Eleventh chapter, hurrah! For the record, I hate Phineas getting stuck as the "villain". I love him so much; more than Ferb and Isabella combined. But, anyway, this is a big chapter in the plotline, so enjoy.

Love, Silver

Phineas lazily traced over a sketch he had drawn. It was very similar to a helicopter, but much more stylized, with flashy attachments. It was very well drawn. However, Phineas lifted the paper up, and crushed it in his hand. Honestly, Phineas didn't feel like building anything. He couldn't think of any new ideas. In fact, the only thing Phineas could think of right now was Isabella.

Phineas had never felt like this with anyone. Never in his life had he liked a girl so much. He supposed he was in some sort of honeymoon phase but still; Candace had ended up with her first boyfriend. All he felt like doing was being with her. Forever.

Phineas wondered if Isabella felt the same. She had been so excited and chirpy when she had first met him, but she was starting to look a little low. Maybe she was getting sick. Or MAYBE she was getting sick of him. Now that was a scary thought. He didn't want to lose Isabella.

In the past, girls had broken up with Phineas because they had felt like he wasn't giving the relationship his all. They said he preferred building things and hanging out with his friends to being with them. And Phineas never seemed to know a lot about his dates.

Well, he had already almost given up his friends and his summer plans by spending all his time with Isabella. So what was the problem? Maybe he wasn't being personal enough. Maybe he didn't know enough about her.

Now that one had to be the problem, because it was true. Phineas knew next to nothing about Isabella. He had what she had told him in the past few weeks, and he had some few distant memories of her. What he needed to do was plan a grand gesture for her to show her his affection. One that would touch her deeply.

Now what could he do for her? He knew some stuff about the Fireside girl Isabella, but what about the 21-year-old lady? How could he learn about her? Phineas snapped his fingers together. Of course, he thought. Ferb.

Phineas marched into Ferb's room. Ferb had progressed from lying alone in the darkness to reading stupid magazines and watching TV all day. It wasn't much of a difference but, hey, it was something.

"Ferb, can you help me out with something?"

Ferb's eyes flitted from his magazine up at Phineas and back down again at the page.

"Please? Come on, please?" Phineas was giving him puppy dog eyes.

Ferb sighed, and purposely folded the corner of the magazine as slow as possible. He then put it down and slowly looked up at Phineas.

"I need your help with something. I have another date with Isabella tonight, and I want to make it extra special for her." Phineas said.

"I propose that you think of something soon then." Ferb said dryly.

"Well, that's why I came in here." Phineas said, ever oblivious to Ferb's attitude. "You'll be able to think of the perfect date idea for us, since you know us so well. And in this situation, by us, I mainly mean her."

Ferb stifled a loud groan from escaping his mouth. Really? As if he would really play matchmaker to his brother and his true love! The problem was that he was already cast as that part. No doubt Phineas was already crediting him for setting the two of them up. It was his doing; him and those stupid letters. He really didn't want to help. Every fiber of his being was screaming DON'T HELP THEM FERB! Let Phineas crash and burn with Isabella. Let Isabella see the truth.

But there was nobody on Earth Ferb loved more than Isabella. He didn't even want to imagine what it would be like for her to find out Phineas had never emailed her. He didn't want to see her face when she realized that he and Phineas were filthy lying jerks. He wanted Isabella to be as happy as possible, even if it wasn't with him.

And of course he wanted Phineas to be happy. Sure, a part of him really hated Phineas right now, but it really wasn't his fault. Isabella had always liked Phineas, and nearly everyone in the neighborhood had been betting that he would eventually like her too. And now he did. It wasn't like Phineas knew how Ferb felt. Once again, that was Ferb's fault; he was the quiet one.

Ferb had to start facing facts; Isabella was never going to feel the same way about him. So there was no reason he should prevent her from being with her true love.

"Lights." Ferb said.

"What?" said Phineas.

"Twinkly lights. Kind of like what you use for Christmas."

"Lights?" Phineas questioned. "What do lights have to do with anything?"

"Just trust me." And with that Ferb got up and started walking downstairs, with Phineas eagerly following him.

X

Isabella sighed. Another date with Phineas. She wasn't bored, or sick of them, or of Phineas, but they just didn't feel right anymore. This was not what she had pictured when she imagined them dating. The closest memory she had of young Phineas being like this was when they were stuck on the beach, and he had said they should watch the sunset. That was just so unlike the boy she had fallen in love with. She would rather be watching him build something with Ferb then be going on another boring date with Phineas. There was just no spark between them. Sure, she still felt tingly when she read his emails, but maybe becoming adults had changed Phineas.

She parked her car in the Flynn-Fletcher driveway. Phineas had informed her that he would be doing something special for dinner tonight. Honestly Isabella didn't care that much.

She was going to do it. After spending her entire life in love with, totally and completely in love with, Phineas Flynn, she was going to break up with him. She knew it would be hard, but it had to be done. He wasn't the person she had fallen in love with.

Meanwhile, Phineas and Ferb were looking around the yard.

"I hope this works." Phineas said.

Ferb patted him on the arm.

"For the record Ferb, I might do something drastic tonight." Phineas said.

Ferb gave him a thumbs up and went into the house.

Isabella stuck one foot through the gate and gasped as she looked around the yard. Beautiful, twinkling lights were dancing around everywhere. From the tree, and the fence, and the house, and some that just seemed to float in midair. It looked amazing. Magical. A thousand times more spectacular than her parents' anniversary. And standing in the middle of the light show, next to a round table with two chairs, was Phineas, looking very nervous in a suit.

Isabella continued to gaze around in awe. "Phineas, this is amazing!"

"I had a feeling you would like it."

They sat down to eat dinner, and Phineas began telling her about the lights. The conversation was a little boring, but Isabella couldn't believe he remembered her story from the email, and that he had done all this for her. Still, the plan of breaking up with him was kicking her in the back of the head. She could still do it. And if he begged her to change her mind she would just say no. Just say no, she thought. No to her and Phineas.

After they finished eating dinner, it was time for dessert. A particularly familiar green-haired waiter gave it to them.

"Thanks Ferb" she said. He winked at her, and went back into the house.

They finished dessert in near silence. Isabella felt it was time to begin her speech. No to being with Phineas. No more "P+I". No.

But before she could say anything, Phineas began talking. "Isabella, being with you has been the best time of my life. I feel like we really have something special together. I knew it from the moment I saw you back in Danville. I love you."

Isabella was staring wide-eyed at him. He loved her?

"And I want you to know that I'm super nervous right now. I cannot believe I just said that. And I'm going to do something even crazier. Talk about seizing the day." The very nervous Phineas cleared his, throat, and reached into his pocket for something. Isabella's eyes grew even wider. He got down on one knee and opened the box. "Will you marry me?"

Isabella was almost positive she was going to pass out. Phineas was still talking; something about "even though we're young" and "I've known you forever", but all Isabella could do was stare at the ring. She had come to this date ready for a break-up, not a proposal. She tried to run through her line again. Just say no. That could definitely apply here.

"So, umm, what do you say, Isabella?" Phineas hopefully asked.

Just say no. She and Phineas were a bad match. She hadn't loved dating him; she wouldn't love being married to him. But she looked around at the light spectacular in the yard. Somehow he had remembered this. No, she thought. No.

"Phineas, umm," she looked down at his ever hopeful face. How could she say this? "I, umm, oh Phineas," and the word came tumbling out of her mouth before she could pull it back in.

"Yes."