Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!

Ten years…

Ten very long and very disappointing years.

Ten years—that's how long Arnold has been removed from society for. Self-subjected— Arnold boarded the next available flight to South America the second he graduated high school. He left so fast that his friends and classmates are still recovering from the whiplash.

Realistically though, who could blame him? Arnold had only been planning on finding his parents since the age of nine. Since he had stumbled across his father's journal, which contained a map and very important information to his parent's possible whereabouts.

For years, Arnold had been planning on going to San Lorenzo in order to find his parents. However, since Arnold, then, was much too young and had no money for the trip nothing became of it. It wasn't until his grandparents died that Arnold became desperate to find his parents.

It happened during the winter of his junior year of high school. Sadly, it was a devastating car accident that took his grandparents from him, and not an illness associated with their old age, like everyone assumed would happen. Arnold was still bitter about his grandparent's death, and unfortunately he was never quite the same afterwards. Already very mature for his age, the death of his grandparents completely took what was left of Arnold's innocence and optimism. His last "silver-lining", if you will, was the realization that he was not alone, not completely. Somewhere in the jungles of San Lorenzo, his parents were still alive—waiting to come home. There was still hope for the happy family that Arnold so desperately craved.

With that realization, Arnold made a promise to himself, to get out of Hillwood as soon as he graduated—by any means. True to his word, Arnold boarded a plane the same day he graduated. He gathered all his savings; the money his grandparents left him, which wasn't much, the money put away for college since he obviously wouldn't be attending, and the money he earned from all the odd jobs he did around Hillwood—everyone only all too eager to give the poor orphan boy a job. No one saw him off, but not because they didn't want to.

All his friends and the Sunset borders tried to change his mind and get him to stay, and in order to appease them, but mostly to get them off his back, Arnold told them that he would take the summer between graduation and college to think about it. A necessary lie, he told himself, in order to save everyone grief goodbyes. In retrospect, Arnold admits that his abrupt departure was underhanded and selfish but he doesn't think he would have had the courage to leave otherwise. Especially not if she had been there, defiantly wouldn't have left if she was there.

I wonder where she is now.

"Arnold?"

Startled, Arnold stares, wide-eyed, at the leggy brunette siting across from. Sitting perfectly poised with her slim legs crossed and her perfectly manicured hands resting in her lap is the resident Hillwood princess herself—Rhonda Lloyd. She no doubt found Arnold's lack of conversation rude but 10 years of solitude tends to stifle conversational skills. Besides, not much Arnold could talk about seeing as he was cut off from the world; he had no knowledge of the current politics, pop culture, or the whereabouts of any of his former friends.

"Spaced off for a bit, did we?" a playful smile teases the edges of Rhonda's mouth.

"Yea…uh… I guess I did." Arnold responds after sometime. However, it seems that wasn't enough of a response for Rhonda as she continues to stare at Arnold expectantly. Arnold just stares back, partly having nothing to say and partly having no interest in talking. After a few tense minutes, Rhonda's playful smile starts to drop and the insisting taping of her fingers becomes more apparent. Well that was a funny sight, Rhonda nervous. The great Rhonda Wellington Lloyd never got flustered, 'don't sweat the small stuff, that's what the help is for' was a common mantra of hers during high school.

It seems like Rhonda is trying to get him to open up, understandable since up 'till now Arnold had revealed virtually no information about himself, restricting conversation only to appropriate hellos and yes or no answers. Rhonda, on the other hand, had, thus far, been very generous and welcoming.

She was also the reason Arnold was no longer stuck the jungles of San Lorenzo.

The day before yesterday, the day he finally gave in and called Rhonda, was October 5th, the anniversary of his parent's disappearance—the 28th anniversary to be exact. The realization hit him hard. The hurt and confusion surrounding his parent's disappearance was heightened when he realized that the last 10 years spent looking for them yielded nothing. Any and all leads he ever found, including his dad's map, lead to a dead end. He found plenty of people whom were helped by his parents, sure, but he never found the green-eyed people. He's beginning to think that the green-eyed people were just a figment of his father's overactive imagination.

