Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.

They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.

Title: "Let me be your hero"

In the last chapter of 'Let me be your hero': Both Arnold as well as Helga's Friday night ended with quite the stir when Arnie proposed to Helga to help her with the child. None of them had the courage to face each other after that and it was Gerald and Phoebe that had to pull them aside to get the truth out of them.

While Arnold confessed his fears of Helga moving away, Helga confessed that if Arnold told her to stay she would. That made Phoebe gung-ho on convincing Arnold to do exactly that… even if she still didn't know if he had any feelings for her best friend.

Author's 1st note: Here you bloody go! Btw if you're one my "usual" reviewers (I have a few that reviews almost every chapter – thank you for that! :D) then could you try to tell me what you think of the titles? As in: how do you think this chapter will end based on the title and then compare it to what actually happened? I'm kinda curious how much the title gives away :3

[As always, please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]

Chapter 35: "Thank you for loving me despite my shit"

Oh, God… it's tomorrow. There's only today left and then Helga might leave… Why haven't I said anything yet? Oh, right, because I don't have the right to interfere! Arnold thought as he gritted his teeth. He was trying to focus on his lesson, but no matter what he did, he couldn't concentrate. He could feel the pencil in his hand move across the paper, but he wasn't even aware of what he was writing so he opened his eyes to check. His face flushed and he frowned at seeing Helga's name repeatedly on the paper. I'm losing my mind here! He thought as he started making rough lines over Helga's name in a violent attempt at removing it from his paper.

"Mr. Shortman!" Mrs. Skelter suddenly exclaimed, causing the blonde boy to flinch. "Y-Yes, Mrs. Skelter?" he asked, noticing how everyone's eyes were on him. "Could you answer the question, please?" she asked of him. Arnold looked around, desperate to find some clue to what the question could be. Nothing in particular was written on the board and he could barely remember what she was teaching at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Skelter, but I can't." Arnold admitted as he hung his head. "Oh?" Mrs. Skelter said and placed her hand on her desk as she sighed. "And why is that, Mr. Shortman?" she asked with an impatient face. It was obvious that she already knew the answer. "Because I wasn't listening." Arnold announced with a bit of dread in his eyes. Mrs. Skelter nodded. "You haven't been listening much this week in general. Usually I would overlook this, but you have done it too many times. I can't ignore it anymore. I'm sorry, but I have to send you to detention." She said with an apologetic tone.

"Yes, Mrs. Skelter…" Arnold replied and sighed before he let his forehead bang onto his desk. Phoebe groaned as she watched him. He definitely knows and it's obviously bothering him… so why isn't he saying anything? Is he just going to let Helga get married and move away? Nu-uh. Not happening… I need to talk to him before Helga makes any rash decisions. She thought with a sullen look on her face. I guess I'll have to wait until his detention is over though.

Phoebe did indeed wait outside the room until Arnold's detention was over. He came out with a big sigh and didn't notice her at first. He let his back hit the wall and he groaned loudly. "I'm losing my mind…" he announced aloud this time around and growled. "No one is disagreeing with you." Phoebe said. Arnold gasped in surprise and jumped away. "Phoebe!" he exclaimed and visibly relaxed. "Oh, you startled me… This must be how Helga feels most of the time."

"She's what I want to talk with you about." Phoebe declared and walked towards him. Arnold looked at her in surprise. Yeah, Phoebe probably knows about this as well… She must be against it. How could she not be? She's her best friend; she wouldn't want her to move away surely. "Oh…? Uh, what about exactly?" he asked, trying to play dumb for now. "You know that Arnie proposed to Helga, don't you?" she asked very simply. He was a little taken aback by her bluntness, but he nodded nevertheless. "Then… why haven't you said anything to her?" she asked.

"Because… she hasn't told me herself so… I guess she didn't want me to know?" Arnold suggested and it was partially true. Helga hadn't told him, so how could she know that he knew? He also feared what she'd say more than anything. What if she told him that she was planning on going? "She knows that you know, Arnold." Phoebe pointed out a little sternly. She was getting rather annoyed with his density already and she didn't get irritated very often. Arnold looked at her in surprise. "She does?"

