Texas Girl

by Invader Neutron

Helga has to move away to Texas. When she comes back during high school she a hot roughneck. Arnold starts to fall for her, but what about his long-time girlfriend Lila?

Missing You

Can you pick up the phone, are you ever home?

Can't you hear it ringin' baby, doggone

All you ever say is the same old thing,

"I'll call you back, leave your number and your name."

You're way out there, and I'm way out here

Trying to get these dreams of mine in gear

How I'd love to hear you say you love me too

But I keep on missing you

I keep on missing you

The scream could be heard in the neighbors' houses. When it stopped you could cut the silence with a knife. Helga stood in the middle of the living room, anger radiating from her in waves. She knew later she'd be sad, she'd probably end up crying, but right now she was angry. Bob and Miriam sat facing her on the couch, oddly enough, holding hands.

"Now, Helga, don't be like this…it won't be so bad. We'll probably come back after a while." Miriam said quietly, for once sober. Bob remained silent, Helga got her temper from him, so he knew what she was going through.

"Not so bad?" Helga burst. "We've lived here my whole life! You want to move now and you tell me its 'not so bad'?" Helga shook her head and folded her arms over her chest. "Where exactly are we moving to, anyway—or do I want to know?" she asked. Finally Bob spoke.

"Texas." One word, that all it took for Helga's temper to fully skyrocket.

"Texas! Texas?" She slapped a hand to her forehead. "Oh, perfect—if we ever come back I'll end up being a country hick!" she glared at them, and then pounded out the front door, slamming it on her way. She didn't need to look to know where her feet were leading her. Arnold's house, just down the street and around the corner. She sighed as she rang the doorbell, part of her anger already gone as the misery set in. The door opened and Arnold's grandmother answered in her usual green dress, a cowboy hat and boots (Helga inwardly groaned) on this time, with a spoon in her hand.

"Hello, Eleanor." She said serenely. If Helga hadn't already known Arnold's grandmother she would have corrected her, instead she just smiled.

"Is Arnold home?" she asked politely. The grandmother let her in with a nod.

"Kimba's up in his room hunting lions. You can go on up." She walked back into the kitchen, leaving Helga gazing in mild amusement behind her. There were moments when Helga wondered if maybe, just maybe, she wasn't really absent-minded and just liked to startle people. She began her trudge up to Arnold's room, already knowing the way very well. Helga pulled on the rope to his room and walked up the stairs, calling out his name. Arnold met her at the top, a look of surprise on his face. She froze for a minute then entered his room.

"Helga?" he asked. She smirked.

"Good guess, Football-head. Was it the bow or the pigtails that gave you the first clue?" she rolled her eyes and turned her back to him as she walked over to the couch. Arnold almost laughed, but he could tell something was on her mind, so he just followed her to the couch and sat down.

"What's up?" he asked casually. She looked down, not knowing at first how to begin. She looked around the room, twirling a stray bit of hair around one finger and bit her lip. She had to give him credit, he was patient, she didn't know how long she stalled. Finally she decided on the direct approach.

"I'm moving…" She said quietly. Arnold raised his eyebrows, shocked.

"Moving…you'll still be going to P.S. 188, right?" he asked. She laughed, a sound filled with sadness.

"…To Texas." She finished and looked at him to register his reaction. He sat back, his eyes glazing over.

"Funny, I always thought the whole gang would stay together. It won't be the same without you around to keep me in line." He smiled, resting his arm behind her on the top of the couch. "I'm gonna miss you. You were the first person I met here, the person that helped me save the neighborhood…" he blushed, "The first girl I ever kissed." Helga had to laugh a little at that and Arnold's blush faded a bit.

"I'm the only girl you ever kissed." Arnold shrugged in response.

"When did you find out?" he turned serious, Helga's smile faded.

"Just now." She looked away from him again. Arnold did something then, that he had only rarely ever done to her, reached out and hugged her. For a moment she didn't move, then finally, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I really am gonna miss you, Hillwood won't be the same without Helga G. Pataki." He smiled as he pulled back a little. She nodded and tried to hide the few tears that streamed down her cheeks, unfortunately Arnold noticed. He gently turned her head to face him once more and wiped the tears away with his thumb. She smiled a little and stood up out of nervousness, looking around the room one last time. Memorizing it. Arnold relaxed back on the couch, watching her idly. She paused when she noticed something familiar and reached out to pick it up. A small red high heel. She smiled briefly, but was suddenly stunned when it was taken quickly from her hands. She looked up to see Arnold putting it back up.

"What was that for, Football-head?" she asked.

"It's special to me. Kind of like my hat, I'm particular about it." Whatever reaction he was expecting from her, he didn't get it. She laughed then, a multitude of girlish little giggles he'd never heard come from her before.

"I guess it won't hurt anything, since I'm leaving." She said between laughs. Arnold looked at her questioningly as she undid her pigtails and combed them out with her hands. A bit of it fell over one eye and the rest hung in long waves down her back. Arnold took a step back, looking at her now he didn't know how he'd never seen it. "I'm Cecile." She smiled, shaking her hair out. Arnold was speechless; the girl of his dreams was also the girl of his nightmares. Helga turned away from him with a shake of her head. She started to walk away when a hand wrapped around her wrist stopped her. She turned back to see Arnold standing there, still looking shell-shocked but holding her wrist all the same. For the longest moment they didn't speak, just stood there looking at each other.

"I should have known." He finally said, shifting his hold to her hand and brining it up to kiss it. Arnold pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and not really knowing if Helga would hold him or hit him. After a second of indecision, she laid her hands on his shoulders. Arnold kissed her then, a gentle kiss that lasted only a minute before he pulled away. She licked her lips when they parted, bowing her head.

"Better to leave in good graces." She said so quietly he almost didn't catch it. "I have to go, Arnold…I'll see you." She finished, both of them knowing she probably would never see him again, both wanting to believe the lie.

"I'll see you around, Helga." He let her go, both figuratively and literally. She turned and walked away from him, leaving him missing more then a baseball coach. Arnold sighed and ran a hand through his hair, he couldn't chase her, a long goodbye would hurt them both more and it still wouldn't change the fact that she was leaving. He ran up to his roof, watching her from above as she walked back home. "Goodbye, Helga." He whispered to himself.

Country Comes to Town

I'm a hayseed, and a plowboy

I'm a farm kid, and a cowboy

I'm a roughneck; my daddy was a roughneck too

I run around with hillbilly girls

When the weekend sits on my hillbilly world

You better be ready when the sun goes down

Cause that's when country comes to town

The years had been kind to Arnold. He was much taller now and his head wasn't so football shaped anymore. Other then being more muscled and letting his hair hang down now, he had stayed the same. Almost everyone had. Gerald was on the basketball team, Phoebe was top of the class, Rhonda was still the most fashionable and Lila was still acting innocent. They were all still there, all still good friends. Gerald and Arnold had just walked into school when Sid came rushing up to them.

"Oh, man, where have you guys been?" Sid panted. Arnold and Gerald exchanged looks.

"We always come in at this time, Sid." Arnold pointed out. Gerald nodded.

"Yeah, what's the fuzz, brother?" Gerald said in his usual way. Sid caught his breath before speaking.

"There's this new girl. Stinky and I saw her in the office checking in…"

"So?" Arnold said, raising an eyebrow. Sid wanted to shake him.

"She's fine, never seen another like her!" Gerald shook his head at Sid's comment.

"Shame I can't take her, but I'm spoken for." Gerald said in reference to his long-time girlfriend Phoebe. He glanced at Arnold. "And he's with Lila." Sid scoffed.

"Arnold, man, Lila will be pushed so far out of the picture that you'll need a second frame when you see this new girl. She's perfect!" The bell rang, signaling it was time for class. Sid ran off, disappearing in the crowd. Gerald and Arnold just shrugged and went their separate ways.

By lunch Arnold had heard about the new girl by at least five other people who'd had her in class. Rumor was that she'd told off a teacher for not knowing his history, had turned down a date from a guy by shoving his down the stairs, and had successfully already gotten detention making another girl cry by insulting her too much. As Arnold dropped his bag next to Gerald at their table, he heard Sid and Stinky talking about her.

"Anybody catch her name?" Gerald asked. The table got quiet. "I'll take that as a 'no'." Gerald shrugged and they immediately began talking about her once again. Arnold shook his head and went to buy himself lunch, he ran into Lila on the way. She ran up to him and threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, Arnold, I'm just ever so happy!" she squealed as she backed up a little. Arnold let his arm rest loosely around her waist as he walked with her to the lunch line.

