It's me again! I'm really sorry I took this long to update. I guess, writing the Interlude really made me a bit tired of writing. Whew! Oh a part of this is my attempt to write action. Tell me if it's a poor attempt. Again thank you everyone for the reviews and constructive criticisms. So on with the story… but before that…
DISCLAIMER: Hey Arnold! Is not mine. I don't know who it actually belongs too. I think Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett. (Forgive me if the spelling is wrong). Happy reading!
Chapter 7
Strength and Weaknesses
RING! Helga opened one weary eye to look at the clock on top of her dresser. It was 4 AM. Why would anybody call her at 4 AM?
RING! Whoever is calling is going to pay. She reached her cell phone on top of her dresser. "Whoever is calling me better have some good explanation. 'Cause I'm…"
"Helga, please!" A broken voice called.
She became much awake. "What happened?"
She heard heartrenching sobs. Helga feared the worst as she quickly got up. "Lila, don't worry. I'm coming over. Please, wait for me."
"O-okay,"
Helga hanged up and began to get ready to go over. "Muriel, I'm sorry to wake you but we have to go."
"Lila, it's Helga."
The door slowly opened. Helga gave a gasp at what she saw. There was Lila with her clothes torn but not severely. Her whole lip was swollen and she had two black eyes. She could see bruises and scratches all over her body. And when she opened the door, she opened it with her left hand. Her right arm was dangling a bit.
Helga turned to face Muriel. Silently she was apologizing for bringing her to this. She then faced Lila and gave a small smile. Although teary eyed, Lila smiled back.
When Helga went in, she noticed that her apartment was a mess. The pillows on the sofa were all over the living room. There were broken glass and ceramics on the floor. Total chaos.
Helga made a makeshift bed for Muriel on the floor with the cushions. She then immediately went to Lila and examined her. She was right. Her right arm was broken. He probably threw or pushed her and the arm probably took the whole impact when she fell. She began to check her other injuries.
Lila was trembling as Helga checked her injuries. "H-he just came today at midnight. I knew I locked the door but he was here."
Muriel began to cry. "Hush, Rie. I have to check Aunt Lila." Muriel still cried. She faced Lila and nodded. Lila needed to get this out of her system and she was volunteering the information.
"I didn't knew he was here until he jerked me out of the bed. I fell. And then he started hitting me again. And again. And again. And calling me…names…" With each word her passive façade was broken and she began trembling harder and crying. Muriel cried along with her.
Helga stopped checking and gently hugged her. She gingerly hugged her because she found she had a broken arm and a couple of broken ribs. "If you can't handle telling me the story, don't. I can imagine what he did to you judging by your injuries." Her voice became steel. "I can also imagine what I'm going to do to him when I get my hands on him."
"But he hurt me, Helga. He told me never to leave him again but I followed what you said. I told him it was over." Her voice croaked, "He hit me again." She cried.
"Do you think it was bad of you to stand up then?" Helga quietly asked.
Lila cried harder. "Yes, he hurt me, Helga!"
Helga felt she too was going to cry as well. "Let's go to the hospital, Lila."
Lila drew away from her. "No. Please don't take me there. Please."
Helga reached out to her. "You need to. I can't take care of you alone."
Lila hid her face with her hands. "But they'll see me. I can't be seen as this."
Tears were finally freed from Helga's eyes. "Lila, dear, they'll understand. If they don't, you know I'll take care of them. You said it yourself, you drew your strength at me so I can take anybody."
Lila looked at her with teary eyes and slowly nodded. She then tried to hug Helga and began to sob again. When Lila was able to cry her heart out she came to Muriel, who was still crying and handed her a bottle. Thank goodness that was all what Muriel needed. She then called 911 requesting an ambulance right away.
Helga watched as a female doctor treated Lila in the examination room. They were in a room that was in front of the receptionist and also near the elevator. She looked all around her holding a sleeping Muriel in her arms.
Ever since they came to the hospital Lila never said a word. But whenever she loses sight of Helga she would panic and start looking for her. To make her content, Helga sat in the same room with Lila as the doctor checked her.
Suddenly, the door burst open and an agitated Phoebe in a black pants, blue blouse and a lab coat entered. "Lila? Helga?"
The mentioned looked up. "Dr. Johanssen, I need to treat Lila in peace," the doctor brusquely said.
Phoebe blushed and muttered an apology. She looked at Helga and became surprised to see Muriel but she didn't ask anything. Helga knew she wanted to know what happened so she gently asked Lila if they could leave the room. They are just going to be outside the room. Lila grudgingly agreed and both went out.
