Ghost in the Night
A Hey Arnold FanFic
Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold and make no attempt to profit from it. All characters belong to Craig Bartlett, who is a genius!
Special thanks to MidniteRaine and Anonymous Latina for reviewing; good guess Anonymous Latina. Was I that obvious :P? Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Chapter Seven: Lila
"I guess so, but still Phoebe didn't say anything about that in her story Arnold; it's not like she would purposely skip something that serious or important," Gerald said as he rubbed his temple once again.
"But that is just it; how do I know that she cheated on me when all Phoebe has told me is the opposite? If Helga didn't say anything and Phoebe knows she hasn't, then how do I still know?"
Gerald shrugged and leaned back against the cushions. They had been going at each other for the last few hours over the revelation at lunch, and with the end remaining as mysterious and as unknown as ever, Gerald had resigned himself to the fact that Arnold was just being stubborn about how he knew that Helga had cheated on him. Gerald hadn't really cared for Arnold's claim, only how he believed he knew. But after all these hours, he was no closer to knowing than Arnold did.
"So for what feels like the ninetieth time today, how do you know that Helga cheated on you? Was it someone close to her, was it someone who knew her or was this all just a figment of your imagination inside that football head of yours?" Gerald asked wearily, his words becoming increasingly useless against Arnold's stubbornness.
Arnold sighed and pulled up the glass from the table near the couches; two bottles they had now gone through, that is when you included the one from lunch, and still he felt that he was no closer to solving the mystery of who had told him what had happened.
"Again I don't remember; if what Phoebe says is true, then it must have been after the failed…" Arnold trailed off.
Gerald looked up at his friend and saw he was on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry man; really I am. But I need you back at your best; we all need you to be back at your best. And most of all we can't leave you to rot in this self-pity for the next twenty years; it's like that dude says, you have got to stand up straight and carry your own weight because those tears will get you nowhere."
Arnold laughed softly. "Whatever Gerald; I just wish I knew who had told me about Helga."
Gerald nodded before checking his watch. "Arnold as much as I enjoy our late nights, I need to get some sleep before work tomorrow."
Arnold nodded before heading for his room. Reacquainting himself with the couch, Gerald snuggled in close and closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the world release itself from his shoulders. But lying down in his bed with his eyes still twitching, Arnold could only feel the pressure grow and his mind churn over everything he had heard today, replaying it slowly and quickly all at the same time.
Punching his pillow into a more comfortable shape, Arnold tossed and turned until sleep fell upon him, his only thoughts drifting back to Helga, much to the disappointment of his heart…
D & F
His heart racing and eyes darting between each smoke cloud in the room, Arnold felt himself wanting to heave up the contents of his stomach. Each nauseating intake brought him closer to the edge, his gut spinning faster and faster, his head swirling as he felt himself go under…an arm helped him to a chair at the bar, resting him comfortably as he felt his hands reach out to hold onto it; the smell was eased, no longer sticking to his nostrils compulsively. As his head began to clear, Arnold heard a soft cough and assumed it belonged to the person behind the bar.
"What would you like?" a gentle voice asked, its soothing melody easing the headache that had been growing.
"Anything that isn't too heavy please," he mumbled, unable to look up at the bartender.
Without hearing another word, Arnold could hear the bottles clang and glass being placed before him as he felt the relaxation descend upon him. Brushing his soaked wet hair with his hand backwards, Arnold sighed deeply until he reached into his pocket to pull out his handkerchief. His chest froze; fingers touching the small box in his pocket, Arnold felt tears swell up again. Choking from the tears, he coughed lightly, accepting the drink in front of him and trying to avoid creating a growing scene.
"So what's your story?"
Arnold took a sip and nearly choked on its burning sensation as the amber liquid trickled down his throat. He wasn't used to alcohol yet; maybe in time he would. "I don't have a story."
The bartender laughed. "You don't know how many times I have heard that before; everyone has a wonderful story to tell. And yours must be ever so wonderful too."
Arnold wanted to throw the drink at this loon; couldn't this idiot see that he was devastated? Gripping it tightly, he was about to but gave up; even if he wanted to, he couldn't take out his hurt and anger on anyone else. "My story isn't that wonderful," Arnold mumbled, taking a large gulp from the drink before him.
