Here's Part 2 of the re-imagining of 'Helga on the Couch'!. Anyway, enjoy!
I was sitting down in the doctor's office as the doctor pulled out a glass. "Would you like anything to drink?"
"What do you have?" I asked, out of curiosity.
"Well... I just got this new thing..." The doctor explained as he went to a mini-refridgerator and pulled out some sort of brown liquid. "This is a blend of lemonade and iced tea. Would you like to try it?"
"Sure..." I squinted at the nameplate on the desk. "...Dr. MacFarlane."
Dr. MacFarlane nodded as he poured the drink and handed it to me. I tried it, and felt around the inside of my mouth with my tongue to savor the taste. "Hey, this is actually pretty good..."
Dr. MacFarlane smiled. "Yeah, I figured you'd kinda like it!"
"Anyway, what is the story behind Dr. Bliss?" I asked, curious. I was sure Helga was listening in as well.
Dr. MacFarlane sighed as he sat down. "Well, you see, a long time ago, in the Hillwood Medical Center, Dr. Kathy Bliss was someone who started out her job back in 1991. She was a little new at first, but she was very experienced when it came to helping children and their problems. She always was one of those people that believed in 'Help the world and the world helps you back'. She loved working on cases, especially the tougher cases. Usually, Dr. Bliss doesn't have a patient longer than at least two or three months. Her longest was at least three months."
"I wonder how long it would have been in my timeline if it st-" Helga started in my mind before stopping herself.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Nothing. Just keep listening." Helga told me.
I turned back to Dr. MacFarlane. "That is interesting about Dr. Bliss... but what happened to her? How did she die?"
Dr. MacFarlane sighed. "Usually, doctors keep everything confidential... but you seem to be curious about her, so I think you're safe to tell..."
I nodded.
"...She was murdered."
I gasped. "Murdered?"
"Oh, I knew it, I knew it!" Helga said, upset in my mind.
The doctor nodded. "One week in 1994, a kid came in, with the intent to ask for Dr. Bliss. We have never seen this kid before, but when she told us the problems she had, we got her in to Dr. Bliss right away."
Dr. MacFarlane sighed. "I don't know what went on between her and Dr. Bliss that week, but whatever happened, it wasn't good as when the next time Dr. Bliss came in, she seemed pretty scared, pretty traumatized. She gave me this..." Dr. MacFarlane pulled out an envelope. "...told me not to open it up unless she was found out, whatever that meant..." He then put the envelope down. "It didn't make sense at the time, and it still didn't make sense. Maybe her patient was incurable and she was so obsessed finding a way to make a breakthrough... it bothered her quite a lot..."
"I never knew Dr. Bliss to be bothered with..." Helga started to say in my mind. "...but then again, this is HER PATIENT we're talking about here..."
"What are you talking about?" I asked in my mind.
I shook my head as I looked up at Dr. MacFarlane as he continued his story. "Dr. Bliss had her last patient come in, the same kid we didn't know the name of... and once she was done, she just walked off, didn't say good-bye or anything. We all guessed it was because of the very tough patient."
Dr. MacFarlane sighed. "And then, the next day at work, she didn't show up. Most of the doctors tried calling her, but we only got her answering machine. When it became an hour early, another doctor friend of Dr. Bliss and I were sent over to investigate why she didn't go to work. When we got to her place... the window was busted. Concerned, we ran inside and... we found Dr. Bliss on the table, knife in her heart and this weird symbol carved on the top of her head."
"What was the symbol?" I asked.
"Let me see if I can draw it..." Dr. MacFarlane said as he started to draw the thing. "Here we go. This was carved on her head."
Dr. MacFarlane handed the paper over to me as I examined the drawing. The drawing consisted of a letter 'S' with two long ram-like horns and a little tail thing, like what you put on the letter Q.
"It WAS her..." Helga gasped in horror in my mind.
I just ignored Helga as I looked up to Dr. MacFarlane. "But it's just so odd. Why would the murderer leave this signature behind?"
"I have no idea..." Dr. MacFarlane continued. "Nevertheless, it was a sad day in the doctor community. Most of them believed it was just a suicide attempt... but this letter I got seemed to have said otherwise when I opened it."
