WeDisclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold or anything else I might mention.

Summary: A 26 year old Helga has a near death experience with a drug addiction that sends her into rehab. While there, Gerald begins to dig into the past and brings out a skeleton in her closet that has haunted the both of them. And what exactly does all of this have to do with Arnold anyway?

A/N: Jeez guys, I'm so very sorry about taking this long to put this up. I've had a million things happen since my last post. Our land Lord fire sold our apartment complex to an incompetent tyrant of a woman. My husband and I are in the process of building a house that won't be ready until November, so instead of putting up with the new land lady from hell, we moved in with my parents until then. Let's just say that one does not truly appreciate peace and quiet...and sanity until they've moved back in with their parents and two younger brothers. Lol.

P.S. A few of you sent me a message saying you never got a new chapter alert. I myself actually missed a few on stories I follow so I'm guessing the FF servers had a problem. So if anybody didn't get an alert in May, go back and read the chapter 'Free' or else none of this chapter will probably make ANY sense you!

Epilogue

6 Years Later - Breaking Bad

"I'm thinking about having my scar removed."

Brainy tore his eyes away from his book, peering over the rim at his wife with an eye brow raised in predictable interest as she sauntered out of the bathroom, letting her hair down, clean and dressed for the night. "Oh? Why the change of heart?" He asked, laying the tomb across his belly while she slid under the sheets beside him.

With a sigh, Helga gave a subtle lift of her shoulder before running her hand over the inside of her right arm, "I just…don't like it visible to the whole world anymore. Nobody ever says it, but…everybody knows what it is and what it's from. It's a reminder but it's also…embarrassing."

"Well, I think if you want to remove it, then you should. It's your body. You should feel comfortable in it."

"I'm thinking about replacing it with a tattoo."

Brian's eyes went wide, "A tattoo? Since when are you interested in those?" He chuckled.

A smirk broke out across Helga's face, "I'm not, per say. But I feel like if I get rid of it I need to replace it with something else…meaningful."

"Uh-huh. So are you going to get 'Parker' written on your arm?" He teased.

Helga tossed him an annoyed eye roll and playfully swatted at him, "Ha! No. But I have always liked your anchor. I like the symbolism of stability. I think it would be an appropriate fit, don't you think?"

Brainy folded his arms over his body and faced her, "So you want an anchor," He stated and she half-nodded, "On your arm." He finished, more than a little skeptical of the idea if it was indeed so.

"God, no. Somewhere out of sight."

"Alright." Her husband smiled cheerily, "We'll have the scar taken care of and get you some maritime hipster ink."

"Maybe." She clarified, "I'm still deciding on the tattoo part."

She'd been thinking about it for a little while by then, especially watching her baby sister run around, referring to him by his natural title. Daddy this, daddy that. It made her so jealous given that she didn't have the ability to do the same of the person who had stepped in and taken on every single responsibility her biological father would have. There had been several times when she'd almost slipped up and said the word herself, having to quickly correct herself before it fully came out with a heaping dose of potential embarrassment. It made sense to her that it should be okay. Through no fault of his own, her own father would never be able to be there for her. But Brian had been, and would continue being what Arnold couldn't be.

A dad.

For weeks she'd been afraid of approaching him, and the way things had been, they really hadn't had any one on one moments for her to ask such a personal question.

Not until that day, where as it worked out, he was the one to pick her up from her after school activity because her sister had a doctors appointment that afternoon that her mom was busy with. And that's where she found herself, sitting quietly on the car ride home, knowing that she didn't have much longer before they'd be home and she might lose her opportunity. "Hey...Brian..." Sender beckoned softly, hands fidgeting in her lap.

"What's up?" Her step-father replied, giving her a brief glance before refocusing on the road.

"So...I..." She was already getting almost too nervous to explain what she wanted, "...I know I have...a dad...but he can't be my dad." Brian's brow quirked, his eyes peeking to the edge of his lids the observe her. He thought he might know where she was headed, but he wasn't one hundred percent sure. "And you are...kind of my dad now anyway so I...I...was wondering..."

The older man reached over and gave her fidgeting hands a squeeze, his heart about to burst with the joy of what he now knew she was trying to ask. "Yeah," He nodded, looking over and smiling warmly at her, "I would love if you called me dad, if that's what you want."

