Ferb woke to find himself on the living room couch, Phineas's head resting against his shoulder. The memories from the previous day returned sharply, with the stark white cast on his brother's arm standing out against the early morning dimness. It had amazed Ferb how Phineas, even with an injured arm, maintained that ever-present optimism. His brother's strength had wiped all worry from Ferb's mind.

Ferb hesitated to get up, not wanting to wake his brother, but at the same time, he desperately needed to stretch his limbs after sleeping in such an uncomfortable position. Slowly, with utmost care, he gently eased out from under Phineas, ensuring that the latter remained in his cozy slumber.

He padded softly towards the kitchen, thirsty from the dry summer air that filled the house. Lawrence, his father, was already up, quietly sipping on his tea and glancing at the morning newspaper.

"Ah, Ferb," Lawrence began, noting the thoughtful expression on his son's face. "It seems we're the early birds today. How about some tea? I've just brewed a pot of Earl Grey, your favorite."

Ferb nodded in appreciation, selecting a mug. Lawrence poured the aromatic tea, and they settled into a companionable silence in the kitchen.

"Your mum was beside herself with worry about Phineas on the ride home," Lawrence chuckled lightly. "Of course, I was worried too, but I had a feeling an injury wouldn't keep Phineas down long."

"Isabella called him the 'spirit of summer'," Ferb remarked.

"Yes, I noticed she had written something to that effect on his cast. We must visit the Garcia-Shapiros later, to express our gratitude for their unwavering support. And Stacy too, of course," Lawrence added.

Ferb nodded.

There was a brief pause in the conversation, and Ferb could tell his father was struggling with an awkward shift in the conversation. "There is something else I should probably tell you Ferb."He paused with a nervous swallow. "You see your grandfather back in England needs some help with some important business, I had planned to take the whole family as a trip but…. Your mum doesn't think it's a good idea for Phineas to travel that far right now. I was thinking the two of us could go."

Ferb's face scrunched up in concern not knowing how to respond.

"Now I know you want nothing more than to stay here with your brother well he recovers, but we won't be going for a few days yet and only for a week or so, it would do me and your grandfather good to have the company." He paused again, but when Ferb didn't react he continued, Still, you're mature enough to decide for yourself, so there's no pressure. Mull it over, alright?"

Silence settled, but before it could grow uncomfortable, Lawrence proposed, "In the meantime, what say we whip up some fresh biscuits? Nothing lifts the mood quite like the aroma of baked goods."

Ferb couldn't deny the positive effects of fresh baked cookies on ones mental health, plopping down from his chair and sipping his tea he put the trip to the back of his mind and began pulling the necessary ingredients out of their place.

Isabella was like Phineas and Ferb in a lot of ways. It's probably why they got along so well. She may not be a literal super genius, but she was highly skilled and very knowledgeable in many things, which made her very useful for filling in gaps in knowledge the two brothers had, and filling many different roles for whatever project they were working on. These skills were all developed through hard work and diligence. Isabella got up at the same time every morning and followed a pretty set regiment in the morning to prepare for every day.

For the last few days, however, she had a hard time following her schedule and getting ready for the day. Yesterday she had been late for a Fire Side Girls meeting for the first time ever by a whole two minutes. It was so embarrassing, she felt like resigning as the leader and instructor of the new group immediately, but she wasn't a quitter.

See Isabella was used to thoughts of Phineas distracting her from what she was working on, she had planned it into her schedule. It was a beast she knew how to handle… usually. But those thoughts were all Phineas-land, fantasies where he'd ride up to her on a horse and take her hand and they would ride away together. Completely normal everyday fantasy. The problem lately is she couldn't get the thought of his injury out of her head.

The strange thing was she knew he was fine. She had seen he was fine. She would walk over today to see what he was doin, and he'd almost certainly be building some amazing thing like nothing was any different from normal.

No, it wasn't concern or anxiety that plagued Isabella's mind, it was a new type of fantasy. One where she got to care for him while he was sick, how he'd rely on her. Really it was a very weird fantasy. And he would thank her with little kisses when she brought him things. Honestly, she had no idea why she couldn't stop.

"Isabella you caring for me these last few weeks has made me realize how important you are to me, Merry Me! I can't be without you!."

Isabella shook her head. See, it just came in when she was trying to think. She needed fresh air. She needed to go over to their backyard and see him acting normally. Not being dependent. That would shake it out of her.

She got changed and went down the stairs from her room, finding her mom in the kitchen and making breakfast. She found it kind of amazing that her mom found the time and energy to always make delicious meals at home when she had to do it for work too.

