Chapter 15: Hillwood Police Station

Helga bit at her nails nervously and tried to think what to do.

She didn't really want to talk to Sid but she didn't have anyone else to talk to right now. Sid might be the only friend she had left. After what happened to Phoebe, she was also pretty sure that he might be the only who could help her. Though knowing Sid he'd probably think she was hitting on him rather than trying to get professional help. Sure enough Officer Sid, Sid, Sidney, whatever was as flirtatious as ever.

"Helga I'm on the job right now. I can't just drop everything to see you...as much as the thought tempts me," Sid said with a smirk into his phone. He spoke from his desk at the Police Headquarters, staring around at a nearly empty office. Most of his coworkers had shuffled off for the night. Though Sid still had a couple more hours to go before his shift ended.

"Just shut up, Sid," Helga snapped, "You're job is to serve and protect right? Well, I got something you need to hear. Trust me you'll be doing your job."

"If you just want me to do my job, why don't you call 911 like everyone else Helga? Besides you don't sound hurt."

Helga rolled her eyes, "I'm not! It has to do with a friend of mine."

"Which friend?" When Helga didn't answer, Sid added in, "Arnold?"

"Sid where are you? I don't want to say anything more over the phone, okay?" She was speaking from a bloody payphone in case someone tapped her cell. After what happened to Phoebe, Helga knew she had to be more careful.

"Hmmm. This is serious isn't it?"

"Y-e-s," Helga said with emphasis hoping he'd get her drift.

Sid seemed to register her concern. "I'm at the station, the one downtown. Do you know where that is?"

"I've lived here my whole life Sid, of course I know where the police station is! I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Good. I'll see you. Larry is the guy who works the front entrance, he's a bit nosy but you don't need to fill out a form or anything he throws at you. Just tell him you're there to see me for a private chat."

"Fine."

"Helga?"

"Yes?"

"Don't wear anything too sexy when you see me, Larry might get the wrong idea."

"UGHHHHHHH!" Helga slammed the phone down with a crash. Why on earth did Sid have to be only guy around who could help her?! Why couldn't Stinky or Brainy have become cops, instead of him. She hadn't seen "Detective" Harold yet but she felt sure Harold and Sid made the most annoying cops ever, they'd only been idiots back in school!

~/~

Helga was quickly ushered through the lobby of the Hillwood Police Station after telling "Larry" she was there to see Sid. Larry was a balding middle aged man who looked like he watched Jeopardy for a fun night. For some reason, Larry didn't even blink an eye when Helga said she was there for Sid but let her straight through after doing a basic security check through her purse.

"You wont find anything there but lipstick pal," Helga scowled as Larry's fat man hands fiddled through her makeup bag.

"Just doing my job, lady."

"Yeah right." Do people really think they'll find stored weapons or drugs in a makeup bag? Helga shook her head at what the world was coming to.

"You're all clear. Sid's on the second floor. Just take the elevator on your right," Larry said boredly. Helga got the feeling that Larry would've used the same tone to tell her her parents had died or that the world was ending. Monotone didn't cover it. The man should work at a funeral home.

"Thanks, L-arry," Helga said his name sarcastically as she grabbed her purse back and went to the elevator.

The elevator was a shiny new silver thing, which stood apart from the rest of the decaying and aged police station. Helga wasn't surprised that Sid didn't sound enthusiastic to spend long hours here. It wasn't exactly like the glamourous, sleek glass and modern, police stations you saw on television shows.

The elevator opened with a pop and Helga found her way around a hallway to a large open area lined with desks and lit by dimmed down fluorescent lights. The whole office was deserted except for one desk where Sid leaned against his chair, shuffling some papers. He was dressed in his blue uniform with his sleeves rolled up, and smiled broadly when he saw her.

"Helga, welcome to the Bat Layer."

"Um, hi… Sid." Helga said an awkward greeting, way too involved in Sid's Olympian physique.

"Are you just going to stand there drooling over me or are you going to come in?" Sid asked smirking at Helga. He chuckled, he was able to make Helga blush far too easily.

"Yea right!" Helga pushed passed Sid and entered his office. "Who would ever be drooling over you Sid?! You're more of a scaredy cat than Eugene!"

"Are you referring to my past panic attacks? Took years of therapy to get that under control. Old Sid could never be in the police force. He'd have an anxiety attack just holding a gun, let alone being shot at." Sid said as he shut the door and locked it behind him.

Well now she felt like a horrible person. How was she supposed to know he had therapy for his anxiety? Geez, he had changed so much from elementary school. Naturally people are usually much different from when they were 7, but this change looked way better on Sid than Helga could've ever imagined.

"Make yourself comfortable." Sid advised

"Thanks. Would you like a drink? We officially have a mini fridge now. Did you want water, Coke, or juice?"

Helga was way more preoccupied at the moment staring at the way his muscles bulged through his uniform. "What?" she yelled

"Water, Coke, or juice?"

"Oh, uh water is fine."

Sid came over and brought the water bottle to her and sat across from Helga at his desk.

