Authors Note: Sorry for the delay in uploading I lost my log in! On the bright side I have multiple chapters done I'll stagger the release though so as to no overwhelme. Also look forward to a one shot I'll be posting keep an eye out for it.

So we're sittin', and we're waitin'
At the edge of my bed, anticipatin'
My arm's kinda hurtin'
But we're eager to head on our way

Keeping an eye out for the doc to come our wayyyyayyyy

Candace slowly stirred from her slumber, the soft strumming of a guitar and the gentle tune of a song coaxing her awake. For a brief moment, she thought maybe the accident was just a bad dream. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, she realized that Ferb was playing an acoustic guitar while Phineas jotted down potential lyrics with his uninjured hand.

"You know, Ferb," Phineas remarked, pausing in his singing, "I don't think this tops our original work. Maybe we should try a fresh angle." He thoughtfully placed his pen against his lips, refraining from chewing — because that'd be unhygienic. Ferb mirrored his brother's pensive expression, both deep in their shared creative process.

Candace stretched, her spine cracking in response. She recalled her initial worries upon learning that Phineas would be cast-bound for several weeks. She imagined him crushed, lamenting the precious summer days slipping by. But true to his nature, Phineas saw an opportunity in adversity, eagerly anticipating the signatures and doodles of friends on his cast. Once the pain was managed and the meds kicked in, his indomitable spirit shone through. Admittedly, Candace thought, she had a pretty incredible little brother. Not that she'd voice it out loud. Ferb's resilience, too, was commendable. Together, they balanced each other out.

As Phineas began the song from the top to smooth out its rough edges, his concentration was broken by a gentle knock. Lifting his gaze from his notes, a wide smile spread across his face as he recognized Stacy, Isabella, and Perry at the door.

"Sounds like someone's trying to hit the top of the charts again," Isabella teased, having heard Phineas's tune from the corridor. Its cheerful melody had already started to lighten their spirits even before they entered the room.

Stacy rolled her eyes with a grin, "Yeah, maybe the top of the hospital charts."

"Isabella! Stacy! Perry! Hey guys! What brought you here?" Phineas's voice was filled with genuine surprise and joy.

Stacy held up Perry slightly for emphasis, "Heard someone was a bit down after the accident. Thought a pet platypus might do the trick. But looks like everyone's in high spirits here. Got the wrong intel, I guess."

"Phineas? Depressed?" Candace couldn't help but jump in, moving closer to her brother's bed. "Only if he had to go to summer school," she added cheekily.

Phineas's face twisted in horror, "Never say that again!" The room erupted into laughter, lightening the mood further.

Perry, finding a comfortable spot next to Phineas, cuddled up to him. "Great to have you here, buddy," Phineas whispered as he scratched Perry's chin, while Ferb gave Perry a gentle pat.

With Isabella, Stacy, and Perry livening up the room, it didn't feel long for the time to fly by. It was getting late and the moon begining to hover on the horizon, Stacy and Candace had stepped out to get some coffee and hadn't returned, and the kids had been discussing their plans for the summer.

"Well, I can't deny some bigger ideas may need to be put on hold until this thing comes off," Phineas said wiggling his arm slightly, forgetting about the pain it would cause. "But that's okay! We've got a few finished projects lying around in the garage and shed, plus I may have a few secret emergency inventions stashed away just in case." Phineas winked.

"I should have known you would," Isabella responded. "I have the job of initiating a bunch of new Fire Side Girls this year I'm gonna be really busy, but I'm really looking forward to it, I remember my initiation being so cool! Plus I can get so many badges. Course the new girls are gonna need a lot of help getting badges of their own, guess I can still count on you two for help huh?"

"You can always count on us Isabella! But really you don't need out help, even without me and Ferb your Fire Side Girls would end up the best in the whole country!"

"Or at least the tri-state area," Ferb interjected.

"Thanks guys I-" Isabella was cut off by her phone ringing, glanching at the contact she could see it was her mom…. And she had missed a few text messages… a few dozen. She turned her phone on Do Not Disturb during the Fire Side Girls meeting and had forgotten to turn it on this evening after all that happened. Her face morphed into a frown, her mom was not gonna be happy. "That's my mom… I think I gotta go now."

"I really appreciate you stopping by Isabella, would have gotten pretty boring without you." He smirked.

"I'm sure you and Ferb would find a way to entertain yourselves." She teased him.

"Maybe, hey! Before you go wanna be the first to sign my cast?"

"Sure! You don't mind if I take the prime re-estate on the front do you." She picked up the marker and placed it on her chin to think for a moment.

"Sure!"

Isabella began carefully writing on the cast as everyone watched. Pulling back from her work and giving it one last look over, she nodded in self-approval and placed the cap back on the marker.

Phineas tried turning his arm to get a good look at what was written but stiffened a bit in pain as he realized his arm could not move that way in the moment. "Uh, little help?"

