Hi, folks! I know most of my fics usually involve animés, but this time I thought I'd start on a fic based on one of my old favorite cartoons. This takes place about a week or so after Arnold saved the neighborhood. It is loosely based on a scene from another author's fic, so I really hope I won't get sued or kicked off the site for this. It is rated M because of scenes of harsh language.

Chapter 1:

Another day of hell. For years now, Helga had tried to get used to her daily so-called life, but she never really did. Arnold was her only escape from her almost-nonexistent social life and truly horrid family life. And now she was thinking that she had most likely lost him, too.

After that fateful bus ride, they had agreed to deny the whole thing. Although Arnold had refused to do so and was almost constantly going over his own memories and thoughts, Helga didn't realize this and had taken his reaction as one of rejection. She had spiraled into a depression, although she still kept her books of Arnold-themed poetry to remind her of what a fool she had been. And as if life couldn't get any worse…

"OLGA! Get your butt down here for dinner, NOW!" Her heartless (and clueless) father bellowed. His yell was partially canceled out by a thunderclap, and she looked at the nearby clock. 'Eight-thirty' she though to herself. She reluctantly went down, makine sure that the two wide wristbands covered up her wrists completely, and then sitting down with the rest of her family. Yes, her shining-star older sibling, Olga, had come home to spend the last 2 weeks of summer holiday with her family. Her mother was sitting half-awake, occasionally missing when she tried to insert food into her mouth.

They ate in silence. After everything was done, Big Brainless Bob (as Helga had come to refer to him in her diaries) started up a conversation. But this time it wasn't about beepers, beeper sales, or anything beeper-related…

"Okay, missy," he said, looking square at Helga, "We need to talk." I can't think of what to say what went on, but let me just say that it mostly consisted of Bob talking to Helga about how she had helped "Orphan Boy" foil Scheck's plans and, despite the fate that Bob would've only gotten 10 of the profits, was still quite angry.

He continued bellowing, "I still can't believe you would do such a thing! How could you choose friendship over business! If Olga would've been in your position, she wouldn't have done that, because Olga is smart, smart enough to know-"

This is when Helga exploded. "SHUT THE HELL UP! All you ever talk about is 'Olga this' and Olga that' and 'Olga would always do what I think is right'! You never even stopped to think who you were hurting, even me! Hell, you don't even know my name!"

"Now, listen here, Olga-!" "There! See? You just called me 'Olga'! No one ever stops to consider how I think or feel!" Her tears were starting to flow freely now as she backed away from the kitchen and out into the hallway. "You are a heartless bastard!" "Helga!' her mom gasped. She turned to her "And you! You have got to be the most inattentive, irresponsible, pathetic excuse for a mother I have ever heard of! Of course, why should you pay any attention to me? I'm just a worthless sack of crap anyways"! The anger in her voice had been completely replaced by sorrow. "Baby sister, I-" "SHUT UP! Like you ever cared about me either! No one cares! Even my true love, the only one I ever loved, can't stand me! This world would be 1,000 times better off without me! Consider this the last time you'll ever see me alive!" With that, she exited the Pataki house and ran off into the raging storm, pouring rain, and pitch-darkness, and started off running like she never had before to the one place she considered best to end it all.

10 minutes later, she arrived at Arnold's house, and quickly climbed up the fire escape to the roof of the boarding house. Before she died, she wanted to take one last look at her love. She looked down through his glass roof, seeing him sitting in his PJs and reading one of his mystery books. 'Good bye, Arnold' she thought, pulling her locket out of her dress and clutching it tightly to her broken heart. She turned away and started toward the edge of the roof, unaware that Arnold had chosen that moment to look up in thought and catch a glimpse of pink.

Helga walked toward the edge of the roof, climbing up on the edge of the cement ledge, looking down at the concrete below and preparing to jump. Amidst the rain, she did not hear the window behind her open up, or the startled and horrified gasp that followed. 'Good bye, world' she thought what she thought would be her final thought, and had just started to push forward with her legs when a pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her back.

"Helga! What the heck do you think you're doing!" Arnold half-screamed, his voice tinted with panic. "Let go of me, Arnold!" she screamed, going hysterical. "There's nothing left for me! Everyone hates me, my family doesn't even know I exist, and to top it all off, you, the only one who ever brought life unto my bleak and hopeless life, can't stand me! You'd all be better off without the worthless piece of shit I am! Now LET ME GO!"