Sender looked at him, that Arnold style smile spreading across her face as she nodded, "I'd like that."

"I'd like that too."

"I love you, dad."

"I love you too, kiddo." He reached out and rustled her hair before she could bat his hands away.

"Because I don't want him here!" Brainy adamantly shouted.

Across the kitchen, Helga was looking nonplussed and every bit as fiery as he was, "What is the big deal?! It'd be for a month! Tops! He hasn't anywhere else to go!" She steadfastly returned.

"I don't care Helga! I'm not letting some...some ex-con druggie into my house, or near my girls! Especially one that was more than just friends with my wife!"

"Wow..." The blonde narrowed her eyes, "An ex-con druggie. When you put it that way: I didn't realize that I myself was so unwelcome in your house." With that, she turned and stormed out the porch, leaving Brainy more frustrated than ever.

In her absence, he combed his hands through his hair a few times, muttering an array of curse words under his breath before he sighed in defeat and ran after her.

Helga didn't bother with looking at him, instead, staring across the yard, jaw clenched tightly in frustration. A cigarette would have been nice about now. "Helga, I didn't mean it like that," He tried.

"Then how did you mean it, Brian?" She snapped.

"I just don't trust people. Especially near my family. People I don't know. What you're asking..."

Helga finally turned, "I wouldn't be asking if I thought he was in anyway sketchy. Do you really think I'd bring someone dangerous around my kids? Sid went to jail for heroine, not murder. He's harmless, he just needs to get his feet back underneath him," She said in a soft tone.

Brainy felt himself sag against the porch railing. "That aside honey, it'd just be weird for me, okay? I don't think I could even look at him being near you without seeing-"

"Okay I get it," She caved. She knew the exact mental imagery boiling in his mind. "I'll just tell Gerald that he'll have to take him."

9 Years Later - I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.

Gerald had never had to fight the urge to laugh so hard before. When he'd gotten the call nearly 30 minutes ago, he'd almost thought it was some kind of practical joke, cooked up by his mischievous niece and a few his co-workers on that Friday night. After all, his 13th year on the force was that month, he was cautiously expecting some sort of shenanigans. But, oh no. No, no, there was no joke here. Not purposely anyway. After riding out of Hillwood and into the quaint country side, he'd ended up on a small cow farm with a young deputy, an amused farmer and five dirt caked, sweaty little 15-year-old girls leaning up against the squad car in a line, fright eyed, slightly ashamed, yet particularly proud looking with themselves.

"Cow tipping?" Gerald repeated, staring at the deputy and the farmer as perplexed as ever, "Now what is that exactly?"

The deputy propped a hand on his night stick, "Well, uh…you wait till the cow goes to sleep and you…give it a hard shove in the side and it falls over," He awkwardly explained with his hands.

Oh that was rich. Just rich. "And…were any cows…tipped?" Gerald replied in an absurdly strained voice, trying to keep it together, trying not to laugh.

"Well…yeah," The deputy nodded, "Three. They tipped three heifers."

"Three?!"

"And spooked a few goats."

"Look, deputy," The farmer stepped forward, to Gerald's great relief. God knows how much longer he was going to be able to keep his professional demeanor. "I already said I didn't want to press charges or anything. It's just a few girls. I just don't want them doing it again is all."

Gerald took a deep breath, "Alright. I'll take them back with me. Sorry about this, sir. I promise won't happen again." He shook the farmer's hand and then the deputy's before walking over to the squad car.

"Mmm-mmm-mmmm." He shook his head and crossed his arms, peering down at his niece and her friends with a mixture of amusement and disappointment.

"Hey Uncle Gerald…" Sender said. She was covered from head to toe in dirt.

"Come on. All of you, in my car." He shooed them off. They did what they were told and scurried off and into his car in a blink. And not a moment too soon, because once they were securely out of sight, the laughing began, exploding from where he'd bottled it up earlier. He dropped his head in his hand and just let go. God, it was one of the funniest things he'd ever heard of! Harassing sleeping live stock. Who knew?

A whole minute went by before he finally wiped a few tears away, collecting himself enough to get in the car and resume his authoritative posture. "What in God's name are you girls doing out here?" He finally asked as they drove off in the direction of town.

