Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.

They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.

Title: "Blackmail toy"

In the last chapter of "Blackmail toy": By the time, Helga could finally see Arnold at the hospital, everyone in the waiting room knew about both of the teens. She had been in a complete panic, even at the verge of going insane, before she finally ran into his room – with the nurse's acceptance this time.

What had been supposed to be Arnold's confession, quickly turned into one of their usual small fights, which was interrupted, just as they had both been about to confess towards the end. In frustration, they both yelled that they were in love at each other, making Gerald and Phoebe shooing the rest of the gang out.

After speaking for some time, Helga fell asleep, before she could truly hear Arnold say those sweet words to her. She had already heard plenty though, and it didn't take a genius to know that they were finally together.

Author's 1st note: Whoo! This story's got a cover now! Thanks a lot to 106Eli! :D That doesn't mean you shouldn't try and draw something though, please just tell me so I can see it! xD I'll try and figure out a way to somehow advertise whatever anyone might draw based on this story. Though, for now, I can't think of anything else than making a folder in my favorites on DeviantArt called "Cover art for my FanFictions". Please give any suggestions to how I can promote the art people make based on this! :D

Chapter 38: "Are other things about to change too?"

"I am gonna have that Jake kid arrested!" Miles said angrily for about the seventh time. He, his wife and nephew were currently jogging through the hallway of Hillwood Hospital. "I don't think he can get arrested for something like that, dear." Stella said in a disappointed voice. "Oh, just watch me! I'm gonna make that kid regret he ever laid a hand on my boy!"

"This is it." Aaron declared, when they reached the right door. He went for the door handle and opened it gently. "Is he awake?" Miles asked gently, as Aaron peeked in. They could see his eyes go wide. He blinked for a couple of times, before he started smiling and almost snickering. "What's so funny?"

Aaron turned around to face his uncle and aunt. He laid his index finger against his mouth and then gestured for them to follow him. Stella and Miles looked worriedly at each other, before they slowly followed him. Aaron stopped near the middle of the room, exactly enough place for them to enter too.

Stella and Miles' eyes went wide at the sight. Their son was currently sleeping on the bed with none other than Helga Pataki laying in his arms, who was also sleeping peacefully. After getting over the shock, Stella lifted her hand to cover her mouth and the giggle threatening to get out. Miles just crossed his arms with an amused smirk on his lips. "Well, well, well, guess all it took for them to finally take the step was for him to get hurt."

"I think he's fine. Look at the way he's smiling!" Aaron declared, as his voice got a little high, since he was trying to seal his laughter as well. Since he and Stella had snickered at the same time, the sound had been loud enough for the two blondes to start stirring a little.

"Shhh." Miles begged, hoping to be able to look at his son in this happy moment for a bit longer. Stella and Aaron managed to conceal their laughter, as they watched Arnold and Helga snuggling closer against each other.

"Did I mention that Helga gave Arnold the biggest kiss I've ever seen during the game?" Aaron asked, knowing very well that he hadn't whatsoever. Stella and Miles turned to look at him in incredulity. "Really?!" Stella shrieked happily, but instantly covered her own mouth in shock.

They saw that Arnold's eyes were fluttering open a little. He didn't notice them though, since his face was turned against Helga's. His eyes opened a little more, and as he seemed to recognize the face next to him, he started to smile. Stella had to try very hard not to shriek at the image of Arnold gently laying his lips against Helga's forehead, earning a big smile from her in her sleep.

"That reminds me of a certain someone…" Stella declared and started smirking at her husband. "He's got it from his old man." Miles answered back and gave his wife a kiss on the forehead. "Ok, enough mushiness." Aaron declared and was obviously about to talk louder this time around.

"Wait!" Stella begged in a whisper and started walking towards the bed, as she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. "Stella…" Miles chastised, but couldn't help at laughing at the idea. With a small click of her phone, she walked back to the men behind her. "Aren't they just adorable?"

Miles and Aaron leaned forward to look at the picture and, indeed, it was pretty high on the cuteness scale. "Looks like you guys have the picture for the next Christmas card." Aaron observed with a small chuckle. Stella gasped in happiness and bounced a little at the thought.

"Honey, our son would kill us if we used that, and frankly, so would Helga." Miles pointed out, though he agreed with Aaron just as much as his wife did. "I think as long as you give Helga a Christmas card with that picture, then she won't mind." Aaron answered with a small smile, as he gazed at the picture. Congratulations, Helga, you finally got what you've always wanted.