As Isabella entered the kitchen, her mother looked up, her face breaking into a warm smile. "Morning, sweetie. How did you sleep?"

Isabella shrugged, trying to shake off her lingering thoughts. "Alright, I guess. Just... lots on my mind."

Her mother, with her intuitive nature, raised an eyebrow. "You've been a bit distant these last couple of days. Everything okay?"

"Yea I guess Phineas getting hurt just threw me off." Isabella sighed

Her mother placed what she was working on down, her eyes searching Isabella's face. "It's natural to be worried, sweetie. Especially about someone you care about so much.

Isabella smiled, feeling a little lighter. "Thanks, Mom. I'll go see him after breakfast."

Linda fussed over Phineas with a worried look on her face, brushing stray hairs from his forehead and examining his cast for the umpteenth time that morning. "Oh, Phineas, sweetheart, are you sure you're okay?" she asked with genuine concern.

"Mom, I promise, I'm fine!" Phineas replied, a hint of playful exasperation in his voice. He understood her concern but wished she'd see he was okay.

Linda bit her lip, clearly torn. "I could stay home today. Your father can handle the antique shop on his own. It's been busy, but I'm sure he'll manage."

Lawrence looked up from where he was helping Ferb with a batch of cookies in the kitchen. "Actually, dear, Candace did say she'd be around, and the boys are growing up. A few hours on their own wouldn't hurt."

Candace leaned against the kitchen counter, smirking. "Yeah, Mom. With Phineas's arm the way it is, I don't think we'll be seeing any roller coasters in the backyard today."

Phineas's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Well, technically, we could still—"

Candace silenced him with a finger on his lips, her grin widening. "Let's not give Mom any more reasons to worry, okay?"

Linda straightened her posture, seemingly convinced. "Alright then," she said with a small sigh of resignation. "After breakfast, your father and I will head out. Please, behave yourselves."

Lawrence grinned, wiping his hands on his apron. "It'll be quite helpful having you with me today, especially with getting ready for… well you know," he said

Neither Phineas nor Candace seemed overly curious about their father's vague reference. Both were more preoccupied with their bowls of cereal, the allure of freshly baked cookies on their minds.

The doorbell chimed unexpectedly, breaking the morning tranquility.

"Who could that be at this hour?" Linda wondered aloud, already making her way to the entrance. Swinging the door open, she was greeted by Isabella's cheerful face.

"Good morning, Mrs. Flynn-Fletcher. Is Phineas around?" Isabella's question was more formality than genuine inquiry.

Linda chuckled lightly, "Isabella, how many times have I said, 'Just call me Linda'? Come on in. Phineas is here, and we have cookies fresh from the oven."

"I was hoping you'd say that, I could smell them from home."

"Hey, good morning Isabella!" Phineas said as he saw her walk into the kitchen/dining area.

"Morning Phineas!" Isabella said in turn, "Morning Candace, Morning Ferb!" Isabella sat herself on an open seat next to Phineas. "So how's your arm?"

"Only a little painful," Phineas said with a smile. "But hey there are perks, I've got a bunch of nice messages written on the cast, including yours, and you know Ferb's been a great help at picking up the slack."

From behind the kitchen counter, Ferb offered a thumbs-up, his face smeared with a hint of chocolate.

"Hold on!" Phineas exclaimed, feigning shock. "When did those cookies get done?" With agility surprising for someone with a cast, he dashed into the kitchen. He returned moments later with a plate brimming with cookies, which he set on the table. "I thought you might want some, Isabella."

"Thanks, Phineas," Isabella replied, reaching for a cookie. "Your dad really knows his way around the kitchen."

Lawrence chuckled, dusting flour off his hands. "Why thank you, Isabella. It's an old family recipe. And it's always nice to bake with Ferb as my assistant."

"Ferb's got the assistant role down pat. Somehow, every time he's on duty, cookies have a mysterious way of vanishing," Candace remarked with playful sarcasm.

Ferb raised both hands, striking an innocent pose.

"Your chocolate-smeared face is the very picture of innocence," Candace quipped with a dry tone.

"Every job has its perks, Candace. I recall you mentioning Jeremy gifting you free Slushy Dogs more than once," Linda chimed in, her voice rich with amusement.

Lawrence chuckled. "Your mother's right Candace, Ferb is simply taking fair pay for a fair job."

After everyone had their fill of cookies, Linda made a point of saying dinner would be decidedly more nutritious, given the morning's cookie feast and the previous night's pizza indulgence. With a heavy sigh, she finally headed to the antique shop with Lawrence, though she emphasized that she'd be back early to keep an eye on Phineas.

