Snapshots

13. A Single Moment

AU of the end of ATSD. Was meant to be longer, but I don't know... Maybe I'll come back to this one day.
Warning: Character Death.

It happened so quick. One second, fear had gripped him as the giant fist came down towards him. The next, all he could see was the smoke filled sky. He knew he'd been shoved. He'd felt it. The hands pushing him. But it felt like a dream.

A nightmare. Because his mind already put what had happened together.

He wanted to look. Turn his head and either confirm or deny the theory burning in his mind. But Perry had torn himself out of Phineas' grip and was suddenly in front of him. Staring down at him with the control the agent could muster. The hard look didn't completely hide the swirling anger and horror in his eyes.

Voices rose from somewhere. But Phineas' heart pounded in his ears, drowning out the words. He tried to look. Soft, small fingers gripped his chin and jerked his head away from the scene.

Perry shook his head. Don't look.

"I have to." He couldn't tell if he actually said the words.

Perry's jaw clenched. He raised his other paw to his eyes and mimed closing them then signaled that he'd lead Phineas past it.

No. Phineas couldn't do that. It felt wrong not to see. Not to look. If it had happened, it was his fault. He'd volunteered their help. He'd done this. He had to see. His vision blurred.

Perry glanced over his shoulder. A moment later, another figure ran over to them, dropping to his knees at Phineas' side. Even with tears in his eyes, he could see the green hair.

The world stopped. Phineas launched himself at his brother. He'd been wrong. The tears grew heavier as Ferb caught him in an embrace. First from relief. Then realization.

Under his hands, the shirt was rough. Phineas' grip on it tightened as his breath hitched and his world, frozen, collapsed around him.

He hadn't been wrong.