Author's Note: I am so excited to begin this journey. Follow me as we float together in the unsinkable ship that is HelgaxArnold! I DO NOT own most of the characters mentioned, they belong to the genius that is Craig Bartlett! References to the original series as well as the first and second movie will be made throughout the story, but I DO NOT OWN the original piece of work that is Hey Arnold! nor the beautiful movies!

Summary: The story takes place after TJM. Arnold leaves for San Lorenzo with his parents shortly after. Helga and Arnold begin a long-distance relationship, naively believing their love could beat the odds. This story takes place during their last year of high school. Helga struggles to find herself, struggles to forget her one true love, and navigates the complexities of being a young woman with a heart longing for her one true love's return. Arnold is back, and he is ready to show her she was not wrong about him. Will he redeem himself?

-English is my second language so bear with me, and I will be fixing some grammar and spelling along the way!

'thoughts will look like this'

Engraved in You:

Dear Arnold,

Do you remember the last time we talked?

You were standing outside my bedroom window in the dead of the night. I had dreamt of this moment, you standing outside my window, probably more times than I should admit.

At first, I couldn't recognize your face as real. In my dream state, I had seen you waiting like this so many times I was sure I was still asleep. You called out to me in that sultry voice of yours. We talked until the morning sun was bathing my window with orange rays, the promise of new beginnings.

I couldn't bring myself to tell you that I almost wept at your feet when you came back to tell me about your leaving that very morning. I mean, I knew you were leaving. I expected to wake up and walk to that red brick building, only to find you gone.

While we talked about all the plans your parents had in store for you in San Lorenzo, I was mystified by the way your eyes were trying to find something to focus on. I wanted to memorize you; The way your lips moved in that pleasant way when you talked, Your palms rubbing together.

I know I've said this before and saying it again in paper is not very efficient. But, Arnold, football head, thank you so much for saving me.

Enough about my mushy feelings. Tell me, how are things in San Lorenzo? Did your parents begin construction in that fancy new hospital they are building? How is the new school?

I can't wait to hear all about it.

Love,

Helga

Hillwood Highschool:

"Alright class. Let me remind you that the bell does not dismiss you, I do. Now, if everyone could take your seats so I can say a few words. Harold! Put jimmy down and sit down please! No bullying!" Mr. Jameson watched as his rowdy group of 11 graders scrambled to their seats. The tension was high, and it was palpable all around. The long-awaited summer vacation was about to commence.

"I want to say that I am proud of each and every one of you for completing one more year at Hillwood High. If you still have extra credit to turn in, I will be here until 5pm turning in grades. Now, everyone, enjoy your vacation because next year you are coming back as seniors!" At his words, the students scrambled out of their chairs and flooded into the hallways of Hillwood.

As Helga picked up her bag, she was struck on her shoulder by a water bottle. A group of four, color-coordinated dressed girls stood by giggling, "Opps, sorry Pataki, I was trying to aim at the trashcan." The dirty blonde of the group exclaimed, feigning guilt.

Helga ignored her assailants and continued to make her way out of the class. Yep, this was the usual.

"If you were trying to aim at trash, you hit the bull's eye, Cassi!" The auburn-haired one in the group spoke. The girl's comment was praised with laughter and applause. Even Harold and Stinky couldn't' help but to laugh at that one.

The girls were famously known around the school as The Lollipops. Always colorfully dressed and very coordinated. Rhonda had once been a part of this group but abandoned it on a bitter tone after the girls had taken a liking to bulling Helga and Lila.

'Criminy! Why do I have to deal with this every day? Besides being a complete outcast, I am singled out for what? Seeking therapy? Having won every poetry competition in the state? Since when has literature and having the gift of writing become a top qualification for being a lame'o freak loser?'

So, Helga G. Pataki, infamous bully and troublemaker of P.S 118, was now the target of bullying in high school.

A big believer in karma, Helga presumed her bullying was well-deserved. She did her best to ignore her tormentors and continue about her life. Her therapist of 7 years, Dr. Bliss, had recommended she ignore the nasty comments and petty bickering and focus her energy on bettering her home life. Recalling this, Helga rolled her eyes and remembered Olga was returning from her adventures abroad, precisely tonight.

"We go from one horrible situation to another, don't we?" she whispered to herself and as she slammed her locker shut, she was face-to-face with possibly the cutest couple in all of Hillwood. It was sickening.

