DISCLAIMER: ALL CHARACTERS BELONG TO CRAIG BARTLETT AND NICKELODEON!

OBVIOUSLY if a character appears in this story that is not from the show it's my own filler character or whatever.

Hello, helloooo. I made some grammar updates to the previous 11 chapters. So feel free to read them over and tell me anything I missed. I know its been forever. Bought a house, getting married, life life life. Ive never once forgotten this story and I always meant to come back. Just sorry it took so long for me to find the time. I have an actual computer desk and stuff now so it makes things a lot easier on me. So ... Im sure we're all curious what's going to happen next. After re-reading all my old chapters, SO AM I! Thank you for the recent reviews. It helped breathe in life back into my fingers. So LE'SGO

Chapter 12:

Arnold made his way into the school building, his shoulders slumped and his eyes burned. He was very much lacking in a lot of his usual spark, but sleep was what he was lacking in the most. Gerald shoved him and tried to get his attention as they walked together toward homeroom, but the boy was still in a daze. Every time he closed his eyes he would see Helga leaving with Wolfgang. The thought of them together sent something snapping within him. He realized it just might have fueled his actions at prom. He scrubbed his face with his hand and groaned at Gerald. "Can I just get a moment to myself?" He finally spoke.

"Man, Arnold. For someone who just grew some balls and stood up to his long time bully, you sure are crabby." Gerald stated as he walked away from his best friend and to his seat. Arnold only rolled his eyes. He hardly found anything praise worthy, regardless if Helga made his life hell, she was still a girl... not just that. As much as she bullied him, she was always there for him, or had his back in the end. He scrubbed at his face in frustration. He just needed to see her and explain to her what he finally figured out, after hours of thought last night.

"Oh, Arnold. Are you alright? You look, absolutely dreadful." Lila's sweet voice came from behind him and he relaxed a bit. Even though he wanted to, he couldn't face her. It had nothing to do with what Helga spat about her, in all honesty, that didn't matter. Helga was obviously angry and just trying to make others hurt, her usual MO. He couldn't let Helga being Helga justify him hitting her, even if she hit Lila first.

"Ah, hey Lila. Yea, I'm a little tired..." Arnold managed to force out. At that moment their homeroom teacher walked in.

"Good morning everyone, I'm sure we all know about the events at prom. Some of you may be a bit put off to a certain classmate. However, Miss Pataki will no longer be attending classes here." Mrs. Reddington gave a soft, disappointed smile. A student called out that Helga was probably expelled. "Oh, I assure you, she was not expelled, but has chosen to not attend the rest of the school year or be present at graduation. She had enough credits to graduate regardless, and her amazing senior presentation on the History of Hilwood, was brilliant." She paused a moment and shook herself. Helga had always been a promising student, her behavior was fairly...questionable. But, academically she was one of the school's top students.

"I'm rather envious of Miss Pataki, actually." Mrs. Reddington started again. "I always wanted to move to Europe, specifically the United Kingdom, ah, it's so beautiful there." Her eyes glazed at the idea and she smiled to the classroom, "I know Helga's behavior hasn't been all too favorable in her years with us, but surely we can all take the time to wish her good luck on her move, yes?" There was suddenly a loud bang, which happened to be Arnold's hands slamming onto his desk right before he stood and bolted out the room. Leaving the entire class confused, all except Lila, who seemed eerily quiet, with an unreadable face.

MOVING?! TO EUROPE?! Arnold yelled mentally as he ran down the halls, leaving class abruptly. He couldn't think straight, hell, he could barely breathe properly at this point. He had spent the entire night, thinking about her, about all the time they had shared together, good the bad, the neutral... All of it seemed to be clear as crystal to him. It was like his mind took great detail to hold its memories of Helga and him. Sprinting out the doors he B-lined it to the first place that came to mind. Bob Pataki's house.

Was he too late? Would she still be home? He wished he had her cell, but it wasn't like she'd answer him. With every pump of leg muscle he was bombarded of the ill thoughts of if he didn't make it in time and it was driving him insane. When he got to her street, he rushed to her family's home and banged on the door, not hard enough to seem like police or something, but urgent enough to get someone's attention.