"We thought it would be fun," Sender immediately replied, knowing full and well that she'd be the main source of the grilling that was about to happen.

"You thought it would be fun?" They all nodded. "How did you even get out here?"

"We rode with some other people, but they chickened out and left us."

"Where were you all before?"

"School basketball game."

"And whose idea was this?"

"It was mine," Kate spoke up. Gerald glanced into his rear view to see the girl casually examining her nails. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Kate looked up, "What? I saw it in a movie. It looked fun."

"We all saw the movie," Chloe scolded.

The detective could only shake his head, "I get it, it was a collaboration," He resigned.

"Are you going to tell my mom and dad?" Sender shyly looked over at him, looking as grim as ever about her fate.

"Do you think I should tell them?" He countered.

His niece shrugged, "I mean, it's not like we were doing drugs or anything," She justified, and hoped that would be a good enough excuse for him. Hoped anyway. Her Uncle Gerald had always been cool.

Gerald didn't say anything for a moment as he thought about it, weighing his obligations and options. He could hear all the fearful gulps echoing around in the cab. "I'm going to let this one slide," He finally said. There was a collective sigh of relief, "Because you're good kids, all of you. However, don't do it again, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir!"

"Affirmative!"

"How was your sea bass?"

"It was good, actually. How about your duck?" Helga smiled across the table at Brainy. His face was cast in golden shadows from the candle lit restaurant they dined within. Quiet music and patrons chatter fluttered softly around them.

"The best I've had in awhile. Sure you don't want a bite?" Brian offered up a fork full of his meal to her.

She scrunched her face. "I'll pass."

Brian gobbled down his bite of food before thumbing the utensil down on his plate, "I have something for you," He said with a charming smile, and proceeded to dig into his inner sport coat pocket.

Helga pushed her plate away and folded her arms on top of the table, casting a coy smirk in reply, "You know it's not necessary."

"Nonsense, it's our anniversary. Besides, this is something extra special." He removed a rectangular shaped box and slid it across the table.

Helga couldn't bring herself to peel her blue orbs away from his as she reached for the gift. She watched the flicker a content sparkle with the candle flame for a moment more before opening the box. Inside was the most gorgeous rectangular faced silver wrist watch she'd ever seen. "Its beautiful, B," She gandered breathlessly.

"I thought you'd like it," He smiled, "But I think you'll like what's on the back better."

Helga didn't need need to be told twice, she pulled it from the box and flipped in over in her palm, and he was right, it was even better. A lovely anchor had been engraved into the metal, with four words pressed around it in a U-shape.

"Fortis. Stabilis. Non haesitabit," She said, and looked up, "Strong, stable-"

"Never wavering," He finished for her, "I thought it was appropriate. 10 years of sobriety and all. Since you never did go through with the tattoo."

It was a lovely, thoughtful gesture, and Helga was just beside herself with happiness. "I love it." She couldn't have wiped the smile off her face if she'd tried. "It's...its the best gift you could have given me, really." Her old watch was cast aside like yesterday's paper as she clasped the new one onto her wrist and gave it a jiggle. Perfect fit.

"I'm glad you like it."

At that point their waiter cut in, refilling drinks and taking dessert orders-vanilla bean crème brûlée-before skirting off again.

"So, I had something I wanted to discuss with you tonight as well," Helga said once the boy left. Her husband lifted a brow.

"I can't even begin to think of what," He looked a tad bit weary.

"It's nothing bad." She dismissed his worry, "I...got offered a job at Hillwood U."

Brian's eyes widened, "Really? Teaching?"

"What else?" She grinned.

"Is that something you think you'd enjoy? I know you were aiming for a counseling position."

Helga shrugged, "Gerald and I do the juvenile detention gig. I'm happy with that and...I think teaching could be interesting."

"If it's what you want."

"I do. I do want to do this."

"Well then," Briany raised his soda, "Happy anniversary, professor."

Helga clanked his glass, "Happy anniversary. And sayonara architectural firm." She said and took a congratulatory gulp. "Oh, guess who called me today." She chipped after a little while.

"I don't know, who?"

"Sid."

"Oh," Briany replied flatly, hiding his disdain with a tight grin, "How's he doing?"

"He's loving Montana. He's working on a ranch, said he's truly enjoying it."