Stella and Miles turned to look at each other. The odd smile on Aaron made them wonder what exactly had been going on in their son's life. However, they didn't worry long, because Aaron seemed genuinely happy on his cousin and Helga's behalf. Besides, he suddenly moved his hands up to his mouth and yelled. "Wake up, lovebirds!"

Helga gasped a little at the loud sound and opened her eyes instantly. Arnold's eyes on the other hand fluttered open slowly. "What in the holy world was that?" Helga wondered aloud, having obviously not noticed the presence of anyone else in the room besides herself and Arnold.

"Ow, my head…" Arnold muttered and started rubbing it a bit. Helga sat up a little and looked worriedly at him. "Does it hurt?" she asked. He nodded a bit. "Yeah… it's a splitting headache. I wonder why? It wasn't this bad before…"

"Oh, poor thing. Want me to kiss it away?" Helga asked with slight sarcasm. Arnold blushed a bit the idea and turned to look at her in a mix of disbelief and happiness. "Y-You're really blunt, huh?" he asked. She shrugged. "Haven't I always been? I don't see any point in changing that now… even if other things have." She answered and started leaning against his forehead.

Arnold closed his eyes, waiting for the kiss. "Yeah… not all things have to change…" he muttered happily as Helga's lips were just about to touch his forehead, until a loud cough made her freeze. They both blinked a couple of times in surprise. "Uh… was that you, football head?" she asked before she leaned back to look at him. "Uh-uh." He answered as he shook his head.

"Over here, turtledoves." Aaron answered as he waved mockingly. Helga and Arnold slowly turned their heads around. "Mom? Dad? Aaron?" Arnold asked slowly, as he tried to comprehend his situation. When he had, he gave a look of slight, childish annoyance. "Couldn't you have waited till she had kissed me?"

Helga's cheeks turned scarlet red at Arnold's sudden bluntness and she couldn't help but gently slap him on the chest in a reprimanding way. "Sh-Shut up." She muttered and went to swing her legs out of the bed, but the cover stopped her. She eyed it for a second and then turned around to look at Arnold in disbelief. "Care to explain this?"

"What do you mean?" Arnold asked innocently. "I" Helga lifted her finger up to point at herself. "didn't move the covers up around us." She pointed out teasingly, causing the boy in bed with her to blush a bit. "I-I didn't want us to get cold!"

"Oh, please! How could I possibly be cold with you hanging over me like that anyway?" Helga asked with an eyebrow quirked. Arnold rolled his eyes. "You were the one who snuggled up to me." He observed. As she was about to answer, she was interrupted by Aaron. "Oh, God, please don't tell me you're just gonna go back to your usual ways after all this?"

Helga and Arnold blinked a couple of times at the question, before then they just turned to smile at each other. "Hey, some things will never change. Ain't that right, football head?" Helga asked teasingly. Arnold smiled back at her. "Yeah… some things won't change."

"Man, I can practically smell the pheromones in the air." Aaron said and started to fan his hand mockingly close to his face. Arnold and Helga rolled their eyes, but their smiles never left their faces as they did so.

"Well, I should probably also go get the rest of the gang. We did sorta kick them out earlier." Helga answered and got out of the bed this time. "You kicked them out?" Miles asked with his eyebrows lifted. "Gerald and Phoebe were the ones to kick them out technically." Arnold explained. "They sorta… walked in at a bad time."

"Bad time being an understatement." Helga muttered as she straightened her clothes a little bit. Aaron looked back and forth between them for a bit. "Oh, God, don't tell me they literally caught you with your pants down?" he asked.

"Aaron!" Miles and Stella chastised, though the thought had honestly occurred to them for a second as well. "G-Get your mind of the gutter, you idiot! We're at a hospital!" Helga shouted as her heart beat at the pace of 100 miles per hour. "As if that would be all that less private than a rooftop." Aaron pointed out as he crossed his arms.

Helga blinked a couple of times and then turned to frown at Arnold, who turned his head around to look at her at the same time. "I-I didn't tell him anything!" he shrieked and waved his hands in panic. "Rooftop? What rooftop?" Miles asked in wonder and looked at Aaron. "Never mind!" both Helga and Arnold yelled in a frenzy.

"I-I'm going!" Helga announced and started walking away from the bed. "No, wait, Helga!" Arnold begged. "Don't worry, football head," she said and waved dismissively at him. "I'm just going out to get the others. They probably wanna see you too, you know?"