Phoebe rolled her eyes, but she tried not to be rude about it. "Yeah… it's kinda obvious. You seem really bothered lately and what else could it be about?" she questioned. Arnold didn't know what to say so he simply shrugged. "So she knows that I know… It doesn't make that big a difference, does it?" he asked. "It makes a huge difference, Arnold!" Phoebe insisted. Arnold was surprised at her cross expression. She sighed and adjusted her glasses. She was trying to calm down, but she could feel her patience falter already. "If you knew all along… why haven't you said anything?" she asked. "Why haven't you told her not to leave yet?"

Arnold opened his mouth to speak, but then hesitated. When Phoebe's patience with him seemed to fade, he decided to speak though. "Because… Because who am I to interfere?" he wondered with a sullen look. Phoebe felt dumbfounded. "Excuse me?" she questioned as she felt her irritation grow. "If Helga believes this will make her happy then I have no right to stop her." he explained. Phoebe's eyebrows furrowed deeply. "Do you think this would make her happy?" she asked in disbelief. "What do I know?!" Arnold asked in a loud voice. "I don't know what would make her happy! Isn't she the only one who could ever possibly know that?"

"Not if she's deciding things out of fear rather than logic!" Phoebe insisted. "Fear?" Arnold repeated. "Yes, Arnold, fear!" Phoebe shouted. "Have you forgotten how scared she is with this whole going becoming a mother thing? The only reason she's even considering this is because she believes Megamind will be happier that way! She's afraid that she can't provide for her child so she'd might be willing to marry someone just to make sure that Megamind won't suffer! She still believes that she can't do anything on her own! She's getting more and more desperate! That's the only reason why she's even considering this! If you told her to stay, she would do that in a heartbeat!"

"B-But it's not my choice, Phoebe!" Arnold insisted fearfully. Phoebe growled deeply. "Grow a pair!" she yelled roughly. Arnold shook his head in shock at Phoebe's words. "Helga's not the only one scared here it seems! Your fear is holding you back while hers is pushing her to do something I know she'll regret! One of you has to man up and do the right thing! And, Arnold, that person has to be you because Helga needs you to! Tell her to stay, for Heaven's sake, she'd listen to you! Use your fear of losing her to motivate you to make her stay!"

Arnold was stunned. Phoebe's fuse may be very long, but it was attached to dynamite. She didn't get mad often so when she did, she exploded. She finally opened her eyes to look at him. She was breathing slowly and heavily, but she seemed to calm down. "Please tell me that got through to you…" She begged. "It… It did, but… do you really think that Helga values my opinion that much?" he wondered. He really wasn't sure. It was true that Helga was more open to his suggestions now than when they were kids, but could his opinion really change her mind?

Phoebe sighed heavily. How will I make him understand without telling him that she loves him…? She wondered. "She trusts you, Arnold… and she cares about you. Next to me you're the one she trust the most." She said, though she was unsure of how true that was. She knew Helga trusted her completely, but more than she trusted Arnold? She truly didn't know that nor did it really matter to her. Arnold seemed to blush at her words though. "Uh… r-really?" he asked shyly and chuckled as he scratched the back of his neck. Phoebe started smiling at the display. "Arnold, you… you're actually in love with Helga, aren't you?" she asked as she crossed her arms. That rosy tint that had decorated Arnold's cheeks now turned scarlet red at her question.

Phoebe just kept smiling at Arnold, waiting for him to deny it. After some seconds though, he simply sighed and kept scratching the nape of his neck. "I guess… I'm not good at hiding it… huh?" he muttered, leaving Phoebe stunned with his honest answer. "If I can't even hide it from her best friend, how am I supposed to hide it from Helga herself…?" he wondered aloud with a sigh. "Why do you want to hide it though?" Phoebe asked. "Oh, come on, Phoebe… In this situation, if I told Helga that I had feelings for her, don't you think she'd believe that she should feel bad for not feeling the same way?" he wondered aloud. "I've helped her through this and she's already admitted to me that she feels like she owes me the world… I don't want her to feel bad if she doesn't have any feelings for me."