"Well, hopefully that means it was a good move for him."

11 Years Later - Bizarre love triangle.

The day before, she'd moped around a bit melancholy, skipping dinner, going to bed at a rather early hour, even for her, and then trudging off to school the next morning looking every bit as apathetic as before. That night, while she had joined her family, she'd been quiet all dinner, barely touching her meal, and it was her favorite. Now Helga found her in the basement, vegging out on the sofa in sweats, watching re-runs of some gossip girl show and eating Ben and Jerry's chocolate therapy ice cream right out of the container. And if Helga prided herself on knowing anything about her eldest child, she knew that it wasn't a good sign.

"Hey."

"Hey, mama," Sender mumbled.

Helga frowned, even more concerned than before. If she was using mama instead of mom, something was definitely wrong. "You've seemed a little down lately. You feeling alright?"

"No."

Helga walked over and sat down, shooing Maury's pudgy little butt over as she did. "Is it something you want to talk about?" She gently pried.

Sender took another gloomy bite of her ice cream. She didn't come right out and say anything for a full minute, and Helga briefly wondered if she even would, but after another spoon full of dairy therapy, a deflated sigh finally gusted from her person. She sat up, "Brad broke up with me."

"Oh…" Helga felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach, "I'm sorry sweetheart."

Her baby's first break up. And while the mama in her wanted to go hunt down the little prick and knock him upside the head one good time for causing her little girl heartbreak and anguish, she'd also have to give him a hug for leaving Sender alone. To put it mildly, she'd never much cared for that kid, though unlike Brian, she'd never made it particularly vocal.

"Yeah," Sender grimly stared at the tub she held, dejectedly stabbing the contents with her spoon, "I mean, I thought we were like…fine and all, but I guess not."

"This happened yesterday?" Made sense. She'd been her normal happy-go-lucky self two days prior.

Sender nodded and exhaled a frustrated breath, "He sent me a text message in second block. A text message! Said he had some things to figure out and that we weren't working. But then, I get to lunch and he's got Eva Doates all up in his lap with his tongue down her throat. And she is such a ho bag too."

"Sender…" Helga began scolding.

"No mom, really, this girl will sleep with anything on two legs that's male," She steadfastly insisted. Even though doing so caused her to become even more depressed. The 17-year-old slumped her shoulders with a sigh and took another spoonful of her ice cream, "I guess when I wouldn't give him what he wanted he decided he was going to find somebody that would."

Helga looked at her daughter, a tad bit awe struck for a fraction of a second before a ghost of a smile began playing across her lips. She wasn't really expecting that, nor did she immediately have anything to say back, but it seemed she wouldn't have to because Sender caught her stare and answered with a roll of her eyes, "Good grief…yeah mom I'm still a virgin. Don't act all surprised." All Helga was thinking about was how much she wanted to reach over, give her a bone crushing hug and kiss her.

"I'm…" Helga finally began, "Well, quite honestly as a mother, it is one of the best things you can ever hear from your teenage daughter." Helga was no naïve individual, and that went for her parenting as well. She didn't sit around, blindly believing that her daughter was a total angel, though she really was a good kid, but Helga had been a teenager once too, she knew what they were up to…or wanted to be up to, the same stuff she herself had been up.

"Sure." Sender gave her mom a quick, small smile before turning back to playing with her spoon, "I guess things weren't so okay after all huh?"

"No, it doesn't sound like it."

"He was great when we first started dating but, the last couple of months he just got…pushy. I guess because more and more of his friends were…yeah, and I'm sorry but I think your first time should be because it feels right and special and not because everybody else is…hooking up or whatever and you feel like you should too just because they are."

Helga was impressed, and she didn't bother hiding it, "Kid, you're far wiser than your age."

"I don't know about wise. I think I'm just an overly sentimental girl if anything."

"There isn't anything wrong with that. And it's not just a girl thing. Your father was the same way," Helga pointed out.

Sender chuckled. She should have known. "Of course he was. Is there anything about me that isn't him?"

Helga thought about it for a moment, "Not really-well...you got my more cooperative hair," She offered absently. For some reason, Sender began chuckling harder, eliciting a curious smile from her mother, "What's so funny now?"

"I was just thinking...I don't think dad liked Brad much. He always told me that he got a creepy feeling in our house. Like somebody was watching him."

