Arnold and Gerald sat at a table, a pizza between them. Arnold hadn't even touched it. Sid, Harold and Stinky were sitting at a booth across from them.

"I just don't get it," he said. "If Steven was so bad to her, why did she . . . why did she, you know, fall in love with him, or whatever?"

"I'm sure she had her reasons, man" he said, biting into another piece.

"Like what?" he demanded.

"What was it like when you were there?" he asked.

"Cut off," he told her. "He actually disconnected the phone line. And there was only one in the whole house, and that was in his office."

"What else?" he asked.

"Well, all the rooms were locked, even the one to her sistser's room," he told him. "And even the attic was locked. But Helga found the keys and we went up there."

"You spent time on your phone, though" he pointed out. Arnold nodded. "Okay, so if you hadn't had that phone, there was no phone line, and no way to access the internet . . . who would you have talked to?"

"Helga," he said, like she was stupid. "She was the only other person the-"

"You had that for twenty four hours?" he asked. Arnold gulped and nodded. "Okay, now stretch that out to over twelve months. The main person you are with is Helga. And say . . . I . . . was also with you, but never there, and whenever you needed something, you had to turn to Helga. There was no one else."

Thoughts were tumbling through his head. "But she had access to a car."

"Didn't you say she had bars on her bedroom windows?" Gerald asked.

"They put bars on it to keep her in," he told her.

"Why?"

"Because she tried to . . . run . . . away . . ." he stammered.

"And that was without stealing a car," Gerald pointed out. "Imagine what they would have done if she had? Not to mention the police would have been all over her, too. They would have had even more reason to restrict her. If they confined her to her room without stealing a car, where would they have put her if she had? A cell in the basement?"

"I . . . hadn't-"

"Look, I'm not a fan of Helga, never have been, and never will be, but man, come on," he said. Arnold couldn't believe Gerald was pleading a case for Helga. Gerald couldn't believe it either. He was going to need a shower after this! "She had only one person she could turn to. Her sister was acting the bitch to her-"

"To keep her from getting comfortable," Arnold pointed out.

"Still, Helga didn't know that, did she? So she couldn't go to her sister, the other people in the house were employees slash serial killers-"

"Well, Colin was," Arnold corrected him.

"Yeah, but the other one dragged a body through a maze," Gerald said, leaning forward and widening his eyes. "A body! You can't even make this shit up, man. This will go down as the ultimate Urban Legend."

"Your point?" Arnold asked.

"Point? Oh, yeah, so your on a desert Island-"

"We're on an Island now?"

"You know what? Shut up. Look, he was all she had. He was kind, he took her places, he was her one source of freedom," Gerald said. "I mean, we're talking about Helga G. Pataki man. She even latched onto Lila for friendship. Lila. She hates Lila!"

"I guess," he said.

"Well, I know, so," he continued, "He was also handsome, smart, rich, older, and you know chicks dig older, rich guys. And here he is, paying her attention, something she never had at home right? Or from any of us because we know she could kick our butts. It's no wonder she fell in love with the guy."

"Shit, I'm falling in love with him!" Sid said suddenly. Arnold looked over to see that the three boys had been listening, and that other kids from school in the other booths were hanging over listening, too.

"Hell yeah!" Rhonda shouted. "A rich, gorgeous, sugar daddy . . . it'd be worth the confinement, and I bet he was spectacular in bed!"

Arnold's eyes narrowed dangerously, and everyone went silent for a moment.

"Oh, Arnold, I'm so-"

"Forget it, I get it, he was soooo fucking wonderful, and soooo fucking rich, and soooo fu-"

"Relax, man," Gerald said, getting up and putting a hand on his friends shoulder. "Look, he was a creep at the end of the day. But you have to put yourself in Helga's shoes. He wasn't just her brother in law. He was her saivor. In some ways, he was all she had."

"She had me!" he yelled, tears blurring his vision.

"Not all the time," Stinky said. "Just once a week for a month, wasn't it? Before that, you guys weren't communicating at all."