"What about, Lila?" he asked, looking down at his girlfriend amusedly. She was just as pretty as she'd ever been. Freckles still sprinkled her nose and cheeks, her red hair was pulled back into one braid, her figure had changed nicely, and she still wore the green schoolgirl style outfits.

"She's back! And she's just ever so fun to talk with!" Lila was practically bouncing with glee, reminding him slightly of a little girl being handed a doll.

"Who?" Arnold reached up for a tray and put his and Lila's lunches on it. Lila looked at him in surprise.

"Why, Arnold, haven't you heard? Helga's back." Time froze. Arnold dropped the apple he'd been in the process of picking up for Lila, he nearly dropped the tray. Helga? She was the new girl? She was the one everyone was talking about. Lila seemed oblivious about Arnold's surprised and was chattering.

"Helga? Helga Pataki?" he sputtered. Lila looked affronted that he'd interrupted her but quickly regained her composure.

"Yes, silly, that's what I said. She's in my English class and she's just ever so interesting to talk to. She's changed a lot, really, it was such a pleasant surprise." Arnold continued through the line, pretending to listen to Lila as she talked constantly. He paid for her lunch and his, letting her kiss his cheek before going to sit with the guys as she headed for the girl's table. He was still stunned as he sat down. Gerald must have noticed.

"What's wrong, buddy?" he asked. Arnold looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Helga."

"What?

"You asked the new girl's name…it's Helga." The table quieted as Arnold spoke. "She's back." Arnold looked around to Gerald, Sid, Stinky, Eugene, and Brainy all in turn. They seemed as shocked as he was.

"Did you see her?" Stinky asked. Arnold shook his head.

"Lila told me. She's got her in English." Arnold came out of it enough to begin eating his lunch. Brainy gave a little wheezing laugh and Sid and Stinky whistled low. Eugene rubbed the cast on his wrist out of nervous habit.

"Surprise, surprise." He said quietly. Gerald laughed at Eugene's remark.

"The day I see Helga's Pataki as a fox, is the day pigs fly." Gerald shook his head. "There's no way, must be a different Helga."

"How many Helga's do you know?" Arnold asked calmly, taking a bite from his salad. Gerald just shook his head. The conversation drifted easily to other subjects after that and by the time the bell rang most of the boys had forgotten Helga had come back. Arnold didn't have her in any of his classes the rest of the day, and didn't see her at all even as he followed Gerald out to his car to get a ride home, not that he was looking for Helga, after all, he had a girlfriend, right? He had seen Lila in between classes as usual that day, but it wasn't her on his mind. Gerald dropped him off at the Sunset Arms and Arnold waved goodbye to him. He turned to the door and paused, there was an old army Harley sitting out front. A dull green, scratched and there was a couple of rust spots on the fenders and such but the bold ARMY logo could still be seen clearly in faded black on the tank. Fringed saddlebags were on each side of it and a short sissy bar that needed re-chroming. Arnold continued staring at it as he walked inside. He dropped his bag at the door and walked into the kitchen, coming face to face with a blonde-haired, blue-eyed bombshell to match the Harley. He froze; she hadn't noticed him yet since she was talking with his grandfather. He didn't mind, it gave him plenty of time to drink in her beauty. Long shapely legs surrounded by skin tight blue jeans, an equally tight off-the-shoulder tan cotton shirt, cowboy boots, a large shining silver buckle and a leather cowboy hat to top it off. Finally she turned to him with a smile that made his heart beat so fast he thought it would explode.

"Hi, Arnold. Remember me?"

When Boy Meets Girl

But his life is about to change

He's never gonna be the same

And he'll be living in a different world

When boy meets girl

Arnold dropped the trunk at the foot of her bed and wiped his brow on his sleeve. The moving van had arrived shortly after he'd gotten home and he'd eagerly offered to help her unpack. She strode in behind him, a suitcase in each hand and a large dog following close at her heels. Arnold glanced at the dog before turning his attention back to her.

"Anything else I can help you with, Helga?" he asked, taking a step forward. Any reason to spend some more time with her. She laughed at him, a warm sound that came from deep in her throat.

"Nah, thanks, Arnold. I can handle it." He took another step towards her.

"Are you sure? Anything at all, it'd be my pleasure." She stopped, considering him a moment with a wry grin. She took off her hat and fanned herself with it, succeeding in making him sweat just a little.

"I bet it would be, darlin'." She raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow, "But if I recall you got a girlfriend who would be just a little annoyed at the way you're droolin' over me right now." Arnold bit his tongue subconsciously. Helga tossed her hat onto the trunk he'd just sat down and put her hands on her hips, looking at him almost sternly as she spread her feet shoulder width. "Now straighten up and listen close." She burst with dominance. Arnold immediately stood a little straighter, earning a smirk from Helga. "You can look but you can't touch, I'm not custom to bringin' home dogs that still got a leash on 'em." She laughed and Arnold blushed.

"Sorry, Helga, I didn't realize I was so—"

"Obvious?" she laughed. Arnold nodded, still a deep crimson. "Yeah, you and every other guy I ran into today."

"I heard you pushed one down a flight of stairs." He smiled. She mirrored him.

"Yeah…and I stuffed one in his own locker, and kicked another …well, where it hurt." She paused to pet the dog when he put his paw on her thigh. "I've had a full day." She smiled. "Don't worry, Arnold. Go on upstairs and call Lila, she's waiting for you—and isn't she what you always wanted?" Helga raised an eyebrow as she ushered him out the door. Arnold turned to find her door already closed on him, and he could hear her turning the lock. He sighed and walked up to his room, not really knowing why he was following Helga's orders as he dialed Lila's number. Lila was all he ever wanted…he'd spent years fawning over her and finally winning her. Why was he hesitating now? The ringing stopped and Lila picked up. Arnold smiled despite himself at the sound of her voice. It was comforting to listen to her talk; she was so sweet and innocent after all these years. She and him had been going out for a long while now, almost as long as Phoebe and Gerald it seemed…and yet, something was missing in their relationship. Sure, they went on dates and enjoyed each other's company, they were true to one another, confided in each other when they were at their lowest, but even Arnold couldn't overlook her almost childlike naivety. He could count the number of times they French kissed on his hands, take away one hand and be able to count how many times she'd said anything near "I love you" to him, even when he said it to her. She was talking on the phone, but his mind was reeling. This wasn't love, not really, was it? This seemed more like a partnership, like a business associate who's job was to act like your significant other. He put a hand to his head to try and calm himself, just barely catching the last of her sentence.

"…movies on Friday?" she finished, Arnold blinked and shook himself.

"Yeah, uh, you can come over after school…we'll do our homework together or something then go out." He said hesitantly. Lila giggled.

"Oh, it'll just be ever so fun! Maybe I can invite Helga and somebody of her choice to join us—we could double date! What do you think, Arnold?" Lila sounded so chipper. He didn't really think Helga had anybody in mind to go to the movies with but he relented.

"Sounds fine, Lila." He rubbed his eyes and fell back on the bed.

"Oh, that's wonderful that you think that, Arnold. I can't wait till Friday." She giggled again and Arnold could just imagine her twisting her braid around her finger as she did.

"Me either." He said. "Goodnight, Lila. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Oh, you too, Arnold. Goodnight." She hung up and Arnold did the same. He groaned.

"A double date with Helga—this isn't what I need."

Friday came quickly, with more rumors about Helga being back spreading like wildfire. Arnold hadn't checked up to see if they were true but, according to popular census, she had successfully slapped a girl for calling her a hussy, knocked over a chair during an interrogation by the vice principal, brutally beat one of the football players at his own game, and had been sited—on numerous occasions—walking down the hall with the kindest, most placid girl in school…Lila. Arnold didn't know it but Helga had taken Lila up on her offer. In actuality, Arnold had been trying to avoid any time alone with Helga period. She had been right, Arnold had a girlfriend and—even though he hadn't openly hit on her—she had known the thought was on his mind. He wouldn't actually cheat on Lila, that's to cruel, but he couldn't help but be attracted to Helga. He walked with Lila to the Sunset Arms that afternoon, her arm linked through his as he carried her books. So cliché.

"Is Helga coming with us?" he asked quietly when he spotted her motorcycle. Lila smiled.

"Oh, yes. She's just ever so happy about going with us." Lila clasped his arm with both hands and leaned her head on his shoulder and he opened the door.

"Who's her date?" He asked. Lila stood straight, looking confused for a moment.

"I'm not sure, somebody named Dakota. I don't know him." Lila shrugged lightly, "But she said he was ever so sweet and that we'd all get along so splendidly." Lila was practically bubbling over with glee. Arnold seriously doubted those had been Helga's words but took it in stride as he led Lila up to his room. As they passed Helga's room, Arnold could here the beat of some country rock music. Lila giggled at the sound, to Arnold confusion, and waited for him to pull the rope down. Arnold let her go up the stairs first, as usual, and turned on some light jazz music when he got up there.

