Responses to reviews:
Kryten: In the Arnold universe, nothing is ever easy.
Yes, I completely agree! While I understand that some writers take come liberties, I've always felt it is an injustice to Bob's character that he has been almost universally portrayed a a monster. There's more to him than that and. He's no hero for sure, but he it is important that deep down, he does care for his family and will go to severe lengths to ensure they are alright. That's also probably why he works so hard. He's doing it for the money so his family can live a good life.
Veganmama: Thanks! Yes, I also do feel this is a great start for him and that's why I wanted him to save the day. Like Helga, he is a deeply flawed character who needs to mature and develop. Miles and Stella don't really need to in my opinion.
Lol, I thought about taking that middle interruption out, but for the fun of it, I kept it.
When the police had arrived that morning, they arrived just in time to contain the thousands of protesters that had gathered at the front of the FTI building and prevent them from overwhelming the company's security personnels, who were on the brink of collapse. Angry protesters were shouting and demanding to be let in, with several of them, not including the teen's parents, successfully getting through security and getting inside the building. Some of them were detained, but others burst through and tried to look for Rhonda and Arnold. Despite the high tension, as per Mayor Dixie's instructions, the police were instructed to calm the protesters and to prevent them from running amok. A few of them entered the building to find who those 'intruders' were and attempted to apprehend them. They were surprised to find out those 'intruders' were Arnold and his friends.
The Sewer King and his alligator pets had by that time disappeared back into the body of water that was close by, evading the authorities.
Not long after the police's arrival, Martin, Alfonso, Rhonda, Side, Stinky and Peapod Kid finally emerged from the building. Upon seeing Rhonda Lloyd alive and well, the crowd began to cheer and celebrate, happy that Hillwood's most well known socialite was alive and well. The police, upon seeing the protesters' sudden change in mood, encouraged Rhonda to approach them and talk to them. They did not have to tell her twice. Flattered by their concern for her, Rhonda was all too willing to approach her fans and speak to them, offering them their thanks for their support and informing them that them coming here had saved her life and lives of her peers. Much to the police's relief, the ploy worked and the crowd started to relax, eventually becoming nothing more than a huge crowd of spectators.
Despite her eagerness to want to speak with her fans, Rhonda emerged from that building completely stunned, dazed and disoriented. Sid, Stinky and Peapod Kid fared no better. Having just gone through two near-death experiences, it was a miracle they were still standing. Well, almost.
The second Peapod Kid emerged from the building, his mind finally had time to register everything he had went through. Consumed with so much fatigue and stress, he instantly became sick and ended up throwing up near the building entrance. The poor kid.
"It'll be alright, Peapod Kid." Stinky said to him as he padded him on his back while he threw up. "Just keep on breathing."
"Stinky!" Lila then shouted as soon as she saw him leaving the building and started running towards him, even bypassing the barricades and police that were there.
"Hey, you can't come through here!" One of the police officers yelled when he saw Lila, but she paid him no heed.
"Stinky!" She cried out his name, happy that he was alive and well.
"Ms. Sawyer?" Stinky said when he heard her. "What are you do – hm?!"
Stinky had no time to ask her his question as Lila literally jumped him, hugged him and kissed him right on his lips, much to his surprise.
"I'm ever so glad you are alright." She happily said to him as she placed another kiss upon his lips, again much to his shock.
Once she stopped kissing him, Stinky finally had time to register what just happened.
"M-M-Ms. Sawyer..." Stinky stuttered.
"Please, call me Lila, Stinky." She sweetly told him.
"Right, Lila." He nervously said to her. "Does that mean you..."
"Yes." She replied with a loving smile.
"Really?! W-When?" Stinky asked.
"Always." She said to him. "I was just too shy to say anything and I didn't know if you felt the same way. You do you like me, right?" She asked him.
"Yes, ma'am." Stinky said with a smile. "I've always like you too, Lila. I was just too scared to really say anything."
"Hm, come here." She flirtatiously said to him as she leaned in and kissed him again.
This time Stinky was prepared and completed embraced her, wrapping his arms around her.
"Finally." Sid remarked as he rolled eyes while watching them make their feelings known to each other. "Took them a long time."
"Sid!" He then heard Carmen call his name.