The older blonde snorted, "Yeah, I imagine he probably didn't," She conceded. A silent moment went by before Helga looked at her daughter closely, "Think you're going to be okay?"

Sender sighed, "Yeah I'll live. It still really sucks though. Getting dumped, via text message, during school."

"Come here." Helga gestured her daughter over. Sender sat the ice cream down and slid over into her mother's embrace, Maury getting shoved out onto the floor, "Rejection is never fun, but you'll bounce back before you know it." Helga hugged her tightly, "It seems like the end of the world, but its just a moment in time."

"I know," The teen agreed, "The girls just think I need a good rebound." She smirked up at her mom, whose reply was a stern but skeptical stare.

"Right."

Sender giggled, "Which is totally me...not. I think I might just ride it out with Ben and Jerry over there."

Suddenly the door at the top of the stairs swung open, colliding with the wall whilst a thudding march came stomping down. "Mommy…" A little blonde girl groaned. Helga's eyes went wide when she saw her youngest covered in a globby, pink mess, dripping all over the carpet, and looking none too thrilled about it.

"Regan, what on earth are you covered in?"

Her little girl propped her hands up on her hips and scowled, "Daddy turned the blender on without the top."

"Hey Sender…"

The girl looked away from the baseball field to see a certain brown headed young man, dressed in a jersey, standing at the end of the bleacher where she sat. "Hey Riley."

"What uh, what are you doing here?" He scratched the back of his neck shyly.

She casually gestured to two figures standing down by the dugout. "Waiting with Amber…who was waiting for Scott."

"Oh, right," He nodded. "You mind if I sit down?" She did mind. She minded a lot. She really didn't want to be bothered, but she didn't necessarily want to be mean either. So she shook her head, and he slid into the row and planted down beside her. Neither muttered a word for a few minutes. It was fine by her, though she couldn't ignore how stiff silence was. Riley finally glanced at her from the corner of his eye, taking note of how sad she still looked, hiding underneath her well worn blue NYPD ball cap that was typically reserved only for the occasional bad hair day or a trip to the river. Her normally bubbly personality was as flat as old soda and her electric eyes, dimly smothered, "Are you okay?"

Sender's brow knitted, "Why?" She began giving him an accusing look.

The boy quickly shrugged, "I, you know…I heard what happened this week is all."

God Almighty. She wanted to bite his head off, nearly having to bite her tongue off to keep her cool. The whole school knew! Lines in the sand were being drawn and sides being taken, with more than half of everybody siding with p.s. 120's 'golden girl' rather than Brad, and she couldn't be anymore sick to death of the whole thing if she tried. It was nobody's business but her's and Brad's. That's what she wanted to tell Riley.

She wanted to say 'butt out and mind your own business' as rudely as possible and stomp off to continue her solitude elsewhere. But as she looked at Riley she couldn't help but notice that he seemed genuinely concerned with her emotional well being, as opposed to being concerned about getting the scoop like everybody else was. The more she thought about it, the more she appreciated it. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks," She finally said.

Riley looked relieved, relaxing his tense posture a bit as he nodded. Sender wasn't sure if it was because she didn't rip him a new ass hole or because she'd told him she was alright. A little of both maybe? She didn't want to know. "If you want…I could kick his butt for you," He offered with a corner smile.

The blonde just blinked over at him, "I'm sorry what?"

"I said, I'd kick his butt for you."

Sender snorted, "You dweeb."

"What?" Riley threw her another crooked smile.

Sender thinned her eyes at him, his smile infectiously quirking up her own lips, "Since when are you the brawling type?" She asked. The young man said nothing as he flexed his bicep at her. There was no denying that he certainly would have been capable of causing Brad a bad day, the baseball had really bulked him up exceptionally well. Sender had to catch herself from oogling at the muscles bunching underneath his sun kissed skin. Finally, she mentally shook yourself, "Well, as tempting as it is, I wouldn't want you to get in trouble on my behalf."

Riley chuckled and looked at her for another moment before turning his gaze out over the baseball field. "For what it's worth, guys like him deserve girls like Eva," He said. Sender turned and looked at him. Riley gave her a corner glance before tilting his head at her and shrugging, fighting back a bashful smile, "They don't deserve girls like you. You're…sweet and funny and passionate and…just too special of a person for somebody like Brad Marrow to appreciate."