"What would you like to do, Lila?" he asked, she sat down on his couch delicately. Anything Lila did was delicate.

"I don't have any homework…do you, Arnold?" He shook his head, sitting next to her. "Well then, we could do lots of things."

"Like talk." He said instantly, not really knowing where his sudden boldness with her was coming from. Lila looked to him quickly.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about in particular, Arnold?" She asked. Arnold sighed and ran a hand though his hair as he let the other rest behind her on the back of the couch. He was slouching slightly, while she sat in such a pristine and straight-backed way that he was certain her back ached constantly.

"Lila…we've been going out for a few years now…" he began. Lila smiled serenely, possibly completely oblivious, he didn't know. "…and I was just wondering, how you felt about me. If the feelings changed at all." He spoke slowly, making sure the words sounded right. For a moment, Lila looked stricken.

"Do you not like me any more, Arnold?" she asked. Arnold started, quickly reaching out to put his arm around her shoulders and take her hand.

"I just wanted to know if your feelings for me had gotten stronger or…faded a little. I didn't want to stay with you if you didn't like me anymore." He said quietly. Lila looked uncertain, but a little smile came upon her face nonetheless.

"Of course I still like you." She said instantly, as if placating a child. Arnold nuzzled her neck.

"Lila, really, that's such a childish phrase and we've been together so long. Don't you love me?" he asked, nipping her ear. She pulled away from him, surprising him slightly.

"Arnold, what are you trying to do?" She asked. Arnold's brow creased.

"Do?" he repeated. "I was just…you said you still…" he paused to collect himself. "I wanted to know if you were in love with me." His voice was clear and completely understood. Lila rolled her eyes, something he hadn't seen her do before.

"But what were you trying to do to me?" Arnold gaped.

"How could you think that I would try and do that? All I did was kiss you neck! You make it sound like I threw you down on the bed." He stood and walked away from her. "Not only that, but you avoided the question. We've been together for years, Lila. Do you love me—is it really that hard?" his back was to her, his arms were folded across his chest and he was looking forlornly up through the skylight. She didn't answer and for a moment he thought she might have left, then he felt two hands upon his shoulders. She walked around to face him with a little smile.

"Oh, Arnold, please. Let's not fight, it's ever so depressing." She kissed his cheek tenderly and took his hands in hers. "C'mon, it's almost time for the movie, let's go." She started pulling him towards the door.

"But you didn't answer my question…" Arnold whispered under his breath, if Lila heard him she ignored it. Lila was practically bouncing when she reached Helga's door, Arnold stood behind her, handing in his pockets watching her solemnly as she knocked. The pounding music was turned down a little and Helga appeared, her pearl snap shirt unbuttoned more then it had been, revealing a little pink bow in the middle of her bra. Arnold closed his eyes tightly for a moment before determinately looking at her face. Lila seemed not to notice as she threw her arms around Helga's neck in a brief hug.

"Hi, Lila." Helga said, opening the door a little wider to let them in. Arnold was surprised at the change. Now fully decorated, the room looked nice. Obviously western styled, but comfortable. Lila took a seat on the trunk and Helga sat down in the patched chair. The large gray dog came up beside her and she put her arm around it. Arnold stood off to the side where he could look at both girls at once.

"Helga, where's the ever so charming boy you were talking about." Lila asked. Helga smirked.

"I didn't really talk about him, I just said he could come with us." She rolled her eyes then motioned to the dog. "Lila, meet Dakota." Lila's expression faltered just a bit in surprise and Arnold laughed.

"Oh, well…" Lila began then smiled. "That's ever so…interesting, Helga, but do they allow dogs in the movie theater?" she asked. Helga shrugged.

"If they don't then I'll just go to the park, that's were we're planning to go anyway." She glanced at the clock, "Isn't it time to go?" she stood up, stretching. Lila did too, smoothing out her skirt and walking over to Arnold.

"I'll just be a moment, Arnold, I've got to go get my coat." Lila said to him before skipping out the door. Arnold looked over at Helga as she pulled on a denim jacket quickly then slipping a denim vest on Dakota. Arnold chuckled and walked over to them, petting the dog gently.

"What breed is he?" he asked casually. Helga glanced out in the hall before answering quietly.

"Wolf." Arnold glanced down at the dog again, looking closer as Helga buttoned up the vest and hooked a green leash to his collar. Arnold only nodded as Lila came back to them, green jacket now on. She linked her arm with Arnold's and they began to walk out the door, waiting briefly for Helga to lock it. Arnold couldn't help but stare at the silver beauty that walked so dutifully at Helga's side, matching her step, stopping whenever she did, putting his paw up on her thigh whenever she hesitated. But most interesting of all was the way the dog would lead her away to veer around certain people on the street, seemingly picked at random. If he couldn't make space for them, he shifted sides so that he was between her and the person. Lila seemed to notice it too.

"Helga, your dog is ever so fickle about where he wants to go, why do you let him lead you like that?" Arnold couldn't have worded it better. Helga seemed surprised by the question.

"It should be obvious, but then again I'm not in Texas anymore." She paused, sharing a glance with Arnold before speaking. "Dogs…can sense people—if they're good or bad, so to speak. If Dakota doesn't think someone's good, he won't let me near them." Helga shrugged as they stopped at a corner. Dakota sat down as they waited, so close to Helga that he was practically leaning up against her leg. Arnold smiled as the light changed and they began walking again. It must have been very nice to have someone looking out for you. The theater was just ahead and they quickly joined the short line. Helga walked in without even asking if dogs were allowed, but since no one stopped them, she assumed it was fine. When they entered the dark room, Arnold and Lila found a seat mid row. Helga looked at them momentarily. "Look," she began. "You two probably assumed this was gonna be some double date…thing. We'll sit a few rows up so that we won't bother you." She smiled to them, patting their joined hands almost mockingly. "Enjoy the show, I'll meet you after it goes off." With that she found her own seat. Dakota sat in the chair next to her and Arnold saw her, in the dim light, fold up the armrest between them and let him lay in her lap. He smiled again despite himself, secretly wishing he were sitting next to them instead of Lila. Arnold laid his arm on Lila's chair back and she rested her head on his shoulder, as usual. He sighed and kissed the top of her head as the movie came on. He needed to admit it; he just wanted more then what Lila had to offer. He didn't want to hurt her, she was so sweet and caring, but he needed…something else. All through the movie those thoughts ran through his mind. The pros and cons of Lila, she had many good points to her. She also had just as many bad. He was so lost and he had a feeling life wasn't going to make things easier on him. He rested his head on top of Lila's and began to doze slightly as his mind worked overdrive, before he knew it the show was over and Helga was walking towards them, Dakota by her side. Lila stood up, smiling as she turned back to Arnold.

"I found it ever so interesting, didn't you?" Arnold nodded tiredly, barely suppressing a yawn behind her back as she turned to Helga and began to talk. Arnold trailed behind them as they exited the theater, joining with them on the sidewalk outside. Lila giggled and wrapped her arms around Arnold's neck, making Arnold put his arms around her automatically. Helga stood off to the side, petting Dakota and talking to him quietly. "I had such a pleasant time tonight, Arnold. I'll see you on Monday." She pranced off as Arnold called goodbye. He turned to where Helga had been, seeing her already walking down the street in the direction of the park. Arnold, in a spilt second decision, jogged after her.

What was I thinkin'

Thinkin' bout a little white take top sittin' right there in the middle by me

I was thinkin' bout a long kiss, man just gotta get

Goin' where the night might lead

I know what I was feelin'

But what was I thinkin'…

Arnold and Helga didn't come home from their walk in the park until ten, walking in the door laughing with Dakota wagging his tail furiously as if he understood them. They'd talking about everything that had happened in their lives while Helga was gone, and had had a good time of it too. Arnold walked with her up to her room, not really wanting the night to be over.

"C'mon in, it's still early." She said, taking off Dakota's leash and vest. Arnold nodded with a smile and shut the door behind him, leaning against it after he did. Dakota shook himself and walked over to Arnold, leaping up on him and making both teens laugh again. "I don't get it," Helga said as she sat down, welcoming Dakota with open arms as he trotted over to her. "He's never liked anyone so much." She shook her head and Arnold sprawled out on the floor, leaning back on his elbows. He shrugged.

"It's a gift." He looked around the room fondly, studying the large grayscale framed pictures on the wall. Some had herself in them, but most didn't, all were set on a ranch. "You're…home?" he asked, nodding his head to the pictures.