"Carmen?!" He exclaimed in surprise and started running towards her.
"Mi amor, are you okay?" She frantically asked him as they approached each other and she gave him a hug and a passionate kiss.
"Yeah, I'm alright babe, thanks." Sid responded after their kiss.
"Good!" She said before she then,
*slap*
slapped him across the face.
"Ow!" Sid yelled in pain in shock when he felt her hand.
"Now what the hell were you doing, breaking into a multi-billion company's headquarters?!" She angrily asked him. "If there something I should know about you?!
Carmen wasn't stupid. When Sheena told her and her friends that Arnold and Sid went over to the FTI building to 'confront' Von Scheck, she knew that could only mean one thing.
"I'm sorry Babe, but I was trying to stop that company from destroying my home!" Sid explained while rubbing his check. "I told you about this. That's why I couldn't hang out with you for half of the summer."
"You didn't tell me that you were planning on breaking into the company!" She angrily yelled at him.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't want you to worry." Sid countered. "Honestly."
"Little too late for that." She tearfully told him. "When Sheena came to tell us that Arnold and you came here to 'confront' Von Scheck, I didn't buy that one bit. I knew what you were doing and I got...really scared that something might..." She didn't dare finish her sentence, making Sid realize just how worried she was.
"I'm so sorry, Babe." He tried to comfort her, but Carmen angrily rebuffed him.
"Babe, I'm okay. I'm here." Sid tried again. "This was only a one time thing. I'm sorry I never told you. I promise never I'll never do something like this again."
"Promise?" She softly asked him.
"Promise." He said to her. "Believe me, I don't ever want go through what I went through today."
"Okay..." She swooned as she leaned forward, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Sid just smiled and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back.
Sid's, Stinky's and Peapod Kid's parents, upon seeing them, went over the police line and ran towards their sons, hugging them tightly before then demanding to know as well what happened.
"Rhonda, darling!" Buckley exclaimed as he and Brooke ran towards their daughter.
"Daddy! Mother!" Rhonda happily exclaimed back when she saw them and ran towards them until they happily embraced each other, the Lloyds becoming once again reunited.
"Oh, you gave us quite a scare, dear!" Her mother gratefully, tearfully retorted.
"I'm so sorry for making you so worried." Rhonda said to them as she hugged them, thankful she was seeing her parents again. "But this was something that I had to do."
"Why?" Buckley asked. "You don't live in that neighbourhood."
"That's why I had to do it." She said to her father. "Somebody had to."
Miles, Stella, Alfonso, Martin were outside of the building, anxiously waiting for Arnold and everyone else to come out. Alfonso and Martin, after escorting Rhonda and everyone else out, were prevented by the police to go back inside and had to frustratingly wait outside.
Miles and Stella meanwhile, while still battling it out with the guards, were finally approached by a police officer and ordered everyone to stop fighting. Miles anxiously explained to the police officer that his son was on the top floor and in danger. The police officer assured him and Stella that they will find him, but they needed to leave the building right now. The parents, fearing they would be arrested if they resisted, very reluctantly complied. Based on this new piece of information, the officer immediately called for backup and to quickly head over to the top floor. The guards were also ordered to leave the building and to head to the ambulance that was outside to attend to their wounds.
After some anxious and unnerving time, Arnold, Helga, Bob, Gerald and Rodrigo finally emerged from the building, much to the relief of everyone and cheering coming from the crowd.
"Arnold!" Both Miles and Stella shouted and frantically ran towards him.
"Mom?! Dad?!" Arnold exclaimed in surprise as they came and hugged him tightly. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We heard about Von Scheck and his plan to tear down the neighbourhood again, and we knew we had to come back to help out and make sure you were alright." Stella tearfully explained.
"Yeah, we knew you would have tried to stop him again. We're sorry we couldn't come earlier, son." Miles said.
"It's okay, dad." Arnold said as he hugged his parents.
"Shortman!" Phil shouted as he and Gertie ran towards them
"Grandma! Grandpa!" Arnold happily said as they approached them and instantly began to embrace everyone.
"Are you alright, shortman? You gave us quite a scare." Phil asked.
"I am now, thanks Grandpa." Arnold replied. "I'm sorry for making you all worry."
