A/N: Big Bob and Helga have a bitter argument. Helga moves out, and has to pay rent. There's much ado about what to do. Arnold and Helga show alittle affection…while her pregnancy is not even close to perfection.

Chapter Three: Tell Me Now

Helga just finished telling her parents about what happened. Big Bob gave her the stare for about a good ten minutes, Miriam had her jaw dropped a good 5 inches. She had dropped her cup of coffee, and Big Bob lost his temper. He wanted to scalp whoever did it to Helga. But then again, he said "At least it didn't happen to Olga."

Oh thank the Lord, Helga thought. At least it didn't happen to Olga.

Big Bob had even threatened to kick Helga out of the house if she wouldn't tell him who knocked her up. Helga prefered to keep it a secret. And for all she cared…who cares?

"Damnit, Olga!" Bob growled.

"That's Helga, Dad."

"Whatever!" He threw his hands up in the air. "How could you do this?"

"Do what?" she asked stupidly.

"Get pregnant!" He stomped his foot. "You're so stupid, you know that?"

"Yes, Dad."

"I can NOT run a beeper empire while I'm thinking about you being pregnant! I can't possibly support another kid! You're enough of a pain!"

"Well, FYI BIG BOB," she stressed, "You don't HAVE to think about anything! If I'm such a problem, I'll just go. Besides, no one cared about me anyways!" She stormed up the stairs.

"Come back here little girl! You're only 14!" He shouted.

"I'M SEVENTEEN!" She screamed and slammed the door shut. Hold back the tears, don't show him that you're weak.

"Stupid life…" she mumbled. "I should've listened to Phoebe. I shouldn't have gone to that gay-ass party Rhonda threw." She took out a suitcase from her closet and opened it on top of her bed. "I don't need them," she sniffed.

She opened all of her drawers and threw all her underwear in the suitcase and put in most of her clothes. Her mind was going crazy…she couldn't stop herself from throwing more of her things in the suitcase. Angrily, she hit her suitcase closed, put on a jacket and took out her stash of money she's saved since kindergarden from a sock and stuffed it in her pocket.

Her feet stomped down the stairs. "Where do you think you're going Missy?" Big Bob asked, putting his hands on his waist.

"I'm going," she grumbled.

"Going? Where? You have no where to go!"

"I'm going to get an apartment and live by myself."

"What the hell are you talking about? You can't live by yourself!"

"What do you care?" She snapped back. She walked out the door.

Bob stood at the doorway. "Where are you going to stay? Huh? No one in the right mind is going to take a fourteen year old in!"

"SEVENTEEN!" She screamed as she walked down the street. No, she didn't know where she was going. She was hoping that the, shall we say, road of life would lead her somewhere. So, she did the, uh, "logical" thing and closed her eyes and walked for ten minutes. Just to see where she would end up.

She walked straight. Just straight and zig-zaggy. Not following the road. She didn't care if she got hit by a car…it was all part of her plan anyways. Ten minutes passed, and she was safe. Her eyes looked straight to see herself in front of Sunset Arms.

"This is where I end up? Arnold's boarding house?" She looked up at the sky. "You've got to be kidding me…

"Are you sure this is where I'm supposed to end up? Give me a sign! Or else I am not going in there!"

Suddenly the door opened and all the animals scurried out of the house. Grandpa looked at her for a second. "Are ya here for the vacant room?"

Helga's eyes widened. "Good enough for me," she murmered. "Uh, yeah. Vacant room…"

Grandpa let her in the house and sat her down in the living room. "Hey, haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

"Um, yes. Actually, I'm Helga. Helga Pataki…"

Grandpa nodded slowly. "Oh yes, Arnold's told me so much about you. I remember now. Shouldn't you be living with your family?"

"Well, I just wanted to move out. Get a, uh, early start in life." She looked at him directly in the eyes. "I'm having problems at home. They don't care about me so I don't want to bother them with me. So I'm here."