"No, where I worked. I broke horses—I think I mentioned it—and helped do the branding on the calves." She sighed as if remembering something as she ran her hands though Dakota's sleek fur. Arnold watched her for a moment, with the dog lazing so serenely on her lap, even rolling over a little so she could scratch his stomach, he had to admit the two looked like two matching puzzle pieces.

"Where'd you get him?" Arnold asked, breaking her reverie. Helga looked down at the dog and an almost motherly smile came across her face. Dakota rolled back over and looked up at her, licking her cheek. They both laughed and Helga spoke.

"I rescued him…his mother had been hit by one of my co-workers when they were driving across the field. She just jumped up out of no where…we stopped to see if she was really hurt but we couldn't help her—Max felt so bad…" she paused and scratched Dakota behind the ears. "I heard this weird sound coming from the inside of an old tree stump and when I looked in, there was this little gray ball of fur looking back up at me. I hadn't planned on keeping him forever, but he became so attached to me that I couldn't let him go…" she looked up at Arnold, "I'm told that some wolves have been known to turn on their owners, but he's so obsessively loyal that I can't help but trust him completely, you know? I don't think he ever will, we sort of have an understanding. Neither one of us is the master, we're equal…we're one." She smirked. "You probably think I'm crazy." Arnold laughed but shook his head.

"No, not really. I've seen stuff like this before, with pigeon man for instance." Arnold rolled over on his side. "You're not crazy. Actually, I think you smart for trusting him like you do, like you said before—dogs have a sense for this stuff." Helga smiled, taking his words to heart as she looked back down at a now dozing wolf.

"Speaking of sensing things." She began, looking back to Arnold without lifting her head. "Dakota and I couldn't help but notice a tension between you and Lila. What's up?" she looked back down at the dog on the assumption that Arnold wouldn't want to look her in the eye for a question like this. She was right. Arnold blushed, sat up, scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously before answering.

"I'm…not sure." He finally said. Dakota's ears perked up, but other then that, both him and Helga didn't move. "We've been together for years and we're completely comfortable with our relationship but…" Helga looked up at him, as did Dakota.

"But?" she asked.

"But it's like she hasn't grown up since elementary school. Like she's afraid to or something." He sighed and got up to look out the window. "I told her I loved her, asked her if she felt the same way earlier tonight."

"And?" Helga said gently.

"And she avoided the question." Arnold heard the thumping of heels and the groan of old furniture as Helga stood and walked to him.

"Do you really love her?" Helga asked. "Maybe she's not avoiding the question for herself, maybe she doesn't think you're really ready to be in love."

"I do love her, yes, of course I do." Arnold looked at Helga. She raised her eyebrow.

"But are you in love with her?" she asked. Arnold was taken aback, curious as to what she meant. "You can love anybody, but it takes a lot to really fall in love with somebody." Helga waited for his answer. Arnold bowed his head slightly, considering everything. Helga walked away, giving him space to think as she stood before her dresser and began unbraiding her hair in front of the mirror. Arnold looked up at her, watching her for a second as he thought. Helga was right; he and Lila were more like good friends then boyfriend and girlfriend. He did love her but at the same time he couldn't see spending a lifetime with her.

"You're right," he said quietly, looking away as Helga began brushing out her wavy hair. "I'm not in love with her…does that mean I have to break up with her?" he faced Helga fully now, leaning against the sill.

"Not really, Arnold. Most couples that are like that—that I know of—usually just stay together until graduation or summer or something. Unless you're in love with somebody else there's really no rush." She shrugged. Arnold tilted his head.

"But if I was in love with somebody else wouldn't that mean that I cheated on Lila?" he asked, glad somebody seemed to have the answers for his questions. Helga laughed gruffly.

"Not really. You can love somebody and never let it show." She turned to him, sitting the brush down and flipping her hair behind her shoulders. "But answer me this: Is it really cheating if two people are not really in love?" Helga sat down on her bed next to Dakota. Arnold bit his lip as he pondered her words.

"But if you hurt the person you cheated on, even if you don't love them anymore, is it really justified because you love the person you did it with?"

"Touché." Helga smirked. "Do you love somebody else? Is that the problem?" Helga asked, leaning back on one elbow. Arnold shook his head.

"I don't think so." He looked up at her then. "Did you ever have a boyfriend in Texas?" he asked suddenly. She didn't seem to surprised by the question but quirked an eyebrow nonetheless.

"I had a few."

"Did you ever cheat on them?" he asked. She looked away from him then, bowing her head. He made of mental picture of her that way, laying so casually on the bed with her head bowed, her eyelashes falling like feathers on her cheeks, and her hair flowing around her face. She looked back up at him after a moment.

"In a sense." She said quietly. "I cheated them all…because I loved someone else while I was with them even though I couldn't be with him." Arnold looked at her curiously and was about to ask her whom she loved when a siren suddenly started going off. A police car was speeding down the street. Dakota stood as the siren wailed and began howling, making Helga look up at him calmly with a smile and making Arnold start. Sirens he was used to, wolves howling in the middle of New York he was not. When the siren finally faded it didn't take to long for Dakota's mournful song to follow suit. Helga giggled a little and lay back against the dog playfully. "He's a beautiful singer, isn't he?" she asked, closing her eyes and covering her mouth as she yawned. Arnold chuckled.

"You look tired, Helga…and it's getting late. I should probably go." Arnold walked to the door. Helga sat up and met him there before he could open it.

"Arnold, wait—" she started, putting her hand over his as it rested on the doorknob. He looked to her, realizing all to fully how near she was to him. "I just wanted to say…it was nice talking with you tonight." She smiled a little then carefully put her arms around his neck in a hug. Arnold instantly put his arms around her waist, not because he was expected too—which was usually why he did it with Lila—but because he wanted to. He held her tightly to him, enjoying the smell of her hair and the feel of her in his grasp. She pulled back a little and went to kiss his cheek, but he had turned to kiss her cheek at the same time. Their lips met each other's instead. At first they jerked back a little in surprise. Then Arnold lowered his lips once more to hers. It felt so right that he couldn't resist. Helga didn't stop him, having wanted him so long she didn't have the willpower to resist him but after a few moments she remembered the little hang up. She pulled back.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You're girlfriend, Arnold." She said, a note of sadness in her voice. Arnold sighed, remembering. "You forgot?" she mocked.

"You've got that effect on me." He looked to her then, pulling her back to him. "Just tell me something…were you cheating on me too—like you cheated all those other guys?" he asked at her ear. Helga laid her hands on his shoulders, resting her head on his chest.

"No." she sighed, curling her fingers around his shirt. Arnold kissed her one last time, leaving her against his better judgement. He went up to his room and collapsed on his bed. Talking with Helga had cleared up a lot of problems, but had also made a lot of new ones.

Rumor Has It

Rumor has it she has you

Rumor has it you love her too

Talk is cheap but the price is high when it's true

Rumor has it she has you

The days rolled by, with Arnold and Helga getting closer by the second. He didn't know why, but being around her was perfect, no matter what they were doing. They regaled each other with stories from their separate youths. She talked raucously about her times working on the ranch, roping cattle, breaking horses, and branding the calves. Going hunting with her father and his friends during season, going to the Indian reservation in Oklahoma for the entire summer every year and making friends there. He talked smoothly about the different things that had happened to him. All the escapades he'd gone through for various reasons after she left, handcuffing himself to the front doors of an old mansion uptown to save it, how he had saved a little girl from a burning apartment building, how he had pushed an old woman out of gunshot fire and had gotten shot in the leg in result. Arnold loved her accent, her attitude, the way she was somehow still the little girl he had known but with a mature and refreshing edge. They reminisced about old times, all the odd occurrences and all the embarrassing happenings. Currently they were lounging on the roof leaning against Arnold's skylight, with Dakota lying between them, his head on Helga's lap as she stroked him casually.

"Remember that time we saved the neighborhood?" Arnold asked, smiling wistfully up at the sky. Helga grinned at the memory then faltered at another memory attached to it. "I still can't believe we did it."

"You did most of it." She said lightly, looking down at Dakota. Arnold turned to look at her.

"Are you kidding, I never could have done it without you…Deep Voice." He smirked, Helga looked up at him quickly then looked back down to her wolf. Arnold studied her for a moment, and took note that she and Dakota were sharing a look, as if they were silently having a conversation. Suddenly Dakota sat up and licked her cheek before padding off to get a drink of water. She laid her hands in her lap and looked up at the sky as he had done moments before. Arnold moved closer to her and slid his arm around her shoulders. She didn't respond to his movement, and he sighed against her neck. "Don't kid yourself, Helga, I'd never have saved the neighborhood without you." He kissed her cheek and she turned to him, moving out of his hold.

