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Dependents	By : DancingBear Category: +G through L > Hey, Arnold! Views: 6471 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold, nor any of the characters. I do not, and will not make any money from this story. (Original creator: Craig Bartlett)

Chapter List
- 1-Dependents
- 2-Lean
- 3-Steep
- 4-Long
- 5-Hold
- 6-Slouch
- 7-Arch
- 8-Turn
- 9-Fall
- 10-Drop
- 11-Gift
- 12-Balk
- 13-Spill
- 14-Pay
- 15-Scrap
- 16-Warm
- 17-Sink
- 18-Stoke
- 13
- 14
- 15
"Mum!" Nina was waving frantically from where she stood on the sidewalk with Maddy and Steven.

Helga grinned and waved back, looking for a spot to pull the car up. Eventually she squeezed the Honda between two SUVs and got out to meet them.

She was conscious of the eyes of the soccer mums, but tried not to care when Steven gave her a quick, one-armed hug in greeting. "Hi." He smiled.

"Hi!" She looked down at the girls. "And hello to you, too." She patted them each on the head, knowing they were getting to the stage where they didn't want to be hugged in front of their peers.

They stood around chatting for a bit, the girls telling the adults about their day, the adults telling the girls that no, they couldn't have a sleep over that night… it was a school night.

Steven laughed as Maddy and Nina glowered, putting their little heads together to plot against their horrible parents.

"Hey… do you know that guy?" He asked suddenly, nodding across the road. "He's staring at you." Helga followed his line of sight.

Shit.

She felt the blood drain out of her face.

Without realising it, her hand reached out to grasp Steven's wrist. "Hey… what's wrong?" He asked softly, his eyes full of concern.

"That's…" she glanced down at Nina, but she was deep in conversation. "Mark."

And it was, sitting in his black Toyota, glaring at her from across the road. His window was rolled down and his arm was lolling against the side of the car, a lit cigarette smouldering away between his fingers. A sneer curled up one side of his mouth as she watched him. He looked older, somehow. Stubble darkened his jaw, his hair – usually styled - was messy, his skin looked pallid.

What is he doing here? She felt like she might throw up.

Steven didn't even blink. Straightening up, he glanced over the road to where Mark was staring at them. "Take the girls inside and call the police. I'll make sure he doesn't follow you."

She just nodded, she chirped some excuse about needing to see the receptionist and led the girls inside. Her entire being strained. He was just across the road, a few yards away. She had to force herself not to look back, she kept expecting to hear him yell something, to hear heavy footfalls as he started to chase her.

It took all the control she had not to snatch Nina up in her arms and break into a run.

"Hi Helga!" The receptionist beamed from across her desk.

Helga tried to smile, but her face felt froze. "Hey, Annette." She swallowed, forcing down the panic, forcing her heart back down her throat. "Would it be OK for me to use the phone?"

"Sure… are you OK?" Annette was frowning. Helga must have looked like she had just seen a ghost.

Helga shook her head, glancing pointedly at the girls. "Yeah, fine. Is there somewhere the girls can sit?"

She was lucky that Annette was a smart woman. "Sure!" She said brightly, instantly grasping that there was something up, and standing up from the desk. "Do you girls want to see the staff room?"

The girls were amazed. The staff room? That was hallowed ground! They nodded, dumbstruck.

"Feel free to use the phone on my desk, Helga. Dial 1 to get out." Annette called over her should as she led the girls off down the hall.

Helga waited till they were out of sight before she sat down, picking up the receiver with shaking hands to call 911.

"Yes, hello? I need the police…" She tried to stop herself from gasping as she spoke to the operator. "My ex-partner has turned up at my daughter's school… I have a restraining order against him…" Her eyes were locked on the double doors, terrified that he would burst through them at any moment.

She strained her ears, trying to hear if there was any commotion outside. She gave the operator her details mechanically, not thinking about what she was saying. Her name, Mark's name, the school, the make of his car, his license plate number… she just parroted it down the phone without even really noticing.

The police were there in ten minutes… the longest ten minutes of Helga's life. She paced the reception room, waiting… where was Steven? Where were the police? She wanted to go outside, but the operator had told her to stay in the building…

Steven led one of the cops into the office, smiling comfortingly at Helga as he came in. "He left about twenty seconds after you came in." He put his around her shoulders. "I stayed outside to make sure he didn't come back."

Helga nodded. "Thanks… thank you Steven." She wanted to go home… she felt too exposed here… But of course, the cops wanted to ask her questions…

No, she hadn't known he was going to be there.

No, she hadn't had any contact with him since the restraining order was put in place.

No, she hadn't spoken to any of his friends or family.

No, she didn't know how he had found them.

No, she didn't know where he would be staying.

No, she wouldn't be alone that night.

No, she didn't think he knew where she was living.

Yes, please, she would like a police escort back home… just in case.

"Call me if you need anything?" Steven helped her into her car.

"Of course." But she knew she wouldn't ask anything of him. She just wanted to be home… She wanted it so bad it almost itched. She put her hand on her chest, trying to slow her heart. Her throat was closed, her eyes were sore… she had pins and needles in her fingers…

She had no idea how she managed to get home in one piece. She unbuckled Nina from her seat, noting how the girl scrutinised the two policemen, getting out of their car behind them. "Mummy?" She whispered, her arms clenched around Helga's neck as Helga lifted her from the car. "Did you do something wrong?"

