Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold!, and it's Zero to Hero's fault for
writing such awesome stories that I'm writing this fanfic. As for
Washington State University, if it exists, fantabulous; UMaine IS my
college (GO BLACK BEARS!) so I know it does! All original characters are my
own, so don't steal them or I will sic my Chihuahua Rosie on you.
Otherwise, I hope you enjoy it. And don't eat raspberries. :0)
Chapter Three: Memories
He stood under the hot water for a minute, simply thinking. The last he'd known of Helga was that she'd moved to Maine, the summer of their transition from middle to high school, because of her mother's death. Phoebe had been getting letters from her after the move, but Helga had never brought Arnold up.
He remembered the day that Mrs. Patacki died quite well... because it was the same day his parents had finally come home.
He had been sitting, in front of his computer, in his room that late spring- early summer June day. School was just about to close, and he was busily (and happily) finishing his last paper for his eighth grade English teach, Mrs. Taylor. He was turning 14 that week, and was just starting to look at some PSAT practice stuff when he heard the commotion downstairs.
"Holy cannoli, I can't believe it!" Grandpa had yelled. "Arnold! Short Man! Get down here, quick!"
What did I do? he thought as he paused the song he'd been listening to- 311's "Amber". Suddenly, a new, vaguely familiar voice rattled him.
"Now, Dad, keep it down- you'll wake the kid!"
His eyes widened, then let out a yell as he raced downstairs.
"ARNOLD!" Stella and Miles Stewart hollered in unison as he rounded the corner of the stairs.
"Mom! Dad!" He ran into their arms, trembling with joy. "You're home- you're back... tell me I'm not dreaming, please!" His eyes shone with tears that he wouldn't let fall.
"We're real, Arnold. We're a family again." Stella hugged him close, crying softly. "And you don't even have to move. We're taking over the boarding house!"
"Really?"
"Yes, really," Miles responded, throwing an arm around Grandpa's shoulders. "It's high time that your grandparents got a chance to retire and appreciate their golden years."
"Pookie's been enjoying them more than most already," Grandpa mumbled with a grin directed at Arnold.
"This is so great! I gotta tell someone! I'll be at Gerald's!" He charged out the door, whooping with 13 years of joy, finally unleashed onto the world. As he turned the corner, he collided with someone. "Oh, I'm sorry..." He realized it was Helga, but she was strangely silent. "Are you OK?"
"Miriam and Bob had a fight, and she left... she's been gone for three hours and she was really dru- not herself. Big Bob sent me out to find her," she replied. "Would you mind helping?"
"No, not at all." He helped her to her feet and smiled at her. "I'm sure she's just fine."
"So what were you so excited about just now?" she asked as they started in the direction she'd been heading.
"Well, just a little thing... My mom and dad came home!" A dumb grin spread over his face, making Helga melt within.
"Oh, Arnold, that's great!" She returned his smile and playfully punched his arm. Then an ambulance and a police car raced by, and Helga's expression morphed into that of fear. A kid named John, whose dad was a police officer, ran out of his house across the street and skidded to a halt next to them.
"It's her mom," he gasped. That was all Helga needed: She took off after the declining sirens in an all-out sprint. Arnold sighed, and turned to John.
"Thanks, John." John just waved him off, nodding to acknowledge Arnold's response. The latter then raced off after her, grateful that he was in such good shape. A block over, the Patackis' car was being opened by the "Jaws of Life" while a man in a business suit was irately giving details of the accident to a female police officer. "Helga? Helga!" He spotted her arguing with John's father, and headed over.
"I need to get by- that's my mom!" she screamed at Lt. Curtis.
"I can't let you pass. The EMTs need to do their job, and they won't be able to with you in there."
"Please, Lt. Curtis!"
"No, Helga!" he barked. "Go wait with Arnold by that building."
She turned around, looking very meek (and it occurred to Arnold while watching this that, in his mind, the word "meek" had never before been used in association with Helga) and went to Arnold's side. "Are you OK?" he asked softly.
"No," she sighed. "I was faking my surprise when you told me your parents were back- I saw them out front of the boarding house earlier. I'm happy for you anyways. –Now Big Bob won't be able to call you 'orphan boy' anymore."
Without thinking, he said, "He'll never remember my name now." To his surprise, and pleasure, Helga laughed at the comment.
"The sad thing is that you're probably right."
As a smile slowly made its way back onto Helga's face, Lt. Curtis came over and took Helga's hand.
"I'm sorry, Helga. She was... already gone."
