Chapter.18

Hey y'all, hope you are well. The more and more I think about the vaccination special, the more I question the future of South Park. Unless they plan on renewing, I could see this being the beginning of the end. Either through the show no longer having a seasonal run or just the ending all together. They could either resume it in the way they have done with the seasonal format. Or they could just throw down with specials from now on. But that just seems dumb. And it feels like they should have done the falling out with the boys sooner. But that's just me. I really enjoyed both of the specials and can't wait for more South Park. (Sorry). Anywhale, I hope you enjoy the chapter. And I hope you consider critiquing and reviewing down below.

Kenny was faster than Heidi had anticipated. Sometimes the emotions are the fuel you need to get away.

Heidi knew what it was like. Sometimes running was the only deal with all the pain. Especially the type of pain Cartman delt out.

She kept thinking of what Kenny had said about how to deal with that fat bastard. How not affecting Cartman affected Cartman. So she would run. And it's probably the reason Kenny ran.

But Heidi couldn't stand this version of Kenny. It wasn't the one that she had grown to love. It wasn't the way Kenny was acting that bothered her. But it was the way he seemed so bothered by it. And that bothered her.

It's what she had talked about Mysterion. About feeling useless. But she had made a promise to him. She wasn't gonna be useless. She was gonna be there for Kenny like he had been there for her.

Heidi kept running around the hallways assuming she was Kenny's trail. But there was no sign of him.

Heidi decided that her instincts and intuition wouldn't be enough. She would have to ask around.

She looked around to see if there was anyone that might have known where Kenny had gone. She noticed South Park's favorite, young gay couple. Heidi made her way to them.

"Tweek! Craig!"Heidi said as she came out to them

Craig and Tweek turned their attention towards Heidi. Tweek grew a look of concern in his face while Craig just looked like he could care less.

"Sorry to bother you guys but have you seen Kenny?"Heidi asked

"I-I uuhhh think he went out the front doors to the school."Tweek responded.

"Okay, thank you guys."Heidi said

Craig and Tweek watched as she went towards the main doors to South Park elementary.

"How come anything happens to any of those four, we always have to get involved?"Craig questioned his boyfriend.

Tweek just shrugged.

Heidi nursed out the doors and looked from side to side. She could find no sight of Kenny.

He must have run away from school. Heidi began to head towards Stark's pond which was east of school. She found it to be cathartic and a place where she could just get away from her issues. She was hoping Kenny would find a similar use for it.

"This behavior, this isn't like him…"Heidi thought to herself

From the short but appreciated amount of time they had spent with each other, Heidi knew that Kenny wasn't one to hide from his problems, let alone run. He would normally try to address them and find a solution. But whatever Cartman had said and/or done, it may have broken Kenny.

But Heidi had made a promise. Not to herself, but to the and only Mysterion. And she was going to fix whatever broke inside of Kenny.

As Heidi had begun to make her way off of school property, she noticed an orange blur sitting with his back against the fence around the school yard. He was on the ground.

She turned to look at Kenny. He seemed defeated.

"I thought I'd never find you."Heidi said

Kenny didn't respond and just looked at the ground. Heidi approached with some caution.

"You really worried Karen and I back there...can you tell me what that was all about?"Heidi asked

Kenny still didn't answer. Instead, Kenny began to become more visibly more upset.

"Listen, I can take a lot of things. But whatever this is, it's hurting you. And I don't know if I'm strong enough to see you like this. So please Kenny, let me help you."Heidi said

Kenny looked up at Heidi with a his brow furrowed. Had Heidi said something to anger him.

"I died."Kenny said

"What?"Heidi asked

"I died...and that sack of shit did nothing about it!"Kenny yelled as he slammed his fist to the ground.

"Kenny I-

"And I know what you're gonna say. Is this a joke? Is it hyperbole? No, no it's not. After all that time, someone I went through so much with, was always just a deceitful liar who just let me suffer!"Kenny followed up

Heidi looked to the ground feeling ashamed. Ashamed that she didn't consider how Kenny felt.

Kenny looked up to see Heidi with a pitiful look. He regretted cutting her off like that and making her feel stupid.

"I'm sorry...For getting upset like that...I'm just upset he got to me.."Kenny said

Heidi looked up to see the disappointment Kenny had for himself. He had his knees tucked into his chest. Heidi thought this position made Kenny look depressed.