"As your good friend and second-to-none personal consultant, I say go for it!" Phoebe Heyerdahl, her lifelong friend, stared enthusiastically at Helga.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Pheebs?" Helga protested, turning around and walking towards the school exit.

Phoebe and a very startled Gerald followed suit. "Woah, Woah! Hold on there, babe! I am not so sure you should be giving out this advice to Helga. Can we talk about this first?" Gerald tugged on Phoebe's sleeve, eyes pleading.

Helga paused and turned around to face them. "Oh, the date with that guitar hero weirdo? Why should I? Tall hair-boy here is right, Phoebe. It doesn't sound very feasible to be spending my summer with some lame'o who writes songs for his dead cat. I'll pass!" Helga turned around and stormed out of the building, not bothering to look back towards the couple now regarding each other carefully.

"Hey, we talked about this. Why do you care so much about what Helga does in her free time? It seems to me that she is at a more than acceptable age to go after the pursuit of love again, don't you think? Must I remind you that hormones at our age are at an all-time high?" Phoebe, holding her books in one hand and holding Gerald's hand with her other, looked up at her impossibly handsome boyfriend with a worried gaze in her eyes. She knew his concern about throwing his own best friend's childhood love into another boy's arms. For years, Gerald had watched Helga on behalf of Arnold and unbeknownst to Arnold, the couple had been responsible for sabotaging any new chance at love Helga might have. It was not easy, as the blonde girl grew in both beauty and mystery, more and more boys at Hillwood had made their intentions towards her known. Fortunately, Helga made things manageable for the couple, rejecting any advancement or love confession made her way.

"I know, Pheebs, I know. But it's not like we meant to completely stop her, right? Man, if she really wanted to date any of those boys, we both know there is no way in hell to stop Helga G. Pataki and whatever she proposes herself to do." Gerald continued to plead, more to himself than to Phoebe this time. Deep down, the couple knew that even though his words held some validity, they still shared some guilt encouraging her to continue her anti-social and loveless lifestyle.

"I know you feel some guilt." Phoebe looked up at him and reached to touch his face, a whole foot away from hers, "But Arnold would have wanted Helga to find happiness. You are not your friend's keeper. Let's help her make new memories this year, shall we?"

Softening up to his girlfriend's wise words, Gerald wrapped his arm around her shoulders and proceeded to walk towards the parking lot. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "Alright, alright babe… Now, what were you saying? Something about teenage hormones and whatnot?"

Pataki House:

"Oh I just love your hair down, baby sister! Since when have you started letting it down like this? Oh, and you followed your big sis's advice and cleaned up your eyebrows? Oh, come here you big goof!" An annoyed Helga let herself be embraced by the excited blonde, who not long after her arrival started going on and on about her good Samaritan work abroad, this time in the jungles of Central America.

At dinner, Olga gave details of her work, "…and then after graduation, we found a neat little cottage in Santa Cecilia and I moved in with Jim as part of my post-doctoral work. During our time there, we found out that nearly all the inhabitants are direct descendants of the green-eyed people! No surprise there, of course, as the capital of San Lorenzo is no less than a day's bike ride down."

Hearing this, Helga almost jumped out of her seat. Looking wide eyed at her sister, she inquired, "Did you say San Lorenzo? THAT'S what you have been doing your post-doctoral work on?" of course, she should have known! Her fanatic older sister had been so enamored with the ancient city and the people. After their fateful trip with P.S 118, Olga had booked a flight and travelled there again as soon as she was able to.

"That's right, baby sis! And the Shortmans were gracious enough to aid me in my study. Oh, Helga, your little friend…. umm…what was his name? Armando, Arnelo…"

"Arnold! SO? What about him? You didn't happen to bump into him…Did you?" Fidgeting her fingers, Helga was aware she was failing miserably at hiding the immense interest she had learning anything about him. His letters had grown fewer and fewer, eventually stopping all together after two years of back-and-forth correspondence between them. Helga supposed he was busy and growing up. Gerald was a witness to his friend's distancing as well. It hurt to admit that any crumbs about his wellbeing made Helga's heart skip a beat.

The room felt warmer, her palms became sweaty. She looked frantically at her sister, who seemed to enjoy Helga's sudden interest.

Savoring her words and touching her finger to her chin in contemplation, Olga replied, "As a matter of fact, I did! But only once. He was always so busy assisting the townsfolk. He is kinda worshipped there, did you know? Anyway, he was with his girlfriend and…. Uhh, baby sis?"

