Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.

No longer dense

Chapter 1: The crow's nest

Arnold was currently up in the crow's nest, staring into the night. He couldn't believe that he was finally here in San Lorenzo, the place where his parents had disappeared when he was only a baby. He wanted to find them and Eduardo was willing to help him.

He was happy about that, it made him hopeful that he'll finally be able to find them and…and finally have his family back in his life. But there was unfortunately a catch to all of this.

Eduardo had told him about LaSombra who was still after the corazon of the Green eyes and that he might be after him. He wanted to tell at least Gerald but he had promised Eduardo to keep it quiet and it ended with Gerald feeling upset that he was keeping secret. He didn't want to keep it a secret but he didn't want to break his promise. It was times like this he hated being in dilemma's such as this. He wanted to find his parents…but he didn't want to risk putting any one in danger with that river pirate LaSombra out there but with Eduardo around to protect them, they would be safe, they would be able to avoid LaSombra and hopefully find his parents in the end.

He just wished he didn't have to keep feeling like this.

"It'll work out…It has to…"He thought, though he wasn't completely confident in himself.

Suddenly he heard someone climbing up into the crow's nest but he didn't even bother to turn around. It was Helga.

"Arnold, what a surprise. I came up here to think about life and…stuff…"Helga said to him.

"Yeah, me too…"He mumbled, not even bothering to look at her.

He didn't mean to be rude, but he had a lot on his mind right now. There was a moment of silence between them, before Helga started talking again, trying to make some kind of conversation between them.

"So...up here, staring into the night, trying to figure out how to tell me something, huh?..."Helga said in an interested tone.

"Huh?...'Arnold thought in surprise, as he turned around to finally face her.

He looked down and weighed his options. He didn't want to break his promise but he didn't like keep something so big and so dangerous from his friends. Despite all the fights with her, he felt he could be honest with Helga about this, he'd just hope she at least would try and hear out his reasons.

Sighing, he decided to do it. If he was going to tell someone, it might as well be her, since she did ask him if he was keeping something to himself.

"Well, actually, I do have something to confess…'He started but was stunned by Helga suddenly becoming closer with an excited look on her face.

"Confess? Like a confession? Like a deep-seated secret you've been harboring and haven't told me?..."She asked in an eager tone much to his confusion.

"What's with her?...'Arnold thought before looking down as he continued… "Yeah….you ever feel like there's a hole in your heart?..."He said somberly, trying to keep his melancholy feelings in control.

As well as his confusion of Helga's strangely excited expression.

"Yes!..."She exclaimed… " All the time…." She said a little more calmly.

Arnold blinked a bit more at that strange response, before continued: "This whole trip's been about one thing…."He started before turning his back on her… "I want to find my lost parents…but I feel like I'm about to put us all in- - "He was cut off by Helga's suddenly angry tone.

"Yeah, yeah, I know all about your parents….'She said in an impatient tone, making Arnold wary about this sudden mood change.

"How do you feel about me?...'She suddenly demanded.

"What did she just say?..."Arnold thought in surprise…" Huh?..."He questioned.

Did Helga just asked him how he felt about her? Why would she ask that? And now of all time?

Suddenly Helga came forward, as if about to get him or something and Arnold, by instinct barely managed to dodge her.

"You wouldn't even be here without me!...'She said in a very desperate tone and Arnold found himself backing away from her.

"What's happening here?...'Arnold thought, getting a very strange sense of Deja Vous.

He ended up hitting the railing of the crow's nest, but his focus was still on Helga. He was getting anxious about her sudden, weird behavior…an anxiousness he hasn't felt since-

"Oh, Arnold, I may act like I don't care, I may even say I hate you, but that's a cover. I actually do care about you….'She said, now smiling of all things as she tried to get closer to him.

"Huh?..."He said again, feeling that very weird Deja vous again.

That smile…those eyes…those words…they were all just like-

He was brought out of those thoughts when Helga suddenly yanked him up by the shirt and Arnold was actually kind of fearing that she was about to attack him or something. Up until now, Helga has never actually hit him before. She has certainly threatened to do so many, many times but she hasn't. She just scowled in frustration but made no effort to hurt him, she just suddenly started shaking him.

"Don't play dumb, Arnold. You know what I'm talking about. You're like some weird old wise man, for crying out loud….'She said as she shook him.

" I know you can handle the truth, and I can, too….'She said seriously to him, still hosting up to stare at her face to face.

"What truth?!...'Arnold thought, feeling very freaked out about all of this.

"What are you talking about?!..."Arnold shouted, trying to make any sense of this situation.