Bob opened the door, his beard ill-kept and bags under his eyes. He glared down at Arnold, obviously annoyed. "Well if it isn't that little orphan kid. You sure got taller than the last time I bothered paying you any mind." He reeked of booze and Arnold felt a nerve tweak within him at the imagery of this barbarian putting his hands on Helga at all. But he wasn't here for that, he needed to speak to Helga, NOW.

"Ah... so I have... Mr. Pataki, I need to speak with Helga is she home?" Bob gave a rather chillingly cold laugh at that and slammed his palm into the door frame, trying to seem imposing as usual.

"That worthless little trollop ran away from home weeks ago. Good riddance if ya ask me." He burped and scratched his chin. "If you're here for her you sure don't know much, last time I saw her, her little posse of miscreants broke into my home and stole my property." Arnold's face must have shown his disappointment because Bob only scoffed and told him to fuck off after that. Apparently he really couldn't be bothered with some kid's problems.

As the door shut in his face, he didn't know what to think. What exactly could he do now? I have to talk to her, please, please this can't be happening. He thought, jogging down the stairs and briskly walking down the cemented path. Flipping through his phone, he gritted his teeth, everyone was at school.. everyone was at school. As he thought about who's faces he hadn't seen, one in particular stood out. Phoebe wasn't there! Quickly, he pulled up her contact information and called her on the spot.

X-X-X-X-X

Phoebe had been looking out the large glass window for what felt like forever. How long had Helga and Olga departed? 30 Minutes now? Frowning, she pressed her hand to the cool surface and sighed. How was she supposed to get on without her best friend?

"Well, if you're looking at the sky like that, I guess I came too late?" A grumble of a voice came from behind her and she turned to see Wolfgang. He looked genuinely beat, his soft gaze following up the glass as well. "On the plus side, it's the age of tech and we can all keep in contact with her, yea?" He chuckled a bit and adjusted the bundle of pink roses, he cradled in his arms.

Phoebe smiled, "Yea, you're right. Just cause she isn't in Hilwood doesn't mean we can't enjoy her company. You really have gotten soft Wol-" She was cut off by her phone ringing. Looking at the name that flashed over the screen, she already knew what was going on. With a huff, she answered the call and put it to her ear. The most ragged tone she'd ever heard from Arnold greeted her as he begged her to tell him where Helga is. "She's about 42 thousand feet out of our reach right now, Arnold." The woman sighed. She immediately heard the crashing sounds of the phone falling to the ground before there was silence. After a moment she could hear the failing attempts of him picking it up.

"W-what, how.. didn't she stop to say goodbye, wasn't there like a gathering, anything? How could she already be gone? Phoebe, please, are you covering for her, I-I know I took it too fa-" Arnold began frantically before she cut him off. Wolfgang looked on irritated.

"He's got some nerve calling for her." He grumbled.

"There was a gathering, Arnold. She was staying at Rhonda's for about a month so we all stayed there last night saying our goodbyes. When she finally decided to leave, Olga cut her visit short because that's how badly my bestfriend wanted to get away from here, to get away from you. I know you had your reasons and I know Gerald thinks the world of you, but go to hell Arnold and I'm glad she's leaving, even if it breaks my heart to be without her!" She hung up on him after that and Wolfgang cheered on her gusto.

X-X-X-X-X

Arnold gripped the phone to his hand and ground his teeth. "Already gone." He repeated over and over, looking out at the street. "Already gone.." He pleaded aloud as he recalled so many times Helga had been there for him. Over and over, her face flashed before his eyes, the yelling, the smiles, the sarcasm, the laughter. Then came the moments she cried in front of him, the moments he made her cry, the moment he'd finally driven her off for good. Something that anyone else would assume he wanted.

He didn't want that at all.

If anything it was the exact opposite. He drowned out his own feelings toward her after he and Lila became a couple, but in those few weeks after he'd helped her through her mother abandoning the family, he couldn't deny the allure he felt to her. She was smart, funny, strong and yet so very, very fragile. His fingers trembled. He'd touched her cheek once, brushing hair out of her face... how could he forget how soft it felt against the pad of his finger..? Yet he harmed her.

Looking at his hand, he felt his stomach flip and that tide of rising bile finally freed itself onto the sidewalk in front of him.