As soon as they were outside, "I never knew you and Arnold had a baby."
Helga glared at the doctor. Phoebe smiled. "Right, wrong topic. So, I take it Brent just visited Lila."
"Yes. How do you know him?" Helga softly replied while she checked Muriel.
Phoebe shrugged although Helga can't see her. "Most of our former classmates went to the same high school and college. I went with Lila on the same schools. I knew he was unsuitable for Lila when I saw him give his former girlfriend a bruise on the arm. I tried to talk to her but she wouldn't listen. She said he changed and he wasn't going to do it to her because he loves her."
Phoebe leaned on the wall. "And now this. After everything she had done for him this is what he repays her. I thought he would just leave her alone after their break-up." She clenched her fists. "I should be the one treating her right now! I'm her friend! It's this darn stupid hospital regulations."
Helga went near her but stopped when she threw her arms. "Because of him, she now bears a resemblance to an undead. That $#^$!"
Helga looked at her best friend in shock then at Muriel. "Phoebe!"
"But he is!"
Helga just sighs and asks, "Is there any place where I could leave Muriel? This isn't suitable for her."
Phoebe calms down and nods, "We have a daycare center a few floors down. I'll take you there."
Helga agreed. She then told Lila what they were going to do. Lila just nods and the two left.
As they went to the daycare center and back to the examination room Phoebe gave Helga a tour of the hospital. On the way back to the examination room, a cheerful voice greeted them, "Hi, Phoebe!"
Both ladies turned around and saw a red, curly haired man coming toward them He was about the same height as they were. "Hello, Eugene!" Phoebe replied.
"Hey!" Helga greeted him but looked questioningly as Phoebe.
Eugene looked at her and then smiled. "Helga, hi! How are you?" He offered his hand.
Helga shook it. "I'm fine."
He smiled. "It's good that you visited. Have you seen the others yet?"
She nodded. "You, Arnold and Gerald are the only guys I've seen."
He nodded. "You are coming to the party tomorrow night at Rhonda's?" Helga nodded. "Good, well I have to finish my rounds. It's been great seeing you again, Helga. See you later, Phoebe!" He then left.
Helga worriedly looks at Phoebe. Phoebe shakes her head. "Don't worry his curse doesn't activate when his on duty. And he's a great doctor."
"He had a lot of practice on himself," Helga scoffed. Phoebe just smiles.
They resumed their walk.
They were about to enter inside when they both heard Lila talking to somebody. Both peeked in and saw Arnold holding Lila's hand. He was talking in his gentle and reassuring voice.
They stopped and just leaned on the wall. "Did you call him?" Helga harshly asked.
"Yes, she needs friends to support her now." Phoebe looks at her. "Why? Are you jealous?"
Helga looks at her eyes. "No. I just don't like his presence."
Phoebe remembered her talk with Arnold. "He's just trying to help, Helga."
Helga rolled her eyes. "I don't need his help. I am quite content with my life, thank you very much."
Phoebe shook her head. They didn't talk much for a while.
Arnold then came out. "I thought I heard voices. Oh." He said after spotting Helga. But he doesn't quit his spot by the door.
Phoebe was near him and Helga was near her. Both ladies didn't say a thing.
Finally, Phoebe couldn't stand the silence. "How is she?"
He shook his head. "She's terrified." He clenched his right fist. "I couldn't believe anyone would do this to Lila. I hope that Brent guy gets what he deserves."
"Yeah. Is she alright now?"
Arnold nodded. "Sleeping. Thank goodness."
Silence.
Arnold moves to lean on the wall near Phoebe. "Where's Muriel?"
Helga just turns her head to face the elevators. She fidgeted the strappings of her medium-sized backpack.
"At the daycare center," Phoebe replies. Arnold then sighs.
The three remain quiet. Phoebe again decided to break the ice. "Why don't we all sit in the waiting room? There's some coffee and bread there."
"Okay." Arnold began to follow her.
Helga was about to follow the two when an orderly went passed her and shut the door. As the orderly was shutting the door she briefly saw his face. His face was familiar but she couldn't put a finger at his name. She shrugged and began to catch up with the two. Suddenly, she remembered.
Her heart stopped. She must be wrong. It couldn't be him. But she had a nagging feeling so she leaned on the wall to listen. She heard a harsh muffled voice.
The two came back looking for her. When they saw her listening at the wall they looked at her oddly but she raised a hand to silence them. They complied.
Helga then hears the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Her worst fears were confirmed. She looks at Phoebe and whispers, "Is Brent a handsome guy with wavy black hair with blue eyes? Does he have a mole on the right side of his chin?"
