Responses to reviews:
Kryten: It would have been nice for the ghost bride to make her entrance, but I thought that was too unrealistic. Plus Curly did mention her in his own monologue.
You know what, I to think Crea8ive maybe on to something here, lol.
Rodrigo's Dad does kind of look like Edward actually, only younger. I made him to resemble Eduardo more though.
Not to sound harsh, but yes that would be a good way to resolve a love triangle…
Rosali Leon Huamani: Como siempre, gracias! Continua a leer para ver is Bob llega a tiempo!
Vegenmama: Thanks! Yeah, I got that pigeon secne from Alfred Hitchcock's film, Birds.
Read on to find out!
It all happened so fast. No one was really able to fully register the events that were unfolding right in front of their eyes. Fully consumed with adrenaline and triggering their fight or flight automatic system, they were barely able to react.
"ARNOLD!" Helga screeched in horror after Von Scheck bid Arnold farewell.
Rodrigo quickly pushed Arnold aside, away from Von Scheck's line of fire, but then he himself fell right into it, just as a banging sound was heard.
Helga meanwhile, mortified at what was unfolding and with petrified fear now gripping her that Arnold or Rodrigo might die right before her eyes, almost instinctively began to run towards both of them, but Gerald then suddenly grabbed her and pulled her towards him, in the opposite direction, so much so that they both tumbled right to the ground.
"Off!" Both grunted as they landed on the floor.
However, they quickly then turned around and looked over to the other side to see both Arnold and Rodrigo, lying on the ground side by side, not moving at all.
Helga said nothing and just watched with an increasingly distraught look at both male teens. Despite trying desperately to retain some hope, with each passing second of them lying on the floor, neither of them moving, she started becoming instantly sick to her stomach and overwhelmed with emotions. Becoming completely numb and frozen at the high possibility that one of them, if not both of them were now...
Gerald too stared at both male teens that were on the floor and with each passing second that they did not move, only served to confirm that he was trying so hard not to face. Also becoming numb and sick to his stomach and overwhelmed with emotion, he just continued to stare with a distraught look at his best friend lying on the floor.
"No!" He softly let out, now his hands shaking.
"Arnold?...Rodrigo?..." Helga tearfully and softly called out their names, but both teens remained motionless.
Finally being hit with the terrible reality, Helga could then instantly feel a serious pain on her chest as her heart began to break into millions of pieces. Breathing heavily and overcoming with grief, tears began to form and fall down her eyes and cheeks while she placed her hand on her chest where her heart was and squeezed it.
It...can't be! I can't lose them...She despaired in her mind.
The pain she started to feel was becoming unbearable. Reeling from the pain, her body became even more numb in order to stave off the inevitable pain and hurt. Losing control of her body and stomach, Helga even began to feel nauseous at what she as looking.
Gerald, also succumbing to the horrible reality, became overwhelmed with grief and felt a shortness of breath, forcing him to breath heavily as his own heart broke and for the first time, tears began to form around his eyes when realizing that his best friend was-
Suddenly, soft groans were heard and pretty soon, both Arnold and Rodrigo began to move their arms!
Realizing both were still alive, Helga and Gerald quickly made their way towards them.
"Arnold, Rodrigo, are you guys Okay?" A tearful Gerald asked them as he helped them sit up.
"Yeah, I am." Rodrigo softly replied as he looked around his body to see if he got shot.
"Me too." Arnold replied back and also began to look around his body for any bullet wounds.
To both both teens' surprise and relief, there were none.
"You guys gave us quite a scare." Gerald emotionally said to them. "We thought you guys were..." but found he couldn't finish his sentence.
"It's okay, Gerald." Arnold reassured him with a smile. "We're okay."
Helga meanwhile, still reeling from the huge shock and relief that they were okay and not really knowing how to express her emotions, just stood there, tearfully looking at them. But then, she suddenly leaned forward and embraced both male teens with a big hug. Both male teens, although initially taken aback, nevertheless hugged her back when it dawned on them just how scared she got. Gerald, still very emotional, then also joined in hugged them. For a little while, all four teens just embraced each other, thankful they were all alright and forgetting the threat they were still in.