Unable to listen any longer, Helga got up with a start and headed straight towards her room, leaving her family at the dinner table. She'd felt physically sick as she listened to the words uttered by her sister and could not bear to listen any longer.

'Girlfriend? That's why he stopped writing? He met someone else?'

"What a rude girl. You'd think she'd have some manners after we pay for all that therapy crap. Miriam! Pass me the butter." Bob ordered at Miriam as the older lady failed to conceal her lethargy, palm holding up her head and stammering to answer. "Oh, yes, here you go dear…"

Slamming the door to her room, Helga fell onto her bed and retrieved a box under it. Inside the box she kept her old locket, a journal filled with poetry, as well as all the letters she had received from Arnold that she kept wrapped in her old pink bow. The letters spanned from the beginning of 7th grade, when he'd left, all the way until the start of 9th grade. She was now 18 and it had been more than three years since she'd received his last letter. Helga was aware she should have been over him years ago. Her letters had gone unanswered for far too long and embarrassed at her own insistence, believed the best thing to do was to stop writing them. The last letter Arnold wrote had been short:

Dear Helga,

I am sorry it has taken me 3 months to respond to your previous letter.

I have been aching to get some rest and time to sit down and finally write to you. The village here has really made progress. We have officially started construction on a second hospital in the outskirts of our little village square. I start high school next week. I know you started yours a month ago, right? At least that's what I gather if my timeline is correct.

I am glad to learn that your mom has made friends with Suzie and that she frequents the boarding house. Speaking of Suzie, who would have thought she would have a baby with Oskar? I can't imagine him as a dad. I am most glad to learn that your mom has started going to Smoothies Anonymous. Please send her my best wishes.

I wish you have a good start at Hillwood High. I know you will do great, you always do. You are invincible, aren't you? You are the strongest girl I know.

Please write back to me. I want to hear all about the new school.

Always,

Arnold.

After this fateful letter, Helga promptly responded with three pages full of details about her new high school life, her family, and therapy with Dr. Bliss. She also kept him in the loop about the boarding house folks, and about all their friends. She asked him to write about his new school life, the people in it, and all the new adventures he was famous for encountering. After waiting for his reply for more than 3 months, Helga could not help herself and continued writing letters, hoping that along the way the previous one had been lost on route someplace and not because he meant to stop replying.

Before his departure to San Lorenzo, Helga and Arnold had created an innocent, if not secretive, relationship. She remembered the stolen kisses when no one was looking, the secret handholding under the table, and the laughter they shared over ice cream sundaes. They were in love. At least, that's what she wanted to believe. On her part, Helga had never experienced happiness like that in her life. She had an awareness that he held so much power over her heart. There were times where the only thing standing in their way was her stubborn attitude and anger issues. It had been him who'd encouraged her to go back to therapy, to continue her poetry, and to tolerate her family. It had been him who had shared every holiday, birthday, and space with her when no one else did.

After more than a year of hiding their relationship and just before their transition to the 7th grade, Arnold announced the news of his leaving. Helga stubbornly tried to stop Arnold from leaving. She was constantly bringing up their fateful trip as a reminder of the dangers of San Lorenzo. She'd almost considered pinning his parents against him so they could leave him behind. That's where she'd drawn the line.

During their last month together, tension had been high, and their relationship was rocky. Deep down, she knew she had to let him go. The young preteen needed his parents more than ever. His parents, explorers and ever so eager to jump to their next mission, had unfinished business in San Lorenzo. San Lorenzo was special to them and as long as there was work to be done, they would never be happy living in Hillwood.

Letting go had been the hardest thing in her young life.

She remembered the tears streaming down her face and how angrily she admitted defeat. She left the goodbye party in a wave of agony and discomfort, without giving him a proper goodbye. She couldn't remember how she had gotten home that final night, or how her feet had taken her all the way to her room. It had been that night that he had showed up throwing small pebbles at her bedroom window. She remembered her bloodshot eyes, his tired ones. She had made this so much harder for him than it needed to be. With all the pain in her heart still present, she forced a smile and told him she'd wait.

'Have I been so naïve as to believe that distance would never be an issue?'

Arnold and she stayed talking all night and after a last goodbye kiss, he had climbed down her window and took her heart with him.

He still hadn't given it back.

