Here it is folks! After many, many, many, many, many, many, and many requests for it. Here it is. The Arnie episode(s).

Family Reunion (Part one)

"Okay class, I want everyone to remember that their group projects are due on Monday." Mr. Simmons announced to his students as they waited for the bell to ring beginning their long four-day weekend.

Helga tapped her foot. She was anxious to leave school, not because she was in a hurry to get home, but because she was in a group with Arnold. They were going to work together on it at the boarding house. She couldn't wait to be alone with her beloved.

"So, we'll meet you guys at the boarding house, right?" Gerald asked Arnold loud enough for Helga to hear behind him.

Oh, that's right. Tall-hair boy and Phoebe will be there too. Oh, Arnold. All I long for is to be near you for just long enough so we can…

"Helga?"

Helga snapped back to reality to Arnold standing in front of her.

"Huh, what?!" Helga asked, surprised, and confused.

"The bell rang, it's time to go." Arnold said.

Helga blinked and chuckled, "Oh, right."

Arnold smiled, "Usually it's me with his head somewhere else. Where were you?"

Helga smiled at him, "Oh, just thinking about you and me, working on this project."

"And us." Gerald suddenly spoke up, "We're here too."

Arnold and Helga looked surprised at them, as if they forgot they existed.

Arnold spoke up, "Sorry guys, we just get distracted when…"

"When you gaze into each other's eyes, and see a thousand sunsets?" Phoebe smiled at them.

Gerald blinked at Phoebe, "When did you become a poet?"

Phoebe blushed, "Do you like it? I've been reading some romance novels. I never saw their value before, but now I love them."

Gerald chuckled, "Well I'm glad babe."

The two starred at each other, not noticing Arnold and Helga walking out.

"You two coming?" Helga asked.

Gerald and Phoebe snapped out of whatever trance they were in and focused back to Arnold and Helga.

"Uh, yeah, come on Pheebs." Gerald took her hand and led her out of the classroom. Arnold offered his hand to Helga, and she took it, smiling at him.

0o0

Stella put down the receiver of the boarding house telephone as she grinned a wide smile. She ran into the living room to tell Miles the news.

"Miles, they're able to come!" Stella announced.

Miles blinked, "Who?"

Suddenly the door opened to reveal Arnold and his four companions.

"We're home!" Arnold announced.

"Come into the living room quick hon, I've got some news for you!" Stella said.

"Arnold's going to be a big brother?!" Gerald exclaimed.

Miles blinked, "You're pregnant?! I thought you were taking the…"

"I am." Stella looked at him sternly, then back at Arnold when he entered the room, "No, I sent out these invitations to our family."

Stella picked up the envelope and handed it to Arnold.

Arnold opened the envelope. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"We're having the family over for a big reunion party!" Stella bellowed.

Arnold's eyes went wide, "The whole family? Here? With the boarders?"

Stella smiled at Arnold, "Of course, there's plenty of room, your two cousins will stay in your room with you, and your aunts and uncles will stay in the guest bedrooms."

"Yeah, it'll be fine. There's only six of them. They'll be here tomorrow." Miles chipped in.

"Tomorrow?!" Arnold exclaimed.

"Aye, and what captains say, you, cadet, will follow! Six extra mates is nothing this ship can't handle." Pookie said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere and wearing an admiral's uniform.

"Yeah, but what they lack in numbers they make up for in personality." Arnold said.

"Wait," Helga said, walking into the conversation, "two cousins, Arnold, I thought you only had one, Arnie."

"Yeah, Arnie is my aunt Rebecca and Uncle Ted's kid. They live just outside town, so I see him more often." Arnold explained.

"David is my brother Jeb's son, with his wife Loraine." Stella explained.

"They live in England, so we don't see them very often." Miles stated.

"Yeah, I've never even met them." Arnold said.

Stella looked at him confused, "Yes you did, they came to your birthday party."

"Yeah, which one?" Arnold said simply.

"Your first." Miles said simply.

Arnold crossed his arms, "Gee, wonder why I don't remember them."

Stella and Miles look concerned at each other.

