Through the Compact Disc

Helgagurl26: Thanks for the comment on the emotions! I like to write those the most! I really hope you like this installment! Yeah, sucks that Arnold still doesn't love Helga, but there'll be a plot twist that'll cause some pain for some people… not saying who or what, though!

Texaco Tex: Yes, I believe that you have about as much amount of mixed feelings as any other reader who's read this, including me! And I'm proud of that! Glad you like Deana, too. I hope you like this chapter as well, and I hope it answers one of your wishes! Just to show you how on the nail you are.

You all hate me, don't you? Everyone who's a fan of this story most likely screamed out 'BRIANA'S BACK! WHERE THE HECK HAS THIS CHILD BEEN FOR THE PAST MONTHS?' Well, I've answered that already, so let's get on the freshly cleaned slate and start up the story again! Yes, I know that Helga does extensively use language in this chapter, but I realized that Helga at this age would do that. Which is why the rating is PG-13 now. Also, I won't be using any more Phoebe Point's of Views. She is a newcomer and I really don't think she has much to say. She's more of an observer than a mover, thus, places an important part with no usage of the word I.

I don't own it, okay? I've waited to long for this to be posted and don't want to waste anymore time!

Francesca's POV~~~

Fire. There was fire all around me. All that I could see was bright, orange and red flames, consuming the metal. Seeing them burned my eyes as much as the heat burned my skin. Where did they come from? Was the metal from… my car? I wasn't sure. The flames were all around me, and I needed to escape; I was only sure of that.

I screamed. I screamed because I was scared, because I was hot, and because I couldn't do anything else. I screamed because my lungs were burning too much to say any words. I screamed… I didn't know why I screamed.

All I saw was fire. All I smelled was smoke. All I heard was the crackling of flames. All I felt was heat and pain.

I closed my eyes, unable to stand the pain any longer. Why was I even in here? Why wasn't I outside, looking at the fire instead of being in it? I opened my eyes again. The flames were still there, only they weren't as bright, and there was an opening in them. I stood up and walked through the gap. I kept walking until I saw someone. I didn't fully recognize him until he spoke.

"Frannie! Frannie!"

"Arnold? Arnold, is that you?"

"Of course."

"Help me," I begged him. "Help get out of here."

He shook his head. God, he shook his head! "Sorry, I can't do that. I have to leave."

"NO!" I ran up to him and grabbed his arm. "You can't! You have to stay with me!"

He turned to look at me, frowning. "Why?"

"Why?" How could he ask that? "Because I need you to stay with me!"

"Why?" he asked again. Man, did I marry a nitwit?

"Because I need you!"

"Why?"

Oh. My. God. "You're loyal to me! You didn't take advantage of me like everyone else did! You're kind and you respect me as a person and you love me."

He looked at me calmly. Too calmly. "Why else?"

I looked at him with a question on my face. Why else? Why else? Why else would I have to need him?

"I know I love you," he said to me, "but is that the only reason why you need me?"

Suddenly, he was drifting away from me. No, wait. I was drifting away from him. He stood there, with his hands in his pockets, looking at me with pain on his face. I was flying back through the flames. But none of them touched me. I was still thinking about what Arnold had said to me, and why he couldn't help me. I saw faces of past boyfriends, all in order of dating, and then I saw Arnold's face.

Then I heard his voice, ringing in my ears. "Is that the only reason? If it is, there's no way I can help you."

I widened my eyes as the flames grew thicker and thinner at the same time.

I opened my eyes, seeing not orange, but white. And I felt pain. I moaned, and I heard talking and yelping.

And I remembered…both the accident and the dream. And I understood why I had left the house because I thought Arnold liked Helga. And that was worse than the pain in my chest and my arms. This pain could not be cured with bandages or medicine.

!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"?

Arnold's POV~~~

I woke up with a jolt and looked at the clock. It was four o' clock in the morning and the phone was ringing. Who on earth would be calling this early?

Pushing the thought out of my mind, I picked up the phone and said, "Tiller residence. Arnold speaking." I was really fighting the urge to ask why someone was calling this early.

"Mr. Tiller?" asked the woman on the other line. "This is Hillwood Medical-"

That woke me up.