*** Author's Note: Awwww, poor Helga. *sniffles* I hope you're enjoying it so far! The relationship between college-aged Arnold and Helga will continue to build in the next chapters. (I have four more for you to look forward to at this time!) Also, Kristi and Tyler (remember them?!) will be further explored, as well as another important character! Stay tuned!
Chapter Three: Memories
He stood under the hot water for a minute, simply thinking. The last he'd known of Helga was that she'd moved to Maine, the summer of their transition from middle to high school, because of her mother's death. Phoebe had been getting letters from her after the move, but Helga had never brought Arnold up.
He remembered the day that Mrs. Patacki died quite well... because it was the same day his parents had finally come home.
He had been sitting, in front of his computer, in his room that late spring- early summer June day. School was just about to close, and he was busily (and happily) finishing his last paper for his eighth grade English teach, Mrs. Taylor. He was turning 14 that week, and was just starting to look at some PSAT practice stuff when he heard the commotion downstairs.
"Holy cannoli, I can't believe it!" Grandpa had yelled. "Arnold! Short Man! Get down here, quick!"
What did I do? he thought as he paused the song he'd been listening to- 311's "Amber". Suddenly, a new, vaguely familiar voice rattled him.
"Now, Dad, keep it down- you'll wake the kid!"
His eyes widened, then let out a yell as he raced downstairs.
"ARNOLD!" Stella and Miles Stewart hollered in unison as he rounded the corner of the stairs.
"Mom! Dad!" He ran into their arms, trembling with joy. "You're home- you're back... tell me I'm not dreaming, please!" His eyes shone with tears that he wouldn't let fall.
"We're real, Arnold. We're a family again." Stella hugged him close, crying softly. "And you don't even have to move. We're taking over the boarding house!"
"Really?"
"Yes, really," Miles responded, throwing an arm around Grandpa's shoulders. "It's high time that your grandparents got a chance to retire and appreciate their golden years."
"Pookie's been enjoying them more than most already," Grandpa mumbled with a grin directed at Arnold.
"This is so great! I gotta tell someone! I'll be at Gerald's!" He charged out the door, whooping with 13 years of joy, finally unleashed onto the world. As he turned the corner, he collided with someone. "Oh, I'm sorry..." He realized it was Helga, but she was strangely silent. "Are you OK?"
"Miriam and Bob had a fight, and she left... she's been gone for three hours and she was really dru- not herself. Big Bob sent me out to find her," she replied. "Would you mind helping?"
"No, not at all." He helped her to her feet and smiled at her. "I'm sure she's just fine."
"So what were you so excited about just now?" she asked as they started in the direction she'd been heading.
"Well, just a little thing... My mom and dad came home!" A dumb grin spread over his face, making Helga melt within.
"Oh, Arnold, that's great!" She returned his smile and playfully punched his arm. Then an ambulance and a police car raced by, and Helga's expression morphed into that of fear. A kid named John, whose dad was a police officer, ran out of his house across the street and skidded to a halt next to them.
"It's her mom," he gasped. That was all Helga needed: She took off after the declining sirens in an all-out sprint. Arnold sighed, and turned to John.
"Thanks, John." John just waved him off, nodding to acknowledge Arnold's response. The latter then raced off after her, grateful that he was in such good shape. A block over, the Patackis' car was being opened by the "Jaws of Life" while a man in a business suit was irately giving details of the accident to a female police officer. "Helga? Helga!" He spotted her arguing with John's father, and headed over.
"I need to get by- that's my mom!" she screamed at Lt. Curtis.
"I can't let you pass. The EMTs need to do their job, and they won't be able to with you in there."
"Please, Lt. Curtis!"
"No, Helga!" he barked. "Go wait with Arnold by that building."
She turned around, looking very meek (and it occurred to Arnold while watching this that, in his mind, the word "meek" had never before been used in association with Helga) and went to Arnold's side. "Are you OK?" he asked softly.
"No," she sighed. "I was faking my surprise when you told me your parents were back- I saw them out front of the boarding house earlier. I'm happy for you anyways. –Now Big Bob won't be able to call you 'orphan boy' anymore."
Without thinking, he said, "He'll never remember my name now." To his surprise, and pleasure, Helga laughed at the comment.
"The sad thing is that you're probably right."
As a smile slowly made its way back onto Helga's face, Lt. Curtis came over and took Helga's hand.
"I'm sorry, Helga. She was... already gone."
*** Author's Note: Awwww, poor Helga. *sniffles* I hope you're enjoying it so far! The relationship between college-aged Arnold and Helga will continue to build in the next chapters. (I have four more for you to look forward to at this time!) Also, Kristi and Tyler (remember them?!) will be further explored, as well as another important character! Stay tuned!