"What is up with you anyway? You said you needed to see me. Made it sound so urgent."

The only thing Helga needed urgently was a cold shower. The man looked perfect in his uniform She chugged down some of the water to try and cool herself down. Why was she here anyway? OH! Frankie that's right and to get away from the lying rat, Arnold.

"The shooting at Phoebe's job Sid. Thank God she was out of town when it happened but Phoebe said someone was trying to off her boss."

"He's the best criminal prosecutor in the state; everyone in a Hillside jail cell wants to off him. It isn't the first time someone tried to settle a case outside of the courtroom with him if you know what I mean. Now tell me something I already don't know."

"The number I gave you, Arnold has a connection to Frankie. Did you have a chance to run the number?"

" Stop digging into to this Frankie thing Helga! You can get hurt for snooping the way you are. If you came to talk to me about Frankie or Rhonda or some theory of yours save it. You aren't a detective Helga! And you running around the city defenseless looking for clues like a maniac isn't making my job any easier."

"I am NOT defenseless. I can protect myself!"

"Dammit Helga, I know you want to know who did this and I do too but the mob is out there killing people everyday! Let me risk my life trying to expose the underbelly of the city, you stay out of it. You have no idea what dangers lurk in this city. This isn't PS 118. You cannot just throw a punch and people will stop bothering you. There are people out there who will not hesitate to kill you. Unless you have a badge or you want to end up in a body bag stop it right now!"

"Are you even trying to solve Rhonda's murder?! I have uncovered more clues than you so called 'professionals'. I don't give a damn about what magical evil lurks in Hillwood. Rhonda can't just be forgotten. Did you even care about her?"

"What the hell do you think I do all day, twiddle my fucking thumbs? You think having to go to work everyday and looking at crime scene photos of your friend's brutal murder is fun or easy! You have no idea how much training they don't give you to deal with all the awful things that happen to people. I've found men dismembered limb by limb, seen women who were raped so many times they don't even go outside anymore, people who were beaten so badly their faces didn't even look human anymore. So no, there's no magic involved Helga. This evil is real and violent and murdering people everyday. This isn't a game. This isn't fucking Nancy Drew and you aren't a fucking detective! I will tell you one last time to stop or I will arrest you myself if that means keeping you safe. "

Sid's face was so red. He was pissed. Helga had never seen Sid so angry in her life, she didn't even know what to say. For once in her life Helga was defeated in an argument.

Sid rubbed his face in his hands and groaned, "Listen I'm sorry for yelling at you.. I care about you more than I realized. I promise you that Rhonda will be brought to justice, just let me do my job. I don't know what I'd do if you ended up being the next person murdered with no explanation."

For now since Sid was obviously all worked up she'd tell him she would stop but she knew she wouldn't. Helga sipped her water again. This was a bust. She was getting nowhere except a little hot and bothered with Sid.

"I promise I will stop looking for answers..." Helga tried to make that sound as honest as possible. She had to lighten the mood somehow. "Ever heard the phrase: 'Once burned, twice shy.'?"

"Arnold?"

"Truth is he's been more and more upset with me lately and I think it has something to do with Lila. "

"Tell him you're sorry and be genuine just like you are with me." Sid scratched his head. "God, Arnold's an idiot. If he doesn't step up and see what's in front of him I'll have to make him realize what he's missing."

" Sid we-"

Sid put his finger to Helga's lips, cutting her off. His hands were so soft and so big. You know what they say about big hands? Helga definitely needed to just stop thinking, immediately.

Sid leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Shhhhh. When you're ready for a real man who can appreciate you for all you are you give me a call again. I can take VERY good care of you if let me Helga." He spoke not in his usual voice but in a low, husky voice. She could feel his body heat, feel his heart beat. Helga's face felt so hot right now, in fact her whole body was hot. That was single-handedly the sexiest thing anyone had ever said to her. Sid's brown eyes penetrated her own. Helga could feel his hot breath on her neck. Her heart was racing a hundred miles per minute. If Sid want her right now then... Oh God, what was he doing to her?

The next moment Sid got up and stretched, then yawned. He was now the same old, jokester Sid Helga always knew. "Now go apologize to Arnold. I have some work to get done."

When was the last time she had an interest in a guy other than Arnold? NEVER. Just breathe Helga, he's Sid the Kid, only far more sexier, sweeter, and perfect in every way. Her frustration had reached a new high as she remembered how Sid's deep voice sounded in her ear, how his touch felt far too good on her lips, how close he was to her, and how she would've liked for him to be even closer.

"Ugggggh!" Helga thought in her head. "Get a grip Pataki! You can't let him get your panties in a bunch."

"Some hideout you got here, Batman. The technology is positively mind-blowing," she snorted as she poked at a rusty file cabinet.

"Hey we like to keep it real! None of that fancy bullshit, we just do solid hands-on police work here. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Um," If that's not innuendo for something creepy, "Yes?"

"Good," Sid clapped his hands together and cleared off some things from his desk, "Anything else you need to tell me? No one got hurt right?"