Helga smiled, smoothed back her hair. "No, sweetheart… I'm not in trouble."

"Why are there policemen following us?" She was staring, her eyes wide.

Helga sighed, grabbing Nina's bag with her fingertips and banging the door shut with her foot. "Do you remember when we talked about how Daddy isn't allowed to see us anymore?"

"Because he hits." She was still whispering. The poor thing looked terrified. Helga's heart bled.

"Yes, because he hits. Well, he broke the rules. He tried to see us… so now the policemen are just making sure that we're safe."

Nina seemed satisfied with that. She'd probably have lots of questions later, once she had thought about it a while, but in the meantime, she was too busy studying the cops to barrage Helga with queries.

"Helga?" Arnold was on the stoop, Lucy at his feet. His eyes were wide. "What's going on?"

It took forever to get herself sorted. By the time she'd managed to put some food in Nina's stomach and settle her down with a box of crayons, the cops were saying their goodbyes.

"Don't hesitate to call us if you hear from him." They were saying, shaking Arnold's hand and thanking him for the coffee.

"I won't. Thanks for your help." Arnold closed the door behind them, making sure it was locked tight. He turned to where Helga stood in the hallway. "I should text Amy and Greg… tell them to keep an eye out…" He walked right past her, pulling his phone out from his pocket.

She didn't know what to do. Walking into the kitchen, she pulled a box of fish fingers from the freezer. She had planned on making pasta, but it was too late for that now. She threw a handful of the disgusting sticks into a tray and put them in the oven. One night of this crap wouldn't hurt Nina.

She was slicing tomatoes for a salad when she slipped. When she thought about it later, she didn't even know if she had been looking or not… but she could remember how it felt. The quick slash slipping through her skin, distracting her from whatever it was that she was thinking.

She'd taken the tip off her middle finger, carved off the pad in a little oval slice. Ouch. She thought vaguely…

Ouch…

"Shit!" She yelled. Throwing the knife down into the sink. It HURT. She grabbed the base of her finger and squeezed it hard, trying to stop the stream of blood that suddenly welled up, running down onto her hand.

Her jaw clenched, she squeezed her eyes shut. She was so angry she could have screamed. Her body hummed with the unfulfilled desire to hit something.

"Shit… shit shit shit shit shit." She spat the words out under her breath, her hands shaking she was so mad.

"Helga?" She snapped her eyes open. Arnold was in the doorway, frowning.

"Can you look after Nina for a minute?" She asked.

He stared. "Uh… sure… are you OK?" His eyes were on her finger, dripping blood on the floor.

"Fine." She spat. She needed to get out. She felt like a caged animal, ready to lash out. "I need to go for a walk." She let go of her bleeding finger and wrenched a wad of paper towels from where they hung on the wall.

"That's probably not the best idea…" Arnold's voice was soft, but firm. He stepped into the room.

She shook her head. "If I don't do something, I'm going to go crazy." She hissed through gritted teeth. It was just all too much. She needed to get out of the house.

"Better crazy than dead." He said flatly. "Go upstairs… go run around on the roof if you have to. But if you try to leave the house alone, I'll stop you."

She glared at him. The logical part of her brain knew he was right… but what was she supposed to do? They stood there, facing each other.

…

…

…

"You're bleeding." He said eventually.

Well done, Captain Obvious. She managed to hold back her sneer. "I cut my finger."

"Do you want me to get the first aid kit?" He was just standing there… where was his soft concern? Why wasn't he holding her hands, pulling the paper towel from her to see how bad it was? Why wasn't he putting his arms around her and pulling her close…

Because you told him not to… that's why. Stupid.

She was so close to tears. "Yes, please."

He rustled around in the cupboard over the fridge, pulling out a great green lunchbox. He sighed as he plonked it down on the table. "How bad is it?"

Helga shrugged. "It hurts enough."

"Want me to have a look at it?" He's so careful now… did I really do this?

She shook her head, terrified that she was about to start crying. "No… thanks."

He sighed again. "OK."

After he left she pulled the paper towels from her finger, and winced. It was hideous… and sore. She stepped to the sink to rinse it, squealing through clenched teeth as the water ran over the exposed nerves.

"…" she squeaked as she turned off the tap. Who knew a cut finger could hurt so much? She dabbed it dry with a clean paper towel, and clumsily put two plasters over it, one around, the other over the top.

It felt like her finger was shoved into a wad of playdough.

Sighing, she moved to the bench, threw the bloodied tomatoes into the compost bin. What a waste.

Would she be a bad mother if she fed Nina nothing but fish fingers for dinner? She could hear her daughter prattling on in the dining room, her chatter punctuated by Arnold's low laugh, his gentle questions.

She gripped the bench, wincing as she put pressure on her finger. She felt so fucking alone… and it was no ones fault but her own.

Shit.

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm herself down.

She didn't even think when a knocking echoed down the hall, but just stepped forward, acting on autopilot as she moved to answer the door.

"Helga!" Arnold hissed from the dining room. "Wait." She stumbled to a stop, suddenly realising what she was doing.

There was another knock at the door. A loud, insistent banging…
- 13
- 14
- 15
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Dependents