Lord knows it runs in the family.

Arnold came to a very painful realization, well…more like he finally admitted something to himself that he knew deep down to be true all along. His parents were…dead. They were not out on some big adventure, helping people; they weren't trapped in some horrible situation needing to be helped, and they were definitely not trying to get back to him. With a heavy heart Arnold finally gave up on his search. This presented some problems, as Arnold was unsure of what to do next. Should he say in San Lorenzo? Move back home? Or should he just go somewhere new? Somewhere, where no one knew his name or his tragic past.

Arnold was at a loss about what to do next. He was alone in the middle of the jungle contemplating his life when a familiar tune from his small portable radio spurred up an old memory, taking him to another time and place.

"May I cut in?"

"Um…" standing before him hip cocked to the side and looking radiant was Hillwood high's most elite person, Rhonda Lloyd.

"Sure go right ahead."

Ok, well Arnold was definitely not expecting that. He thought for sure his date would bite the head off of Rhonda before she even had a chance to touch him.

"Um…are you sure? I'd rather keep dancing with you." He says earnestly.

Her response to his words is a wide grin and a blush.

"I'm sure. I gotta use the little girl's room anyway. But no touching bellow the waist." She said the last part to Rhonda as she retreated towards the back of the gym.

Taking Arnold's hand and placing her left hand on his shoulder, Rhonda began to take lead.

"Whoa Rhonda, always got to take charge don't you?"

"Hmm…I was under the impression that you like those 'take charge' girls."

Arnold's eyes light up at Rhonda's statement and the two fall into a comfortable silence—swaying to the music.

"So planning on leaving Hillwood?"

Arnold tenses at her question. "Isn't everyone?"

"Well of course, everyone. Who wouldn't want to leave this place?" Rhonda said, gesturing with a flick of her wrist to the gym.

They continue to sway to the music, but the comfortable silence is replaced with an odd tension.

"Personally, I'm spending the summer traveling before attending Columbia in the fall." Arnold gives Rhonda and odd-look, not sure if she was offering up information about herself in the hopes to get him to divulge his own cowardly plan. Before he can steer the conversation in another direction, however, she continues taking.

"Yes, I'm so looking forward to this summer, I'll be going to Europe —Milan, Paris, Rome, and then probably Asia. I'll probably spend some time in Sydney and get a nice tan. Then, who knows, anywhere is possible. I could go to London, Egypt…maybe somewhere in South America."

Arnold's eyes widen at Rhonda's last remark.

"I've heard it's lovely this time of year. Who knows, maybe we could meet up." She says the last part with a sarcastic tone.

Arnold felt pure, unadulterated dread. "Rhonda…I-"

"Arnold, I'm not going to tell you what to do. I mean we're graduating seniors; each of us is in charge of our own future. Not sure why anyone would choose a dirty jungle over getting drunk a college party, but I digress."

Arnold smiles weakly at that.

"But, I will say this, whatever it is you're looking for, I hope you find it, just… don't hurt anyone in the process, including yourself."

Arnold frowns at that "Rhonda, you know what I'm looking for. My parents, they…it's time for them to come home."

Arnold and Rhonda continue to sway to the music as it comes to its end.

"As for not hurting anyone…I don't-I mean…I won't…"

The slow song comes to an end and Rhonda removes her hand from his shoulder.

"I know."

Rhonda's statement carried a lot of weight. Arnold figures it's her way of saying that she knows what he's going to do and that she understands why he feels the need to do it.

No judgment.

It's refreshing, to not have someone doubt and undermined his decision, but it's also a bit unnerving. Her candor and support makes what he's planning to do that much more difficult.