Why was everyone defending Helga!? he shouted out in his head. None of them even liked her! And until all this came about no one bothered to talk about her, or ask about her or anything!

None of them.

Not even him.

. . .

Helga was glad to be getting out of here before her eighteenth birthday. Two months in a nut house was more than enough for her. Dr. Bliss waited patiently for her to get her stuff together, and then drove her to Arnold's place.

"Your inheritence is being fast tracked," she told her. "Until then, you'll be receiving a small amount each week from Steven's estate."

"I don't want anything from Steven's estate," she said, though she didn't mean it. Her heart hurt when she thought about him. She couldn't help it. Was he okay alone there? Mentally she shook her head. Why would she think of him? After what he did? But what did he do? She was still so confused.

"Nevertheless, that is what he set up himself, and you should take it," she said. "It's the least he can do."

Helga said nothing, just continued to watch the buildings go by. Hillwood hadn't changed much in the year and a n=bit she had been gone. But then, it hadn't changed much since when she was a kid. What difference would one year make? When they pulled up to the Boarding House, it was just as Arnold was going in. He stopped and looked back at them. Helga looked away, feeling ashamed of herself.

"Do I have to stay here?" she asked.

"A couple of weeks, Dr. Bliss told her. "Once your eighteen you can do what you like. You'll have your money. But you really should get enrolled in school again, Helga. You need to graduate, and at the current rate-"

"I'll be fine," she told her.

"Helga-"

"I said I'd be fine!" she yelled, getting out of the car and slamming the door. Dr. Bliss sat back, frowning. She was so worried about her. She sighed, popping open the back door of the car so Helga could get her bag out. Arnold came down the stairs slowly, and Dr. Bliss could just hear them talking quietly.

"Do you need any help?" she heard Arnold asked.

"You have no idea," Helga snapped back at him, before slamming down the back door. Dr. Bliss got out as Helga stormed up the stairs then stood there, waiting as Arnold took the steps two at a time and opened the door and they went in.

Once in Arnold showed Helga to the room she would be staying in. Helga went in without a word and threw her bag on the floor and herself on the bed. Arnold stood there for a minute looking in at her, before making his way up to his own room.

Once there he laid on his back on his bed, watching the clouds drift overhead. From the looks of them, it was going to snow again, soon. He sighed, rolling onto his side and falling asleep.

. . .

When he awoke it was dark, and he needed the toilet. And he was hungry. Stretching he made his way down to the hallway and almost yelled from fright. Helga was standing at the top of the stairs looking down. She had a look of horror on her face, and Arnold slowly came up behind her, his heart thumping. What had her staring down the stairs so scared? He gulped them looked over her shoulder.

Nothing.

He frowned and looked at her. She was still looking down at the bottom of the stairs. What was she seeing that he couldn't? It was creeping him out, so he touched her hand and she turned and stared at him blankly.

"I need to get out," she said, before starting down the stairs. "I need to run. Olga says."

Arnold watched her go, freaking out and feeling like he wanted to scream. This was scary. He followed her down the steps, and watched as she got to the front door and pulled it. It didn't open, because it was locked. He came up behind her and saw she was starting to panic. "I can't get out!"

"Shhh," he said, pulling her away from the door. "You'll wake up the other boarders. Come on, I'll help you back to your room."

She didn't seem to hear him though. But she did let him lead her back to her room, where she sat on her bed, staring at the door.

"Helga, do you want a drink or something?" he asked. She looked at him and smiled, before throwing her arms around him.

"Oh Arnold, I missed you so much," she whispered in his ear, before pulling back and kissing him. "please don't leave me here again, please, please."

He had to pull back from her kissing his face, holding her at arms length.

"Don't you love me anymore?" she asked. "I love you. Only you."

Arnold didn't know what to do, she was clearly in some dream state. He froze when she did.

"Is he here? Is Steven here? Or Olga?" she asked, looking around.

Arnold got up and backed out of the room, but she didn't seem to notice. He closed the door and went downstairs. Times like these he wished he could drink something stiffer than milk or water. When he was finished and going back to his room he looked in on Helga quickly. She was on her back, sheets on the floor, asleep. He went in and pulled the covers over her so she wouldn't freeze, then went back to his room. It took him almost an hour before he fell asleep again.