"Don't you both EVER do that again, you hear me?!" Helga tearfully, but angrily exclaimed to them.
"Sorry, Helga." Arnold said to her. "We didn't mean to scare you like that."
"Yeah. My bad." Rodrigo said.
As all four teens slowly got up, they then remembered Von Scheck and turned to face him. As they did so, they realized that he was looking at them...with a confusing look.
Von Scheck initially smiled when neither Arnold and Rodrigo moved. But, once it became clear that they were not only still alive, but unscathed, he became angry and confused. He thought he did shoot at them and was sure he hit his target. He did hear a bang.
Wanting to confirm, Von Scheck then took out the cartridge from his gun and realized that the few bullets he still had left were still there!
"Strange." He said. "I thought I fired one bullet." But he then drew his attention at Helga when he heard her shout something
"Bob?!" She yelled in surprised when she saw who was behind Von Scheck.
Confused, Von Scheck turned around and saw Bob Pataki, inside the office, staring right at him, breathing heavily with red, angry, savage eyes, almost like a wild animal ready to devour its victim.
"Scheck...!" Bob uttered his name with a snarl.
As Von Scheck looked at him and at the door, he realized what just happened. Just as he was squeezing the trigger, it was Bob who made that loud, banging sound when he burst through the door, or whatever was left of it. He must have pushed it hard because it was now completely detached from the frame and was now on the floor.
All four teens were in shock to find Bob Pataki there, but were also equally confused, if not intimidated on how furiously angry he looked.
"Who the hell are you?" Von Scheck asked him with an almost irritated look.
"My name is Robert Pataki." Bob began to introduce himself and took one step closer to him. "Proud owner of Big Bob's Electronic Emporium. Father of Helga G. Pataki, whom you just tried to SHOOT AT!"
"It's Helga, B - !" Helga was going to correct him, but then stopped herself when she heard him say her name...correctly!
"D...Did he just say my name?" Helga asked, surprised.
"Yeah, he did." Rodrigo confirmed, equally surprised.
"You tried to swindle me from my business seven years ago," Bob angrily and with a snarl continued with his eyes blazing with fire, as he took another step closer to him, "you forced me and my family to move out of our homes not once, but twice!"
"I was willing to walk away up to the point. But now," Bob continued, now finally demonstrating all of his rage and anger, "NOW YOU DARE KIDNAP MY DAUGHTER, AIM A GUN AT HER AND ALMOST SHOT AT MY FUTURE SON-IN-LAW?!"
"Kidnap?" Both Gerald and Von Scheck said, looking confused.
"What did Lila tell him?" Gerald rhetorically asked.
"Son-in-law?!" Arnold, Rodrigo and Helga exclaimed simultaneously while looking at Rodrigo.
Rodrigo just awkwardly shrugged his shoulders.
"Wow. Awkward." Gerald softly said.
"AND I WILL NOT STAND BY WHILE YOU TRY TO HARM MY DAUGHTER AND EXPECT TO GET AWAY WITH IT! WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH YOU, THERE WON'T BE MUCH OF YOU LEFT TO THROW IN PRISON TO!" Bob roared as he then began to walk closer to him.
However, Bob soon stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Von Scheck's gun. Von Sheck noticed Bob's sudden hesitation and realizing he still had the advantage, smirked at him and began to point his gun at him. However, he suddenly felt a strong force grab hold of his arm and pulled him back.
"What the-?!" He exclaimed when he turned to see all four teens had grabbed hold of his arm.
"Get the gun!" Arnold yelled at his friends.
"Doi!" Helga retorted back as the four teens struggled to get it.
Yet even with four teenagers wrapping around his arm, Von Scheck was still able to move it as he tried to shake them off.
"Get off!" He growled at them but the teens refused to let go and tried to get his gun.
Growing angry as their stubbornness, Von Scheck then swung his entire body around and with one hard toss, finally managed to throw all four teens away from his arm like a bunch of rag dolls towards the wall.
All four teens grunted as they landed one on top of the other.
Von Scheck smiled and prepared to finish the job quickly before the police arrived. However, as he raised his arm, he realized that something was missing. When he looked down, he saw to his utter rage, that the gun was missing from his hand! He then looked back at the teen and saw Rodrigo, smirking at him while tauntingly dangling the gun with his hand.