A few seconds of silence pass by before the next song comes on— a more up-beat song. Over Rhonda's shoulder, Arnold catches a flash of blonde and pink and a smile lights up his face. Before his date has the chance to reach them however, Rhonda stretches out her hand and puts it inside Arnold's tux jacket. She leans forwards as if to plant a kiss to his cheek, before she whispers, "If you ever need anything."

Before Arnold can question her however, she plants a kiss on his cheek and walks away to join her date.

Arnold's date appears not a second later. "What was that about?"

Arnold gives her a confused look "You know, I'm not really sure."

"Hmm…looks like she was saying goodbye." his date says with a sad far-off look; then it's rapidly replaced with a radiant smile as she grabs his hand and starts dancing.

The song and atmosphere is upbeat and fun, but Arnold can't shake the distressed look he saw on her face. As for what she said about Rhonda, he can't help but think that there was more to that exchange than a simple goodbye.

It's not until the next day, when he finds a white business card with the initials R.W.L and a series of numbers written on the back tucked into his tux jacket that he figures out what Rhonda was trying to say. It wasn't exactly a goodbye, not if she gave him this.

It was a promise. A promise that they would see each other again.

Arnold decided then that it was time to move on with his life, and going back home to Hillwood seemed like a good start. It seems inconsistent for him to want to go home, but at the same time want to leave his past behind, but he figured he left some loose ends in his mad dash to find his parents that he really needs to clear up. He owes it to the people in his life—friends and the boarders that care for him—to show up and bid them a proper goodbye. This time he wouldn't be a coward. He'd go home, stay through all the holidays, and by new years he'd be off on a new adventure—no baggage, nothing left unsaid.

Clean slate.

Feeling somewhat optimistic about his plan, Arnold fished out the crumpled business card with Rhonda's phone number and made the call. And that's how he ended up on a private jet with an estranged friend.

Tap. Tap. Tap

Said estranged friend, normally calm and collected, currently nervously tapping away at her armrest. She must be fed up with the silence, or Arnold's uncharacteristically off-putting behavior. Her lips are pursed in way that tells Arnold she's biting her tongue, she clearly has questions, questions Arnold is not ready to answer. So, despite her curiosity, Arnold chooses to avoid eye contact with Rhonda, preferring the view of the clear skies.

With a sigh, Rhonda momentarily gives up on engaging Arnold; her mood still apparent as the tapping of her fingernails increases in intensity. Normally, Arnold would feel guilty and take Rhonda's feelings into consideration, but Arnold just didn't have it in him. He was a torrent of emotions, he felt disappointed, angry, frustrated, sad, and ultimately after ten years of emotional devastation, Arnold felt numb. There was simply no more room for guilt or other's problems.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Arnold spared Rhonda a side glace. She had, thankfully, turned her attention away from him and was now staring at, what he presumed to be a cellphone. Her eyebrows were set in a frown as her glossy fingernails tapped away on the hard surface of her armrest.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Sigh. Despite his inner turmoil Arnold still felt…bad. He couldn't help it, really. Maybe despite all the sadness and disappointment and anguish, Arnold was still the boy with the cornflower hair and heart of gold. He smiles at the reference, bringing to mind a happy memory.

"Uggh, disgustingly optimistic! The boy with the cornflower hair and heart of gold!"

"Cornflower? I'd say more sun kissed don't you think?" at this a smile spreads on her face, erasing all previous tension.

"No. It's the optimistic boy with a heart of gold and cornflower hair. Always eager to help everyone…even if they are undeserving." She says the last part quietly, to herself, not meant for Arnold to hear.

But Arnold does hear her. "Is that…is that really what you think of me?"

A chuckle escapes her lips "No Arnold, its not JUST what I think of you…. It's who you are."

Arnold turns his gaze away from Rhonda and looks out the window once more. Right. That Arnold wouldn't let Rhonda suffer like this. Rhonda has -is- doing him a tremendous favor—favor being used rather loosely as Arnold had yet to decide whether returning to Hillwood was a good or bad idea. Still, Arnold thought,10 years is a long time and truthfully Arnold wasn't sure if that's who he is anymore. His heart wasn't as golden and full of pure intention anymore.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Arnold…Arnold?"

