Hold Me Closer

Summary: Bob Pataki moves his family out of Hillwood shortly after Helga, Arnold, and Gerald saved the city. Now, twenty-four year old Arnold is hired as a bodyguard by Big Bob to watch over Helga, who is now a professional ballerina, in the fear she is being stalked.

Warnings: Rated a hard T for stalking, minor sexual situations, and mentions of a past rape.

Hold Me Closer Part One

Hold me closer tiny dancer

Count the headlights on the highway

Lay me down in sheets of linen

You had a busy day today

Elton John-Tiny Dancer, 1971

Arnold Shortman blinked down at the case file he held in his hands. Was the world really that small? His boss, Carl Evans, had just assigned him to a new case and he recognized the name on it almost immediately.

Helga Pataki.

He hadn't thought about her in years.

Helga moved out of Hillwood shortly after she helped him save the city, to Los Angela's, if he remembered right. Briefly, he wondered how she ended up in New York. Looking at her case file he figured it might have to do with her profession.

Arnold read through the report. Twenty-three year old Helga Pataki had made several police reports in the recent months, which officers hadn't taken too seriously until she had been attacked on her way home from a date. Luckily, she was able to escape before any type of sexual assault took place. She had managed to scratch her attacker. With DNA testing it was determined that her attacker was also responsible for an attack Helga had suffered the previous year. Unfortunately, that one had resulted with a rape. That, paired with two attempted break ins at her apartment and a few personal items disappearing from her dressing room, her father Bob Pataki, was convinced she had a stalker. This was why Arnold was being hired. New York City was a big city and the police force just didn't have the resources Helga needed.

It was going to be a very extensive job. He would be living with Helga until the whole stalker thing had some resolution, hopefully ending in the man's arrest. The pay he would receive each week phenomenal, more than he ever did with any other client. Which was fantastic, he really needed the money. He hadn't seen Helga in years, even if she was meaner than ever the money would be worth it. Arnold had been instructed to meet Helga and Big Bob Pataki at the ballet company where Helga worked. Apparently, she had the lead for an upcoming performance and needed to practice several hours a day.

As Arnold walked into the ballet studio, he wondered how on Earth Helga became a ballerina. He couldn't quite picture of Helga doing something so graceful. It's not like she was ever ungraceful growing up, but he couldn't imagine her doing something so feminine. Of course he hadn't seen her for like thirteen years, so she may have a made a few changes since then. Arnold knew he had.

As the years passed it became harder and harder for Arnold to look on the bright side of things all the time. There were many days where his glass was half empty, rather than half full. In high school, he became less of the idealist he had always been and more of a realist. Arnold was happy he learned it when he did, that life wasn't always sunshine and rainbows. It helped prepare him for the hardships in life that had yet to come.

Arnold shrugged the thought off as he walked towards the stage were four women and three men were dancing. He stopped for a moment, watching the group. They were all quiet talented and danced as if they were gliding on air. They were flawless.

He looked at the women, trying to figure out which one was Helga. He hadn't seen her since he was ten and he highly doubted he would actually recognize her now, as a young woman. There were three young blonde women on stage. Was one of them Helga? Was she still blonde? Were any of the women on stage Helga?

He watched as one of the men, one with dark brown hair, pick up of the blondes, twirling her around as she held her arms out and arched her back. As the man went to set her back down, his hands slipped around her waist and she fell onto the ground on her knees with a dull thud. The other dancers stopped in mid routine and several people off stage came running up asking if she was okay.

"Criminy, Christopher!" She glared at Christopher from her position on the stage floor, "Could you try not dropping me? That hurt!"

Well, Arnold no longer had to wonder which one Helga was.

"Sorry Helga…" Christopher offered a hand, "Are you alright?" He sounded genuinely concerned as he helped her to her feet.

"I'm fine." She straightened out her skirt. "Just don't drop me again."

There was a teasing undertone to the sound of her voice, but Arnold had the feeling she was very serious. Helga's blonde hair was tied in a tight bun; she wore a gray long sleeved top that went well with the pink skirt she was wearing over a pair of black leggings. "Let's try it again." She demanded as Christopher and the other dancers got back into position.

Arnold realized he seemed to have gone completely unnoticed by any of the dancers on stage or anyone else for that matter. He frowned; if Helga was in fact being stalked strangers in the building going unnoticed was not a good thing. He watched Helga's routine with Christopher, this time the dance seemed to be flawless; Helga danced beautifully.

"You Alfred?" Arnold hadn't seen Bob Pataki approach him from his spot near the stage. He extended a hand, "Bob Pataki." He greeted, it was obvious he did not remember Arnold.

"It's Arnold, actually." Arnold corrected the older man as he shook his hand. The name Alfred had caused him to pause, hadn't Bob called him that too as a child? Something's never change, apparently. At least Alfred was better than Orphan. "Your daughter is very talented."

"She is, isn't she?" Bob beamed proudly. It reminded Arnold of how Bob would speak of Olga all those years ago. Bob's attention turned to Helga watching her twirl. "You look awfully young to be one of the agency's best."