Phoebe blinked a couple of times in annoyance. "That… does sound like something Helga would say…" She muttered. If she wasn't already in love with you that is. Oh, boy, these two are both trying not to hurt the other by hiding their feelings. Why are they always so complicated? She thought with a heavy sigh. "Arnold, I will only say this one thing to you and I will not repeat it." she said with a bit of guilt echoing in her voice. Arnold looked at her in anxiousness. "Y-Yes?" he asked. She hesitated for a second, but then smiled. "Believe me when I say that Helga would never hate you no matter what you did."

Arnold felt his blush heat up a bit once more. "Are you… sure?" he asked. "Hey, I am her best friend, you know." Phoebe pointed out with a smile. Arnold chuckled at that and sighed in relief. "Well, if you say so… I guess I'll talk to Helga then… Vitello Flowers is closed today so I guess she's already home. I gotta go, Phoebe, I have to make sure she doesn't leave Hillwood." He said and turned around to run through the corridor. "Hey, Arnold!" Phoebe called. Arnold didn't stop, but simply turned around to run backwards. "Yeah?" he probed. "Does Gerald know?" she asked in curiosity. Arnold laughed loudly. "He knew before I did!" he replied, turned around and then sprinted out the door.

Arnold wasn't sure how long it took him to get home to Sunset Arms, only that he had practically flown all the way home. "Helga!" he called in a loud voice and threw off his shoes. "Where's the fire, Cowboy?" Gertie asked as she appeared in the doorframe. "N-Nowhere! I just need to talk to Helga and…" Arnold replied as he kept bouncing on one foot to get his second shoe off. "Get off!" he shouted before he finally tumbled backwards and into Gertie who caught him with ease.

"Careful, soldier. Don't get hurt before going into battle." Gertie said as she ripped Arnold's coat off him within a second. "Thanks, grandma!" Arnold said before running up the stairs. "Helga!" he called once more with a big grin on his face. Phoebe said she'd change her mind if I told her to stay. I just need to tell her to stay and then she will! She has to! He thought excitedly and opened Helga's door without knocking. "Helga, I want you to - - "

Helga had been sitting on her knees, facing her bed and the suitcase on it before Arnold barged in. Now she had turned her upper body to look at him in slight surprise while she kept holding onto the blouse in her hands. Arnold's eyes widened as he looked around. On Helga's bed was a big pink suitcase and most of her drawers were open and so was her closet. His shoulders slumped. "Are you… Are you packing?" he asked in disbelief and automatically closed the door behind him.

"Well… yeah." Helga admitted, but she didn't seem very faced by what she was saying. Arnold took a couple of steps closer to her as she turned her torso around once more to face her suitcase. "I figured… why procrastinate, you know? I need to pack sooner or later and I'm not working at Vitello's today so I figured… why not now? After all, we're going away soon so…"she explained with a shrug and folded her blouse before placing it gently into her suitcase.

Arnold didn't know what to say. He had been so happy a second ago and he had been so sure that all he'd have to say was: 'please stay' and Helga would have stayed, but she was already packing… She had made her choice and he was far too late. "Oh… yeah… I guess that's true, huh…? N-No reason to postpone it or… anything… When, uh… when are you leaving?" he asked, but he didn't wish to know the answer.

"Uh… Monday." Helga replied a little oddly. "M-Monday?!" Arnold repeated with eyes wide open. "Yeah." She answered as she kept packing. Why is she being so calm about this?! How can she… How can she not realize how I feel about this? Turn around, Helga… Please! Look at me! I… I… He knew that all the needed to do was grabbing her shoulders and make her look at him… but he just couldn't. He felt the world around him darken and he stepped back. "E-Excuse me." He said and opened the door. "Sure." She muttered, obviously more focused on packing than him walking out of her room.

Arnold leaned against her door. His eyes were widen than ever as he stared at the floor. This has to be a nightmare… This just can't be happening… He lifted his hand to his mouth. He was trying to hold some sobs down, but it proved difficult to breathe like that and so he gave in. He let himself gasp for air for about a minute until his heart seemed to cool down along with his head. He lifted his eyes and looked at nothing in particular. He thought back to Phoebe's words: "If you told her to stay, she would do that in a heartbeat!"

Arnold gritted his teeth before turning around and ripping the door open violently. You'd better be right, Phoebe! He thought as Helga jumped and turned around to face him. She was holding a pair of jeans in her hands this time around and she was standing up, but all that didn't matter to Arnold. He simply approached her and grabbed the jeans out of her hands. "Stop packing!" he begged angrily and threw the jeans on the bed next to the suitcase.

