Before I say who I think Helga ends up with, you allget to read all the reasons I think it could have been either one! Aren't you just SO lucky? Well, I guess you can just skip to the end, but it would be nice if you read this part first. It won't be TOO long, I promise! Anyway, here are the reasons:
Arnold -
Well, obvious things first. Helga DOES still have feelings for him. That much you can tell from how she deals with the whole "faking pregnancy" thing. She's loved him since pre-school, she IS married to him, and she knows she has to tell him the truth, but she doesn't want to hurt him. Did anyone notice that? She wasn't afraid to tell Arnold because she didn't want a divorce, she was afraid to tell him because she knew how hurt he would be. Through most of her thoughts, it seems like she's worrying more about how Arnold will take the news, and less about what will happen to HER once she's told him.
And then there's Arnold's perspective. Throughout the fic, we get glimpses of what he thinks of he and Helga's shotgun marriage. At first he's relieved that she agrees to marry him, but at that point it's only for the baby's sake. Two months into the marriage, he's already accepted the fact that they'll be together forever, and he's even beginning to LIKE the idea. In fact, it doesn't even bother him when he wakes up holding her. Then, in that same scene, the two share their first real kiss as husband and wife. After that, they appear to be more comfortable around each other. Arnold's even worried about Helga when he comes home from work that one day and she's crying. He IS shocked and angry, once she tells him the truth, but he seems to forgive her quickly. And he even seemed HURT when she mentioned a divorce. Not to mention it took them a month to finally get one. Arnold has obviously begun to care deeply for Helga. He proves this when he tells Gerald that "she'll grow on you," with the sad expression on his face. And finally, there's the fact that even after Helga lying to him, they have a special enough bond now that Helga feels comfortable enough around him to name him her son's godfather, and they become very close friends over the five-year span.
Gerald -
Gerald is a little more complicated. In the cartoon, Helga and Gerald don't really get along, and apparently not much has changed at the beginning of the fic. Gerald's shocked that Helga's pregnant with Arnold's child, and he doesn't exactly agree with the idea of them getting married so quickly. But they do anyway, and he's one of their witnesses. When we finally see Gerald again, it's when Helga has to stay with him. Neither he nor Helga seemed too pleased with that fact at first. Later in the week though, they're getting along a little better. But then when they wake up together, they close each other off again. That is, until Helga learns that she's pregnant.
This changes their relationship completely. In only a couple of hours, the two are more at ease around each other than they ever were before. Though Gerald didn't have plans to marry Helga right away, he does accept the role of being of a father to his unborn child. He does this when he asks Helga if he has to drop out of college. Obviously, he doesn't plan on abandoning her and he wants to help, but he's not sure if doing so will mean giving up school. Gerald even offers to go with Helga when she tells her parents, if only to offer silent support. When he would usually stay with Arnold and try to get his forgiveness or something, he instead wastes no time in leaving with Helga. After the baby is born, he ends up being around Helga much more so that he can see his son. Of course, this means spending more time with Helga herself, so they end up forming their own bond as parents to their child. And Helga obviously becomes good friends with him as well.
Now...who do I think Helga married?
Well, I have to say Gerald. And here's why:
For one thing, Arnold and Helga DID end up getting a divorce. It took them a while, showing that they were uncertain if they should or not, but in the end it did happen. In a way, it symbolizes that Arnold is completely giving Helga up. They remain friends, but most likely nothing else will happen between them. And I think he knows this, when he tell Gerald to take good care of her. Despite any feelings Helga still might have been harboring for him, and Arnold for her, he cuts all ties with her. Plus, Helga bore Gerald's son. No matter what the case, I don't think Arnold would have put himself in that awkward situation, and neither would Helga. Marrying the best friend of your son's father, especially when you see each other all the time? I think not.
But, all that aside, would Gerald ever propose to Helga? Well, they did wait five years. So they obviously had plenty of time to grow closer. They were good friends apparently, and we really have no way of knowing what else happened between them in those five years. Gerald was Helga's first, after all, and as mentioned so many times before, he WAS the father of her son. No matter what, these two are bound to each other in some way, if only because of their son. Of course they're going to have some sort of close relationship, I think they just decided to take it to the next step. Helga was excited she was having the baby, and Gerald didn't seem to mind, so they can't have hated each other TOO much anymore, right?
In any case, that's what I think! You all wanted to know, so there you have it. Make no mistake, I am an AxH fan first and foremost, there's just something about GxH that I happen to like as well. They make a fun and interesting couple when written correctly. It's strange, I usually don't like Phoebe and Arnold together, because in most of those fics (and I did say MOST) Helga still likes Arnold and I hate seeing her left out. But I don't mind seeing Helga with other people, minus Brainy (for some reason those two together rub me the wrong way), because Arnold didn't have any secret feelings for her in the first place, so everyone's still happy. And like most true-blue Hey Arnold fans, I can't stand Lila and Arnold together. Blech! Hehe. :)
-Maxine
P.S. Thanks for reading!