Despite no longer having the advantage, Von Scheck was not going to give up now. He quickly attempted to get to Rodrigo in order retrieve his gun, when he suddenly felt a huge weight on his back. The force was so great that it knocked him right down on the floor.
"You're not going anywhere near those kids!" Bob roared at him as he attempted to take his first swing at him.
However, Von Scheck immediately turned around and using his legs, kicked Bob right in the chest, forcing him back a few steps and giving the CEO enough time to get up and charge at him as the two alpha males became locked in a struggle for survival and dominance.
Author's note: Hi everyone! Sorry for the interruption, but I want to let everyone know you can imagine the music for this epic battle to be the same as with Simba's final battle with Scar in the movie, The Lion King, hence the title of this chapter, hehehe. You can take this scene to be seriously dramatic, or a bit comical. Your choice. Okay, back to the story.
Von Scheck then ferociously launched himself against Bob and gave him a serious punch to his face, causing Bob to growl, but he then quickly counterattacked with an upper cut to Von Scheck's lower jaw, forcing him to take a step back. Despite the pain, Bob took the opportunity and launched himself against Von Scheck and gave him another serious punch to his face, prompting the CEO to growl in pain and kneel onto the floor.
However, he quickly launched himself against Bob, grabbing him by his waist, lifting him up and then forcefully threw him onto the floor, nearly causing Bob to hit the back of his head. Von Scheck immediately tried to throw a series of punches on Bob's face and torso. Although successfully hitting him, Bob used his arms to cover his face, until he immediately saw an opportunity and threw his own punch against Von Scheck, forcing him to get off him. Bob then immediately got up.
"Aarrggghhh!" Bob angrily let out a serious roar and threw himself at him to deliver his own beatings.
While the two alpha males battled it out, the four teens just quietly looked on with astonishment as how ferocious Bob was fighting.
"Man, I've never seen your dad this angry before." Gerald remarked. "It's almost scary."
"Yeah..." Was all Helga could let out.
She was too much in shock...and actually touched on seeing Bob fight Von Scheck, putting himself at risk, for her, to keep her safe.
When Arnold and Rodrigo informed her that they wanted to include her family and father as part of the people their friends would run to for help, as part of their Plan B in case if they were in trouble, Helga merely laughed and scoffed at them. She told them it would be a waste of time as she did not think Bob will do anything crazy to help her, let alone her friends and even went so far as to suggest for Lila to contact someone else for help. But Rodrigo and Arnold insisted on informing Bob. Both insisted Bob really does care about her and once he hears that she was in danger, they had no doubt he will come rushing to her aid. Helga again scoffed at the idea, but nevertheless gave in to have Lila inform her family. Now, looking at her how her own father was fighting, she realized just how dead wrong she was about him.
He...he really does care about me. She thought, touched by his tenacity to keep her safe.
The two alpha males continued to battle it out, but it soon started becoming clear that Von Scheck had the edge.
"What's the matter, Bob?" Von Scheck mocked him. "Feeling a bit outclassed and less manly? Well, you are!"
Bob growled at him for that remark and attempted to grab him, only for Von Scheck to easily move aside and then striking him right on his right shoulder, causing Bob to groan. But Von Scheck wasn't done. He then quickly grabbed Bob by his shirt, turned him around to face and then gave him a serious punch to both his stomach and face, forcing him to go almost flying.
Despite being of similar age, Von Scheck was way more physically fit than Bob, having spent years physically working out and training while in prison. To make matters worse, Von Scheck also had hand-to-hand combat experience, having been forced to fight off other inmates who thought he was 'easy meat' for being duped by a bunch of nine year olds. Throughout his term, Von Scheck had to consistently prove to those inmates how dead wrong they were about him. He soon established a reputation as the type of person you did not want to mess with.
"You're no man!" Von Scheck continued with his insults as he then kicked him in his stomach again. "You're nothing more than a fraud, a sham! A poor excuse of a man!"