"Um…yea?" Arnolds responds, tearing his gaze away from the window to give Rhonda his attention.

"Just wanted to let you now that we'll be landing soon."

"Oh, um…ok, how long?"

"About a half hour."

Half hour, just 30 minutes before he's back home. Regrettably, Arnold is sad to realize that the fact does little to reassure him.

"Arnold, I know you don't want to talk. But I feel it's extremely necessary to…uh… bring you up to speed on a couple of things, as it where. I'm not sure if you're entirely aware of how long it's be since you've been off the radar-"

"Ten years" Arnold cuts off Rhonda's amusing nervous ramble. "I know…I've been counting."

Rhonda's nervous tick vanishes and an amused smile graces her face " Well, 10 years in a jungle with no cell service— I guess you had to find someway to entertain yourself."

Arnold gives her a small grin at that. He appreciates how casual she's being about the whole thing; he wasn't exactly making it easier for her, but he was trying…or at least he was attempting to try. Rhonda deserved that much at least.

Rhonda let's out a sigh, her features once more shifting from amusement to apprehension,

"Actually, Arnold…there's something you need to know before we land."

"Is this about the homecoming party you have planned for me?" Arnold asks with a bit of a playful smirk grazing his features.

"How did you know about that?!"

"Come on Rhonda. It's you. You'll plan a party for anything. Remember when you threw a party just because Harold and Patty started dating."

Rhonda lets out a huff, "That wasn't for nothing! That party—which was fabulous by the way—wasn't just to celebrate Harold and Patty's happiness. It was really cathartic for me. I mean Harold was the first boy I ever loved. I needed to symbolically let him go, and the best way to do that was to be happy for them, and nothing screams happiness like a party."

Arnold rolls his eyes "Yea, but was the champagne necessary? "

"Oh hush darling, everyone knows no great party is complete without champagne, which is why your welcome home party will also have champagne."

Rhonda and Arnold share a smile at that and for a second the 10 years and thousand miles between them doesn't seem so great.

"Actually now that you mention it, Harold and Patty got married recently. See, my parties are miracle workers."

"Married?" Arnold asks stunned.

Rhonda nods her head. "Yes! It was a summer wedding, not exactly up to my tastes, but still it was...quaint"

Arnold can't help but smile, as surprising as hearing that Harold got married was, it's nice to see that somethings haven't change—mainly Rhonda's extravagant tastes.

"What about you?"

Rhonda raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow "What about me?"

"Are you married?"

Rhonda laughs at his question, "Me? Married? Oh no darling. See the way it works with us trust fund children is you get 30 years of fun and networking and then when it's time to take over the family business, well that's when you settle down. I've still got 5 years."

Arnold givers her a confused look "But, wait, you're my age, doesn't that mean you got 2-3 years left?"

Unless I've miscounted, he thinks.

Rhonda just gives him a coy smile, "My, Arnold I don't know what you're talking about. I'm 25—have been for the past 3 years."

Oh—that explains it.

"Ok, well anything else I should know about?"

In a flash, Rhonda's coy smile vanishes. The lines of her face deepen ever so slightly.

"Well, as you have already guessed—I am throwing you a welcoming party, but before you protest or get a big head about it, you should know I was already planning a party before I received your rather…urgent phone call. As luck would have it, your arrival coincides with Hillwood high's 10 year reunion. And since I do oh so love planning parties and playing hostess I convinced the school to let me host the reunion party—at no charge of course."

