Sunday evening, after Gerald and Arnold ordered takeout to eat in their apartment, and Helga insisted on paying for her share of the food, the three of them cleared up the kitchen, laughing and talking as they did so.

" So what are you going to do tomorrow?" Arnold asked Helga as she casually helped wipe dishes. " I'm sorry, I don't think I might be able to take the day off from work, the kids have a writing exercise they have to finish and they still need help."

Helga rolled her eyes and laughed. " I'm not taking you away from your kids. I've seen it when your class thought Nadine was taking your virtue away, and they were hysterical. If it gets out you took a day off to accompany a woman they have never met before, I think half the class would end up in the hospital."

Arnold winced. " I was actually worried they would hurt the relief teacher but yes they are a little unruly..."

Then, his face lit up. It was like he had a really good idea.

"You should come to school with me!" Arnold said excitedly.

Helga looked at him as though he was nuts. " You nuts or something?" she asked. " Arnold, I'm a 29 going on 30-year-old woman. I haven't been near the premises since 2000 something-"

" No no, it's all good!" Arnold said excitedly. " Remember the class talk we had to reschedule on? This will be perfect! You can come down and conduct the talk there and then!" He grinned. " You can also come see Nadine and say hi to Mr Simmons. He was so upset that he missed you the last time you visited the last time. If you came over, I think he would be really happy!"

Helga tried to remember the last time she saw Mr Simmons. The tall, balding man with hair like dark butter had been crying when he left the doorstep of the townhouse, after saying goodbye to Helga and her family the night before they moved to Michigan. At the time she had been tired of people crying over her like her moving was a devastating, life-changing move to them when really it was more a devastating, life-changing move for her and her only. Why did people seem to make it all about them when it was her life that was going to hell forever?

In retrospect, Helga had not been in the best frame of mind when she was 12.

And perhaps a tad dramatic.

" Hm, it might actually be a good idea." Helga mused. " I've always wanted to hold a talk. You know, children are the future, teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside-"

Arnold nodded cheerfully. " I'm so glad you feel that way! Though if you did feel that way, why didn't you become a teacher? I didn't know you wanted to inspire children-"

" Arnold. Dude. I was quoting Whitney. You know, the singer?"

" Oh."

" Yeah."

The both of them fell silent. Gerald silently shaking with laughter in the living room area did not break the tension at all.

Helga was the first to crack up. " I cannot believe you don't know about Whitney Houston's best song ever!" she chortled. " How do you not know that song? Do you even know your music?"

" Hey hey," Arnold said, faux-sternly. "Everyone knows Whitney Houston's best song is Dance With Somebody! It encompasses the joy of Whitney, the want to love someone, and dance!"

" Uhhuh, sure." Helga teased, as she walked over to muss Arnold's hair a little. " Delude yourself a little more on that, blondie."

"AND AY YEEEEE AHHHHHHHHH YEEEEEEE AHHHHHHH WILL ALWAYS LAHRVE YOUUUUUUUU-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OOOOO." Blasted music coming out from somewhere, startling Helga and surprising Arnold hard enough to nearly drop a dish on the floor. When both looked up to find the source of the music, they found Gerald, who was blasting Whitney Houston out of his Spotify app on his phone, grinning up a storm.

" THIS ONE!" Gerald yelled to answer their questioning stares. " Best Whitney song! Nothing else compares! Works for so many occasions! It could be later, it could be now…"

Helga was sure Gerald winked at them. She thought it was charming, and she did agree. That song was a classic. She gave him a thumbs up.

Arnold, looking exasperated, placed the dish down and made a lunge at Gerald, trying to grab the phone. Gerald sidestepped, dodging Arnold's attack just as Arnold made another lunge, this time more successful. They spent a few minutes tussling on the floor.

Helga may have taken the opportunity to get her phone to take a few shots while the two boys were even a video. She knew a bunch of her friends who liked watching men wrestle, especially handsome men like him. She sent the video to Phoebe and Eugene and the fans of wrestling, then sat on the couch looking through her phone waiting for the two to finish.