"You're bouncing around like your usual self," Isabella observed, glancing at Phineas. "If not for the cast, I'd never guess you'd been injured."

Phineas laughed. "Honestly, it's not that bad. I barely notice it."

"So, what's the plan for today?"

Ferb and Phineas exchanged glances. "We were considering constructing this massive w-."

Candace interjected with a stern look, "Hold it right there buster. The doctor's orders were clear - no exerting yourself. I might not always be able to rein in your wild projects, but today? I'm enforcing a day of rest."

Phineas took a moment, then nodded, a touch of amusement in his eyes. "Well, it looks like we're taking it easy today. What do you think, Ferb?"

Ferb, ever the man of few words, simply replied, "I'll put the kettle on." He then headed for the kitchen.

Isabella's eyes lit up. "That sounds great! I don't have a FireSide Girls meeting, and I've been waiting to play this board game I got last Christmas. Perfect timing, right?"

It didn't take long to set everything up, and it was one of those board games that was simply more enjoyable with more players. So it wasn't long before Buford and Baljeet found themselves in the Flynn-Fletcher household as well.

"Are you sure it doesn't hurt?" Baljeet inquired, his eyes narrowing as he examined Phineas's cast.

"Honestly, it's easy to forget it's even there. This morning, I almost spilled milk all over myself because I tried to pick up a glass without thinking," Phineas chuckled.

"May I sign it?" Baljeet asked, already reaching for a marker.

"Absolutely, there's plenty of space left," Phineas said, extending his cast-covered arm.

Buford, however, had other plans. "Oh no ya don't," he interrupted, pulling Baljeet away from Phineas. "Everyone knows it's bullies first." He picked up a marker and scrutinized the cast. "Aw man, girly snagged all the prime real estate," he grumbled.

"Perhaps if we had visited the hospital like I suggested, Buford, we could have signed it first," Baljeet countered, arms folded across his chest.

"No way, hospitals give me the creeps! Fine, I'll just sign here," Buford muttered, clearly unwilling to elaborate on his aversion to medical facilities.

"Alright, everyone!" Isabella called out enthusiastically, directing everyone's attention to the game board that she and Ferb had carefully arranged on the table. "Ferb and I have gone through the rulebook, so we should be all set. Buford, Baljeet, you guys can sit on this side of the table, and I'll sit next to Phineas." She flashed a smile and gracefully slid into the seat next to Phineas. "You know, just in case he needs a hand—or well, an extra hand."

Buford and Baljeet exchanged knowing glances. They had long been privy to Isabella's not-so-secret affection for Phineas and couldn't help but smile, even if Buford would sooner punch you then admit it. "Yeah, yeah, sure thing," Buford said, waving a dismissive hand as he took his seat. "Let's get this party started."

Baljeet adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath, excited for the intellectual challenge ahead. "I am looking forward to this! Board games are a fantastic way to engage our cognitive faculties."

Phineas grinned at Isabella and then at his friends. "Thanks, Izzy," he said as he sat next to her. " I'll need all the help I can get not to knock over any game pieces."

As everyone began selecting their pieces and setting up the initial placements, Phineas glanced around the room, suddenly aware of an absence. "Hey, where's Perry?"

"Good morning, Agent P," Monogram greeted in his customary fashion. "I understand you've taken some personal days due to a family emergency, but protocol dictates that your paperwork should still be submitted on time." He peered sternly at Perry from the screen.

Perry offered a sheepish grin, grateful that Monogram had assumed the incident had happened during off-hours. He wasn't eager to correct him. Lucky for him, Monogram had a notorious disinterest in reviewing security footage unless it was mission-critical.

"Since it's been a quiet summer, evil is bound to be lurking. Always remember that!" Monogram cautioned. "Today, your mission is a routine check-up on Dr. Doofenshmirtz. He's been unusually quiet since your last assignment. Too quiet. Should he be reverting to his evil ways, it's your job to put a stop to it."

Outwardly, Perry snapped to attention and saluted before hopping out of his chair to strap on his jetpack. Inwardly, he rolled his eyes. Monogram seemed to think that Doofenshmirtz's reformation was just a temporary phase. He hadn't seen, as Perry had, the genuine transformation that had occurred over the last summer. Nonetheless, Perry wasn't about to complain. These "check-ups" on Doofenshmirtz were usually easy tasks, and they kept him from being re-assigned to another villain—a prospect that became less likely after Perry had made his feelings known the previous summer. Perry had quietly approached Carl about it, knowing Monogram would likely dismiss his concerns as overly sentimental. Carl had reassured him, promising to influence Monogram in favor of keeping Perry in his current assignment as long as no major protocols were breached. Monogram would never admit it, but Carl's opinion held significant weight. Plus Vanessa was also interning at OWCA this year, Perry had a few sympathetic hearts inside the agency. Perry also had a backup plan if all else failed, but he preferred to keep that one close to the chest.