He…He was getting a very bad feeling about this. If Helga wasn't going to hit him, he suddenly had memories of the last time they had been so close like this, not counting that tango he did with her during April fool's day during fourth grade. It was well over a year ago when they had saved the neighborhood and she said that she loved him but she also said that it had been in the heat of the moment.

FLASHBACK

Over a year ago

Arnold couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had snuck into the FTI building to find the proof of the document that could save the neighborhood. Sheck had burned the document but they at least managed to find the tape.

All thanks to Deep Voice.

Arnold had received another call from him, that was warning him that there were guards all over the place and were looking for him. Arnold was naturally curious as to how he knew that or how he knew where he even was. He managed to find out since Deep Voice had been following him around for days, he finally managed to find the figure that had been his helper but Arnold was sick and tired of all the mystery.

He had corner him, demanding to know who he was, but he kept trying to avoid him until he tripped….And then he discovered that "he", was actually a "she".

"Helga?!..."He shouted in shock, unable to believe it at all. There stood Helga G. Pataki, his personal tormentor, now looking at him with a look on surprise as well at being caught.

"You? You're Deep Voice?..'He asked in a hesitant voice, still unable to believe it.

"Heh-heh. Looks ...like it….'She said into her voice box before putting it down, using her real voice.

"But I don't get it. How come... How come you couldn't just tell me what you knew? Why'd you have to make up all this crazy secret identity?...'He asked, wanting to know why she had done this.

It didn't make any sense, she and her family were going to get rich from having the neighborhood turned into a mall, she had gloated about it for weeks that not only would she never have to see him again, but she was going to profit from it too.

'No reason…."She said nervously, obviously not wanting to talk about it.

"But Helga, you just risked everything to help me save the neighborhood…."He said in disbelief..

"So? What's your point?..."She said, no longer nervous but just annoyed.

"That's a pretty amazing thing to do for someone you claim to hate…"He pointed out.

"Yeah, well, I'm a pretty amazing person, football head….'She said with her hands on her hips.

"True…"He silently admitted, he had to agree with her on that one…."But, I thought you were on your dad's side. I thought you were going to get rich off the whole deal…"He said, still in astonishment.

"Money isn't everything….'She said, still scowling.

"Helga, why'd you do it?..."He asked her.

"It's my civic duty….'She said nervously.

"Helga. …"Arnold said in annoyance. Did she honestly believe he was going to buy that?

'Cause I love a good mystery?...'She said it like a question, as if silently asking him to take the bait and leave her be.

Okay, now he was getting mad!

"Oh, come on. What's the real reason?..."He demanded.

He didn't care that he might be wasting time or the fact that she had generously helped him out in his time of need. He was grateful for that mind you, but Arnold did not tolerate being lied to. He just had to know why she would give up the chance of being rich to help him when she made it clear she couldn't stand being in the same room as him.

Just what was in it for her? Why did she care so much?

"Oh, I don't know Arnaldo, I guess maybe I just took pity on you and your stupid friends….'She said with anger..

Well, why?...'He asked. He lost his angry expression in exchange for a confused and downright surprised one

He knew that despite her being a bully, he knew deep down Helga was a good person. He has seen it before but never like this. Why did she go out of her way to do something like this?…and go so hard to make sure that he never knew it was her?

"Because... because I guess maybe I don't hate you as much as I thought, okay? I guess maybe I... I even kind of like you a little. Heck, I-I guess you might even kind of say I like you a lot….'She said with a nervous smile.

"You do? You did this for me?..."He asked, still processing this.

"That's right, hair-boy. I mean, criminy, what else are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble?...'She shouted.

Time almost seem to pause for a minute as Arnold finally processed that sentence.

"Did she just say…."His mind almost seemed to pause for a minute as he processed that sentence and unintentionally said… "Love?.

Helga soon came forward at him, not in anger but in desperation…. "You heard me, pal. I love you, LOVE YOU!...'She said with such force that he literally fell down in shock. She didn't stop however, she just continued as he got up.

"Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day, building shrines to you in a closet, filling volumes of books with poems about you? I love you Arnold! I've always loved you…'She said desperately as she kept coming forward…

And he kept backing away from her.

"Shrines?...Poems?!...What the heck is she talking about?!...'He thought, feeling overwhelmed by this information…and a little scared to say the least.

Arnold felt his back hit the railing, and he turned to her in dread as he knew he was trapped. She didn't seem to notice or care… She didn't stop...She just kept talking and talking about things he never knew of and wasn't even sure he wanted to know!

