Disclaimer- I do not own "Hey Arnold!" or any of it's characters.

Chapter Six- Trying to understand

It was about 6:00pm by the time Helga realized her stomach was growling uncontrollably. She decided to walk back home. She walked in a daze slowly down the street. Even as cats and dogs fought, car horns honked, people yelled and cussed, none of it seemed to snap Helga out of her fragile state of mind. She was confused, and she was trying to make sense of it all.

Once back at the house Olga ran out of the kitchen, starling Helga as her older, frantic sister grabbed her into a big hug.
"Oh, Helga! We've been so worried! Where have you been?"

"I was at the park, what gives!?"

Helga pushed her sister out of the way and brushed her arms as if Olga left a residue lingering on her skin.

"What do you mean by "we" were worried?"

Olga looked shocked,

"Arnold and I, we have been calling everyone trying to find out where you could be. Arnold said he couldn't find you anywhere all day. He even paged you and you never returned his calls"

Helga wondered if Arnold was really worried about her,

"I didn't hear from him last night or this morning, so it's his loss that I have been gone all day without his knowing"

Olga kindly touched her sister on the shoulder, and talked in a concerned voice,

"Helga, my sister, Arnold loves you deeply, he called to speak to you last night but you had already fell asleep when I went upstairs. So Arnold said to let you sleep and that he would talk to you this afternoon. He wanted to give you some room so think."

Helga didn't know what to say and was tired of feeling so bad. Worn out and hungry from sitting in the park all afternoon, She didn't feel like fighting with anyone.

"Okay, I'll give Arnold a call and let him know where I was"

Helga released a long sigh to let out some tension. Olga could see the worries and fatigue in Helgas face. She was concerned about her sister. Something was definitely not right with Helga, and Olga knew it, but wasn't quite sure what it was. Helga stumbled upstairs to her room.

Dialing Arnolds number, Helga laid across her bed, Still fighting the hunger, and now fighting sleep. After a few rings Arnold answered,

"Hello! Olga!?"

Helga became furious for a split moment, hearing Arnold call out her sisters name, but it faded just as fast as it came as she listened to Arnold's rambling,

"Did you find Helga yet? Can I talk to her?"

It seemed as though he was never going to stop talking,

"Hey, it's me Helga! I was down at the park all day thinking"

Arnold let out a big sigh of relief.

"What were you doing down at the park by yourself? Why didn't you let someone know? I was so worried about you, I'm glad your Okay."

Helga was getting frustrated with all the questions and her blood began to boil,

"What is this? 20 questions? Crimany!"

"I'm sorry Helga, I just love you so much and I didn't know if something had happened to you. Are you still mad at me?"

Helga rubbed her tense neck,

"No, I'm not mad. I'm tired, I just want to lay down and get some sleep. Can we go out tomorrow?"

"Sure, whatever you want to do, we'll go do it. Why don't you take a hot bath, I know how you love those. I'll see you tomorrow by love. I love you."

Helga hesitated a minute before giving up and answered back,

"I love you too"

They hung up . Helga was too tired to even think about weather Arnold was lying or not. She took out a pair of soft cotton, Light pink pajamas. Her favorite pair, with the silver stars all over them. She walked into the bathroom. Filling up the tub with hot water, she added her favorite Rose scented bubble bath crème to the flowing water. She slipped into it's warmth and laid her head down on a bath pillow. She sunk far into her thoughts, almost falling asleep, but not quite. Almost like a meditation. About an hour later, wrinkles covered her whole body. She thought it was now time to get out. More exhausted than before, her body seemed to weigh 100 tons. She slipped into her pajamas and smoothed a creamy texture of Rose scented lotion all over her hands and feet. As she crawled into bed she heard a soft knock at her bedroom door. That's got to be Olga, with her soft rapping on the door, it can't be mom or dad! She sat up slightly.

"Come in Olga!"

Olga came in with a tray.

"Hi sister. I thought you would like something to eat. I made you some chicken broth and a melted, very cheesy sandwich. I know how you are when your upset, you don't eat. So I made something that would fill you, and that you could swallow easily. It will also warm you up."

Helga was astonished, and some what felt better, at her sisters efforts to comfort her. As sweetly as Helga has ever been she accepted the soup and sandwich.

"Thanks sis. I am hungry, I haven't eaten all day."

Helga spooned up some soup and blew on it gently before dispensing it into her mouth. When she picked up the sandwich, cheese oozed out of the bottom and dripped onto her plate.


"Olga, it's alright that your so perfect sometimes, you make the best darn Cheese Sandwich I've ever had!"

Olga smiled.

"I'm glad. I wanted to make you feel better. If there is anything else I can do for you, let me know."