The next day, Arnold and a very grumpy Helga were in the kitchen, bright and early.

Too fucking bright and early in Helga's case, thought Arnold as he looked over at the very slumped body of Helga Pataki over the kitchenette.

" It's 7 am!" Helga groaned, head flat on the table. " Why. Why did I agree to your goody-two-shoes suggestion of going to school to be a good role model? I'm too young to be a role model. I have piercings! I may or may not have a tattoo. I have been arrested for civil disobedience a few times. I am not the one to show the way-"

" Helga," Arnold said patiently, placing a mug of coffee in front of her. " Come on. We have thirty more minutes before we catch the bus. Drink this coffee. Then go brush your teeth and get dressed."

Helga turned blurry eyes up at Arnold. She should not be able to look as charismatic as she did with messy hair, dressed in a t-shirt and track pants. " Why are you dressed?"

Arnold's first instinct, which was to blush, was tamped down by a sense of duty to get Helga up and ready for school. " These are my school clothes, Helga." He said neutrally. " People wear clothes to keep warm or to express their individuality or even look professional."

" No no," Helga mumbled. She took a small swig of her coffee before she started again. " Why plaid? Why are you wearing plaid?"

Arnold looked down at his shirt, a red and blue plaid with white stripes that ran through the entire shirt. He wore it because it was getting cold and it was one of his warmest shirts. " Plaid is …comfortable?" he said. And yes, phrasing it like a question definitely made sense in context.

Helga took another sip. " No, plaid makes you look like a nerd."

" I'm a teacher, Helga. To the kids, I probably am a nerd."

Helga snorted, " Clearly." She downed the rest of the contents and made to walk to the sink to get the mug rinsed and cleaned, but Arnold snagged it before she did.

" No, I'll get it rinsed." he insisted. "You go get dressed and get ready. Be here in the next 20 mins."

"15!" she yelled back, wandering off to Arnold's room to grab her clothes and run to the bathroom, leaving Arnold alone with his thoughts as he washed the mug.

He wasn't super sure what he was doing, bringing Helga back to PS 118. She had agreed to coming to give a talk in the morning due to her not having anything else to do, but afterwards, …what was she going to do? Wander the city? Skip rocks at the pier? Learn how to macramé?

He really should think through some of his suggestions before blurting them out. Like inviting Helga over to stay. He was having some self-doubts letting Helga stay on the couch. It may have been pretty comfy, but people got cold, right? Was the heater even warm enough? The apartment was old and so sometimes the heater didn't work very well.

He groaned, running his hand through his hair and grumbled when he remembered that he had slicked his head back with pomade. He wanted to give it a little hold, his hair sometimes got a bit long and flopped everywhere. He was pretty sure the sculpture he created out of his hair was okay until now, and now it was sorta ruined and he would look ridiculous.

Did he have enough time to change and redo his hair? he wondered.

" Nah, you look fine, bro." Gerald's voice reached his ears.

" Gah!" Arnold jumped, turning to look at a casual Gerald wearing a large oversized shirt, scratching his chin where stubble grew and nodding wisely, like a wise black man.

Which he was.

In Gerald's own opinion, that is.

" Where the hell did you come from?" Arnold replied testily. " Also, what?"

" You were talking out loud, my man!" Gerald nodded, sipping his own mug of steaming hot coffee. " You do that when you're nervous. We've talked about this, remember?"

Arnold sighed, keeping one eye on the hallway in case Helga kept to her word of getting ready in 15 minutes. " I'm worried about her." he told Gerald.

" Why?" Gerald asked. " Is this case of the bed again? I keep telling you, be her friend and offer her your bed. While you're in it. And if you get worried about her, you can check her over yourself. Over, under, in between-"

Arnold slapped Gerald in the arm and Gerald choked on his coffee, looking at Arnold with big brown wounded eyes.