"I'm so sorry to hear that; what could have ever made it so horrible?"
Arnold sighed and proceeded to explain what had happened to him, the idea of meeting on the rooftop and what had happened when his girlfriend had said no. But all the while he could feel some of the hurt leaving him only to be replaced with anger; why had she said no?
"It is so sad to hear such a tale of woe; perhaps she was not ready for you?"
"Then why didn't she say so?" Arnold stuttered, his head falling into his arms as he cried. In between the sobs and hiccups, Arnold felt a hand pat him gently on the shoulder. The bar had become silent; the only two people left in the dimly lit bar was Arnold and the bartender.
"Well maybe there was something more behind her decision; what did you say her name was?" the bartender asked, the voice beginning to sound distinctly female and strangely familiar.
"Helga Pataki," he mumbled pausing when he heard a breath catch itself in the bartender's throat. "Do you know her?"
"I used to; back in primary school."
Arnold looked up and felt the pain in his stomach ease; standing slightly shorter than he would if he had been standing, the bartender had waist length hair and a trademark smile on her face that could only ever belong to one girl; Lila Sawyer looked down at Arnold in pity, patting him on the back gently as Arnold placed the drink on the counter.
"Why didn't you tell me it was you?" he asked.
"I didn't want to startle you; and besides, not everyone should know that I work here of all places," she replied darkly, avoiding his eyes as she shot out daggers from her eyes, daring the dodgy bar to shout back and tell her otherwise.
"But still, why are you here of all places?" Arnold asked, admittedly never picturing Lila ever working in a place that could be as filthy and as dark as this bar.
"Everyone must start somewhere; I wish to travel the world and witness the beauty of the world, and amaze and dazzle people in poor countries by helping them in whatever means necessary. So I must get money before I can travel," she said, gesturing to the room airily.
"I see," Arnold smiled softly.
"Do you still wish to see the world Arnold?" she asked as she sat down with him, taking a glass and pouring some of the drink into her own.
"I want to with all my heart; but I need money first too."
"A truly terrible bane of our lives Arnold," she responded, taking a sip of her drink.
Nodding, Arnold returned to his drink. He didn't want to admit it, but Helga had broken him deeply; as more of the drink disappeared, Arnold tried to hide his feelings and his eyes from Lila, knowing full well Helga's feelings about Lila, or Mrs Perfect as she had called her. But even as he tried to think of a way out, he began to resent it; he hated her now. So what if Helga disliked Lila? She was his friend, someone he had always gotten on well with and after what Helga had done to him, she had no say about what went on in his life, let alone who he could be friends with.
"You froze up when I mentioned Helga's name before; why was that?" Arnold asked, noticing her face pale once more at the mention of Helga's name.
"It's just a reaction," she replied hastily.
"I don't think so; there has to be a reason for it Lila."
Lila smiled. "You would make a wonderful psychiatrist or Councillor Arnold; I heard something about her a while back, but I don't think it's true. She wouldn't do something like that, especially since you two were dating at the time."
Arnold put down the drink and looked at her carefully. "Lila what was it you heard about Helga?"
Shifting in her seat uncomfortably, Lila took another sip of her drink. "It was only a rumour, something I heard but suspect could be true; the source is normally so accurate and true about what they tell me. She had a fling for a weekend with that guy who used to stalk her…but I can't remember his name; do you know who he is?"
Arnold felt his heart dropping into the soles of his feet. "Brainy."
Lila paled more as Arnold's face grew redder. "Arnold I'm sure-"
"Save it Lila," he said as he gulped down the drink, poured another and sculled it down before she could so much as blink, let alone stop him. "She probably did, otherwise she would have said something. Thanks for the drink and sympathy," he mumbled, taking out some money and putting it down, leaving Lila behind in a state of shock and bewilderment.
Stumbling along the raining streets, Arnold cared for nothing and no one as the numb darkness had swelled into his chest, his path darkened and mind on auto-pilot. Tripping over stairs and slumping into the glass door, Arnold tried to think of where he was. He opened the door and swayed towards the elevator, his head splitting from the headache growing in his mind. Fingers too numb to feel bent and twisted till they found the number for his floor; door closing and eyes slurring the view around him, Arnold tried to hold himself up as the doors opened a short time later.