. . .

The next day Arnold knocked on Helga's bedroom door and entered when she called for him to come in. "Hey."

"Hey," she said, not looking at him and continuing to stare up at the ceiling.

"So, how are you this morning?" he asked, wondering if she had been sleepwalking last night.

"I woke up feeling like going for a swim," she said. "But I can't."

"Well, I'm going to the movies with some friends," he told her. "Would you like to come along?"

Helga shook her head.

"So, what? You're just going to sit in your room all day?" he asked grumpily. Helga nodded. "Whatever, have fun."

He stormed down the stairs, and out the door, throwing on his coat.

. . .

Helga listened to him go, before rolling onto her stomach and picking up a book she had started reading. Some stupid romance novel she had been lent by Suzie. It was about a rich guy sexually dominating a young woman . . . it made her think of Steven and she once again threw it at the wall, and broke into tears. This is ridiculous. I need fresh air!

So she dressed up warm and went down to sit on the stood and watch people go by. She looked and saw children having snowball fights with each other in the snow. Helga smiled listening to them laugh and yell and the girls squeal. She never squealed as a girl. Unless she saw rats! She had never realised just how moisy the area was. Probably because she had been part of the noise. Looking right she saw a familiar petite girl walking her way. Her jet black hair was still worn short, but her glasses had changed a bit. When she got closer, Helga recognized her Japanese heritage in her features. The girl saw her and stopped. For a moment they just tared at each other, before the other girl moved forward tentatively.

"Helga?" she asked, as if not seeming to believe what she was seeing.

"In the flesh, Pheebs," she replied, smiling.

"Oh my God!" she cried, coming forward and hugging Helga tightly. Helga wrapped her arms around Phoebe as well and started to cry. She had needed her sensible friend so much over the past year, not even realizing til that moment just how much. They pulled back and Helga saw tears in Phoebe's eyes, too. "You never wrote back. Is it true you were kept enslaved by your sister and her husband? Oh, Helga, you should hear the rumors going around!"

"I'll bet," she said with a shaky laugh, wiping her eyes. "What's the most outrageous you've heard?"

"That your sister and brother-in-law were keeping you captive to give them babies!" she told her, eyes wide.

"Well, that wasn't too far off, I suppose, but Olga didn't have anything to do with that . . . " Helga trailed off. Phoebe gasped. "Got a few hours?"

"For you I have a few days!" Phoebe shouted, throwing her arms around her again. "I'm sorry I was such a bitch Helga. And over stupid numbers!"

"We all get stupid over stupid things, no biggie."

. . .

It took time and coaxing, but Phoebe was finally able to get Helga to go somewhere public. She could see the difference in her old friend. Where once Helga would have walked this street daring anyone to so much as look at her funny, now she walked with her head slightly bowed, quiet and shy. Must be a side effect from such isolation, Phoebe thought. Helga was not the wallflower type, so being kept away from other people for so long must have had a devastating impact.

Not to mention the idea that Steven could be out there, though Phoebe got the feeling that didn't really bother Helga too much. It was strange listening to Helga talk about Steven. She didn't seem angry at him, or even scared. If anything she sounded worried for him. Stolkholm Syndrome? Phoebe asked herself. If Helga came across Steven in the street, what would she do? Would she go to him or away from him? The idea worried Phoebe. What would she do if that were to happen? Who did she call? It got to where she was almost always scanning the crowds to see if he was there, somewhere.

Eventually she hated going out with Helga. She tried to talk to Arnold, but he didn't seem to want to know. So she went to Gerald and presented her dilemma to him, and he promised to try to talk to Arnold about it. If he did, Arnold never said anything, and carried on his own grumpy way, completely ignoring her. And pretty much everyone else. A girl he was friendly with, and ocationally flirted with or took out on dates the year before, was completely stonewalled by him. He didn't talk to her, text her, or even look at her. So he got a name for himself amongst her and his friends. But he didn't seem to care.