" Why must you hurt me this way, baby?" Gerald pretended to sob, dabbing his eyes. "All I offer is advice to advance your love life, and you need it so badly-"

" Why are you up, G?" Arnold asked. " You're usually asleep for another hour at least."

" And miss my man trying to get a move on?" Gerald asked incredulously, sipping his coffee again.

Arnold sighed. " We're just friends, and I'm not looking for any sort of romance, and neither is she. She's here to figure what's happening with her family, I'm glad we're helping her, that's all. You teasing us isn't going to work."

" Well, hope springs eternal," Gerald raised his mug in a mock-toast. "Love is, as they say, rather lovely." He glugged the rest of his coffee and reached over to pour another cup for himself. " I'm just glad I'm here and I approve your potential girlfriend."

" Stop saying that, G-"

" Saying what?" Came Helga's voice as she strode down the hallway. " Hey Arnold, since you're being all nerdy and shit, how's this for school? I gotta match up in case people start judging me for being an expert or something."

She was dressed uncharacteristically in a white collar shirt, under her usual leather jacket, paired with a pair of dress pants and chunky heeled boots. Her hair was up in a ponytail, she had somehow managed to line her eyes in near no time at all, and she had a small tube of chapstick in her hands, uncapping it to draw it all over her lips. " Damn this dry winter." she grumbled. " Well?" she demanded.

Arnold was silently looking over her. Damnit, if he thought Helga after hours stuck on a plane looked pretty, the woman was gorgeous cleaned up and looking professional. Sort of. It was clean cut and still had the bit of edge Helga had in her usual wear, like seeing a sharp knife covered in a woolen sweater. It was beautiful. She was beautiful.

He probably had to say something before Gerald started laughing at his ass again.

A short sharp laugh that was hastily covered up proved that he was too late in that aspect.

Helga looked at both of them anxiously. " That tells me nothing!" she yelled." Yes? No? Professional enough? PG and suitable for people of all ages, with minor supervision from an adult if the minor is under 13?"

Arnold found the courage to swallow his first instinct, which was to shout, " Marry me and have my kids!" and said," Yeah, I like it." he said, feigning a nonchalant look of nonchalance. " Very professional. Mr Simmons would be proud."

" Good." Helga nodded, looking slightly mollified. She took her phone out of her pocket, gave it a glance and grinned. " Fuck yeah, 14.5 mins. Told you I could do it."

" There was a challenge?"Arnold asked drily.

" You said 20! I got it done in 15!" She retorted. She then cursed. " Fuck I forgot my bag, brb!" She yelled as she ran back to the room.

"Mmm, mmmm, mmm!" hummed Gerald. "Girl got her references wrong."

"What?"

" Girl looks nothing like a nerd."

"Oh yeah, that."

"Girl looks more like the female cop off every hit CBS program who's tough but fair and looks great doing it."

"Yeah. She's gorgeous."

"Meanwhile, you look like the lab tech that looks busy in the background."

"Right, I get it."

"I've been meaning to ask, Arnold. Why plaid?"

"It's comfortable, Gerald."

"You really need more school ties or something. The sweaters are a problem too."

"Go away, Gerald."

"Does Simmons know I'm coming?" Helga asked as they sat on the bus going towards school. "I mean, terrorism laws, stranger danger and all that."

Arnold shook his head. "I messaged the school administration assistant and he told me it should be a snap, just fill up the form when you get to the main office, and show your ID, but Simmons doesn't know you're coming, it's not that important-"

"Is it weird that you have never referred to him with his first name before?"Helga asked, wrinkling her nose. "Shouldn't you, as his colleague and comrade in arms, he comfortable calling him by his first name?"

An uncomfortable pause while Arnold shifted in his seat next to her. " Well..."

" Oh my god, I knew it!" Helga laughed. " You can't do it, can you? You're too used to him being your teacher you can't bear to do it! You're polite as hell!"

Arnold sighed. " Look, it was too embarrassing for both of us, okay? It's weird that he and I are working together and it's even weirder for me to call him Bobby or Robert-"

" Holy fuck, BOBBY-" Helga leaned back against her seat, eyes alight. " Bobby Simmons! It's so frigging adorable and it suits him to a T! No wonder you can't do it, it's too cute!"

