CHAPTER 9- Here I am! Sorry I had to fire Carl, guys, but it makes sense later.

Gamelover41592: Thanks! It's already mostly written, but I have to post it after I finish this cause it gives away the ending.

Fanatic97: That's what I was going for.

14AmyChan: Honey, I'm gonna need Carl back for this chapter.

Rachealninja10: Ha. I stand corrected.

Living Encyclopedia: Yeah….

Krikanalo: Does he? Does he really?

Guest: Calmin down now. Calmin down.

I don't own Phineas and Ferb or Gravity Falls. Sorry for any mistakes, not much time to proof this.

Francis looked down at Carl sadly. "Carl, you're fired from the OWCA until further notice."

CARL'S POV

This…this can't be happening. I've been part of this agency since I was probably a toddler. I can't be….fired.

Major Monogram shook his head at me sadly. "I'm sorry, Carl, but until I figure out what is going on, or until I feel that I can trust you again, I can't allow you to work here. Carla, be lucky I am not your boss, or the same fate would befall you."

Carla scowled. "Sir, with all due respect, what are you going to do without Carl? You can barely work the copier without him!"

I flinched. Not helping, Carla.

Monogram frowned. "Carla, you are dismissed from this area. Go back to work this instant or I will call Wanda."

Carla looked at me sadly, but she had no choice but to leave. I gave her a sympathetic smile as she stepped out the door, and then turned back to Monogram.

"Carl, you can end this right now if you just tell me what you're hiding."

I narrowed my eyes. I had been hiding Candace's secret for nearly two years. I wasn't going to give up on her yet. "Sorry, sir, but it's not my place to say."

Monogram scowled. "Fine. Oh, and Carl, before you leave…"

He smirked slightly, and I sighed, knowing what was coming. "There's a clogged pipe or something in Agent P's lair. Fix it now, and I may reconsider. After that, get your stuff out of here."

He strode out of the room and I was left staring at the wall. I can't believe he had fired me! And now, what, he wanted me to do more work before I left? No sir, I wasn't doing anything! That pipe could explode for all I cared!

I sighed and heaved myself out of the chair I had collapsed in, wishing I could stay there for forever.

Instead I slumped to my cubicle, getting sad smiles from the agents who had already heard about my being fired. None of them stopped or anything, but I couldn't blame them; they did have evil scientists to go fight.

When I reached my desk, I unplugged my laptop, swept up the few pictures I had, and began emptying my drawers into a box.

As I pulled open the second one, something glinted at me, and I blinked, seeing Candace's fedora charm lying at the bottom of the drawer. That's right. I had modified it, but never given it back.

I sighed and pocketed the charm, knowing I'd have to give it back soon. But for now, I was unpaid, unemployed, and untrusted (not that I hadn't been two of those things before).

What a day.

GENERAL POV, NEXT DAY

Candace sat in her room the next morning, idly flipping through a magazine while hanging upside down on her bed.

Her bedroom door flew open and she sat up abruptly, ready to yell at whoever had barged in, when she saw Dipper and Pinky. The dog looked distraught and Dipper just looked confused.

"He just came flying into the backyard, barking like crazy. No one could figure out what was wrong. I managed to convince everyone he was ok, and then we came here."

Candace frowned. "Pinky, what's wrong?"

The dog barked frantically and Candace's face fell as her fingers flew to her neck. "Shoot. Carl has my necklace!"

Pinky suddenly barked and put a finger to his nose. Candace cocked her head. "Huh?"

The dog sighed and pulled a paper and pen out of his hat, writing rapidly and thrusting the pages at Candace.

Carl got FIRED.

Candace felt all color drain from her face as she read that note. "Fired? He got…fired? Oh my gosh, why?"

Pinky groaned quietly, but Perry darted into the room, saving Candace from having to read more of Pinky's sloppy hand writing.

"Carl got fired!"

Candace nodded. "Yeah, I know. He also has my necklace. But why'd he get fired?"

Perry sighed and ran a hand through his fur. "It's going around that Monogram can't trust him."

Candace gave a small cry and fell backwards, burying her head into her hands. "Great. So this is all my fault!"

Perry and Pinky looked at each other in despair, and Dipper stepped quietly over to Candace. "Candace….I'm not sure what's going on anymore, but maybe you should go talk to Carl. At the very least, get your necklace back."

Candace sighed and sat back up, rubbing her forehead wearily. "You're right, Dipper. You're right. I'll be back, guys. Perry, is it secure in your lair right now?"

Perry quickly did something on his watch, and then nodded, giving her a thumbs up.

Candace slipped into her closet and disappeared to Perry's lair. Dipper sighed and sat on the bed, looking at the two pets in front of him.

"Man, I hope everything turns out ok," he murmured.

The platypus and Chihuahua couldn't agree more.