"Is she okay? Has she gotten better or worse? What's happened to-"

"Mr. Tiller, calm down," said the woman. "She's conscience now. She just recently woke up. She wants to see you and your daughter."

I sighed and thought a prayer of thanks as my heart leaped. She's going to be okay! She'll be okay! "Can we go now?"

"Yes," replied the woman. "She's been moved to a larger room and you may visit her now."

"Thank you," I said, my eyes starting to well up. I hung up the phone and ran into Deana's room.

I kneeled next to her bed and started to shake her awake. "Dee. Dee, wake up. Honey, wake up."

She stirred slightly and yawned. With her eyes still closed, she whispered,

"What is it, Dad?"

I grinned. "Mom's awake. We can go see her."

Her eyes stayed closed for about two more seconds, then she bolted them awake and almost ran off the bed, diving for her clothing drawers and pulling out the first pair of jeans and tee shirt she could find. Seeing this reminded me that I was still in my nightwear. I saw Deana starting to take of her pink pajamas and then ran of into my room to grab my own clothes.

^*^ ^*^ ^*^ ^*^

Fifteen minutes later, Deana and I were walking into the Emergency Room. I had called Phoebe to tell her the news and she said that she'd call Helga. A doctor was waiting by the desk. She saw us and walked up. "Mr. Tiller," she said; she was the woman on the phone, "I'll take you to her room as soon as you sign in."

I walked up to the desk and wrote Deana's name and mine on the sheet and stood up. I looked at the receptionist and said, "Those women who were with me earlier… let them in, okay?"

She nodded and went back to her files.

I turned to the doctor, who said, "Come with me. She wants to speak with you. I've also called Helga Pataki, after telling the hotel manager that it was urgent."

"Good. She'll want to know."

I swear that I heard Deana whisper, "I don't know why." I didn't bother responding. Deana was having about as much to go through as me, who was I to snap at her now?

About five minutes late we got to area where Frannie was. The doctor stopped at Room 147. "Here's the room."

!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"?

Helga's POV~~~

Who the crap would call me at this hour? I reached over the pillow next to me and answered in my most awake voice possible, "Hello, Pataki."

"Ms. Helga Pataki, Hillwood Medical is on the line for you," said the guy that was down in the lobby. "Would you like to an-"

"YES, YOU FREAK! Put them on!"

I didn't have to try to be awake anymore.

The news would be either good or bad. I was hoping for good, but I was expecting bad, if that even makes since to you.

"Ms. Helga Geraldine Pataki?"

"Yes, what is it?" I said.

"This is Doctor Wiles at Hillwood-"

"Yes, I know that already, now how is Francesca?"

The doctor actually paused. I hated her. "Mrs. Tiller is conscience and is ready for visitors. The Tillers are already here, and apparently expecting your arrival."

No duh. So was I.

"I'm on my way."

The moment I set down the phone, I dived for my drawers. I slapped on the first pair of jeans and shirt that I found and ran for the door.

And of course, at that very moment, somebody decides to call me on my cell phone! Isn't life fun? Wait a minute. Nobody knows my cell phone number. No one except…

"Phoebe, thank God!" I grabbed the phone from my dresser and brought it outside with me.

"Hello?" I said when I hit Talk.

"Helga?" said Phoebe on the other line. "I'm sorry, but it took me forever to find your number… You're awake, have you gotten the news?"

"Yeah. Are you on your way?"

"I'm puling up right now."

"Well, I just got out of my room," I said, running to the elevator and pushing the Down button. "I'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

"Okay. I'll see you there."

"Goodbye."

"See ya."

The elevator finally reached the bottom level and I dashed through the lobby. I didn't even care that the stupid guy at the desk was yelling at me to slow down. Like anyone was going to be walking inside or outside this early (except me)? Yeah, right.

For the second time tonight I jumped into my car and stuck the key into the ignition. It revved for a few seconds. "Shit," I whispered. I saw Chad walking out of the hotel as I pulled out of my valet spot. Does the man ever sleep? Huh? Does he?

It took me about ten minutes to get to the hospital. I sped, but there wasn't a single car on the road anyway.

I know that I really didn't know this woman, but I was concerned. Don't ask me why. The heart feels what it feels. And even after all of this had happened, I felt guilty, because my heart was still feeling what it had been feeling since I was a kid.