Arnold lets out a deep sigh as he slumps into his seat. "A reunion? As in everyone we've ever gone to school with will be there?" Oh no, Arnold wasn't even sure how he felt about coming home—hell he didn't even know if he still considered Hillwood home! Now he was being told that after 10 years of self-imposed isolation he would have to interact with people—former friends who would all talk to him, ask him questions that he couldn't answer as they rattled on about what they've been doing with they're lives. Arnold didn't think he could handle it, having to hear all about how his friends moved on with their lives, while he... well he was still trying to pick up the pieces of his broken past. Arnold ran his hands over his face, frustrated. He didn't think he could do this.

He was about to tell Rhonda that he'd have to skip the party before a thought occurred to him.

Would she be there?

"Well not everyone—just our graduating class, and only those who've RSVPed, but-"

"Will Helga be there?"

Arnold instantly regretted it. He hadn't meant to ask about her. He knew he had no right to ask, but the question was burning a hole in his mind, as well as about a thousand more questions that had to do with Helga. What was she doing now? Did she still live in Hillwood? Was she married?

Rhonda just stared at him with a strange hard, almost sad look; it made Arnold regret asking that much more.

"Actually…" She starts, clearly trying to choose her next words carefully, "No. Helga is not going to be attending the reunion."

Arnold's eyebrows deepened into a frown. He is equal parts relieved and disappointed. He wants to ask more but knows that he can't.

"What about you Arnold?"

"What? Will I be attending? Rhonda I—"

Rhonda raises a hand at him, cutting Arnold off, "No, you will be attending the party, that's a fact, I will not take no for an answer." Arnold's frown deepens even further at her words. He's ready to protest but bites his tongue as Rhonda keeps talking. "I was asking about you." Rhonda's features soften, "How have you been, Arnold?"

Arnold lets out a breathless, humorless chuckle. "Truthfully…I've been better." A few seconds of silence passes between them. "You know after my grandparents died…" Arnold hesitates. He's not ready to talk about this, doesn't want to, but he feels so overwhelmed by everything—its like he's drowning. He catches Rhonda's eye once more. She's still and waiting patiently for him to go on, the same soft expression as before still present on her face. It should be reassuring—except its not.

Arnold tears his gaze away from Rhonda. A few more silent seconds pass by between them. Eventually, Arnold swallows back his…distress, for lack of a better term, and softly says "I just…I didn't think it could get any worse than that."

An awkward silence follows, at least awkward to Arnold, before it's eventually broken by the pilot's voice over the PA system.

"Please buckle in, we're about to start our descent."

Arnold and Rhonda both settle in, as the small private jet starts its descent into Hillwoods' private airport. If it's even more possible, Arnold feels worse than he did before—absolute dread courses through him.

This was a bad idea he thinks before Rhonda speaks up.

"I guess you didn't find what you were looking for?"

Arnold stares wide eyed at Rhonda, the memory of their last exchange replaying in his head. He used to think that the card Rhonda gave him was her optimistic promise that they were going to see each other again. That they would still be friends and that she'd help him—should he need it. He didn't think he'd ever need it, honestly, but the thought of her continued friendship meant so much to him. But now…now in his anguished state of mind he can't help but feel like the card was a promise, not of a friendship, but a guarantee that he'd fail, that he should have listened to her—to everyone.

"No" Arnold says sharply, "I didn't."

Rhonda jumps back a little at his sharp tone. Rhonda is not easily intimidated, but coming from Arnold, it's jarring.

There is a slight turbulence as the plane touches down on the landing stip. The plane still has to station itself before either her or Arnold can get out. Not liking how tense things have gotten, Rhonda takes the last few minutes they have together to reassure Arnold.

She reaches out a hand to Arnold and places it on his arm, the muscles underneath instantly tensing up.

"I am truly sorry Arnold, really." Arnold's glare softens a bit. "But just because the jungles of South America didn't have what you were looking for doesn't mean you can't find it here."

Arnold's glare disappears and is replace by a confused expression. Rhonda smiles. Before either of them can say anything else, a gentleman in a black suit opens up the doors of the plane.