Phoebe began to think and then finally whispered back, "Yes, how did you…?"
Helga began to calm her frantic heart. This was extremely worse. She has to do something fast and she can't afford to wait for the others. Criminey! It's all up to her!
She looked at the worried faces of Phoebe and Arnold. "Arnold, I want you to wait in the lobby for the police. Phoebe, clear every personnel that will come through here and call the security. I'll call for the police."
"W-what?" Phoebe began to ask.
Helga bit her lip. 'Think of something fast!' she thought to her self. She fakes panic, "Brent just came in dressed as an orderly!" she whispers fervently.
Phoebe gently touched Helga's hands. "Breathe, Helga. You mean the orderly that just went in?"
Helga nodded. "Please, Phoebe. I just heard him hit her again."
Phoebe looked into Helga's eyes. "I'll call security. Arnold, please do as Helga says."
Just then Eugene walks to them carrying a huge balloon. "Hey, guys! I've just been to a great birthday party of one of my patients. They even gave me a balloon. Isn't that neat?"
Arnold was about to warn him about keeping quiet but he was stopped. The balloon Eugene was holding became suddenly loose from his grip. It floated up to the ceiling where it stopped next to a light bulb on top of Eugene. Everyone waits for the inevitable popping but nothing happened. They all breathe a sigh of relief.
"What's wrong with everyone?" Eugene asked.
"It's nothing, Eugene," Phoebe replies.
BOOM! All looked up just as the balloon exploded from the heat. In shock, Eugene jumps and managed to hit the door of the examination room.
"I'm okay" a weak Eugene speaks out.
"You %$#! You wanted me to be caught! Its all your fault!" a muffled male voice scolded from inside the room.
Arnold helps a shocked Eugene to his feet. Meanwhile, Helga looks at Phoebe, "Don't tell me. It's his break, right?" Phoebe sheepishly smiles.
All remembers the situation. Phoebe rushed to the receptionist to silently page the security. Arnold remains standing for a moment to look at Helga then at the examination room. Then he left, supporting a dazed Eugene. After he left, Helga quickly walked away.
As she was walking she scanned the hallway for the supplies closet she saw when she and Phoebe toured the hospital. Since Brent disguised himself she might as well do the same. When she found it she took one of those scrubs, a mask and a hair cap. She stuffed it into her backpack and proceeded to go back to the examination room. But she was peering inside the rooms, checking if any were empty. Luck was with her, for just four doors down the examination room there was one empty room. She looked around to see if the coast were clear and then went inside.
As soon as the door was locked she removed the mask and then searched for something in her bag. She took out her cell phone and began dialing.
"911, how can I help you?"
She began to act panicked again. "Please, please come to the Seattle National Hospital right away. T-there's some guy here and he's hurting my friend. Please, come! Hurry!"
"Ma'am, calm down. Now is the guy still there? Is he with you?"
'Stupid 911 operator. I have to save my friend!' "No, no. She's…they're in the examination room my friend was in. Then I heard somebody was being hit. Send somebody now!"
"Where are you, ma'am?"
"W-we're in the 5th no… uh… 6th floor. Umm, we're near the elevators."
"Ma'am, please stay on the line. I need you…"
"Just send somebody over." She hanged up and put the phone back in.
She looked around for the ventilation system. She found one near the window at the floor of the bed. But first she put back the mask and then she took a chair and pushed the vent lid away. Then she hoisted herself up and when she was in, she replaced the lid.
Helga discovered that the ventilation system was clean as she crawled to where she knew Lila was in. As she came closer she could hear Lila yelling at him. Helga then heard something break.
She stopped at the vent she saw earlier while the doctor was examining Lila. Sure enough, Lila was yelling at him to back off but he just grunts in reply. She then hears clattering noises and things falling. How come Lila doesn't leave the room?
Helga was hesitating if she should show herself. As if to answer her question, she hears a big thud and a gruff voice, "That should teach you to never raise your voice against me!"
"I'm not the same woman, Brent! I'm not going to just lie down here and let you hurt me." Helga hears a slight clatter. Flesh striking flesh was then heard.
"Cry, woman, cry!"
Helga's temper went up and she quietly removed the lid of the vent. There she saw Lila on the right side of the bed nursing a bruised cheek but facing him defiantly. Helga also noticed that the sling on her right arm had unraveled. She then looked down at the floor. There was a slight mess but there was one clear spot. She jumped down and faced the two.
