Author's note: Hello all! This is my longest chapter so... yay! I wanted to
dedicate this LONG chapter to my dearest friends and fans that have read
the story. There will be one more chapter after this. I wanted to specially
name Helgagurl46, Arnoldlvr, Amelia Badelia, Madam Vanvalkenburgh and my
boyfriend, even though he only reviewed one chapter. :P
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arnold was confused by Phoebe's urgent call. She didn't say much at all, but insisted he came over. It wasn't like the Phoebe he knew. The Phoebe he knew didn't let her voice tremble. The Phoebe he knew wasn't frightened.
But she sounded like she was on the phone.
There was something strange going on, he was certain. Why did Phoebe sound so unsure? Why did she want them to come over? Her parents would have had a fit! And why didn't she call Gerald and ask Gerald to call him to go to Phoebe's? Shaking his head, he lifted the receiver and dialed Gerald's number. Gerald was about to leave to go to Arnold's house. "Change of plans, Gerald. Phoebe just called me."
"Phoebe called you?" Gerald sounded confused.
"Yeah. She wanted me to call you and we meet Helga and Phoebe at her house. Phoebe sounded worried. Did you upset her?"
"Man, why would I upset my girl? I just got her back!" There was a long pause on both lines until Gerald finally piped up, "Do you think it's Arnie?"
"I don't know. But if it is, then the girls are in trouble. I'll have to meet you there. I'm going to grab something real quick..." They hung up and Arnold went off into his grandfather's room.
~*~*~*~
Gerald stood down the street from Phoebe's house waiting for Arnold. He just didn't understand why Phoebe had called Arnold instead of him. It was strange. What was also strange was that Arnold wasn't there yet. How long could he take? Jeez... Gerald started pacing back and forth, until he finally saw his best friend's golden blonde hair and blue hat. "What took you so long?"
"I wanted to get something before I came over here. A sort of... precaution."
"What is it, man?"
"I'm sure you'll see soon enough. C'mon Gerald. Your girl's waiting in there for us.." They made their way to Phoebe's door and knocked. The door slowly opened, but there was no one there. Gingerly, the two stepped into the house. The door was shoved violently back closed, Arnie's wheezing filled the air as he grinned at them.
"* Snort * Hello, cousin mine." He sneezed violently then sniffled it back in. Gerald winced in disgust.
"So, the enemy is here..." Arnold retorted. Arnie grinned.
"You could... uh... say that!" The sentence was followed with a loud snort. "If you'd turn and grab the costumes behind you the party can, uh, get started."
The two turned and looked curiously upon the costumes that hung on the coat rack. The one obviously meant for Gerald was a black tuxedo with a long velvet cape that fell down to an inch above the ground. The wide- brimmed hat hung over the costume ominously where a white mask glowed in the dimly lit room.
Arnold's costume was ragged and it looked very dirty. The pants were long and baggy, a deep blue. There were holes all on his pants. The shirt was white with a ragged red/blue vest. The vest looked torn and shoddy. An eye-patch hung out of the only pocket in the pants.
"What's with the costumes, man?" Gerald hissed with narrowed eyes. "You can't make us wear them!"
"That's ever-so rude, Gerald! Certainly you will humor the other guests! Either that or we'll have to punish dear, dear Helga and Phoebe just ever so much!" Lila's voice rang through the air. Arnie chuckled to himself as Lila came up beside him in an 1800's French whore costume. What she had of a bust was pushed up almost above the line of the pale green dress. Her infamous braided pig-tails hung loosely over her chest, supported by pale green ribbons. Gerald forced himself to look away.
"Don't hurt my Phoebe or Helga!" Gerald hissed. Lila batted her lashes flirtatiously at Gerald then winked at him.
"Then, honey, get in the costume. We'll make sure everything else is ready. And make yourself ever so presentable! You have 5 minutes!" She said cheerfully as Arnie ushered the two into another room with their costumes.
~*~*~*~
Gerald and Arnold came out in their costumes silently, both looking downward. Finally, Arnold looked to Arnie and furrowed his brows angrily. "If we have to be dressed up idiotically, certainly you could at least dress up."
"I * snort * am dressed up. See? I'm being a killer. See the blood? * snort * thing is, this blood isn't fake!" He laughed then started hacking, Lila simply shook her head.
