Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or any of the characters. Hey Arnold is the property of Nickelodeon and Craig Bartlett.
A Trip Through Time
Chapter 25: Awkward Conversations
Previously
Once Helga got out of the bed, the two blonde pre teens eyes met, blushed and looked away. Both feeling so many things right now, awkward, confused and at least one of them was feeling really, really happy...and the other isn't even sure what to feel.
What they did know is that this is something they have to talk about.
"So..."Arnold started, then looked away.
Helga felt her natural shyness and insecurities acted up and looked nervous.
"So...'Helga repeated, much like him.
Both gulped, feeling so many things right now.
They both knew that is going to be one heck of an awkward conversation.
A really long time has passed and neither Helga nor Arnold had the nerve to speak up.
Both of their minds were racing with the recent discovery that they have made, that Andy and Megan are their future children and that they will be married when they grow up.
It was a lot to take in and both blondes were experience very different kinds of shock from it.
After a long while, Arnold, realizing he can't put it off anymore, finally spoke up.
"Do you... wanna talk about it?" Arnold asked and Helga blushed as she looked away from him.
"I obviously don't football head..." She sighed. "But we both know we can't hold it off forever..."She admitted.
She looked very shy and for once, she at least wasn't reacting with hostility, but that didn't make this any less awkward.
"So...uh...where do you think we should start?...'Arnold said and regretted it.
"With the obvious, doi..."Helga said, not out of hostility but just wanting to get this over with.
Arnold sighed as he began to do this.
"So...you and me...we're going to be..."Arnold paused, feeling the blush form again.
He didn't need to finish as Helga nodded, still blushing.
"Y-Yeah...I guess we are..."Helga said rubbed her arm.
"And Andy and Megan are our...our..."Arnold paused again, his blushing getting even worse.
Thankfully, Helga took mercy on him and just nodded.
"Yeah...I guess so..."She said, trying hard to control how she was really feeling deep inside.
"I mean...who would have thought, huh? Not me..."Helga lied, still having trouble admitting her true feelings.
"Stupid! Stupid! What's wrong with me? Why can't I say it?.."Helga thought, mentally berating herself.
"I...guess..."Arnold said slowly, as if he is unsure to answer.
Both were silent again and Helga, wanting to procrastinate a little longer, randomly said this.
"So... we name our son "Andy" and our daughter "Megan", Huh? Not my first choice for a girl's name..." Helga says. Once those words left her mouth, she stuttered. "Not that... I ever imagined having a daughter with you... or any kids!...'Helga said quickly.
Arnold blushed again, before continuing with the very awkward conversation.
"I like it...the name Megan...I think it's a very pretty name for a girl...and I like Andy's name too..."Arnold admitted.
"Yeah...well...okay..."Helga said, still having trouble looking him in the eye.
There was another uncomfortable silence before Helga spoke up again.
"I mean...I still can't believe that we...and Andy and Megan are...are?..."Helga couldn't even bring herself to finish that sentence.
She didn't have to as Arnold understood what she is trying to say.
"I..I know..."Arnold rubbed the back of his head, not daring to look her in the eye right now.
"So, I guess this means that Rhonda's origami marriage predictor was right..."Arnold said and Helga's blush deepened even more.
"I...I guess so..."Helga said, feeling so many things right now.
She has just found out that her greatest wish will come true, that she will be married to Arnold and she will grow up to be the mother of Andy and Megan. It is everything she has ever wanted, ever since she was a tiny tot of three and she had first laid eyes on her little Football headed love god.
She has always dreamed of one day becoming Arnold's wife, having had countless dreams and fantasies of such a thing and when Rhonda's origami marriage predictor had paired them up, she had been so happy and even after Rhonda called it a sham, she had pulled it out of the trash after Rhonda threw it away, since even if at the time, she thought it was just meant to be nothing more than a dream, she kept it for emotional reasons since deep down, she still hoped that it was right.
That fate really was showing her that she and Arnold were meant to be.