Arnold shrugged; "I'm very dedicated." it was true. He'd only been working at the agency for a year now and was on the of the company's youngest employees, yet he'd already become one of his boss's favorites, which seemed to really annoy his colleagues. "Tell me, how does Helga feel about having a live in bodyguard?" He asked curiously. Obviously he knew Helga wouldn't be exactly the same way she was when they were nine. He vaguely recalled her briefly having a nanny who she absolutely hated.

"She doesn't love the idea." Bob admitted in a low mumble, "I gave her two options; either she gets a bodyguard or I was going to move in with her. She chose a bodyguard. That's how badly she didn't want to live with me." He explained. "She has a big show coming up. She needs to be on her 'A-game'." He explained as he glanced at Helga, who was performing flawlessly. "They're going to be rehearsing for about another hour yet, why don't I show you her dressing room?"

"Sure." Arnold nodded, following Bob to Helga's dressing room. On the way Bob introduced Arnold to Tim Dunn, who was part owner of the ballet studio and Helga's mentor. "I read in your report that some personal items had been taken from here. What exactly was taken?"

"You'll have to ask Helga about what exactly was taken, because I'm not too sure. I know she had some clothing disappear…" His voice lowered, "A pair of underwear, a bra, a favorite top of hers…I think a bottle of perfume and a toothbrush had also disappeared."

Arnold couldn't help but wonder if a fellow dancer rather than a stalker was responsible for the theft. Though the fact a pair of underwear had gone missing disturbed him. He would have to ask Helga later what her relationship with the other dancers was like. He wasn't a cop, but finding answers if she was in actual danger or not was a top priority for Arnold.

"You can wait here until she done with practice. I'm sure she is excited to meet you." With that, Bob left Arnold alone in the room.

It figured Bob didn't remember him. Arnold took a seat on the loveseat that was pushed against the wall and wondered what Helga's reaction would be when she saw him again. They were in a weird spot in their…whatever they were when she moved. She had given him his first kiss and his second and third for that matter. Even after all this time he remembered what she had said to him on FTi, she swore it was just a heat of the moment thing. Arnold had never so sure about that, but he went along with it for Helga's sake. He spent the rest of his time waiting playing with his phone.

Arnold looked from his phone when he heard Big Bob's booming voice, "He's right in here Helga." Bob led his daughter into the room, "Arnold, this is my daughter Helga. Helga, this is Arnold. He will be your bodyguard until we get this mess sorted out."

"Nice to meet you." Helga mumbled as she shot him an uninterested look. "If you don't mind, I want to get changed, so I can go home."

Bob checked his watch, "Now that you two met I gotta get going. Call me if you need anything." He told Helga, he looked at Arnold, "Keep her safe."

"Umm…It's nice to meet you too." Arnold stammered in surprise. Was she pretending she didn't know him because of Bob? He stood there, unmoving and gawking at her. She looked absolutely beautiful. She was a bit too thin for his normal liking, but her porcelain skin was flawless. Her large light blue eyes were piercing.

"Are you going to stand out in the hall? Or do you expect me to change in front of you?" She raised an eyebrow and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Oh! Sorry!" Arnold quickly apologized. "I'll be out in the hall."

Ten minutes later, Helga left her dressing room. "Are you ready?" She asked, swinging a large black duffle bag over her shoulder.

Arnold nodded. "My car is parked out front." He told her as they made their ways towards it, "So…Helga…How have you been? It's been a really long time."

"I was only in there for ten minutes Arnold."

"What…No I mean…" Arnold was dumbfounded. Did Helga not remember him? Out of all the scenarios he had worked out in his head her not remembering him had not been one of them, "You don't remember me?"

"Should I?" Helga asked, sounding bored with the conversation.

"We went to school together for like seven years!" Arnold exclaimed. "In Hillwood, remember?" He asked, "You told me you loved me? I was Romeo to your Juliet?" There was still no recognition on her facial features. "You called me Football Head?" He finally tried.

"Oh! Right! Football Head! I think I remember you now." Helga laughed, "I see you grew into your head a bit. How've ya been?" She asked as he took her bag from her and throwing it in his trunk with his bags.

"You really don't remember me?" Arnold asked still dumbfounded.

Helga shrugged, "Sorry like you said, it was a long time ago. I moved away from Hillwood when I was nine. I guess I didn't give you much thought after I moved."

"I cannot believe you don't remember me." Arnold shook his head as he got into the driver's seat, "After all you put me through…"

"It's not that I don't remember you…I just don't remember you that well. I guess you just didn't leave that big of an impression on me." Helga stated as she buckled her seat belt. She smirked, "I see I left one on you though."

She laughed teasingly and all the memories of her teasing him, playing pranks on him, and laughing at him afterwards came flooding back. Every rotten thing she had ever done to him suddenly came back.

What in the hell had he just gotten himself into? He really hoped the money would be worth it.