Chapter 17: The Gift of Christmas

It was December 24th, Christmas Eve.

The Boarding House was decorated from top to bottom. Stockings were hung around the fireplace, ribbon all throughout the hallway, and even the tree was vastly beautiful with its ornaments of angels, stars, snowmen, and all that embodied the holiday spirit.

And not a single non-December holiday thing in sight.

"We finally did it." Arnold said to his lovely folks as Pookie decorated for the right holiday in the background. "I'm going to go shopping for my friends."

"You mean Helga." Stella grinned, winning the million dollar question.

"Yeah." Arnold sheepishly said. "Now I know you two have been busy at the hospital." The boy rubbed his neck. "Mostly with Eugene." As on que, the boy noticed Eugene sliding on the sidewalk, followed by a loud thud.

"I'm O.K."

"Anyway…." Arnold turned back to his parents. "So you have free time to shop now." It's been a blessing for Arnold to have his parents back. It's been months, half a year in fact; but he couldn't help but feel awkward talking to them, but in a good way. "But I want you to know that …. having you two back is the best gift of all." His face started turning red as his parent's hearts warmed up. "So don't go overboard with gift shopping. I'm fine with whatever you get me."

"We hear ya loud and clear." Miles smiled. "We did make your last birthday a day to remember."

Arnold recalled the happy day with just him and his parents spending every waking moment exploring the town, going to Dino Land and the zoo, and ending it at Mickey Kaline's restaurant. Which made him more than certain in what he said.

"Well good luck."

"You too." The two waved goodbye to their son as he let in all the animals back in.

Then Grandpa Phil walked in, with a huge grin. "Well then, guess you two need help with-"

Phil kept that grin as the two parents immediately turned to him. "Finding the perfect gift for our perfect son!"

The two were so desperate that they can practically drop to their knees to beg.

"We had idea what to get him on his birthday after all those years!" Miles said, holding onto his head.

"He's too mature for toys, he's not a geek, we brought him clothes shopping in the summer." Stella paced around. "We even went ahead and bought him some exercise equipment for when he's older. But what about now?!"

Phil shook his head. "Pookie and I had the same problem too, especially with the money. Though this time you guys are loaded with your jobs at the hospital."

"Not that loaded." Miles said. "Just enough to buy us a house and-"

"You three are staying here till the day I drop dead!" Phil scolded. "But I say you do some exploring yourselves and find that perfect gift."

Then Mr. Hyunh popped up. "I'm having this strange feeling this was done before, somewhere far and strange."

"Oh hot belgian waffles, would you stop watching those alien shows! They're rotting your brain!" Phil shouted, poking his head.

"But they're so much fun." Mr. Hyunh's daughter, Mai, popped in. "My adopted family loves them as much as my birth father." Phil looked into the living room to see the said family gathered together to view the show.

"I don't recall inviting them." Phil scratched his head before turning to Miles and Stella. "Now you two skidaddle before all the stores close. It's Christmas Eve after all."

Miles's father was right. There was no time to panic. They'll find that gift, no matter what."

"Just as long it's not some 'hot selling' item like those snow boots." Stella said as she put on two coats. "I. Hate. the cold."

"Not a fan myself." Miles said, dressing warmly himself. "Now let's go."

And so the two walked around town, exploring every town they could find. Sure they were in a rush and conflicted on what to get their son, but that didn't mean they weren't able to take it easy and observe the show in front of them.

The reefs hung on each street light, the tinsel in the store windows, and the most beautiful sight of all. Seeing parents with their kids, both young and old, traveling together as they enjoy just being with each other.

This brought a great joy in Stella's heart, but also a dagger. Every family they come across also brought a reminder of how many years they've missed. The years they've spent sleeping, it felt like time hasn't gone by at all until the day they awoke and saw their prophecy of a child standing before them.

Her thoughts were broken when her husband grabbed her hand. She looked into his eyes and understood he felt the same way.

"We're home now, together. And it's Christmas." He kissed her on the cheek. "We need to think about the future, and present."