Helga shook her head and sat on the desk across from him, "It's possible someone was."

She was shocked at how angry Sid became.

"Shit Helga! I better not hear that you've got yourself in trouble again!"

"It's not me who's in trouble! It's Phoebe! And you have to promise not to repeat anything I tell you! She doesn't want anyone to find out in case they come after her again."

"Again? What happened Helga?"

"Someone threatened Phoebe and mutilated her pet cat!"

"Shit. M*****. C***** s***** son of a ****** f**** f****."

Sid swore a string of curse words. If the situation wasn't so serious, Helga would've blushed at some of the more outrageous curses he used.

"So I take it from your reaction that you've heard of something like this before?" Helga asked.

Sid's eyes stared right into her own but didn't answer her question, "This isn't good. Let me guess someone's trying to silence Phoebe?"

"Yes! Phoebe didn't even want to tell me anything and I'm her best friend and we were alone in her basement! She was that frightened. How did you know?"

Sid merely shook his head, "I wish I didn't know..." His voice sounded far off.

"What is that supposed to mean? Does this have something to do with Rhonda?"

She was surprised when Sid suddenly got up and placed his hands were on either side of the desk she was sitting on. Helga was not a weakling, she was strong and tall for a girl but suddenly she felt very small and weak with Sid's much stronger, muscular body leaning over her.

"Do you really think I'm going to sit here and tell you classified information about an ongoing case Helga? Didn't I JUST tell you to stop trying to get involved! How many times do I have to tell you? What happened to Phoebe is exactly the type of shit I've been trying to warn you of. There are sick people out there and I don't want a thing like this happening to you next!"

He was so close to her that she could see into the dark pools of his brown eyes.

Helga gulped, "Um you can calm down Sid, I promise nothing will happen to me...I don't even have a cat, I swear."

A faint smirk threatened to appear on Sid's otherwise grave demeanour. "That's not even funny Helga. These people don't give a shit what it is: cat, rabbit, human. They'll kill anything you love if it keeps you quiet and in their control..." his voice became lower, "I wonder..."

"What?"

"I wonder what it is you hold dear that someone could use against you."

Helga felt her face flame red. "I don't know Sid. I don't really care about anything. Or anyone." she quickly added.

"I don't believe you. Everyone cares about something. You are not inhuman, everyone has weaknesses."

"Believe me," she stammered, "I can't even stand my family. I barely talk to them."

"Maybe not your family then..."

Helga couldn't stand the way Sid was looking at her eyes anymore, as if he was trying to read her soul. She pushed him away from her and slid off the desk, something she should've done a minute ago instead of letting him lean over her like that.

"Listen Sid, I don't see what this has to with anything. It's not me who was threatened!"

Sid shrugged his shoulders, "I can't help it. When you're a detective, you try to see how things might play out ahead of time. In case you were threatened."

"Well I'm not!" Helga crossed her arms.

"Dammit Helga. You will be, if you continue the way you're going. I know you haven't forgotten the case for a minute, you're too stubborn to listen to me. So you better think very hard of what they might come after, because you just might lose it if you continue."

Helga's heart was beating with a mixture of adrenaline and fear. Would they really come after her next? She didn't even know anything like Phoebe. And she didn't even have any pets or people close to her. Who would they try to target if they came after her?

She was about to ask Sid another question when she was interrupted by a nasally monotone voice behind her. Larry. Suddenly Helga was very reminded of another annoying breathe-down-your neck pest and she had to resist the urge to punch the guy.

"Sorry to interrupt," Larry said boredly and cleared his throat.

Sid winced as he moved away from Helga to face his colleague. "What do you want Larry? Couldn't you have just paged me?"

The older man shrugged, "It's actually the lady," he pointed at Helga, "I came to talk to."

"Me?" "Her?" Helga and Sid said at the same time.

"Yes, are you the owner of a pink 2009 Prius?" Larry said.

"Um, yeah? Why?"

"You're car has been towed away, lady." Larry said in a tone that showed he couldn't care less if her car had just been abducted by aliens.

"Are you freakin kidding me?!" Helga screeched. How was she supposed to get to work tomorrow? How was she supposed to get home?

Sid laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder before turning angrily to his colleague, "Larry please don't tell me you just let someone tow her car away?"

Larry barely blinked. "She was parked in a police-only spot, Officer Frank had no choice when he found a car parked in the reserved area."

Helga felt like punching Larry in the fat gut but decided against assaulting a police officer. Especially right in front of Sid. And in a police station.

"Great job, idiot. You could've just told Frank that she was my visitor!" Sid said and Helga felt glad he called Larry an idiot.

"She didn't fill out the correct forms, when she arrived. So she didn't have a visitor's pass or sticker," Larry said dryly.

Helga held her face in her hands and groaned. This day just couldn't get worse could it!

"What the hell am I going to do without a car?!"

"Don't worry about it," Sid said, "I'll drive you."

"What? In your cop car?"

Sid smiled, "I have another car besides a cop car, Helga."

Oh god.

A/N: What do you think of this chapter?