Candace landed quietly in Perry's lair, glancing around the dark room carefully before standing up and coming out from behind the pole.

She froze at the sight of a figure sitting in Perry's chair, and then relaxed when Carl looked up. Even in the dim lighting, Candace could see that the boy's eyes were red from crying, and Candace winced. She never knew what to do when a guy cried.

The girl walked across the room and knelt quietly next to the intern, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You ok, Carl?"

The boy sighed, rubbing his face wearily. "I don't know, Candace. I…this internship was all I had. My entire family has been with the OWCA since before I was born, and I always felt so sure of myself here. I don't know what to do now."

Candace had never heard the intern so distraught, and it broke her heart. "I'm sorry, Carl. This is all my fault," she murmured, looking at the floor.

Carl looked up sternly, his eyes flashing. "Candace Gertrude Flynn. It is most certainly not your fault. I could have given up your secret at any time but I chose not to. Even when Monogram offered me my job back in exchange for that information, I still kept it. It was my decision, and I'm fully responsible for my actions."

Candace stared at him and then leaned over and hugged him quickly. "Thanks, Carl. That means a lot."

Carl blushed slightly, grateful that the darkness hid his face. Very few girls hugged him, and even though he had no romantic feelings towards Candace in any way, it still felt good.

The two sat awkwardly for a moment before Carl snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah! Hey, I have your necklace."

Candace grinned. "Nice! Did you finish modifying it?"

Carl smiled thinly and nodded, pulling the delicate charm from his pocket. "Yeah. About an hour before I was fired."

Candace grimaced and took the necklace from him gently. "Thanks anyway, Carl. I'm sorry you got fired for this."

The boy shrugged. "It was worth it. Agent P would never forgive me if I gave you up."

Candace raised an eyebrow and looked sideways at him as she clasped on her fedora charm. Carl smiled. "Ok, I'd never forgive myself. I keep my promises."

He snorted, a smirk crossing my face. "Just ask Monty."

Candace looked at him in confusion, not sure what Monogram's son had to do with this. Carl saw her look and waved a hand. "Never mind."

The two sat some more before Candace finally stood up with a sigh. "I don't think I can do anymore damage here. I should go."

Carl winced and stood up as well. "Candace, seriously, don't blame yourself for this."

Candace gave him a smile. "Carl, no matter how many times you say that, I'm still going to feel responsible. Besides, I should really go see what the boys are doing. Phineas mentioned something earlier about the world's largest firecracker."

Carl snickered. "That could end badly."

The red head rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it."

Before either could say anything else, the entire lair shook, making both teens lose their footing. Candace groaned. "See, right there. Probably that firecracker. And now it's probably nothingness."

Carl smiled and helped Candace up off the floor. "Well at least-hang on."

He frowned and looked around at the walls nervously. Candace followed his gaze, unsure what he was looking for until her gut twisted. "Oh. Oh, crap."

Carl looked at her nervously. "What? What's wrong?"

Candace started backing towards an entrance. "Carl, how sturdy are the water pipes in here? Because that one there," she said, pointing to a place on the wall, "is about to blow."

Carl's face paled as he recalled what Monogram had told him to do. "Um…we should go."

Candace heeded his advice, but they had taken no more than two steps before the wall exploded and water came rushing into the room at probably forty miles an hour.

Candace was knocked off her feet as the water rose rapidly, as was Carl. Candace came up spluttering (despite being a mermaid, water up the nose was still unpleasant) and in a good nine feet of water, her tail swishing underneath her.

She wiped the water from her face and looked around frantically. "Carl?" she called.

Getting no response, Candace flipped under the water and found the boy, his pants leg stuck on Perry's chair. Candace swam over and yanked the fabric from the plastic before pulling Carl to the surface with her.

"You ok?" she gasped, letting go of the intern's arm as he calmed down.

Carl nodded, his chest heaving and his glasses crooked. He fixed them and took a breath, glancing around the lair in worry. "Candace, it's still rising, and all the entrances are underwater now."

He glanced at her, and despite having known that Candace was a mermaid, he still did a brief double take and Candace had to remind herself that he had only ever seen her as a mermaid on a video screen.

"Sorry," he murmured, rubbing his eyes. Candace nodded and glanced around, noting as she did so that with every passing second they were getting closer to the ceiling.

"Ok," she said slowly. "If we open one of the entrances, we flood the streets. If we stay here…you drown. Um…the only way out then, would be…"

Carl winced. "Through the agency. We'd still flood it, but it's the middle of the day, so there aren't too many agents here right now. Unlike your yard, which is probably filled with kids."

Candace sighed and looked up. The ceiling was nearly within arm's reach.

"Flooding the agency it is."

Hee hee hee. I feel evil. This is my fave part of the story.

I have a new Randy Cunningham story on the brain right now...hmmm...

Review please! And again, sorry for any mistakes I missed.