Standard Disclaimer: Don't own Hey Arnold, etc. Inspired by HA - Keep on Praying by ~SquirrelTamer

Summary: Meet Helga Pataki and her 9-year-old sister Olga Pataki

Big Sis

Helga G. Pataki rolled out of bed and huffed a stray lock from her face as she cut a glare at her bedroom door. Her parent's muffled yells had yet again awakened her in the middle of the night for the fourth time this week. Staying low to the floor, Helga stealthily slinked her way to her door and carefully twisted the knob and eased the door open. A quick peek and she was executing a silent but swift exit into the hallway. She rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes and crawled to the stairwell and angled her head to better understand her parents' argument.

"Miriam, we don't need another one- the girl is disappointing enough as it is! Just stop arguing and get rid of it." Bob's tone was irritated but firm.

"Oh, B. Now I just, I can't do that- I mean, maybe this one… it ah, could be a good thing B." Miriam tried to sound more enthusiastic than usual.

"Uh-huh, and I suppose you're gonna be able to dry out for practically a year, huh Miriam?"

"I could, I, I can do that… you know you should have a little faith in me B. I can take care of myself and, and I, I can take care of a baby."

Upstairs, Helga snorted. Miriam could barely string together a coherent sentence.

"You know what Miriam? I'm tired of arguing with you. I'm gonna just grab some pork rinds and go to bed. When you're ready to be reasonable, I'll take you to the doctor so we can get this over with."

"Well, well that's, that's not going to happen B. I'm having this baby and that's all there is to it." Miriam actually sounded firm- Helga arched half of her eyebrow, somewhat impressed.

Bob grunted, and from the sound of things had stomped into the kitchen. A cupboard slam later and Helga quickly scrambled down the hallway and into her room. She eased her door shut just as Bob's thundering up stairs quieted. Helga held her breath and as Bob passed without pause, she exhaled and fully relaxed when the master bedroom's door slammed shut.

Pushing her hair from her eyes, Helga carefully re-exited her room and made her way downstairs. She checked the kitchen, no Miriam. She peeked into the living room and found her mother sprawled on the couch. Miriam's head rested in the crook of her arm and Helga couldn't tell if her mother had gracelessly passed out again.

With a defiant toss of her hair, Helga marched up to her mother. "Miriam!"

"Huh?" Miriam's head jerked up and towards her daughter. "Oh, Helga. I, I packed your lunch-"

"That's great Miriam, but its not morning and I'm not going to school yet."

The understanding that dawned in Miriam's eyes was almost painful to watch. "Oh right, well, ah, what can I help you with?"

Helga eyed her mother, "I heard something about a baby?"

"Oh right!" Miriam nodded, "Helga, I'm pregnant. And, and you're going to be a, ah, big sister!" Miriam smiled at her daughter encouragingly. "It'll be such fun Helga. You, you can, ah, you know, help teach the baby stuff and it'll be a great, ah, bonding experience for us."

The eleven year old arched half her eyebrow. "Sounds great, Miriam. Think you can handle the responsibility?"

Her mother frowned. "I'm capable, Helga. I, I've taken care of a baby before."

Helga supposed she could have made any number of retorts about Miriam's lack of parenting skills. She instead exhaled and looked away. "A baby sib, huh? Is it a boy or girl? When are you due?"

"Um, in about seven months. And w-we don't know yet Helga." Miriam paused. "You know Helga, you should go back to bed. You have school tomorrow."

"Criminy, Miriam. You're suddenly getting all responsible. How long's it going to last this time?"

Her mother sighed tiredly, "Just… go to bed Helga."

"Ok, fine."

Eight grueling months later and Helga was again awakened in the middle of the night. Not, of course, because of her parents. No, this time it was the screaming of a tiny tiresome baby sister. The twelve year old stared at her ceiling, recounting all the hassle of the last several months. Miriam had stopped drinking, cold turkey. Miriam had actually stepped up and become a responsible type of mother. Helga reaped the benefits of well packed lunches, homework help, and rides to school… she had also reaped the consequences of the morning sickness that struck Miriam late in the evenings, the mood swings that made Miriam burst into tears at the slightest provocation, and being stuck in the delivery room with Miriam as no one else had been able to watch her. Helga grimaced. That last one had been extremely gross.

Of course, Big Bob deigned to show up nearly four hours after her baby sister's birth and then dismissively named her sister 'Olga' since it was simply another way of saying 'Helga'. At least, Helga conceded, Bob had shown more concern than that for Miriam.