As Helga was about to past Aaron, she stopped and pointed warningly at him. "And you shut your trap!" she said and turned to take the door handle. She stopped short in the doorframe though. "You know what? I don't trust you." she declared, and then turned around to grab his collar. "You're coming with me."

"Oh, come on, I was just teasing my favorite Hillwood couple!" Aaron said childishly, as Helga pulled him out of the room. Their continuous banter could be heard as they walked through hallway, which caused Arnold to cock his head to the side a bit. How could I have been this blind? Aaron may have feelings for Helga, but I don't think it's the way he thinks he does… They almost looked like siblings for a moment. If Olga and Helga had a good relationship, I think this is what their relationship would be like.

Arnold couldn't help but smile at the thought. It would be good for Helga to get along with Aaron like this; she needed more people in her life, she could trust. It'd definitely be better than her starting to have a grudge against him. He frowned a little though, as he himself still hadn't forgiven Aaron for blackmailing Helga about… whatever that secret had been. I seriously have to ask her about that. Maybe she'd be willing to tell me now.

It wasn't until then that Arnold noticed the very amused smiles on his parents' faces. He leaned back a little bit, as if trying to protect himself from whatever questions they'd throw at him. "Ok, bring it on. Ask me."

"What was that about a kiss at the baseball game?" Stella asked happily. "And why exactly did you two fall asleep like that?" Miles asked, equally happily. "Did you finally tell her about your feelings? And did she do the same?" Stella asked, still very happily. Then Miles face showed death. "And where does that brat Jake live?"

"Uh… Helga kissed me out of happiness when we won; I kissed her back out of happiness that she had kissed me to begin with. We were talking on the bed, but we were both really tired after the game and she had been really worried about me. Yeah, we sorta actually yelled them at each other; that's why the gang's timing had been awful. And I haven't got a clue." Arnold replied to all of his parents' questions.

Miles growled at Arnold's last answer. "I'm still gonna have that brat arrested. To throw a baseball at my son!" he said angrily. "And just when I had been about to tell Helga that I love her too…" Arnold added in a mutter. Stella's eyes went wide. "You love her?"

Arnold blushed a little; his parents weren't supposed to have heard that, but he nodded nevertheless. "Oh, my boy is all grown up!" Stella shrieked happily and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I could've told the both of you that Arnold loves Helga." Miles simply said with an amused shook on his head.

"What?!" Miles' son and wife yelled in unison. He simply smiled at them and went to stand next to his wife. "When a Shortman falls in love, then it's forever." He answered and laid his arm over Stella's shoulders. She sighed happily and kissed his cheek.

Arnold couldn't help but smile at the sight. I wonder if that'll be me and Helga someday… He thought with a big smile appearing on his face. Stella and Miles turned to glance at their son as his eyes closed and he had obviously gone into his personal wonderland probably with Helga joining him in his mind.

"Oh, shut up, would ya'?!" Helga's voice boomed from outside the hallway. Arnold's eyes opened instantly as he heard a different voice, than the one he had just imagined, come out of Helga. Stella and Miles also blinked a couple of times, as they watched the door, waiting for it to open.

"Stop with the interrogation already! At least let me have Arnold next to me for backup, would you?!" Helga kept shouting and, finally, the door opened. "But, Helga, you gotta understand our curiosity!" Harold said in a whimpering voice. "Ugh!" she groaned and turned to look at Arnold. "Help me!"

"All right, you guys, we can answer your questions, but be polite about it." Arnold said with a smirk and shifted a little on the bed to sit up properly. Helga rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Not what I meant, but whatever." She started stomping a little over to him. "Fine." she said and plumped onto the bed. "Fire away."

"When did this happen?"

"Have you been secretly dating or something?"

"What's Aaron's role in all of this?"

"I thought you guys still hated each other's guts!"

"Was that even your first kiss?"

"But if not, then why did you look so surprised?"

"Shut up! One at a time, you buffoons!" Helga shouted to calm the gang down. "Try to also remember that Arnold had a baseball knocked into that football head of his. He's got a splitting headache. Would you mind being a little quiet?"

Arnold turned to glance at Helga, as he slowly started to smile in slight wonder. She glanced at him in the corner of her eye. "What are you smiling about?" she asked before she turned her whole head around to look at him. "You know what I'm smiling about." he answered with a smirk, which just earned him a gentle push at his shoulder by hers.

"This is so weird!" Sid declared in frustration. "You guys are just so oddly friendly all of a sudden." Stinky said as he scratched his head in confusion. "Well, we all knew you didn't hate each other as much as you once did, but… this is like watching a cat and a mouse in love and all."