"¡Hijo!" (Son!) Alfonso shouted when he saw Rodrigo and ran up to him.
"Papa!" Rodrigo exclaimed as he ran up to him and hugged him.
"¿Estas bien, hijo?" (Are you alright, son?) Alfonso worriedly asked him.
"Si, estoy bien." (Yeah, I'm alright) Rodrigo responded.
"¡Rodrigo! Hijo!" Elisa shouted and ran up to them and gratefully hugged her son.
"Gerald!" Martin happily called out to him and went to hug him. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah dad, I'm alright." Gerald said to him as he hugged him back.
"Gerald!" Jamie called out to him and went over to him.
"Jamie?" Gerald asked, surprised. "You're here too?"
"Of course I'm here." Jamie said with a frown. "I'm here to save your butt, again." But he then dropped his frown with a smile.
Gerald, upon seeing his elder brother smiling, smiled back at him.
"Thanks bro." He said to him and locked hands with him as they padded each other on the back.
Bob continued to limp out of the building, with his youngest daughter helping him walk out.
"Helga! B!" Miriam frantically called out to them when she saw them and ran up to them.
"Baby Sister! Daddy!" Olga tearfully called out when she saw the poor state her father was in.
"Mom? Olga? You guys are here too?" Helga asked them, surprised to see them.
"Of course I'm here" Miriam said to her. "We were worried sick about you."
"You...were?" Helga asked, now even more surprised.
"Yes, honey. How could I not be?" Miriam said as she hugged her youngest daughter.
Helga, still stunned by her family's sudden concern for her, reluctantly and awkwardly hugged her mother back.
Olga said nothing and on the verge of bursting into tears, simply leaned forward and hugged both her mom and Helga, again much to blonde teens' awkwardness.
Ookkkk...She awkwardly thought. They actually came here...for me?
"Oh B." Miriam then said with a worried tone when she released Helga and saw her husband's injuries. "You're hurt."
"Oh Daddy!" Olga tearfully, but also a bit dramatically exclaimed when she saw his bruised face.
Both Miriam and Olga then took over and helped Bob to the nearest ambulance to attend to his injuries.
"It's nothing." Bob said dismissively. "It's just a scratch." As the paramedic cleaned him up.
"Oh, B, what happened in there?" Miriam.
"I'm not even sure myself." Bob sighed. "All I know is that I gave that wretched thief a beating that he deserved." Bob snarlingly replied.
Bob then glanced to look at Miriam and Olga who were just glancing back at him with worried and distraught eyes.
"Will you both quit giving me that look!" He retorted. "I said it's nothing."
"Just nothing?" Helga asked. "You...were...amazing!" She yelled out excitedly.
"What?" Bob asked, confusing by her sudden excitement.
"What?" Miriam asked, also surprised.
"Mom, Olga, you should have seen Bob! Oh, eh came in there like an unstoppable juggernaut!" Helga then began to excitedly and proudly tell them the story. "Bob quite literally burst through the door that we thought was a gunshot sound, but then when..."
Everyone else were also reunited. Nadine found Rhonda and the two best friends happily embraced each other. The tenants went over to happily greet Arnold, while Rodrigo's friends approached him and were happy to see him well. Eugene also made his way towards his friends, limping and trying not to hurt himself. Everyone was shocked to see him out so soon from the hospital, let alone there. However, everyone was glad that he was recovering and warmly received him.
"Mr. Simmons! Principal Wartz!" Arnold then called out to him.
"Arnold." Mr. Simmons replied back, happy to see he was okay.
"It's good to see you again, sir, you know, given the circumstances." Arnold happily said to his old fourth grade teacher.
"Yes, this is a bit of an unorthodox reunion." Mr. Simmons agreed. "But it's one that I'm glad I did not miss. How are you feeling?"
"Well, after everything that happened, I still feel a bit dazed, but I'm okay." Arnold answered him.
"Well, that's to hear, Arnold." Principal Wartz then said. "You gave us quite a scar when Harold told us about your predicament." He continued with his usual disapproving frown. "Just what were you thinking; going in there?
"Well sir," Arnold nervously tried to explain himself as if he was back in the fourth or sixth grade again.
