Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold!

A/N: a horribly written story with terrible grammatical errors from ideas born during moments where I wish I could fall asleep as I turn in for the night but sleep just won't take me. Hence, this story is born.

Chapter 1

"It was just the heat of the moment right?" He asked nervously. Her eyes displayed the shock and hurt she felt and she quickly averted her gaze to the floor before chuckling softly. "Y-yeah" she replied trying to sound aloof however it came out slightly choked. The love of her life didn't seem to realize it though.

"I mean can you imagine it? You and me? Haha" he laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.

"Y-yeah. Hysterical." She said as she wiped her eyes roughly before grinning up at him, hands on her hips.

"Well if you've got nothing else to say, football head, I'm outta here"

Quickly spinning on the balls of her feet, she speed walked towards the direction of her house, her heart breaking with each step.

"W-wait, Helga!"

"what do you want Arnold?" she grumbled out, holding back her tears

"Well, i just wanted to say thank you for helping out. I mean you went against your dad for the neighbourhood. You gave up the chance of being rich for us. That's really nice of you Helga. I mean, i always knew you were a nice person deep down. And today you proved it." He said with a smile that usually would have brought her to her jelly knees.

"I didn't do it for the neighbourhood"

"What?"

"I said, I didn't do it for the neighbourhood."

"O-oh"

"I did it for you."

Arnold audibly gulped and chuckled nervously. "W-well you're a good friend Helga. Thank you."

Friend... she thought bitterly. He had asked her of her motive on the rooftop earlier and she bore her heart to him. She bore her very soul into the confession to him. And he dismissively confirmed it as nothing more than the heat of the moment. As if she didn't know her own feelings. He rejected her confession. Rejected the thought of even accepting the fact that she was in love with him. He rejected her.

Wanting nothing more than to tend to her shattered heart, she spared him no glance as she continued on walking, tears already falling from her face.

"Goodbye Arnold." She said. The words holding more meaning than the boy would ever know.

Arnold stared guiltily at the retreating back of the person who contributed the most in bringing down FTi. Contrary to what others might think, he isn't so dense as they thought. He saw the tears that fell from Helga's face as she left, his heart squeezing in slight pain And guilt for the girl he has known since they were three. He couldn't think of accepting her earlier confession because it was too unbelievable. But her actions earlier, her actions that were hurt by him caused him to rethink his actions.

'i can't ... I mustn't... I don't feel that way for her. There's no way i can acknowledge her feelings when i cannot return it. I'm sorry Helga. This is for the best. At least this way we can still be good friends' He thought optimistically. Totally unaware of what is to come when school reopens later. Unaware of the consequences his actions today have caused to his bully.

XxxxxxxX

"Where have you been young lady?!" he roared with bloodshot eyes, anger in full glory at the downfall of his prospective riches with future tech industry.

He glared down upon the wet figure of his youngest daughter who has her eyes downcast.

"Olga! I asked, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" He yelled at her again.

She continued to stay silent.

"Well I'm sure you're happy to know that that orphan friend of yours Arnie ruined our chances at being rich! I bet you're feeling happ-"

"Dad" she choked out softly. Surprised, Bob clamped his mouth shut before it hung loose at hearing his youngest call him dad. She never calls him dad. Not ever since she entered school.

"W-what?"

"You're right." Her tiny voice said, trembling.

"I am?" He wondered what the hell has gotten into his rebellious daughter.

That was when he saw it as she looked up at him with a tear stricken face and a broken smile.

"I should have stayed away from him" she sobbed out, falling to the ground into a broken mess.

Bob Pataki was flustered but quickly got on his knees and wrapped his huge arm around his daughter and the other arm awkwardly but gently patted her back.

"I love him so much! I've loved him since that day he held out his umbrella for me when we were three in the first day of preschool! I've only continued loving him when home was nothing but a yelling frenzy and he was there to make my day shine better! But he rejected me!" she choked out against her father's chest.