Despite his overall rage, anger and instinctive need to protect Helga, Bob began to tire out, which Von Scheck used to his advantage and began to attack him with a series of punches and kicks. Bob tried to either dodge them or use his arms to protect himself, but Von Scheck was able to get around those defenses and began to hit him with a few, devastating blows.
"Oh man, this is not good." Rodrigo worryingly remarked as he looked on.
Helga said nothing but just continued looked on with worrying and despairing eyes, growing ever more concerned on seeing her own father take such a beating.
Von Scheck made no attempt to let up and continued giving Bob a serious beating, even smiling at his 'work'. The CEO then gave him another punch, forcing Bob to bend down in pain. Von Scheck put his two hands together and with a grin, prepared to strike Bob hard on his head, possibly hurting his neck. However, Bob then suddenly launched himself against him, using his head to strike him right in his face.
Von Scheck stumbled back while holding on to his face and rubbing it due to the pain. He then let go, revealing a busted and bloody nose and lips, but now more angry than ever.
"I'll kill you for that!" He growled and charged at Bob again.
On seeing this, Bob quickly grabbed a broken wooden piece and just as Von Scheck got really close to him, hit him with it, right in his shoulder and head. However, it had a little affect, as he then quickly regained his composure, grabbed Bob by his shirt and threw him onto the floor.
By now Bob was exhausted and dazed, but he nevertheless stood up to fight again, but then Von Scheck quickly punched him in the stomach, prompting him to grown in pain and fall to the floor. Wanting to end this, Von Scheck knelt down and put his arm around Bob's neck while he used his other hand to hold onto his head and started to squeeze it tight.
"Take a good look at your daughter Bob." Von Scheck tauntingly said to him as he turned him around so he could see Helga. "It'll be the last thing you'll ever see before I snap your neck!"
"NO!" Helga hysterically cried out and even attempted to run towards him to help, but Arnold, Rodrigo and Gerald quickly grabbed her and prevented her from getting anywhere close to them.
"Let me go!" Helga angrily yelled at them as she struggled to break from them. "I need to help him!"
"Helga, No! It's too dangerous!" Arnold exclaimed back as they continued to hold her.
"BOB!" She tearfully cried out to him. "Get up, Bob! Get up!"
Despite his youngest daughter's tearful plea, all Bob could do was just groan and look back at Helga with injured and sorrow eyes. He had a black eye, bleeding from his lips, his face was bruised. He had utterly exhausted himself, was dazed and in serious pain. All he could was struggle enough to prevent Von Scheck from fully choking him.
"Oh, don't you worry, Bob." Von Scheck continued to taunt him. "You'll be seeing her soon. You see, after I'm through with you, I'm going to have the absolute satisfaction of throwing her through that broken window! I do hope you brought your wife here. It'll be even more pleasurable for me at the knowledge of her own mother watching her daughter fall to her death! Ahahahahaha" He maniacally laughed.
The second Bob heard that, the second he heard him laugh at what he was going to do to Helga and seeing the tearful eyes of his daughter, terrified about what's going to happen to him and to her, on seeing her that she needed her father, she needed protection, something then suddenly struck him. He instantly became intense. His body instantly released a new round of adrenaline that began to circulate inside him, giving him a huge urge of energy that he had never felt before. His anger also received a new round of life as he began to softly growl, his teeth began to once again grind against each other. Releasing the full protective instinct that all fathers possessed within them, the instinctive need/drive to protect their off springs at all cost, he began to give out a terrible, determined glare. Slowly, while Von Scheck had his arm wrapped around his neck, Bob began to stand up, much to the CEO's surprise.
Von Scheck tried to get him to kneel down again, but it was no use. Bob continued to get up, growing angerier and more ferocious. Abandoning all human reason and restraint once again, he completely gave in to his wild, instinctive drive, to his desire to kill Von Scheck!
"GrrrrraaAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!" Bob then let out another great roar as he instantly pushed Von Scheck's arm up, away from his neck, despite his adversary's attempts to continue hold on to him.
In a fit of rage, Bob then quickly turned around and within a split second, looked at him with his piercing, inhuman eyes, the eyes of a wild animal that has been freed of all restraint and was now going on a savage rampage. He grabbed Von Scheck by his shirt, fell down, pulling him with him and using his legs, launched him back, causing both of them to roll, which Bob then landed right on top of him.