"I'm hopefully the cat?" Helga asked with an eyebrow quirked. "Why, of course, Miss Helga." Stinky answered with a smile and a nod. "You really care about that now?" Arnold asked as he cocked an eyebrow. "Hey, someone's gotta remind you who's still the boss around here." She answered with a shrug, which just made him shake his head in amusement. "Whatever you say, Helga."

"Mind answering our questions?" Rhonda inquired as she put her hands on her hips. "Oh, right, what were they again?" Helga asked, and noticed how everyone was about to answer. "One at a time! Uh, Harold, you go first."

Harold gave a sly smirk, obviously happy about being the first one to ask his question. "I just wanna know when you guys started dating?" he asked as he crossed his arms. Arnold and Helga turned around to look at each other.

"Um… how long would you say, football head?" Helga asked. Arnold looked pensive. "What time is it?" he asked the group in front of him. "Around 7pm I'd say." Curly answered. "And when did you guys get here?" Helga asked. "6:30 maybe?" Nadine suggested with a shrug. Arnold and Helga then smiled at each other, before they answered in unison. "A half hour."

It took everyone in the room a couple of seconds, before their jaws dropped to the floor. "What?!" they all shouted in shock, except for Gerald, Phoebe, Stella, Miles and Aaron of course. Helga couldn't help but laugh at the shocked expressions on everyone's faces. "My God, I'd wish I had a camera right now!" she declared as she held her stomach.

"B-But you guys have been acting really weird for a long time!" Sheena pointed out, which they all nodded to in agreement. "How much is a long time?" Arnold asked, though he had a feeling about what the answer would be. "Well, ever since…" Curly was about to say, until they all turned to glance at Aaron. He frowned at their stares. "Hey, I've got nothing to do with it."

Helga couldn't help but snort, which Arnold chuckled at. They concealed their laughter instantly though, since they truly weren't interested in being questioned about Aaron's role in all of this. "Yeah, what part do you play in all of this?" Curly asked with a skeptical look.

"Uh, I-I think we're all forgetting what we actually came here for." Phoebe pointed out sweetly, gaining the attention from anyone in the room. "W-We're all ever so curious about Helga and Arnold's new relationship, right? What does Aaron have to do with that?" Lila asked to help Phoebe.

Arnold and Helga couldn't help but smile at each other. Thanks, girls… Helga thought, knowing that they changed the subject because of the former blackmailing. "Yeah! Who cares about Aaron?" Gerald asked, somewhat catching onto why at least Arnold wouldn't want Aaron in the conversation. "I'd also rather know when all this…" Rhonda said and gestured around the two blondes. "well, started?"

Helga frowned a little. "What do you mean 'started', princess?" she asked. "Like, I know you just started dating, but you've been flirting a little here and there, and then there was the whole slap thing and the locker thing. I mean, were you guys seriously not dating before this?" Rhonda asked.

Both Arnold and Helga blushed at the mentioning of the locker incident. "Uh… th-that was honestly all innocent. Uh… I had to wear that skirt, because my mom suddenly went all, well, motherly and decided to wash all of my fucking clothes, so I wore one of…" Helga started to explain, but then she noticed Aaron frowning at her.

Helga rolled her eyes. "You know what? Fuck it! I liked the skirt and I wanted to try something new, but then every single fucking male in the whole school started to hit on, whistle or even cat call at me! So, yeah, I went to hide, when the football head got in the way and that's… how we ended up in the locker." She finished compulsively.

"That's it? Oh, I had hoped for something juicier." Rhonda said with a small pout. "But what about the slap?" Nadine asked. "Yeah, what was that?" Sheena inquired. Helga and Arnold frowned a little at that question, and then turned to look at each other. "Wait… why did you do that?" Arnold asked. "You never really told me."

"And why did you do what you did before I even slapped you?" Helga asked with a similar frown. "Well, I thought, hoped, that you were jealous of whoever had written… that… poem…" Arnold's voice had slowly turned into a whisper, as the truth suddenly dawned on him and he started to whisper at her. "That was your poem!"

"Yes, it was mine, you moron! Didn't you know that?!"

"No! If I had known, then I would have continued to love it!"

"You didn't love it enough to not throw it out!"

"That was because you convinced me it was someone else who wrote that to me, besides you! If it wasn't you who wrote it, then why would I care about it?!" Arnold asked angrily, forgetting that there were any other people in the room.

