Proof

By

Penny Blue

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Disclaimer: Hey Arnold belongs to Craig Bartlett. Not me. *runs to a dark corner and cries*

Summary: This kiss wasn't like the last time. Urgency and fierceness were replaced with patience and gentleness, but the meaning of it was still the same- I want to prove how much I love you.

Author Note: This is an oneshot I wrote a long time ago but never posted. It's supposed to take place right around the end of TJM. I just wanted to describe what I thought Arnold's kiss would be like. I made all the events preceding it seem as if the reader should already know what happened, so it's pretty vague.

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One Shot

"It was terrifying and beautiful all at the same time," Grandpa Phil looks over at his wife, "kind of like you, Pookie." (The Journal)

Bittersweet.

It was the only word that could sum up her situation. Two grueling weeks in the heart of the Amazon rainforest searching endlessly for Arnold's parents had finally ended in success. After all the danger and drama that most adults (much less a couple 10 year olds) would ever face, Arnold's determination and optimism saved not only the ragtag group but also a mysterious group of "Green-eyed people" that Helga had yet to meet. She still doubted their existence even after all that happened.

Helga glanced over her shoulder to see the happy reunited family still crying and holding onto each other like the world was going to end. It wasn't ending; this was only the beginning for them. That thought made her smile.

"You've been sitting here the whole time Helga. Don't you want to meet them?" chimed a petite voice. Phoebe.

Helga turned her head away from the happy family and instead focused her gaze on the ground. Maybe her shoes were more interesting. Unfortunately not.

"I know you're probably tired, and I know we all have been thru a lot recently..." she took in a quick breath, "but Arnold's parents wanted to thank you."

"Thank me? For what?" she questioned inwardly.

Sure, she was the one that secured plane tickets for everyone (by less than angelic means...), so that Arnold could finally determine the fate of his parents. Also, she saved Arnold and Gerald from almost getting knocked off a cliff by those treasure hunters that were after those non-existent "Green-eyed people". So what? She'd done stuff like that before.

Phoebe seemed to be psychic, "Helga, you've done so much for Arnold and his family...for everyone during all of this..."

The sudden pause caused the blonde look up directly at her best friend. The poor Asian girl looked a little worse for wear, they all did. Running through a jungle did that to you, but that wasn't what caught her eye. Phoebe looked like she was on the verge of crying.

"Umm...Pheebs is something wrong?" Helga asked while she placed a hand on her friends shoulder. A concerned expression donned on her face.

Phoebe concentrated on not trying to cry, but everything going on at that moment was so emotional that she knew there was no way to stop herself.

"I....I..uh...wanted to say..." she finally managed to choke out, "you're a really wonderful person and I'm...ss..so proud to call you my friend, Helga." Phoebe then took that moment to burst into tears and snake her arms around her slightly stunned best friend.

After the slight shock, Helga realized that Phoebe was just caught up in the drama going on around them. Looking over her crying friend, she could see that just about everyone was in some sort of everything-is-wonderful-now-cry-fest. She sighed.

"Aw...Pheebs don't worry about it. You're not too bad yourself, ya know," Helga managed to choke out a compliment without all the emotions. Phoebe unhooked herself from her friend and smiled, "Thanks Helga."

Wiping the remaining tears from face, Phoebe stood up and held out her hand, "Come on. Let's go say hi."

Helga looked confused for a moment, but then realized what she meant. Arnold's parents. The people that created the most important person in her life. She wasn't sure if she was ready.

Five minutes later....

Curse Pheebs! What kind of friend abandons you like this!?!

She wasn't ready for all the bear hugs, crying, and thank you's she received from Arnold's parents. His mother was sobbing on her shoulder while his father kept saying thank you over and over. It was too much to take in. She wasn't used to this much attention and appreciation. She needed to get away.

Luckily Arnold noticed her discomfort, and pulled her from between his adoring parents.

"Umm... I'm going to take a quick walk with Helga if you don't mind," he said to his parents softly. Arnold had been attempting to speak with her all afternoon, but she kept disappearing on him. She just had an odd feeling that it would be a conversation that she'd prefer to avoid. Unfortunately, Phoebe helped him out by locating and dragging her to him.

"Go right ahead son," his father said laughingly, "I think we might have scared your little girlfriend a bit."

Girlfriend?

Helga gulped deeply. The idea was too good to be true. She turned to Arnold, who still had his hand in hers, to see his reaction to the comment. At first she thought she had seen him blush, but it was gone as quick as it came.

"See you in a bit mom and dad!" Arnold yelled as he pulled the slightly dazed girl with him into the trees.

Helga noticed the slight smirk on his face as they moved into the wilderness. It must have been the first time he had spoke those words- Mom and Dad. For someone like Helga, saying mom and dad didn't seem like such a big deal, but the blonde girl never had the experience of having a life with no parents like the boy pulling her ahead did. Of course her parents would never win a parenting award either, but still it was tough trying to understand the simple joys he was feeling.

Out of eyesight and earshot but not too far from everyone, Arnold finally stopped and let go of the girl's hand. Before Helga could mentally pout about the sudden lack of contact, the boy had tackled her into a tight hug. Surprised by the onslaught, she backed against a tree to avoid falling over. This hug was intense; it felt as if he were holding on to her, to this moment, for dear life. For a few dazed seconds, Helga didn't know how to respond. Should she hug him back or should she fall back into her routine of pushing him away? It took everything in her to keep from sighing into the boy's ear while his head was resting on her shoulder.