Outside, a black town car is waiting for them—the driver already holding the door open for them. As Rhonda makes her way toward the car, Arnold takes a minute to take in Hillwood's skyline. 10 years ago, when Arnold first set off on his quest, he had dreams of this moment—of being home again. He expected it to be this big euphoric moment, where he would finally feel at peace and whole again. That's not how he feels at all, but then again Arnold always envisioned he'd share this moment with his parents.

"Arnold are you coming?"

Arnold makes his way over to the car, where Rhonda stands outside waiting for him. Arnold extends his hand to indicate that Rhonda should go in first, but she simply waves him off. "Ladies don't slide, darling."

Arnold rolls his eyes at her and gets in the car, followed shortly by Rhonda.

Arnold looks out the window of the town car as it travels further away from the airport and deeper into the heart of the city. When Rhonda had initially picked him up from the jungles of San Lorenzo it was dawn, and the sun had only begun to rise. Now, in Hillwood, it looks like it's noon. If Arnold didn't know better, and wasn't current experiencing jetlag, it would seem like only earlier this morning that he was waking up to the soothing sounds of the jungle. But those days were behind now. Instead of waking up to the pleasant sounds of birds singing, or the occasional monkey howl, he'd get to wake up to the chaotic sounds of the city—blaring alarms, car horns, and irritable nosy borders.

Arnold is seriously reconsidering his decision of coming back to Hillwood.

As the car makes its way through Hillwood, they pass many of the gang's old hangouts; like the arcade that Arnold and Gerald would frequent on a regular basis, the old theater, Slausen's ice cream parlor, and to his great surprise Gerald field, which hadn't been converted into a parking lot, or building structure of some sort. He sees a group a children on the field playing baseball, shouting out plays, and cheering each other on. Arnold can't help but smile at the scene as a wave of nostalgia hits him.

"Its good to see that some things don't change, hmm?" Remarks Rhonda, smiling at scene.

"Yea…its is. I'm surprised they didn't make an office building or something."

Rhonda nods her head. "It wasn't for lack of trying. I think there were plans to make one, but the neighborhood kids protested the development. Apparently they made such a fuss that eventually the project fell through."

"Huh, well that's good to hear."

"It is indeed." The smile on Rhonda's face leads Arnold to believe she played a role in the salvation of Gerald field, that or she's feeling nostalgic as well.

They make their way pass Gerald field and eventually end up passing another Hillwood landmark, although Arnold almost doesn't recognize it.

"Is that…Is that Mighty Pete?"

Rhonda looks to her right, "Mm-hmm."

"They tore it down."

"Yea, too many homeless people were taking to sleeping in the treehouse. Officials deemed it unsafe for the children… and unsanitary. But on the bright side they did build a homeless shelter in its place."

"I guess…"

Rhonda laughs. Arnold almost asks her what she finds so funny, but he's still not too comfortable with conversation, and prefers not to speak more than he already has. It's not that Arnold literally isolated himself completely for 10 years, he spoke to the locals when he could, or more like when they understood him, but there were times were he would go weeks without speaking to another person. His only companions being the non-English speaking, often mute, guides or the harmless creatures that took to following him around. He realizes that with the reunion/welcoming party tonight, he's going to have get over his aversion to small talk, and fast.

Regardless, it will be a very awkward night to say the least.

The car pulls up to a very familiar looking block, at first he assumes it's his, but when they drive down and he doesn't see any familiar landmarks, he begins to think he may have been wrong. It's a bit jarring to Arnold, 10 years is a long time to be away from home, but he didn't think it would alter his memory of where he'd grown up.

Maybe I'm just tired.

It's not until they pass a particular brownstone that Arnold is reminded of why this block is so familiar. It wasn't his home, or a home away from home, or even a very welcoming place to be actually, but it was a place that he'd visited a lot during high school. His memories of this place are so vivid that he can clearly picture them now; late nights walking the one person he missed the most, holding her hand, standing on the front porch and kissing her goodnight. He licks his lips unconsciously, and it's as if he can still taste her mango flavored lip-gloss.