"Ook. You know, there is a rent involved."

"Did Arnold tell you?" She wondered.

"Tell me what?"

"That I'm pregnant?"

Grandpa clutched his shirt and gasped. "Pregnant?" He gasped. "This isn't the 1900's! You're supposed to live before getting pregnant! I knew Arnold liked you, but…" he paused, "no wonder he came back with a sorrow face. Because you're PREGNANT!"

So, Arnold didn't tell him…"Gramps, can I still live here?"

"Oh, suuurre," he replied in almost a mocking tone. "Of course! Rent is two-hundred a month."

"200?" she repeated in disbelief. "But, with all these medical things…and…school…" She drew in a sharp breath. "Fine. 200 bucks. Now show me my damn room," she demanded.

Grandpa leaded her up the stairs and to an empty room with nothing but a bed and a desk. The window was small and dusty. She also noticed that her room was on the bottom of Arnold's.

"Dinner at six," Grandpa said. "Do your own laundry."

"Yes, Sir." She closed the door. There was nothing much to unpack. Nothing really. It was so stuffy. Stuffy, stuffy, stuffy. "What's wrong with this room?" She complained to herself. She walked out of the room and stretched out her arms, inhaling a deep breath. "Much better."

Arnold came walking down from his attic room and dropped the books in his hands to see Helga there. "Helga?!" He asked in disbelief. "What are you doing in the boarding house?"

"I'm living here now. Big Bob kicked me out, and this is where life brought me," she replied, helping him pick up his books.

"Life?" He straightened up with his books neatly in his arms again.

"Yes."

"Well, you can't live here! It's not good for you! You have to share a bathroom with weird people," he complained.

"So? I never said you had to care."

"I care!" he retorted, stomping his foot.

"Oh yeah?" she snorted. "Then why didn't you tell your Grandpa about this?" She walked back into her room and shut the door.

Arnold groaned. "Why? Because I care!" He said sarcastically as he walked down the stairs to the kitchen where he found Grandpa with a 2-foot sub in his hands.

"Hey Short-Man! What's shaking? Did you see our new roomy?" He chomped down his sandwich.

"Yeah. I did." Arnold put his books down on the table and sat down as well.

"You look troubled, Short-Man," he was half way finished with his sandwich.

"A little," he replied.

"Is it because you got that girl pregnant and you didn't know, and then she told you and you just suddenly got all woozy and confused?"

"How'd you know? Did this happen to you?"

"No, no. My friend…ruined for life. Well, anyway, she your wife now?"

"Not even close. I don't think I can be with her…I don't know. In her condition, and after what I did to her…I feel awkward."

"Well, ya better get used to it!" He hit the table.

***

Late at night, Helga stayed up reading Pride and Prejudice. It was 11 o' clock and she couldn't get to sleep. All she could think of was: How the hell am I going to get a doctor? Do I even want to doctor? Can I kill this baby? Labor is going to hurt badly.

There was a knock on the door. Helga put down her book and pulled up the rough blanket to her chin. "Come in," she said almost like a whisper.

Arnold walked in through the door. "Arnold? What are you doing?"

"I figured you would still be awake," he murmered. "Look, I just wanted to say that you don't need to pay any rent."

"I don't?" She straightened up in her bed and bent her legs.

"No, you don't. And," he continued, "I'm sending you to a different room."

"Oh…ok," she said unsurely. "But why did you wait until now to tell me?"

"Because. I just had a lot on my mind."

"You and me both," she grunted, getting up from the bed. "So where are we moving to?"

"A bigger room with its own bathroom."

"Oh joy!" she grinned and clasped her hands together.

Arnold began stuffing back some of her loose items back in her suitcase. "Come on, it's not too far from this room."

"Okay," she jumped out of her bed, holding the book in her hand and followed Arnold. He led her further down the hall and used a silver key to open the door. Once he opened it, Helga just froze. It was big. One big bedroom and a very clean and pink bathroom. There was even a T.V. and telephone.

