Glance

Author's Notes: This is my first Hey Arnold fic. I know, I'm crazy, and if you read my other stories, it doesn't fit- it's het!! Well, I don't care, Arnold and Helga are so cute!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold... which is really too bad, because I just love those kids!! ^^

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It was ruined.

Arnold had to fight back the tears as he drove through his old neighborhood that had been completely ruined.

Gerald Field was a dump.

The aquarium was filled with 15 year old kids smoking and fighting.

Green's Meats, the flower shop and P.S. 118 had graffiti and broken windows.

And the boarding house...

Why had he come back here?

He saw Sid: no shoes, a torn shirt and begging for money for booze. Eugene was driving in the car next to him at the (or what was left of) stop sign at 2nd street. He turned and smiled at Arnold.

And Helga. Helga was beautiful.

He only knew because he stopped at the only working gas station. She was flirting with passing boys. He knew it was her only when a kid tried to 'feel her' and she snapped back when Arnold tried to help her.

"Hey football head! I don't need anybody's help, let alone a sissy boy's like yours."

"Helga?" Arnold choked out. "Helga! Is that you?"

"Arnold? Football Head! Oh, I didn't recognize you... what are you DOING here, you little wimp?"

Arnold smiled. Even though her tone was cold, he knew she was happy to see him... and he felt strangely attracted to her. "I'm just cruis-"

Beffore he could finish, a child cried, and then a little girl, not 7 yet, came out of the station yelling with a baby in her arms.

"Mommy! Mommy, Gerald won't shut up. I'm sorry mommy, I know you need to work, but I-"

Arnold was shocked. He wasn't 25, and he knew that Helga might be a few months older, but...

Helga saw the look.

"Look, Arnold, I have to go, they're coming. Run Arnold."

"Huh?" Sirens were distantly wailing.

Helga persisted, getting more and more frantic. "Run, don't look back. Never come back! NEVER! You're better off without us!"

The sirens were louder now, and they were coming closer. Arnold was on the verge of tears. "Who? I'm better off without WHO!?"

"Your memories! RUN!"

The sirens overtook him, he couldn't see anything but noise, couldn't hear, he couldn't feel...

Arnold had broken a sweat in his bed. He slapped his alarm off and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He took his fists into his eyes.

He looked around his room and he grabbed his shirt. He dressed, got his suitcase, and his plane ticket.

His plane ticket home.

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Can you tell I was in a depressed mood? I wrote this in 20 minutes, so cut me slack. Wait for part too. Should be soon.

::sings and dances to "Crazy for This Girl" and dissappears::