Helga's eyes went wide at those words. "You mean… you were hoping it was from me and I kinda…" she stopped talking, but that didn't stop Arnold from finished her question. "You kinda convinced me that it wasn't, and so I threw it out. Stupid! Why would you talk so badly about something you made?"

"I panicked, ok! It's what I do. I panicked back when you found that little, pink book too!"

"But… that was different! Why would you, deliberately, put that note in my locker, and then freak out later?"

"I didn't want to give you that note! It wasn't my choice."

"How could it not have been…" Arnold said, but then frowned as he remembered something. "Wait… you mean… because of - - "

"Uh-huh!" Helga interrupted with a heavy nod. Arnold's confused face slowly turned into a frown, which then turned into a scowl. "Why would he make you do that?" he asked in a whisper. "I don't know; ask him that!" she answered with a small frown.

"Uh, guys?" Gerald inquired with a slightly annoyed face. Arnold and Helga turned to look at him. "Could you either update us about what the hell you're talking about, or have your fight later maybe?"

"We're not fighting." Arnold and Helga answered in unison and looked slightly annoyed at each other. "You guys are gonna be one of those couple, who quarrel all the time, and yet finish each other's sentences or something like that, aren't ya?" Stinky asked with a laugh, earning a few laughs from his peers.

Arnold and Helga blushed a little at the thought, both thinking that it was probably true. "Yeah, some things won't change… but, uh… the big difference here is that I'm not even mad at him, even if we did have a small discussion." Helga answered and shifted on the bed to look at the others again. "Me too." Arnold added with a smile, earning a smile from her too.

"Ugh, enough mushiness!" Sid declared, making the others laugh and some even nod in agreement. "Yeah, it's making me sick! Ya' know what? Forget it! I'll see you guys tomorrow. Good to see you're ok, Arnold." Harold said and followed Sid as they were on their way out. "Yeah, I'll have to agree. It's a little late and we have school tomorrow. See you, lovebirds." Curly said as with a playful laugh following.

"Oh, no, you won't." Helga declared with a stony face. They all looked at her in confusion. "Arnold is not going anywhere. The nurse said something about a small concussion. He's staying home from school tomorrow." She explained.

"Oh, Helga…" Arnold said with a childish voice. "Heck no! I don't want to risk your small concussion turning into a big one. Besides, you have good grades; you can afford to miss one day." Helga answered and stood up from the bed.

"Helga, I feel fine! It's not even an actual concussion. It's just a bit of a headache." Arnold said, hoping for Helga to let him go to school, since… well, he wanted to experience that first day after starting to date her. He couldn't wait until Monday to do that!

"Oh, you feel fine, huh?" Helga asked with a smug smile and leaned forward a little. She then lifted her hand to the back of Arnold's head and flicked her middle finger against the bump on it. "Ow!" he exclaimed and his hand went involuntarily to the area and started rubbing on it.

"I feel fine, my ass." Helga mocked and rolled her eyes, before she went towards his parents. "Make sure he stays home, please?" she begged. "Got it, Helga." They answered in unison with big smiles on their faces. It was, after all, not often, anyone saw the more worried and caring side of her.

"Oh, come on!" Arnold whined while his peers laughed at the scene going on in front of them. Helga lifted an accusing finger. "Don't make me come over there." She said warningly. He pouted a little as he leaned back on his pillow. "Yes, ma'am." He answered cockily.

Helga was satisfied though; no way in hell would she let Arnold go to school in that condition, and the best part was, that she knew if it had been her with the concussion… then he would have said the same thing to her. The mere thought made her feel like bouncing on the inside.

"Ok, now we seriously have to get out!" Nadine said teasingly as she started pushing at Sid and Harold, who was still standing in the doorframe. "Yeah!" Rhonda agreed and started pushing herself, as she grabbed Lila's hand. "All this sweetness will give me cavities!"

Lila giggled at the comment, which Helga just rolled her eyes at though. "I think it's just ever so adorable, Rhonda, but I will leave now too. See you on Monday, Arnold. See you tomorrow, Helga, Aaron." Lila answered and followed some of the peers out of the room. "I'll text you later, Arnold." Gerald said with a wink and followed the rest of the peers. "I hope you'll feel better soon. See you tomorrow, Helga." Phoebe said, as she was the last one to leave.

