Thanks for the reviews. I already liked that people had the same clear cut statement about Olga in the last chapter.

Tension filled the air. It was a tension that Helga was far too familiar with that got heavier as the minutes drifted past. After Olga left with Bob that is when the ticking began. She had a feeling Olga would bring something up. Bob would deny it all. Olga would accept. Bob would come home in a terrible rage and she would pay the price. So why was she here still instead of vanishing into thin air?

Fear also is a dead weight.

It feels like someone came up to you to wrap the heaviest ropes around you, encased your feet in concrete, and tossed you into the water where you will eventually drown.

Helga laid there in wait as her mind drifted into those thoughts till she let out a shocked yelp at the sudden ring of her phone. The number didn't belong to anyone she knew and she wasn't about to answer it till she heard her mother's voice beckoning her to do so. She obeyed.

"H-hello?"

"Yes, hello. Is this Helga G. Pataki? Miriam Pataki's daughter?" Came a males voice over the line.

"Yes and what do you want?" Helga was on edge with her voice reflecting it even if her mother's voice once again came to tell her to calm.

"I am your mother's attorney. My name is Frank G. Welkner and we have been working on her case. Your case for more than a year." He informed her calmly.

Sitting up she started to blink. "A divorce case?"

"Not exactly. Look I am deeply sorry for your loss. Your mother was a very pleasant woman and she wanted the best for you."

Helga heard the concern. The sincerity from him. She knew her mom was sneaking off. The pictures! "Thank you."

"Ms. Pataki, could you come to my office so we can discuss this today? It is very important." Frank had urgency in his voice.

Before she could reply Helga heard the Hummer pull up and her father slamming the car door. Fear registered in her voice. "I c-c-can't. M-my dad." Helga knew Olga spoke to him about what she said after the burial.

"Ms. Pataki are you alright?" Concern now in Frank's voice.

The front door slammed. "HELGA GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE NOW OR I'LL DRAG YOU DOWN!"

Helga saw the walls in her room rattling. She heard her mom's voice in the back of her head making her to do something towards a complete stranger. "Help me." She whispered before hanging up as she shakily stood up to leave her room.

Walking down the stairs to his angry expression was already too much. It made her shrink down. It made her bones crumble. Will she be seeing her mom soon in heaven or will she end up in hell? As soon as she was at the bottom step she received the hugest slap across her face that made her stumble to the other wall before another slap was issued.

"You dare speak to Olga about us? To spread lies." Bob raged as he slapped her again. "You are nothing. You are dead to me."

Helga felt herself crawling backwards away from him into the living room. Her eyes stung making her wonder if she was cut. "I didn't lie." She will still fight in one way or another even in her weakness.

Bob was on top of her punching her in the stomach. "You will be taught a lesson."

Feeling his hands around her neck, Helga tried to pull him off of her, but the strength was far too much even as she kicked and grunted. Even as darkness started to greet her she prayed for a miracle to happen.

"Now what?" Came Bob's frustrated voice as he stood up. "You stay there and shut up."

In her blurred vision Helga saw him answering the door and speak as if nothing occurred. She rubbed her neck and tried to listen. Focus till the other voice was familiar. It was that Frank person.

"No she isn't here right now. What did the girl do now?" Bob inquired in his irritated tone.

Helga found her miracle as she got up to rush over to see a man in his 30's standing there in a suit with a couple of officers behind him. The expression on their faces showed their shock at seeing her especially how the guy in the suit, the one she assumed to be Frank, rushed past Bob amid his protests to study her with so much concern.

"Did this just happen to you?" Frank asked with fear marked in his eyes.

Helga's tears made themselves known. "Yes."

"Hey you get out of my house and away from my daughter!" Bob demanded coming closer but the cops stopped him. "Hey! I didn't invite you in."

"I am. I'm inviting them in." Helga said with defiance.

Frank turned to regard Bob with disgust in his face. "Your wife has been providing me evidence in order to prove to me of your abusive nature so her daughter can be emancipated from the likes of you. After seeing the latest photos of her I have brought our finest here to formally charge you with abuse and neglect."

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT! I have every right in the world to treat her that way. She's my daughter." Bob bellowed.