It was Lila that saw her first but she didn't look at her instead she focused her attention to the tall man whose back was facing her. Helga's eyes darted all around her. She then gave a roundhouse kick with her left foot. Brent was hit in the back of his head and he fell to his left. Thereby, hitting the side of his face with the bed Lila was lying earlier.
He cursed and got up to face her. His eyes glared at her as he threw a punch. Helga dodged that and tried to sweep his legs but he jumped out of the way. While Helga stood up, he slammed into her so fast she didn't notice him until it was too late.
'Darn! I should have practiced a bit more!' she thought.
She ignore the pain in her chest and hit his head using her own. As he clutched his head she quickly went far from him as possible. It just wouldn't do to fight him like this she needed a weapon of some kind. Her eyes caught sight of an empty IV stand. She grabbed it all the while thinking what moves she could use with it. She checked on Lila, who was watching everything with wide eyes.
She didn't have enough time because Brent recovered from the head butt and was now going to her. "You little %$#%. I'm going to make you pay for that!"
Helga grinned and scoffed. Even though he couldn't see her grin he heard the scoff nevertheless. This seemed to anger him more as he began to look for possible weapons. He caught sight of sharp tools the doctors used. Helga also noticed this. If he was going to throw those she must be careful for Lila was just behind her. She searched her surroundings for any flat surfaces that she could use as a shield but nothing. The nearest one was near him and that was no use. She could just make do with the IV stand. She gripped it lightly and prepared for the worse.
She pushed the bed with her feet, which was unfortunately locked and made it much harder to push, and said in a deep voice, "Duck behind this." She complied.
Just as Lila hid behind the bed Brent threw a knife at Helga. She blocked it with the stand and managed to deflect it.
Brent mockingly grinned at her. "Pretty good. But what about this?" He threw all the sharp tools and she spun the stand to try and deflect everything. He was grinning as he threw all the tools but his jaw fell as she did deflect everything.
She used his surprise and charged to him. She swung at his legs and he fell over. 'That was for breaking her arm.'
While he was still recovering from the sweep, Helga gripped the stand, ready to deal the winning blow. 'This is for every bruise and scratch that she got from you!' she though as she finally swung the stand and hitting him on the side of the head. He was unconscious.
She panted as she released the stand and searched for something to tie him with. She saw a roll of bandages and retrieved it. She began to tie him tightly.
Helga looked at the door and saw a cabinet that was turned over was blocking it. She noticed it had wheels and tried to stand it upright. She pushed but it was so heavy. 'Maybe I should enter in a weightlifting class after this.'
She breathed a deep breath and heaved. It moved but only a little. Then one hand was seen in her line of vision. She looked up and saw Lila trying to push it also even though Lila had a sling in one arm. Lila smiled at her when she noticed Helga looking at her. Both of them pushed the cabinet and finally after a lot of pushing it began to move. Later on they were finally able to stand it and push it away.
Helga went back to Brent to check on him. "Lila?" a worried female voice asked on the other side of the door.
Lila took one last look at Helga and Brent and then unlocked the door and opened. And as soon as Lila's attention wasn't on her Helga took a chair and stepped on it. She jumped to the vent and crawled back to the room.
Phoebe immediately rushed over to Lila as soon as the door opened. She stopped herself as she remembered that Lila might have broken bones. "Are you okay?" she asked and set Lila outside the room as three policemen went in.
Lila nodded. "Oh, yes. An oh so great stranger helped me. He defeated Brent and beat the stuffing out of him!"
Phoebe began examining her as Lila was talking. She saw a lot of bruises forming and her sling was unraveling. She stopped when Lila mentioned a stranger. "Stranger?"
Lila nodded. "Yes, he's also inside." She pointed at where Helga used to be.
The three policemen carrying an unconscious, black and blue Brent came out. When they saw an also black and blue Lila with a sling they shuddered. How could this small, frail and beat up woman beat a much taller, stronger man into unconsciousness? Nevertheless, they took him out.
"But, Lila, there's nobody there," Arnold said after looking inside the messy room.
"But, he was there just a while ago."
Phoebe stopped checking her out. "Maybe he went out in some other way. Arnold, could you accompany Lila while I call another doctor to check Lila. I'll also go look for Helga."
Arnold nodded. He then faced Lila and gently led her to the next empty room, which was next door. "You need a rest, Lila."
"Thank you ever so much, Arnold."
Helga ran to the scene and saw many people were milling about the examination room. She looked for a familiar face but saw no one. She panicked. Maybe she was too late when she arrived. Maybe Lila needed urgent care and she's somewhere being operated upon…
"Helga?" a female voice called.