"You really shouldn't be doing this." She said quietly. "It's wrong." She stated as she stood. Arnold sighed and ran his hands through his hair before standing as well. He came up behind her and gently put his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Helga, I can't help it." She turned to him, pulling out of his grasp once more. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Dakota standing nearby, at a distance but on edge as well, probably because of Helga's emotional state. He decided not to push her in case he angered the dog.

"You can't help it? You, of all people?" She scoffed. "You're Mr. Morality and you're trying to cheat on your girlfriend." She looked him up and down then, as if sizing him up. "The same girl that, if I remember right, you fawned over for years." She folded her hands over her hips. "And the same girl you've been dating for years." She watched his reaction to that. He looked pained, confused. As if he didn't know what was right and wrong anymore. Dakota came to stand beside her, looking up at Arnold as she was. Arnold turned his head away from them momentarily, as if searching condolence from the clouds before turning back to analyze them as they were doing him. Both stood, slightly facing each other, looking proud but not the least haughty, just bold. He sighed and bowed his head.

"Is it really wrong if the two people aren't in love?" he asked looking back up at her and taking a step closer, keeping an eye on the wolf to be sure he was allowed. Other then the slight raising of lip to show the tips of his fangs, Dakota didn't move. A warning. Arnold focused on Helga then and noticed the way her long sharp fingernails were flexing against the skin of her arms. A warning. "It feels wrong with her. Not you." He said quietly.

"If it feels right with me, then why is Lila your girlfriend?" she asked in a growl that mirrored the one coming from Dakota's throat. Arnold froze, surprised both by her boldness and her anger. The fur on Dakota's back rose and Helga narrowed her eyes. The phone rang below them, startling Arnold. Both teens knew the only one that would be calling him right now was Lila. Gerald always just showed up, and Lila was the only one that ever called him. Helga gave a gruff laugh and Dakota's growl got a little louder. "Go on, Arnold, your girlfriend wants you." She sneered. Maybe it was her voice, or the heat of the moment, but Arnold took a bold step forward then and brought himself breast to breast with her. Dakota growled wildly and Arnold was surprised by the whiteness of his teeth but that didn't make him step back.

"She's not my master, and I certainly don't want her." His voice was barely controlled and shook with anger. "I want you, Helga, is that such a crime?" he asked, his voice beginning to strain with hot anger and cold tears that he couldn't help but want to shed. She pushed him away from her and he nearly stumbled, falling back onto the window. She leapt over gracefully as a cat to straddle his waist. Her hand was wrapped around his throat instantly and though her hold wasn't tight, he could feel her sharp nails indenting his skin. He looked up at her in shock as Dakota jumped up on top of the skylight to stand over him.

"It's not a crime, but you should have more willpower then to even think of cheating on your girlfriend. It's not so bad when you don't love her, no, but it's like you said—do you really want to hurt her?" Helga paused then, tightening her grip momentarily before letting go of his neck, but still holding him down with his shoulders. "Now you listen to me, Arnold. Right now you're going to go down there and talk to her because even if she doesn't love you, she does depend on you. I don't give a damn if you break up with her or not, but I want you to know something." She paused as the phone rang for the third time. "I would go to the end of the universe and back if you told me, but only if I was promised my prize when I got back." She sat back and Dakota stood silent, just watching him.

"Your prize?" Arnold sat up a little, putting his hands on her thighs to keep her from running away. He was inwardly taken aback at the fact that her legs were rock hard muscle but didn't let it show. She looked down at him and considered for a moment as the phone rang a fourth time.

"I don't like to share." She got up then and walked to the skylight entrance. Ignoring the ladder down she simply stepped into air and fell into his room, landing gracefully on his bed then jumping to the floor. Dakota followed her as she strode out his door. Arnold bounded down the ladder and picked up the phone of the fifth ring panting.

"Why, Arnold, what ever took you so long?" Lila said as he picked up. Arnold caught his breath before answering, and mentally considered his options. Lie or truth?

"Sorry, Lila, I was downstairs helping Grandpa and didn't here the phone ringing at first." Lie. Lila giggled a little.

"Oh, Arnold, it's okay. I understand. I was just wondering if you could make it to Rhonda's pool party this weekend." Lila asked sweetly. Arnold fell back on his bed.

"Rhonda's got a pool?" he asked, momentarily confused. "Yeah, I guess I could. When's it start?"

"Noon on Saturday. It's going to be ever so much fun. Everyone will be there." Lila giggled again before continuing. "See if Helga can come too, she wouldn't want to miss it." Arnold would have groaned but it gave him an excuse to go down and talk to Helga later.

"I talk to her in a little bit, I think she's busy now."

"Alright, just don't forget to ask her." Lila's voice sounded like a child. "I'll see you tomorrow, Arnold."

"Alright, bye." He hung up as she did and sighed as he rubbed his forehead. Tomorrow was Friday, and today had been much to confusing. He got up and headed for the door, resolving himself as he touched the doorknob to clear things up with Helga.

Saturday came quickly for Arnold and soon he found himself standing next to Lila with his arm loosely around her waist as she chatted with the Phoebe. Gerald stood next to Phoebe, just as Arnold, with his arm around his girlfriend. Occasionally the boys would start a light conversation, but mostly they just stood and listened to their girlfriends' gossip. Gerald took a long drink of his punch. Lila turned to Arnold then.

"Did you ask Helga about the party?" She asked, looking around and not seeing Helga. Arnold glanced around too. When he'd left she'd been locked in her room with loud music playing…again.

"Yeah, she didn't really promise anything though." Arnold was really wishing she were there though. Lila noticed Rhonda and Nadine sitting down at a little table nearby.

"I'm going to go talk with Rhonda and Nadine. Want to join, Phoebe?" She asked politely. Phoebe nodded and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek before rushing off behind Lila. Arnold sighed and headed over to the punch table. Gerald followed him, crushing his used cup and throwing it away.

"What's up, man, you look beat." Gerald said when they got away from the crowd. Arnold glanced around before answering.

"I think I want to break up with Lila." He said quietly, picking up a glass of sweet tea. Gerald balked and nearly choked on his cookie.

"You what? Why?" he coughed. Arnold glared at him for the sudden outburst and silently thanked the fact that most everyone was having too much fun to notice. Arnold didn't get a chance to answer Gerald's question because at that moment she walked in. Dakota strode purposefully at her side and the crowd got quite. Nadine gasped, as did a few others. Rhonda's eyes flickered briefly with annoyance at the sight of a dog walking from the inside of her house. She stood and faced Helga, and though Rhonda was one of the most beautiful girls in school and was currently wearing the most fashionable bathing suit in America, Helga outshined her. Her blonde hair fell down her back in waves, her skin was still tan from being in Texas and the bathing suit she wore was made of soft denim that looked perfect on her and a denim vest on currently to cover her. Around her neck was a short silver chain with a shining wolf charm on it.

"Did you ask if that animal would be acceptable in my house?" Rhonda said boldly. Helga regarded her casually, one hand on her hip.

"You have a dog almost as big as him." She said evenly. Rhonda seemed even more insulted as she looked down at Dakota disdainfully before looking back to Helga.

"My dog is a purebred. Born to live indoors and raised to be perfectly obedient. That thing of yours looks like he's hardly tamed." She spat. Helga's eyes flared momentarily and some of his fur stood up on his back but the two calmed after a second.

"For your information, Rhonda, he is a purebred." Helga spoke smoothly, stepping forward. "A purebred wolf, to be exact."

"A wolf!" Rhonda squealed, jumping back as if she'd been scalded. "A wild animal in my house! In city limits! I'll have it impounded—put to sleep!" Helga rolled her eyes.

"I've gone through everything necessary to keep him and prove he's tame enough. He's perfectly legal. You said anybody could come, and wherever I go, he goes." Helga stared her down, daring her to try something. Rhonda only brooded, glaring at the two of them.

"If he breaks so much as one glass, I'll make you pay for it and kick you out."

"Fine." Helga nodded and went to sit next to Phoebe at the table. It took a few moments, but the party went back into full swing. Gerald turned back to Arnold, trying without success to get his attention.

"Hey, Arnold!" he gave his friend a little shove and Arnold tore his gaze away from Helga.

"What?" Arnold said, glaring at his friend. Gerald smirked.

"It because of Helga, isn't it?" Arnold could only look remorseful with a little nod. Gerald shook his head. "Man, you are one bold kid, Arnold. What makes you think she'll go for you anyway?" Gerald glanced over at Helga, who was now taking off that vest to reveal the denim number underneath. The girls pointed at something Gerald and Arnold couldn't see on her side and leaned forward to look at it, Gerald turned back to Arnold. "Well?"