"Thanks Riley." Sender realized that her face had flushed. She tried to hide it by bringing her hand up and running it through her hair a few times, but she was sure he saw it because he smiled and ran the palm of his hand over her upper back. The warm and fuzzys began bubbling in the pit of her stomach, and she wasn't sure why, or if she liked it.

"You're welcome."

Thankfully her phone chirped, almost as if it knew she needed saving at the moment. It was Amber with a 'I'm staying' text. She looked up and saw her friend waving and returned the gesture before shooting up, leaving Riley's hand and warm spark it was rubbing into her shoulder blades behind. "Well I guess I'm getting out of here. Amber's staying," She awkwardly said, shrugging her book bag onto her shoulder.

"Oh. Yeah. Of course." Riley stood up, "Uh, take care. I'll uh…see you around."

Sender quickly nodded, "Yeah. You too." She turned and began walking down the bleachers, only making it about 4 feet before her gut began giving her a nudge that she couldn't ignore. The warm and fuzzies, they made her feet grow anchors, refusing to allow her one more step. She finally spun around, resolved that she wasn't going to be leaving that baseball field alone. "You want to walk with me to my car, Riley?" She asked with a smirk.

12 Years Later - Mischief managed.

THUD!

Sender bolted out of her computer chair as if it had burned her, nearly tripping over herself to get to the window to see the boy crouching on the roof outside. It was Friday night, which meant if she wasn't out with her girls, she was probably having a secret sleep over with her boyfriend. She threw open the pane and Riley heaved himself inside, collapsing onto the carpet, lying flat on his back as dramatically as possible.

"Good grief, noisy much? You want my mom and Brian to catch us?"

"Sorry. I'm incredibly sore!" He groaned, Sender throwing him an up most disbelieving expression as she closed the window.

"How often do you make that climb?"

The brunette lulled his head from side to side, "Not that. Coach gave us an insane work out today."

"Oh." Sender's skeptical expression evaporated into one of intrigue. "Well, you poor baby." She sat down, straddling his lap, leaning over and running her slender digits through his freshly showered hair. "Luckily for you, I know just what'll make you feel better…" She gave him an amatory smirk, jade eyes sparkling like a pair of emeralds as she trailed her finger down his cheek, his chin, and onto his Adam's Apple.

Riley wanted to cry. He squeezed his eyes shut in a strained expression as his hands came to rest on her hips. "I…think I'm too sore…" He moaned in despair.

In sheer disbelief, Sender could only manage to scoff, "Wow...apparently that really was an insane work out." and with a sigh of finality, she gave him a quick peck on the lips and stood up, offering him her hand. Riley climbed to his feet and made a lumbering bee line to her bed, crawling into the sheets with delighted mewls of relief.

"Hey lover boy." The blonde poked him as she climbed in beside him, fetching her channel changer off her bed side and flipping her television on. "Are you too tired to watch a movie or are you just going to go to sleep?"

Riley rolled onto his back and gave her one of his crooked smiles, "Nah, I'm not sleepy, I just can't move. What's on?"

"I've got 'Kick Ass' recorded."

"Oh yeah, I did want to see that."

Sender hit the play button and they settled in. Riley pulled her to him and she willingly curled up around her favorite guy. Still an excellent way to spend the night, in her opinion. But, peace and quiet wasn't to be had that night. Barely 10 minutes had gone by when a distinct metallic giggle permeated through the room. "Oh no…" She frantically whispered, bolting upright, just knowing that she'd somehow forgotten to lock her door.

When the door slowly swung open she'd expected to see her mom, or dad, or both, faces weighted down with disappointment and anger. What she didn't expect, was her kid sister, whom leaned uber casually up against the door jam with a snarkly raised brow, "Well, well, well. I thought I heard a commotion on your side of the house," Regan drawled.

"Regan, what are you doing?" She hissed with wide eyes.

"Breaking into your room, crimeny, what does it look like?"

"Wait, you...how did you get in here?" Sender demanded.

The little blonde flashed a shiny, gold colored rectangle, "One of Daddy's credit cards."

"Get out of here." Sender pointed to the door.

