One Question

At the soft sounds of Helga prepping for the day, Arnold opened his eyes and yawned a bit, sitting up in bed. He stretched his arms and rubbed the sleep from his eyelids. Looking at the time, he grinned a little at seeing that he beat his alarm by about fifteen minutes.

"Well, good morning, football head."

Arnold turned his gaze to the source of the voice, and smiled upon seeing his longtime girlfriend in front of the full-length mirror, still in her nightgown, and brushing her hair. He slowly got out of bed and walked over to her, bringing his arms around her from behind.

"Good morning to you too, hammerhead." Arnold teased playfully, using the silly nickname he'd come up for her when they were kids, because of how her omnipresent pigtails almost looked like the sides of a hammerhead shark, without the complete shape or the eyes at the ends, of course. Sure, she rarely wore her hair in pigtails anymore, but it was still funny to use.

Helga stuck her tongue out at his reflection and then smiled dreamily as she leaned back against him in pure bliss. Nothing beat waking up every morning with the one you loved so much.

They'd been together since they were kids, though there was the extended period of a few months where they had broken up to date other people. But of course, they never stopped loving each other and when they got back together, they had never broken up again. Now, they had been living together since college, and had moved into a high-rise apartment in downtown Hillwood while they'd been attending university there.

Now here they were, at twenty-five, with quite promising careers ahead of them. As well as that, they traveled around together a few times a year, and were now planning a Safari expedition in the African Savannah to take place around next year or so.

"So, what time is Phoebe supposed to pick you up?" Arnold inquired, giving a little sniff to her hair.

"Around 9:30, she said." Helga replied, placing her brush on the dresser, glanced at her watch, and turning around in his embrace, bringing her arms around his neck. "Are you going to miss me, darling?"

Arnold chuckled and kissed her on the ear. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

"Arnold!" Helga laughed, and then advanced against him, making them fall back onto their bed. She pinned him down and smirked devilishly. "In that case, I'm not letting you off this bed until I'm done with you."

The football-headed man smirked. "Is that a threat?"

"Maybe." Helga traced his lips with her finger. "Any objections?"

"No way." Arnold brought his arms around her and kissed her hungrily.

Helga marveled her joy with a throaty moan, and kissed him back with as much ferocity. Before long, they were then rolling around on the bed, desperately trying to remove each other's PJ's as they were in for a morning quickie. Something that occurred more than once a week.

--

"Are you ready to go, Helga?" Phoebe inquired as she cleaned her glasses with a cloth before placing them back on.

"Yep, just give me a minute." Helga said as she checked to make sure she had everything in her purse. She strapped it to her shoulder, and then looked to see Arnold as he was on the phone. Smirking, she went to him and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him.

Despite the situation, Arnold didn't mind, and he was used to it by now. Not to mention used to the fact that Helga wasn't exactly known for short kisses. Phoebe watched in amusement, giggling silently as the couple kissed for who-knows-how-long, before Helga broke away and went to the door, waving bye as he did in return, and then the girls left.

"I'll talk to you later, Dad." Arnold said into the phone a few minutes after Helga and Phoebe were gone. "...Yep, today's the day I'm going to do it."

"Good luck, son. I know it'll work!" Miles said on the other line. "Helga's a keeper all right."

"For sure." Arnold agreed, a dreamy smile on his face. "Tell Mom I said hi, okay? I'll see you later."

"Will do! See you later, kiddo."

Arnold smiled and hung up the phone before going back to the bedroom, where he made their bed, whistling to himself as he did so. He stole a glance at the citywide view outside their balcony window of the room, and took a breath of air.

He then wandered over to the dresser, to where Helga's jewelry box sat. Sitting near it, was her locket from her childhood. It still contained a photo of his nine-year-old self, smiling with that half-lidded gaze. He smiled and chuckled, taking it in his hand. She had been so attached to that thing, and she still was. Which was why she kept the same photo in there, as a memento.

Inside, it still contained the same little inscription: "Arnold my soul, you are always in my heart. Love, Helga G. Pataki."

Arnold smiled more, and gently pocketed it before then taking one of her rings out from her jewelry box. To use as a reference.

You guessed it. Arnold was going out to buy Helga a ring. And he was going to propose.

That was why she was out with Phoebe today. Little did she realize, that Arnold had called Phoebe the day before, asking her to take Helga out for a while, to keep her distracted and unsuspecting. Phoebe had of course agreed to it, and since the girls had not seen one another in a while, it was perfect. So later that same day, Phoebe called Helga and invited her to go out today, to which Helga agreed to. Everything was going according to plan.

He wanted to surprise her, and above all else, make her happy. Making her lifelong dream come true was something he was way too happy to fulfill.

--

"So Helga, how are you two doing these days?" Phoebe asked brightly as they wandered around the mall, looking for something to do.

"Do you even need to ask, Pheebs?" Helga grinned. "We're doing blissfully well, thanks."

Phoebe giggled. "I'm so glad to hear that. You two are just one of the sweetest couples I've seen in a long time."

"D'awww...." Helga laughed and threw her arm around her best friend's shoulders. "You're real sweet to say that, Pheebs. How about you and Geraldo? You two doing well?"