"Helga, snap out of it!" he replied, concern and worry evident in his voice and expression. "That's not true!" "You know it is, Arnold! Please, let me jump!" "Helga, please stop! That's not true! You're wrong! People do care about you! I… I care about you…" he murmured the last part, starting to choke up.

Helga stopped struggling and looked into the boy's eyes. They were full of concern and even had a slight bit of tears starting to form in the corners. With this, Helga simply broke down, falling into his arms and sobbing her heart out. He picked her up and carried her inside.

Chapter 2:

Arnold gently sat Helga down with him on his bed, as she continued to cling to him, although her cries were softening now. When she finally, yet reluctantly, let go of him, he reached under his bed and pulled out two towels. He got of and turned around as she stripped out of her soaked clothes and wrapped the towel around herself. He handed her the other towel to dry her hair off, and when she signaled all clear with a solemn "okay", he turned back around and sat down next to her.

Now that they were in the light, he could see everything more clearly. Her eyes were still red from crying, and a small sob or whimper occasionally came from her as she curled up into a ball. He could also see that she appeared to have hardly eaten in the past week. Her hair was tangled and neglected, and Arnold could also tell that she looked somewhat dehydrated, which meant that her depression had almost completely stopped her from eating or drinking.

"Helga?" he questioned softly, and she brought her head up in response, looking at him with those forlorn eyes. "Are you all right?" After a second or so, she slowly shook her head. "Tell me what happened. Please?" he used his calmest, most reassuring tone he could muster, and after a few seconds, Helga sighed and began to speak.

She explained what had happened, how she had finally gone over the top with her family. Her topic quickly changed, though, as she suddenly began telling him exactly why she loved him. She told him of that fateful first day of preschool, how she had helped him twice, and she had gotten teased for it, and she became the pink terror everyone knew her as. All the while, Arnold listened in quiet curiosity and mild shock. He had never known she had felt so strongly for him.

But now," she said sadly, "I know that you could never feel the same way about me. I've known ever since after the bus crashed. I know rejection when I see it". She broke into another small sob. "Helga, that's not true." She looked up at him in curiosity. "W-what are you saying?" she asked shakily. "I'm saying," he stated, "that I didn't reject you. Over the past week or so, I've been going through my memories and feelings, and I think that somewhere, deep down, I knew how you felt all along. And…"

"And?" she asked. "And," he continued, "I think… I think that… that I've loved you all along, but just didn't realize it until now. I love you, Helga, and I hate to see you unhappy. Please, I just don't want to see you suffer like this anymore."

Now, Helga's brain was working in overdrive, and her heart was as well. Had it not been for her current state of mood, she would be dancing with joy right now. Instead, all she could manage was a look that… well, basically told Arnold that she was shocked, but VERY glad to hear it. She smiled what may have been the loveliest smile he had ever seen, and then collapsed into his arms, tears of joy starting to form as she returned his embrace.

Although Arnold was in a state of bliss, he couldn't help but notice something. "Helga?" he asked. "Yes?" she replied, her voice somewhat of a mix of joy and sadness. "Why are you wearing those wrist bands?" She stopped, pulling away from him slowly and holding her arms close to her.

"Do you promise not to freak out?" she asked worryingly. "Of course, Helga. Please, you don't have to hide anything from me". She just couldn't say no to him. With that, she slowly removed her wristbands, allowing Arnold to gasp when he saw the several blade marks on both her wrists. "Helga, have you been…" he asked with concern. She said nothing, only nodded, a look of shame on her face.

Now he was really worried. This was a major red flag. How could he have missed that she had been suffering this much? "Why?" he asked, his voice full of concern. "It was the only way for me to escape my pain, plus I was hoping I might 'accidentally' cut too deep and finish myself off". "Helga, please. I've already told you, you don't have to do those kinds of things. The world would not be a better place if you died. I probably wouldn't be able to go on without you".

"You really mean it?" she said, her sad eyes looking up into his concerned ones. "With all my heart" he replied. With that, he hugged her again, taking the fragile beauty before him into a caring embrace. When she let go of him, he went over and turned the light off, then climbed into bed next to her, allowing her to cling onto him again, as they both drifted off to sleep.

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Well, what do you think? Sorry if might have been a little too lovey-dovey, but I only have two styles of fan fiction: lovey-dovey stuff or hard-core sex. Anyhow, there will be another chapter as soon as I have time to update. Until then, please read & review. And please, don't make your reviews too harsh, okay?