By : Wild-Melody
Summary : Arnold, Helga and a severe car accident. Read to find out what happens.
A/N : Although I am not new to writing, this is my first Hey Arnold! fic, so please be kind. If I have anything screwed up, I apologize, but I will try to keep the characters true to themselves. I may deviate Helga from her normal coarse just to suit this story, other than that…I hope you enjoy the story. It's a bit long, and I think it might turn into something of a tear jerker too. Just thought I should warn you. Read and enjoy!!!
Disclaimer : Oh yeah, I own nothing. Absolutely nothing, Hey Arnold! belongs to all its various writers, creators and producers and such. I own only the story idea…I don't even own the song! The song belongs to Pearl Jam and whomever it was that did it before them. Now, don't sue me!!!!
HEY ARNOLD!
LAST KISS
Arnold stood just outside of the boarding house, he was looking up at his grandparents who stood upon the uppermost steps into the large old building, just above him. Behind him, his powder blue '69 Ford Mustang served as a backdrop, gleaming in the pale light of the barely risen moon. He met both sets of his grandparent's eyes and smiled up at them.
"I'll be back before midnight," Arnold said softly. Sixteen now, almost seventeen, his voice had grown deeper, his body more muscular, but he was still the same old Arnold. He was nice to a fault, always thinking of others before himself.
"Just watch out for the other driver Short Man," his grandfather said.
Arnold just smiled up at the older man, still amazed that he would use that old nickname. "Grandpa," Arnold said softly, "I'm six inches taller than you are, if anything, you're the Short Man now."
His grandfather laughed, but his grandmother sighed and spoke slowly, "Just be careful Arnold. Sometimes you never see the other guy till it's to late."
Arnold looked up at his grandmother, a look of total bewilderment crossed his features. It was the first time that he could remember that she hadn't acted…well, looney tunes.
"I'll be all right grandma, don't worry." Arnold said.
"It's not you that I'm worried about Arnold, it's the other driver." His grandmother was staring off into space, as if she could see something that neither Arnold nor his grandfather could. "I know you'll be careful, you always were, are."
His grandfather suddenly wrapped an arm around the old woman's shoulders and proceeded to direct her in the general direction of the boarding house. "Go on Arnold, if you have any problems, don't be afraid to call us."
"I'm quite capable of walking myself, thank you!" Arnold suddenly heard his grandmother speak up.
His grandfather quietly replied, "I know you are Pookie, I just like to feel that you need me once in a while." Arnold rolled his eyes and walked the few feet to his car.
******
The engine shuttered, the whole car shivered and Helga cursed it for the thousandth time within fifteen minutes. "What is wrong with you?" She said to it softly. She quickly checked the gas gage. It was full, she had just filled it up the day before. Scanning the rest of the gages and lights, she saw nothing out of the ordinary that would account for the strange vibrations coursing through the car. "You're a brand, spanking new car, you shouldn't be acting this way!"
The dark blue car shuddered, then stalled out. "What the hell?!" Helga cursed, suddenly feeling like thumping the living daylights out of the inanimate object. "If only you had living daylights for me to thump out of you!" She cried despondently at the strangely whirring vehicle.
She grasped hold of the ignition key and turned it over to off, then quickly hit the hazard lights. Nothing happened. "Oh, don't even tell me this is happening!" Turning the key frantically she listened to the car's engine attempt weakly to turn over only to stop, then absolutely nothing. "Fine! Be this way!!" She screamed.
Throwing her door open she got out and surveyed her surroundings, then glanced down at the watch on her wrist. "Looks like I'm late," she said and looked sullenly up into the darkening sky. "This is just great!" She turned her venomous mood onto the car, "You stupid thing!!" She screamed at it. Then proceeded to kick the tire. It didn't phase the tire one bit, but it felt like she had broke her toes. "You're just out to make my night go from bad to worse aren't you?" She said quietly to it. Leaning against the driver's side door she glanced both up and down the road.
"Perfect place to be sitting," she said to the 2005 Pontiac Grand Am. "Couldn't be a straight stretch or anything could it? Would have to be right around a turn." She glanced back up into the night sky, "Well, at least if someone comes around that turn they're going to take you out and not me. I'm not going to be no where near you."
Then going back against her word, she got back into the car and tried the engine again. It turned over, spitting and sputtering. Lights flared on and bells began to chime. "Now what?" She said aloud.
The engine light was blinking on intermittingly at her, going from dim yellow to a bright yellow. Groaning, Helga reached for the cell phone snuggled deep within the glove compartment. "Well," she said to it, "you were gotten for emergencies, I don't see much more of an emergency than this right now."
She hit the power button on the compact phone and groaned again as the out-of-service-area icon flashed then stayed on. "Oh, this just can't be happening to me!"
