Arnold opened the door to the hospital room, and saw Helga was sitting up eating soup of some kind. When she saw him she didn't look as happy as he thought she'd be to see him.
"Hey Helga." He closed the door softly behind him.
"Mr. President." She nervously tugged the blankets closer to her body.
"How are you feeling?" He asked moving closer to the bed.
"Like I've been shot. How do you think I'm feeling?"
He winced so she was obviously in a bad mood today. He sighed, and collapsed into the chair beside her bed.
"I am sorry this happened to you Helga." He said gently.
"It's not your fault Mr. President." She said pushing her hair back, and trying to move up in the bed.
"Are you in pain?"
"Not, really they have me on some good meds. I'll survive."
"When do you get out?"
"The doctor said not for a few days. If the bullet wound doesn't kill me the hospital food will." She said pushing the soup away.
"What if I brought you something good? I can have someone run me to a resturant. Just tell me what you'd like." He stood up.
"I wouldn't say no to a burger...and chili cheese fries...and a chocolate milkshake." She smiled.
"Coming right up...I'll have Thomas take me to a burger stand, and be right back."
"Thomas? Where's Charlie?" Helga asked, and Arnold smiled.
"I'll talk to you about that when I get back." He leaned over, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Helga watched him leave before sinking deeper into the bed, and drifting off to sleep.
A little while later Helga felt somone gently shaking her leg, and opened her eyes to see Arnold. He smiled shaking a brown paper bag lightly.
"Food delivery."
"Finally, I'm starving." She struggled to sit up, and he helped her before serving up the food.
"So tell me...where's Charlie?"
"He's with Lucy." Arnold said with a smile.
"Oh Mr. President...I'm so sorry."
"Don't be Lucy, and I decided that we weren't right for one another...she was in love with someone else, and I...I mean don't you, and I...have something?"
She blushed, and looked away biting her lip. She didn't answer though, and he let the subject drop.
"Anyway, Lucy, and I split up, and Charlie took her home...that was yesterday nobody has seen or heard from him yet...you draw your own conclusions." He said with a smile.
"I'm sorry it didn't work out with Lucy. Really I am."
"I'm not. I hope she's happy with Charlie though I gotta say I never saw it coming."
"Me neither."Helga said taking another french fry.
Arnold sighed sitting back further in the chair he noticed she never answered his question, but decided to let it drop for now at least.
SIX DAYS LATER...
Helga sat in a wheelchair on a small stage at the white house in her best pants suit. There were news crews everywhere taping as Arnold made a speech. Jake stood off to the right of the stage, and he gave her a smile. To the back of the room she could see Charlie, and Lucy. They were standing side beside, but not touching anywhere. They kept their relationship private when in public. Her Dad, and Olga were in chairs on stage with her.
"And so I would like to publicly thank Miss Pataki for her service, and for saving my life as well as taking a bullet in the line of duty she has done more for the united states than many have in a lifetime. Her bravery will not be forgotten or ever repaid."
Arnold turned to face her, and began to clap. The rest of the room followed his lead clapping as well, and those who were sitting down stood up. She smiled, and waved.
Arnold approached her with the medal of honor he insisted that she have, and he draped it around her neck then hugged her close.
"You're amazing." He whispered in hear when he still had her in a hug.
"Thank you, Mr. President." She smiled, and he pulled away shaking her hand.
They stood there together letting people take pictures, and Helga forced a smile this would be the last time they'd be together. He hadn't brought up what happened between them since the hospital when he asked her, and she hadn't answered.
He hadn't brought it up again, and neither had she. She had suffered enough in this place she spent the entire time here at war with herself ripping herself apart until there was nothing left of her, and now she wanted to take the pieces, and go home.
A few minutes later she was at last free. Olga was pushing her down the hallway, and Big Bob was following her. He was carrying the bouquet of roses Arnold has given her there were at least forty of them.
"Come on Olga I want to go home." Helga said with a sigh.
"Helga I'm going as fast as I can. Why are you in such a hurry? Arnold said not to leave until he was done in the press room."
"Yeah I know, but I have to get out of here." Helga said.
"Helga, you're always running." Olga said softly.
"Listen Olga no offense, but this time...it's justified I have to get out of here now while there's still enough left of me to walk away." Helga said with a sigh rubbing her forehead feeling a headache approach.
"Helga!" Olga stopped, and Helga groaned.
"I'm sorry Helga...I'll go bring the car around." Olga said rushing off with Bob on her heels.
Arnold frowned as he approached the wheel chair, and he saw how disappionted Helga looked.
"You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye were you?" He asked.
"I was trying."
"Why?" He looked hurt, and she looked away feeling sick. It wasn't fair that he made her feel guilty for doing the right thing. It wasn't fair that to save him even emotionally she had to sacrifice herself. The man she jumped infront of a bullet for was slowly killing her.
"Because, I just want to go home."
"Can we talk first?"
"There's nothing to talk about." She said looking down at her hands in her lap.
"Yes there is... I love you." He said kneeling on the floor so he was on her level.
"No..."
"I love you Helga, Only you always you." He said. She refused to look at him. He reached out, and tipped up her chin making her eyes meet his, and a tear rolled down her cheeks her eyes filled with more.
"You can't love me." She said softly.
"I'm sorry?"
"You can't love me. I don't give you permission to love me I never asked you to love me. All I ever asked from you was that we keep this proffesional, and you couldn't. I won't let you do this to me. Not anymore I'm stronger than this. If I don't leave now I never will, and I can't survive like this. I can't live with someone who is more of me than I am."
"You're scared...You love me, and You've never loved anyone, and it scares you." He said sharply.
"I don't love you." She said looking directly at him. He stared at her his heart feeling the pain a million times. He couldnt' find a lie in her voice or her eyes.
"I just want you to love me..."He said his hand cupping her cheek, and brushing her hair back.
"I don't." She said, and he took a deep breath looking so broken it took her breath away.
"Ok then. Goodbye Helga." He stood, and she looked up at him.
"Goodbye Mr. President." Olga came in, and offered Arnold a sad smile before wheeling Helga out the door.
Helga held it all in until they reached the car. Once the doors were shut she collapsed back onto the seat, and cried until her chest began to hurt, and her breath began to wheeze.
"Helga, please calm down you'll make yourself sick. You just had a serious injury." Olga scolded, and Helga looked at her in the rearview mirrror miserably.
"I know...I just had a serious injury...it just happened, and it was self inflicted." She sobbed miserably.
"Helga... sweetie can we do anything? do you want to turn around?" Bob asked, and she shook her head.
"Just take me home...I want to go home."