For disclaimer, see chapter one. But in case you're too lazy to go back, I still don't own "Hey Arnold!" and probably never will, unless I become a multi-millionaire by June. Don't count on it.

Chapter 2

Helga sat behind the wheel of her recently-bought Toyota Camry, staring straight ahead at the road in front of her. As the road directly in front of her melded into the road she had seen afar off, she encountered a sign that read "Welcome to Hillwood". She sighed tensely. "Why did I come back here?" To get your old things. You need some new inspiration, she reminded herself.

And she really did need it. It had been almost two months since she had written a chapter for her soon-to-be-finished novel entitled "The Legacy". She figured that by getting her old poetry books, she could recapture the aura of profound inspiration that had shaken her when she had first written those early works. Yeah, that was why.

But there was also the issue of Arnold. "I am not coming back into town just to see him!" she argued to the air that hung above her. Liar. "Oh, shut up!" she yelled at her inner voice, as if it were an invisible entity sitting in the seat beside her. But even she knew that what she said (or rather, what her internal self said) was true. She had missed Arnold greatly. They hadn't spoken in about twelve years. To be absent of the one who was once a great part of her life was, at the very least...painful. Yeah, the breakup had been mostly her fault. She had yelled at him, called him things she hadn't meant, and had pretty much told him to just drop off the face of the earth because she wouldn't care. But she did. She still did.

A bit of time had passed while she'd been pondering these things. She drove by a couple of buildings before reaching her old street. She parked her car along the sidewalk and stepped out, slightly invigorated by the September chill in the air. She yawned, stretched her weary muscles, and was just about to step on to her old stoop when she heard a shrill cry.

"HELGA!"

Helga whipped around in time to see Phoebe running towards her. Grinning, she ran and wrapped the small Asian woman in a fierce hug. "Oh, my God, Phoebe! I had no idea you were in town!" she said before letting her go.

Phoebe smiled. "Well, when you told me you were coming back to Hillwood, I couldn't just stay in Tokyo! So I grabbed Gerald, told him we were going back to New York on vacation, he whined, I booked the flight, and here I am!"

"Man, you sure have him whipped", Helga commented.

"Not entirely. He's back at the hotel, watching TV. Couldn't talk him into coming outside for a walk with me."

"Well, you'll get there. So, are you the only one that knows I'm here?" Helga asked, hoping for a "yes", but also hoping for a "no".

"Umm, not exactly."

"Hey, Helga."

Helga turned around slowly at the sound of that voice. Standing before her ever-so-complacently was the main reason she'd come back to town. Arnold.