Now it turns out, it really was right!
It took all of her will power not to faint with delight again, but she still tried to control the rest of her being.
"CRIMINY! JUST TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL ALREADY! YOU JUST FOUND OUT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MARRY HIM AND HAVE HIS KIDS! WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?!..."Helga's inner thoughts yelled at her, trying to get her to finally confess her feelings but...
But it was easier said than done.
She wasn't the only one having trouble expressing her feelings here, as Arnold was also deep in his thoughts, feeling so many things right now.
"Married to Helga, huh..." Arnold thought with a sigh, as the shock has finally ebbed as he was forced to think it over.
Arnold honestly didn't know what to think right now. This is the same girl who had went out of her way to make him miserable since they were little kids. But at the same time, he always knew that deep down, she was a good person as she had shown him during some of the most important times of his life.
Despite how frustrated she made him at most times, he always cared about her and counted her as one of his friends. Not only that but ever since the incident with the origami marriage predictor, he had found himself being forced to think about Helga in that way at least once, and after the incident with FTI, he also had to think of the word "love" too, even though they had both agreed that it had been the heat of the moment.
Except now, it seems like that isn't so true anymore.
He had thought that if he had ever somehow ended married to Helga, he would have been miserable but he knew, just from looking at Andy and Megan and how his older self and her older self had looked at each other, that is not the case.
They were happy together...
They had a happy family together and it's obvious that Future Helga really loves their kids.
Kids they had together.
Kids that were both sweet, wonderful and amazing in their own special way.
Wow.
Arnold sighed, as he knew they had to talk about this.
If he was going to spend the rest of his life with her, get married, have kids and living together, he wanted to at least be clear on where he stands with her right now.
"Helga..."Arnold started.
'Yes, Arnold?..."Helga said, surprising him due to her using his real name.
He sighed as he couldn't put this off any longer.
"Look...I've known you for my whole life practically and you've always been angry and...kind of...you know... mean..."Arnold admitted.
Helga heard this and replaced her awkward look with her signature scowl, actually looking hurt and trying to hide it.
"Y-Yeah!...S-So?...'Helga said, sounding like her regular tough self.
Arnold sighed, as he knew this has to be addressed.
"But at the same time, I have seen you be really loyal and super brave..."Arnold said, surprising Helga by what he just said.
"Like back when we were captured...I saw how you tried to comfort Andy and Megan, even though you didn't know the connection you had with them and you didn't know how things turned out, you tried to be strong and be there for them..."Arnold said.
Helga looked a little sheepish as she turned away from him.
"W-Well, I...I mean...criminy! Megan was crying and Andy was trying hard not to do the same, I was just acting like a decent human being...I am capable of doing that if I feel like it..."Helga said, trying to maintain some shred of her toughness.
Despite it all, Arnold chuckled.
"I know that you are...but you like them, even before you found out...admit it...'Arnold said and Helga rolled her eyes.
"Well, so what if I do..."Helga said, her face burning even more as she folded her arms in a stubborn way.
"I like them too...'Arnold said, having admitted so a long time ago.
Soon, the Football head found himself chuckling again for some reason, getting attention from the blonde girl.
"Uh...did I miss something? What's so funny?..."Helga asked and Arnold stopped.
"Nothing...it's just...in hindsight, I guess it was a little obvious..."Arnold said and Helga looked stunned.
"What do you mean?..."Helga asked in a surprise tone.
"Andy and Megan..I didn't see it at first, but I think I see you in both of them..."Arnold said.
"What are you talking about?...'Helga said confused.
Andy is a really nice, cool, brave, if somewhat reckless boy who goes above and beyond to help protect his family and Megan, despite earlier having acted a little bratty, is actually really cute and sweet and she makes it obvious that she really does love her big brother and the rest of her family.
They are both so amazing but Helga didn't see any resemblance to her at all, if anything, they both seem to take after Arnold more and Helga was silently thankful for that.
"I don't see it...if anything, they seem to take after you the most..."Helga muttered, looking down.