I picked up the envelope and pulled the letter out. "Mind if I take a look?"
"Go ahead. That letter contained some of the weirdest sentences anyway!" The doctor sighed.
I looked over at the letter as I peered at it. I didn't know if Helga had control of my eyes or what, but I had a feeling she was reading it along with me.
'I know who you are, and I know you're out there. How do I know? I found out the hard way after one of my patients left a book on her... victims. You were on her list, always have been on her list. I've learned about how you escaped from her and how you became a spirit. Listen to me, I don't know how much of a relationship we had in the universe you're from or when it happened, exactly. But I want to help you out! If for some reason I'm no more, and you're still around when you get this, I need you to listen to me! That girl who is after you, I believe you already know who, she will not let up until you're dead... for good. This is something BIG I'm asking you! Go to the place where we would first meet if this timeline went on and get to the place where I first witnessed you doing the action that got you here in the first place. You know what I'm talking about.
Just remember, I'll be there for you... even if I somehow die... I'll always be there...
Dr. Bliss, the best child psychologist you ever had... and a good friend.'
I... didn't quite understand what I was reading... spirits? Her patient is after someone? She must have been a psychotic!
I heard Helga sniffling a little in my mind. "You okay?"
"Rhonda... I can't explain it... but that message you're reading... it was... for me." Helga sniffled. "Even when she didn't know me, she still wanted to help."
I didn't understand it. What did Helga mean Dr. Bliss wrote it for Helga? How would this Dr. Bliss know who Helga was if she doesn't exist in this timeline?
I handed the letter back to Dr. MacFarlane as he asked, "Did you get anything from this?"
I paused as I heard Helga say, "Say no."
"No, I didn't..." I said. "But what is with these talks about spirits?"
"Well, kid... you ever hear of the urban legends around this place?" Dr. MacFarlane asked. "Pardon my language, kid, but there seems to be a shit ton of them!"
I nodded.
"Well, even though a body dies, they say a spirit still lives on unless they transcend to a place, usually heaven or hell. The spirit is based on the person's soul and what that soul could easily do..." Dr. MacFarlane explained.
"What do souls do if... they live in another body?" I asked.
"Hard to say..." Dr. MacFarlane shrugged as I drank more of the lemonade tea. "I've never really... dwelled on the subject much..."
"Seth, your next client is here to see you." I heard the speakerphone on Dr. MacFarlane's desk say.
Dr. MacFarlane sighed as he pushed a button. "Tell him to wait just a few minutes..."
Dr. MacFarlane then turned to me. "Sorry, kid, I hate to wrap this up early, but I have another appointment. Have any more questions to wrap this up?"
"Just a couple..." I said, listening towards Helga's instructions of what to ask. "I have a friend who's having a bit of trouble with her own family. I was hoping Dr. Bliss or somebody could help her... but..."
"Eh, I could probably find someone..." Dr. MacFarlane smiled a bit. "How old is your friend?"
"I'd say around... twenty-three-ish, maybe?" I said, estimating Olga's age.
Dr. MacFarlane frowned. "Oh. Sorry, kid, nothing in the child psychologist department on that... and there aren't really any psychologists around who can help your friend, but if I find something, I'll let you know."
"All right." I said as I handed my phone number to him. "Call me when you do, all right?"
"Maybe I will..." Dr. MacFarlane nodded.
"One more thing..." Helga whispered in my mind.
"Just one more question..." I looked up to Dr. MacFarlane as he looked up to me.
"Well..." I said to Helga in my mind as we arrived at the Hillwood Cemetary. "I guess this is it..."
"Yeah..." Helga sighed in my mind as we walked in the graveyard as we started walking around the graves. It wasn't until we managed to get to the third row and started looking around when Helga told me. "...stop."
I stopped as I heard Helga. "Turn your head to the left."
I proceeded to do so as I saw the gravestone.
'R.I.P. Kathy Bliss
October 17th 1964 - May 7th, 1994'
I just looked at the gravestone as tears filled my eyes. I didn't quite understand it. I barely knew who she was... and yet... it seemed like I knew her for so long.