"Of course! Gerald and I finally finished moving into our new apartment, and sure we still have some boxes to unpack, but everything is going very well." Phoebe said happily.

"Tall-hair-boy...I mean man, can deliver, can't he?"

"Oh yes!"

The girls laughed together, arms around each other like they were a couple of kids.

"Oh Pheebs, isn't it great to see us so happy like this?" Helga grinned.

"It is!" Phoebe giggled and smiled wide. "I'm going to marry him someday, Helga. I love Gerald so much!"

"He better be your husband by next year!" Helga declared, snickering. "But I feel the same way. Only with Arnold, of course. Ah, Pheebs, I want to marry him!"

"I know you do." Phoebe gave a little smirk. "You've been saying that since you were three."

"I sure have." Helga winked at her. "Let's hope the twenty-three years of waiting will pay off!"

"Oh, it will, Helga. It will. I can promise you that."

--

"Hello young man, what can I do for you today?" Asked the middle-aged woman from behind the counter.

"I'd like to look at engagement rings, please." Arnold smiled. "Can you find one in this size?" He held up one of Helga's rings to her.

"Ah! Wonderful, we actually have a new selection that just came in." The lady said. She studied the ring, and then slid aside the glass door of the display counter, taking out a small tray of rings. "What stone preference are you looking for?"

"She's an Aries, so I definitely want to give her a diamond ring." Arnold said, and gazed over the selection. They all looked absolutely lovely.

"Oh, excellent idea." The lady gave smile. "This must be one lucky lady!"

"I like to think so." Arnold blushed a little, and browsed the rings. His eye caught one that had diamonds curling into the shape of a heart, with a red stone in the middle of it. "Is that a ruby?"

"Oh, no! It's a red rhinestone, actually."

"Mmm...I like that one...how much is it?"

"Two-thousand dollars, but you're in luck because all pieces containing rhinestone get a fifteen percent discount!"

Arnold smiled and took out his wallet. "I'll take it, it's perfect."

The lady smiled and took a jewel case, then took the ring and placed it inside, closing the case shut. Arnold payed her the money and took the jewel case, pocketing it along with Helga's locket.

"Thanks very much...." Arnold looked at her nametag. "Emma."

"No problem, young man." Emma smiled. "I think your girlfriend will be one happy lady with a thoughtful young man like yourself."

"You have no idea." Arnold smiled, and then left the store.

--

"So then I said to him-oh, hold on." Helga was interrupted by her phone ringing. She took it out and answered it. "This is Helga."

"Helga, it's me. Listen, when you're done with Phoebe, could you meet me at the pier?"

"The pier? Why?"

"It's been a while since we took a walk around there, and they opened up a new little shop we could check out if you want."

Helga giggled. "Oh, football head. You and your nostalgia attacks. Fine, fine. I'll meet you there at two, okay?"

"Sounds good, I'll see you then."

"See you then, lover." Helga winked at the phone, and Phoebe giggled. "Loooove you." She crooned.

Arnold laughed on the other line. "I love you too, angel."

"Okay, you hang up first."

"No, that's okay, you hang up first."

"No, you!"

"You do it."

"Come on!"

"You know you don't want to."

"Ohhh, you're bad! No really, you hang up first."

"No no, you hang up first. Really, go ahead. I insist."

"No, I insist!"

"Ha ha. Fine, I'll hang up first. See you at two, Helga."

"See you then, football head."

And THEN they hung up.

"What are you two, fifteen?" Phoebe teased, giggling.

"Maybe." Helga grinned cheekily.

--

Later on, at around 1:45, Arnold was sitting on the pier, swinging his legs as he looked down into the water. In his hands, he held Helga's locket, and the ring he was going to propose with, still in its jewel case. While he patiently waited for her, he couldn't help but sit there and think about things. Thinking about how happy he was with his life right now.

Most especially, how happy he was with Helga.

It was hard to believe, since she was once his bully nemesis. If you had told him when he was nine that they'd be living together and possibly getting married, he would have rejected the idea and probably freaked out.

But life was sure full of surprises.

One most notable turn-around in their relationship was definitely what had come to occur on the rooftop of the FTI building, when nine-year-old Helga had confessed to nine-year-old Arnold that she loved him, and planted a huge kiss right on his lips. Oh yes, that was the one moment where things between them were never the same again.

And then again later in the dense, dangerous jungles of San Lorenzo. It was part of a turning point in HIS life too, when he realized that they were meant for each other, and had finally reciprocated her feelings.

Arnold smiled, looking down at the items in his hand, and then off to the side, feeling the breeze blow along the harbour area. It was indeed a strange place to propose, but as strange as it sounded, it was a good spot, he thought. After all, they had come here plenty of times throughout their lives. That year when they were nine, during Thanksgiving when they were wandering aimlessly around the city and eventually came here, talking about how lousy their Holiday was going, which turned out to be a mutual thing, and was one of the first times they were getting along. Over their years of dating, they liked to come here and wander around, watch the boats sail around, take in the air, it was pretty nice. It was always nice to come around here together.