"C'mon down Princesses! Your lovers are here and they want to see you before you die!" Phoebe stepped out first. Her hair was straight down, there were gold streaks in her hair. She wore contacts in her clear eyes, which were locked on the ground. She wore a gold Egyptian snake armlet that appeared it was wrapping around her upper left arm. The two-piece costume was white, It had only one strap that went on her right shoulder and cut off at the bottom of her rib cage. Her skirt fell down to her ankles with slits that ran all the way up to her hips. The skirt was held together by a loose gold rope that also held on her undergarments. She had gold sandals with gold laces that tied up around her knees.
Helga stepped out after Phoebe, her blonde hair cascaded down to her mid-back. She wore jeans that clung to her hips and flared out at the knees and continued down. She wore a hot pink halter-top that was tied well and showed off her curves nicely. She wore more make-up then she commonly wore with hot-pink lipstick. Her shoes were navy blue sandals that were comfortable and attractive. Her toenails were painted pink as well.
Arnold and Gerald couldn't take their eyes from the two girls as they made their way to the living room that was cleared out from all the furnishings. Only a boombox was in the room, a stack of CDs at its side. As soon as Phoebe was at his side Gerald pulled her protectively into his arms, his left arm circling her waist, his right curling over her chest. She trembled against his strong frame as he held her lovingly to him. "What do you want with them? Just let the girls go..." Gerald demanded.
"They're half the fun!" Arnie hissed back to him. "Just look at them! Beautiful and frightened-- quite the combination! I'll let you watch them die in the basements later on... But now, it's time to dance!"
Lila was already at the CD player as she turned it on and put in a loud, fast song. Arnold glared angrily at his cousin as he pulled Helga to his side. Arnie's grin faded faintly at the two as they stood together, neither looking frightened. Only wary.
Arnie pushed Phoebe and Gerald in front of the loud CD player and said loudly, "Dance now, or we'll end it this minute!" Helga led Arnold into the room with her after phoebe and Gerald.
Helga whispered to Arnold, "Just go with it. Pretend he's not holding us hostage... We'll figure something out! You always have plans. It's my turn to get one..." Arnold and Helga began to awkwardly dance, their eyes locked on Arnie and Lila's movements. Phoebe stood silently as Gerald kissed her quickly.
"This might be the last time we're together, Pheebs." He said with a hint of sadness in his voice. He swooped her into his arms then spun her swiftly around and started to sway to the music, his arms around her waist. She moved in unison with him, without uttering a word. Their dance was a way of showing their love. They would always find eachother even in the most distant lands and ages. They did not speak as the song ended and a slow song came on. She slipped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes as they became one with the music.
Helga and Arnold danced together as well, her arms loosely around his neck, which wasn't always easy since she was taller than he was. His head rested on her shoulder as his arms held her in his embrace. "Helga?" He whispered softly as his eyes fluttered open.
"Yes?"
"I love you."
~*~*~*~
An awkward hour later the moon was high in the sky- the harvest moon. "Anything you'd like to say now, before I take you all down to your graves?" Arnie finally hissed. The four looked at eachother fearfully as Arnie pulled out some handcuffs. Phoebe looked around frantically for something to stall- to give them more time! Helga's eyes were wide as she backed away from Arnie as far as she could. Gerald visibly gulped as he stood in front of Phoebe. Arnold grabbed Helga and kissed her swiftly, as if to seal their fates together.
Then it hit Phoebe.
"Wait!" She exclaimed and hurried over to the stack of CDs, pulling a black one out. They all looked confusedly at her. "I want to sing a song. A final song." They nodded as she turned the music on and stood in front, looking at them all, her eyes settling on Gerald.
"We all lead such elaborate lives,
Wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
Days apart and hurried nights
"Seems quite unbelievable to me.
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me.
I don't want to love like that I just want our time to be slower and gentler
Wiser, free." Phoebe shifted her eyes guiltily to Arnie, hoping that he would understand a bit why Helga did what she did. Hoping that Arnie would understand that she didn't love him, and that it would be best to let them go. A sudden dawning of awareness appeared in his lifeless eyes. He understood.
"We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintended emotional crimes
Take some out, take others in
"Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
"I just want to keep your heart!
May this confession be the start" Phoebe smiled lovingly at Gerald.
"I know you gave me courage
To face what I must face
With all these complications
In another time and place!" Gerald's eyes were glued to her, and he knew the song. He joined her with the next verse.
"We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know who's words are true
And affair of the heart survives
All the pain this world can do!"
"I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to live like that" He looked down at the ground, shaking his head slowly at the emotions that filled within him.