"Don't you ever…!"
*POW*
"go near…!"
*POW*
"my daughter…!"
*POW*
"EVER AGAIN!"
*POW*
"DO HEAR ME, SCHECK?!"
Bob then continued to punch Von Scheck right on his face, torso and stomach, left and right, left and right, left and right without restraint.
"YOU HEAR ME?!"
*POW* *POW* *POW* *POW* *POW*
The four teens were initially glad at Bob's sudden resurgence and on finally overpowering Von Scheck. But then, their smiles disappeared when it became apparent that Bob was not stopping in his attacks.
"We gotta do something!" Gerald exclaimed. "He's going to end up killing him!"
"AAAAHHHH!" Bob wildly screamed as he continued to mercilessly punch Von Scheck on his face, stomach and chest without end.
"Bob!" Helga yelled as she approached him from the front, looking at his face.
"Mr. Pataki, stop!" Both Arnold and Rodrigo yelled as they and Gerald grabbed his arms and back and attempted to pull him away from Von Scheck.
"Bob! Bob! Stop!" Helga frantically cried out, but it was no use.
Bob was too far gone to listen and just continued to punch Von Scheck mercilessly.
Helga tried desperately to think of something in order to through to him.
C'mon Helga, think! She thought to herself, until, That's it! I know what'll get him to listen to me. Ugh, I hate saying it, but I have to get through to him. Plus...he did kind of earn it.
"DAD!" Helga then cried out, surprising Arnold and Rodrigo.
"Dad, stop please!" Helga again cried out, making her yell as that of a frightened little girl who was trying to get her dad's attention.
Finally, the almost high pitch, vibration of a pleading daughter got through to him and Bob instantly stopped, looked up to glance at Helga with an initial wild savage look on this face, which then began to dissipate, replacing it with a more human like, but stunned look.
"What...?" He just asked her while breathing heavily.
"I called you Dad!" Helga tearfully said to him. "Y-You're my Dad. You were always my dad."
"I am…?" Bob said, finding it difficult to register that such a word ever left Helga's mouth.
Bob said nothing else and just continued to stare at his daughter, stunned and rendered speechless that she had called him...dad, that she finally acknowledged him as her father. This wasn't the first time she had called him that. But, the times when she did were often sarcastic, if not strongly insinuating that he was unworthy of being called that, a fact that he noticed, but always had trouble understanding why she would think that way. It was rare when she genuinely meant it. Now was one of those times and Bob would always, but privately, savor it.
"Just stop, please." Helga continued to tearfully plead with him as she caressed his bruised face. "It's over. You won. Let's...Let's just go home. I just want to go home, dad."
"Home?" Bob finally uttered something, even though he was still stunned.
Helga said nothing and with a tear dripping down her face, just nodded.
"Yeah...home." Was all he said.
The three male teens said absolutely nothing and just watched with astonishment at this unique, touching, loving and wonderful father-daughter Pataki moment.
"Are you okay Ol- I mean Helga?" He asked her, finally returning back to a stable, human state of mind.
Helga just smiled and said, "I am, Dad. Thanks you, I am."
Bob said nothing else and released Von Scheck's shirt, who was now unconscious and seriously battered and bruised, got off from him, leaned forward and then gave Helga a big, tight, loving hug. Helga, overjoyed that her dad was back and averted on him killing the CEO, made no attempt to push him away and warmly hugged him back.
"I'm glad you're alright." He softly and lovingly said to her.
The male teens said nothing and just smiled at them.
As they continued to lovingly hug each other, the two said nothing else and just enjoyed this joyful, momentous occasion for the moment. After everything they've been through, this was a moment to remember for the ages. Nothing was going to interrupt them from enjoying this beautiful, warm, father-daughter -
"Alright, I think that's enough." Bob then said as he released Helga from his arms.
"Yeah, I think so too." Helga agreed and also released him from her arms.
Never having been touchy people, the two soon grew uncomfortable at the extended hug and not wanting to overdo it, released each other.
Bob gave Helga as bit of a warm smile as he placed a hand on her shoulder. However, his smile quickly disappeared, replaced it with a frown as he then turned to face her friends.