"Principal Wartz, I believe Arnold has been through a lot today." Mr. Simmons then empathetically said. "Perhaps it's best if we don't interrogate him. He'll already have enough of that from the police."
"Yes well, I suppose you're right, Mr. Simmons." Principal Wartz agreed. "I apologize about that, Arnold. I'm just glad you and everyone else are alright."
"It's okay, sir." Arnold said. "And yes, thank you to the both of you, we all are. You really saved us."
"It was nothing, Arnold." Mr. Simmons said. "we were happy to have helped. Just please promise me you won't do something so drastic again."
"Believe me, Mr. Simmons. I do not want to go through something like this again!" Arnold exclaimed.
"Well, good." Mr. Simmons, but then began to look around and everyone else. "Oh. It looks like most of my former fourth graders are here." He commented.
"Oh right! Please come and say hi to everyone, Mr. Simmons and Principal Wartz." Arnold said as he gestured to both of them and re-introduced him to their former students.
A while after this reunion, Arnold then began to seek out a few others to personally thank them for helping them.
"Pigeon Man!" Arnold called out when he finally saw him and ran up to him.
"Arnold." Pigeon man warmly greeted his friend with his usual soft voice "It's good to see you again."
Pigeon Man hadn't changed much in the last seven years. The only difference was that he now had a white beard, but other than that, he remained the same in both appearance and mannerisms.
"It's great to see you again as well. Thank you so much for coming to help us. You are really save us back there." Arnold thanked him.
"It was nothing Arnold. Anything for a dear friend." Pigeon said back.
"How did you find out about this and how did you manage to get here?" Arnold curiously asked him.
"Von Scheck's release from prison wasn't local news." Pigeon Man explained. "The news reached Paris in no time and I was already aware of Von Schecks' past attempt to tear down the neighbourhood. So, when I heard that the Mayor had re-hired FTI to tear the place down again, I knew there was something seriously wrong with that. Even though I now live in Paris, I and my pigeons still have a strong attachment to my former home in that part of Hillwood. And when I heard you were at the forefront of this, I knew I had to help out, so I made my way across the Atlantic as soon as I could."
"Well, thank you Pigeon Man. You came just in the nick of time." Arnold remarked with a chuckle.
"I'm glad I was still able to make a difference." Pigeon Man. "It's really great to see you again, Arnold. You've really grown. You're almost an adult, but I can also tell you've remained the same." He commented.
"Thanks. I kind of shot up not long after the eighth grade." Arnold said with another chuckle. "How long are you going to be in Hillwood for?"
"For a few days." Pigeon Man responded. "I plan on visiting a few places that are dear to my and my pigeon's heart."
"Well, if you have time, it would be nice to spend some time with you again." Arnold offered.
"I would like that very much, Arnold." Pigeon Man answered with a smile on his face.
Arnold and Pigeon Man spoke a little while, before Pigeon Man stated he was exhausted and will be calling it a day and go somewhere for him and his pigeons to rest. It had been a long and arduous trip coming to Hillwood. Arnold said his goodbye to the man and his pigeons before he then went to seek out another person whom he wanted to also thank.
"Monkey Man?!" Arnold called out as he tried to look for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Amongst the crowd of police officers, the security personnel, his friends and the spectators, and commotion, Arnold scoured through, trying to see if he can locate Monkey Man.
Where could he have gone? Arnold wondered as he continued looking for him but to no avail.
He had last seen him on top of the bus. When the bus arrived at the front of the building, Monkey Man was still on top of the bus, enticing the crowd with his speech.
Arnold even went so far as to go around the back the of building, hoping if he was there, but alas, he wasn't. Thinking that perhaps his job was done and had gone back to his lair, Arnold disappointedly went back toward the front of the building when he suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Hm, hey Arnold." Monkey Man said to him.
"Monkey Man! It's really you!" Arnold happily exclaimed.
"It is." He responded back with a typical super hero pose and his cape flying through the light breeze.
"I tried looking for you. I thought you had gotten back to the city." Arnold said.
"I was about to. I figured my job here was done, but I decided to stay around for a bit, looking and surveillancing everyone from a distance." Monkey Man responded. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"A bit dazed and tired, but otherwise I'm okay." Arnold replied. "We managed to stop Von Scheck and save our neighbourhood and that's what's important. Thank you Monkey Man, for saving us."