Shock was an understatement to what Bob Pataki was clearly feeling at the confession of his daughter. He never knew she had a crush on that Arnie whatever kid. He has never seen her this broken before. His youngest may not be as perfect as Olga but she had something her elder sister didn't, and that was the tenacity and stubbornness of a Pataki. Never in a million years would he had thought he'd seen his 10year old daughter break down over a broken heart.

Bob Pataki prided himself of being what a man should be like, tough, fierce and stubborn. So when his youngest slumped in his awkward embrace, breaking down into a sobbing mess, he was lost and unsure of what to do.

He cleared his throat gently and continued to pat her back "w-well it's not like there's only one fish in the sea kid. You'll get over it sooner or later and find a better man to love."

"No. I-I don't ever want to love again. It hurts dad. It hurts so m-much that i feel every f-fibre of my being getting ripped out and shredded to pieces."

Bob sighed as he thinks of what to say.

"I know it's hard kid. But you're a Pataki. We're tough as they come. You'll get through this."

"And if I don't ?" she looked up questioningly with her puffed up red eyes.

"You still got your family, right Olga?" he answered trying to cheer her up. He thought it worked when she smiled softly. But he couldn't see that the smile did not reach her eyes. She nodded softly and Bob took that as a sign that she was done for the day and he awkwardly brought her to her room and tucked her in bed before leaving.

Family... What good is a family that can't even remember my name

She stared at her nightstand and thought of only one thing.

XxxxxxxX

Not more than ten minutes since he left Helga's room, Bob froze in his ministration as he was making hot cocoa for the kid. A nagging feeling that something was wrong but he couldn't put his hand on it. He immediately thought of his youngest and a sudden chill went down his spine.

He glanced at the barely seen scar on his wrist and something seemed to click.

He rarely wanted to admit it but the kid is more like him than Miriam. And since she is his daughter more so than his eldest, Bob dropped the spoon he was holding and dashed up to Helga's room.

Slamming the door open, his blood ran cold at the sight that greeted him. It was his biggest fear coming to life, there laying almost lifeless in a blanket soaked in her blood was his daughter, his baby girl, Helga with her wrists slit.

"HELGA!" He dashed forward, tearing her pillow case into thin strips before wrapping her wrists up as tightly as he could.

"MIRIAM! MIRIAM! WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU WOMAN?!" He roared as he gathered his daughter in his arms and ran down the stairs.

"Wh-what's wrong B?" his drunken wife called out, staggering from the kitchen. Her eyes fell to the unconscious and blood soaked bundle in her husband's arm before she gasped in terror.

"HELGA!" She wailed shakily.

"Get your act together woman. This isn't the time. Here hold her" he gently but hurriedly placed Helga in Miriam's arms.

"Wait for me up front, make sure her arms are raised against you. I'll bring up the neighbour's car." He ordered as she nodded dumbly.

Bob dashed out the door as fast as he could to their neighbour's house.

"Hold on baby. We'll get you to the hospital soon" Miriam sobbed out, hugging her daughter's limp body shakily.

XxxxxxxX

"Thankfully it hasn't been long and you did the right thing by bandaging her wounds. If she had lost any more blood, your daughter wouldn't be here right now Mr Pataki. Her condition is stable now though. She'll be up in a few hours."

"Thanks doc"

Bob sighed in relief as he looked at his daughter's pale face.

"Oh Helga..." Miriam gently called out, grasping Helga's tiny hand in hers gently.

"I swore... I swore my kids won't have to go through what i did." Bob choked out.

"Bob... It... It isn't your fault."

"Of course it is!" he hissed through gritted teeth.

"All i ever did ever since she came into the picture was put the business before her. I was so sure that money was solution to everything. But what did it really do? Nothing. I failed as a father." He then glanced at his wife and looked at her apologetically. "I failed... As a husband."

Both fell silent. Miriam stood shakily and placed a gentle hand on his chest.

"We both failed Bob. If i had done my part better, if i had come to you and voiced out my concerns rather than turning to my smoothies for a solution, we wouldn't be standing here today. But B... We managed to save our baby girl. We were given another chance. Let's do it right this time, ok?"

He grasped her hand in comfort and nodded his head.

A/N: If you like it, review. If you don't, move along. Thanks and til we meet again in the next chapter