One shot! Gerald/Helga pairing… sort of, you'll get it. Don't get me wrong I am a total Helga/Arnold fan but once in awhile I wouldn't mind some Helga/Gerald pairings. I hope you like and, if you do, maybe I could actually write an official story with this pairing. Enjoy -eden

Rights to Craig Bartlett and Nickelodeon

"Helga, what's wrong?"

"I just...I can't do it anymore. What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Here, sit down. Tell me what's going on? What happened?"

"You're going to think I sound pathetic. Just look at me." Helga grabbed the hem of her dress to wipe away the wet mascara dripping from her eyes but before she could Gerald grabbed a handkerchief from his jacket pocket.

"No, I got it."

"He didn't even get a chance to look at me." Gerald dabbed at her cheeks while avoiding her eyes. Their relationship was friendly in a very bare term. Most of their life they couldn't stand each other. By sophomore year they got along after Phoebe moved away and Helga had little to no one to talk to. By junior year Helga was the only friend for Gerald besides Arnold to talk to. They weren't the best of friends but at least they got passed the whole awkward barrier of a boy and girl friendship to a full conversation here and there. To say the least they meant little but enough to each other.

"I knew I shouldn't have come. I'm just so...so freaking gullible! I can't believe Sasha showed up and just...Took him! Who the hell does that!? Who the hell is she to steal my stupid football headed prom date! I mean, to be fair, it wasn't technically a date. He made that very VERY clear. Not that I didn't encourage it. I'm such a basket case." Helga looked up from her stained red eyes to meet Geralds own. Somethings there. Something...sparked.

Gerald looked away quickly and noticeably to Helga's interest and curiosity. Thank goodness they were on a balcony at a late time because the hint of crimson on their cheeks would be extremely noticeable.

"Look, I know my man Arnold can be a little insensitive once in awhile but you have to understand he's as dense as a brick. He just doesn't realize...what's right in front of him. He doesn't notice the classic beauty they call Helga G Pataki and her glowing blue ocean eyes and her sly personality. Doll, you're a catch."

"Doll!" Helga laughed through her bitter wimps of pity.

"You get my point Pataki. Look, my date didn't show up either so...how about a dance, doll."

"Not if you keep calling me that...yeah, I would love to dance actually. Thank you Gerald." Gerald stood up to his feet and held out a hand for Helga's taking.

Helga looked at his hand with a steady gaze.

"Helga?"

"Oh, sorry tall hair boy." She proceeded with taking his hand as he pulled her up to her shaking feet. Gerald noted on how warm Helga's hands were even for a cold spring night like this one but dismissed the small details that seemed to make a big difference.

"Oh gosh, not that again. Come on, I don't even have big hair anymore."

"I just...kind of miss it, you know? It suited you. Not that this new cut doesn't suit you."

"It doesn't just suit me, it down right complements my beautiful physique." Both had a good laugh and made their way to the visible dance floor. The theme was masquerade and Helga wore a simple black dress that faded to purple at the bottom. It fell suitably on her curvy form that no one had noticed until now she had. She usually would wear typical hoodies and sweat pants and would barely make an effort to put on makeup besides a little mascara on special occasions but tonight she war dark red lipstick. The unibrow was long gone besides its natural appearances here and there to which Helga took no time to wait and shaved it off. She did it mostly so she wasn't compared to her dad or mistaken for a boy. She wouldn't totally be bothered by that if it wasn't for her coach on the soccer team always calling her Hugo as a nickname.

Helga also wore a simple black mask with gold lacing around the eyes and the outline of the mask. Her hair was done up with curly twirls that went a little past her shoulders and a feather hanging from a clip by her ear. She looked flawless besides the still fresh puffy eyes from a previous break of character. Helga never cried and for Gerald to see it it almost made it feel like reality shook up and changed some things.

Gerald wore a simple tux with no tie and a plain black mask you could buy at any halloween store but with a drawn on golden hashtag on the left side of the mask. They looked as if they went here together.

It was awkward at first with where to put hands but once they got settled in their position it seemed almost...natural?

…

"Look, Sasha, I actually came here with Helga tonight and I should really go and find her. She could get the wrong idea. Besides you broke up with me, remember?"

"Oh, darling, I didn't mean that." She messed with his tie, wrapping it around her finger and brushing her fingers on his chest. "I was just a little pissed about the big game loss but I realize now it wasn't your fault and I just over reacted."

Sasha then wrapped her hands around his neck. She wore a long tight red dress that stood out of the room. To say she was beautiful was an understatement. To say she looked a little slutty was not an understatement.

Arnold grabbed both of her hands and removed them from his neck. "You did but now's not the time to talk about it. I need to find…" Arnold looked around the room to see a very unfamiliar pair dancing. "Helga…"

"Oh, well I guess she seems busy with someone else. So it's not a problem?"

Wow, just look at her. She's so...wow. She looks beautiful. Has she always been that beautiful? How did I not notice? But...what's she doing with Gerald? This is probably my fault. I'm not letting her get away! Arnolds mind scrambled at her new appearance. She looked so delicate with Gerald, so happy.

"I should go say something."

"No, your friends taking care of it. I'm sure he's just looking out for you. Now come on, lets have some fun. This first dance belongs to me. You belong to me." Sasha, for the second time, put her arms around his neck and forced him to look at her. She smiled wickedly.

"Sorry Sasha, I need to get to my date."

"I thought you said it wasn't a date!" She quickly moved her hands away from him like she had been burned, in which some way she did. "You two are just friends, right?"