"No, thank you, Arnold." Monkey Man replied. "Because of you and your courage to stand up for what is right, you were able to not only safe the neighbourhood, but rallied everyone in this city to fight for it. Even though I am still active in fighting crime in this city, you are the real hero, Arnold. As an everyday citizen, you are the real person who inspires others to do the right thing."
"Wow, really?" Arnold asked.
"Yes." Monkey Man responded with a smile.
"Thanks Monkey Man. Coming from you, that means a lot." Arnold said, feeling proud that Monkey Man would ever consider him as a hero.
"Well, I'd best if off." Monkey Man then said. "Von Scheck may have been stopped, but that doesn't mean others will not try to fill the void and take his place. It was great seeing you again, Arnold."
"Same here, Monkey Man." Arnold said
"You have grown so much since the day we first met." Monkey Man said to him, while happily glancing at the boy that was now on the verge of becoming a full, mature adult. "You posses great wisdom and compassion. I hope you carry those traits when you reach adulthood. You and everyone else around you are going to need them, more than ever."
"I will. I promise." Arnold said.
After glancing at each other with smiles, both then shook hands before Monkey Man then suddenly ran off, heading back toward the city, where he was still needed. Arnold just stood there and waved him goodbye before then heading back to the front of the building.
While Arnold was talking to Monkey Man, Helga wondered around the scene and saw Rhonda next at the back of ambulance, quietly sipping on a beverage. Her parents were not far, but they were distracted as they were talking to a police officer. Seeing that she was alone, Helga went over to her.
"Rhondaloid!" She called out to her as she approached, prompting the socialite turn and look.
"What is it, Helga?" She asked her with a dry tone. After everything she went through, she wasn't particular keen on having to deal with Helga at that moment, a fact that Helga noticed.
"Relax Princess, I'm not here to make your life miserable." She said to her. "I just came to say that, well, you did good up there." She continued with a bit of a smile.
"Really?" She genuinely asked, even though she was a bit suspicious by her compliment.
"Yeah." Helga confirmed. "You trying to hold your own, even while being shot; that took guts Princess. It allowed us to do our job and get what we needed. You saved the neighbourhood, basically."
"I wrong about you." Helga admitted. "You really do care about the place. You wouldn't have stuck around in that room if you hadn't."
"Well um, thanks Helga." Rhonda said, surprised by her sincerity. "You were incredibly brave as well. Rodrigo told me what you did to Von Scheck. That took guts." She continued with a giggle.
Helga gave her a bit of a smile and then extended her hand, a gesture that surprised Rhonda yet again. But she then smiled back and shook it.
After speaking with Monkay Man, Arnold went to find Rodrigo. After a little while, he found him sitting at the back of an ambulance, sipping on a beverage, alone. Taking the opportunity, he approached him.
"Hey, Rodrigo?" Arnold said to him.
"Yeah?" He asked.
"Listen, um, I just wanted to say, thank you." The blonde teen shyly said.
"For?" Rodrigo asked.
"For everything." Arnold said. "For helping us stop Von Scheck and save the neighbourhood, for being there for our friends, and for pushing me away from Von Scheck's gun. You saved my life, Rodrigo. Thank you." He admitted.
"Well, not really." Rodrigo countered. "He never pulled the trigger, remember?"
"No, but you still pushed me away." Arnold countered back. "I'm not going to ask why you did it. Just know that I'm eternally grateful. I'll never forget it." As he then extended his hand and gave him an innocent smile.
Rodrigo wasn't really amused, nor flattered by Arnold's gratitude and just let out a sigh. He wasn't really sure why he did it. All he knew was that someone was in serious danger and he felt he needed help them, even if it meant putting himself in danger. It didn't matter who it was.
"You're welcome, Arnold." He then said as he shook his hand.
Several hours later...
It was now in the evening. Despite the sun still brightly blazing its rays onto the city of Hillwood, it was starting to set, allowing the commencement of various orange, yellow and red colour to start blistering through the clouds that were still hovering over the city and especially where the FTI building was located.
