Gosh, it has been a long time since I have written this! I am so sorry, college is hard! I hope you forgive me! This chapter is more on the shorter side, but I think a decent amount goes on in it and I hope it is okay! I plan to have more chapters up soon, since I am on Christmas break and actually have time to write for you guys! Also, Thank you so much for the reviews, you are all amazing and I hope I'm not letting you down! Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold


Friday February 18, 2011

Snap!

This can't be good Helga thought to herself as she dropped to the floor of the rink and Arnold went flying away from her, falling himself. Helga frantically tried grabbing at her ankle, but was unable to do so without it hurting worse. The throbbing she felt was unbearable as the weight of the roller-skate prevented her from moving her right leg at all. She sat there in awe as the whole night flashed before her and she realized what was going on.

"Helga, Helga are you alright?! Arnold was shaking, tears of worry in his eyes.

"Just get it off, Arnold! Take the skate off of my foot," Helga begged, her voice elevating as she maintained composure, refusing to let any tears fall.

Arnold obliged, but in a state of panic attempted to simply pull the roller skate off of her foot, rather than untying it and gently removing it.

"Agh!" Helga screamed as a burst of pain shot up her leg, "No, football head untie it, untie it first!" she cried out, fighting back the tears that were caused by her inevitable wince.

Shaking, Arnold gently placed her foot back down on the rink and began to untie the laces of the roller-skate, his face red from both embarrassment and agony from hurting Helga. By that time, workers of the skating rink and Arnold's family had begun to surround her.

When the roller-skate was removed, Helga's eyes darted to the swollen lump that was her ankle. It was already beginning to change from the milky cream color of her skin to an array of blue and purple and she couldn't pull her eyes away; she noticed Arnold staring at it too, with so much hurt in his eyes.

"Can you stand?" Helga heard someone say, maybe a rink worker. She wasn't particularly paying attention she was just focused on the fact that she managed to screw up such a great night with Arnold.

"Uhm, yeah I think so," she replied before untying the left roller-skate. Once theskate was off, she grabbed hold of Arnold and Mr. Hyunh who were at her sides, ready to assist her to the sitting area without putting pressure on her injured ankle.

"How about walking?" Arnold's Grandpa asked her.

"Hmm, let me try," she said, determined to find any possibility that the injury was only minor. She extended her right leg just enough to take a step when she felt a strange pull inside her ankle and another shot of pain went up her leg, "Nope," she added with a sigh.

Arnold and Mr. Hyunh successfully got Helga to a bench, when one of the workers quickly rushed to her side with a small snack baggie with two ice cubes inside. By this point Helga was confused and trying to ignore the throbbing pain she felt in her right ankle, so when she saw the limited amount of help the rink was providing her patience wore out.

"Two ice cubes! Somebody got injured at their rollerskating rink and all that they can offer is a small little bag with two measly ice cubes! Sheesh!" Helga ranted as the worker walked away.

"I think we should get you to the hospital now, Helga," Arnold suggested, "I'll go get your shoes and we will help you to my car."

Oh, Arnold your kindness, your worry. You care so deeply for all others and express so much compassion to me. How do I repay you? I go and hurt myself and make you feel obligated to take care of me. Gosh, how can I be so stupid. You, sweet boy, will never want to speak to me again after this burden I've put upon you. Helga thought to herself as she felt Arnold slipping one of her boots on her left foot and placing the one for her injured right foot on the table. "Thanks, Arnold," she said, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"You're welcome, Helga, now let's get you to the hospital and take care of that ankle, it looks like it's getting worse and those 'two measly ice cubes' didn't seem to help at all," he chuckled as he and Mr. Hyunh got into position to assist her again, this time to the car.

"Be careful on the ice, Arnold. There's a patch right in front of the door when we step outside." Mr. Hyunh cautioned.

"I will, Mr. Hyunh, I won't let anything else happen to Helga tonight." Arnold replied as Helga tried to hide her swoon.

"I'm so sorry that I messed up tonight," Helga said, once the two were both settled in the car and on their way to Hillwood Mercy Medical Center.

"Helga, you don't have to be sorry at all. It could have happened to anyone, I'm just sorry I let it happen," Arnold responded as a tear slipped down his cheek.

"Arnold, it wasn't your fau.." Helga started.

"Yes it was my fault, it was my idea to go rollerskating, I had your hand, I should have protected you. All I did was hurt my friend tonight," Arnold's eyes were glistening from the tears that wanted to pour from his eyes. Helga could tell he was trying not to cry.