Ferb pulled a mirror out from behind him.

Isabella quirked an eyebrow, "Where was he keeping that?"

Ferb, ever the man of few words, simply held up the mirror to allow Phineas a clear view. The message was mirrored, but the sentiment was not.

'Phin' You are the spirit of summer 🔅, Looking forward to more adventures with you' ~ Izzy

With a chuckle, Isabella remarked, "Just in case you needed a reminder while you're stuck here." Her eyes twinkled with mischief.

"That's… That's. Really sweet Isabella thank you." Phineas appreciation filled his voice, he felt a warmness in his chest, and maybe even a little in his cheeks.

The familiar ringtone of Isabella's phone interrupted their moment. She rolled her eyes playfully, "Guess I really should've picked up the first time." Pausing, she grinned "Oh well, totally worth it." She gave Perry a quick pat. "Watch this guy okay? Make sure he gets rest instead of racing hospital beds or something."

Phineas's eyes lit up, "Ferb I know what we're gonna do tonight!" Catching Isabella's mock stern look, he laughed, "Kidding, kidding! I'll rest, I promise."

Isabella shook her head with a smile, "You better! I'll call you tomorrow, Phineas. Take care!" She breezily exited the room.

It wasn't long after Isabella left that Candace and Stacy returned, and a doctor followed not long after. They were told that Phineas would have to stay the night but they could go home in the morning after a short check-up, Stacy offered to take Ferb home and watch the house well Phineas and Candace got some rest but Ferb refused to leave.

"Screw it." Stacy said, "Guess I'll stay too, I'm young my back can take sleeping in a stiff chair." Candace would have tried to convince Stacy to go home but she was frankly happy to have the company. After the excitement of the day it didn't take any of them long to fall asleep, regardless of how uncomfortable their makeshift arrangements where.

Through it all, Perry remained nestled in Phineas's embrace. But late into the night, he stirred. Carefully opening one eye, he scanned the dimly lit room. When assured that everyone was deep in sleep, Perry gingerly leaped from the bed and tiptoed out.

Hiding between a garbage and recycling bin just outside Phineas's room, he unveiled his secret agent watch. Perry had braced himself for a barrage of urgent notifications from Major Monogram, demanding updates and reprimands for abandoning the mission. However, to his astonishment, only a single message awaited him

You didn't file your mission report this evening, have it on my desk first thing in the morning

This didn't make any sense, he had left in the middle of a mission and they just…. Didn't notice? That wasn't possible. The only way that could have happened was if there was an emergency or someone covered for him, but who would do that, or even knew to do that?

The question nagged at Perry in the back of his mind, but maybe he shouldn't think about it too much if it was working in his favor. A better use of his time was to write up the mission report. He'd have to be pretty vague about what happened to avoid too many questions, maybe he could get away with just saying he went to D.E.I. , did his check in, and left.

Perry pulled out a notepad and began scribbling down a mission report, eventually tearing the paper from the pad and tossing it in the trash after thoroughly shredding it for privacy. This process was repeated a few times. He just wasn't sure what kind of excuse to make, he had excepted to be caught. He chewed on his pencil, the metal tip bending under his teeth. It was a bad habit, but platypi had fewer social expectations than humans.

"Nasty habit dude."

Perry froze, caught off guard. He looked up to see a sleep-ruffled Stacy peering down at him. He was lucky it was her, he really ought to be more careful. Feeling embarrassed and getting caught all he could do was put his hands up in a 'Yeah I know' gesture and quietly chirp.

"What are you even doing up man it's like 3 am?" Stacy looked really groggy, her eyes barely even half open. Perry pointed at her, as if to say 'I could ask you the same question' "Hey maybe you could sleep 8 hours in one of those chairs, but not this girl." She pointed at herself, she seemed to be shaking some of her tiredness as the conversation went on.

Perry was glad she had stayed with them, Candace tended to over-worry when she wasn't around but Stacy had a way of getting people to relax. Well usually anyway, there was only so much you could do for Candace sometimes. Since his question was answered he handed Stacy the notepad he was working on to answer her own question.

"Ah, reporting to Monobrow guy huh? Yea, I guess that makes sense but uh, is 'I came and left' really much of a mission report?" She was right of course, in the hour or so since he started he made no progress in making a convincing report, and he slumped his shoulders. "Come on dude, let's get some fresh air, we could both use it. we'll be back before anyone else wakes up."

The chill of the pre-dawn air was a welcome contrast to the stuffy hospital corridors. Stacy couldn't fathom how Candace, amidst her worry, had managed to catch even a wink of sleep. Now, on a bench a few steps from the hospital's main entrance, she sat alongside Perry. They were quiet for a long time, granted one of them couldn't speak. They just enjoyed the cool night, the sounds of the city as cars drove by, and people walking by in and out of the hospital, some quicker and more hurried than others.