Walls bended and the floor beneath him felt like water as he walked to his room, trying to remain steady and balanced; hands removed the keys from his pocket and remarkably found it straight away, staggering his way into the apartment after closing the door and making his way to his bed, collapsing into the sheets as sleep descended upon him…
Cracks in the curtains streamed the little light that had managed to find its way through the clouds outside, warming small patches of Arnold's face as he stirred. Thoughts swirled hazily in his mind as the contents slowly descended on him. An aching pain throbbed in his head as he checked the clock and saw it to be eight-thirty-three.
"Last time I do that," he mumbled, rolling over to avoid the sunlight in his eyes.
A feeling of peace and thoughtlessness drifted over his mind as he felt the warmth of the blanket consume him; everything felt easy and comfortable…but a singular thought began to develop. The dream was peculiar; he hadn't remembered that ever happening before. A girl he had once known had told him something strange…Lila. Arnold's eyes shot open as it all clicked; his mind whirred to life, unable to stop and focus on anything. Lila had told him about Helga cheating on him and he knew who with…a mixture of anger and joy filled his heart as he bounded out the door and onto the couch, awakening Gerald rudely but falling onto him.
"Couldn't it have waited? I still have to work you know…" he mumbled, vowing to kill Arnold later.
"Gerald, I know who told me about Helga cheating on me," he laughed happily, catching Gerald's attention. Rolling back towards him, Gerald tried not to feel excited.
"Who is it?" he asked. As Arnold told him, he felt his heart stop and mind freeze; if things were bad before, Gerald now knew they were only going to get worse. Much, much worse.
D & F
Sunday night…
"What an immature and selfish brat! How could I have ever loved him Phoebe?" Helga ranted, the wine in her glass moving dangerously close to the carpet.
Phoebe simply shrugged her shoulders, taking another sip and savouring the flavour. Helga huffed and puffed but seemed unable to really make sense of what she was trying to say in her own mind. Phoebe didn't mind the silence; she had been this way all afternoon after leaving Arnold's apartment and frankly the break was only one of the few she had experienced since Helga had started. Brushing her hair back, Helga swirled the wine around before finishing off the remainder of the drink.
"But I still don't understand Phoebe; why would Arnold think I cheated on him? I mean I practically worshiped the kid throughout my entire primary and secondary life; I even had shrines built of his stupid football shaped head," Helga mumbled, pouring herself some more of the red wine.
Phoebe could only watch on and sigh; there would be headaches in the morning. "I'm not entirely sure why Arnold would insinuate you would dare to cheat on him; I know, I saw those shrines too…how did you-"
"Details Phoebe; all you need to know is that the gum stuck together," Helga interjected dismissively, earning another shrug from Phoebe.
"Regardless, Arnold's thinking is not completely clear or child-friendly at the moment," she sighed, sipping the wine as Helga looked at her curiously.
"What do you mean by his thinking not being child-friendly Phebs?"
Phoebe paled slightly. "It really isn't my place to tell you Helga; it's not personal between you and me," she quickly added seeing Helga's fists clench, "It's just that Arnold alone would know most of the details for the why; I only really know the how and what happened afterwards."
"You can still tell me Phebs," Helga assured her sincerely.
Phoebe eyed her for a moment before caving; she knew things had to be patched up, but everything was too confusing for her right now. "Well, I guess you should find out from someone who won't bite your head off."
Phoebe then proceeded to explain what happened, from the date Gerald had taken her out on and to the discovery at Arnold's apartment and then onto the doctors talk with them. Phoebe omitted the exact way they had found him, instead saying she had heard a fire alarm go off in his room. Throughout it all Helga had remained silent and glued to Phoebe, listening intently and hanging off every word. By the end however, Helga wanted to curl up into a ball and just cry; how could she have done something like this to him? If she was around, maybe he wouldn't have done that, something she told Phoebe.
"There was little you would have been able to do Helga; I'm just glad he is still here," Phoebe smiled softly as a small tear escaped down her cheek.
For a while silence fell upon them, neither of the two girls wanting to break the thoughts of the other. But Helga felt it burn her from the inside, building up until she couldn't take it anymore. Taking a deep breath, she said the words she had wanted to say for years.
"Why did I say no?"
Phoebe gasped; Helga had never mentioned it to her before. It was touchy, really touchy; Helga had never given Phoebe a reason for why she did what she did. "Um…I don't really know Helga."
