Okay, after much debate (with myself, of course)-I've decided to post this.

Hope you enjoy!

Helga looked down at her tray with half open eyes as she idly moved her food around with her fork. Her body ached and she felt completely drained-so much so, that she couldn't find it in her to even be her usual bullying self.

She had spent the first half of her day in almost a haze, not really concerned with what was happening around her. In fact, Mr. Simmons could have lit himself on fire and started dancing the Macarena and she never would have lifted her head up from her desk.

"Helga, are you certain you're feeling well?"

Helga frowned in annoyance and looked up to find a pair of concerned brown eyes staring from behind glasses. She had only barely acknowledged her friends glances during class and had already been asked by her, several times, if she was okay.

Helga would never admit to any weakness- mostly because she hated people feeling sorry for her- and Phoebe was no exception.

"You're starting to sound like a broken record, Pheebs," She replied, with a lot more strength than she felt. "I already told you, I'm fine."

"Oh, of course," Phoebe replied undeterred. "It's just that you haven't really eaten anything yet and-"

"That's because this food is garbage," Helga protested, nose crinkled in disgust. "Seriously Pheebs, how can they get away with serving this junk to kids?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Phoebe's mouth at hearing her friends usual disapproval, but just as Helga was sure she was off the hook, something tickled her throat and she coughed several times into her hand.

Phoebe's eyes were on her again.

"Helga, are you-"

"Absolutely fine." Helga replied with a slight edge to her voice, despite a cough in between.

Phoebe didn't say anything more, but the look on her face told Helga that she didn't believe her.

Helga let out an exasperated sigh.

"If you're so concerned then why don't you go get me some water or something," She replied, her tone letting Phoebe know that it was more of a demand than a request.

On reflex though, Phoebe sat up a little straighter and replied "Getting", before excusing herself from the table.

Letting out a long breath as her friend left, Helga pushed aside her tray and placed her elbow on the table, resting her chin in her open palm. She felt her eyelids become heavy, and considered taking a small nap before lunch time was over-despite anymore suspicions from Phoebe. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the cafeteria noise as a slight headache began to form.

"Helga?"

She jerked up in her seat, startled, and scowling at whoever had snuck up on her.

"What's your problem you little.." she turned to yell at the person that was standing next to her, but then her anger immediately vanished…"Oh..Arnold.", then upon seeing his confused expression, she remembered to scowl again. "What do you want, football head?"

Arnold's confusion lessened and he gave her a thoughtful and somewhat concerned look.

"Are you okay, Helga?" he asked, kindly. "You seem a little…well..not yourself today."

Normally Helga would have started reciting inner poetry about her beloved's kindness and compassion, being flattered and touched by his concern, but having been asked that question so many times already, another part of her was truly annoyed.

"It's none of your business, Hair-boy," She replied slowly folding her arms across her chest, and then giving him a suspicious look. "And what do you mean by 'not myself'?"

Arnold considered her question.

He had spent most of class time glancing back at her, awaiting spitballs and angry scowls that never came. In fact, Helga had not, to his knowledge, even looked up at him.

Gerald had told him that he should be grateful for whatever caused Helga's sudden change in attitude, but the thought that something was wrong continued to nag at him; that, and the fact that Helga continued to ignore his presence as if he wasn't even worth an insult anymore.

"Well, you haven't called me football head until just now, or even picked on anyone today." He paused and then smiled slightly. "And I'm usually picking spitballs out of my hair by now."

He let out a small laugh, as if he had just said a joke that only the two of them would understand. Helga tugged at the collar of her shirt for a moment, suddenly finding the cafeteria a bit too warm for her liking, as her clouded mind pieced together what he had just said.

"Whoa, hold the phone there, Arnoldo," She gave him an incredulous look. "Are you saying you actually want me to pick on you?"

Arnold opened his mouth to dismiss such an insane claim, but stopped himself.

Now that he thought about it, it was almost unnerving to realize how distracted Helga had made him by simply doing nothing.

"It's not that," Arnold finally replied, after only a few seconds pause. "I was just…um..worried about you, that's all."

"Oh." Helga replied, a bit disappointed, but simply giving Arnold a disinterested look.

On any other day she would have rolled her eyes at him, telling him to mind his own business, or said something else to keep his attention on her for a bit longer. However, Helga realized that she really wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone today, and that included even her beloved football head.

After all, with how distracted she felt, she was sure she would slip and say something that may give her feelings for him away; she was already being nicer to him than usual.

Her headache felt increasingly worse from having to think so much with him around too, and she didn't feel like even speaking at the moment. So, she laid her head in the palms of her hands with her elbows on the table once again, and hoped he would just…leave.

"If something's wrong, you can tell me." Arnold assured her, a little more worried by Helga's behavior.

Helga just closed her eyes, brow furrowed-more from her headache than annoyance-, and groaned.

Was it her imagination or had the cafeteria gotten even louder?

She pressed the tips of her fingers against her forehead as if to suppress the now constant throbbing in her head.

She groaned again and in a strained and annoyed tone replied, "Go away."

Arnold frowned slightly at her response-not realizing her words were not directed at him.