Why were the tears filling up my eyes? Was it... Helga's doing? I could hear her crying in my mind.
"Dr. Bliss... I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry! I couldn't help you!" I heard Helga cry in my mind as I went down on my knees and felt the gravestone.
All of a sudden, memories started flooding in... memories that weren't mine...
Helga was seen smiling as she went inside the doctor's office, the same one I came in... was I experiencing another flashback in Helga's life? Only this time... I was actually seeing the flashback unfold right before my eyes.
Helga started to go towards the receptionist as she smiled. "Ah, Helga. Dr. Bliss is expecting you. She's right in her office"
"Thanks, Mildred." Helga smiled as she walked up towards the door as I followed her in. It was there I saw Dr. Bliss for the first time. She was a young woman almost near her forties, with a purple shirt, long purple skirt, purple shoes, blue earrings and a little necklace with a blue jewel on it. She also had black hair.
"Good afternoon, Helga." Dr. Bliss smiled. "You're here a little early."
"I have a lot to talk about." Helga smiled as she lied down near the couch. "Why don't we get started?"
"Very well..." Dr. Bliss smiled. "Why don't we start with your classmates? How are they doing?"
"Oh, all right, I suppose." Helga shrugged. "I took your advice to try to be friends with the others. I started out a little bit with Lila. She's not a bad person..."
"But the thoughts of jealousy still linger within you." Dr. Bliss smiled.
"However did you guess?" Helga rolled her eyes.
"Helga, you know me by now." Dr. Bliss gave a slight smile.
"Heh, that's a really good point, Dr. Bliss." Helga smiled. "I managed to get along with Stinky and Sid today as well..."
"Oh, did you?" Dr. Bliss smiled.
"Well, I gave Sid a good compliment on his jacket and gave Stinky some lemon pudding, but only after I stuffed it in his big nose." Helga laughed a little.
Dr. Bliss sighed. "Helga, we talked about this..."
"I'm sorry, Dr. Bliss. I can't help it." Helga sighed. "If they saw my soft side too much..."
"...they would make fun of you in return, I understand that, Helga." Dr. Bliss said. "But don't you think you should have saved some of the aggression on... let's say the sports you love?"
"I guess when you put it like that..." Helga paused.
"Well, we'll continue working on it..." Dr. Bliss smiled.
Another flash of light led me back to the same office, this time, Helga frowning a bit as Dr. Bliss was writing something down. "Helga, have you ever considered..."
"Yes, I have considered calling them, but why bother? I have a good thing going with my parents!" Helga laughed.
Dr. Bliss looked at Helga. "The same parents who never noticed you even if you were a Loch Ness Monster armed with a tear-gas grenade?"
"That's actually a pretty good metaphor, Dr. Bliss." Helga asked in surprise.
"What can I say, Helga? It sounded like the type of metaphor you would use..." Dr. Bliss smiled.
"Nevertheless, they do have some heart. I admit they don't show it, but they only need me when they need me..." Helga laughed... then sighed. "...if they need me..."
"And what about your sister?" Dr. Bliss asked.
I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Sister?
Helga was frowning even more. "What about her?"
"Didn't you say she was coming back from college a little early... because of an early graduation?" Dr. Bliss smiled. "From what you've told me, she seems pretty excited to see you..."
"Oh sure, excited... she doesn't even care if I made an opinion of her!" Helga growled. "Calling me baby sister, always belittling me, humiliating me in front of my fellow students... always trying to be the best, always striving for attention!"
"But you still care for her?" Dr. Bliss asked. "After all, as you only say, she's just trying to connect with her own sibling..."
Helga sighed. "I guess... but I can't help but get mad at the past! This is OLGA PATAKI we're talking about here! She's nothing but self-centered!"
My ears and eyes popped open in shock as I mouthed the words 'Olga Pataki'?
"But surely, there were some moments from before your preschool days when Olga tried to be nice..." Dr. Bliss started.
Helga laughed. "Heh, whatever childhood memories I had, I never want to look back at them! In my mind, Olga is always the center of attention around my parents, and I'm always neglected by them! She would never have had time for me, especially during her studies!"