Helga snapped out of it and began looking for the source of the voice. She noticed Lila lying in the bed with Arnold sitting in a chair beside the bed. She went in, pulled a chair and sat at the other side of the bed.
"You're ever so pale, Helga. And you're sweating too. Are you all right?" Lila asked.
Helga shook her head. "I…uh…panicked. Hey, you now me. I easily panic." She laughed sheepishly.
Lila went over reached for her hands. "Arnold has told me that you called the police. Thank you so much!"
Helga just smiled and shrugged. "It's nothing, Lila."
Lila smiled at her. "It's everything, Helga. You three made me feel stronger. I know I was a bit passive a while ago but I was really thinking how you all helped me." She faced Arnold and smiled. "Even Arnold, although he didn't know much at first, has helped me a great deal. I guess I stopped feeling sorry for myself."
Her voice softened as she looked down. "While I was lying down on the bed at the emergency, I remembered you're words, Helga about standing up and I did. And I was amazed at how much anger I stored. I found myself yelling and even tried to evade him whenever he comes near me." Her voice grew stronger. "But I stood up and even though I ache all over I felt good inside."
Lila's eyes grew teary as she said, "Thank you, Helga, for making me a bit stronger."
Helga's own eyes were misty as well. She just nodded.
Arnold quietly stepped out of the room as Lila began to talk about what happened inside. He didn't know what happened but he had a feeling that Lila and Helga needed some time alone.
As soon as he stepped out he heard a stern female voice shout, "Where is Dr. Ruiz? Have you paged her yet?"
"I'm sorry, Dr. Johanssen, but I am a bit busy. Could you wait for just a minute?"
Was that Phoebe?
"Wait? I am not capable of waiting. I have a patient that needs immediate care right now."
"B-but…?"
"The only butt I need around here is Dr. Ruiz'. Now page her!"
A gulp. "Yes, Dr. Johanssen."
A couple of female nurses walked by Arnold. "Poor Michaela. I guess she's Johanssen the barbarian's new victim."
The other nurse nodded. "Have you heard about Bill?"
"Our burly and gorgeous security guard? No."
The other nurse leaned closer. "She made him cry after he disturbed her reading a book one night."
"Just because he disturbed her reading?"
A nod. "Whoa. Maybe we better move to another hospital?"
He didn't hear any more of the conversation because they turned around the corner.
Arnold looked at Phoebe who was impatiently tapping her foot at the poor receptionist who was paging the doctor. 'And I used to think she was worse when she was the hall monitor?'
Phoebe came back to where everyone was and finds Arnold outside the next room. "What happened?"
"They needed some time alone. Did you find the mysterious stranger?"
Phoebe shook her head. "No, not a trace. We knew he came from the vent but that's about it. And we did find the dirty scrub clothes in the laundry cart but no one saw him. We should be glad that someone was able to help her." Arnold nodded.
"Where was Helga?"
"It seems that she panicked and called from an empty room. She's just shook up."
Phoebe became silent. "Are you okay?" Arnold asked.
She smiled. "I was just thinking who could that stranger be. We all saw Brent and he was pretty thrashed. What did he do to him?"
"I don't know but if you want to find out we could ask Lila."
They were about to go in when Phoebe remembered something. "What happened between you and Helga?"
Arnold led her outside the room, "I don't know. I just asked her what was wrong but she became angry again. Even more now."
An eyebrow rose. "What did you say?"
"The usual stuff and her parents… I guess I hit a soft spot."
"Are you going to stop, Arnold?"
He scoffed. "Like I'm going to."
Phoebe became surprised at first then hid a smile. "I'm sorry I doubted you. Let's go in."
They both entered.
"I'll just be getting a drink from the vending machines down the hall," Helga said. The others nodded their consent.
Helga walked outside. When she was sure they wouldn't see her she once again looked for an empty room. When she did find one she closed the door and locked it. She took her cell phone from her bag. She dialed a number and waited for someone to pick it up.
Someone did. "I need a pick up on the Seattle police station in Washington. Brent Cole aka Aloysius Steele is there ready for pick up."
She paused to hear the reply. "I was careful okay. No one saw me."
Another pause. "I'm fine. There isn't a scratch on me."
She stopped again. "Okay, so I have a bruise but that's all I have."
Pause. "Look, I have to go. I can't stay here for long you know. Yes, yes. I know. You too. Bye!"
Helga groaned and sighed. She put back the phone in her back and went to the vending machine.
Story too long? Are there vague parts that you see? Boring?