Plus, now looking at the sky, it looked like it was going to rain. Ah, rain. It always had a personal significance to Helga that Arnold quickly caught onto. A lot of key elements in their relationship turning points involved rain.

As their relationship grew, Arnold found he loved her more and more as time went by. Helga had mellowed out over the years and had grown up considerably. Yes, she still had her fiery temper, witty sarcasm, devilish remarks, somewhat of an attitude, but she now let her nicer side shine through. At first it was shown more to Arnold and their friends, but over time she grew to be nicer to everyone in general. She was tough, but she was one big softie. Even today she still wrote her lovely poetry, mostly as a hobby, but it did pay off since it was published into some poetry magazines, some even making it into the Hillwood newspaper. Oh yes, Helga would always be Helga, and she was now no longer afraid to show her real self.

Even as a child, Arnold knew he could never get bored with her. That was still true even to this very day. He never had a boring moment with Helga around. Their relationship, above all, had utmost comfort, understanding, empathy, security, love, romance, and passion. They were perfect for each other. Their common ground on all their levels were enough to make them "get" each other, while their differences complimented each other in a great contrast. It was no doubt, as the people they were, that they were perfect for one another. Arnold grew to realize what kind of girl he wanted, later to see he needed, which was the kind of girl who fit Helga like a glove. Same for Helga, the perfect boy she wanted and needed fit Arnold like a glove. It just worked out, no matter how dysfunctional they may have been as children.

To this day Arnold continued to laugh at the irony of how his now late grandparents shared the same relationship he and Helga did when they were kids themselves, and they'd ended up happily married and in love until their dying day. And now look, history was definitely repeating itself.

No doubt, Arnold knew who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. That girl was Helga Geraldine Pataki, and he wanted no one else but her.

So hopefully, though he was sure she would say yes, he hoped she would accept.

"Hey, football head!"

Hearing his pet name, Arnold brightened as he saw Helga walking, or somewhat skipping, toward him down the dock, just as she was letting out her hair from its ponytail. He stood up, pocketed the items, and then went to greet her, where she immediately threw her arms around him.

"Hello, angel." Arnold said affectionately, and Eskimo-kissed her.

Helga giggled, bringing her arms around his neck. "So, tell me Arnold, what brings us here to the ol' pier? Besides the obvious, I mean."

"Well, um, before we go along, I wanted to talk to you about something."

A look of curiosity, and slight worry, came to her eyes and face. "What about?"

Arnold noticed, and smiled, kissing her sweetly. "Don't worry Helga, it's nothing bad, I promise."

"Okay." Helga conceded.

Taking a breath, he stood back from her, holding her hands as he looked her in the eye.

"Well Helga, we've been together for quite a long time now, haven't we? Not counting the time we broke up, of course. About 16 years now?"

"Yeah, 16 come next fall." Helga beamed.

"Wow, by the time we're 29 it'll be 20 years!" Arnold realized, and laughed hard along with Helga.

"Don't we have to be old for it be 20 years?!" Helga squealed with laughter. "We are so not normal."

"Not at all." Arnold snickered. "Well, anyway, we've been through so much together, and being with you has been the greatest times of my life. It's no secret that you're the perfect girl for me."

"And you're the perfect boy for me." Helga smirked.

"Glad to know." Arnold chuckled, winking at her. "So Helga, I think it's pretty obvious now, but I don't want anyone else. I want you, Helga. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Tentatively, he lowered himself down on one knee and took out the jewel case.

Helga gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth and nearly falling over. It was also then that it began to rain, though neither of them seemed to care.

"Helga...Helga Geraldine Pataki, love of my life and angel of my heart, will you... um...." His nervousness was eating at his gut, but he decided to come out with it. "Will you marry me?"

"...A...Arnold...I...." Helga uttered, unable to formulate a coherent sentence. She was in too much shock, too much joy. "I...I..." Tears immediately ran down her face and she managed to nod. "Yes...yes....yes! Of course I will!"

Grinning with joy, Arnold stood right up and then placed the ring on her finger, and then hugged her tightly. Helga squealed with joy and hugged him back, practically on the verge of ultimate hysteria. They laughed and hugged tight, and he spun her around, neither of them caring about the falling rain.

"Arnold...I...I'm so happy..!!! Oh Arnold!!!!" Helga cried, kissing him all over his face. "I love you I love you I love you I love you! Dear God I love you! You're a God! A wonder! Oh, I love you! I love you!"

Arnold laughed and kissed her on the forehead, holding her closer. "I love you too, Helga, I love you. I'll make your dream come true, gladly. You'll never be alone ever again...I'm all yours."

Tearing up more, Helga hugged him tighter, her face buried in his neck. "Arnold...I ...I...thank you...thank you, my darling...thank you. I love you..." She could barely believe that the boy she loved since she was three, was now her fiancé.

"I love you too, angel. Now and forever." Arnold smiled, whispering into her ear. It happened, the girl who was once his nemesis, and now his longtime girlfriend, was now his fiancée.

They looked at one another again, and then kissed passionately, right there on the dock at the pier, under the rain, among the chatter of people, the whistles of the boats, the city noise...they kissed, kissed and kissed, now one step closer at finally being united for the rest of their lives.