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.

Be forewarned, I don't know where this story is going to go but i have a rough idea of it. It's going to take some time since I'm in between studies and duties of a wife

Chapter 2

Helga awoke to white ceilings and the pain in her wrists.

"Am I dead?" her voice croaked out in half relief.

"No kid." She froze and slowly turned to find both her parents by her side.

"You're at the hospital." He answered her silent question. Her reply was a slightly frustrated sigh and she turned her head away from her parents.

"Why did you save me?" she asked in a monotone voice. Both parents flinched at the question.

"Because you're our daughter" Miriam answered with a smile gently to which Helga replied with a light scoff.

"I haven't been your daughter for 7 years. Why change now? You don't even remember my name." She hissed, tears of anger threatening to spill.

"Helga..."

"Oh now you magically remember my name huh Miriam? Wow it took me slitting my own wrists for my mother to finally remember my name." Helga's every word dripped with venom.

She turn to glare bitterly at her parents.

"Helga, baby... Listen, your father and I-"

"Save it lady. I don't want to hear it. Get out."

Tears spilled from Miriam's eyes at her daughter's cold and sharp words. Bob gently gripped her shoulder.

"Give us a moment, Miriam. You go freshen up while i speak to her."

"Save yourself the trouble Bob, if you hadn't caught on, i meant both of you when i said get out." She glared.

Bob was unfazed. Miriam looked from her youngest daughter to her husband before nodding in understanding and getting up to give them some privacy.

He sighed softly before settling himself on the chair next to Helga's bed.

"I don't have anything to say to you." She growled before turning her head the other side.

"Then just listen." He replied.

Ruffling his hair in frustration, Bob took calming deep breaths before he started speaking To his daughter.

"I will not deny that Miriam and I have been nothing more than the people who brought you to this world but have acted nothing like parents should."

Helga snorted but he continued nonetheless.

"We didn't mean to be terrible parents, kid. I wanted nothing more than to be the best dad and husband to my family. I-" he took shuddering breaths.

"I didn't want my children to go through what i did when i was a child." He looked at his daughter who stilled faced the other side, seemingly uncaring to his speech.

"Look kid, I know what you're going through"

"Pfft, HAH! YOU know what I'M going through?! Yeah sure Bob. The chances of me believing that pigs can fly are better than that." She scoffed bitterly

"Criminy! Just listen to me for a bit okay?!" he sighed exasperatedly. Why did she have to inherit his stubborn attitude of all things?

He held out his inner wrist for her to raise one side of her unibrow at him.

"Just look at my wrist kid."

Helga begrudgingly did and she almost couldn't see whatever the hell he wanted her to see the first 5 seconds and was about to mock him when she saw it.

It was faint but there nonetheless. Multiple faint scars on his wrists similar to the ones she inflicted on herself earlier. Although not as many as his... "wha-?" she stared at him with large questioning eyes.

"Like i said, i know what you're going through. My father, Tony Pataki, was the toughest and meanest Pataki in history. He'd come home drunk from work daily. Some days it was bearable with just the verbal abuse from him. But other days not so much." He rubbed his temple as the memories came rushing.

He looked at Helga and pulled his shirt up for her to see the scars on his chest and turned to show her his back that was littered with more scars like a person who got injured from a battlefield.

Helga's eyes widened even more as a gasp escaped her.

"D-did he...?"

Bob nodded in confirmation.

"he wasn't physical in the beginning. But it all went to hell when my mom got sick of his shit and walked out on us. Your aunt was only 7 at that time and i was your age."

Silence befell the two of them before Bob continued his confession.

"he started beating the shit out of me whenever he came home. Whatever he grabbed would do, the ashtray, beer bottle, bowl of chips."

He balled his fists on her bedside as he remembered the trauma.

"Maple and i did whatever we could to clean the house. This was so that he wouldn't be able to throw hurtful objects at us. But whatever we hid, he'd Find something else to use. His belt, the chair..."

"As the years went by, i grew bitter of life and Started cutting myself as a form of relief. The pain gave me a sort of freedom. This was pain i consented. Pain which i willingly gave in to. But when i was 18, i cut too deep and was hospitalised for a few days. That was when it happened."

Helga was afraid to find out but still asked.

"What happened...?" her tiny voice questioned.

The man shook in anger as he continued, "the first day i was warded, your aunt came to visit. She promised she'd come and keep me company everyday after she finished her part time work. But she never came. For 2 nights i waited and your aunt wasn't someone who'd break her promises. I felt uneasy and went straight home the day i was discharged. The house was a messy. Maple would never leave it in a mess. I called out for her and ran to her room when i heard voices."

He closed his eyes tight. Helga worriedly placed her tiny hand on his balled fist which caused him to open his eyes and smiled weakly at her.

"she was topless, tied to the bed. That monster was undoing his pants, ready to do the unspeakable to her. Her body was already covered in whipped scars and bleeding from the wounds. I was blinded with rage, grabbed the whip that was discarded on the floor and struck him. I struck him over and over before wrapping it around his neck and choking him. I swear if it wasn't for your aunt's pleading look, i would have ended him that day and became a murderer."

Helga couldn't believe her ears. It was her first time ever, seeing Bob so weak and vulnerable. She wanted to say something but not sure what. She decided a light squeeze to his hands was able to give him some comfort. And it did. He turned the light squeeze before rubbing his thumb back and forth her tiny hands in soothing ministrations. It calmed both father and daughter somewhat.

"while he was passed out, i released your aunt and tied that shithead so he couldn't escape before calling the cops. It was just me and her ever since. We were handed over to my aunt. Who, thank god, was nothing like her brother. I swore never to walk in my monster father's footsteps when i got married. But i guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree huh?" he smiled distastefully more so at himself.

Helga was silent for a while, gathering her thoughts before addressing her father.

"you... Aren't like your father, Bob. While you aren't the greatest father in the world, forgetting my name, never giving me lunch money, always paying the school fees late and Favouring Olga over me to the point where i hate her as much as i hate you, you have never raised your hand on us. On me. So that's something positive to me. And..."

"And..?"

"and, if you and Miriam promise to do better, i... I am willing to try And give our family another shot... I can't promise i can forgive the things that were done in the past... but i am willing to at least try."

He smiled at her mature reply

"I promise."

"We promise B... We." Miriam's voice said with clear conviction as she returned looking cleaner and sober for the first time in Helga's life.

"We'll be here for you as you pick up your broken heart okay kid? I know that Arnold kid was your whole world and sunshine in your darkness. But with a little help and distraction from your family, i think we can get you over him faster than you'd believe"

"Arnold? That little boy who's head shaped like a football?" Miriam asked, shocked at the news.

"Yeah. Helga has been in love with the kid since she was 3. He broke her heart earlier today and my actions kinda drove her to where we are now" he muttered guiltily, rubbing the back of his head anxiously.

"Oh my baby... Its okay Helga we'll be here for you honey." Miriam gently caressed her head which surprisingly felt Comforting to the blonde girl.

"thanks... mom... Dad..." she whispered. Her parents looked at each other surprised before smiling, happy to clear out the air between them and their youngest. Silently vowing to uphold their end to become better parents

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