Everyone changes with time. A day, a week, a month, a year... they all count. So how much can a group of rag tag 4th graders from P.S. 118 change with junior high, high school, and a whole bunch of history between those seven years? A whole lot.

Years Later

Me and My Shadow

The Hotel Flamingo was a dark and gritty hotel on the borderline that was shared between Wayside and Hillwood. It was the part where the two cities collided into the perfect darkness for any crook, thief, prostitute, etcetera, etcetera, wanted to go when they wanted not to be noticed or found. This was probably why Helga decided that she wanted to stay there. She wasn't allowed to even leave Hillwood due to court order, of course, but she wanted to stay as far way from town as possible.

On January 3rd every student of Crinshaw High School stumbled through the red painted doors, and by the end of second period every student of Crinshaw High knew Helga had burned a house down, literally.

She couldn't avoid the stares and whispers that followed her everywhere, or rather, she couldn't avoid the increasing amount of stares and more whispers that followed her now. She couldn't cut classes anymore because that would screw her over when Patton found out, so she stuck to smoking in the girl's bathroom during her lunch period, and once McNielson suddenly decided– without any helpful hints from any bimbos– that the bathroom fire detectors needed to reinstalled so that there was no battery outlet, Helga took to smoking outside, in the back of the school building. It was winter, but Helga did not find the weather cold at all, in fact she found the snow chilled air quite comfortable and refreshing.

McNielson and others in the school were purposely trying to hack Helga off so that she would get into more trouble, but Helga was way too smart for that. She knew that she first had to get out of trouble before she started anymore trouble.

(Y\\L)

BEEP!

BEEP!

BEEP!

BEEP!

The alarm clock beside her bed went off letting her know that she was supposed to wake and start to get ready for another day of school, but fortunately for the clock, she was already up, now she had to do was get ready for school. Helga hit the alarm button on her clock and crawled out of the bed that was probably not even suited for a druggie to sleep on, on its good days. Slowly moving across the cool tile floor Helga entered the bathroom, only to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

At first she stared in shock at the person looking back at her. This person looked starved, so skinny it looked like they hadn't eaten for days, their ribs were painstakingly sticking out on their sallow looking skin. The short chin length hair looked dull and knotted, and the eyes were brimmed with a deep red, as if the eyes had not even had one day of rest. And then Helga saw the person's face, the very face that had infuriated her just a few weeks ago, the very face that made her punch the glass mirror in her first room at the Hotel Flamingo, the very face that reminded her of her mother, Olga, and maybe even Hilda. Helga had tried for the past few days to remember what had happened during the first few hours after she burned down 1422 L Street, but all she got back from her brain was and image of a large bonfire where her house once stood.

After a while of getting the same results, Helga had simple stopped trying to remember... plus, it didn't matter any, the damage had already been done. Helga turned on the shower of the bathroom and turned the knob all the way to the left, turning the water t o a scalding hot and without a second thought she entered the shower, wondering, even so far as hoping, that maybe the hot water would break through her skin so she could finally feel something.

Helga entered Crinshaw High School two minutes before the first bell rang in a black pull over sweatshirt, black pants, black sneakers, and her blonde hair being held at bay by a deep purple scrunchy. There was nothing unusual about the time she entered the school, or even her outfit, it had become a norm, just like the whispers and stares that followed her as she made her way to the second floor, towards her locker. When Helga reached her locker she was not surprised to see that one Phoebe G. Heyerdahl was missing, Phoebe had been conveniently coming to her locker early and reaching their first period class early.

Helga understood why, after all, everyone dealt with grief differently... of course she knew this from experience. Another shocker was the fact that Sid D. Gifaldi found his way to Helga's locker holding all of her books, including the books that Helga was supposed to take home to do homework, but simply had decided that it was better to forget them.

"Hey."

"Hey." And that was the extent of Helga's and Sid's conversation, afterwards the began the trek to Mr. Simmons' Language Arts class, and took their customary seats near Phoebe.

On her desk Helga found a small red slip that would have served as a pass to let her see her guidance counselor, but Helga had been avoiding that office like the plague ever since she got the white slip. That white slip then turned into a green slip, then it magically appeared as a blue slip, that graduated into the red slip that signified that it was urgent. Helga had decided that she didn't really want to her Mr. Ginnoai tell her that her GPA was slipping, it was not something that Helga needed to hear. After all she already knew what going on, she was blind, she was just tired, just very tired.

Somehow Helga managed to zone out her whole entire first period, even though they were taking a test on the play they were reading, Hamlet. Unfortunately, Helga hadn't even read a scene, let alone the whole play. When the bell rung, everyone in the class got up and handed Mr. Simmons their paper, even Helga, although hers was noticeably blank.

Helga was about to exit the door, but she was stopped before she could go about her merry way and go to her second period class that she knew was located somewhere inside of Crinshaw High...too bad she didn't know exactly where...

Once the classroom was empty Mr. Simmons spoke, "Helga, I know you're going through a difficult time right now, but if you don't manage to pick up your grades soon, you might fail the third marking period."

"I know Mr. Simmons, I promise, I'll try harder."

At first, Helga wasn't quite sure had said this, and then she realized... it was her... it was her who had spoke.

Almost as if a tape recorder with her voice, she was speaking, except she wasn't she had no idea what was prompting her to speak, but it was. Something had taken over her body and shifted it into auto again and was giving the same automatic response once again... and Helga decided to let it... she couldn't be bothered anymore.