"Funny story…" Arnold began and Gerald's eyebrow's rose. He grabbed his friend by the arm and led him to a far corner where they could chat in exclusive private, but still not look suspicious. Arnold quickly relayed the weeks' past events to his best friend, feeling relieved to talk about it and finding himself unable to stop when he started. Gerald listed the entire time, without interruption and with many shocked expressions. Finally when it was all finished, Arnold leaned back on the wall and looked to his friend expectantly. Gerald gave a low whistle.

"She let you kiss her?" he finally said, glancing over at the girls once more. "But she's so…tough." He said. Arnold laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, and Dakota's so loyal. It's like having to hang out with the girl and her protective brother at the same time." He joked.

"Who's Dakota?" Gerald asked, half expecting whom it was.

"Her…ah, wolf." Gerald nodded.

"So what are you gonna do, buddy?" he asked, leaning against the wall with him. Arnold sighed and watched the girls for a moment before speaking.

"I don't know." Gerald turned his attention to the girls as well, mostly watching Phoebe as he thought about his friends' predicament. He was glad he didn't have that problem. Suddenly Helga stood, laughing with the rest of the girls as she gave them a little wave and began walking towards the table, Dakota right next to her. Arnold stiffened a little, as if nervous or afraid and Gerald gave him a little shove.

"Go on and say something, buddy." Arnold looked to Gerald in surprise. "Look, maybe I've been hanging out with Phoebe too much, but you got start with ripples to make waves and if you really want Helga more then it's time you tossed in a rock. Go." Arnold didn't really know what to say to that so he just decided to take it in silence and walk to the snack table to. He met Helga there.

"Hey, Helga." He said as he came up to her. She didn't register the greeting, standing profile to him and holding a glass of juice in her hand and taking a drink from it. He glanced down at her suit and back up. "You look really good today." She turned to face him, licking what was left on her lips and smiling a little.

"Thanks and hello to you to, Arnold." She said evenly, politely. However, when she turned she had revealed something he hadn't expected, and he suddenly realized what it was the girls had been looking at. A large scar was on her side, the skin was raised and pearl-like, so he knew it was old. It looked like a brand of some sort, in the outline of a circle with a paw print in the middle; he couldn't help but reach out and trace his fingertip around it. Helga didn't stop him and didn't offer an explanation.

"I think you missed this story." He said quietly as he studied it. She smiled sort of sadly and took another sip of her drink.

"I didn't forget it, trust me." She said as he pulled back. He gave her a slightly confused look and she smirked playfully. "I didn't want to bore you with my scars."

"Literally?" he matched her smile with his own. She nodded and let Dakota drink the rest of her punch.

"There's going to be accidents when you work on a ranch, you're going to get scars you didn't expect to get and you're just gonna have to learn to live with them." She leaned against the table a little. Arnold laughed a little with a nod.

"Most girls wouldn't let it show though, you could've worn a one piece." He picked up a cookie.

"True, but most girls would be ashamed of it." She countered.

"Are you proud?" he asked, mild amazement on his face. She thought a moment.

"A little but mostly it's just this—hiding it wouldn't make it go away, so there's not point in doing it and being ashamed of it would just cause me heartache so it's not practical. Why do something that's not practical?"

"Point taken. But don't you get tired of the attention it gets you?" he asked. Helga grinned.

"Like I said, I am a little proud of it, I did live in Texas for quite a long time."

"What's that got to do with anything?" he tilted his head a little.

"Down in Texas, if you had a scar like this it was something to be proud of." She threw the cup away and scratched Dakota behind the ears. "I don't know about you, but I came to a pool party to swim—care to join?" she asked. Arnold smiled.

"Fine with me. I wanted to earlier but…Lila didn't feel like it." Helga raised her eyebrows.

"Why would that stop you from swimming?" she asked.

"She didn't want me to leave her." Helga nodded then made a dash for the pool, jumping in the deep end with a splash. Arnold followed her and soon found himself sinking below the water. He opened his eyes and saw Helga sinking beside him, her hair like gold in the water. He smiled and reached out to her, no one could really see them down here with the pool so crowded and them so deep. Helga hesitated only a little, before giving in to him as they landed on the bottom of the pool and settled there. Arnold kissed her then, gently pushing his tongue in her mouth and sharing a breath as he lay on top of her under the water. Helga ran her hands down his bare chest and gave him a gentle push off. She sat up, kissing his cheek before pushing off from the floor and zooming up to the surface. Arnold followed her, he lungs just beginning to burn. They both surfaced at the same time, gasping simultaneously. Dakota gave a playful bark from the edge of the pool where he lay casually. Helga laughed and splashed a little water at him, hitting Arnold as well. The dog shook it off with a panting smile as he watched Arnold splash her back. Dakota wagged his tail as he watched their little play fight escalate with screams and laughter. Dakota wasn't the only one watching the display; the barking had made the table of girls turn to watch, including Lila. Helga leapt to push Arnold under, and succeeded for a moment before Arnold grabbed her thighs and gave her a mighty jerk downward as he came up. She screamed and pushed him away. Arnold only laughed heartily and loudly as he dove under and grabbed her legs, pulling her down with him. Rhonda looked at Lila with a raised eyebrow but didn't say anything. Lila watched Arnold and Helga as they came back up. Helga tried to dunk him again, but this time Arnold came back up with her sitting on his shoulders. Helga gasped and struggled to maintain her balance, eventually falling forward and gripping his chest with her fingernails. To Lila's surprise, he didn't even flinch, and even she could see little red whelps forming where Helga's nails had raked against him. Lila bowed her head and Rhonda scoffed.

"If he were my boyfriend I wouldn't let him flirt with other girls." Lila looked up at Rhonda quickly, a blush forming on her cheeks.

"He's not flirting, Rhonda, they're just friends." She said quietly, even as she heard another squeal and round of laughter from Arnold over the many other teenagers in the pool.

"If you're that blind, then maybe you don't deserve to have him." Rhonda sneered. Nadine put a hand on Lila's shoulder with a smile.

"He's just having a little fun at a pool party, Lila. But if it really bother's you, why don't you talk to him about it later?" Lila smiled with a nod. Phoebe patted her hand.

"Besides, Arnold tells Gerald everything and Gerald would have told me if Arnold had said something." Lila sighed and nodded again.

"Yes, I don't doubt him if just that the other night before we went out to the movies he kept asking if I loved him." Nadine smiled.

"That's good isn't it?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, but he seemed disappointed that I didn't know what to say."

"Of course he seemed disappointed, men always think such questions are so easy to answer. They're simple creatures and don't understand the complexities of females." Rhonda said. "To them everything should be either black or white, they don't realize there are shades of gray."

"That's really deep Rhonda." Nadine said. Rhonda didn't say anything, just looked to Arnold and Helga as they continued to splash each other.

"No matter how heroic he is, and no matter how many morals he has, he's still a man, Lila. And if he can't get what he wants from you—whatever he wants whether it's real love or…" Rhonda eyed her innocent friend for a moment "…or physical love—he'll find someone who'll give him what he wants. It's how they work."

"But Arnold would never do that. He said he loved me." Lila looked over to the pair in the pool as well when Dakota barked again happily. Helga was holding Arnold under and laughed when he came back up, his arms wrapped around her waist as he lifted her, both laughing. Rhonda only shook her head a little before getting up and leaving. Phoebe didn't say anything, just watched her former best friend and Arnold as they play fought still. Nadine was patting Lila's hand and murmuring various condolences but Lila was quiet, pensive as she watched the couple. It was about twenty more minutes before Arnold and Helga climbed out of the pool, still laughing and slinging water at each other. Helga turned to head for the snack bar, Dakota wagging his tail and jumping up on her the whole way, while Arnold began walking towards Lila smiling broader then she'd seen him smile in a long time. He sat down next to her and rung his hair out, letting it fall haphazardly in clumps. She smiled a little at him and Phoebe and Nadine chose that time to leave.

"What's up, Lila? How come you're not swimming? It's a lot of fun…c'mon." Arnold slipping his arm around her shoulder. "You haven't even taken off your sweater. What's the point of coming to a pool party if your not gonna swim?" Lila pulled out of his grasp and moved her chair away from him.