"Oh…wow. Are you sure this is for free?" She walked on the soft carpet.

"Yup. And Grandma said she'd help with medical bills and such…"

"Fantastic!" She jumped on the bed. "Whoa, these blankets are so much softer than the ones in the other room!"

Arnold layed her suitcase on a stray chair in the middle of the room. "Good night, Helga." By the time he uttered those words, he saw her already fast asleep, with her book. Carefully, he took the book out of her hands and placed it on the nightstand and covered her with a blanket. "Sweet dreams," he whispered as he closed the door behind him.

The next morning, Helga woke up at 9:00 Saturday morning. She stretched out her arms and yawned. The sun broke in through the big french windows on the left. She got out of bed and walked to the big window and gazed at the wonderful view of the city. What a way to start a morning. Everything was so perfect, but then she remembered. Oh yeah, I'm pregnant.

After doing the morning thing, she walked down the stairs with a weary face. Then she smelled food, and she was starving. The aroma led her into the kitchen to see a short stack of pancakes with eggs, and bacon. "Mmm!" She mumbled, her mouth watering. Eagerly, she sat at the table and began chomping down her food. "This is so good!" she said with her mouth full.

"Thanks," said Arnold, getting milk from the fridge.

"Man, I never knew you could cook. You should be my side-kick. Phoebe couldn't cook like this," she grinned.

"Here, take some milk. It'll slow you down," he handed her a cup of milk which she drank all in one breath. "OK, I was wrong…"

"I wouldn't mind eating this everyday," she smiled.

"Oh, and I have something else for you."

"What?"

"A doctor!"

"You mean an obstitritian?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "I looked for one last night, and we can see her today. She helps in this Teenage Group Pregnancy thing…"

"All last night?"

"Yup."

"Did you get any sleep at all, Football head?"

Arnold shook his head and Helga noticed the dark circles under his eyes. "I'm okay though, don't worry."

Helga nodded slowly. "Okay then."

"C'mon we need to get there by 10:30," he rushed. "Get in the car."

"We're very demanding today, aren't we?" She got up and walked out of the kitchen.

Arnold's car was nice. It was a nice sized black sedan. Completely new. Helga loved his car because whenever she rode in it with him (which was only one time) he would play her favorite stations.

They drove for about fifteen minutes to the hospital. It was a big hospital, and Helga just hated it. It sent bad vibrations down her spine. Just the thought of having to be in a hospital made her sick. But what could she do? Let the baby die? Hmm…Decisions, decisions.

Arnold took her inside the automatic doors and to the lobby. It was cold and very white. Helga shivered. "You're not scared, are you?" He asked jokingly.

Helga nodded and involentarily held his hand and stood close by him. Arnold felt her palms sweat slightly as her grip tightened on his hand.

"Just take a seat, and I'll get everything ready, okay?" he whispered in her ear.

Helga let go of his hand and took a seat. She found herself sitting next to a pregnant woman. Her stomach was big and she was fanning herself with her hand. "Hi," said Helga amiably.

The lady smiled and replied. "Hello."

"I see that you're pregnant…." Began Helga. "How far along are you?"

"Seven months. Well, seven and a half to be exact. I'm just here for a check up."

"Oh."

"Yes." She wrinkled her forehead. "You look worried…what are you here for?"

"I'm actually, uh, pregnant too." Helga's cheeks flushed lightly. "And I'm a little nervous…"

"There's nothing to be nervous about." She grinned. "The only thing to be nervous about is if you don't get to eat the foods you're craving for."

Helga giggled.

"My name is Julia," said the lady, putting out her hand.

Helga shook her hand. "My name's Helga." She smiled. "So, is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's a boy."

"Wow, that's great."

"Yeah. We're naming him Marcus."

"Nice name," said Helga. "Where's your husband?"