"But I must have had a reason right?" she asked desperately. "I mean I loved him then; why didn't I say yes? I'd been waiting for so long to be with him for the rest of my life; so why did I go and flush it down the toilet?"
Phoebe looked at her for a moment. "Were you scared?"
"No…not really," Helga replied after a while.
"Was it the wrong time?"
"It would never be the wrong time with Arnold; I think I was afraid," she said wide eyed as it dawned upon her. There are few times in a person's life where finding the right answer meant more pain; but Helga had now come to the realisation of it all.
Phoebe waited for Helga to continue, her mind in deep thought as she struggled to compose her next words. She stopped and started a few times before she finally spoke. "I was afraid it was happening now; I was afraid I was about to lose him; I was afraid he would take it back and tell me it was all a lie…I was afraid I'd become like my parents," Helga mumbled.
"Helga, you wouldn't become like them-" Phoebe began, but Helga was too quick.
"Yes I would; Arnold would become like Bob and I'd become like my mum, drinking away the remains of my life and wishing I had done something more with it. I'd even treat my children badly because I could never break out of it. And then we would fight all the time; Arnold would yell and I'd cry and scream. And my children; my poor children. How could I ever do that to them?" Helga sobbed into her arms.
Phoebe moved closer to her friend on the couch and wrapped her arms around her tightly, bringing her in close as Helga cried into her shirt. For a while she only held her, letting Helga cry it out; she could feel the pain Helga felt; she didn't want to bring up any child the way she had been brought up. For an our she cried, unable to stop or realise that Phoebe's shirt was nearing saturation levels. But finally Phoebe spoke as Helga's crying subsided.
"Helga, you wouldn't make the same mistakes your parents made; it is your life and you know better than they do. And Arnold is not like Bob; he would never harm you in any way; he is too caring of a soul to even consider hurting you Helga. And besides, you can barely stomach alcohol, let alone drink large quantities of the stuff."
Helga stifled a laugh as Phoebe smiled gently. "And besides, you two would make a great couple Helga and we all know it; your children would simply adore you and never want to be apart from their loving mother and father."
Helga nodded tentatively as Phoebe held her close, allowing Helga to listen to her heartbeat like a mother would for a child. Its thumping beat kept her in time with the pulsating throbbing feeling that began to grow in her mind. Too much alcohol again; so much for the resolve…but her heart skipped a beat as the image of a golden haired blonde boy appeared before her, her shut eyes unable to show the true amount of joy and happiness that her smile only barely showed to anyone who may have been watching her. Arnold was her first and only love; and I love you Arnold.
D & F
Time had escaped her before she could really make sense of anything; nearing midday Monday, Helga had been in a long talk with Phoebe about what she should do. Arnold had been on her mind all night, and now as she sat at the bench he was acting like a better drug for the headache she now had than the aspirin she had taken earlier.
"You should go over and see him Helga," Phoebe insisted again, cooking at the stove with the apron Gerald had given her last year.
"What if he doesn't want to see me though?" she panicked.
"Well you can come back here; it's only a metre or two away," Phoebe laughed, earning a rare smile from Helga.
Placing the food onto her plate, Phoebe and Helga quickly ate before Helga left, promising to make dinner tonight. She had run out into the corridor and was surprised to find her heart had nearly stopped; the door to Arnold's apartment was shut and seemed to radiate hatred to her. She could turn back; there was always Phoebe there to talk to…but she wouldn't run. No more hiding, no more crying; Helga had to confront this once and for all. Mustering all the bravery she could, she strode to the door and paused; sucking up her courage, she knocked on the door.
Hearing a voice say to come in, Helga turned the door knob and walked in, but not before her heart stopped once again. It was the last place she had ever expected to see her, but Lila Sawyer was sitting with Gerald and Arnold, talking animatedly. Pausing, Arnold was about to say something but Lila broke in before he had a chance.
"It is ever so wonderful to see you Helga; why don't you come and sit down with us?"
A/N: Slight delay, but I do plan on posting the next chapter within the next week so stay tuned for that. Please do R & R; I really do honestly appreciate what you have to say about the story. Again thank you to those that have and continue to do so; you really help keep me writing the story, even when my head doesn't want to. Until next time.