Arnold registered the way she said it, and it was not an insult towards him...but that she is bagging on herself.
Arnold didn't like this and decided to do something about it.
"Helga...Both Andy and Megan have things in common with you...Andy has your eyes and hair color and Megan seems to take after you too...she even has the same kind of pink bow you do..."Arnold said.
Helga was stunned and blushed deeply as Arnold said he saw part of her in their kids, and that he says that Andy has her eyes, which means he actually took time to notice them.
"Oh Arnold..."Helga internally swoon, all the while, trying to maintain her facade on the outside.
"I wouldn't say that...they seem way too nice, well adjusted and friendly to be my kids..."Helga muttered under her breath.
"You can be nice too, Helga..."Arnold said, surprising her.
"Had it ever occurred to you that maybe they are like that because we both ended up being good parents to them? Helga, Andy even said that we have a wonderful life together, remember..."Arnold said as he recalled what Andy said when he asked them to not look for any information on the future.
"Look, I know you guys are scared and ...frustrated... right now...but you guys don't seem to understand just how serious this whole thing is...knowing too much about the future...well...I'm worried that you guys might change it...and for the worse...my whole family has a great life and I don't want it to change...for any of us, so please...just trust me on this..." Andy said in a meaningful way.
Helga remembered that and it was the reason she had stopped trying to look for more information after her initial attempt failed, but still..
"Y-Yeah...so?...'Helga asked, being a little defensive now.
Thankfully, Arnold knew how to handle this.
"So that means our future selves, are good parents, right?..."Arnold said.
Helga nodded, though she still looked unsure.
"For what it's worth...I think you'd make a great mom..."Arnold said and Helga gasped.
"Did...did he just say...that?..."Helga thought, unable to believe it.
Not only did Arnold just find out that they will be married and she is the mother of Andy and Megan, but he doesn't seem to be the least bit repulsed by it.
He even says that he thinks she is a great mom.
It's a miracle!
However, her insecurities began to act up like they always do whenever someone like Arnold saw the good in her.
"I doubt it... I don't exactly have the best role models when it comes to parents..." She bemoaned.
However, she felt Arnold pat her shoulder. It made her look to him. She saw an encouraging smile on his face.
"That just means you know what not to do..." He encouraged. "From what I saw of Megan and Andy, you'll do fine..."He said.
Hearing that helped her feel better. She couldn't help but smile.'
"He thinks I can do it..."Helga thought ,feeling she almost only ever feels because of him.
Happy.
"Still weird, to be honest." Arnold said. "The idea that you of all people would ever fall for me. Right now, you really seem to hate me..."Arnold chuckled, expecting her to laugh too.
Except that she didn't laugh, she looked nervous and suddenly couldn't look him in the eye.
"Y-Yeah...Uh...right..."Helga looked away, hoping that he didn't notice her stuttering.
He did.
Arnold saw the expression and noticed her behavior. It was another thing that almost confirmed what he had been suspecting for a while. He thought about the incident at FTi and with the discovery of what fate has in store for them, he was doubting more and more that it really was the heat of the moment...
For a long time, he wondered, deep down if maybe the reason she was always mean to him...was because she felt something besides the suppose hate she claimed to harbor for him.
If maybe...deep down, she did those things because she wanted his attention but couldn't express herself properly...if maybe deep down, she did those things because she always liked him or something...or maybe more...
He suspected that she did but still, he wanted to be sure...
He had to hear it from her.
"Helga?..."Arnold said, causing her to flinch due to the way that he addressed her.
"Y-Yes..."Helga said, looking even more nervous for some reason.
Helga being nervous was another sign, but he wanted to know for sure.
"If...if there is anything you want to talk about...anything you wish to say to me...I think now is as good of a time as any to say it..."Arnold said, blushing as he looked away.
Helga was silent, as her brain turned off and so did her body.
"Even he isn't dense enough to know what he is asking...which means..."Helga gulped as she realized what Arnold is all but asking her.