Heidi knelt down to Kenny's eye level.

"It's okay Kenny. Just...if you could somehow explain in any way you feel comfortable..Maybe I could help. Please..because...I..want to help you because you matter to me."Heidi said carefully. She didn't want the wrong words to slip out of her mouth.

Kenny looked to Heidi. She looked hurt. Even more so than he did. Like she had felt a similar pain to his. Kenny knew she had. So, he had no choice but to try and relay his plight to her.

Kenny took a noticeable exhale, hoping what he said next some kind of sense.

"Okay, I'll tell you. Let me ask you a question first. Have you ever felt that you wake up one day and everything just kind of goes in reverse? That time only crawls inch by inch? That nothing around here ever changes?"Kenny asked

"Well...sometimes school can feel like that. And sometimes family can make it feel like that as well. But no matter what comes and when it comes, I always want to be prepared."Heidi said with a smile.

A thought was confirmed in Kenny's head. She wasn't like Cartman, Wendy, and Craig. She unfortunately was like the rest of South Park. If Kenny did die again, it is entirely possible that everything that he went through with Heidi could be lost. And she would go back to being miserable.

And Kenny couldn't take that.

"What does this have to do with Cartman?"Heidi asked

Kenny made eye contact with Heidi.

"Well...I was like you..I was in pain for a very long time. And I thought that there was nobody there to help me. I even asked if people could. But, even when they tried, it was beyond their abilities. But of course there was one person that could.."Kenny said as tears welled up in his eyes

"Cartman."Heidi let out.

"Ya. Cartman. And ya know, I always blamed myself for his shit. That maybe I was the one to fix it. But in the end, he was the one that could fix my shit. And when he had the chance, he fucking didn't!"Kenny said with anger.

Heidi looked at Kenny with remorse and pity. She couldn't stand seeing Kenny like this. The same one that helped her out of her own similar funk. Heidi sat less than a foot away from Kenny's left side. Kenny broke eye contact with her.

"And you know the worst thing? When I thought I needed it most, he told me I was his best friend. And told him right back. But I should have seen it for what it was. A goddamn lie.."Kenny said while trying to hold back the tears.

Heidi was ready to say something to try and help Kenny. But maybe, it was better to just let him vent.

"But what he did today topped that…"Kenny followed up

Heidi decided now would be a good time to question what had caused this current situation.

"What did he do?"Heidi asked

Kenny couldn't hold back the tears as he turned to look at Heidi. She looked truly afraid and concerned.

"I saw that look you and Karen gave me. Like I was some sort of monster. Some sort of animal that only wanted to subdue its prey...I know what fear looks like. And the fact that I invoked that in two people that I care about so much...it.."Kenny said, not being able to finish that last part. He looked away from Heidi

A single tear ran down Kenny's cheek. Heidi put a hand on Kenny's shoulder.

"You're right Kenny, I was scared. But not because of you, but because I was scared for you. And I'm pretty sure the same goes for Karen."Heidi said

Kenny turned his face to look at Heidi.

"Why? I'm a big boy..I..I can handle Cartman."Kenny said

"Well...I can't read Karen's thoughts, but I know she cares about you...And I care about you too Kenny..So much...And even if you even do have the upper hand in a situation...I don't want anything to ever happen to you.."Heidi said, getting a little choked up herself.

"Heidi…"Kenny let out

"And Karen and I know you better to know that you'd never just get into a fight or conflict out of nowhere. Because your you, Kenny. And your special. Even if you don't believe it, I do."Heidi followed up.

Kenny still had tears going down his cheeks. But he now developed a smile. Kenny knew Heidi was right but he had been brash today.

"Well...thank you..really. Thank you Heidi."Kenny said

"Of course. By the way, are you still in pain?"Heidi asked

"What?"Kenny responded

"Are you still in pain? Like you said you were.."

"Honestly, I don't know...Maybe that's the problem."

Heidi picked up Kenny's hands and smiled.

"Well then. I guess I'll just have to help you fix that."Heidi said with a grin.

Kenny still had tears in his eyes. But it wasn't because he was sad.

Through many of his deaths, Kenny had met many fabled beings in many different places, Ghosts, demons, and the like. But he had met angels in heaven. To meet someone that resembled a being such as them, Kenny couldn't help but cry from sheer joy.

