"Come on shrimpo, I'll walk you home so you don't get jumped. Nobody messes with Helga G. Pataki." Helga smirked, pulling out a pocket knife. Sid looked up at her with big eyes and nodded. The two headed off, it was a long way to Sid's house and back to her own so their pace was quick. Sid struggled to keep up with Helga's long strides.

"So how'd you run into Arnold? What were you doing over on side of town?" Sid asked, checking over his shoulder every couple seconds to make sure no one would jump them from behind.

"Big Bob and Miriam got into another fight." Helga said, as she played around with the blade in her hands.

"Again? Man what happened this time? Over her drinking? The company? You? Oh I know was it over Olga?"

"I don't know what started this one, but I didn't feel like hearing it, left through my window."

"Where were you going?" Sid asked, finally catching up to Helga for a short moment, falling behind again. "Could you slow down a bit." running through some broken glass left in the street.

"What? Sorry shrimpo, and I don't know where I was going. I knew I didn't want to come back here. Grrrr stupid Arnold, man I hate that boy, I really hate him. I hate his stupid Football head, I hate him for showing up randomly, no letter or nothing? I hate that boy with a passion." Helga said, half to herself. Sid had gotten use to Helga's monologues since 6th grade when he over heard her behind the school.

"But..." Sid said rolling his eyes.

"But I love him, I love him for returning to where his very presences belongs. His smile that enlightens the void that filled my once broken heart. His compassion toward others. Oh Arnold" *sigh* Sid could her the passion in Helga's words. He knew how much she loved Arnold, and thought it pretty sad that Arnold never got a chance to see it.

" Boy, Helga just tell him already now that he's back. Maybe he'll feel the same." Sid desperately trying to break Helga out of her own little world.

"What are you crazy!?" Helga shouted at him. Sid felt small, he looked at Helga like a deer in headlights. Remembering that Sid got enough of that at home she hushed her voice. "I'm sorry Sid. But I just can't alright?"

"Helga I how much you went through after Arnold left, what if he leaves again? I'm not gonna let you hold that all in again." Sid said, grabbing Helga's wrist, stopping her. Helga flinched, yanking her wrist back. Sid looked at her.

"Yeah well what about you shrimpo you're miserable too. If I get happy what are you gonna do huh? I don't trust you alone bucko. My life is just as much as a hell hole as yours." Helga said coldly, rubbing her wrist.

"That's nothing I can do to fix that. At least I try to be happy Helga. It's like you almost want to be tortured and twisted inside." Sid's voice raised, he grew frustrated with his friend, he wanted Helga to be happy. Helga glared down at Sid. "How dare he accuse me of wanting to be this mixed up. Why I atta pound that geekbait." She thought to herself, and took off in the other direction.

"Helga? Helga where are you going? Helga don't leave me alone. Helga!" Sid shouted after her, his heart began to race. Sid started to panic, his mind filled with fearful thoughts as he chased after Helga. She stopped and laughed a little. Sid finally caught up to her. "Boy Howdy Helga that was a dirty thing to do, you know how I get when I walk alone." Sid said, trying to catch his breath.

"Whattya gonna do? Come on I better get you home." Helga said continuing down the street. "You gonna get into any kinda trouble for being out this late? She asked over her shoulder to Sid, who was trailing closely behind.

"Uh maybe, I'm just hoping my old man is passed out the time we get there." Sid said, checking over his shoulder again. they soon approached Sid's apartment build, Sid looked up at his apartment window to check if the light was on. "Damn it." He muttered under his breath. Helga looked over at him, still playing with the blade. Sid looked worried.

"Uh squirt, you uh, want me to take you up? You know just incase." Helga said cautiously, looking up at the apartment with a dim light shining through the small window.

"Nah I should be fine." Sid shrugged and forced a smile. "Thanks for the walk home though Helga." Sid said walking toward the building door, opening it. "See ya tomorrow Pataki." his voice called out as the heavy metal door began to close. Helga stood there waiting for the slam before turning around to head home.

*UP IN SID'S APARTMENT*

"EH KID! Where'dya think yer headin?" A drunk voice called out from the kitchen, it was Sid's father. "Whattaya think yer doin' sneakin' round at an hour like this?" His father snarled at his son, hold a cold beer in one hand. Sid looked at his old man in disgust and fear.

"I was, I-I-I was walking home Pa, Helga walked me how to m-making sure I was okay." Sid stuttered. "But I-I'm-"

"Stop that damn stuttering, what areya? some kinda nancy boy?" His father laughed, walking over to Sid. Sid felt small and frozen.

"S-sorry Pa." Sid stuttered again, fear filled his voice. "Where's ma?" he asked looking around, hoping something bad hadn't happened.

"Work caller er in again." His father's gaze held strong on Sid. Sid felt a relieved along with hopelessness.

"I'm-I'm gonna go to bed now, night pa." Sid said sheepishly, beginning to walk away from his intoxicated father.

"Oh are you now." He father said, grabbing Sid by the shoulder, "Well I don't think so." he yanked Sid back and shoved him against a wall. "A boy like you shouldn't stay out so late. I was worried son, you could've called." he lifted his fist. Sid's eyes went huge with fear.

"We-we-we don't have a p-p-phone, re-remember pa? Th-they disconnected it." Sid could hardly mange to get the words out.

"Shut up!" His father pushed his fist into Sid face. "You see what you make me do son? You think I like doing this to you?" he released the grip on Sid's jacket and let him go. Sid raced to his room.

*SLAM*

Sid took off his jacket and shirt, tossing them across his small, messy room. He walked of to the mirror to examine what his father had just done. Sid traced over every bruise and cut on his body, each one caused a horrible memory to flash through Sid's mind. Sid filled with such rage, he slammed his fists into the mirror. He hated looking at the cuts, he hated looking at the bruises that his father left on him. The excuses why didn't change for gym class. He hated it all, but most of all he hated his father. Sid fell to his knees looking at his bloody hands. He suddenly felt a little calmer. Sid stood back up and went to his washroom to wash the blood up. his father was now passed out on the sofa snoring softly. Sid snuck into the kitchen to grab a bag of ice for his now swollen face, and went to back to his room. Sid sat down on his bed, feeling weak. His head began to sink down to his pillow as he hummed himself softly to sleep.

*BACK TO HELGA*

"Damn cold weather." Helga said to herself, rubbing her hands together. "Hope Squirt didn't get into too much trouble." she looked back in Sid's direction. "Almost home, almost home." she whispered to herself. "Stupid Arnold, coming back, everything was fine before he came back." she paused. "Oh who am I kidding, my life was such a mess when Arnold left, the food was bland, the sun just didn't shine. What was happiness with Arnold gone? Oh how I've missed his golden hair, his unusual football shaped head, his optimistic personality." Helga continued to herself, coming closer to her house. It was dark. "Hm I guess Big Bob and Miriam must've passed out." She said reaching for the keys, hiden in a crack on the steps. Helga unlocked the door and went up to her room, kicking off her boots and tossing her jacket on the floor. She lay down on her bed and check her phone.

"You have 6 messages." the robotic voice said on her phone.

"Let's see, Phoebe, Phoebe, Miriam, Miriam, Big Bob and Arnold!?" She quickly opened the text from Arnold. "Hey Helga, I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch sometime to catch up." She read aloud. Helga smiled and sighed, falling onto her pillow. She fell asleep still clutching her phone, with a goofy grin on her face.