Her heart wanted to finally tell him, to get it out of the way but the words were still stuck in her throat...
"Criminy...Why am I still so worried? I might as well tell him now..."Helga thought as she took a deep breath, gathering all of her courage.
She is going to need it for what she is about to do...
"Alright Arnold...the truth is that...that..I lo-
Helga didn't realize that as she tried to approach her beloved, she had tripped on a small pillow that had fallen on the ground and she lost her balance.
"W-WHOA!..."Helga let out as she lost her balance.
"Helga!..."Arnold said as he tried to catch her.
Unfortunately, the sudden shift in equilibrium and the fact that Helga is taller than him, caused the two to collide and they were soon on the ground.
Once they tripped, Arnold was now on top of Helga and the two's eyes locked...
Arnold was about to get off of her and apologize, only to stop when he looked into her eyes.
"Huh?..."Arnold thought as he soon looked into her blue eyes.
It was weird but when he looked into Helga's blue eyes, he didn't see any anger, distrust or indignation due to their current position, like she would have shown any other time. He didn't even see the false anger and deep insecurities he's always seen during their entire lives...
At that moment, when he looked into her eyes, all he saw was something...
Something he had caught a brief glimpse of during the night they were together on the FTi building.
"Helga..." Arnold thought as he continued to look into her eyes.
Suddenly, all Arnold could do is think about this girl, the role she has played in his life and what role she will play in his future. This is a girl he has known his whole life, practically and for some reason, all he could do is think about the most significant moments they had together.
Starting when they first met...
FLASHBACK
"Hi...Nice bow..."His three year old self said to Helga when they first met.
"Huh?..."The little Helga asked in confusion.
"I like your bow...because it's pink like your pants...'The little Arnold said sweetly.
End Of Flashback
He then saw the time Helga had found his hat, after he had been depressed after losing it for days.
He also remembered how happy he was when that happened.
FLASHBACK
"My hat, you found it! Thank you Helga..."Arnold yelled happily before he actually hugged her and for a moment, she didn't push him away, until she did and told him not to touch her again.
End Of Flashback
He saw when Helga told him the truth about Summer and how she actually comforted him. He also remembered that she actually did succeed in making him feel a little better.
FLASHBACK
"I'm sorry Arnold..."Helga said in a genuinely sympathetic voice.
"You were right the whole time, Helga..."Arnold said in a sad voice.
Soon Summer came by and Arnold told her that he knew that she was lying to him, and dumped her as his sand castle partner before telling her to take a hike. Helga witness the entire thing before she went to check on him once again.
"Sorry I didn't listen to you, Helga. I guess you were really just trying to be my friend...'Arnold said to the blonde girl who looked surprised and maybe a little bashful at what he just said.
"Well, I figured it was the right thing to do; I mean, she was taking advantage of you and I couldn't just- Well..." She was stuttering, trying to downplay what she did but Arnold just kept smiling at her at that moment.
End Of Flashback
After that came the biggest one from before this entire trip to the future, where Helga, out of the heat of the moment, said something that he knew he would never forget about.
FLASHBACK
They had been on the roof of FTI, Arnold had just discovered that she was Deep Voice and demanded that he tell her why she threw away a chance to be rich in order to help someone she claimed to hate.
Well, he got his answer and this was it.
Because... because I guess maybe I don't hate you as much as I thought, okay? I guess maybe I... I even kind of like you a little. Heck, I-I guess you might even kind of say I like you a lot….'She said with a nervous smile.
"You do? You did this for me?..."He asked, still processing this.
"That's right, hair-boy. I mean, criminy, what else are you supposed to do when someone you love is in trouble?...'She shouted.
"Did she just say…."His mind almost seemed to pause for a minute as he processed that sentence and unintentionally said…
"Love?..."
Then she came forward to him, finally revealing the truth in the biggest way possible.