"She may very well be an angel."Kenny thought to himself

Kenny broke from Heidi's hand and wrapped his arms around her as he had done so many times before.

Of course Heidi was shocked, but as she had done many times before, she fell into Kenny warmth.

Kenny felt that time had stopped. But not in his way. Like the whole world had stopped in that moment. A moment that Kenny could stay in forever. With just him and Heidi.

The pair hugged, both of them smiling in each other's arms.

Kenny could feel his tears drenching Heidi's jacket so he decided it was time to break the hug. With some reluctance, Kenny broke it off. Both parties still maintained a smile.

Kenny whipped his tears. He also noticed the tear marks on Heidi's jacket.

"Sorry."Kenny said while drying his tears

"Don't be. Now come on. I think lunch is wrapping up. Don't want to go hungry, do ya?"Heidi said while getting up from the ground.

Heidi offered her hand to Kenny. Kenny took her hand to get up.

The pair walked back into school. Heidi had done it. For a change, she had been the one to help Kenny. And not the other way around. It was also nice to know that she wasn't the reason why Kenny was dealing with Cartman.

Of course that was a relief, but knowing Kenny was okay was at the forefront. It was nice to know that you helped someone. But to Heidi, this just wasn't someone.

This was Kenny McCormick. The same boy that helped her out of her miserable funk.

But it wasn't just that. The chemistry the two shared was coveted to Heidi. Every moment, regardless if it was with tears or smiles, was a moment that she'd never take give up for anything.

Heidi couldn't quite figure out yet. Was she in love with Kenny? Or was it something else? Ever since the blonde boy in the orange parka and Mysterion had come into her life, everything had changed for her. Maybe it was the combined forces of the caped crusader and Kenny.

Kenny was having his own thoughts about Heidi. Heidi was currently leading the way in front of him.

Normally when a chick was walking in front of him, Kenny would pay more attention to their curves than anything else.

But with Heidi, it was just her...No need to sexualize, Just be in awe at her presence and the fact that she seemed to enjoy being around Kenny.

For some reason, Kenny felt the need to ask Heidi if she wanted to do something this weekend. He was gonna hang out with his friends Friday, but had nothing planned for the weekend.

And not being able to see her bothered Kenny. There was always the chance he could die and lose everything. He wanted to spend every moment he could with Heidi.

Kenny's palms became sweaty at the thought of having to ask Heidi to hang out. He had asked to hang out with her before, so what had changed?

Was he really in love with her that much did it mean something else entirely? Maybe even a fear?

Just as Kenny was about to work up the courage to ask Heidi, she turned around to face him.

Heidi put her hands behind her back and looked away from Kenny as she began to blush about what she was gonna say next.

"Hey...so...If you're not doing anything this weekend...I was wondering if you'd like to hang out?"Heidi asked

Kenny answered without a second thought.

"Of course! I'd love to hang out."Kenny said with his hands in the pockets of his parka.

He tried to say that last part as confidently as he could as to hide how nervous he really was.

"Okay...great..let's talk about the details later this week."Heidi said as she began to walk alongside Kenny.

"Sounds good. Do I ever tell you about the time I met Micheal Jackson?"Kenny followed up

"Wait...what?"Heidi replied

"Do I have a story to tell you."

Kenny began his story on the exploits of and Heidi listened as the pair walked side by side to the cafeteria.

Well folks, another chapter is done. I hope you all enjoyed it. I decided to go for a more comfort tone this chapter since the last chapter was a bit more serious. I've also begun to other fics about South Park. Mainly Kenny based stuff, not really ship based. And have found some to be pretty entertaining and well written. They have made me reflect on my style of writing as well. Some are similar to mine in terms of writing style but some tend to leave out certain details such as the movement continuity of characters in particular parts. Like how they moved through a scene or if characters are looking towards each other or not. I don't have a problem with it or anything. It leaves a little imagination to the readers so it's nice. Personally, I like having ques like that as it allows for readers to have a better understanding about what is going on in the story and helps them visualize it. Anyways, I hoped you all enjoyed and would consider reviewing and critiquing down below. It helps me make adjustments and add stuff to make the story better for all of you. I hope you all have a great day( or night based on where you live.