Eternity's Dime

Chapter Six: Confrontation

Phineas kneeled down by the base of the 'tree'. Why his sister went for a holographic tree instead of a real one, he'd ever understand. Especially since it broke every few weeks.

On the plus side, they'd eaten breakfast before Candace asked him to take a look at it. And now that he had a good meal in him, he didn't mind repairing it again. Of course, she waited until after he agreed to that to say she needed him to watch her kids while he was there.

Babysitter and repairman, why did he need a job-job again?

Phineas sighed, opening the toolbox at his side. He would rather his own tools over the ones kept in the Johnson's garage, but he could make do.

Amanda hovered around him, eyes wide, like she'd never seen him do this before.

He ran a finger along the base inserted into the ground until something clicked and the flickering maple vanished.

"What's that?" Amanda wasn't watching him anymore, instead, she stared at the wooden fence.

'What's what?' was on the tip of Phineas' tongue when he heard it too. Angry shouts of indiscernible words, slowly growing louder.

"Amanda, go inside." He was overreacting. Probably. Danville only had high crime rates when it came to stolen cars.

The girl didn't have time to move before a figure literately leaped over the fence, right in front of Phineas.

Green hair was the first thing Phineas noticed about the crouched figure. It was him. Because it had to be him out of all the people on the planet.

The shouts grew closer.

Ferbs seemed to be staring at him. Seemed to be because much like yesterday, his eyes were covered, mirrored glasses having replaced the goggles. Then he jumped to his feet, running past Phineas and around the side of the house.

What was he doing here? Phineas didn't want to deal with this. Couldn't he have a few more days try to ignore the guy? Could Fate, the universe, not give him that? He raised his eyes to the sky. Could this day get any worse?

The gate banged opened. Amanda finally bolted for the backdoor, sliding it shut behind her. That took one concern from his mind.

"Yo, Chump."

And his day had gotten worse. He shouldn't have tempted it. Phineas tightened his hand around the first tool it touched. A hammer. Using it wouldn't be his first choice, but he knew that voice and didn't want to take too many chances.

Still, he plastered a polite smile on his face as he stood up, carefully positioning the hammer behind his back and out of sight when he faced them.

They looked the same as when he'd last seen them, except a little older. Thaddeus still stood front and center, sharp nose pointed upwards as if would fall from his face if he ever lowered it. But somehow managing to look down it at Phineas at the same time.

Behind him stood Thor, looking as boorish as ever. Anyone would assume the man to be dumb, but there was an intelligent glint hidden in his eyes. He could do something great with his life if he ever decided to stop playing lapdog to his brother.

"Where did he go?"

"Who?" Phineas tried to sound as clueless as possible.

Thaddeus stepped forward, one hand coming up in what was probably meant to be a threatening point. Who was Phineas kidding? It was a threatening point. "Now I know you're dumb, but that doesn't give you an excuse to play with me. The guy that jumped your fence, where is he?"