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Not exactly the ugly duckling	By : DancingBear Category: +G through L > Hey, Arnold! Views: 5459 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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-Not exactly the ugly duckling
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-4
- 5-5
- 6-6
- 7-7
- 8-8
- 9-9
- 10-10
- 11-11
- 12-12
- 13-13
- 14-14
- 15-15
- 16-16
- 17-17
- 18-18
- 19-19
- 20-20
- 21-21
- 22-22
- 23-23
- 24-24
- 25-25
- 26-26
- 27-27
- 28-28
- 29-29
- 30-30
- 31-31
- 32-32
- 33-Epilouge
- 14
- 15
- 16
Arnold stretched out between his sheets, arching his back as her slid his hands under his head. He felt good.

In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he felt this good, and he didn't have to guess why.

This last week, he had spent as much time with Helga as he possibly could. Meeting her after work, taking her home as late as he could get away with…

She amazed him. She was so different to how she used to be. Or maybe she wasn't, maybe none of them just ever given her a decent chance to show this side of herself. She was so smart, so much funnier than he ever realized. He had never enjoyed spending time with any girl as much as he did with her.

Although it was hard to hold himself back sometimes, she was becoming more and more relaxed around him, and he didn't want to ruin that by rushing her.

She touched him more easily, which was good. She didn't flinch anymore when they bumped up against each other while walking, or when their fingers met by accident. They didn't yet hold hands, or 'cuddle up' when watching movies, even though he desperately wanted to. She sometimes kinda of leaned against him, or sat with her thigh against his, but for the most part, they seemed to have settled into a kind of routine, where they hugged when saying hello and goodbye, but didn't really touch each other while just hanging out.

Some of those hugs though… the night before, as they had said goodbye, they had just stood in the shadows in front of her building. She had nestled her face in the crook of his neck, her arms not around him, but her palms splayed flat on his chest, her fingers brushing his collarbones, her breath warm on his skin…

He sighed and rolled out of bed. He still had uni assignments to do, it would be nice to get one finished today. He was meeting Helga at 8, to take her to some jazz bar. He had – he checked his clock – nine hours till then, plenty of time…

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

8.13pm. Arnold had been waiting outside Helga's building for ages, and he was officially worried. She hadn't replied to a text for an hour, and her phone went straight to voicemail.

"Hi!" He tried to sound cheerful as he pushed open the glass doors and greeted the security guy behind his desk. "Uh, do you know if the Pataki's are in?"

The guy looked stricken. "Oh, you're Helga's, uh, friend… sorry buddy, I, uh, hate to be the one to tell you this, but her pa's been taken to hospital."

Arnold felt a thousand things at once. Relief, that Helga was alright, worry, for both Helga and Bob, and a tiny, shameful smidgen of relief that she hadn't just been blowing him off. Being in a hospital would explain why her phone was off. "Shit. Bob? Do you know what happened?"

The guy shrugged "Heart attack, looks like. Can't say I'm surprised. Poor Helga looked a mess though." He looked Arnold up and down. "They're over at Hillwood Central, if you want to go check up on her?"

Arnold nodded. "Yeah. I will. Thanks man." He turned to leave. All of a sudden feeling like there was cotton wool in his ears. Shit shit shit, he hoped Helga was coping ok on her own there.

"Send her my love, 'k?" The doorman smiled at him. "Bob too, I suppose."

Arnold nodded, but barely heard what Dave was saying. He was anxious, restless, felt like running to the hospital. He hailed a cab, almost leaping into the path of the taxi to get it to stop. The ride, talking to the receptionist, taking the elevator and speeding down the halls as fast as he could without actually breaking into a run, were all done on autopilot. He didn't really register anything, until he came to a small dreary waiting area.

Helga was slumped over on a utilitarian grey chair. Her elbows on her knees, her head in her hands. She looked tiny. His heart broke for her. But she wasn't alone. Nick Vermicelli, his greasy, polyester clad arm across Helga's shoulders, looked up at him. How fucking dare that prick touch her. A wave of protective rage rose in his stomach.

He stopped dead, about three feet away, swallowed his anger. "Helga?" he croaked. Her head jerked up, her eyes looked massive, even for her. Her face was Pale and drawn.

Her bottom lip trembled as she stared at him. "Arnold?" She sat up straight, shrugged Nick's arm off her shoulders, and stared. "I'm sorry I stood you up." Her voice so small he could barely hear her. Oh god, she looked so miserable. He moved up to her and bobbed down, balancing on the balls of his feet, so that they were face to face.

"Don't worry about that." He said softly, soothingly. His hand automatically came up to gently brush her cheek, to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He tried to ignore the smarmy sneer on Nick's face. "Are you ok? Can I get you anything?"

Her hands shook as they came down to grab his. She held onto to him, her fingers dug into his. Her big blue eyes stared into his face. "Just… stay?" her voice shook along with her hands. He nodded, not moving, just staring straight back at her.

"I'm not going anywhere." He gripped her hands. He leaned forward, resting his forehead on hers. "What's happening? Is… Is Bob going to be alright?"

"That's what we're waiting to find out." She murmured. God, he could feel her tension. Her body was stiff, hunched. He gently tugged one of his hands free and ran it up the back of her neck, squeezing gently, rubbing his fingers tenderly up and down at the base of her skull. She raised a hand to cover his, as if to make sure that it was real. "It was so scary." She whispered. "Like something out of a movie. One minute he's screaming at me, his face all red and… and snarly… the next he's clutching at his chest and gasping."

"Oh love." Arnold squeezed her hand tighter. "You poor thing. That must have been terrifying." Her fingers closed convulsively around his. He could hear her trying to control her breathing.

They jerked when Nick cleared his throat. Standing, he glared at Arnold, and sneered at Helga. "Call me when you find out what's happening, yeah?" he barked. Helga nodded dumbly.

As soon as Nick stomped off, shooting them back dirty looks, Arnold stood and moved to sit in the chair next to Helga. Without letting go of her hand, he put his other arm around her shoulder, gripping at the top of her arm, pulling her gently into his chest. She leaned gratefully against him. She pulled her feet up onto the chair and nestled into him. Despite the awful circumstance, and the armrest digging into him, he couldn't help but enjoy it a little.

"Thank god you're here." She groaned, letting her head loll against his shoulder. "I couldn't get him to leave." He wrapped his arm tighter around her, kissed the part of her hair, leaned his cheek against her, and held her as she shook…
- 14
- 15
- 16
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Not exactly the ugly duckling