"You don't seem like you're onboard with this plan." Miles stated.

Arnold stood silently for a second, but then smiled at them, "No, it'll be good to see them again. They are family."

Gerald then shifted, "Right, we should probably…"

Arnold nodded and turned toward the staircase, "Yeah, we'll be up in my room working."

Stella and Miles nodded, "Alright, don't work too hard."

0o0

A few minutes later, Arnold, Helga, Phoebe, and Gerald all took spots in Arnold's room.

"Okay, let's see where we should start." Arnold stated, lacking his usual enthusiasm.

Helga blinked at him, "Arnold, you okay?"

"I'm fine." Arnold said simply.

Helga looked concerned at him, but knew not to pry, "Okay, we should probably start divvying up the work."

Phoebe nodded, "Right."

Arnold sat on his bed, his back resting against the wall. He didn't say much that night.

0o0

"He didn't seem like himself when we told him." Stella said to Pookie and Phil, "He seemed upset about it."

Phil nodded, "If the shortman's upset about something, he'll keep it to himself. He's not one for complaining that kid."

Miles sat down at the kitchen table next to Phil, "Dad, what do you normally do when he gets like this?"

Phil scratched his head, "I usually give him his space to think. He's a very smart and independent kid, way more than his classmates. He grew up quick. Went from four to forty in my eyes."

"He's probably just upset that his weekend will be spent with the family and not with his friends." Stella said.

"Let him have his free time. If he wants to leave this house to get away from everybody, let him. He's mature enough to make that choice." Phil stated.

"Mature? Dad, he's ten years old, but you're talking about him like he's in high school!" Miles stated.

Phil smiled at his son, "Don't patronize him, I don't let him get away with half the things you did when he was your age, and you turned out fine."

Pookie smiled, "He's awfully bright that Arnold. He's not a baby anymore."

"No, but he's still a kid." Stella stated, "I'll give him space, but he won't be allowed to wander freely through the streets of this city. It's not the sixties anymore you two, there are real dangers out there."

Phil and Pookie look at each other knowingly, "Whatever you say."

0o0

The project work went well enough. The group still had a few things to work on, but the bulk of the assignment had been finished. They planned to meet at Phoebe's on Saturday to finish the project. It was now almost sunset, but plenty of light for the group's walk home. Arnold stood at the door watching his friends leave.

"Bye Arnold, good luck tomorrow." Phoebe said walking down the stoop with Gerald's hand in hers.

Arnold gave a smile, "Thank you Phoebe."

Gerald held up his left thumb and wiggled it, Arnold copied the action.

Arnold turned to Helga, "So, would you like me to walk you home?"

Helga smiled at him, "Not tonight football-head. You should rest up and get ready for your cousins."

Arnold rolled his eyes, "Yeah, whoopee."

Helga folded her arms, "I thought I was the one with the family issues here, what's up?"

Arnold looked at her with sad eyes, "It's nothing. I'll get over it."

"Get over what?" Helga asked.

Arnold blinked, "Just…you know, they're taking away my weekend. I had stuff planned for us, and now I won't get to do it."

Helga sighed, "Oh, that's all, I thought it was something important or something."

Arnold chuckled, "Oh, my plans aren't important?"

Helga shook her head, "Nope. Not one bit."

Arnold smiled lovingly at her, he then looked down, "No, the thing's that's bothering…"

Suddenly there was the loud sound of a car that looked like it was the first one ever made and sounded like a dying cat struggled down the road.

"Whoa, now that's a car wreck. Dead car driving!" Helga exclaimed before turning back to Arnold, "Now what were you saying?"

Arnold smiled, "Nothing."

Helga smiled, "Alright. Goodnight blonde boy."

Arnold stood at the doorway watching her turn away, "What, no good night kiss?"

Helga turned back around and smiled at him, "Not tonight Shortman."

"Come on, just a peck on the cheek?" Arnold chuckled.

Helga smirked, "Well okay." She leaned down and gave him a small kiss on the cheek, "Good night Arnold."

"Good night Helga." Arnold said.

Arnold closed the door and his eyes became half lidded. Despite everything, he still had Helga.