"You seemed to be having enough fun with Helga." She said a little quietly. Arnold tilted his head a little and looked at her curiously. Lila sighed and looked down at the table. "Rhonda says you two might…" she couldn't finish her sentence. Arnold didn't know what to do. Helga watched the whole scene from afar, Dakota sitting seriously once more at her side. She saw Arnold reach out and take Lila's hand, talking swiftly to her; Helga didn't need to hear him to know that Lila was suspicious. Helga shook her hair out not unlike a dog would and strode proudly over to their table. Arnold and Lila quieted as Helga silently grabbed her vest and walked out of the party. She didn't look at them, didn't speak and didn't show any emotion whatsoever. Lila bit her lip and looked back down at the table.

"Don't cry, Lila." Arnold began, moving closer to her. Lila looked up at him and a single tear fell down her cheek.

"Arnold." She said in a shaky voice, "I'm going to go home—by my self. Don't call me, I don't want to talk right now." Arnold took in a deep breath and looked over her shoulder for a moment.

"Lila, look…why don't you come over tomorrow so we can talk about this? Please…" Arnold let go of her hands as she pulled them away and Lila nodded a little. "I'll be home all day, show up whenever you want tomorrow. We'll go for a walk in the park, talk everything over."

"You won't hold anything back?" Lila asked suddenly. Arnold hesitated for a moment but finally nodded.

"No, I won't hold anything back." He knew that sentence held a lot to it but didn't say anything more as Lila stood and left the party. Arnold rubbed his face and ran his hands through his hair before deciding to get up and leave as well.

Helga was pacing in her room, a mix CD of country rock playing loudly as Dakota lay casually on her bed watching her. She growled and flung herself at the window, leaning against the sill and looking out at the street view. Her hair hung around her face in tangled strands from the day before, her jeans had multiple holes in them, her flannel shirt was unbuttoned showing her gray sports bra, she wore her brown cowboy boots with her pants tucked into them and her large silver buckle. Dakota came over to stand next to her, putting his front paws next to her hands on the sill, looking out the window as she was. Lila walked up to the Sunset Arms front door and Helga shared a look with Dakota.

"I think it's time to go for a walk, I don't want to be here when they have the fight." She buttoned her shirt and tucked it in as she walked over and grabbed her denim jacket. She grabbed Dakota's bomber jacket and put it on him before hooking the leash to his collar. Turning off the music and stepping out the door, she finished locking it just in time to see Arnold and Lila walking up the hall towards her. She rolled her eyes and wrapped Dakota's leash around her wrist as she put on her cowboy hat and began walking. Lila gave her a weak smile and Helga nodded a serious hello without stopping. They heard her loud boot heels and Dakota's clicking claws all the way out of the boarding house. Arnold cleared his throat and put his hand in the small of Lila's back to urge her forward to his room.

"Why don't we talk on the roof?" he asked meekly and she nodded. They were silent the rest of the way and Arnold leaned against the skylight as he waited for Lila to speak. She was hugging herself despite her jacket. Arnold looked down at the ground and put his hands in his pockets. "Are you in love with me, Lila?" he finally asked when she didn't say anything. Lila turned to him and he looked at her with his head bowed.

"Arnold, we've been together so long—"

"Yes or no, Lila, do you want me to be the one for the rest of your life? Are you in love with me?" Arnold lifted his head as he finished. Lila was quiet for a long time, turning her back on him and sitting down on the concrete femininely. Arnold thought she wasn't going to answer but she finally did speak.

"No…" she said. Arnold thought that word would hurt more, but he didn't. "I thought I could learn to…you seemed like the perfect boyfriend…" Arnold came up and sat beside her.

"But?" he asked quietly, looking straight ahead.

"But you're just not the one." She finished. They were silent a moment, then Lila spoke. "Arnold, what's between you and Helga?" she asked. Arnold looked at her, studied her face clearly.

"I'm honestly not sure." He said finally. "There's just something about her that I can't resist." He said bravely. Lila licked her lips before saying anything else.

"What's happened between you two?" she asked slowly, and Arnold noted that she'd lost her innocent child-like voice. He took a deep breath and looked straight ahead.

"At first it was nothing, really. We were just talking in her room, she'd tell me about all the stuff she's done—and vice versa. It was so much fun, she's got such a sense of humor, you'd never believe." He paused, looked down at the ground and sighed before he continued. "Then I started talking to her about you, asking her questions. Looking for advice because you wouldn't tell me if you loved me or not. I didn't know what to do." He glanced at her then before continuing. "She…gave me some great advice. It was profound, really deep. I went to leave, it was a little late, but she stopped me at the door." He ran his hand through his hair and looked up at the sky. "Said it had been nice talking with me after all this time. She hugged me then, I was going to just give her a kiss on the cheek—she must have been thinking the same thing. We met in the middle." He blushed and looked at Lila. She wasn't showing much emotion, just watching him raptly. He looked away from her and continued. "I couldn't help going back for a second kiss, it just felt so right with her…that was the first time. It didn't happen often and it hasn't been going on long but…"

"It did happen." Lila finished for him. Arnold nodded. Lila took in a deep breath and bit her lip before continuing. "What was her advice to you?" she asked quietly, taking Arnold by surprise. He turned to look at her quickly before answering.

"I told her I thought our relationship had sort of reached a stand still. Asked her what to do. She said most people would just be comfortable with it until the summer or something. Start new the next school year." He paused and licked his lips. "That there wasn't much of a hurry unless I was in love with someone else."

"Are you?" Lila countered then in a low voice Arnold had never heard her use before. Arnold was taken aback by both her abruptness and the question. It took a moment for him to answer.

"I do love you, Lila, but it's more like you've just been a close friend then a girlfriend. But I don't know who I'm in love with." He finished. Lila gave a silent nod, stood and brushed herself off.

"Officially, Arnold, we're through. I won't talk about why we broke up with anybody, if you do the same." She kept talking in the low voice as she spoke. It was adult and serious. Arnold stood himself and held out his hand for her to shake.

"Deal." She shook it with a strong grip and turned on her heel to leave, heading towards the fire escape rather then cut back through his room. Arnold watched her leave thoughtfully. He went back to his room, closing the window he'd climbed through and turned on some light music as he lay on his bed and thought.

Don't Leave, I Think I Love You

Don't leave, I think I love you

I just saw the rest of my life, honey you're in it

Won't you hear what I day, give me just a minute

Don't leave, I think I love you

Helga sat quietly on the park bench, Dakota lounging next to her. Her arms were splayed out behind her on the top of the bench and her legs were stretched out before her, crossed at the ankles. She looked very comfortable and very pensive from Arnold's point of view as he walked closer through the trees of the park. She couldn't see him from where he stood but he could tell Dakota knew he was there by the way the dog kept looking back at him every so often. The wind blew her tangled hair as the sun set over the hill. She sighed as she studied the cityscape skyline and looked to Dakota.

"You happy here?" she asked quietly. Dakota made a little noise in his throat and laid his head on her lap, looking up at her. She patted him and turned back to the setting sun. "A long time ago I wouldn't think it was possible. That I'd rather be in Texas then here. It was so much less confusing—less painful—when I wasn't around him." She looked back down at the dog. "He doesn't know what he wants and it's just such a pain for him to tease me like that, you know?" Dakota sat up and licked her cheek. Helga laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so happy when I'm with him, he's a lot like you, Dakota." She smiled, burying her face in the wolf's fur as she spoke. "Warm and soft, gentle and protective." She giggled a little, "He can be quite the wolf when he wants, he's so defensive of his territory." She leaned against Dakota with her arm around him as a chill leveled around them. Dakota nuzzled her when he felt her shiver and she gladly cuddled up to him as he sat now regally next to her. She sighed and bit her lips as she felt tears begin sliding down her cheek. Dakota gave her shoulder a loving nip as she hugged him and cried silently in his neck fur. Arnold was taken aback by the scene, both at how broken Helga seemed compared to her usual façade and by how the wolf was acting towards her. He leaned against a tree and watched her for a while until her tears dried. She wiped her cheeks on her sleeves and stood, looking around nervously. Dakota jumped down from the bench and gave a long, piercing look in Arnold's direction. Arnold was shaken, despite the fact that he knew Helga couldn't see him for the darkness. Helga hesitated and glanced in the direction Dakota was looking before shivering. "C'mon, boy, I've almost forgotten how cruel the city can be at night and I don't want to be reminded the hard way." Dakota lead her out of the park, heading for the boarding house. Arnold put his hands in his pockets; he looked to the stars and groaned. He'd broken two hearts in just one day, and tomorrow was Monday. He headed for home, deciding to talk to Helga tomorrow.

Lila and Helga were seen once again the next day, talking animatedly as they walked down the halls. Arnold didn't want to approach Helga with Lila next to her so he had to wait it out. His chance came at lunch, when she was coming back from the lunch line with her tray.