How can this day possibly get any worse? Helga asked herself as she rested her head wearily against the steering wheel. First I'm late getting to school, so I get detention for that. Like that's anything abnormal. Then I get called to the office, Mom wrecked dad's new car. At least she walked away from it, the other guy wasn't so lucky. Olga's back in town. Helga rolled her eyes and groaned to herself. My Mom's a convict now. She fell asleep behind the wheel and killed some guy. As if that weren't the worse of my day, I get into a really huge fight with Arnold, over Phoebe and Gerald, of all people. I can't even remember what the fight was about now…Helga sighed to herself and debated whether or not she wanted to get of the car or not.
Maybe if I walk up the road a little further I'll reach a point where I'll have some signal strength. Then I can call home…or to Phoebe's, someplace. Anyplace would be good right about now, even Arnold's, though he probably wouldn't really want to talk to me right now. For that matter, maybe I don't want to talk to him either.
Like I believe that! Oh great, now I'm talking to myself. Isn't that the first sign of insanity?
No, that's when you answer yourself.
Shut up, I didn't ask you-er, me. Oh great, now I'm arguing with myself. I AM going crazy.
You're just bored and scared, a little worried.
I really didn't ask you. Besides, Helga G. Pataki doesn't get scared.
Oh, that's right, I forgot, you're a strong girl.
Shut up.
Nah.
Do it anyways. What AM I doing?
Talking to yourself.
A/N : Sorry, I just couldn't resist having Helga have an argument with herself. I thought it was rather funny, but you might not have. But I did, so HA!!!!
******
Arnold pulled his car into the parking lot of the neighboring town's small mall and turned the engine off. He glanced around for the dark blue car that would tell him that Helga was working tonight. He didn't see her car, but he was pretty sure that Phoebe had said that Helga had had to work that night. Could she have gotten the nights mixed up? Arnold wondered to himself. Not likely.
He pulled a cell phone out of the glove compartment box and quickly dialed Gerald's number, knowing that Phoebe would be there. It rang a few times then Gerald's voice came over the speaker, "Speak to me, it's your quarter."
"Actually, I think it's more like 40 cents now." Arnold said and tried not to laugh.
"Don't matter, still your money." Gerald responded. "So, whatcha want? I'm kind of in the middle of something right now."
"Oh really? Like what?" Arnold asked.
"Talking with Phoebe," Gerald answered quickly.
"Ah, speaking of Phoebe, could I talk to her quickly?"
"Pheebs?" Gerald asked, sounding just a bit surprised. "You called my house to talk to my girlfriend and not me? I'm crushed!!"
"It's important."
"All right, all right. Here she is."
Phoebe's soft voice wafted over the phone, "Arnold?"
"Yeah, um…Phoebe?"
"What Arnold?"
"You said Helga was suppose to work tonight, right?"
"Yes, she should already be there. Why?" Phoebe asked.
"I'm sitting outside of the mall and her car isn't here." Arnold answered.
"Oh…maybe someone dropped her off or something. She may not have even gone in today either, considering what happened today."
"What happened today?" Arnold repeated. Surely she couldn't be talking about the argument the two of them had gotten into. It was nothing really major or anything. Just a little disagreement.
"You hadn't heard?" Phoebe asked.
"Heard what?"
"About her mother?"
"No, what?"
"She was in a car accident earlier today."
"Was that why she was called to the office today?" Arnold asked.
"Yes. Her mother fell a sleep behind the wheel and killed the other motorist."
"I…I didn't know." Arnold said softly.
"She may have stayed home," Phoebe said.
"I'll call her house and find out," Arnold finally said after a short pause.
"Ok. Call back and let us know, would you?" Phoebe asked.
"Ok," Arnold said and shut the phone off. He flipped it back on and pushed the menu button until the phonebook option appeared. Then he selected entry and call and selected Helga's name. Call now? The phone asked and he pushed the yes button. Calling, blinked on the screen.
"Hello?" A gruff voice came over the phone.
"Um, hi. Is Helga there?"
"Who is this?" Came the reply.
"One of her friends," Arnold responded. If that's what you could call it. He still didn't exactly know what it was that was between them.
"She's not here," the man said. "Can I take a message?"
"Did she go to work?"
"Was suppose too," the man answered. "She hasn't showed up yet." The man growled. "Probably out joyriding or has wrapped that car around some telephone pole."
"You're not worried?" Arnold asked.
"If something bad had happened she'd have called. She has a phone for emergencies. Besides, I haven't heard anything from the police that she's been involved in an accident." Helga's father said. Arnold heard him add beneath his breath, "Besides which, I've heard quite enough from the police to last me a lifetime and then some."
"Thank you…" Arnold said as he turned the phone off. Helga hadn't arrived at work yet, she hadn't called home and no one had heard from her. He felt a shiver go up his spine and wondered once more what his feelings were for the impossible girl.