"Over there," she pointed to a tall man with black hair standing next to Arnold. He was about five inches taller than Arnold, and Arnold was already 5'11. "You?"

"Uh, the guy next to him…with the blonde hair," she answered.

"Ohh, he looks like a nice boy."

"Yeah, he is."

Then Arnold walked towards her. "Come on, Helga. The doctor is ready for you." He put out his hand and Helga took it. They walked away.

I wonder what labor would be like for her if the child took after the father…Julia thought.

Helga and Arnold went up to the second level and walked through three corridors before arriving to the doctor's office. The doctor greeted them with open arms and led them into the room next door which was a hospital room with a bunch of electronic things and one of those small weird examining beds/table things. She told them to make themselves comfortable as she excused herself. 

Together, they sat on the bed/table with the white paper on it. Helga scanned the whole room. It was full of posters of birth, stages of pregnancy, symptoms…it was so much like having Sex Ed all over again. There was even a model of the inside of a woman's body. Would it be inappropriate to gag in the office?

"Fun, isn't it?" Arnold laughed.

"You know, you don't have to do this with me…" she reminded him.

"I'm obliged to."

Helga rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm.

Then the door opened and the doctor walked in. She looked about 40-something with her hair tied in a bun and she wore a white coat, with a clipboard in her hand. "So sorry about that," she murmered, walking to the two of them. "I'm Dr. Granger." She put out her hand and Arnold and Helga shook it.

"Pleased to meet you," replied Arnold. Helga fidgeted on the bed.

"Ah, you must be Helga," she said, looking at Helga. "I know, it's kind-of strange to be seeing all these graphic things on the wall." She shrugged. "After a while you get used to it though."

"I hope so," she stammered.

"Well, let's see…" she murmered to herself. "Arnold, please get off the bed."

Arnold jumped off and sat on a little stool next to the bed. The doctor told Helga to lie on the bed as she examined her. (A/N: I am not going in detail about what happens…do I know? No. I was not pregnant before!) Arnold had to cover his face a couple of times by Helga's orders.

"Everything seems fine so far," said Dr. Granger. "So, are your parents excited?"

"Uh, not really," replied Helga. "They're just…so-so."

Dr. Granger nodded. "Don't worry. You don't need their consent or anything, as long as Arnold had this signed by his grandpa. Everything should be fine," she flipped through papers on her clipboard. "Now let's see…today's the….and…." she wrote things on the papers.

Helga sat up and yawned.

"You should be due in June 10th. According to my calculations."

"Awesome," exclaimed Arnold. "It won't be too far from the end of school."

The doctor handed Helga some papers about some medical things. "And, you should come back every first Tuesday of each month, ok?"

Helga and Arnold nodded. They walked out of the hospital and Helga felt like she was going to faint. In the car, she went through a nervous break down.

"Oh my God. Arnold!" She screached.

"What?" He exclaimed, pushing the brakes down on the car.

"We are so deep in trouble," she sobbed. "We know nothing about having a baby…everything's going to be so weird…and my whole life will be ruined."

"No…it's not true. Your whole life will not be ruined."

"Oh yes it will," she was nodding as she wiped her tears on her arms. "This year we take SATs. And it'll all be so awful…"

"Being pregnant doesn't change things that much."

"Oh yes it does," she weeped.

"Helga, don't worry, look, we'll get a book, Ok? About pregnancy. All about it. Hell, we can even get ten books. And we'll both study them together. So you won't have to worry…" he said softly, trying to ease her nerves.

"R-really?"

"Yes, really."

She sniffed and dried her tears. "Can we get them now?"

"Yes. We can." They were on the road again…this time to the bookstore.

A/N: You know, I have to do so much more information for this story…pregnancy is so complicated. Lucky for me, I get to be prepared for it extra early (oh joy). Oh and, that whole part about the labor thing with having a head like Arnold's…I got it from Amanda/Artse! Heehee. Please r/r and tell your friends! It's long before the story will end.