"I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to love like that." Phoebe gazed fondly at Gerald then turned her gaze to Arnold and Helga whose eyes were locked together at the sweet duet.
"I just want to be with you!
Now, and forever,
Peaceful, true..." Gerald kissed her when the last note fell into the air. Lila stood beside the CD player and turned it off, unaware of the knowing look in Arnie's eyes.
"Now that that crap is over with we can have some real fun!" She purred, pushing Gerald away from Phoebe and into the direction of her basement. Her eyes were wide in shock as she looked from one face to another, hoping for a way to escape their torment.
She did not see a hope.
Lila took the handcuffs from Arnie and quickly put each of them in handcuffs behind their backs. She walked behind them and closed the basement door behind her. There was no other way out. Lila tied a rope from Arnold's handcuffs to Gerald's and tied the rope to a beam that supported the basement. The girls were tied to the piping system.
Phoebe shivered, but whether it was from fear or coldness she could not tell. Her gaze was locked with Gerald's, his eyes held no fear only tenderness and compassion. It reassured her.
Helga's blue eyes were wide with determination and a dominance that could rival the best. She would not give up. She would not go down without a fight. Arnold found himself watching her intently to keep his mind from the fact that they would soon be dead.
"I know you gave me courage..." Helga whispered.
"To face what I must face." Arnold replied.
"With all these complications," Gerald piped up.
"In another time and place..." Lila laughed at them.
"You are so moronic! I cannot believe after all this you're still talking about love. Love stinks just ever so much! Why would you love someone if it would put yourself though this?"
"There's more to love then just saying it. You have to feel it." Helga hissed at Lila. "Love is more than just a word. And tonight, even though I may die, Arnold knows I love him and that's good enough for me. At least I'll die happily. I will find Arnold again, it may not be this lifetime. But I will find him again. And I will find Phoebe and Gerald again, we will live. In another time and place. But we will be together. And that's friendship. True friendship. And friendship is a form of love. It's a love we have for those close to us. At least when we die we won't be alone." Lila's green eyes were narrowed to thin slits with each word Helga spoke.
Suddenly, Lila grinned and made a line of gasoline in front of the doorway, near the wooden beam. Pulling out a cigarette, she lit it and gave a puff before starting up the stairs and tossing the cigarette into the gasoline and walking to the door.
"You know," She purred happily with a grin. "I always loved a bonfire!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arnold was confused by Phoebe's urgent call. She didn't say much at all, but insisted he came over. It wasn't like the Phoebe he knew. The Phoebe he knew didn't let her voice tremble. The Phoebe he knew wasn't frightened.
But she sounded like she was on the phone.
There was something strange going on, he was certain. Why did Phoebe sound so unsure? Why did she want them to come over? Her parents would have had a fit! And why didn't she call Gerald and ask Gerald to call him to go to Phoebe's? Shaking his head, he lifted the receiver and dialed Gerald's number. Gerald was about to leave to go to Arnold's house. "Change of plans, Gerald. Phoebe just called me."
"Phoebe called you?" Gerald sounded confused.
"Yeah. She wanted me to call you and we meet Helga and Phoebe at her house. Phoebe sounded worried. Did you upset her?"
"Man, why would I upset my girl? I just got her back!" There was a long pause on both lines until Gerald finally piped up, "Do you think it's Arnie?"
"I don't know. But if it is, then the girls are in trouble. I'll have to meet you there. I'm going to grab something real quick..." They hung up and Arnold went off into his grandfather's room.
~*~*~*~
Gerald stood down the street from Phoebe's house waiting for Arnold. He just didn't understand why Phoebe had called Arnold instead of him. It was strange. What was also strange was that Arnold wasn't there yet. How long could he take? Jeez... Gerald started pacing back and forth, until he finally saw his best friend's golden blonde hair and blue hat. "What took you so long?"
"I wanted to get something before I came over here. A sort of... precaution."
"What is it, man?"
"I'm sure you'll see soon enough. C'mon Gerald. Your girl's waiting in there for us.." They made their way to Phoebe's door and knocked. The door slowly opened, but there was no one there. Gingerly, the two stepped into the house. The door was shoved violently back closed, Arnie's wheezing filled the air as he grinned at them.
"* Snort * Hello, cousin mine." He sneezed violently then sniffled it back in. Gerald winced in disgust.
"So, the enemy is here..." Arnold retorted. Arnie grinned.