"Alright, so which one of you came up with the stupid idea of coming here?" Bob demanded as he glared at the three male teens.
Gerald, with a bit of a smirk, just casually pointed to both Arnold and Rodrigo.
Arnold and Rodrigo in turn stood frozen and just looked back at Bob with wide eyes. Then, they both silently pointed at each other. After that touching moment, neither wanted blame Helga. But, after seeing what Bob was capable of, neither wanted to take the credit either.
But, before Bob could interrogate the two teens any further,
"Police!" A police officer suddenly yelled as he burst inside with his gun pointed up and with two other officers. "Everyone hands up!"
Helga, Bob, Arnold and Gerald complied and put their hands up. Rodrigo however, put his hands behind his head and then knelt down to the floor, face down.
"Rodrigo, what are you doing?" Gerald asked him.
"Hey man, I'm from L.A." Rodrigo said. "Putting your hands up is not enough and I don't want to be another Rodney King by ticking these cops off."
"Arnold? Gerald? Helga?" One of the officers then addressed them after recognizing them. "What are you three doing here?" He asked them with a suspicious look as he put his gun away, prompting Bob, Helga, Arnold and Gerald to put their hands down.
"Oh man, it's a long story officer." Gerald sighed. "But, I suggest you call a medic. Von Scheck and Mr. Pataki are hurt.
"We have an emergency at the top floor." The officer then began to talk through his small walkie-talkie that was tied onto his uniform. "We have a male who is conscious, but injured, as well as an unconscious person on the floor. He is a breathing, but seriously hurt. We need paramedics up here, now!"
"Is he with you?" The other officer asked Arnold and his friends when he pointed to Rodrigo who was still lying on the floor with his hands behind his head.
"Well no, not re – hey!" Helga began to reply, but was then elbowed by Arnold.
"Helga!" Arnold exclaimed with a frown.
"Fine, fine. Yeah, he's with us." Helga casually said.
"Kid, you can get up, you know?" One of the officers spoke to Rodrigo.
"I can?" Rodrigo asked, surprised. "What happened to your racial profiling?"
"We don't do that anymore." One of the officers replied. "After the events that happened at a city in another state, the police department went through a major overhaul and got rid of that practice."
"So, you're not going to arrest me?" Rodrigo cautiously asked.
"Well, I didn't say that." The officer said. "But you're okay to get up."
Rodrigo, relieved, got up.
Bob began to walk, but grunted as his entire body was aching and completely exhausted from his fight.
"You okay?" Helga asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Bob replied back. "But just in case...could I wrap my arm around your shoulder?" He sheepishly asked.
"Sure." Helga said with a bit of a smile as she then took his arm, put is around her, and helped him walk.
"Please tell me the elevator is working now." Bob groaned.
"It is." The officer said.
As the police officers attended to Von Scheck and began to investigate as to what happened, the five quietly made their way out of the office and into the elevator. Once inside, Arnold pressed the ground button and after making its usual bing sound, the elevator closed its doors and they began to make their descend.
Hmm gee, I wonder what 'city in the another state' the police office was talking about? Okay, I initially was going to mention the riots that happened in Minneapolis, but at seriously the last second, I decided to take it out and just implicitly mention it.
Credit goes out to Cre8ivelybrankrupt87 for giving me this idea about Big Bob and Scheck fighting each other. I hadn't thought about it, but when he pitched it in, I just had to do it. I'll admit, I hesitated because I was too lazy to add another chapter to this story, but that's no excuse to not write such a good idea! Besides, I would imagine Bob would still be holding a grudge against Scheck for almost screwing him over in his business, so I would imagine he would want some payback, especially since Scheck was also threatening his youngest daughter.
So I was originally going to have Helga say, 'Daddy', but I thought that was too Olgaish, so I dropped that and just had her say 'Dad'.
I was also originally going to title this chapter as 'Bob's Redemption', but I didn't want to spoil the surprise. Plus, I'm not sure that despite this heroic moment of Bob doing everything he can to protect Helga, as any father should, is enough for him to redeem himself of all the times he completely failed her. So, I thought I would like you guys to be judge of this. Is Bob redeemed, or is this the first step?