Knowing the walls around her heart were building up again and the bully within her starting to tense up, Helga made a move to push him away by placing her hands on his shoulders. However, it seemed that Arnold was a one step ahead. Noticing the change in her demeanor, he loosened his grip from around her waist but kept his arms interlocked behind her. Lifting his head slowly, Arnold viewed Helga's growing blush and intense stare but kept himself firmly in place. For six years he let her runaway behind that bully-like guise, but not today.

For what seemed like an eternity, the two preteens just stared at one another. Whatever Arnold was thinking, Helga couldn't figure it out. He just looked indifferent as if this situation was nothing new. To Arnold, if was as if he were finally getting to know her for the first time. Her bright blue eyes revealed a valley of conflicting emotions: confusion, panic, irritation, and what he thought might be longing. Everything was starting to make sense- the name calling, the teasing, the spitballs, the tough demeanor, the poems, the sudden free "class trip to Brazil", why she looked like Cecile when her hair was down, the locket that he thought was his Grandpa's but later found in her bag, and even that supposed heat of the moment on the balcony of the FTI building. Now, staring at her in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, he found what he was looking for.

Shifting her eyes away from Arnold's gaze but still wrapped in his grasp, she felt nervous and sought escape, "Sheez, you can let go now football head. This tree isn't exactly the Hilton, ya know."

"No."

"Why not, "her voice starting to waver more and more with each syllable, "you've been staring at me for awhile now and it's starting to creep me out so let me g...."

She couldn't finish her statement because Arnold pulled her closer causing their faces to be only inches apart. Gulping nervously, Helga felt as if her heart was about to pound out of her chest. She hadn't felt like this since that dance two months ago, and even then she felt as if she had had a little control of her situation unlike now. The walls were crumbling and she was becoming vulnerable.

"Why did you do all of this for me? Why would you, who picks on me constantly, do all these wonderful things for me? I have always known deep down you really weren't as bad as you made yourself out to be, but what you have done goes beyond just simple kindness. I just want to know why," Arnold said softly, pleadingly to the stunned girl planted against the tree. Inwardly he knew the answer already, but felt that maybe if Helga could say it aloud then they could move a step forward.

"This is your chance! He is right here and you have his undivided attention; tell him how you feel!"

"No, this is all just a trick old girl. Pull yourself together or you'll get your heart broken. He is just acting like this because he's grateful for what you've done not because he like, likes you."

"How can you be so sure? Look at the way he is holding you, and how those beautiful green eyes are staring at you. Maybe he's had a change of heart....maybe her does like you, like you."

"Maybe."

Concluding her short mental conference, she stared down at Arnold nervously. He looked eager but waited patiently for a response. Could she do this? After all these years, could she finally reveal her secret without blaming it on temporary insanity or heat of the moment? Taking a breath in slowly, she tightened her grasp on his shoulders slightly as if bracing for impact. All or nothing.

She didn't grab him in a passionate kiss or swing him around. She didn't belt out love poetry or sing a tune. She said the only thing that needed to be said. With no prelude she stammered out the simplest and most effective answer to all his questions.

"I...I...love you."

Another eternity seemed to pass between the two of them as Arnold processed the information he just received. He knew deep down her answer had to be somewhere along those lines, and he knew his recently new found feelings were the same. Now the ball was in his court and he needed to make a decision: reciprocate or back away.

At first, Helga felt relieved to be rid of her deepest, darkest secret, but as time passed she felt more and more insecure about her decision. Why was he just standing there? Didn't he understand the agony he was putting her under?

Unable to take the silent treatment any longer, she roughly pushed him aside and started running back to camp. It took all her strength to keep the tears from falling. To her, not saying anything meant rejection, which is what she feared most. She knew that all the bad things she did to him would catch up with her someday, but it still hurt.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed onto her left arm and turned her around abruptly. This caused the tearful girl to run into her pursuer. Instead of falling like she predicted, the hand around her arm kept her balance steady. Certain of who it was, she avoided his gaze. The last thing in the world she wanted was to see the pity in his eyes.

Again, she attempted to escape her inevitable rejection, but Arnold wouldn't let her go.

"Helga, please stop trying to run and let me speak for once," he said as reassuringly as possible," you might want to hear what I have to say."

"Please save your pity for someone who cares. The last thing I want to hear is I'm sorry, but I only like you...not like you like you. Your silence was answer enough, so just leave me alone!"

She didn't want to yell, but she was becoming more visibly upset by the moment and standing here was making matters worse. Using all her strength, she pulled away from him and continued back to the campsite; however, he caught up again and placed a hand on her shoulder to turn her around once more.

"I SAID LEAV...."

Her words were cut short by Arnold's lips placed upon her own.

This kiss wasn't like anything Helga had ever experienced, and it most certainly wasn't like the time on the roof of the FTI building. Urgency and fierceness from her previous tries were replaced with his patience and gentleness, but the meaning that lied underneath was the same – he loved her in return.

Realizing this truth, angels started singing, birds chirping, trumpets sounding, crowds cheering – all within the confines of her mind.

Arnold felt Helga loosen up, and decided to move closer. Placing his arms around her waist once again, he hoped that maybe she would understand his feelings through action since words seemed to be useless. After a few seconds, he started to worry that she might push him away. However, when he moved in closer, she responded by wrapping her own arms around his shoulders. Pushing slightly forward, she responded to his kiss passionately causing his stomach to fill with butterflies.

They both thought nothing could ruin this moment...

Author Notes: This oneshot I found in a fanfiction folder I kept on an old flash drive of mine. I didn't think it was too bad so I decided to post it up on the site. I left it off at that moment because from what I do know about The Jungle Movie, Gerald is supposed to interrupt them, and I wasn't in the mood to lose all that romance with him screaming, "MY EYES! MY EYES!" XD