When she said something to Helga, she shrugged. "We don't talk, so no point telling me."

It was frustrating!

. . .

The morning of Hega's eighteenth birthday came and with it a small package. She took it upstairs to open it and found a jewellery box inside. When she opened it she found a diamond and sapphire necklace, with matching earrings and ring. She didn't need to read the accompanying card to know who it was from.

'How much trouble could he get in?' she asked herself, running her fingers over the roughness of the necklace. It was beautiful. When she heard a knock on her door, she quickly hid it under her pillow, smoothed her hair and went to greet the knocker. It was Arnold.

"Grandma wants to know if you want something special for breakfast," he said.

"No, it's okay, I'm going to meet Phoebe at a cafe in town today," she told him.

"Wow, your leaving the house?" he asked sarcastically, before turning around and walking off. Helga glared at his back, before retreating into her bedroom and going back to the set and looking at it again, and putting it on. Not the ring though, that she left in the box, then walked over to the mirror and admired them. He could get arrested for having done this, she thought, thinking of the protection order. He wasn't supposed to contact her in any way, or send her anything. And yet, here he was, risking it all . . . she bit her lip, and looked away, feeling guilty. What was going on with her head?

. . .

Steven was finishing up his business meeting, and about to order another cup of coffee when he saw her walk in with another girl. He couldn't believe it. She was there, right there. He looked closer. And she was wearing his gift! His elation turned to a bit of confusion when he noticed she wasn't wearing the ring. She walked over to a table with her friend and took a seat, and while her friend went and ordered, she looked around and spotted him. Her mother opened in shock, and she looked quickly to where her friend was, then back to him, looking unsure what to do. He waved and she sent him a small unsure smile, but didn't wave back.

She's too scared too, he thought, seeing her watching her friend, who was coming back with a number to place on their table. He held his breath, wondering if she was going to tell her friend. But she didn't say anything to her. He released his breath and continued to watch her. Every now and then she would look his way, then back to her friend. He watched as her friend got up and went to the ladies. Helga watched her go then looked his way. He got up and started to make his way over to her. Fear flashed in her eyes, but then he saw her look towards the ladies where her friend had gone, and realized she was scared for him, not of him.

When he got to her he smiled down at her, and stroked her cheek.

"Happy birthday," he said, running his fingers through her hair. "I see you got your birthday gift."

"You shouldn't be talking to me," she said, looking up at him. "You would-"

"It was temporary," he said. "We still need to go back to court about it."

He walked away, not wanting to risk being seen by her friend. When he looked back, Helga looked his way at the same time.

She was meant to be with him. He knew it. She had to know it, too.

She would come to him. He'd make sure of it.

. . .

Helga looked up as Phoebe sat back down.

"That restroom is so gross!" she said. "You'd think in an establishment like this they would keep them cleaner."

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked her. "You look a little -"

"I think I'm ready to go home," she said. "I . . . I think I may have seen Steven out on the road."

"Oh, okay, well, we can go now if you like," she said, gathering up her coat. Helga gathered hers and put it on before they left. She was felling confused and conflicted. She just needed to be alone.

. . .

Arnold walked up to Helga's room and knocked. When he heard her call him to come in, he entered. He'd spent all day feeling bad for how he had spoken to her, and had finally decided to get over himself. He had gone out and bought her some flowers and a new sketch book and pencils. She had left all that behind, and had brought none with her. And a card, also.

She was again sitting on her bed, and he sat down on it as well.

"What's all this?" she asked.

"I didn't give you the best birthday greeting this morning," he said sheepishly. "So I thought i would try to make it up to you."

Helga took the red roses and white carnation boquet from him, and the sketch book and pencils. She started to tear up, remembering the last time he had given her something. She looked up at him with bleary eyes. "Thank you, Arnold."

He cleared his throat. "If you like, there is the new Evil Twin re-make out at the movies now. I was going to go along to it tonight, if you'd like to join me."

She gave him her shyest, but most genuine smile since that cold morning they drove away. "I would love to go."