"You could... uh... say that!" The sentence was followed with a loud snort. "If you'd turn and grab the costumes behind you the party can, uh, get started."
The two turned and looked curiously upon the costumes that hung on the coat rack. The one obviously meant for Gerald was a black tuxedo with a long velvet cape that fell down to an inch above the ground. The wide- brimmed hat hung over the costume ominously where a white mask glowed in the dimly lit room.
Arnold's costume was ragged and it looked very dirty. The pants were long and baggy, a deep blue. There were holes all on his pants. The shirt was white with a ragged red/blue vest. The vest looked torn and shoddy. An eye-patch hung out of the only pocket in the pants.
"What's with the costumes, man?" Gerald hissed with narrowed eyes. "You can't make us wear them!"
"That's ever-so rude, Gerald! Certainly you will humor the other guests! Either that or we'll have to punish dear, dear Helga and Phoebe just ever so much!" Lila's voice rang through the air. Arnie chuckled to himself as Lila came up beside him in an 1800's French whore costume. What she had of a bust was pushed up almost above the line of the pale green dress. Her infamous braided pig-tails hung loosely over her chest, supported by pale green ribbons. Gerald forced himself to look away.
"Don't hurt my Phoebe or Helga!" Gerald hissed. Lila batted her lashes flirtatiously at Gerald then winked at him.
"Then, honey, get in the costume. We'll make sure everything else is ready. And make yourself ever so presentable! You have 5 minutes!" She said cheerfully as Arnie ushered the two into another room with their costumes.
~*~*~*~
Gerald and Arnold came out in their costumes silently, both looking downward. Finally, Arnold looked to Arnie and furrowed his brows angrily. "If we have to be dressed up idiotically, certainly you could at least dress up."
"I * snort * am dressed up. See? I'm being a killer. See the blood? * snort * thing is, this blood isn't fake!" He laughed then started hacking, Lila simply shook her head.
"C'mon down Princesses! Your lovers are here and they want to see you before you die!" Phoebe stepped out first. Her hair was straight down, there were gold streaks in her hair. She wore contacts in her clear eyes, which were locked on the ground. She wore a gold Egyptian snake armlet that appeared it was wrapping around her upper left arm. The two-piece costume was white, It had only one strap that went on her right shoulder and cut off at the bottom of her rib cage. Her skirt fell down to her ankles with slits that ran all the way up to her hips. The skirt was held together by a loose gold rope that also held on her undergarments. She had gold sandals with gold laces that tied up around her knees.
Helga stepped out after Phoebe, her blonde hair cascaded down to her mid-back. She wore jeans that clung to her hips and flared out at the knees and continued down. She wore a hot pink halter-top that was tied well and showed off her curves nicely. She wore more make-up then she commonly wore with hot-pink lipstick. Her shoes were navy blue sandals that were comfortable and attractive. Her toenails were painted pink as well.
Arnold and Gerald couldn't take their eyes from the two girls as they made their way to the living room that was cleared out from all the furnishings. Only a boombox was in the room, a stack of CDs at its side. As soon as Phoebe was at his side Gerald pulled her protectively into his arms, his left arm circling her waist, his right curling over her chest. She trembled against his strong frame as he held her lovingly to him. "What do you want with them? Just let the girls go..." Gerald demanded.
"They're half the fun!" Arnie hissed back to him. "Just look at them! Beautiful and frightened-- quite the combination! I'll let you watch them die in the basements later on... But now, it's time to dance!"
Lila was already at the CD player as she turned it on and put in a loud, fast song. Arnold glared angrily at his cousin as he pulled Helga to his side. Arnie's grin faded faintly at the two as they stood together, neither looking frightened. Only wary.
Arnie pushed Phoebe and Gerald in front of the loud CD player and said loudly, "Dance now, or we'll end it this minute!" Helga led Arnold into the room with her after phoebe and Gerald.
Helga whispered to Arnold, "Just go with it. Pretend he's not holding us hostage... We'll figure something out! You always have plans. It's my turn to get one..." Arnold and Helga began to awkwardly dance, their eyes locked on Arnie and Lila's movements. Phoebe stood silently as Gerald kissed her quickly.
"This might be the last time we're together, Pheebs." He said with a hint of sadness in his voice. He swooped her into his arms then spun her swiftly around and started to sway to the music, his arms around her waist. She moved in unison with him, without uttering a word. Their dance was a way of showing their love. They would always find eachother even in the most distant lands and ages. They did not speak as the song ended and a slow song came on. She slipped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes as they became one with the music.