The crowd which at its peak, contained several thousands of angry protesters, was now reduced to a measly few spectators, curiously and eagerly trying to get a glimpse of the events that unfolded inside this multi-billion dollar company. Arnold, Rodrigo, Helga, Rhonda, and everyone else, including their parents, were still there, busy talking either to the police, or among themselves. Von Scheck, after suffering such a devastating beating at the hands of Bob Pataki, was quickly taken to the hospital.
Once the dust had settled, the police began their investigation. As part of this, Arnold and everyone else were instructed to remain on site so the police could question them as to what happened and why they were inside the building, unauthorized. Arnold, Rodrigo and everyone else made no attempt to hide their intentions and told the police the reason why they broke into the building. However, they ensured not to affiliate Lila, Harold, Patty, Brainy, Sheena and Nadine into their plan, especially Curly, Phoebe, Park and Lorenzo.
After the police finished questioning Gerald for the time being, he walked around the premises, still trying to register everything that had happened, as well finally feeling this huge weight being lifted off his shoulders. Von Scheck had been stopped. The neighbourhood was safe again. Everyone had managed to come out of there alive. Now the only thing left was -
"Gerald!" A soft, yet almost squeaky voiced called out his name. Recognizing the person's voice, Gerald quickly turned around to see the person who was running towards him.
"Phoebe?" He asked, surprised to find her there. "What are you – hm!"
Before Gerald could finish, Phoebe frantically ran up to him and almost jumping on him and knocking him down, hugged him tight and gave him a big kiss on his lips.
"Are you alright?" She worriedly asked him.
"Yeah, we're alright." He said, happy to see her as well. "Everyone else is also okay."
"Oh thank goodness!" Phoebe exclaimed, feeling relieved.
"Babe, not that I'm not happy to see you here," Gerald then whispered, "what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Curly on going through everything you guys extracted from Von Scheck's computer and phone?"
"Yes, but right now, my place is here, with you and Helga." Phoebe replied back. "Park and Lorenzo are helping Curly in the meantime. I needed to make sure you were okay. I was so worried." She tearfully continued. "I thought something might have-"
"It's okay, babe." Gerald said, stopping her from finishing her sentence and hugged her again, comforting her. "We're okay. It's over now. We can...almost go home."
Phoebe just sighed.
"Yes." She said to him, feeling calm, but also also sad. "Let me just go and see Helga. Then, I'll go back to our hideout so that we can finally put that S****** to prison, for good this time." She continued with an angry and firm tone.
"Whoa." Gerald said, surprised that Phoebe had just cursed. "Where did that come from?"
"Oops. I'm so sorry, Gerald." Phoebe embarrassingly said. "But, you can't expect me to not be very agitated, angry and worried after what happened. Von Scheck tried to shoot you!" She almost hysterically exclaimed.
"Well technically babe, he tried to shoot at Arno-" Gerald was about to correct her, but then stopped when he saw her frowning at him.
"Yeah, yeah, he did try to shoot me." Gerald then agreed with her as he then gave her a nervously smile.
"Anyways," Phoebe then said, calming down, "I'm sorry for swearing."
"No worries, babe" Gerald said with a smirk. "Actually, you know what? I kind of like this 'assertive' part you." He said flirtatiously.
Phoebe said nothing and just blushed before Gerald than gave her another sweet kiss on her lips. He then led her to where Helga was, who had just finished being questioned by the police.
"Helga!" Phoebe called her name and then ran up to her best friend.
"Phoebe?" Helga said, surprised to see her there.
"Helga, I got so worried! Are you alright?" Phoebe asked her as she reached her and hugged her.
"Yeah, I'm alright." She said. "But, what are you doing here?" She then whispered to her. "Shouldn't you be with Curly finding all the evidence again-"
"Helga, that can wait." Phoebe interrupted her. "Right now, I need to be here and make sure my boyfriend and best friend are okay. Right now, both of you are my priority." She continued with a smile.
"Thanks, Pheebs." Helga said, always feeling cherished by her best friend's concern for her.
"By the way tall-hair boy," the blonde female teen then said to Gerald, "You were a little shaky, but other than that, weren't too bad back there." She said with a smirk.
Gerald said nothing and just gave Helga a raised eyebrow.