Stella felt young as she grabbed onto Miles's arm. "You always know just what to say."

"That's not what it sounded like while you were giving birth." Miles joked until he recognizes someone up heads. "Is that Helga?"

It was indeed Helga, stepping out of a store.

"Helga, over here!"

Helga noticed the two and her eyes immediately lit up. "Why hi Miles and Stella!" Helga shouted and then swiftly shut the door. "What are you two doing?!"

The two knew Helga was up to something. They looked up at the store sign and smiled. "Oh, a photography store. I see what you're doing." Miles said.

"Finding a good photo frame for your boyfriend?" Stella raised an eyebrow.

"Ye-Ye-Yes!" Helga grinned. "So I…. got dips on this place! You two shopping too?"

"Yep." Stella folded her arms. "A good photo frame would have been good."

"Especially with all the photos we've taken." Miles happily said, but then got an idea. "Hey Helga, we're shopping for Arnold."

Stella joined in. "Any ideas what we can get him? We're a little lost."

"I doubt the 'little' part." Helga said, started to ease up. "He told you to not go overboard?"

"Yep." The two answered.

"And you two want to go overboard to make up for all the years sleeping?"

"Yep."

To Helga, this was no new task for her. "Yeah, had the same problem too."

"You did?"

Helga didn't want to throw that in. Her eyes shot open again as sweat started to break. But then she thought up a lie and she thought it up quick. "YES. Uhhh, I have this cousin."

"It's Arnold." Stella was on a roll.

"O.K.!" She quickly glanced at the store. "Just keep this between us." She begged. The two agreed and she gave them a description on that fateful day, with key elements removed. "So I kind of gave those boots away to somebody … someone you don't know and probably will never meet."

Miles and Stella may have agreed to not speak of this again, but that didn't mean they knew there was more to it. "Well that was very sweet of you, Helga." Stella lightly punched Helga's arm. "Arnold knows how to pick them."

Helga blushed again. "Yeah yeah. Why not paint a picture why won't ya."

"Paint?" Miles began to brainstorm and came up with a great idea. "Stella, how about we try something 'homemade' for Arnold?"

Stella loved the idea. "Well we better get going. That kind of idea doesn't grow on trees."

Miles and Stella waved goodbye to their possible future unlaw, leaving the girl alone. Or so they thought.

She gave one quick glance and opened the door. "The close is clear."

And out of the store came Arnold, holding a present tight to his chest. "That. Was. Close." Arnold sighed as he looked at the present. "I hope they like it."

"Oh Football Head, you've been acting crazy all day!" She smiled. "They'll love it no matter what."

Arnold sighed. "Thanks, Helga." and gave her a quick kiss.

"Hey, not in public!" Helga shouted, but of course secretly loved it.

Christmas Day

And so Christmas has arrived at the Boarding House, and this year was a special one. With the return of Miles and Stella, all their neighbors and friends stopped by the house, one by one, and offered them Christmas Greetings and plenty of food and treats.

"Why thank you all so much!" The man said, filled with so much joy in his stomach. "I can't wait to eat it all!"

"Oskar you bum! That's for my boy and his wife!" Phil shouted, scaring away Oskar as he ran past Ernie and his girlfriend, Lola.

"So he's been divorced for how long?" Lola asked Ernie.

"After Arnold and his two friends saved the neighborhood." Ernie answered. "It's more surprising that their marriage lasted as long as it did."

"I see why you gave him the coal before."

Mr. Hyunh looked at the clock on the wall. "Mai should have been here by now."

"Helga too." Arnold said as he held the present to his folks. "Also, have you seen my parents?"

"Right here!" Miles said as he and his wife walked downstairs with their own present, which was flat but more thicker than Arnold's gift, and much bigger as well.

"Mom, Dad, you guys went overboard, did you?"

Miles and Stella smiled at one another. "Lost a few hours of sleep, but it was worth it."

Later on the Borders all exchanged gifts. The gifts were all wonderful and thoughtful, even Oskar got something nice.