Olga's wailing continued and Helga resigned herself to getting up. Miriam and Bob had been great about this baby thing for a while, but now they were getting noticeably slack with their parenting. Olga, Helga figured, was lucky to have her as a big sister. A quick trip down the hallway and into the nursery had Helga standing at Olga's crib and reaching into it to pick up her little sister.

Adjusting the infant carefully, Helga patted at Olga's diaper and cautiously sniffed. Nothing. "Oh, alright." Helga sighed and carried the baby downstairs. She gently placed the still sobbing baby in the carrier on the kitchen table and turned to rummage through the fridge. Helga pulled out pre-prepared formula, grabbed a pan, filled it with tap water and set the oven range for a quick boil. As she prepared Olga's formula, Helga checked on the baby who had quieted to whimpers. "You know Olga, I should just start keeping you in my room. It'd make this mommy bit a lot easier on me."

Olga gurgled and seemed to smile. Helga stared at her for a moment and a slow, warm smile crossed her face. "Well, if Miriam could keep me alive… I'm sure I can do the mommy thing even better."

"Big sister! Big sister!"

Helga stretched and glanced down at the over exited 3-year-old. "What, Olga?"

"I'm going to pre-school!" the little girl beamed.

Helga eyed Olga's purple pajamas. "Not dressed like that you're not. Come here."

As Olga excitedly blabbed more about preschool and generally made dressing her unnecessarily difficult, Helga bit back a grin. Three years of doing the mommy thing had been hectic and, in times like this, very rewarding. Helga had made certain to not only meet Olga's needs, she had pointedly given Olga as much affection, discipline, and education as she could. She read poetry and her school assigned literature as bedtime stories, she gave Olga hugs and kisses, and she pressed upon Olga the importance of being good. With Helga shielding her, Olga had little understanding of how dysfunctional their family was and Helga meant to keep it that way for as long as possible.

"Ok, Big Sister! Now, I'm going to pre-school!" Olga declared, fully dressed in a white shirt and purple overalls with a purple headband and white tennis shoes to match.

"Not yet, Olga. Big Sister isn't dressed and we still have to pack up lunch for you. Go sit on the bed and wait."

Olga pouted but complied and as soon as she settled on the sheets, she propped her chin up on her tiny fists. Olga quietly watched her Big Sister raffle through her closet and emerge with a long sleeved, white shirt and a pink pair of overalls. Helga pulled on her clothing, leaving only one overall strap clasped and grabbed a pink ribbon off her vanity to tie her hair back in a ponytail. Helga pulled on a pair of white socks and tennis shoes. Olga smiled and looked up at her Big Sister eagerly.

Helga nodded, "Ok, all that's left is packing your lunch and we can go."

Olga shrieked with delight.

Helga opened the umbrella and carefully knelt down towards the doorway and held her arm out to Olga. The toddler flung herself onto her sister and Helga wrapped her arm under Olga and hoisted her onto her hip. Helga checked that Olga had a firm grasp on both her and her lunch box and stood up.

"Alright Olga, one last thing and we can go. I just need you to grab hold of the door knob and pull the door closed ok?"

The three year old nodded happily, "Ok, Big Sister." Olga twisted around and closed the door.

Helga gave her sister an approving nod and carried Olga off to her first day of pre-school. Helga navigated down several blocks, crossed the intersection, and had a car splash her pants before reaching the Urban Tots Preschool. Helga set Olga down on her feet, opened the door for her sister to scamper in and closed her umbrella before following.

"Big Sister, which one's mine?" Olga asked, eyeing the multitudes of hooks and cubbies.

"This one, Olga." Helga pointed to a lower cubby with her sister's name on it. "Put your lunch in here until time to eat, ok?" Helga smiled at Olga's chirped agreement and almost missed the small voice behind her saying something about a bow. Helga blinked and turned, spotting a little boy with blond hair and an oblong head. She smiled unsurely, knelt down and asked him, "Say again?"

The little boy smiled back cheerfully as he replied "I like your bow, cause it's pink like your pants."

Helga choked down her laughter at the sheer adorableness and smiled mischievously, "Aren't you a suave gentlemen? And what's your name, bucko?"

"I'm Arnold." The little boy introduced himself.

"Hey Arnold. I'm Helga," Helga paused long enough to pull her little sister into the boy's line of sight, "and this is my little sister, Olga. Olga, say hi to Arnold."

"Hi, Arnold." Olga greeted shyly.

Arnold smiled back. "Hi."

Helga grinned down at the two of them. "Now, you two go play and I'll be back to get you at 1 o'clock, ok Olga?"

"Ok, Big Sister!"

Helga nodded and exited the pre-school.