"Wha - - " Helga exclaimed, but went silent when Arnold grabbed her suitcase. He turned it upside-down and let all of its contents fall down on the bed. "What are you doing?!" Helga shouted angrily and went to grab some of her clothes. "No!" Arnold yelled and swapped her hand away. "Have you gone insane?! What the fuck is wrong with you? What are you thinking?!" Helga bellowed in shock. "What are you thinking?!" Arnold asked himself, causing Helga to take a step back in surprise at the rage in his eyes.

"You can't leave, Helga!" Arnold insisted. "What are you - - " Helga said before he grabbed her shoulders. "Please don't leave!" he begged with a much more pained expression this time around. Helga went bug-eyed as she watched Arnold's eyes tear up. He was gritting his teeth, trying to hold the sobs back so he could speak, but it proved to be rather difficult because when he started to speak there was an obvious edge to his voice.

"I know I don't have any right to stop you, and I know that Phoebe thinks I'm the only one who can!" Arnold said. Helga frowned in confusion. "Phoe-Phoebe? What does she have to do with anything?" she asked. "She talked to me today. Helga, I know about Arnie's proposal to you…" he finally admitted and let go of her shoulders. Helga blinked. "Oh… that's what you're talking about." She muttered with a sigh. "Why are you so calm?" he asked offended. "Aren't you taking this seriously?"

Helga laughed through her nose in incredulity. "Arnold, you're - - " she started, but her small laugh had angered Arnold once more. "Am I not worth considering or something?!" he asked. She was surprised at his words and she scowled at them. "What are you even talking about?" she asked. "I'm talking about your marriage with Arnie! You're packing already! You're going with him, aren't you?" he asked.

"Arnold, that's why I'm trying to say - - "

"I don't want to hear it! You can't be serious! You can't seriously consider marrying Arnie! Especially not for this reason! I-If you loved him, I wouldn't interfere, but I can't let you do this! You're scared, I know that, but isn't that why I've always told you to depend on me? Or am I that undependable?"

"I never said that - - "

"Have you even thought about that part? The being married to Arnie part? I know you; you're not naïve enough to think that he won't try anything ever again! If you're around the one you're in love with 24/7 something is bound to happen! I-It doesn't matter if he wants to hold back. He's… He's still a man a-and he's a stupid one at that!" Arnold insisted, suddenly unsure of whether he was talking about his cousin or himself. "You can't possibly marry Arnie! I don't want to call you by his last name!"

"What is his last name anyway?"

"Never mind! Focus, Helga!"

"I am focused!" Helga insisted a little angrily. "If you would just listen to me then - - "

"A-And living in the country! You? What a joke!" Arnold continued. He was barely aware of what he was saying. His mouth had a mind of its own and he was merely providing the voice to speak. Helga scowled. "Now, hold on." She said angrily, but didn't get the chance to say anymore. "You hate the nature! Every trip to the wilderness, every bio project, everything we've ever had to do that had anything to do with the nature you absolutely hated! You may not get to live in a forest, Helga, but as if the country is any better for you!"

"Arnold!" Helga finally shouted, earning the boy's attention. "If you don't shut up right now, I'm going to do something that wouldn't be very healthy for Megamind so shut up!" she ordered angrily. Arnold was breathing heavily as he looked at Helga's stomach. He forced himself to breathe as slowly as possible. He didn't want her to do anything that could hurt Megamind. "How can you…" he said in a much lower and sober voice. "How can you let Arnie help you with Megamind… and not me? Why are you putting your trust in him and not me? What am I lacking?"

Helga was shocked at the pain in Arnold's voice. Her eyes softened as she gently bit at her lower lip. "Nothing… Absolutely nothing." She answered in dead honesty and moved her hand to his cheek. "How can you think that you lack… anything? Don't you know that I…" she said, but then stopped herself. Arnold didn't seem to notice that she had even been about to say anything. All he felt was her soft hand on his cheek and his own hand went to palm the back of her hand, making her hold his cheek tighter.