!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"?

Deana's POV~~~

I felt like crying. Mom had woken up! I could sing, but I was to overwhelmed about seeing her and speaking to her. It felt like ages since she had stormed out of the house with her suitcase in hand, and now she was lying in a hospital bed. Well, that's better than the alternative (way better).

"This is her room," said the doctor we were following. "There is a nurse inside to monitor her."

My dad smiled totally genuinely. "That's fine, ma'am. Just fine."

Smiling, the doctor opened then door and let us in.

I could feel tears of relief coming in.

Last time I saw her, the only thing I was worrying about was a divorce. Now I was just happy that she survived the accident.

Dad leaned his head against the wall and started smiling and crying at the same time. "I knew you'd make it," he said. "Oh my Lord, I knew you'd make it!"

He looked up at my mother and smiled. He walked up and grabbed her hand tightly. Mom was lying on her back, apparently not strong enough yet to sit up. But I could see her smile back.

"Hi, Arnold," I heard her say hoarsely. "It's good to be back."

Dad looked up and one of his infamous ear to ear, literally, smiles appeared on his face. Just what I was thinking, I thought.

Only then did I even dare look at the monitors, machines, and wires that were all through her body. She had obviously been beaten up badly, for lack of any better word. There was gauze and a bandaging over part of her head, and some of her skin hadn't been cleaned off, so some traces of blood were still on it. I was glad that there was still a blanket over the rest of her body. From the

damage report I'd heard, I didn't want to see more bandaging sticking out from under her hospital dress.

After my dad talked to my mom some more (I was lost in my own thoughts), Mom looked over and saw me. "Deana," she said quietly. Hearing my name jerked me from my thoughts. "Deana," she said again, only louder.

I bit my lip and looked at her, feeling my eyes well up with tears again. My throat tightened as I walked closer to her. Let me tell you, no eleven year old should ever see their mother being pulled from a flaming car, taken into an ambulance, and then see the results, all while she was still thinking about her dramatic exit.

"Mom," I said. My voice cracked. I didn't care. "Mom!" The tears came freely know, but that wasn't important. I walked over and gave her a bear hug, being careful not to touch any cuts or bruises. She hugged me back as well as she could with the IV still in her arm.

"Deana," she said to me. For a while, all was silent while my family hugged.

Then a door opened. The Oriental woman rushed in (I think her name had been Phoebe… yeah, that was it), followed by Helga Pataki. Dad and I looked up for a moment when we heard the door open.

Dad, still holding tightly to mom's hand, stood up. "Hey, you two," he said.

Helga looked at Mom and grinned widely. "Thank God, she's awake!" Behind her, Phoebe just smiled. She looked almost as relieved as Helga.

Then, I saw something out of the corner of my eye. Helga, smile fading, looked at Francesca, harder than usual. I saw my mom, mouthing words almost unnoticeably. I didn't catch every word, but I did read one: 'later'.

!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"?

Helga's POV

"I need to talk to you later." Those were the words--at least I thought they were--that Frannie had said to me. Now all that I had to think about was 'why'. Why would she need to talk to me so soon after she saw Arnold and Deana?

Whatever it was, it could wait.

I was so excited about Frannie's good condition, but I knew that I had to give Arnold and her their space. But even now I couldn't help but feel that annoying tickle of jealousy that I hated. It wasn't going to get me anywhere with him, and I knew that. That little old nine-year-old self of me wanted her out of the way, and it was horrible.

Trust me, you never want to argue with yourself.

I turned to Phoebe and smiled. "She sure is lucky, isn't she?"

Phoebe nodded in agreement, looking at Arnold, Deana, and Francesca hugging, crying, or just talking. She turned to me and had that stupid, solemn, concerned expression on her face. I always hated that, because I knew she was going to ask me something that was really important. "Helga," she whispered, "is ice cream really still bothering you?"

I snorted quietly and shook my head. "You still remember that lame code word?" I asked. Yeah, I was trying to change the subject. Phoebe was too smart, though. "What else do remember from that long ago?"

Phoebe eyed me. I knew she would. "Helga, it may be over a decade since I've been with you, but not many people change very drastically, even over that sort of extended course of time. Please answer the question."