"When a parent treats their kids the way you do it shows that you aren't a parent at all. Officers take him away." Frank said with authority.

Yelling out, Bob got out of the officers grip to come charging towards Helga by knocking Frank out of the way. Helga started screaming as she ran away from him just to hear the screams of pain from someone else. Turning she spotted Bob writhing around on the ground from being tazed. This almost made her laugh. Watching the cops handcuff him and read him his rights after she said she would like to press charges, Frank came up to her to talk.

"There is a lot a things to go over before you go on to the next step." Frank informed her with a slight smile. "But first, will you be alright?"

"I know you will want me checked out." He nodded. "That's fine. Let us do that and then we can speak."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Arnold was in the living room with his grandparents watching t.v mindlessly with his mind still on one person. He appreciated his grandmother telling him that things will change for the better for Helga, but he still had fear knowing she was now just living with her father. He kept thinking of solutions for her when he felt his leg get nudged by his grandma. Looking at her, she pointed towards the doorway to reveal a bruised up Helga standing there. Standing up, Arnold went up to her to hug her.

"Hey." She spoke weakly. "Let me sit."

Pulling back from her, Arnold helped her onto the couch. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Ask Frank too, but yes." Helga replied.

"Frank?" Arnold inquired.

"Good Afternoon. My name is Frank Welker. I was Miriam's attorney and now Helga's." Frank told them pleasantly as he entered into the room. "I think with Helga's permission I should speak since her doctor informed her to rest her vocal cords till she's better."

"Yes, please. Would you care for a refreshment, Mr Welker?" Gertie inquired. "Also please have a seat."

"Yes to both and thank you." Frank answered nicely.

"So this is the place you want to live, correct?" Frank asked Helga in which she nodded. "Excellent." Pulling out some paperwork he started to fill it out. "Miriam already told me that you've been happier since meeting up with Arnold here." Looks to Arnold. "She called you a gentleman."

Arnold blushed. "Helga is a great friend to us all and already a part of a family."

"I gave her a key here and everything and she already has a room just for her." Phil chimed in happily. "I just have another rule girly. You call me grandpa for now on."

Helga laughed and nodded her head agreeing to it.

"I always have tea with Eleanor here." Gertie announced giving tea to Frank and hot tea to Helga. "She is a fine lady."

"Eleanor?"

Arnold answered for his grandma. "It is a high compliment for her. I'm usually called Kimba or Mr President."

Frank smiled. "My grandmother called me interesting nicknames that I never minded." Clearing his throat he knew he had to continue. "As of yesterday Robert Pataki has been taken into custody for abusing his daughter along with his wife. Miriam has been doing this in secret for some time now and due to the fact of them constantly moving it delayed this case more and more. After my brief phone call with Helga here yesterday pleading to help her, I am glad I arrived there in time with the cops to stop anything more dreadful from happening."

Helga felt Arnold's hand on hers giving it a friendly squeeze.

"I'm so sorry you've gone through so much in your life as I was with Miriam, Helga." Frank eyed this strong young woman in front of him. "Your mother loved you so much and wants to best for you and that is why you have been granted your emancipation. I can see by their faces Helga that they are happy."

"We'll see that she'll stay happy. It is what the Queen deserves." Gertie proclaimed proudly.

Helga snickered loving the compliment as she blushed deeply.

"There isn't anything no one needs to sign here I am just here to see where she will be living and to talk to you since she can't right now. Also..." Going into his briefcase he pulled an envelope out for Helga. "Your mother wanted you to read this. Also there was a will that names you her sole beneficiary."

"Olga not included?" Helga was shocked.

"No. It is more than enough for college and she set the account up already for you." Pulling out a separate sheet, Helga took it covering her mouth up. "Miriam believes in you." Frank told her with a smile happy to see the girl at least looking less frightened by the second.

Helga's tears were in between two states as she leaned against Arnold letting him wrap his arm around her shoulder for comfort.

Standing up, Frank went up to her. "I'll leave you now, but if you have any questions, Helga please don't hesitate to ask."

Getting up, Helga shook his hand. "Thanks."

"Have a good day folks." Frank waved good bye to everyone leaving them alone.