"Ever since I first laid eyes on your stupid football head! And from that moment and every moment since, I've lived and breathed for you, dreamed of the moment I could finally tell you my secret feelings and could grab you…"She literally grabbed him by the shoulders and Arnold unintentionally flinched by her touch.

"'And kiss you and—! Oh, come here, you big lug!...'She said before pulling him into a big kiss.

She pressed her lips onto his with such a force that he nearly fainted upon contact. His eyes were the size of saucers and he was frozen stiff as she kept kissing him.

Helga G. Pataki was kissing him.

Yes, they have kissed before but that was for the school play and the babe watch thing. They didn't mean anything. No, this was a real kiss. She wasn't just pressing her lips against his, she was actively, savagely and enthusiastically CONSUMING him! She kept pushing him forward to deepen the kiss, pulling his forward to keep him close and tight in her passionate embrace as she kept kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

After what felt like a long time, she finally released him in order to breathe. Once there was oxygen in his lungs and his brain, he tried to process what had just happen.

"I'm confused. Did you just say you love me?...'He asked in a hesitant voice.

Sure, it was a stupid question but there was always a chance that she was just messing with him. Helga was certainly dramatic and maybe she just wanted to mess with him a bit, laugh and say "got'cha Football head".

No such luck, she just looked angry at that remark and maybe just a tad bit insulted.

"What, are you deaf?!...'She shouted as she shakes him in anger.

Suddenly there was static, he glanced down to his walkie-talkie and heard Gerald say "Arnold", but before he could respond. Helga beat him to it.

"Not now! …"She yelled angrily into the device.

"Not now? Who the...?...'We never heard the rest of it as Helga casually tossed the walkie-talkie behind her.

She then turned to him and Arnold gulped... 'Oh Arnold, just hold me…"She said in an impassionate voice as she reached out for him, though he thankfully managed to dodge her this time.

Now he was panting, a few feet away from her. She looked at him in confusion, which only made this situation far too bizarre for it to be real. She was after him and he was having trouble staying conscious right now.

"I... I... I-I need to think…."He said, avoiding looking directly at her.

It was her eyes…They were…he couldn't describe it. The way she looked at him, as if he was the most precious thing in the world to him. He couldn't handle it, he wanted her to stop, to back up so that he could try and focus on what the heck was going on right now.

She didn't notice or care. She came forward, gently holding him, looking at him with those…those…loving eyes of her and spoke to him in the softest, gentlest voice he has ever heard in his life.

"Yes, I suppose you'll have to do the thinking for both of us now, darling….'She said dreamily before trying to kiss him again.

'DARLING?!..."He thought in shock as he managed to dodge her yet again.

"Whoa! This is all happening too fast. I feel—I feel dizzy. I need to lie down…."He said, looking down, away from her.

He still couldn't process what had just happened. She turned down the chance to be filthy rich just to help him…She did it because she loves him…She said she loved him…She kissed him…She's STILL trying to kiss him.

She didn't seem to notice just how freaked out he was right now. She soon took him in her arms again, gazing at him adoringly and acting much more like a girl than he could ever remember seeing her act in their entire lives.

"Wonderful, I'll go with you…"She said, still in that airy, dreamy voice as she gazed at him lovingly.

"What?..."He processed that for half a second, until his eyes widen at what she just said and he found himself trying to push her off but she had a tight grasp on him.

'No!...I-I mean, there's no time for that. We've got twenty minutes to get back to the neighborhood before the bulldozers roll!..."He said desperately, trying to snap her out of her lovesick state and remind her of the reality of the situation.

He had to snap her out of whatever this is before they lose any more time…or if she tries to kiss him again.

"Bulldozers?..."She asked in the same, dreamy voice again, still not noticing anything at all.

"Helga. The neighborhood. We have to save the neighborhood…" He said with emphasis as he gripped her and to his relief, it seemed she managed to snap out of whatever trance she was in…

For the time being that it.

End of Flashback

That was a year ago, they had managed to save the neighborhood and they had both agreed that it was just her being dramatic and the heat of the moment. It didn't mean anything.

That had been their silent agreement.

"No…No…Don't tell me that she's…she's about to-…'Arnold was truly stunned, unable to believe this.

This couldn't be it, could it?!

"I'm talking about the fact that I really like you, Arnold…"Helga said passionately, in a similar tone to when she had grabbed him on the roof of the FTI building so long ago.

"You do?..."Arnold thought in disbelief as he felt that the whole world was suddenly spinning. She didn't stop, she didn't let him go yet, she just continued with her rant.

"Like thunder likes lightning…"She said it with that same smile she had on the FTI roof. One that was full of passion, desperation and overall, pure honesty that left him flabbergasted.