Sleep deprivation lent a surreal quality to Stacy's perceptions. Every sensation seemed simultaneously amplified and distant. The hardness of the bench, the symphony of the city, the cool caress of the air - all felt sharply present, yet dreamlike.

She had been staring up into the sky for a while, allowing the ambiance of the city to lull her into a sort of peaceful waking sleep when she felt something fall into her lap. Looking down she saw a piece of paper, and looking at Perry he had a pencil in his hand so he must have written it.

'Appreciate you bringing me here, and staying. Sort of embarrassed how panicked I was. Should have known nothing could keep him down.'

"Pshh, don't worry about it man." She said folding the note and tucking it into her pocket. He wouldn't like it but Stacy did keep a little collection of the notes they exchanged. She'd always cross out anything too incriminating at home just in case. "Two of my best friends needed help, wasn't even a question, and everyone gets nervous when family gets hurt. Just shows you care."

A tilt of his head accentuated the playful challenge in the statement.

Laughing lightly, Stacy nudged him. "Oh, don't even act surprised. You and I? We've got a bond. Own it.

Perry sheepishly grinned. He really did consider Stacy one of his closest friends, it was nice to know she felt the same way and wasn't just keeping his secret out of some sense of obligation to Candace and the boys. The two returned to silence, enjoying the peace a while longer before daybreak.

The morning hustle and bustle of the hospital corridor permeated the room, signaling a fresh start. Phineas was ushered away by a nurse for his final check-up, while the room transformed from a makeshift sleepover space to a waiting area for his return.

Candace, who had been lost in thought, glanced towards Stacy, who was trying to appear nonchalant, stretching her arms overhead. "Hey, Stace," Candace began, her voice softening. "I really appreciate you staying. You didn't have to bunk in this chair overnight."

Stacy waved her off with a playful smirk. "Come on, Candace. You think I'd let you be alone here, overthinking everything and freaking out? Not on my watch."

Candace narrowed her eyes, a hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "Says the girl who I'm pretty sure didn't even get a wink of sleep last night." She leaned in closer, a teasing edge to her voice. "I've got eyes everywhere, you know."

Trying to cover her tracks, Stacy chuckled nervously. "Oh, yeah, totally. I was just... you know, taking Perry out for a... bathroom break. Because that's a thing, right?" She grimaced slightly, feeling like she was walking a thin line.

Candace merely blinked, seemingly accepting the explanation without question. "Well, thanks for that. He can be a handful, for a meatbrick anyway."

Stacy exhaled a silent breath of relief. Sometimes, Candace's peculiar mix of observant and oblivious came in handy. As Stacy pondered over where this unique trait might have originated in the Flynn side of the gene pool, she made a mental note to chat with Ferb later. After all, he was always the go-to guy for family trivia and inside scoops.

"Soooooo," Stacy started, aiming for a diversion. "Your parents are getting back today?"

"Yeah, I think so. They were pretty far, but they're probably rushing back now. I texted them updates the whole time, so they should meet us back home later. Mom's definitely panicking, but Phineas... he's holding up better than expected. It's a weird feeling, Stace, being proud of him when I usually complain about his antics."

Stacy chuckled. "Candace you sang like at least 3 songs about how proud you were of your brothers last summer."

"Yeah, but I'm their big sister; it's my job to be begrudgingly proud." Candace quipped, playfully rolling her eyes.

"You're not fooling anyone Candace." Stacy continued their teasing joust. "Honestly, I've never seen a big sister more fiercely protective and loving, even if you have a weird way of showing it sometimes."

"Yea yea keep it to yourself."

After Phineas returned they were all allowed to go home. Still, it took longer than anticipated, and much of the day had passed by the time they left. Thankful to be out of the hospital, and all exhausted from a stressful couple of days and lack of sleep, everyone quietly crashed into the living room, everyone squeezing onto the couch. Stacy, after ensuring everyone was settled, announced her plans for a full day's hibernation and emphatically set her phone to 'Do Not Disturb'

Candace ordered a Pizza for everyone, too tired to cook and honestly, everyone just wanted something a little easy after the hospital food had failed to meet even the lowest of their culinary expectations. She gave everyone she had called yesterday an update that they were all home now well they waited. Phineas called some of his and Ferb's friends too to let them know they were back at home and things could return to normal tomorrow. They ate the pizza right there in the living room and they all fell asleep against each other as the day winded down.

Candace was roused from her half-sleep by the sound of the door, spotting the silhouettes of her parents against the dim light. Their worry was evident, but Candace managed to persuade her mother that waking the boys, especially Phineas, would do more harm than good. Her father seconded this, advocating for the healing powers of undisturbed rest.

Candace thought it was strange, the events of the past two days were not how she expected summer to start, but she just had this feeling that starting tomorrow things would just be normal, cast or no cast some enormous thing would be made in the back yard, and disappear before their mom could see it, and she took some comfort it that. She might try to bust them sure, but Candace would be worried if it played out any other way.