Perry knocked politely on the door to Doofenshmirtz's penthouse. A break in his usual modus operandi, for sure—no dramatic entrances today. But after the taxing events of recent days, he decided that normalcy would suffice.

The door swung open almost immediately. "Perry the Platypus? Using the door? What, are you tired or something?" Doofenshmirtz quipped, despite his usual complaints about Perry crashing through windows or walls.

Perry merely nodded, conceding the point.

"Ah, well, come in, come in. I'll get you some coffee," Doofenshmirtz said, spinning on his heel and leading Perry into the penthouse. He promptly started a pot of coffee on a machine that sat conveniently nearby. "So, what's the deal? No time off from the agency, or what?"

Perry was cautious about sharing personal matters with Heinz, less because he might use the information maliciously and more because he simply couldn't keep a secret. And Perry had plenty of reasons to maintain a certain level of secrecy.

"No matter," Heinz sighed, content to carry on a one-sided conversation. "I don't really have any evil updates for you. The last of the inators are either disassembled or shipped off. You know, I could've used your emotional support the other day it was hard to give them up, —Francis even called asking about you. What's going on, huh? Am I not exciting enough for you anymore?"

Perry felt a pang of guilt. Unable to communicate the real reason for his absence, he could only offer a look of regret.

"I covered for you, you know," Heinz continued. "Told them you'd finished whatever mission they'd assigned you. I could've let you take the fall, but no, I assumed you had a good reason." He folded his arms defensively. "Not that you would ever tell me."

So Heinz was the one who covered for him the other day. Feeling that silence would only exacerbate the situation, Perry pulled out a notepad from his hat and scrawled, 'Personal Emergency, thanks for covering.' It was a rare moment of direct communication between them, but he didn't want Heinz to feel abandoned or underappreciated.

After scanning the note, Heinz tucked it into his pocket. "Alright, fair enough. And don't worry, I've looped the security footage to keep Francis off your tail." Heinz paused "Don't give me that look, nothing wrong with a man getting some privacy in his own home."

Ready to move on, Doofenshmirtz gestured toward another room. "Now, why don't you grab that cup of coffee and come check the inventory? Just to make sure everything is in order."

Sure enough, the inventory was in perfect order. With no evil to thwart, Perry and Doofenshmirtz found themselves whiling away the hours on the sofa, each savoring a moment of respite. Perry, in particular, needed this—just a day to decompress after the whirlwind of recent events.

"You know, Perry the Platypus, it means a lot that they didn't reassign me to some rookie agent just because I'm not evil anymore," Doofenshmirtz mused, taking a thoughtful sip of his coffee. "I know you're the best they've got."

Perry grinned, touched by the acknowledgment.

"Truth be told, I do miss the evil antics sometimes—the scheming, the battles," Doofenshmirtz continued wistfully. "I mean, it was a good workout. I've gained like ten pounds since we stopped dueling. I really need to get a gym membership or something."

His lamentation took a more animated turn. "And those Fireside Girls! They know my weaknesses, Perry the Platypus!" Shaking his hand in exaggerated frustration, he added, "And I swear that girl from last summer must've said something because they keep delivering extra cookies!" From seemingly nowhere, he produced a box overflowing with an assortment of cookies. "Want some? Seriously, I could use the help emptying this."

Perry took a cookie, inwardly thanking Isabella. A treat like this was rare for him.

"Sometimes, I wonder about those kids," Doofenshmirtz mused, shifting gears. "Especially that girl—what's her name? She basically saved Danville from an army of me-clones, remember?"

Perry shrugged noncommittally.

"Right, right," Doofenshmirtz sighed. "The collective amnesia thing. No one remembers."

Perry did have a faint memory of a night involving Doofenshmirtz's machine malfunctioning and turning people into mindless duplicates. But the details were hazy—almost dreamlike. Perry had reviewed the footage from that night too, it was terrifying to see the kids struggle on their own, but he was also proud of them for how well they handled it. He smiled to himself at the irony: If only Doofenshmirtz knew how closely tied to him those kids really were.

"Yeah, victory is mine!" Buford bellowed, emphatically slamming his game pieces onto the table.