Arnold, resigned, still had one last weapon. " Well, since we're talking about it... what about you? You've never called him Bobby either! "

" ... point." Helga conceded ruefully. "But it sounds rude when you call someone of authority by their first name, doesn't it?"

" Exactly!" Arnold said. "Nadine can do it, no problem but she handles snakes and spiders, she knows nothing of fear!"

Helga's lips curled up into a lazy smile. " Damn that girl is hot, being able to handle snakes and spiders." She sighed. " I could use someone like that around the house."

Arnold looked at her, " Oh?"

" Yeah, between you and me, I'm scared of rats. Eugene's not a huge fan of spiders. When one appears in the apartment,

we usually get the other to help catch and release outside far away or something. Once, there was a spider and rat infestation going on at the same time in our old apartment . That was not a good week. "

Arnold nodded," I can see that happening. You will be pleased to know that we haven't had a rat incident in our building since 2001."

" That's good to know- wait does this mean they will come back?"

" Erm..."

Luckily Arnold was saved from having to answer that question and Helga was saved from having to hear the answer as the bus pulled up to the stop nearest PS 118. They both got up eagerly and left, thankful for the distraction.

As the two of them walked down the pavement that led to the school, chatting lightly, Helga's nostalgia hit her fully when she finally reached PS 118.

It hadn't changed much. Sure, now there were things that were definitively different: for one thing, the school was surrounded by a fence, with signs warning tresspassers to clear off. Helga could see that the pavement in the school grounds looked a bit more dowdy and dusty. In her memory she always remembered the ground to be dark as tar, and what she was looking at was a more ashy grey than ever. The school was still the same, though the paint on the outer walls had indeed faded. It still looked well taken care of, but to Helga, the school just seemed a lot more smaller.

Or, it could also be Helga being unused to the school being what it was, large and frightening to a small child, but to a slightly more self-assured adult: a school that had seen thousands of children walk in and out of their doors and bearing all the wear and tear over the years.

She had to stop for a minute to marvel at the sight, almost letting Arnold walk further into the school before he realised that his guest was still standing outside.

" Wow, " She said, hands that were suddenly sweaty tucked away into her pockets. How was she suddenly so nervous about coming back to school like this? She was 30 this year! It shouldn't be so hard, should it?

" You okay?" Arnold asked, and she could hear the concern in his voice.

She swallowed. " Y-yeah!" She managed to say weakly. " Never better!"

Arnold, to his credit, didn't look too assured by her reply. "Remember. " he said, looking down at her in a way that got her a little nervous. " I'm here. I've got you. The last time you walked down the halls you pushed people aside and bellowed," Hey, I'm walking here!" You're still that person. Just a bit better at understanding social cues. Okay?"

Helga swallowed again. She took a deep breath, and said, in a shaky voice." I am Helga." That didn't sound like her. She tried again, in a louder, sterner voice. " I'm Helga G Pataki. And I'm walking here. "

" That's good, you're doing great!" Arnold nodded encouragingly.

" I'm Helga G Pataki and I'm walking here, Football Head!"

" Yes, now one more time!" He said laughingly.

" I'm Helga G Pataki and I'm fucking walking here!" She yelled out, pumping her fist up like a champion boxer. Arnold was good at pepping people up, it was amazing!

Arnold winced, looking around to see if anyone else heard. " Kids, Helga. Keep it PG here!"

" Oh right, right, sorry." She said sheepishly as a parent and her child walked by, saying," Well I never!" in a horrified voice.

" Sorry Mrs Nickapopulous! " Arnold yelled out in a sheepish voice. The woman only sniffed and kept walking.

" Boy this place has changed quite a bit huh?" Helga said in a distracted voice, too busy looking all around to pay any attention to where she was going. Arnold had to stop and hold her by the shoulder before she accidentally wandered away.