"See you, football head." Helga said and waved a bit as she walked out and closed the door behind her. Arnold frowned a little. Well… I guess since my parents and even Aaron are here, then the goodbye is bound to be a little less - -

"Oh, almost forgot." Helga suddenly said, as she opened the door again. Arnold looked at her in confusion as she strode her way over to him. She bend down in front of him, just mere inches from his face, which caused him to blush a little. "Feel better soon." She whispered lovingly and laid her lips touch his forehead gently. It was the kiss she had been about to give him before his parents and Aaron had walked in and disturbed them, he knew that, and somehow… that just made it all better.

When Helga removed her lips, she started to giggle at the lovesick look on Arnold's face. He didn't even look like there was a brain inside that wide skull of his anymore. "I'll… be leaving him in your hands now, ok?" she said to his family, trying to conceal that giggle on her lips and then bounced a little as she seriously walked out of the room this time.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Aaron turned to face Arnold. He lifted his arm high above his head, and then pulled it down quickly, as he made a windy sound with his mouth. Arnold rolled his eyes. "I don't mind being whipped if it's by her." He answered to Aaron's taunt and leaned back against the pillow again with a happy sigh.

"That also reminds me of someone." Stella whispered into Miles' ear and kissed him gently at the flesh just in front of it. He sighed happily, almost sounding exactly like Arnold and pulled her a little closer into his grasp.

Helga walked at a rather normal pace through the hallway. She smiled with content, trying to hide that obvious toothy smile which threatened to appear on her face. As soon as she got outside, she simply stopped and enjoyed the breeze taking ahold of her hair and clothes.

"I'm in love with you!"

When Arnold's words went through Helga's head again, she giggled loudly and jumped up into the air. "I did it! I really did it! Arnold's in love with me! He really is!" she kept shrieking as she bounced, feeling as if she was walking on a pink cloud. "Oh, God, I'm gonna be writing poems all night, aren't I?"

"Helga!"

"Huh?" she muttered in confusion and turned around to look at the voice, as she stopped her jumping. In the slight darkness, she could recognize her dad's car and her mom sticking her head out of the window. "Miriam? Bob? What are you doing here?"

"Helga!" Miriam simply called again with worry in her voice, as the car stopped. "We've been so worried, girl!" Bob said as he got out of the car. "Huh?" Helga muttered again and almost backed away in fear, when Miriam also got out of the car and the both of them wrapped their arms around her. "What are you talking about?"

"Are you all right, sweetheart? Come on, let me see you." Miriam inquired and started to roam her hand around Helga's face as if she was looking for something. "M-Miriam, what are… Stop that!" she ordered and threw herself away from them. "What's wrong with you two?"

Miriam and Bob kept looking at Helga with something resembling fear. "S-Some boy came to our house and told us that you had been at a baseball
game and was now on your way to the hospital!" Bob explained as he went to grab her shoulder again.

"What?!" Helga shrieked in surprise. "Yes, sweety. We've been worried sick ever since we got that call! Are you all right? What happened to you?" Miriam asked as she was about to start checking her daughter for any sorts of scars again.

"Stop touching me!" Helga ordered angrily and jumped back yet again, this time hitting her back against a pole. "Ow!" she exclaimed, as she felt the pain from having been leaning against the armrest earlier. I guess leaning against it like that did leave a small bruise or something. She thought as she tried to shake the pain off.

"Oh, dear… she won't even let us touch her." Miriam said with a faintly sobbing sound. "It's our own fault, Miriam." Bob answered with a frown. Helga frowned too, but not in the same way. "Ok, that's it. Time for some explaining to do. What in the world is up with you two?"

"Please, girl, can we…" Bob started to speak and then dared to take a couple of steps closer to Helga. She frowned a little, and was even about to shake his hand off when he laid it gently against her shoulder. "Can we please just go home? Your mom and I want to talk about something."

Helga kept frowning and turned to look at her mother, who simply nodded with hope. "Uh… sure. I was going home anyway." She answered, stepped to the side to get out of the odd, friendly grasp of her father's hand and went towards the car. She could hear her parents sigh happily behind her, which somehow gave her goose bumps.

"Oh, let me get that, sweety." Miriam said, as she ran up next to Helga and opened the car door for her. Helga almost fainted at this point. Her mom… opened the door for her? Why? She hadn't even done that when she was a child! "Ok, you guys are seriously starting to freak me out." She muttered as she climbed inside.

"We'll explain everything when we get home." Miriam said gently before she closed the door. "Yeah, you'd better…" Helga muttered, as she pulled on her seatbelt. What in the world is going on with my parents? I've never seen them so worried before… Are other things about to change too?

Author's 2nd note: Don't know what to say, except… uh, bet you didn't see that last part coming? xD