"And thanks...for having my back in there." She sheepishly said to her with a bit of a smile.
Gerald still said nothing, but now with a smile, offered his hand. Helga just casually took it and began to shake it, but then Gerald, using his fingers, grabbed around her fingers, allowing only their thumbs to be free.
Both Helga and Phoebe let out a faint gasp when they realized what Gerald was doing. He was going to do his and Arnold's best friend handshake with her! No one, not even with Phoebe, had Gerald ever attempted to do that handshake with anyone else. Helga, a bit overwhelmed at Gerald's gesture, said nothing and just started at both their hands with her mouth somewhat opened. However, she eventually ever so slightly began to move her thumb sideways, with Gerald following suit.
"You weren't too shabby yourself, Helga." He then said to her, emphasizing her name and no longer calling her by her last time, a gesture that Helga noticed and smiled.
Phoebe, ecstatic and emotional, suddenly grabbed both Helga and Gerald and tightly hugged them both.
"I love you guys." She happily said to them.
"Love you too babe," Gerald gasped. "But I can't breathe..."
"Me neither, Phoebe..." Helga gasped.
"Oh, so sorry." Phoebe said as she let them go, allowing them to breathe again.
"You uh, got a tight grip there, Pheebs." She nervously remarked, to which Phoebe just gave her a sweet smile.
Phoebe stayed behind a bit longer with Gerald, his and her parents at the scene. Helga was called again to be questioned by the police, much to her annoyance. However, she cooperated without issue, not wanting give them a reason to book her.
After was she questioned and wanting to get some space and air to clear her head, Helga made her way a bit out from the front of the building, onto a little grassy mound, where the road circulated around it. No one was on that mount, so she found it suitable and peaceful for her to clear her thoughts. After glancing behind her that entire scene that had unfolded during that morning, Helga then let out a sigh, turned around to face the sun that was now setting in front of her and behind the city and just calmly watched it for a bit.
As she continued to stare at the sunset, watching as the day slowly began to end, she couldn't help but feel, with a heavy heart, this sunset being a metaphor to her relationship with Rodrigo, setting, reaching its conclusion. Although she knew that a new, more brightful day was brewing, one that finally involved Arnold into her life, she wasn't able to yet focus entirely on that. Her thoughts were right now lamenting on a highly uncertain future with Rodrigo, one that she had very little control over. It all depended on him and if he wanted, or was able to, move past this and be friend once again.
While Helga stood on the small grass mound, Arnold was preoccupied with the police again. However, they were soon finished with him and he was allowed to walk around the premises. He saw Helga on top of the little grassy mound and initially just stood by the sidelines. Knowing that she just needed some space at the moment, he didn't approach her and just went to speak to some of his friends.
After a while though, Helga continued to just stare at the sunset, not moving an inch. Arnold noticed her immobility and decided to see if she was alright. He calmly, but also cautiously walked towards her, reaching the small mound.
"Helga?" He finally and softly said something to her. "Are you okay?"
Not startled, Helga turned around to face him.
"Yeah, I guess." She said. "I mean, you know despite almost getting shot, almost losing both you and Rodrigo and also being threatened to be thrown out the window, I'm in as much of a good shape as I can be." She sarcastically continued.
Arnold just rubbed the back of his head then nervously looked down.
"And what about what happened between us at the FTI balcony?" He asked her.
Helga said nothing and just stood there for a little while before then turning back around to face the sunset. Arnold just patiently stood there and waited for a response. However, with each passing second that she did not move, let alone answer, he started becoming more and more anxious at the silence. Arnold had actually expected her to give him a straight, decisive answer. But, with each passing second that she didn't answer, he began to fear that Helga was having second thoughts.
"Um, Helga?" He nervously said her name.
"I love you, Arnold." She finally said to him while still facing the sunset. "I've always loved you and I will always do."
She then turned around to face him.
"That never went away." She sighed. "I tried to move on, and even though I felt like I
actually could, I wasn't willing to admit the fact that I...didn't want to. Rodrigo knew that. He knew that even though I could have been happy with him, I would have been much, much happier with you. That's why he...broke up with me. I could have fought against it, but it would have been fruitless. We both knew who I really wanted to be with. It wasn't fair to anyone, especially to him, to continue on with it."