" Yeah, it's changed quite a bit." He said. " Wifi routers , better lighting, better lockers, Mr Simmons thought it would be more conducive if the school had more stuff like that. Wurtz apparently couldn't get the funds to work but Simmons did, which was a godsend. The teachers didn't even need to strike."

They reached the administrative office, and Arnold pushed the frosted glass door open, holding it so Helga could walk in before he did.

The receptionist at the front desk looked up, face lighting up at the sight of the blonde teacher walking in. Then they took notice that he wasn't alone, and with a woman to boot. Their eyes narrowed.

"Mr Shortman, you don't need to bring the new students in all the time," the receptionist said, dour voiced and looking sour. " Tammy Baker can do it, it's her turn to be the Welcome Wagon-"

Helga bristled a little, but Arnold merely smiled. " Ms Pataki is here as an instructor and guest today, I cleared it with Jonathan yesterday. Where is he anyway?"

" He's down with the flu." The receptionist said, relenting just a little, though still looking at Helga with a bit of a sneer. " Your guest would need to sign a form to get a Visitor's Pass-"

" Arnold, good morning, what an amazing day to be alive- by my stars is it… it can't be!"

A tall man had walked out of the office marked Principal and had greeted Arnold cheerily before his eyes settled on the blonde woman next to him, his eyes growing larger as his voice showed no signs of hiding his excitment. What hair that remained on his head had faded to a light pale blonde, becoming wispier and soft. His eyes showed more crow's feet and laugh lines around his mouth but he still dressed in a collared shirt and sweater vest, with a brown jacket over the ensemble. The pure joy radiating from his eyes was still the same, and he moved like a much younger man. Mr Robert Simmons was, at age 57, was still very much the educator.

" Helga G Pataki! Oh Helga, it's been ages since we last saw you!" Mr Simmons had walked around the receptionist desk to envelop Helga into a crushing hug. The woman, not too sure if she should hug back, instead patted him gently on the back, in a comforting, " Yes, yes, I am real and I am here," gesture.

He released her from the tight hug, beaming from ear to ear. " One of my last few shining stars from my first class has come back!" he laughed. " Not that you are my only shining star, every student is special in their own special way, and even more so in this new generation. But then again, you're one of the few who hasn't been back in a long while!"

Helga still had no idea what to say to such an enthusiastic welcome, but Arnold, luckily, saved the day. " Helga's here to give a talk to my 4th grade class for English for their writing assignments."

" Oh how wonderful!" Mr Simmons enthused. " I often wished I had the chance to bring in a writer to talk to your class but often than not, it was never to be. Of course, you wouldn't need it, Helga, you've turned out so well, with your stories and your poetry!"

Helga, who really was at the end of her tether trying to figure out what to say to Mr Simmons, could only smile and nod.

" Oh, Arnold, you wouldn't mind if you let me borrow Helga for a minute, would you? I have to show her the Wall!"

Arnold's smiled faded just a little. It wasn't as noticeable, but Helga caught it immediately. " Wall? What wall?" she sputtered.

With one hand steering her back, Mr Simmons directed her to his office. " I collect mementoes and autographs from all my students that I have ever taught over the years!" He said cheerfully." All photoes taken, all the little gifts…Harold's given me a 20% off all meat and meat by-products coupon at his store, but he's forgotten that I became vegan in the late 2000s after discovering Buddhism, so I put it up instead." He stopped in front of his back wall and gestured. " Voila!" he said.

Helga stared. The whole wall was covered with pictures and other things and from the sheer volume of items displayed, Mr Simmons had gotten one from near every student he encountered in PS 118. There was the aforementioned coupon next to a photo of Mr Simmons and Peter standing next to a tall, huge man who was wearing an apron and a paper service hat, clearly Harold Berman who had grown even bigger than his childhood self.

Next to a green ribbon was a delicately-made greeting card, alongside a photo of a redhead woman who was wearing a thick green sweater and a gold horseshoe on a chain. Lila Sawyer, judging by the green. Mr Simmons was next to her and standing in front of them was a small child that looked like Lila in every way.