I couldn't believe what I was hearing... I didn't want to hear the rest of the conversation going, I had to get out of there.
"Helga... HELGA! Get me out of your flashback!" I yelled.
"H-huh?" I heard Helga say. "Oh, sorry..."
I recovered as I was back at the graveyard, looking at Dr. Bliss' grave as I heard Helga's voice.
"Sorry... I guess I didn't realize my emotions would cause my own flashbacks to appear in your mind. You okay?" Helga started to ask.
"Yeah, I'm fine... so was that Dr. Bliss in your flashback?" I asked.
"Yeah... she may not have been much at first, but she and I... we were really good friends in my timeline..." Helga sighed.
"Wow..." I sighed as I looked over at Dr. Bliss' grave, sighing... when I noticed a shadow approaching.
I looked up... and saw Caroline standing right beside me. She was looking at me with sad eyes... all of a sudden, I heard Helga yelling.
"When were you going to tell me! WHEN WERE YOU GOING TO TELL ME THIS!?"
It was a shock to me I didn't have time to recover with a little quip I came up for Caroline. Caroline just said nothing. She turned around... gave me a sad, sad looking glance... then a glance towards Dr. Bliss' grave... then back to me.
"I will... I will..." I heard Helga sniffle.
I didn't understand who Helga was talking to... maybe to herself, trying to get used to the fact that Dr. Bliss, a woman she knew in her timeline, was gone. Either way, Caroline just came to me and put a hand on my shoulder, saying, "Be strong, okay? Just... be strong."
Caroline then took a deep breath as she started to walk off. My eyes curiously went over to where Caroline was going as she sat down next to a grave near the end of a tree.
"Come on... let's go..." Helga sighed.
I just nodded as I started to leave the graveyard... but not before looking back towards Caroline, holding some cards as I heard her whisper, in an older, British accent, "Hello, old friend. Ready to play another game of chance?"
I sighed as I started to walk towards my way home, I looked up in my mind.
"Helga, I'm really sorry. I know how much Dr. Bliss was important to you in your timeline..." I sighed.
"Oh, it wasn't your fault, Rhonda. If anything, it should be that murderer's fault, taking Dr. Bliss away before her time..." Helga sighed.
"You seem to suspect you know who she is... do you?" I asked.
"You've seen her before... as I have... and let's just say, if Dr. Bliss here was serious... then we need to be careful, no matter what." Helga said in my mind.
"I got another question for you, Helga..." I asked.
"Go ahead, shoot." Helga smiled.
"When I saw your flashback, Dr. Bliss mentioned something about your family... and I was wondering..." I started as I reached for the door.
"Oh no, I was hoping my flashback didn't go that far..." Helga sighed. "But I guess you know now... yes, Rhonda... I did in fact come from the Patakis..."
I gasped. "So... you're the unborn Pataki child... the one that Olga's mother had a miscarriage on..."
Helga sighed. "I'm afraid so... I didn't want you to find out that way..."
I paused as I arrived at my place. "Did you really mean what you said... about Olga?"
"The Olga in my timeline? I'm not sure myself... but the Olga here... poor girl is a wreck... she may not show it, but she's clearly hurting..." Helga said.
"I know... it's depressing... but you know what?" I started to ask as I walked in.
"Hi, Rhonda!" Olga smiled as she walked from the other room.
"Oh, hey, Olga." I looked up in surprise. "You're here early today."
"Yeah, your mother and father left to take care of some business for a couple of hours, so I'm here to babysit you... if it's okay." Olga looked down.
I smiled as I hugged Olga. "Hey, spending time with you... it'll cheer me up anytime."
Olga smiled as she hugged me back in her special 'Olga hug'. "Oh, Rhonda..."
"At least she has supporting friends... like me..." I said in my mind as me and Olga looked up at each other as Olga led me to the kitchen, about to fix some lunch for us.
"Yeah..." Helga sighed. "So she does..."
There's part two of episode one hundred and sixteen! How'd you like it? A little more backstory will be expanded on throughout future episodes, but for now, I think this may be a good place to begin Arc 4. Hope it started out strong! Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks! And don't forget to check out/add new tropes to the TVTropes page of this story!