Isabella’s P.O.V.
I am sitting in a lawn chair in my front yard watching George, Perry, and Phineas fight, they are doing it for my affections. I see George’s cane while Phineas has a chain, Perry jumps at George’s back while he is blocking the chain. I watch as Perry goes flying towards Phineas, George had caught and thrown him so fast I only see a blur. Phineas hits Perry with his chain and in the same movement catches Georges face as he charges him, Phineas comes over to me and starts shaking me. I wake up to find George is up and looking at me, I see sunlight through the window and realize that I dozed off while sitting at his bedside. As I rub my eyes I see George limp out of the room while dragging Phineas and Perry, I can see that it is just like our usual routine as I walk into my room. I gather my clothes for the day and see a note on my dresser, I read it as I head to the bathroom for my shower. “Happy Birthday!” I realize that there are three signatures instead of the usual one by George, his is on there but so is Phineas’s and I am barely able to make out the one at the bottom, Perry. As I step into the shower I realize how quiet the house is. For the first time this week, I wish Mom would return from her road trip. I think about my dream as I stand with the hot water hitting my back, I already know that if it comes to a brawl between them, George will win. I remember one other time, two years ago, that I was attacked by a group of boys. It was the first time I realized that George would give his life for me. Me, George, and Ferb are walking through the park in the middle of the night, a group of five boys come out of the shadows and come after us. I know that we can take them in a fight, they fan out and surround us while five more boys join in. George and Ferb stand on either side of me,ready to take on anyone that tries to touch me. All of the boys rush at us at once, one of them pulls out a chain as Ferb puts his back to mine as George rush at them in return. I kick one in the stomach while Ferb is blocking and throwing punches. George has already sent three running off with the signs of his fists on them, The one with the chain wraps it around his hand as he comes for me. George sees this, runs over, puts himself in front of me while wearing a smile that says “Do your worst, and takes blow after blow from the chained hand. The blows seem to have no affect on him as he stands there with his arms spread out and shielding me, taking the blows without a sound. I pull out my phone and call Buford, His voice is heavy with sleep as he answers. I explain the situation to him as Ferb knocks another person out, I see the blood leaking from George’s mouth as he is hit again and again. Buford is there in minutes and throws himself into the fight with a smile, the boy with the chain hits George one last time and runs off. George slips into the shadows as Buford comes over to me, he escorts us home and waves as I walk inside. I see George lying on the floor of his room, barely breathing as he coughs up blood. At the hospital me and Mom learn that his jaw is broken, as are two ribs that had punctured a lung. He looks at me, gives me a smile, and gets up as the doctor in the room says that most people die before they lose that much blood. George stumbles over to me, puts his arm around my shoulder, and whispers in my ear. “I got this protecting you, and I’ll happily do it again.” He kisses me on the cheek and heads for the door, the doctor starts to stop him but changes his mind when he sees the look on George’s face. I shiver as I realize I’m running out of hot water. I shut the water off, get dressed, walk into the kitchen, sit down, and drop my head on the table with a thud. George is looking over the rim of his coffee cup with worry as Perry starts rubbing against my leg, I pick him up as I think about what I’m going to do about my predicament. Phineas walks in and attempts to give me a kiss, but realizes Perry has beat him to me and sits down beside me instead. He looks at George with a smile, who shakes his head at him. Phineas sighs and says to me “Isabella, you are going to have to choose one of us. We were thinking about a fist fight, but decided it wouldn’t be fair for Perry. Besides, we could have everybody in town against George and he would still win” I look at him, surprised I had to tell him. “You know I would pick you, I mean, Perry is my best friend, but he’s a platypus.” I shiver as bad images flood my head, I shake my head and continue. ” And while George is a great person, he’s my brother.” George gives me a sad smile that said he’d known who I would pick all along. Perry looks at me with understanding in his eyes and rubs against my cheek affectionately. Phineas gives me a kiss that tells me I made the right choice. Then George sets his cup down, tosses me my knives, hands his cane to Phineas, and says “Welcome to the family, now, who wants cake?” It is so unexpected that me and Phineas laugh as Ferb and Vanessa walk in holding hands, Linda and Lawrence come in behind them as I tuck my knives away hurriedly into their sheaths. Gretchen, Holly, Milly, Ginger, Adyson, and Katie all walk in carrying presents. I am surprised to see Buford come through the door, I walk over to him. “What are you doing here.” He smiles and says something about cake as I notice George juggling kitchen knives while everybody laughs and points. I yell to make myself heard “Stop touching the knives George!” I notice his smile as he gives me a thumbs up and steps back as the knives stick in the floor. I shake my head and turn around, I hear George yell something, then see Ferb throw the cake at me. It hits me in the face as everybody laughs, I take one look at George and he runs out the door with the smile still on his face.