Present Day, Gerald's House:

"Hey, you got a phone call. Distance call so make it short!" Timberly handed the phone over to her older brother. Confused by who would be calling from long distance, Gerald Picked up. "Yea' 'ello?"

A familiar voice answered, "Gerald? I can't believe I am speaking to you, Gerald!"

"Arnold?! Is it really you? No, I can't believe this! Did you catch the sleeping sickness and just woke up now? It's been so long, I thought you'd forgot all about us!"

"Not at all, Gerald. Listen, I don't have much time. These remote landlines are unsteady. I am moving back to Hillwood."

Monday afternoon in late August, a month after the phone call:

Phoebe and Gerald sat in the café. The summer was coming to an end and senior year of high school was only a week away.

"So, you are going to pick him up at the airport today? Where is he staying? Is he coming back to live at the boarding house?" Phoebe adjusted her glasses and drank from her Americano, before taking them off and cleaning the foggy lenses once again.

"Yeah, his grandparents left the boarding house to him in their will. His parents are coming back with him too. So, I'll be there to pick them up."

"What should we do about….Helga? Do we tell her?" Phoebe and Gerald regarded each other carefully. Pensively tapping his fingers on the table, Gerald spoke the next words cautiously, "What do you think about setting them up? Like, inviting Helga to…let's say, Chez Paris, and then, Boom! There he is."

"Oh dear," wiping her glasses frantically, Phoebe looked at her troublemaker boyfriend with incredulity. "Helga is finally dating the guitar fellow. I can't contribute to their demise after we both encouraged her to keep trying him out."

"Alright, alright. So we both made the mistake of encouraging her. But we are talking about Helga and Arnold here! The love birds making out at the cheese festival? At the tree house? Hell, remember how we both had to endure hours of torture just to try to keep them focused and finish those group projects? No, Phoebe, I am not backing out of this one. I'm counting on you, little one." Smirking at his girlfriend, Gerald knew that this time he had won.

"It's funny how you always hated Helga and now you are the one encouraging their reunion, dear." Phoebe smiled skeptically at Gerald, who had reached across to rub her hand.

"Hey, I never hated her. I just…well…never mind. All I can say is that we have both been witness to Helga's love over the years. It is only fair that she gets the closure she needs. And you never know, Arnold is a good guy and I trust him to have a good reason for leaving her waiting."

Lifting her coffee cup, Phoebe whispered, "Okay. For better or for worse, let's do this."

Wednesday night, Chez Paris:

Helga stumbled out of her Honda Civic, curtesy of Olga's hand me downs, and made her way to the restaurant. "Criminy! It is the last week of summer vacation and I am spending my time in a fancy schmancy restaurant with barely enough cash to order a soda! Phoebe better pay for this one. And why did she insist we come so dressed up? I can barely walk in these stupid heels! Easy, Helga-girl, you can make it. If you make it to the lobby, you are safe." With difficulty, Helga made her way inside the low-lit restaurant and once inside, told the host the name of the reservation, "Phoebe Heyerdahl".

She was led towards the back of the restaurant to the patio which offered a more private and romantic atmosphere. A pianist, joined by a violinist, joined together in a lazy, romantic tune. Struggling to keep her balance in the strappy stilettos Rhonda borrowed tonight, Helga became aware of a shadow looming in the corner table the waiter was leading her towards.

'No…no…It can't be….'

Her heart felt like it was thumping hard inside her ears and it was growing increasingly loud and thunderous. It was hard to breathe.

The waiter, with his over-exaggerated French accent, turned around to signal her to the table, "Your table, Madam."

But his voice sounded like it was miles away. It was as if time froze still and she was back again in her 12-year-old body. Waiting for her 12-year-old crush to show up, except now he was doing the waiting, and he was far from being a 12-years-old.

Afraid that his image might evaporate before her. Helga found her voice, shaking, small.

"Arnold?"

Author's Note: What did you think? Please follow and review! I am always open to feedback and I am here to clarify if there is any confusion! THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING!

A mood to follow: I want so bad to include music into the story, but for some reason I can't picture Helga listening to Taylor Swift, who's lyrics from her song 'Cardigan', illustrate the feelings she has towards Arnold. Here are some of the lyrics:

'Cause I knew you

'...Steppin' on the last train
Marked me like a bloodstain
I, I knew you
Tried to change the ending
Peter losing Wendy
I, I knew you
Leavin' like a father
Runnin' like water, I
And when you are young, they assume you know nothing

But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss
I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs...'