There was a photo of Rhonda that looked like it was taken from editorial spread, signed off with, "Forever My Inspiration, Rhonda." There was a leaf that looked suspiciously like a dried up cannabis leaf that accompanied the note, " To my favourite teacher who believed in me," signed with an X. (Helga's theory of Stinky becoming a weed farmer only grew from that note.)

Helga even managed to spy on a picture of Phoebe, wearing her high school graduation cap and gown, along with the note: "You were the first teacher who taught me how to learn. Thank you!" Helga's eyes softened. She wasn't able to make the trip to see Phoebe back then, because she was so broke that she opted to save money for school. Phoebe looked really happy then, standing next to Gerald and Mr Simmons.

Then she saw a picture of Arnold and Nadine and she grinned. Mr Simmons had clearly caught both of them by surprise, and Arnold and Nadine looked a little thrown in the picture when Mr Simmons threw his arms around their necks. He was the only one who knew about the camera, as demonstrated by the fact that Arnold had whipped cream on his face from the cake he was holding, and Nadine's false lash looked wonky. The caption under the photo wrote, " Teach them well and let them lead the way."

She looked back up to see Mr Simmons standing, hands around his back, beaming wistfully at his wall. " I like to collect things that remind me of each and every student that I have ever met." he said. " They've taught me a lot, over the years, and you were one of my most challenging students, you know."

Helga smiled, but she knew that smile had a tinge of shame. " Mr Simmons…I never got the chance to tell you…thank you so much."

Mr Simmons looked baffled. " What for?" He asked, in concern. " You were so self-sufficient when I taught you, I barely had to guide you. You somehow knew the way to doing things. I always wished that I was like you when I was nine."

Helga laughed, derisively. " You were one of the first people who told me I could write." she said. " You read all my poetry, and encouraged the sentiment and the sap. No other male teacher could do that, but you did. You even gave me little notes under all my poems telling me how I could improve on them." She looked down, a little ashamed. " And you didn't rat me out to anyone. I…should have appreciated that a little more."

Mr Simmons smiled softly, " Helga, I would never." He walked over in front of her. " And it wasn't much. Not at all. I just understood the importance of keeping a secret and maintaining a reputation in front of others. That's all."

" But you helped me so much." Helga said, a little guiltily. " And back then…I called you a Cream Puff and even Granola Boy-"

" Would it surprise you if I told you that I knew?" Mr Simmons said. Helga's eyes widened. " I do listen to what people say outside the classroom. And I'll be honest, I'm not the textbook definition of masculine…that would be Peter." He looked at her. " Oh, I haven't told you yet. I'm a gay educator living with my partner of 25 years." he said. He weakly grinned, raising his arms. " Oh no, don't arrest me." he joked.

" Yeah… that wouldn't be fair, seeing as I'm a bi-sexual woman in my 30s," Helga replied, giving him a watery smile. Mr Simmons looked at her, agape.

" Oh…Helga…"

" Ironic, isn't it ?" She said, choking on a laugh. " I thought about it sometimes, after I came out. And …it was shit, what I did."

" Oh no, no no, never." Mr Simmons rushed over to reassure her, with arms on both her shoulders. " Peter said I forgive too easily, so what the hell, I never got mad at you or anyone that called me names. I lived through worse times." Seeing Helga's remorseful face, he added, " Truth be told, I think back to the day I realised I was losing my hair with a lot more panic and sadness than when I tried to come out as gay."

Helga struggled against laughing, but failed, and Mr Simmons face lit up. " There we go, there's a smile!" he said. He looked back at her earnestly. " Helga. You were an expressive kid. And it takes time for people to change, decades sometimes. You worked on your feelings and emotions, and I'm glad you came back and told me all about it. Of all my students from my first class to come back…you're the one I was really anticipating the most."

Helga started smiling, but she didn't know she was, she was too busy crying to realise it.

When Mr Simmons gave her a hug this time round though, she knew what to do, and hugged him back.