Arnold Falls For Helga?

Chapter 7- Taking Care of Helga. 1/4

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold. Sorry for the late update. It's been about a year since the last chapter came out, so my memory is a bit fuzzy. Bear with me :)

"Helga, I ain't waiting all day! GET YOUR LAZY BEHIND down here."

"Why don't you call up your favorite daughter Ollgaaa to help you sell dumb beepers for a change!"

Bob glared darkly at her, clenching his fists.

"Don't push me young lady! Or you're gonna regret it!"

"I regret nothing I say, you piece of sh-"

1 A.M.

The Boarding House...

A football-headed boy was woken from his sleep because he heard something just outside of his room. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up in bed and looked around at his surroundings.

'Where's that noise coming from? I can't sleep because of it.'

His eyes finally landed over to his window, where pebbles were apparently being thrown at.

'Who would want to bother me so early in the morning?' Arnold thought and walked over to the window. Opening it up, he was accidentally hit with one of them.

"Ow! What gives?"

"Well that's what you get for taking so long hair boy!"

"Helga? What are you doing-"

"Look, I'm sure you have a load of questions seeing me here. But first could you help me inside?"

He blinked and simply sighed, giving her his hand so she was able to climb in through the window.

When she was in his room, he crossed his arms. He'd never thought Helga G. Pataki of all people would be the one disturbing him this late.

"Wait...how come you couldn't just ring the doorbell or knock on the front door?"

"Well if you were paying attention five minutes ago you yutz, you would've noticed something."

"Not really, it's really dark in here and the street lights were off. Give me a second." Arnold said and flipped on the light switch. Knowing what his reaction was going to be, Helga dashed over to cover his mouth. A muffled scream was all that came out.

"Shhh! Arnold, stop yelling! You're gonna wake up the neighborhood and your grandparents."

He pushed her hand off of his mouth.

"Okay I'll whisper! Did you wash your hands?"

Helga blushed lightly while rolling her eyes. "Yes I did you buffoon! Why does it matter?"

Arnold stuck his tongue out, cringing with dismay.

"Eugh! They taste like sink water."

"Yeah, my lousy father or ,Bob, should I say is too lazy to call a plumber."

"Helga your lip is bleeding...let me clean it for you."

"You don't need to-"

"Helga, you are NOT going to talk me out of it. Now sit."

Sighing, she sat down on the side of his bed and watched him as he cleaned the wound with alcohol.

"Ouch! Arnold that burns!" Helga yelped clinching her eyes shut.

"He gave you a black eye too?!" He said gently touching it.

"Hey! Don't touch it you moron!" She swatted his hand away quickly.

"Okay, I won't, sheesh! That piece of s*** obviously won't stop, will he? That bloody mouth, the bruises I found on you a little while ago at the hospital and the black eye is all I needed to see-"

Arnold was about to stand up, but then Helga grabbed his wrist. She knew confirming that her dad was abusive had been a bad idea. This had to stop before it became out of hand.

"Wait! Just what do you plan on doing Arnold? Even though Bob's a jerk, I'm not going to let you fight him!"

"Why not? He deserves it!-"

Helga scoffed. " 'Why not?' Football-head, he's a grown man with muscles! No offense, but you are only ten. He could put you in a coma after one punch!"

"Okay I get it now Helga. You don't have to remind me."

She let go of his arm and sighed. "Sorry. As you can see, THIS is why I didn't want to spill the beans in the first place. But you kept prying and I couldn't think of a way to lie to you."

"I'm glad you didn't lie to me. I understand that you have a right to your own privacy. But something like this is very awful to go through alone."

"Obviously, but I'm dealing with it okay?"

"Wait. How did you get out of your house?"

Helga smirked. "I knew at this hour Bob would be out at the bar with Darlene. So I made a break for it. I'm kind of the master at sneaking out."

Arnold raised a brow in confusion. "Who is Darlene?"

"Oops. I said too much. Darlene may or may not be the woman Bob is dating."

"Miriam and him broke up?"

"Nope. She's still with him."

"Oh so- now in addition to being a grumpy abusive freak, he's cheating on your mother too?! How can you stand that liar?!"

"This just in captain obvious! I CAN'T! Haven't you been listening to me this entire time? Or are you truly deaf? Answer the question."

"No, I'm not deaf Helga. I just don't understand why you'd-"

Suddenly they both were dead silent when the doorknob started shifting.

"Hide!" Arnold whispered to her and she quickly hid in his closet. The door opened and his grandpa flipped on the lightswitch.

"Hey, what's going on in here? Why are you up so early in the morning?"

Arnold gulped. He hated lying to his grandpa, but he also didn't want to disrespect Helga's privacy. No one could know about this until she spoke up about the subject herself. 'Think Arnold think!'

"I uh...had a nightmare! Yeah I had a nightmare!"

"Really? I swore I heard someone else talking in here."

"T-That was me. Sometimes after I have a nightmare, I talk to myself so I can go back to sleep. No need to worry, it's just me in here. Nobody else whatsoever inside of my room this late at night.

Helga silently did a facepalm inside of the closet. 'Criminy Arnoldo. Gerald was right when he said you were a horrible liar.'

"Oh okay. Carry on Shortman. Don't stay up too long. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Grandpa."

Grandpa Phil shut the door and went back to his room. Arnold sighed in relief, wiping the sweat away from his forehead. Helga watched as he opened up the closet door.

"You can come out now." He whispered. Peaking outside, she hesitantly made her way out of the closet.

"Thanks Arnold. You're a lifesaver."

"You're lucky I'm not the kind of guy to rat someone out."

"Oh Arnold I'm so grateful you saved me. Let's get married tomorrow and run off in the sunset! How the birds sing when you are around! The magnificent way they make a beautiful nest in your hair and-"

"Okay, I get the picture, now stop that." He said while glaring at her.

"Had enough of me yet football head?"

"Don't ask a question you know you don't want the answer to smart-aleck."