"I don't like being selfish…" Arnold admitted. Helga was looking at him with timid eyes as she felt his full lips slightly pressed against her palm. He didn't even seem to be aware of it as he continued speaking. "I don't want to choose for other people… Even if I always offer my advice then I would hate if anyone thought I was trying to pressure them… I don't want to be selfish, but…" he said as he finally started to tear up. "Let me be selfish this one time and beg you to stay."

Without opening his eyes, Arnold stepped forward and placed his lips on Helga's mouth. Her eyes didn't widen in surprise nor did she move away. She simply closed her eyes, smiling on the inside. Oh, Arnold… this was the heated passion, I wanted to see… I wanted to see you get angry with me for even considering marrying anyone else but you… Oh, my dear, sweet boy, only you can truly make my heart melt… and make me feel like myself again.

Helga's hand on Arnold's cheek went to the back of his head. His hand traveled down her arm and it sent a comfortable shiver down her spine that made her pull at his hair slightly. She could feel him moan into her mouth when she did that and so she tucked again. She felt him stepping forward and so his legs went in-between hers. She gasped at the shudder that went through her and for a moment, she wasn't sure whether it was in pleasure or not.

Oh, no! Arnold thought as he suddenly realized what he was doing. He slowly removed his lips from Helga with a gentle smack. He kept his eyes closed, refusing to meet her gaze and therefore didn't see the tender expression she was giving him. "I'm sorry…" he whispered in a husky voice. "I'm no better than Arnie." He added. I also want you all to myself… He thought as he let his forehead touch hers. He could feel her shake her head and then her lips were on his once more.

Arnold's eyes widened, but the kiss ended as soon as it had started. "No… No, it's not the same as with Arnie…" Helga insisted and placed both her hands on his cheeks. "Don't compare yourself with him." She added in a whisper and kissed him again. As he slowly convinced himself that this indeed wasn't a dream, his hands went to her back. One stayed on her lower back while the other crossed his arm and grabbed her shoulder from behind.

Arnold was almost ready to lose control when Helga let go of his lips. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were darting around. When she looked him in the eyes again, he leaned forward to kiss her once more. She granted him a small kiss this time, but then pulled away. Only slightly though; their arms were still around each other. "I'm not going to live in the country, Football head." She said in a dry voice and inhaled a bit. "And I'm not marrying Arnie either."

Arnold gasped and his hand instantly went to Helga's cheek. "You mean that?" he asked full of hope. "Of course! Seriously; me as a country bumpkin?" she wondered with a snort. Arnold smiled in relief, but then turned his head to look at the suitcase on the bed. "Then… why were you packing?" he asked uncertainly. Helga looked at her shattered clothes and rolled her eyes. "With all this drama going on…" she said and then chuckled. "You've forgotten all about our class trip to Iowa, haven't you?"

Arnold blinked a couple of times very slowly. "Io… wa?" he repeated. "Yeah! We're going to Iowa this Monday with the class, remember? You know, this big: 'It's our last year together, let's celebrate that we managed to not kill each other' kinda thing." Helga explained with a big grin. She couldn't help but snicker at the dumbfounded look on Arnold's face. "You totally forgot, didn't you? You better help me pack all over again."

Arnold sighed in relief and fell to his knees. His arms that had been wrapped around Helga's back were now wrapped around her waist and he was digging his face in to her stomach. Helga blushed heavily at the sight before her, but she did nothing to force him away. "Thank God…!" he exclaimed in relief. "You were just packing for our field trip… Nothing else… You never planned to leave, did you? Not even once."

"Well, honestly, I was considering - - "

"Not even once!" Arnold insisted childishly. Helga laughed affectionately at his stubbornness, but it made her feel warm all over. She placed a hand on his head and caressed it tenderly. Arnold's eyes opened in surprise at the motherly reaction, but he snuggled closer to her with a smile. Somehow, he felt really calm like this. He felt safe in Helga's arms and it was the first time in more than a week that he felt truly peaceful.

Arnold could probably have fallen asleep like that, if something hadn't hit his cheek. "Ow…" he murmured and removed his cheek from Helga's stomach. "What was that?" he asked her, but when he saw her shocked expression, he grew silent. She was staring at her stomach, as her breath got heavier and heavier. He arched his back a little to look at her stomach as well and then placed a timid hand on it. They both waited for what felt like hours, but what was actually only a few seconds before Helga gasped at the feeling once more.