When Arnold said nothing, Helga continued.
"Given how fast everything developed, I would like for us to take things slowly."
"Definitely." Arnold agreed. "I guess we have a lot of things to talk about." He chuckled.
"Ya, we do." Helga chuckled as well.
Both teens then said nothing and just nervously smiled and glanced at each other. Arnold then moved a bit forward, closer to her. When Helga makes no opposition, he continued moving forward until he was close enough to gently wrap his arms around her. When Helga still did not resist, he continued and then leaned forward to kiss her on her lips. Helga then leaned forward and for a moment, without guilt or shame, wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back. After three long, painful, gruelling years of being separated, she finally had him back. He was finally in her arms again. He had finally come home.
Rodrigo was some distance away and looked at the reunited couple how were happily hugging each other, just as the sun continued with its descend down, allowing its light to shine throughout the couple. The Sun's light and energy was a metaphor of the love and passion that the couple shared for each other, while its descent is a reference to everything that had happened will soon be in the past and they can now look forward to a new sunrise, a new day, a new life together. Although at any other moment he would have been infuriated with utter jealousy and resentment, this was somehow different. As Rodrigo looked on, he felt not only a sense of calm and tranquility, but also a sense of personal...satisfaction. He felt that by helping to bring these two people together again, the universe now made full sense, everything was back to the way it was, the way it should be. From here on in, whatever dark cloud had followed the young female teen, Rodrigo and everyone else in the group, had now been finally lifted, creating this deep sense of optimism that the future now looked, quite literally bright. With that thought, Rodrigo smiled at the couple who were still busy hugging each other.
Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned around, he saw that it was Rhonda.
"Hey. Are you okay?" She asked him.
Rhonda had noticed Arnold and Helga kissing each other and naturally put two and two together.
"Yeah, I guess." He responded. "Normally this would be something that would cause my blood to boil, but right now, I'm just happy for the both of them, especially Helga."
"That was incredibly brave; what you did for them." She commented to him with an admirable smile.
"Thanks." Rodrigo said.
"Just so we're clear here," She then said, "you guys did break up, right?"
Rodrigo sadly sighed at the reminder. "Yeah, we did." He softly replied. "Thanks for reminding m – Hey!"
Rhonda then suddenly grabbed onto Rodrigo, pulled him towards her and gave him a completely unexpected, passionate kiss on his lips. The move was so sudden that Rodrigo had no time to register, nor react. In one millisecond, he actually thought she was going to slap him.
"Muah!" She finally stopped kissing him and let him go.
"That was for saving me back inside the elevator shaft." She said with a sweet smile. "But don't let it get into your head and think it means anything else." She continued as she fiddled with his nose, grabbed her phone and then walked away as she began to type.
Rhonda left a completely dazed and stunned Rodrigo who just stood there with wide open eyes, frozen as he came to grips that Rhonda...Wellington...Lloyd had just kissed him!
"Uh, did I just score?" He dazingly asked himself.
As the day drew to a close and it looked like everyone can head home, music was suddenly heard throughout the scene, getting everyone's attention. Arnold, Rodrigo and their friends were especially drawn to the music and the person who suddenly started to sing.
Eugene singing:
We saved our neighbourhood
They could not tear it down
They could not turn our smile into a frown
"Ugh, Eugene!" Gerald began to protest, but he then felt someone grab onto his shoulder, stopping him.
"Hold on, Gerald." Arnold said to him. "Let him have this one. He deserves it."
Gerald just chuckled and with a smile, allowed Eugene to finish.
With only just a few
Like you and you and you
The fiends came and tried to shove us away
But we refused to go so quietly
So we made our voices heard
And like the walls of Jericho
Upon hearing our determined roars and yells
And in the face of our determined stance
Our adversary's defences came crushing down
And now here we are
Standing proud and mighty of the cause that we fought so valiantly for
Our smiles continued to shine brightly
We can look back with awe and pride
As we happily head back with our heads up high to our homes
That is our neighbourhooooood!
The End...?
Well, that about wraps it up, I think. I would like to thank everyone for taking the time to read my story. I hope everyone enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Thank you again!