"You heard me, pal. I love you, LOVE YOU!...Who else do you think has been stalking you night and day, building shrines to you in a closet, filling volumes of books with poems about you? I love you Arnold! I've always loved you…'ever since I first laid eyes on your stupid football head! And from that moment and every moment since, I've lived and breathed for you, dreamed of the moment I could finally tell you my secret feelings and could grab you…and kiss you and—! Oh, come here, you big lug!...'She said before pulling him into a big kiss.
End Of Flashback
Those memories, along with the fact that she went out of her way to help protect Andy and Megan when they had been in danger and the fact that she is destined to grow up to be a very beautiful, amazing woman who will one day become his wife, made Arnold feel something...
Something strange...but not unpleasant.
No, not unpleasant at all.
He wasn't the only one, as Helga's brain had shut down the moment they ended up like this, as she continued to stare into the green eyes that she has always secretly adored.
The eyes of the only boy she has ever loved and who she discovered today, will be with her for the rest of her life.
"Arnold.."She whispered in a soft tone, one that Arnold recognized from FTi but for once, he didn't fear it.
"Helga..."He said in a soft tone as he kept staring into her eyes, feeling those strange things again.
Things that made him want to...to...do something but he is not yet sure what...
However, before either could say or do anything, the door suddenly opened and Andy came walking in.
"Hey..uh...dad...how is Helga do- WHAT THE HECK?!..."Andy suddenly shouted when he saw the state that his younger parents were in.
"OH GROSS!..."He immediately shield his eyes, wanting to look away.
'A-Andy?.."Arnold exclaimed, while Helga pushed him off of her.
"Nothing happened!..."Helga insisted to the boy who was still covering his eyes.
"I don't want to hear it, I don't want to see it and I don't even want to think about it...okay..."Andy said, still refusing to uncover his eyes.
"Just...come back to the living room whenever you guys are done...oh man..."The still flustered Andy said as he left the room, looking embarrassed and squicked out.
Arnold and Helga both were blushing deeply even after he retreated. The two blondes both looked at each other and then looked away, still feeling very flustered themselves.
Even more as they were still processing what had almost happened...whatever it was.
"What just happened? Did...did we almost-..."Helga couldn't even finish that thought.
"Were we about to-..."Arnold couldn't finish that thought either.
'Uh...Arnold...about what happened...I..."Helga started, wondering how to get this out in the open.
Thankfully, Arnold smiled as he placed his hand on her shoulder, surprising her.
He understood now, her eyes said more than words ever could in that moment and he also understood that everything has a time and place and will happen when they are meant to happen.
"It's okay...I know and you don't have to say anything now..I can wait..."Arnold said in an understanding voice.
Helga's eyes widen, unable to believe what he is just implying and his tone implied that he is okay with it.
"He...He knows...that I-..."
Before Helga could finish that thought, Arnold spoke up once again.
He then cleared his throat, trying to calm his nerves.
"We...uh...we should probably go check on Andy...to make sure that he is okay..."Arnold said quickly.
Helga said nothing as she nodded and soon the two left, both happy that they at least managed to find some understanding of this very unusual, very awkward but not entirely unpleasant revelation.
All the while, a secret smile graced one of their faces as they had now accepted that this discovery wasn't a bad one.
No, not bad at all.
-To be continued-
Next time on A Trip Through Time
Awkward Conversations Part 2
A/N(1): I am very sorry that it took so long to update this fic, I have no excuse other than real life, other projects and the occasional writers block. I do hope that this chapter will make up for my absence.
A/N(2): I would like to dedicate this chapter to both Invader Johnny and NeoMark for helping me out with some scenes, thus letting me finish it. You both rock! ;)
REPLIES to my loyal and totally awesome reviewers:
Invader Johnny: Once again, thank you for helping me out :)
Call Me Nettie: I hope that this will do...
LyzBH: Thank you :)
DeepVoice'06: Thank you :)
Nep2uune: I hope that this will do for now...
Guest: Thank you :)
L-Y3T: Sorry, I hope that this chapter will make up for it...
BlackKeys20: Thank you :)
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)