settle the bill okay?"

Phineas sighed and dumped a handful of change unto the table and began drinking his new glassful. As the bartender collected the money, he looked closer at Phineas and shook his head slightly, "Jeez, you're in a bad way, aren't you? Worse than most that end up here. Here's the morning shift, maybe he'll know what to do with you…"

The bartender leaves as the morning shift arrives. Phineas thought about his words and sighed, "Yes, what to do with me. That's the question, isn't it? That's always been the question. Ever since the beginning..."

His eyes glistened at the thought of his dear wife,

'She looks for sympathy, I give her sorrow
She asks for honesty, I've none to borrow
She needs my tender kiss
She begs it of me, I give her ugliness
Why does she love me?

She yearns for higher things
Things I can't give her
The rush that music brings I can't deliver
And even when she sings and soars above me
I try to clip her wings…
Why does she love me?'

He motioned to the new bartender, 'One more drink, sir. That's what I need don't you think, sir? Leave the hurt behind…'

The morning bartender looks up for a second then looks back down. Phineas looks back at him and spoke roughly, "Do you hear me? Another drink!"
Without a word, the bartender pours him another glass. Phineas takes it and drinks half of it before singing sadly,

'She wants the man I was, husband and father
At least she thinks does, she needn't bother
Beneath this mask I wear, there's nothing of me
Just horror, shame, despair
Why does she love me?'

He looked to the bartender and sighed, 'How about you, sir? Tell me what am I to do, sir? Leave the hurt behind…'

Suddenly the door bursts open and in walked Candace. She had a bathing suit on as well as a towel. She looked to the bar and spoke cheerfully, 'Morning, Bernie, coffee please! Hurry up before I freeze. I'll just take it black.'

While he got her the coffee, she looked around and saw Phineas sitting alone. She snickered as she gracefully walked over and poked his shoulder, "Mother said I'd find you here…"

Phineas looked up sleepily and attempted to stand, "Candace…"

Candace raised an eyebrow, "Do you know where you are?"

Phineas rolled his eyes, "Hell, I imagine."

"Around here they call it suicide hall. It's where people end up when they don't know where else to go. The hopeless, the desperate... good place to step off the side of the pier and quietly vanish.

"You seem to be a regular."

Candace shrugged, "Me? I come here to swim…

This town is coarse and cold and mean
It's hard to keep your conscience clean
Faceless in the crowd, anything's allowed

And so I come at dawn each day
Come to wash it all away
Sink into the sea, blue and cool and kind
Let it set me free, let the past unwind
Leave the hurt behind.'

She sighed and shook her head, "You should never have come to America. It's not a place for people like you and Isabella. It's too easy to forget who you are and where you belong. That's why Mother says you must leave here… now. Take your wife and the boy and go.

Phineas frowned, "Leave? What about tonight? The concert, the money? Am I to just run away… from him?

Candace nodded, "When the sun rises tomorrow we can all start again. Clean…

Sail across the sea, put us out of mind
Close your eyes and flee, let yourself stay blind
Leave this place behind...'

She quickly grabbed her coffee and ran off. Phineas looked to where she ran off and called after her, "Candace! I'm not afraid of him! I've bested him before! And if he ever had the courage to meet me face to face… man to man!"

He growled and turned to walk back to the bar. He froze when he saw the bartender in plain view… the bartender was none other then the Phantom. Phineas shook his head slightly and whispered,

"No… no it can't be…"

The Phantom snickered, "Not afraid of me, you say?"

Phineas backed up slightly and pointed at him, "Stay back… or I'll kill you I promise you!"

The Phantom smiled, "Of course not, as you say you've BEATEN me before. But that was a long time ago, Phineas… and we were playing a different game."

He approached Phineas and looked at him with disgust,

'Look at you, deep in debt
Stinking drunk, pitiful.
Shall we two, make a bet
Devil take the hindmost.'

Phineas frowned and spoke,

'Look at you, foul as sin
Hideous… horrible.
Call the stakes, deal me in
Devil take the hindmost.'

The Phantom smiled, 'Our Isabella will choose tonight!'

Phineas nodded, 'Let her choose!'

'Is she yours or mine?'

'You draw the line!'

The Phantom pointed at him, 'If she sings you loose tonight.'

Phineas stood up straighter, 'I won't loose!'

'You leave from here.'

'Fine!'

'Disappear.'

Phineas agreed again, 'Fine and if she won't? If I win?'

The Phantom waved his hand, 'All your debts, wiped away.'

Phineas nodded, 'Very well lets begin.'

They both grasped each other's hands and spoke, 'Devil take the hindmost.'

When they released each other, they both circled each other and spoke at the same time, overlapping their different words.

Phineas spoke,

'You think you have the odds
You think you're in control
You think you've fixed the dice
Well I will gladly roll
I'll bet against the house
I'll even double down.
Fortune's on my side
I won her long ago
I won her from you then
I reach her even now
I'll win her back again.'

While the Phantom spoke these words,

'I will be
'It's the truth
Every roll, riskier
All the rules, rearranged
Fate has redesigned most.
Cut the deck, let us play
Read your die, once again
In the end.'

Phineas rammed his fist down, 'And when the game is done!'

The Phantom nodded, 'Either way!'

They both spoke at the same time again,

'Devil take the hindmost!
Now Isabella shall choose at last
is she yours or mine?'

Phineas folded his arms and looked smug, 'We've a son our bond's secure.'

The Phantom raised an eyebrow, 'Are you sure? Are you so sure?'

Phineas's face fell slightly, 'What? What do you mean?'

The Phantom sighed,

'Such a child, strange to see
Different… musical
Is he more you or me?
Which one do you find most?'

Phineas grew nervous and muttered, 'You lie…'

The Phantom snickered, 'Deal your card…'

Phineas pointed at him, 'I call your bluff…'

'Let them fall…'

'The game is on…'

'Choose your hand…'

'And we will see…

'Try your best…'

'Who wins out, one stands for all…'

'He who wins…'

They both spoke at the same time, 'Wins it all! Devil take the hindmost!'

The Phantom snarled, 'Deal your card!'

Phineas narrowed his eyes, 'I call your bluff!'

'Let them fall!'

'The game is on!'

'Choose your hand!'

'And we will see!'

'Try your best!'

'Who wins out, one stands for all…

'He who wins…'

They both spoke at the same time, 'Wins it all! …Devil take the hindmost.'

The Phantom approached him and pointed at him, "She walks, you leave together! Pockets full, debts paid! But if she sings… you leave alone."

He stepped away and vanished into the shadows. Phineas relaxed and spoke almost menacing, "Devil take the hindmost." He stared at where the man just disappeared and realized the enormity of this bet he just made. He could lose everything… his child… his wife… his Isabella…

He stumbled back slightly and started breathing heavily, "What have I done? I could lose her forever…" he looked down at himself and trembled, "Look at me… and the concert is only hours away…"

Le gasp! More choices...! Now what? Well we're nearing the end of this story actually... :D

Thanks for reading, review?