It was genius. She'd show future hers mom what Phineas and Ferb had done and she could bust them. Maybe she could even convince her to go back in time to show her mom. Candace giggled maniacally as she ran down the streets towards where the antique store was located in her time. Now if it was just...
"Mom and dad's antique store. Yes, it's still here!" The doors opened automatically. "Wow, future." When would they put that in? "Mom!" She was still looking back at the doors, only turning her head a split second before colliding with someone.
There was a yelp as they went down in a tangle of limbs.
Candace groaned, pushing herself up onto her arms.
"Ow. Hey, are you--Candace?!"
She was Candace but what... oh. She blinked at the man she was sort of laying on top of. "Phineas?" Dang it, even here the universe was trying to stop her from busting her brothers. "You're all grown up."
He grinned. "So they tell me. And you're not. Time travel?"
"Yeah. You don't remember this?"
"Nope. Is there a reason you're still sitting on me?"
Other than she'd forgotten to get up? No. She quickly got off of him.
Phineas climbed to his feet as Mom came out of the back room.
"Honey, what's going on..." Her eyes landed on Candace and widen. "Candace, you're so young!"
"Mom!" She stared back with her own amount of shock. "You're so o-" A hand clamped down on her mouth. She hadn't noticed Phineas get that close.
"So overly beautiful in way incompletely untouched by time."
Mom's unamused expression didn't fade but her lips did twitch. "Nice save."
"Thank you."
Candace licked his palm. It worked, he jerked his hand back and wiped it on her shirt. Alright, so it didn't work perfectly.
"What are you? Five?"
"Fifteen."
The door opened again and Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella came in.
Phineas gasped. "Mom! You're so old!"
Future Phineas winced, but Mom just sighed, "Hi boys. Aren't you a little young to be time-travelers?"
"Yes, yes, we are." His eyes flickered over to his future self.
"A time machine, huh? Does this mean that all those times you told me the boys were up to something, they really were?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" This was it! They were busted!
"Oh, honey. I am so sorry I didn't believe you."
"Wait, wait, wait," future Phineas held up a hand, "what are you saying, Mom?" There was a hint of hurt in his voice. "I thought you knew about all the stuff we did as kids?"
"Well, I knew what Candace told me, but it all seemed so fanciful..."
Phineas' face had frozen, if she was closer, she was sure she'd be able to hear the pieces clicking into place. Though she wasn't sure what needed to click into place.
"But we told you all about our Big Ideas!" Future Phineas took a half-step forward before stopping. "At dinner time, we'd tell you and Dad everything we did that day!"
"Phineas--"
"No, I..." Glancing back at his younger self, he shook his head. "I'm not doing this now. I'm... I'm gonna get some air." He headed for the door, briefly pausing to exchange a look with Ferb, his hand brushing over his shoulder as he walked past.
Ferb stared after him a second before shifting closer to their Phineas.
"You really didn't know?" Phineas' voice was barely above a whisper.
Sighing again, Mom smiled, a little sadly as she looked them over. "No."
"But you always said how proud you were of our imaginations." It kind of sounded like he was going to cry. Candace hoped he didn't, that would ruin a lot of the joy she imaged coming from a bust.
"I was. I am." She walked over to them and crouched down. "If I'm honest, I didn't want to know."
Taking advanced of Ferb's closeness, Phineas leaned into him. "What do you mean?"
Candace was curious about that herself.
"I mean, what you did-- what you do, from what I remember, sounds dangerous. My Phineas and Ferb are adults, I know that no matter what it is you, they, did as kids, you came through it alright." Somewhat hesitantly, she reached out to both boys, taking their free hands, as their other hands had intertwined as she spoke. "The version of me that you know, she doesn't have that knowledge, all she'll see is you two putting yourselves in danger."
"So we shouldn't tell you? Uh, her?"
"It's up to you."
Phineas' frown deepened before he nodded.
"Does this mean you aren't going to bust them?" 'Cause this was nice and all, getting it out in the open, but she'd been dreaming of a good bust and this wasn't living up to it.
Mom glanced out the door. "I don't think that would go over very well."
"Not him." She pointed at her brothers. "Bust them."
Standing up, she smiled. "I don't think I have jurisdiction on these guys anymore."
"Okay, but officially, on record, they are busted. Right?"
She ruffled Phineas' hair. "Sure, Candace. They're busted."
Somehow, it still wasn't fulfilling.