"I'm just trying to help, Helga." he replied with a twinge of annoyance. "Why do you always have to be so…difficult? Why can't you be nicer like..well, like Lila?"

As soon as he had started to speak, it was as if Helga's brain had put all other noises on mute, and focused solely on Arnold's voice. At first this came as a relief to Helga, but each word Arnold spoke began filling her with more and more anger, until her whole body felt hot. It wasn't until she heard Lila's name did she feel like she had reached her boiling point and she abruptly stood up, slamming her hands on the table before turning swiftly to face him, scowling.

"Why don't you just mind your own-..your..own"

Helga paused, a sudden dizziness taking hold of her from having moved so quickly. The anger left her face, replaced by a slightly confused expression, as she placed her left hand on the side of her head and teetered forward.

Eyes wide, Arnold grabbed Helga's right arm to steady her, and frowned worriedly.

"Helga, are you okay?" he asked.

Helga groaned slightly, feeling more than a little disoriented, and mumbled something under her breath.

"Huh?"

Arnold leaned closer toward her, though her head was bowed slightly at this point and she didn't notice.

"Wish everyone.. would stop…asking that." She mumbled in a slightly louder tone, lifting her head.

It only took her a second to realize that someone was extremely close to her face-and another second to realize that someone was Arnold- and when she did, Helga felt her eyes grow wide.

His attention was on her and her alone, his green eyes shining with care and concern-all for her! She felt her face grow warm, but really didn't seem to mind that she was openly blushing.

"Helga?"

Arnold blinked uncertainly at Helga's now flushed face, and as if her lack of yelling at this point was permission enough for him, he brought his right hand up to gently press against her forehead.

At this point, the voice of reason in Helga's head had finally broken through her denial, and was telling her that something was not right….that she didn't feel like herself..that she needed to go somewhere-anywhere-away from here before she did something foolish. However, as Arnolds cool hand came to rest against her forehead, brushing back her bangs, she found herself doubting that any of this was real-I mean,…it just couldn't be. The only time Arnold ever got this close to her, every touched her with such care, was only in her…

'Oh. I get it' she thought suddenly. 'I must've really fallen asleep after Phoebe left then.'

Fully believing that she was just lost within another one of her Arnold dreams, she leaned into his touch-her eyes falling half closed, and a small lazy smile on her face.

"Helga." Arnold finally replied, eyes wide in alarm at how warm she felt. "I think..I mean…you're so hot."

Helga let out a small girlish giggle, and Arnold knew for sure that something was definitely wrong.

"Glad you think so," She replied blearily, then blinked when Arnold's face went out of focus.

"Helga?"

She never remembered that happening in her dreams before-things were never this blurry and….her head hurt again. Why would her head hurt in her dream?

"Helga, I think you should go to the nurse's office," Arnold replied, concerned and serious. "I can walk you there, if you'd like me to."

'Hm..?"

What was going on? Was Arnold saying something…..why couldn't she make out what he was saying…and why did he pull his hand away? She felt dizzy again….light headed. It felt like the room was moving, that the ground beneath her was shifting…or…didn't exits at all.

She wanted to wake up now, she didn't like this dream….she'd had enough.

"Helga?"

By now Arnold had become increasingly more worried by Helga's unresponsiveness; her once lively blue eyes had become glassy and unfocused, and her face now looked somewhat pale. He was about to say her name once again when she suddenly began to fall forward.

Helga had no desire to stop herself either. After all, this was just a dream…..there wasn't even a ground to fall on-as far as she was concerned.

Arnold quickly reached out to steady her again, but didn't manage in time. Helga fell forward, collapsing into his arms, and sending them both crashing to the floor. Arnold managed not to fall completely on his back and used one of his hands to cushion the blow.

Two other people, who had been observing the blonde pair for quite some time-one shaking their head at their friends bold action before watching the situation with intent curiosity, and the other tightly clutching a water bottle in her small hands, having hoped that Arnold would discover the reason behind Helga's behavior-both yelled out the names of their best friends and were soon racing to their sides.

The cafeteria broke out into another loud roar as people suddenly got up from their seats hoping to see what was going on.

Arnold, however, remained almost motionless as he looked down at the girl who was now lying on top of him, her warm forehead resting heavily on his chest. Her expression-from what he could see- was calm, her brow not creased and her mouth not turned down into it's usual scowl. Her golden blonde hair, still tied into two pigtails, now seemed less stiff and were drooping slightly- like a dogs ears after being scolded- her pink bow still proudly atop her head. She looked so fragile like that, so small, so weak-everything Helga wasn't, or shouldn't have been- and Arnold had to tell himself that it was the still lingering shock of Helga falling that made his heartbeat a little faster, that it was his concern and worry for her that caused a lump to form in his throat, and if it happened to look like he was blushing…well…there had to be a perfectly good reason for that too.

I rather like this ending...I had something different before, but this one is much better. Anyway...this is all I have done with this, although I'm planning on making more chapters if the readers think it's worth continuing (maybe even if you don't think so, heh). However, I'm about to go on a little vacation next week, so there will be a delay with the next chapter (which I haven't started on yet, but do have ideas for).

Please review!