"What?..."He thought in confusion, wondering what that even meant. She didn't stop yet.

'Like faces like fists…"She said strangely as she suddenly she raised her hand into a fist.

He was actually getting very scared now that she would hit him. She didn't hit him really, she just rubbed it on his cheek, making him very, very uncomfortable right now…for many, many reasons.

"Thunder? Lightning? Fists?...'Arnold was having a very hard time processing all of this, and just wishing that she would just stop so that he could think.

He was scared he knew where this was going…and he knew that he wasn't ready for it.

'She's not…She's not actually going to say it, is she?..."He thought as fear, nervousness, anxiety, confusion, curiosity and many other feelings swelled up in him.

This couldn't be it!

She wasn't going to say that she loves him…again?!

Just like on that roof, but this was not a "heat in the moment" situation. They were alone, they weren't in a dangerous situation, or at least she didn't know that yet and nothing could have provoked this.

"You know, like-like….'She said and Arnold felt his heart stop at those words.

"L-Like-like?...'Arnold thought as he jaw dropped, as memories of the last time poured in his mind.

His head was spinning, he felt like he was about to faint but he was too paralyzed to even to that. He was just frozen in Helga's arms as he kept hearing more of her words. Memories about him being pinned again the railing of the FTI roof by her, her saying many things about being in love with him, obsessed with and wanting to be with him before she kissed him in such a way, he knew that he would never be able to forget it no matter how long he lived.

And it all started when she said that one word…

"Oh man…'He thought in dismay as realization dawned on his young face.

This whole trip to San Lorenzo, her helping make the video to win the trip…Did she really only do that because she loved him and she wanted him to love her too?

He couldn't believe it….and that freaked him out even more.

"She loves me…She actually loves me …"He thought in astonishment before gulping.

He knew what was about to happen now. She was going to say that she was in love with him again. She was going to push him against the railing and kiss him again. She would probably say more things about being in love with him, telling him about things he didn't know about and probably didn't want to know about….Like maybe about how she actually got all those video tapes about him for the contest…

Anyway, after that, he knew that neither she nor he would be able to take it back again. That would be it. They wouldn't be able to say that it was the heat in the moment. They wouldn't be able to pretend to go back to their normal routine of the bully and the bullied. He wouldn't be able to not think about her feelings, she might even stop the act all together after this and just…just keep acting like she had done on that roof now…maybe even all the time after this!

Everything would change…

Helga would tell him that she loves him, she would kiss him again and he now realized that she was trying to coax him into having feelings for her as well.

She wanted him to love her the same way she loved him…but he wasn't ready for any of this.

"She loves me, I know that but…but I don't…do I …no I don't…I…" He stopped thinking when Helga went back to talking, opening her mouth to say the last part of her confession that would open the great Pandora's Box of emotions he didn't want to face.

"In fact, I lo-..'She started that word and Arnold just couldn't handle it anymore

"No! Not now…I can't deal with this!..." He thought in desperation.

'Oh…'He let out as he immediately pulled away from her, turning around to find something, anything to just…just to stop her before she changed everything between them.

He wasn't ready for this…whatever this is, he just wasn't ready for it.

Thankfully, by some miracle, he noticed something in the water coming up to then.

It was a boat….

'A boat?...'Arnold thought in surprise.

Suddenly memories of Eduardo's warning of LaSombra came to his mind and he had to go warn him.

"There's a boat coming….'He said, warning Helga and thankfully managing to snap her out of her love-induce state.

He climbed down the crow's nest quickly. He had to get out of here and get to Eduardo before anything dangerous happened…or before Helga tried to corner him again. He had to warn him to protect everyone from the infamous river pirate. Whatever was happening with him and Helga, it could wait.

"AAHHHHHH!..."Was suddenly heard loudly, scaring even some of the birds. Arnold didn't even bother to look back at Helga as he kept trying to find Eduardo.

He knew Helga was likely really mad right now that he bailed on her like that, judging by the sound of her yell but…but this was more important. Their lives were on the line if LaSombra was really after them.

He didn't want to hurt Helga's feelings. Despite everything, he cared about her and saw her as a close friend. He was grateful for her help in getting them to San Lorenzo. He cared about her but now was not the time or place .He had to find Eduardo, he had to get everyone to safety and he had to find his parents.

He just hoped that she would understand.

-To be continued-

Next time on No longer dense

The escape

A/N: I had used a similar flashback to the FTI scene for the other Hey Arnold fanfic "Married II", so there might be some similarities.

:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)