Miles and Stella walked up to him.

"Have fun studying?" Miles smirked.

Arnold chuckled, "Yeah, we did. Got a lot done."

Stella nodded, "So, Arnold, we need to talk about…"

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Arnold turned around to face it.

"It's probably Helga. She probably forgot something."

Arnold opened the door.

"Hello beauti…AH!" Arnold flew back away from the door.

A tuff of faded yellow hair walked in with a small helicopter hat separating the two sides.

Arnie entered the house and stood over Arnold.

"Hey." He snorted.

Arnold cleared his throat as he stood up, "Hey Arnie. What are you…"

"Why was my girlfriend kissing you?" Arnie asked.

"YOUR girlfriend?!" Arnold's eyes went wide, "No, Helga's my girlfriend!"

Arnie blinked at him, one eye at a time. He then snorted, "Alright." He then stood still, unmoving and breathing slowly.

Arnold nodded and slowly turned to his parents, "What is he… AH!"

Miles and Stella turned behind them, "AH!" They both jumped at the same time. Arnie's parents, who looked like an inverse of Miles and Stella, stood behind them.

"Oh, Rebecca, Ted, you scared us!" Stella said.

"Sorry." Rebecca snorted.

"We brought corn bread." Ted said holding up a basket.

"Twenty-seven slices." Arnie pitched in.

"And potatoes." Rebecca held up a sack filed with potatoes.

"Seventy-three russets." Arnie stated with a snort.

Then Ted snorted. Then Rebecca snorted.

Arnold stood still, watching all of this transpire, when Phil and Pookie entered the room.

"Hey everyone, what seems to be…" Phil began. He then saw the new arrivals, "Oh good grief, not again."

"Sorry we're early. Crop harvested quickly, so we came." Ted said simply.

"Three hundred forty-two- and three-quarter acres harvested." Arnie stated.

"And seventy-five eggs sold on the way here." Rebecca contributed.

"Well, we know where Arnie got it from." Phil said under his breath to Arnold.

Arnold nodded, then turned to Arnie after he got over the initial shock, "So, let's go up to my room, I bet you're tired after working all day."

"Okay." Arnie walked up stairs with Arnold. Miles and Stella looked at Ted and Rebecca.

"So, you guys want to go to bed early too?" Stella asked.

"No, we're good." They both said at the same time.

"Okay, would you like anything to drink or eat?" Miles asked.

"No, we're good."

Miles and Stella looked at each other, "Okay, feel free to make yourselves at home."

"Okay." Snort.

Miles and Stella smiled at them then turned and walked back to the kitchen with Phil and Pookie.

"I'm beginning to understand why Arnold was upset." Miles stated.

"Were they this bad before we left?" Stella asked.

Miles shrugged.

0o0

Arnold and Arnie entered Arnold's room. Arnold walked to the closet and got down a pillow and a comforter.

"Would you like any extra blankets?" Arnold asked.

"No." Arnie said.

Arnold nodded, "Alright then."

Arnold made up the couch into a bed, after he was finished, Arnie climbed in, shoes and all.

"Don't you have any pajamas or anything?" Arnold asked.

"No." Snort.

"Don't you want to kick your shoes off or something?"

"No." Snort.

"Okay, well, good night." Arnold said as he shut off the light and walked over to his bed.

"Thank you, Arnold." Arnie suddenly said.

Arnold stopped dead in his tracks, "What?"

"Thank you, Arnold." Arnie repeated.

Arnold paused, and looked at Arnie lying on the couch, "No problem Arnie."

Arnold then walked up out of his room through the sky light and sat down on one of the lawn chairs he and Phil set out.

Arnold looked out over the city as the sunset, and the skyline lit up.

He began to tear up. He didn't know why, but he didn't fight it.

Arnold wiped the tears away, "I can do this, I can do this. One family down, one to go."

OH! Another (kind of) cliffhanger! What is bothering Arnold? What is this other family like? Will I ever get a consistent release schedule for this story?

The answers to these questions, well, at least the first two, will be answered in the next chapter of Hey Arnold! Season Six

Stay tuned!

R&R