Author's Note: This chapter is a little bit shorter, but it's been one of my favorites to write. I am trying to keep in mind their personalities as well as their life experiences as I write about Arnold's and Helga's relationship. Boy is it hard! Enjoy :)

It's time to talk.

I am at home drinking a cup of coffee. It is well after dinner, which Arnold had offered to pick up. And now, we are sitting at the table together while Frankie gets ready for bed.

"Helga,"

His voice is soft, yet firm.

I glance at him. I feel tired all through. I couldn't believe what had happened this afternoon. Not only had my daughter left school and walked home by herself, deliberately disobeying me, my own sister has proven herself to be a full-blown criminal.

"You didn't turn her in," he says to me.

I groan. "Arnold. She is a criminal, yes, but she is my sister. How could I turn her in?"

"Then why didn't you help her. You could have gotten her out of that situation. She needs rehab,"

"Oh please Arnold, don't get all psycho on me. What was I supposed to do? She is a hopeless druggie and has been for the past 10 years!" I say, frustrated.

"She came by here, didn't she?"

"I – I don't know what you're talking about," I say.

"She came here, asking you for help," He says again, his voice rising with accusation.

"Criminy, Arnold! How the hell do you know that?" I shout. Probably too loud. I didn't like to curse around Frankie.

"I'm a psychiatrist, Helga. These things are more common than you think,"

I want to shout at him. I want to tell him how stupid he was being, and that just because he was a psychologist, didn't mean he is some sort of genie who knew all my problems and could magically make it better.

And yet…I can't bring myself to do it. Deep down inside there is still that part of me that cares about him.

"And," I say, "Do you really know what it feels like? What that stuff does to a family? My mother was an alcoholic long before I could remember, and now Olga is following a similar path,"

"I have…a better idea than you think," he says.

He is hiding something, I can tell, but then again, so am I. A lot actually. He ran his hand through his short blonde hair anxiously thinking about something. Whatever was suddenly on his mind, it wasn't pleasant. I decide to change the subject.

"And that's one thing! Not to mention Frankie. I can't believe she would just run off from school like that!" I say. "And besides, why on earth would you just take her to the carnival?"

"Helga, she was going to go the carnival with or without me. But even if she did it's not that big of a deal. I mean, we used to run around town without supervision all the time when we were kids. It's not that different now," He says.

I know the truth though, but I can't bring myself to tell him. I can rarely bring myself to tell anyone, "Yeah, it's just that I worry…" I say, which is true. I do worry about her, constantly. I wonder if I worry so much about her because no one ever worried about me as a kid.

"She's a good kid! Really smart…she really takes after you," he says. I look into his eyes and smile. "Yeah, she does," I laugh.

"I like it when you smile," He says, grabbing my hand on the table. His touch feels like fire on my skin, and for some reason fear seems to leap into my heart. He smiles, but his eyes look sad and tired. I pull away.

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you so willingly dumped me back in high school," I tell him irritably.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! That is not how I remember it," he says defensively.

"Oh really, then how do you remember it, Mr. All-knowing?"

"You were the one who said you didn't think a long distance relationship would work!"

"No, I don't think so!" I say. "You were the one who clearly decided that he was headed in a very different direction than me. You even said so yourself!"

Arnold draws and irregular breath. "I hate fighting with you," he says.

"Oh please, Arnold. You hate fighting in general. You are utterly complacent!" I say to him, frustrated. How could we talk pleasantly one moment and fight the next?

"I'm utterly complacent? You let your sister get away today without even informing the authorities about her identity! Not only that, but you turned her away when she came to you for help beforehand. Talk about complacency! I have never known you to be so uncaring. You're either cold or fiery, not in between!"

"I don't need a lecture!" I growl at him.

He sighs. "You are so stubborn,"

I shrug my shoulders.

"So I guess I will let myself out," he says

"You know where the door is," I reply.

He gets up from the table and walks out. I don't move a muscle.

Frankie stood on the other side of the wall, having heard every word.

…

"Arnold, do you consider me a friend?"

He looks up. God dammit. It's Frankie. Her mother was going to kill me! Their argument last night was still on his mind.

"Yes, Frankie, I consider you to be a friend," He tells her, unsure why she is asking him.

"Then I need your help," she says, sitting down next to him. Her cheeks are rosy and she looks cold. "There's a dance at school and I want you to take me," she says. There is a seriousness about her that Arnold had never seen before.

"Why me? Don't you have any boys at school who would take you?" He says, smiling.

"No, Arnold," she says. "This is not that kind of dance. It's a father daughter dance and I want you to take me,"

Arnold feels shocked. "I – I guess so…but I don't know what your mother is going to say about it…"

"Oh, she probably isn't going to like it," Frankie says, shrugging her shoulders, "But I don't mind. And I expect you to pull yourself together, Arnold! Please wear something better than this…" she says gesturing to his outfit.

He laughs. "Ok, I'll do my best,"

"Oh boy, I'm gonna have to get Uncle Gerald in on this one,"

…

"Mom!" I hear Frankie yell as I am in the kitchen, working on my assignments for school.

"What?" I call out to her as she walks into the room.

"Is this going to work?" She says, coming in carrying a pink flowing dress. It's mine, and probably the only nice thing in my closet.

"Work for what?" I demand, taking it from her hands.

"Doi! The dance," she tells me, putting her hands on her hips like she always does. "You're coming with me and wearing this," I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Is this the daddy daughter dance thing?" I ask her.

She sighs at me impatiently. "Yes, mom, but they said we could bring another adult," she says. "Now how do you like it?"

"I don't know Frankie. Why don't you ask Uncle Gerald, I'm sure he would be happy to take you?" I tell her, eyeing the dress. Last time I had worn this…was when I was in high school, and was dating Arnold. I'm not fat or anything, but I'm pretty sure this thing is going to hug me more than it did last time I put it on.

"Mom! Uncle Gerald is taking Kailani, he can't take me too,"

I look at her. She is very fervent. "Fine," I agree. She is my everything, and there is no way I can let her be unhappy. If she wants me to take her to a stupid dance, then I will.

She claps her hands excitedly and snatches the dress back to hang it in the closet.

I smile at her as I watch her run down the hall way. I love her so much.

It finally grows late, and I pack up my stuff into by backpack. I hear a strange noise. It's almost like a tapping sound. I peek out the window into the street, but see nothing. Still, I can't help but feel a little nervous.

Maybe it was just some animal.

Either way, I double check to make sure the door is lock. Whatever it is, it just isn't sitting well with me.

A softy chapter, but fun anyway!

Shout out to all of you guys who are following and reviewing. I honestly was just going to quit writing this story, but you guys have encouraged me to continue! You are AWESOME!