"Helga—hey, Helga!" he called as he ran up to her, stopping just short of running into her. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

"I see you got your breaks fixed, Football-head. What's up?" she asked. Arnold grinned a little bit at her comment as memories or the many times he'd knocked her to the ground in their childhood came back to him.

"Can I talk with you?" he asked.

"You already are." She smirked, popping a piece of chicken into her mouth. Arnold glanced around.

"Um…I meant in private." Helga nodded and let Arnold lead the way as she continued to eat her meat. Arnold glanced at her plate and smiled, grasping for something to talk about. "Not a vegetarian?" he asked. She snorted and swallowed another bit of chicken.

"I'm a strict carnivore." Arnold chuckled as he opened the door to the auditorium. Helga looked around as she stepped in.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Just a little place I like to go the think. So there won't be any interruptions." Helga rolled her eyes but followed him nonetheless as he walked across the stage and opened a hidden door. "It leads to the attic." He said as he motioned her to go in first. "Ladies first." The air was musty and there was lots of old furniture in the large room. Helga dropped her bag off her shoulder and licked the grease off her fingertips before plopping down on a couch and looking up at Arnold expectantly as he paced before her.

"So here we are, in your favourite little spot, to talk about whatever. So, talk, football head." She said when he didn't say anything for about a minute.

"Lila and I are broken up." He spoke instantly at her command. She rolled her eyes and took another bite of chicken.

"Thrilled to hear that. What's it got to do with me?" she wouldn't look at him, instead focusing on her food intently as she finished it off and wiped her hands on her jeans. Arnold took a deep, steadying breath.

"It has everything to do with you." He said quietly and she looked up at him as he came to sit next to her. "I want to be with you…and I think you want to be with me too." He watched her reaction to that, smiling slightly. She looked dazed, confused, on the verge of tears, and over joyously happy all at once. She licked her lips, took in a shuddering breath, stood up and walked away from him and put her hands on her hips as she closed her eyes to clear her thoughts. Arnold studied her standing there, so completely different then Lila that she was the anti-perfect. Her long hair in a slightly mussed braid down her back, her button up shirt tucked into her extraordinarily tight blue jeans, and her boots that desperately needed to be shined. She sighed and rolled up the sleeves of her shirt as she turned around. The sun glinted off her large buckle and added a sort of rustic look to her that seemed both mature and young at the same time. She was everything at once. She slid her hands into her back pockets and looked at him then, her weight resting on one leg as she had that serious look on her face.

"You broke up with Miss Perfect to go out with me?" she asked finally. She seemed confused as to why he would do that, despite that fact that he'd confided his problems with her about Lila. "She's the smarter choice, you know. The easier choice."

"You're absolutely right." He said, to her chagrin. "But she's not you."

"She's innocent and sweet." Helga continued, ignoring him.

"You're mature and tough."

"She's pretty and kind."

"You're beautiful and dependable." Arnold stood and started walking to her. Still Helga ignored him.

"She's popular and easy going."

"You're honest and get the job done." Arnold put his hands on her shoulders gently and Helga looked at him then, directly in the eye.

"She's perfect."

"You're different." He said firmly. He chuckled then and pulled her to him. "You see what you do to me?" he laughed as his hands moved down to hold her waist. "You make me realize why I don't somebody so perfect."

"But—" Arnold cut her off by placing his hand over her mouth.

"You're right, she's everything you said, but she's not you. She'd be totally helpless in most any situation. She has no clue about the world. She conforms to what people expect of her. She's so afraid of change that she won't even take the first step." He kissed Helga gently on the lips then and held her close. "You face obstacles head on, no matter what they are. Yes, everyone loves Lila, it's true. But did you know that everyone respects you? Did respect you even when we were kids? You were and still are a force to be reckoned with, someone to go to when something needed to be done. You amazed me then and you amaze me more now."

"Arnold…I'm thrilled that you want me to be yours, really I am but…are you sure? You still have a chance to get Lila back." Helga looked away from him, letting her hands rest gently on his shoulders. Arnold sighed.

"I'm sure I want you. I don't care if I never have a chance to get Lila back, I want you." Arnold gripped her tighter, kissing her cheek. Helga laughed a little and turned to look at him.

"Why? You were with her so long, and wanted her for so long even before that. Why me? Why now?" Arnold smiled at the question. Of course Helga would want to know why. She laced her fingers together at the back of his neck as he pressed her ever closer to him, wincing only slightly as her buckle cut into his stomach.

"Because you're not afraid to give me a push. Because you're always the first one to step in and help me, even if I don't realize you are. Because you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. Because you're not normal." He laughed. "There's a million reasons why, some I don't even know yet…but I want to spend a lifetime finding out. Please?" Helga tilted her head a little, considering him with a wistful look. Arnold leaned down to kiss her, savoring the feel of her lips against his. She pushed him back into the couch and straddled his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him deeply and passionately then. Arnold let his hands slide down her back to rest easily on her thighs, still amazed at how strong they were. She pulled back and looked down at him.

"I've waited a lifetime to her you say that." She said quietly, tracing a hand down his cheek. He leaned his head more into that hand and smiled.

"I've waited forever for a girl like you." He held her hand with his. "Don't leave me again. Let me go with you everywhere. I know it's soon, but…"

"I love you." She said, kissing him once more, even more passionately then before as she pressed herself tighter against him. "Oh, Arnold, I've loved you since I first saw you."

"I love you too, Helga, I don't know why I didn't see it before." He held on tight to her waist and leaned into the soft comfort of her chest as she ran her hands through his hair.

"I'll stay in the city forever if you want me to, just never let me go." She said quietly.

"I'd rather follow you to Texas." He smirked up at her. She laughed then and quickly attacked him with a kiss once more. Needless to say, they didn't make it back to class on time.

Two of a Kind Workin' on a Full House

Yeah a pickup truck is her limousine

And her favourite dress is her faded blue jeans

She loved me tender when the goin' gets tough

Sometimes we fight just so we can make up…

A cloud of dust followed the old Ford pickup as it rode down the long drive. Arnold tossed another bail of hay into the large pile in the barn before pulling off his leather gloves, putting them in his back pocket and walking over to the now parked truck. A young boy with blonde hair jumped out of the truck and ran into his arms as Helga grabbed a big bag from the back of the truck. A white dog stepped out of the truck after her and was greeted by Dakota, who came trotting up from behind Arnold. He looked at his wife as she kissed him hello and led him inside their log cabin. He blonde hair was layered and hung around her face with a sort of tousled look. She'd changed quite a bit, currently wearing a knee-length prairie skirt with her cowboy boots and button up she looked quite a bit more feminine then when he first started falling for her. Arnold sat his son down as they got into the kitchen and the boy ran off laughing with the dogs to the living room. Arnold wrapped his arms around Helga's waist as she started unpacking the groceries.

"Howdy." He said quietly. She smiled and laughed a little as she sat down the milk.

"Hello yourself." She turned to kiss him again and pulled back quickly. "You're sweaty, honey. Busy day?" Arnold chuckled and let her go as he moved to lean against the counter.

"Sorta." He answered as he watched her put the food up in its various proper places. When she was done she wiped her hands on her skirt and turned back to him with a tilt of her head.

"Sorta? Dicha fix that hole in the roof?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What about that problem with the tractor?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"What about the barbed wire around the fence?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And dicha bail the hay?"

"Finished it just as ya came in." he smiled and held his arms out to her a little. "No more 'honey-do', how about some honey instead?" she couldn't help but blush as he kissed her long and deep, wrapping his arms tight around her waist, he clung to her as if his life depended on it. Just as his hands began sliding up and down her back and he was thinking about kissing her neck some they were interrupted by that little blonde boy as he came into the kitchen, his cowboy boots thumping loudly on the wooden floor. Both Arnold and Helga turned around to look at him, still in each other's arms. He held up a little fluffy gray ball with black stripes on his tail.

"Can I keep him?" he smiled at his parents, proud of his find. Arnold didn't know what to say as he looked at the baby raccoon. Helga, on the other hand, threw her head back and laughed.

"Well, we know he takes after me." Arnold looked at her as she spoke then began laughing himself. The kid grinned and hugged the raccoon to him.

"Wait till I tell my friends at school!" He yelled happily then looked at the mildly confused raccoon. "I'll call you Stripes!" the boy walked out of the room then, still talking to his new pet. Helga turned back to Arnold with a smile.

"One more wild animal won't hurt." She said, sliding her arms around his neck and laying her head on his chest.

"We do have some wild ones…" he said quietly, she nodded in response against him.

"Yeah, Dakota and Natalie can be a handful." She said quietly. Arnold laughed then and she looked up at him.

"I wasn't talking about the wolves"

The End