Helga sat down on her bed and Arnold simply twisted himself so that his face was still in front of her stomach though now she was closer to his height. "Helga! Megamind is - - " he said before she interrupted. "I know!" she said with big eyes. "Megamind's kicking…" She added with an unsure smile. Both her hands went to her stomach and Arnold placed his hands over hers. They both waited in anticipation and when Megamind finally kicked again, Helga gasped in happiness.

"Megamind hasn't kicked before?" Arnold asked, his eyes never leaving Helga's stomach. "N-No… This is the first time… unless Megamind's been doing it while I was asleep or something." Helga replied and placed her hands over Arnold's. He smiled as she grinned at him. She was in complete ecstasy and it was contagious. Before he knew it, he straightened his knees, grabbed her cheek and kissed her once more. She kissed him back with as much fervor as him, while Megamind kept kicking in her stomach. It felt as if he or she was celebrating on their behalf.

Helga and Arnold were laughing together on the couch in the living room when Arnie came home. He had been hanging out with some of the boys from the gang and he was dead tired at the moment. The laughter from his cousin and girl he was crushing on woke him up though. He turned around the corner and looked inside. They were sitting close up against each other and Arnold was caressing Helga's stomach as she smiled at him.

Arnie let the side of his head hit the doorframe as he kept gazing upon them. They looked really happy… and he was envious. Yet he smiled. He almost felt bad interfering, but he had to approach them at some point. Helga and Arnold noticed him instantly once he was close enough. Helga had expected Arnold to move away from her, but quite the contrary; he moved closer. She wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that he was somehow acting as a lion protecting what was his. She smiled a little at the thought as she placed her palm on his chest. She moved close to his ear and she could feel him shy away under her hand. "Let us be alone for a moment." She begged.

Arnold looked into Helga's blue eyes and he found it hard to refuse her request. "B-But - - " he tried, but she gave him a faint and soothing smile and so he quickly gave up. I can't say no to that face. He thought as he stood up from the couch and walked past Arnie, not granting with him even a glance. Arnie didn't look at him either, but he was smiling slightly. "So… I'm guessing you're staying in Hillwood?" he asked. Helga smiled apologetically and nodded. "Yeah… sorry."

"No, it's ok. To be honest, I would've been surprised if you had agreed." Arnie admitted and sat down next to Helga though he made sure there was some space between them in case Arnold was spying nearby. He had done so before after all. "Then why did you ask?" Helga wondered. "I wanted you to have options rather than being stuck here." He answered plainly. "Stuck?" Helga repeated with a frown. "Ah, no." Arnie said and waved a lazy hand around in dismissal. "No offense to Sunset Arms. I only meant that you should have options, that's all."

"Well, thank you… and I really am sorry. I just… can't marry someone for that kind of reason… even if it is for Megamind. I don't believe that growing up here would be bad for him or her. I know I can figure out something. With the help of all these people around me, I know it's going to be ok. I have been thinking about what you said about my job situation though… I know it's not much, but I've decided to enter some poetry competitions with money rewards. If I can win even just one, it's a start. For now that's all I can do." Helga said as she caressed her stomach.

Arnie nodded in understanding. "Sounds like I was of some help." He observed. Helga nodded in agreement. "Definitely… and with other things besides Megamind as well." she replied and turned her head to look at him. He did the same and quirked an eyebrow curiously. "Like with… Arnold?" he questioned with a faint smile. Helga shrugged innocently, but she couldn't help but grin happily. "Well, I'm glad. It's at least a step in the right direction." He stated, turned his head and crossed his arms behind his head.

"Thank you." Helga said as she moved closer. Arnie kept his eyes closed as he felt a pair of cool lips on his cheek. They were only there for a second, but he could feel them linger. He turned his head to look at the slightly smiling Helga. "What was that?" he asked simply. "A… 'thank you for loving me despite my shit'-kiss." She explained in a monotone voice despite her joking words. She slowly turned her eyes to look at him and he slowly started to smile a little bit. "Well then…" he said. "Thank you for letting me love you despite my shit."

Author's 2nd note: Whoop-dee-doo, you didn't think I'd make Helga marry Arnie, did you? (Rhyme not intended xD)