Oh where oh where can my baby be
The lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world
Arnold glanced around the store quickly, hoping against hope that he had missed her. Hoping that she was really there and he just hadn't seen her yet. "Can I help you sir?" A female voice asked from behind him. He whirled around to look into the dark emerald eyes of a red head. She was just a few inches shorter than what he was and not to unappealing to the eyes either.
"Um, I'm looking for a friend of mine." Arnold answered.
"And who might that be?" The woman asked. Arnold glanced down at her nametag and read the name Denise Cardone there. She was the assistant manager according to her nametag.
"Helga." Arnold said.
"Helga?" The woman repeated, a note of warning creeping into her voice. "Helga Pataki?"
"Yes," Arnold answered.
"Miss. Pataki has failed to show up yet." Miss Cardone said.
"She has?" Arnold said quietly.
"Yes, she has," the woman said icily. "If you happen to see her, you may want to give her a message."
"Yes ma'am?" Arnold asked.
"Tell her that if she values her job that she had better report on time tomorrow with a good excuse for not showing up to work this night." With nothing further to say the woman turned on her heel and walked away from Arnold, not even bothering to wait for an answer from him.
"Yes ma'am," Arnold said and sharply saluted and debated whether or not he should have stuck his middle finger up then too. Decided better against it and that it just wasn't him he turned around and left the store and wondered around the mall for a few minutes before he returned to his car.
"Now what?" he asked silently as he slipped into the driver's seat and quietly started the engine. He pulled his cell phone from out of the glove compartment and dialed Gerald's number once more. "Hello?" Gerald answered.
"Hey Gerald, it's me." Arnold said slightly subdued.
"Hey, so how did things go?" Gerald asked, instantly hearing the sullen tone to his best friend's voice.
"Not so well," Arnold answered.
"Did you talk to Helga?"
"No one seems to know where she's at." Arnold answered.
"What?"
"Her dad said she had left for work, but that her place of employment had called and said that she hadn't showed up. Her work said she had better show up tomorrow with an good excuse for today or she won't have a job." Arnold sighed, suddenly fearing that something bad had happened to Helga. Why do I care?
Do you really have to ask?
Yes…er…maybe not. I just don't want to admit it yet. We have our whole lives to figure this out.
Not always, life can be cruel.
"Arnold? Arnold! HEY ARNOLD!!" He suddenly heard Gerald screaming over the phone.
"Huh, what?" Arnold asked, dazed.
"Are you listening to me man?" Gerald questioned.
"Sure…um, what were you saying?"
"Never mind."
"I'm gonna go."
"What are you going to do Arnold?" Gerald asked.
"Go look for Helga," Arnold answered.
"You don't even know which way she went or what route she takes to go to work. It's like a wild goose chase man!"
"I have to try."
"No you don't. This is Helga G. Pataki we're talking about. She wouldn't do the same thing for you. She'd just as soon run you're ass over as stop for you."
"I think you maybe wrong Gerald. There's a side to Helga that many of us don't usually get to see."
"And I bet you've gotten to see this side haven't you?"
"Maybe," was all Arnold would say. "I'll talk to you later Gerald."
"Be safe Arnold, and watch out for Helga, just because you trust her doesn't mean I have too."
"I know."
Arnold shut the phone and pondered his next move for a few minutes. He knew Helga liked to be alone and a wilderness route to work would probably suite her, even if it added an extra twenty or so minutes to her trip. Fine, he said to himself, we'll start with the scenic route and see what we fine.
What out for the other driver…His grandmother's warning suddenly popped up into his mind.
We were out on a date in my daddy's car
We hadn't driven very far
There in the road strait up there
A car was stalled the engine was dead
I couldn't stop so I swerved to the right
I'll never forget the sound that night
The screaming tires the busting glass
The painful scream that I heard last
The moon was high in the sky as Arnold cruised down the lonely highway. Clouds were just beginning to skirt across the sky, trying to block out the light of the moon. There was a flash of light, dark blue metal reflecting the light off of his headlights, glaring it back at him. He didn't have to time to think, so he pushed on the breaks, he heard them squeal, protesting the unusual treatment.
He didn't have time, wouldn't be able to stop in time. He grabbed hold of the steering wheel and violently jerked it to the right. The tires squealed in protest, he heard the thump and crumple of metal against metal and knew in an instant that he had hit the other car.
He'd been in a straight skid and had nailed the other car head on. He hadn't been able to turn.
******
Helga heard the approaching sound of the other car, heard the engine rev then die down. She watched as the headlights appeared around the bend of the road, they hadn't seen her car yet, but she didn't have time to get out of it, either. She grabbed hold of her seat belt and fastened it quickly, doubting that it would do her any good, but just in case…
She heard the sudden squealing of breaks and realized in that instant that the other driver had seen her, and that they didn't have the time to stop. The tires squealed, then she felt the impact, heard the collision that shook her entire world.