I sighed and sat in one of the chairs in the room. "You haven't changed much either, Pheebs," I breathed. "I guess that's good. Okay, so, yeah, no duh, it's bothering me. I can't help it, and it really bites."

Phoebe sat down next to me. I had my head in my hands, steaming out a little bit. I was actually very glad at that moment, for my own sake, that all attention wasn't on me. Well, except hers. "That is completely natural for you, "soothed Phoebe. I don't like yet appreciate it when people talk to me like that. "You still love him, and I can perceive that after all of this time. Don't

blame yourself for wanting to be with him. It's something you've felt for an enduring period of time."

"Yeah, like most of my life," I mumbled angrily.

"Well, yes, that, too," observed Phoebe. "I completely understand this, Helga. I studied it for some time in college. You've had a long yearning for him, and then when you realize that he has a wife, your conscience takes over, put that small part of you still savagely--"

I groaned. "Please stay out of my head for a minute!" I pleaded loudly. She was practically reading my mind, but she was sounding like a damn shrink, which I really didn't need from her at the moment! I was furious at myself and was, as usual, taking it out on someone else. "Yes, it still bothers me, and yes, I know why! You're repeating things that I already know, for Criminy's sake! Shut up!"

It was then that I realized that I was speaking loudly and in a very shrill voice. I was also standing, and figured that the look in my face was enough to give my frustration away. Everyone in the room, even the nurse, was staring at me.

After a moment, Arnold said, "Are you okay, Helga?"

I gulped and tried to compose myself. I looked at Phoebe and whispered an apology. I sat back down and looked forward, trying to get my thoughts straight and to calm me down.

The door opened. Leave it to Chad to break an embarrassing moment. Apparently he noticed the tense feeling in the room. "Uh…" he said, "I'll be in the hall." He closed the door and disappeared as soon as he had appeared.

!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"?

Deana's POV~~~

I lifted my eyebrow and looked at Helga, just as everyone else was. I wasn't paying attention to Helga and Phoebe's conversation beforehand, but from what it sounded like, Helga was having problems with this whole ordeal personally. I don't exactly know why, but it unsettled me. I had a fraction of an idea what she was talking about. The word still… reading her mind…. Okay, so I had a very good idea about it. No way I was going to talk about it, though.

Dad turned back and stroked my mom's cheek. "What was that about," he whispered.

I shrugged and tried to look clueless. "Probably nothing," I discarded aloud.

Inside, though, I was still wondering how this would affect the whole soap-opera like ordeal.

!@#$%^&*()_+{}:"?

Francesca's POV~~

Pretending is no easy thing for me, especially when it's something this deep. Finally, though, after a few hours, Arnold and Deana grew hungry and tired. Helga had already taken a short nap, and Phoebe had gone home to check her phone messages and faxes.

Helga stayed behind as my family (family… I can barely use the word right now) left to the hospital cafeteria. A nurse had brought me food, but I wasn't in the mood to eat anything.

She stayed silent for a few moments. It was torture. I have not the slightest clue why I needed to express myself to Helga, of all people, before anyone else. I guess she could just relate, somehow, someway. It was an odd feeling.

Before the crash, I could barely stand her anymore. Now, I… I don't even know anything anymore! That dream just-

"So," said Helga. "Why did you need to talk to me?"

I bit my lip. I had gone through to much pain in the last hours. Please, Helga. Don't hate me because I have… had Arnold. Listen to me. "Helga," I began. "Get over here, girl. I don't have long, and I have a lot to talk about."

Yes, please don't hate Francesca. A lot about her history is about to be revealed in the last chapter. I know most of you want to strangle her until she's blue. But, cough, a time will come… No more about that, anymore. Too big of a cliffhanger? Trust me. The next chapter will be insane. It'll be worth the wait. Wow. I can't believe this. I started just wanting to relate Helga to all of those songs and jazz, and now, here I am, with near deaths, tragic histories, and even an original spin-off (of which I want to be published someday… oh, yeah… I got plans, baby!) I hope you enjoyed this! Oh, and read My Hair Is Down, which was also recently updated!

Ya Gotta Love Her!

BrianaLFBH