"I mean...yeah, but still I...I just have to go over there." Arnold walked away from her with speedy feet and made his way to Helga and Gerald.

…

Gerald danced Helga back onto the balcony where they were out of sight from anyone else.

"Wow, Gerald you know how to move."

"I know some things." Gerald tried to pull it off smoothly but he rubbed his neck with nerves jumping in his skin. He looked around. No one seemed to be around. She was so close, her breath was so warm and her mouth...was right there. If now wasn't a perfect time then there would never be a better chance like this one.

"Well you sure are showing me a goo-Mmh!"

Gerald leaned in and grabbed her shoulders with little will power on his side. Those red lips mocked him, tortured him.

I've waited so long! Please...

What the hell is he doing?!

Helga grabbed onto his shoulders and tried pushing him away with little to no success. Her eyes were wide in confusion and shock. She meant to push him away, tell him to hit the road, beat it! Back off! but…

"Mmhm." She closed her eyes and the shoulders she was trying to push away were now being pulled closer. She gripped his shoulders and dug her nails into the expensive black fabric. No one has ever showed her this much passion! She couldn't help herself. Gerald wrapped his arm around Helga's waist and held her head with the other hand. Helga wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her toes while Gerald leaned lower and closer to her, sticking his tongue into her mouth before taking a needed heavy breath.

"Helga…" Gerald whispered.

"Arnold." Helga whispered.

"Arnold?!" Gerald pulled back.

"Helga?! Gerald?!"

"Arnold!" Helga found it easy to pull away this time physically but mentally she hesitated.

"Arnold...shit." Gerald had his back towards Arnold but he could see by Helga's reaction that this wasn't good.

"Wh...what's going on here?" Arnold wasn't exactly sure how to react to all of this. His best friend and his...date? Were just making out.

"It's not what you think! I-I…" Helga searched for the right words but nothing made sense at the time. Gerald finally turned around.

"I kissed her. Thats the honest truth."

"Gerald, what the hell? How could you do that? She's my date!"

"Well, you were with that Sasha girl. Helga was alone!"

"I didn't mean to...that was all just a misunderstanding." Arnold begged with his eyes. "That still doesn't give you the right to-to make out with my date!?"

"Arnold, you're my best friend but sometimes you can be such a fucking idiot! You told Helga that this wasn't a date anyways!"

"Well, I mean...still Gerald. You can't do that! So, wait...do you like her?!" Arnold brushed his hand through his hair and stared wide eyed at Gerald.

"I…" Gerald stood stiff. His eyes met Helga's who he soon realized hers were filled with deep sorrowful regret. Dammit...what the hell was I thinking?

"No...no I don't like her."

"Wha...you don't?" Arnolds shock sobered considerably. Helga's heart constricted. She was confused on why...she felt so sad.

"No, I just felt bad for her and I guess myself." Gerald did his best to keep up this charade. He bit his lip. His heart felt chained up. "I didn't have a date either. I felt...a little left out. So did Helga. Call it doing a favor for a friend that got out of hand. I couldn't like Helga even if I wanted to. It was...the heat of the moment." Gerald said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry your date didn't show up, I really am but you had no right! And, Helga, I'm sorry what you saw. I swear it was just a misunderstanding! She was trying to get back together but I told her I didn't want her back. Helga...circumstances could be better but, well, I've...I asked you to prom because...I really like you. I have for a very very long time. If you want to laugh at me then please do it when I leave."

"N-no! Arnold, I...I like you too. In fact, I have for awhile. When you asked me to prom I went totally ballistic. I'm not going to laugh at you, just the opposite." Helga brushed her hair out of her eyes. Gerald cringed at the motion. Something so small like that made him begging for more.

"You really mean that? You mean this whole time I've been feeling like a complete idiot because I was scared to ask you out and you actually wanted to go with me?"

"You have no idea, Arnold." Helga beamed to Geralds unliking.

"Thats...thats just so good to hear! Helga, do you want to go dance?"

"I…" Helga looked from Gerald to Arnold. Was what Gerald said actually true? Was she being used in a way? Or...

"Helga?" Arnold asked with his words and Gerald asked with his eyes. He didn't show it in his body language but Gerald spoke hidden words with that look. Arnold held his hand out to her. A hint of deja vu struck her.

"I'm sorry. I just...yeah. Lets go dance. Gerald." Gerald looked up to see Helga's concerned look. He then looked at Helga's hand once it grabbed on to Arnolds.

"What? You heard what I said. It was the heat of the moment. Don't think about it too much...Doll." He snickered to Helga's unliking. It felt wrong for some reason, that laugh.

"Lets go Helga. Gerald, that was a pretty crappy thing you did. We'll talk about this later."

"There's nothing to talk about. It was just a spark of insanity. My apologies Helga. Seriously I'm...really sorry." Helga felt burdened with that apology. It felt like he half-meant what he said.

Gerald stayed quiet after that, tipping his head back, staring at the clear starry night sky and crossing his legs while leaning on the railing of the balcony. Arnold grabbed Helga's hand and led her back on the dance floor. Helga's head turned the slightest to get the smallest glimpse of the man who stole her heart for an hour. After today it would be as if that hour never existed.

"You were never really mine to begin with." Gerald whispered under his breath. He only came for her tonight, no date, no real motive, just a chance for just an answer to his long delayed question.

"Well...now I know." As the night continued Gerald stayed there, looking up, as one belated tear fell from his cheek.