(Y/L)

The bell for six period had rung two minutes ago, and while Helga started her trek to the visitor bleachers of the football field, Phoebe and Sid sat at their customary lunch table. Phoebe pulled out a brown paper bag full of baked treats before digging through her backpack and pulling out another. It was supposed to be Helga's.

It was too bad Helga never came to lunch anymore. But even though her best friend didn't come to the cafeteria anymore, Phoebe kept backing a second brown paper and placing by the vacant chair that Helga usually sat at.

Once the bell rung, signifying the end of their lunch break, Sid took up the full brown bag of goodies and threw it into the garbage pail, along with the one in front of Phoebe.

As they walked out of the cafeteria doors Sid simply asked, "Why Phoebe?"

Phoebe smiled back at Sid, "Because it's the one thing that I can still do."

And that was that.

(Y/L)

Hmm... the moon must be closer to Earth, Helga decided at the bright moon that looked larger than usual. Discussions with Patton were about to begin within two days, Bliss and Minerva were discussing their plan of action while Helga laid on the bright blue chaise, eyes glued on the window to the outside world.

Every once in she tuned into the conversation to see if anything was worth her wild and this time it was.

"It seems that Mr. Pataki is going to fight Helga's decision for filing for emancipation." Minerva said with her dark olive eyes glued to the manila folder in front of her.

Bliss took a sip of her Earl Grey tea, "I wonder why..."

Helga and Minerva shared a look.

To Helga, the answer for that question was not hard at all... The Heifer has probably convinced the Ham that it would be better to make me suffer with them than to just let me go... the Heifer probably wants to send me off to military school...stupid trick...

She and Minerva both knew the answer.

About an hour later, Helga had been walking from Minerva's office to her hotel room down at the Flamingo when a blue Honda Accent slowed down next to her. The driver rolled down the window and Helga was able to see the face of a familiar brunette.

"Hello Helga."

"Hi Stella."

The brunette cocked her head to the right and stared at Helga, "Isn't it too cold to be out without a coat... again."

"I forgot it when I left in my hotel room."

"Hmm... do you need a ride back to your hotel? If you stay out here without a coat for much longer you'll catch a cold."

Before Helga could reply, the passenger door opened and Helga had no choice but to enter the car.

"So where to?" Stella asked after Helga got settled in the passenger seat.

"The Hotel Flamingo."

Stella raised a single eyebrow, but said nothing as she drove off in the direction of the Flamingo. It wasn't until they had reached the stoplight that was two blocks from the Flamingo that Stella actually said something, "Isn't the Flamingo a bit dangerous for a young girl like you?"

Helga shrugged her shoulders and the light turned green. Stella drove on, until the got to the second stoplight. "I heard what happened on the 23rd."

"I don't think there is one person in Hillwood that hasn't."

Stella laughed and her laugh wasn't a breathy kind of laugh or the kind that everyone related to the voice of angels, but it was the kind of laugh that told a person that they were amused. Stella sighed after she stopped laughing, "I guess that kind of news travels fast."

"Yea."

Stella drove into the parking lot of the Hotel Flamingo and parked her car in one of the empty spots. Helga unbuckled her seat and exited the car before she said, "Thank you."

Just as Helga was about to walk away Stella called out to her, "Wait a second Helga." Helga turned silently to look at the older woman. "I'm sure that you already know that I'm Arnold's mother, the head shape usually gives it away, but since I'm sure you know that, you probably know where I live..." Stella trailed off, pausing for a moment before she began to search through the glove box. She pulled out an old Lord and Taylor receipt and a pen, she hastily scribbled something on the back of the receipt and held it in Helga's direction. "If you ever need someone to talk to, just call me."

Helga took the receipt from the older woman's outstretched hand. "Thanks."

"No problem." Stella smiled before backing out of the parking spot and driving back in the direction of her house.

Helga stood outside a bit longer with the number scribbled on a receipt in her hand, inspecting the neat hand writing and the large digits. After standing outside for almost ten minutes, Helga jammed the number in the back pocket of her black jeans and headed in the direction of her room.

(Y/L)

Sorry, but I still don't own Hey Arnold! I do own YL. But I do own the idea and concepts of YL, oh, and anything you recognize, is probably not mine. Originally this chapter plus chapter 19 were just one big chapter, but then I decided to cut them in half. So, think of this as instead of getting one big chapter you get two normal sized ones. Thank you Bleeding in Vein, Grylfrend, Leah, Garlic Blanket, Yzibella, and Shadow Goddess Akhet for the reviews. Welp, see ya'll in a month or so... I wouldn't expect another chapter until late July, early August 'cause I am going to get my hands on the new Harry Potter book as soon as I get home and let's just say I'm not putting it down until I'm done reading it...two times in a row...

PS:

Leah, Well, think of Sid as a link between the two different groups. Now because Sid is a common factor, just like in real life situations, just because two different groups are not friends doesn't mean you don't know their business. In fact, when you have a common friend, you tend to know everything about the other group. Yea, I could change the events, but, I won't because... just because. Hope everything is cleared up for you!

Next Chapter: Hell, the Place on Earth

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S.L. Cipher– The Queen of Eville (No this not a spelling mistake but a higher echelon of evil, look it up in The New Cipher Dictionary of Cipherous Lexiconography) who will gladly accept all criticisms, advice, reviews, praises, and flames with a large Cheshire Cat Smile. Why the Cheshire Cat Smile? Why, because Cheshire Cat Smiles will always piss people off and Cipher loves pissing people off because it is exceptional fun... Especially when they try and attack you. Which is exactly why when one wields the Cheshire Cat Smile, it is important that they must also wield a mace and a sword.

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