Takes place after Night of the Living Pharmacists.

"Ferb." Phineas stood next to his brother's bed, one hand hovering over his shoulder has he debated taking a more physical approach to wake him. His other arm tightly clutched Perry to his chest, the platypus limply hanging there as he put up with the treatment.

Finally, he poked Ferb's shoulder. "Ferb, wake up." As the poking had no effect, he shook his shoulder. "Ferb."

Without opening his eyes, Ferb slapped at Phineas' arm. Missed. And tried again, this time managing to knock his hand away.

"Seriously?"

Ferb lifted his head and languidly blinked at his brother. Eyes slipping closed again, he scooted closer to the edge opposite where Phineas stood.

Not wasting a second, Phineas lifted the covers and crawled into the bed, laying on his back so he could place Perry on his chest.

Ferb faced Phineas, only one eye open. His You woke me up, now explain why carrying clearly.

The problem was, Phineas didn't want to explain why. It had been a stupid nightmare that had turned weird and became more disturbing the more he thought about it. But he also knew Ferb wouldn't let him hear the end of it until he told him.

Phineas started slowly, "I dreamed we were back on that water tower." It had felt so real that he wondered if it was. He knew there were gaps in their memories of that day, in a way, he was glad for it. He wasn't sure he wanted to remember those last moments. Especially if they were anything like his dream made them out to be.

"We were surrounded and-and-" his grip tightened on Perry, making the platypus chatter, "-you tried to clear path for me and Isabella by knocking some of them over the railing. And you did but you went over with them." His voice dropped as he went on, "You were holding on, and Isabella wouldn't let me help you. And I watched you fall." Logically, he knew watching him fall hadn't been real. That couldn't have been a memory because Ferb wouldn't be there now if he had. But seeing his brother jump and then struggle to hold onto the railing had felt real. Being pulled away by Isabella had felt too real.

Ferb reached out, placing a hand on Phineas' arm.

"Then-" Phineas stopped himself, glad the lights were still off because he was sure his face was burning. He didn't know if he wanted Ferb to know the rest of the dream. If he told his brother Isabella had started confessing her love to him, Ferb would take that to mean Phineas liked-liked Isabella. Or what if he took it completely wrong and thought Phineas was saying he was in the way of something? When, really, that part of the dream was just ridiculous. He didn't like-like Isabella, and Isabella definitely didn't feel that way about him.

Ferb was staring at him, waiting for what came after.

"It's not important," Phineas said, but Ferb didn't look like he believed him. "I just-you wouldn't-you didn't jump off a water tower for me, did you?"

"I don't remember."

That wasn't the reassuring answer Phineas was looking for. But it was the expected one.

"Would you?" 

Ferb blinked. Phineas knew him well enough to know he was debating between telling Phineas what he wanted to hear and the truth. Which alone told him the answer, but he still needed to hear it.

"In a situation where the only choices are we both die or I do something that may lead to my demise but your survival, there is an obvious course of action."

Phineas sighed. "Couldn't you lie and just say no?"

Ferb didn't miss a beat. "No." Before Phineas could say anything, he went on, "I promise not to jump off another water tower."

That didn't make Phineas feel any better. It was nothing more an empty promise even if Ferb kept it. He opened his mouth to say as much, but Ferb's eyes had already closed. The hand still resting limply on Phineas' arm as his brother went back to sleep.

Phineas sighed and turned to Perry. He'd just have to make sure they never ended up in a situation like that again.

Or, at least, make sure that Ferb would never be in the position to make that choice.