Helga and Arnold danced together as well, her arms loosely around his neck, which wasn't always easy since she was taller than he was. His head rested on her shoulder as his arms held her in his embrace. "Helga?" He whispered softly as his eyes fluttered open.
"Yes?"
"I love you."
~*~*~*~
An awkward hour later the moon was high in the sky- the harvest moon. "Anything you'd like to say now, before I take you all down to your graves?" Arnie finally hissed. The four looked at eachother fearfully as Arnie pulled out some handcuffs. Phoebe looked around frantically for something to stall- to give them more time! Helga's eyes were wide as she backed away from Arnie as far as she could. Gerald visibly gulped as he stood in front of Phoebe. Arnold grabbed Helga and kissed her swiftly, as if to seal their fates together.
Then it hit Phoebe.
"Wait!" She exclaimed and hurried over to the stack of CDs, pulling a black one out. They all looked confusedly at her. "I want to sing a song. A final song." They nodded as she turned the music on and stood in front, looking at them all, her eyes settling on Gerald.
"We all lead such elaborate lives,
Wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
Days apart and hurried nights
"Seems quite unbelievable to me.
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me.
I don't want to love like that I just want our time to be slower and gentler
Wiser, free." Phoebe shifted her eyes guiltily to Arnie, hoping that he would understand a bit why Helga did what she did. Hoping that Arnie would understand that she didn't love him, and that it would be best to let them go. A sudden dawning of awareness appeared in his lifeless eyes. He understood.
"We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintended emotional crimes
Take some out, take others in
"Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
"I just want to keep your heart!
May this confession be the start" Phoebe smiled lovingly at Gerald.
"I know you gave me courage
To face what I must face
With all these complications
In another time and place!" Gerald's eyes were glued to her, and he knew the song. He joined her with the next verse.
"We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know who's words are true
And affair of the heart survives
All the pain this world can do!"
"I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to live like that" He looked down at the ground, shaking his head slowly at the emotions that filled within him.
"I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to love like that." Phoebe gazed fondly at Gerald then turned her gaze to Arnold and Helga whose eyes were locked together at the sweet duet.
"I just want to be with you!
Now, and forever,
Peaceful, true..." Gerald kissed her when the last note fell into the air. Lila stood beside the CD player and turned it off, unaware of the knowing look in Arnie's eyes.
"Now that that crap is over with we can have some real fun!" She purred, pushing Gerald away from Phoebe and into the direction of her basement. Her eyes were wide in shock as she looked from one face to another, hoping for a way to escape their torment.
She did not see a hope.
Lila took the handcuffs from Arnie and quickly put each of them in handcuffs behind their backs. She walked behind them and closed the basement door behind her. There was no other way out. Lila tied a rope from Arnold's handcuffs to Gerald's and tied the rope to a beam that supported the basement. The girls were tied to the piping system.
Phoebe shivered, but whether it was from fear or coldness she could not tell. Her gaze was locked with Gerald's, his eyes held no fear only tenderness and compassion. It reassured her.
Helga's blue eyes were wide with determination and a dominance that could rival the best. She would not give up. She would not go down without a fight. Arnold found himself watching her intently to keep his mind from the fact that they would soon be dead.
"I know you gave me courage..." Helga whispered.
"To face what I must face." Arnold replied.
"With all these complications," Gerald piped up.
"In another time and place..." Lila laughed at them.
"You are so moronic! I cannot believe after all this you're still talking about love. Love stinks just ever so much! Why would you love someone if it would put yourself though this?"
"There's more to love then just saying it. You have to feel it." Helga hissed at Lila. "Love is more than just a word. And tonight, even though I may die, Arnold knows I love him and that's good enough for me. At least I'll die happily. I will find Arnold again, it may not be this lifetime. But I will find him again. And I will find Phoebe and Gerald again, we will live. In another time and place. But we will be together. And that's friendship. True friendship. And friendship is a form of love. It's a love we have for those close to us. At least when we die we won't be alone." Lila's green eyes were narrowed to thin slits with each word Helga spoke.
Suddenly, Lila grinned and made a line of gasoline in front of the doorway, near the wooden beam. Pulling out a cigarette, she lit it and gave a puff before starting up the stairs and tossing the cigarette into the gasoline and walking to the door.
"You know," She purred happily with a grin. "I always loved a bonfire!"