"Could you be any louder?" Isabella shot back, not hiding her annoyance.

"Don't be a sore loser. It's not a good look," Buford retorted.

Isabella huffed. They'd played several rounds, and Buford seemed to possess an uncanny knack for this game, claiming victory in half the matches.

"I think we should double-check that he's not swallowing game pieces like that time we played chess," Baljeet mused, eyeing Buford suspiciously.

"Hey, no cheating this time! Not after the...um, aftermath of last time," Buford quickly defended himself.

"Ew, gross!" Isabella exclaimed. Faces twisted in shared disgust around the table, but the tension soon dissolved into laughter.

"Well, it's been real, but I gotta get going," Buford announced as he stood up.

Isabella glanced at the clock. "Wow, it's later than I thought."

"I, too, should head home. I have to prepare for math camp," Baljeet chimed in.

"Math camp?" Phineas perked up. "So you'll be away for a few weeks?"

"Indeed. I can't pass up this chance to delve into a veritable math utopia," Baljeet replied, his voice tinged with genuine excitement.

"Yeah, and I got 'bully camp' around the same time. So you three are gonna have to fend for yourselves," Buford added.

"Buford, there's no such thing as 'bully camp,'" Baljeet corrected.

"Says you," Buford shot back. "Point is, I'll be away too."

"That's a shame. Buford's great for lifting heavy stuff, and Baljeet keeps our calculations on point," Phineas lamented.

"Don't worry, pipsqueak. We'll be back before you know it. Besides, I'm sure Girly over here won't mind some one-on-one time with you," Buford winked, packing up his things.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Phineas and Isabella chimed in unison, though Isabella's voice carried a hint of sass and her cheeks flushed red. Behind them, Ferb and Baljeet snickered a bit.

"It doesn't mean nothin," Buford said, casually dismissing the situation.

Phineas's train of thought was interrupted as Perry entered, announcing his return with a cheerful chatter. "Ah, there you are, Perry!" Carefully picking him up with his good arm, Phineas was aided by Perry, who obligingly jumped into it. "It's late; we should get you some dinner." Setting aside the unfinished conversation, Phineas headed off to the kitchen. "Goodbye, guys! I'm already looking forward to when you're back from camp."

With their farewells said, Buford and Baljeet exited, leaving Ferb and Isabella in the room. As Isabella prepared to leave, she thought to herself how coming over today really had helped her work out the worry and the weird fantasies in her brain, hopefully, this meant she would be able to focus on her upcoming responsibilities more tomorrow. Her thoughts were interupted by a break in the silence of the room.

"Isabella, may I have a moment?" Ferb asked. It was rare for him to speak to her one-on-one without Phineas present, weird for him to speak to anyone without Phineas present really but they were still good friends, so she was more than willing to hear him out.

"Of course, Ferb. What's on your mind?" she responded kindly.

"Our father has some important business in England with our grandparents, and he'd like me to accompany him," Ferb began, his voice tinged with hesitation. "I'm concerned about leaving Phineas alone, especially with Buford and Baljeet also being away."

Isabella sensed the concern in Ferbs' voice. "What are you planning to do?"

"I'd like to go, but only if I'm certain that Phineas will be alright here," Ferb admitted, taking a deep breath. "You've been Phineas's best friend for longer than I've known him. I know you're already busy with Fireside Girls activities this summer, but could you keep an eye on him for me?"

Isabella barely needed to think it over. Juggling Fireside Girl duties while spending time alone with Phineas could be challenging, but it was an opportunity too good to pass up. "Absolutely! You can count on me, on my honor as a scout!" she said, offering a mock salute. "When are you leaving?"

"I'm not sure yet, still undecided. But..." Ferb placed a reassuring hand on Isabella's shoulder, "Thank you. I wouldn't trust anyone else with this." Ferb looked at Isabella, his expression serious. "I do apologize for asking so much of you, especially since you already do so much."

Isabella chuckled softly. "Ferb, don't worry about it. I'm your friend too, you know. Despite popular belief, I don't just come over here to hang out with Phineas."

Just then, Phineas returned to the room, having fed Perry. "Hey, what are you two talking about so secretly?" he asked, a playful tone in his voice.

"Oh, nothing much. Isabella had a bug on her shoulder," Ferb nonchalantly replied.

"Ferb's an expert at catching bugs; you're lucky he was here, Isabella," Phineas said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess I was. Anyway, I should head home; my mom's probably wondering where I am. See you tomorrow, Phineas!"

"I'm looking forward to it. Bye, Isabella!"