"Pataki residence." Rhonda states, breaking Arnold away from his sweet memory.

"Ahem…yea, I recognize it." Arnold makes a point of not looking at Rhonda, his attention solely on the brownstone. The curtain of one the front windows is open, and he spots a flash of blond walk by. He's not sure if its Helga or not, it could be her mother or even her sister as they all share the same hair color, but for a second he's positive that it's her. Rhonda told him that she wouldn't be attending the reunion tonight, so does that mean she no longer resides in Hillwood? That would make sense as all she ever wanted to do was get out. But if she doesn't want to attend the reunion, it might be because she knows he'll be there. He can't imagine her being happy to see him. So, there might actually be a possibility that she still lives in Hillwood…right?

"Hey, Rhonda." Arnold shifts his attention to Rhonda, and is surprised to see she's not on her phone but is instead looking at the Pataki brownstone with an unreadable expression on her face. Rhonda snaps out of it when she hears her name.

"Yes?"

"Does, uhh, does Helga still live there?" he asks, pointing to the brownstone they just passed.

Rhonda's expression shifts, mirroring the same hard, almost sad expression she had on the plane. "No. I'm afraid Helga, not longer resides there, nor in Hillwood." She puts an odd amount of emphasis on Helga's name, but offers no further explanation. Eventually, she turns her hard stare to her phone, effectively cutting off any questions Arnold might have. Whatever it is that's got Rhonda this...agitated, she's not willing to talk about it. Arnold wonders if it has anything to do with him leaving so abruptly 10 years ago. He understands Helga feeling mislead, even betrayed, about it. He promised her once that he'd never leave her, and he's disgusted with him self that at the first chance he got he left. No warning, no goodbye. He was with her one day, and the next he was gone.

Helga didn't have many people in her life she could turn too, but Rhonda, surprisingly, was one of them. Helga probably confided in her in the days following his departure. Rhonda may have been doing him a major favor, but she might feel just as betrayed as Helga.

If Arnold didn't feel uncomfortable before, he sure does now.

The car makes a sharp right onto a block that Arnold instantly recognizes as his. The boarding house is still further down the road, and as they approach their destination they pass by some very familiar shops. Not much has changed in his old neighborhood. They pass by a few stores that don't seem to have been affected by the last 10 years, until they reach a very familiar meat shop. Where was once Green Meats, stands a nice looking bistro called Green's Deli. It's a sleek, modern looking place that seems off place in a neighborhood like this. It seems to be doing well, judging from the amount of people outside, but the store is the complete opposite from Mr. Green's style.

What happened?

He looks at Rhonda, the unspoken question clear on his face, hoping for answers, but her attention is still on her phone. Guess he'll find out later.

Up ahead the Sunset Arms comes into view. The car starts to slow and eventually stop when it pulls up to the front door. The boarding house is just like he remembers it— giant green door and all. The building is bathed in sunlight, making the building appear more grand and radiant than it really is. They've repainted recently, he notices.

"We're here." States Rhonda.

Arnold nods his head absentmindedly, "Yea…we are."

"Ready?"

That was the million-dollar question, wasn't it? Was he ready? Ready to be a part of society again, ready to live in the Sunset Arms, the only home he's ever had that reminds him too much about both set of parents he's lost. Was he ready to face his old friends, and neighbors? Was he ready for the questions, and the pitting looks? To be honest, he didn't know. He suspects he isn't, but it makes him feel too cowardly, and that makes the pit in his stomach feel worse.

Arnold lets out a long-suffering sigh. Guess there is only one way to find out.

"As I'll ever be."

He opens the car door and steps out.

Author's Note: Believe it or not, I thought up this story back when I was in high school, so about 4 years ago now. It's been sitting in my laptop for far too long and now that we're FINALLY getting the Jungle Movie, and the fandom is coming back to life, I'd thought I'd finally get around to writing this story. So please let me know what you think!