Glass shattered and rained down on her. She felt the pain shake her body in waves and the last thing she remembered was screaming before the dark blackness overcame her.
Oh where oh where can my baby be
The lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world
The rain had started to fall and was gently seeping into the ruined remains of Arnold's prized possession. Truth be told, and he had never told anyone this. The car had originally belonged to his father, he had sought long and hard to find the car and when he explained to the man who then owned it what it meant to him the man had agreed to sell it to him for a fair price. All he had to do was fix it up, of coarse Arnold had agreed to it.
Now, as he crawled out of the ruined carcass of the once grand Mustang, Arnold felt a pang of regret coarse through his heart. Then he saw the twisted metal that represented the other car. The lights from his car flickered on and off, but the symbol on the car's once proud front end was unmistakable. The chevron triangle of the Pontiac.
"No…" he said, tears suddenly welling up in his eyes.
He heard the sirens in the background…the wailing of the emergency vehicles that stated that something severe had happened. Arnold new instantly what had happened…new who had caused it.
When I woke up the rain was pouring down
There were people standing all around
Something warm flowing through my eyes
But somehow I found my baby that night
I lifted her head she looked at me and said
Hold me darling just a little while
I held her close I kissed her our last kiss
I found the love that I knew I had missed
Well now she's gone even though I hold her tight
I lost my love my life that night
"Are you all right?" Someone asked as they ran up to him. Arnold just shook them off and walked over to the remains of the dark blue Grand Am.
This just can't be happening, Arnold said to himself. The front end was totaled, the only thing recognizable to say what it had once been was that chevroned triangle. The hood was crinkled and smoke billowed out from beneath it. Arnold sighed and walked to the door…not really wanting to look inside.
Helga lay there, her head turned away from him. Her eyes were closed, in death he feared. Her windshield had shattered and glass had rained down, cutting her hands and face. He feared suddenly that he had killed her. But I had never seen her! What was I to do? Arnold asked bleakly to himself.
He reached into the shattered remains of her car and gently touched her face. She groaned and turned her head to look at him. Her eyes connected with his and she tried to smile. "Arnold?" She asked softly.
"Yes," He said just as softly, afraid that if he spoke any louder she might just vanish.
"I must be dead," she said quietly.
"Why do you say that?" He asked, trying to keep her talking, knowing that she had to stay talking.
"Do you know how long I dreamed of you touching me this way? Dreamed of you just touching me at all? How long have I loved you? I know not…it's been a lifetime and more. You are the very reason for my existence." She was delirious Arnold feared.
But could there be truth to her words? They had been becoming so much more than just friends…could it possibly have become something else if given the time?
"Hold me please, just for a little while?" he heard her say softly.
He wrapped his arms around her, the door to the car practically nonexistent. She felt so good in his arms, like she had been made just for him. "I love you Arnold," She said softly and leaned her head against his chest.
Something swelled within his heart, something he couldn't quite identify. He bent down and pressed his lips against hers and kissed her. It was their first actual kiss, or at least his to her. She had kissed him countless times, usually as the result of something else. As he looked back on those times now, he suddenly realized that she had been planning them all along…and that he had actually enjoyed them. Never before would he have been able to admit such a thing.
He looked down at her again and kissed their last kiss…and suddenly he discovered that he had found a love that had always been there, right there before him. All he had to do was reach out and grab it. Now it was to late. The love was gone.
I found the love that I knew I had missed, well now she's gone even though I hold her tight, Arnold said softly to himself as he looked down at the peaceful angel in his arms and gently closed her eyes, a single tear escaped from his eye and fell down onto her face and traced a small trail down her cheek, as if she had cried the tear herself.
Someone was saying something to him, he looked up at the man, really not hearing him. The man motioned for him to move so that he could look Helga over. A stretcher was rushed over and Helga was removed from his sight, he didn't even get to tell her good-bye.
The tears coursed harder and faster down his cheeks, uncontrollable as he felt his heard break once and for all. He'd never love again, not this way at least.
He heard a paramedic talking to him softly and turned his tortured eyes to regard the man. "I'm sorry," was all Arnold heard, then all hell broke loose. The ambulance carrying Helga's body left just as the skies let loose and the rain drowned all the rescue personnel and by standers. Arnold didn't care, he didn't feel a single thing.
Oh where oh where can my baby be
The lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven so I got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world
Well, what do you think? Did you like it? I know it was a bit sad, but I wanted it to be that way. If you like, I might consider continuing it, you just let me know. I hope I kept the characters true to themselves and I didn't confuse you too much with some of my ramblings. Review and let me know what you think, please!!