Helga thought for a moment. Then encouraging herself, asked,

"Well, there is one thing. I have saved up some money. Actually a lot of money. I wanted to take a trip to the Cayman Islands. Their water is 79 degrees, and our water is like, what, 30 degrees. I always wanted to swim in a warm ocean. But I'm not 18 yet. So I was wondering if you'd buy the tickets for me?"

Olga smiled, and reassuringly patted her sisters hand,

"Anything sis, are you going for Easter vacation?"

"Yes. I'm going to ask Arnold if he'd come along"

Both sisters smiled at each other. Helga looking drawn out.

"Well, Helga. I'm going to let you eat, so you can get some sleep. I'm going downstairs. Good-night"

"Good-Night."

Helga gobbled down the rest of her sandwich and soup before crawling underneath the covers. She was clean, and full, and now laying comfortably in bed. Arnold was really worried about her today and that made her happy he cared. She drifted off to sleep not long after getting comfortable.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The next morning, Helga felt a burst of energy, and actually felt pretty good to say the least. She couldn't wait to see Arnold and tell him about the trip. She threw her clothes on and ran downstairs. Big Bob was seated in his green, overstuffed easy chair watching a football game. Helga poured herself a bowl of Sugar Flakes and plopped down beside Big Bob on the floor.

"Hey'a Dad. What's the score?"

She shoved big spoonfuls of cereal in her mouth, and looked at her dad for an answer,

"20 to nothing! We're going to pummel their asses! GO! GO! GO! YES!!!!!"

Big Bob jumped up and down like a kid at the zoo. Helga chuckled inside at her fathers childlike image. Leaving her empty bowl and spoon on the floor Helga got up and started towards the door.

"I'm going out, I'll be back later"

Her father didn't even hear her. She strolled down the street and whistled a tune she made up in her head as she went along. About 15minutes later she arrived at Arnolds Boarding House. She knocked on the door. Grandpa answered and about 20 dogs, cats and Abner, Arnolds pig, ran out in one huff of smoke.

"Hey Helga, thought you were lost?"

Helga laughed,

"I was found Grandpa"

"Oh, in that case, Arnolds in his room. You can go on up."

Helga went upstairs and didn't even knock on Arnolds door. She walked in happily and saw Arnold standing next to his bed. Butt naked!!! Helgas mouth dropped open, and her eyes dropped right down to Arnolds soft, pink Penis. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, and she couldn't move from her position.

"Helga?"

Arnold slipped his pants on and was shoving a shirt over his head as he walked over to Helga.

"Helga? What are you looking at?"

Helga wondered if Arnold even realized she saw him totally naked, with nothing on! Her body was trembling and her juices were flowing. She could barley talk, but only stutter.

"Ah, um, he he he! I wanted to talk to you."

Helga nervously wrung her hands together. She never saw a guy naked in real life before. It had her all excited and nervous. She nearly forgot what it was she wanted to tell him.

"Helga? What's up with you?" Arnold chuckled.

"I was, ah, going to ask you if, you'd."

She stopped mid-sentence, thinking of what to say,

"Oh, I'm going on a trip to the Cayman Islands, would you like to come with me? I'm going on Spring break."

Arnolds face lit up the room with a bright smile.

"Sure Helga, I'll go with you."

Helgas face turned red with embarrassment. Arnold laughed.

"Come here, it's alright. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

Arnold grabbed Helga in a big hug. Helga thought to herself, He did notice that I saw him! They held each other for a few moments before letting go.

Arnold, grabbed Helgas hand, "Come on, lets go to the library and do some research on these Islands you want to visit. "

Helga agreed. They walked hand in hand to the library. They searched for every book on the Islands, wanting to find out as much about them as they could. About a half an hour later, Mr. Simmons spotted the two love birds, and came over,

"Hey you two! This is a sweet sight. I remember you two fighting most of your child hood. I was hoping to witness some kind of spark!"

Mr. Simmons was so emotionally attached to his students, he followed them all the way into high school. Making sure he could witness every trial and error they made through their school years.

"Hello Mr. Simmons"

Helga and Arnold said in unison. Arnold spoke while Helga searched.

"Helga and I are taking a trip to the Cayman Islands. Were looking up everything we can find about them. Hey, do you know of anything special I could do for Helga once were there?

Arnold took a chance at asking Mr. Simmons about love. To his surprise, Mr. Simmons knew a lot.

"Arnold, I was in love for 20 years with my wife"

His wife!? Arnold never knew he was married. Mr. Simmons began to tell Arnold of everything he did to make his beloved wife feel loved. Who knew? Mr. Simmons, in love?