#2d candace

Candace watches as Phineas and Ferb mingle with the Firestorm girls...the other kids. She tenses, breathing deep as Isabella places a hand on Phineas' arm, then pulls him over to...Dr. Baljeet and Buford. Buford slaps Phineas on the back, and Candace grips her bo staff tighter, eyes narrowing.

Something brushes her elbow, and Candace whirls around, staff pointing at...

"Johnson?"

"Sorry, Candace. Didn't mean to scare you." Johnson, Jeremy says.

"I don't get scared." Candace denies, looking back at Phineas and Ferb. Ferb is holding hands with Isabella, and Buford and Baljeet each have one of Phineas' hands. "That's not safe." She murmurs.

"They're fine. They're safe." John...Jeremy says. She glares at him. "No, really. They're smart kids. The Firestorm girls are there. And no one wants to face your anger, they'll be fine." Jeremy holds his hand out. "Let's leave them to it."

Candace eyes his hand, then him, then looks back at her brothers, then back to John...Jeremy. She turns towards him, ignoring the hand. "Fine. What did you have in mind?"

"Oh. Uh. I didn't think I'd get this far." John...Jeremy says, rubbing the back of his neck. Candace raises an eyebrow. "How about a walk around the park?"

"Sure." Candace glances back one more time, before focusing on Jeremy. "Let's go."

Jeremy and Candace start to wander the park. Candace glances down as Johnson's hand twitches for the 3rd time. "Ok. What's going on?"

"Of course you noticed." John...Jeremy chuckles. "I want to hold your hand. But I don't want to scare you off, I know how you are about touch."

"How I am about touch?" Candace repeats. She stops, staring at John... Jeremy. "What do you mean."

"You don't let anyone close. You panicked when I touched your elbow earlier." Jeremy says.

Candace growls. She reached out, grabbing John..Jeremy's hand. "C'mon." She tugs him forward.

John... Jeremys' hand feels weird in hers. She's not sure if she's holding too tight or not tight enough. His hand feels warm in hers, and she wonders if hers is warm in his.

"This isn't working." John... Jeremy says, pulling her to a stop. "Candace, I don't want you to force yourself to do something you don't want to."

"I grabbed your hand!" Candace says.

"Yes, and your other hand is gripping your bo staff so tightly I'm surprised it's not breaking in half." Jeremy points. Candace looks at her hand, recognizing the tingling in her hand now. "I'll wait, Candace." He slips his hand out of hers.

Candace watches Jeremy leave. They had finished the walk, and she flexes her hand. She glances down as Phineas walks up.

"Candace, are you okay?"

"Fine. Why? What happened?" She looks Phineas over, glancing at Ferb. They don't look hurt, there's no obvious bleeding and they're not crying.

"Nothing! Dr. Baljeet was telling us about hugs, and how they help people relax! Did you hug Jeremy?" Phineas asks.

"No." Candace says. She studies Phineas, watching him bounce, and sighs. "Do you two want a hug?"