"Hot diggity! You're free of big old bad Pataki." Phil cheered out grabbing her arms only letting go when she cringed. "Oh sorry. He must of hurt you pretty bad." Helga nodded her head.

"We need to get your stuff from the house don't we? Arnold asked her to which she nodded again. "Come on then."

Going back to her old house, Helga saw the destruction that Bob actually created in what he did when he went on the attack she just leaned against Arnold for support as he quietly led her upstairs where she went to her bedroom and to the closet where all her boxes were.

Seeing the mostly packed boxes, Arnold gave a low whistle. "That makes some of this easy. Show me which ones are ready to take downstairs and I will." She did by basically pushing them aside as she went to remake some boxes to stuff the remaining stuff inside. "You love your books." He commented coming back up.

Helga smirked at the comment as she was putting her clothes in a box almost too quickly. Arnold dismantled her bed asking if she had any other bedding to bring to which she just shook her head. She didn't have much to do and before they can bring the stuff inside the back of his truck. When Arnold came up to see her sitting on her now naked mattress she had the letter open as tears were pouring down. He had two feelings seeing that. He didn't know to just let her have her privacy or put his arm around her. He opted for his arm as he sat down next to her in which she wrapped herself around him crying. Arnold could tell she was trying not to strain her throat, but he knew it was in vain.

"Oh Helga." He said in her ear in the lowest of whispers.

Pulling away from him she kissed his cheek and handed him the letter to read. It was a sign of trust as she walked out of the room so Helga can go to her parents room according to her mom's wish.

My dearest Helga,

I'm not as talented as you when it comes to writing so please be patient with me. I know if you are reading this it means my time has come and I certainly hope that my gift to you was sooner rather than later in freeing you from this family. For so long I have endured Bob's never ending torment, but when I saw how much harder he was taking it out on you I did hide behind the bottle more out of fear from his threats. He didn't mind me drinking since he gave him a wife that obeyed him more. I know he took more out on you for various reasons that sickened me. Worst of all he couldn't take how strong you were. How willing you are to fight back.

Me, I gave up for a long time until my youngest teenage daughter came up to me pleading to me to stop drinking. Telling me how I'm much better than this. How much you needed me. I remember you kissing my forehead and telling me you love me. All this with a bloody lip from what Bob did to you. I'm sorry I was an awful mother for allowing that to happen. I'm sorry for not being truthful about my health condition either after when I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Bob knew. Bob said I'd get over it. I wouldn't.

I started sneaking out over a year ago to work on getting you emancipated. I looked it up online and thought with a head strong daughter who is incredibly intelligent and talented, you will make it out there in this world. I also set up an account for you to use for the college of your choice. It was a process due to the moving and the sneaking around so Bob didn't catch wind of it. I only had to stop for a while because of suspicions, but when he became busy I was back out there meeting up with attorneys till finally I met Frank Welker. For an attorney he was extremely compassionate and offered to help you out in the future.

I know Olga will be a handful once Bob ends up in jail and I know he will be since Frank stressed about getting a lot evidence against your father. Frank will try to handle your sister until you feel ready to do it yourself. For right now I want you to go into my bedroom and find my heirloom bracelet. I want you to keep it since I intended on you having it whenever you got married.

For now I must part from you, my sweet daughter, but I wish to tell you that you have the biggest heart that I know. You are creative, witty, beautiful in every single way, and you will accomplish everything in life that you set your sights on. I have nothing to worry about with you because you have this inner strength that even I looked up to. I will hug you again my darling girl.

I love you with all my heart,

Miriam Johnson-Pataki

"She may say she isn't the greatest writer but she still managed to make a grown teenage boy cry." Helga pointed out from the door.

Standing up, Arnold wiped the tears from his eyes as he crossed over to her to give her the letter. "She is right about you though."

"Quiet Football Head and let's get out of here." Taking a final look in the room for anything she might need, Helga shut the door. "I get to finally go to an actual home."

"I hope you are happy there, Swan."

At the bottom of the steps they started hauling out all the boxes to the truck before she headed to her final destination for some time. At least she hoped.

I believe Phil said it best when he celebrated about Bob going to jail.