Helga turned her head to look out the window because looking at him was making her own tears threaten to fall and she knew that would make it harder for Arnold. What have I done, she thought.

The remainder of the ride was short, but completely silent until Arnold pulled into the emergency room parking lot. He got out of the car and ran inside the hospital, returning moments later with a wheelchair for Helga. "Alright, Helga let's get you checked in," Arnold said, pushing her into the building.

Arnold watched as Helga gave the nurse her information and calmly explained what happened. Wow, she is handling this whole thing so well. She must be in so much pain, but she's acting as if it isn't bothering her one bit. She is so amazing, so strong. How come I was never able to see this before! Arnold thought.

"Just take a seat over there and we will call you when the x-ray technicians are ready," the nurse instructed Helga, breaking Arnold out of his thoughts.

The two didn't talk much as they waited for Helga to be taken to get her x-rays. It seemed like an eternity before she was called back. Arnold had to remain seated in the waiting room while she was gone and all his mind did was wander.

On the way to the x-rays, the nurse was trying to start a conversation with Helga, which she wasn't particularly interested in doing, but she obliged to make the time fly faster.

"How did the injury happen?" The nurse, who must not have been filled in, asked.

"I went rollerskating and haven't been in years, so I was a bit rusty. I got a little overwhelmed toward the end and slipped…my ankle basically went one way while my body went the other way and CRACK!" Helga slapped her hands together for emphasis, making the nurse jump. Smirking Helga continued, "Yeah, so now Arnold out there probably thinks I'm a joke and will never want to see me again."

"Oh, I see. So you like this Arnold boy?" The nurse asked to confirm.

"Well, ya see, he's my best friend. I mean he's always there for me; he actually always has been there for me My whole life he was there when nobody else was. He's so kind-hearted, caring and helpful. I don't know, I mean I used to be so, so cruel and he always saw past that ya know, now we are absolutely the best of friends and I think I just screwed it up," Helga blurted out.

"Well if Arnold is half the boy you say he is, I don't think you have to worry about him not wanting to see you ever again. It seems to me as if he loves you just as much as you love him," the nurse said.

"You think? Wait…LOVE! I never said anything about love, lady," Helga exclaimed.

"Okay, okay, but I don't think that he will see you as a joke. Now let's check out this leg," the nurse replied with a smile.

Helga returned to the waiting room about fifteen minutes later and the two were escorted into a temporary room to wait for the results.

"What do you think they will say?" Arnold asked.

"The x-ray technicians said it looked pretty bad. I just hope it isn't broken, I have to start softball in two weeks." Helga replied.

"Helga, I am so sorry that this happened to you. If I could have done anything to prevent it I would have."

"I know, Arnold….Hey! look at that sign over there," Helga was pointing at a poster on the wall with numbered smiley faces ranging from a bright cheerful happy face at zero, to a sad crying face at 10. It was a pain chart for the patients to point out what kind of pain they were feeling. "I'd say my pain is about a seven, but look my face is a zero!" Helga added, making Arnold smirk.

"Whatever you say, Helga."

"Helga Pataki," a nurse entered the room.

"Yes?"

"We have received your x-rays back. You have fractured your fibula and have an immense amount of ligament damage," the nurse reported.

Helga's face dropped, "Wha..?"

"You are going to have to go to an orthopedic surgeon on Monday in order to find out if you will need surgery on your ankle or not, because it is a possibility with the way the injury appears. We are going to put you in a soft cast for the weekend and make an appointment for you on Monday with the doctor," the nurse continued.

"Oh…Okay, thank you," Helga replied with a slight smile and a nod as the nurse left the room and another came into to dress her ankle. "Well, football head, looks like I won't be playing softball this year."

"Gosh, Helga, I just can't believe this happened. I'm so sor.."

"Arnold, please stop apologizing. It isn't your fault, I promise you," Helga reassured him before regarding her attention to the nurse wrapping her ankle. "Thank you for your help ma'am," she said as the nurse finished putting the final layer of wrap on her ankle and handed her a set of crutches.

"You're welcome, dear. You're all set to go home, take care."

"Have a nice night," Arnold said to the nurse," Now, let's get back to school, so you can rest your leg," he added for Helga.


OH NO! It's broken! How is this going to affect the two's relationship? Bahaha you will find out! :D Thank you all so much for following, favoriting, reading, and reviewing! You are all awesome! :]