"A cookbook on how to make sandwiches? Thanks Miles."

"Don't mention it." Miles said as he and Stella presented Arnold with their gift to them, the last two to be exchanged. All the boarders were focused on the full family.

"You want to wait for Helga to show up?" Stella asked, eyeing the 'second' gift in her son's arm.

"She said to not wait up. Something about Olga bringing home a boy."

"Now Daddy, I know he was working for that awful pirate, but I think he changed." Olga said with Che in her arm, who was being judged heavily by the ready-to-attack Bob.

"Sir, I've changed my way after that. I have not committed a single crime since. I even made sure that giant spider didn't get into my luggage ….. I think."

"I still don't understand Eduardo's joke about that 'giant spider'." Miles read a quick holiday card from Eduardo. "Anyway, Merry Christmas."

The parents and child exchanged gifts, and the folks were the first to open.

"Arnold, it's beautiful." It was a picture of the three together, encased in a hand-crafted jungle-themed picture frame. "Arnold, you shouldn't-" That's when it hit them. "You were in that store with Helga before!"

And that secret was blown. "I… I was actually worried about the perfect gift for you guys too." He smiled as he opened his gift, and was shocked to find a hand-drawn picture of him, exploring a vast jungle. "Mom, Dad … this is incredible!"

"Like I said; lost a few hours of sleep, but it was worth it."

Arnold studied each detail of the drawing. The bright blue sky, the different species of plants, and of course the center of it all, him, exploring the jungle like a true adventure. Even the boy had some tears in his eyes.

"Mom, Dad. This is the best gift anyone has-"

And yet, another interruption that you all know will dethrone the hand-drawn artwork.

"Father!" Mai shouted as she walked through the door. "I have something wonderful to-"

"No you don't!" Then Helga ran in, practically tackling the woman. "She's crazy! Too much eggnog! She's-" Then she was lifted up off Mai by Stella. "Oh no….."

Mai ran to Mr. Hyunh and dragged her to Helga. "It was her! She was the one that convinced that man who works at the Federal Office to look for me on Christmas day! She even gave away her Nancy Spumoni Snowboots to convince him!"

Everyone gasped.

"Uhhhhh." Helga looked around the room as Stella slowly let her go.

"Helga ….. That was the story you were telling us?!" Miles asked as Helga's face turned red.

"Y-Y-Yeah ….. Fine, it was me! You happy now!?" Her quick anger slowly died when she spotted Arnold, and the boy looked like he was falling in love all over again.

"Helga ….. If I knew back then. You-you could have had me." He quickly ran up and kissed Helga, making everyone cheer.

"Rrrrrrr, I love you too!" She shouted in pure embarrassment. "Now everyone stop cheering before I give you all black eyes!"

"And there goes the title." Miles said as he placed the once greatest gift somewhere safe.

"And I officially want her as a daughter-in-law." Stella added as she leaned on her husband's shoulder to witness the love young. "However, we could tip the scale by giving him a sibling."

"Stella….." Miles sheepishly said as they enjoyed the rest of their Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas

A/N: Wow, it's been a while since I wrote something. It was February of last year. Heck, this fanfiction hasn't been updated since November 2018. That was over 3 years ago.

I haven't really gotten around writing. Been focused on life and such. Even in my free time I usually play games or go on youtube. I still have some games I haven't beaten yet that I really need to work on.

I doubt I'll continue my stories like 'The Cross-Over Crystals', 'HA! Masked Heart', and sadly 'Until Next Summer'. Maybe I'll post a summary on my deviantart account.

If I feel like it, I'll probably just stick to short stories like these. Nowhere in the near future am I going to do another 'Until Next Summer.' A story I wished I treated the same way as this.

I still have a few ideas in my head like a RWBY Chibi series, a Dragon Ball and Scooby Doo crossover, and one about Santa Claus fighting ….. I'll keep that bit of detail to myself for now.

So Tune in Whenever, and Happy Holidays!