"You know, I don't think they'd like that you've got him up here."

"What are you saying?"

Regan deviously smirked, "That you're going to do something for me or I'm going down stairs and telling them."

Sender folded her arms across her chest and quirked a brow confidently, "I don't think you will."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm, and I'll tell you why. If you go down there and rat me out, you're going to get in trouble too for A) breaking into my room and B) taking one of dad's credit cards to do so."

Regan narrowed her eyes and propped a hand onto her sassily cocked hip, "Touche' Sendi-rella," She jeered, "I would get in trouble. But not as much trouble as you."

Riley cleared his throat, "You know the irony of it all is we, for once, weren't even doing anything," He pointed out...and was completely ignored.

Sender's lips pressed into a thin line and she took a moment to look her little sister over, "I'm calling your bluff, little sis," She finally announced.

"Fine," Regan defiantly folded her arms and strolled into the hallway, "Mom!" She called.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Sender tumbled out of her bed and bounded to the door the second she heard their mother inquiry from downstairs, picturing her already sitting up to come investigate.

Regan smirked, "Nevermind!" She called back sweetly.

The older blonde hurried out into the hallway, making sure she closed her door behind her and glowered down at the petite girl, not appreciative at all of being leveraged so efficiently by such a small human being. "Alright, what do you want?"

"I want you to take me to the movies this weekend."

Sender deadpanned, "The movies?!" She quietly hissed. "Why can't you get mom or dad to take you?"

"Because I don't want to go with them," Regan was adamant.

"Regan, I don't have time for this."

Her sister rolled her eyes and huffed, "You never have time do you?" She nearly stomped her foot she was so frustrated.

Sender knew that her sister could be a little on the manipulative side. She knew from...pretty much everybody that Regan was a whole lot like their mother when she was that age. Sure she was a little more than mad about having her privacy intruded, but it suddenly occurred to her that perhaps her little sister wasn't being a brat, perhaps she was just lashing out at being forgotten by her older sister.

Sender squatted down, "What's this really about?"

For a moment, Regan refused to say anything. She could only glare at her older sister through a pair of electric blues. "I'm blackmailing you, doi!" She leered.

"Regan..."

She sighed and her eyes fell to the floor, "We don't ever do things anymore, because you're always busy with Riley or other stuff," She began begrudgingly confessing, "And next year, you're going to be away at college and I wont ever get to see you."

Sender softened, "Hey, that's not true."

"Yes it is and you known it."

"I...I know. You're right. I've been busy. I haven't forgotten about you though." She reached out an brushed a strand of Regan's hair from her eyes. "We'll go to the movies this weekend and I swear that we'll spend as much time together as possible before I leave."

"Promise?" Regan eyeballed her.

"Promise."

17 Years Later - Roam if you want to.

"Are you freaking kidding me!? Sender...no! You can't-I can't believe you'd do that! Absolutely not! You're getting on a plane and you're coming home immediately!" Helga was practically bear gripping their home phone.

Brian, hearing all the yelling, had come rushing into the kitchen in bewilderment.

"Oh good God, I can't even think straight right now. I can't..." She dropped the phone to her chest, catching sight of her husband for the first time since the conversation had began. "Here. Talk to her." She thrust the phone into his person and began rooting through their kitchen junk drawer, "I can't even..." She trailed off when she found a pack of cigarettes, hidden in a tin at the very back. Without another word she ran out onto the back porch and lit up.

"Sender?" Brian held the phone to his ear, still staring at his wife through the bay window.

"Hey daddy."

"Sender, what did you tell her?" All he got from the other end was a sigh, "You've got to give me something, because at this point I can only think of three things that would make you're mother that frantic. Either you've gotten arrested, dropped out of school, or you're pregnant, which is it? Am I close?"

"Oh good grief, I just got off a plane in Germany. Amber, Kate, Chloe, Emma and I are going to spend the summer backpacking through the European country side and staying in hostels."

"You're doing what?!"

"Honestly Pops-"

"-Sender that-that's incredibly unsafe!"

"We'll be fine. We're meeting the guys in Paris in a month, and we'll see you in July. I'll call every night, I promise."

Brainy was already out the back door. Helga stopped her pacing, staring at her husband's ashen, wide-eyed face, blowing smoke over shoulder. He now had the phone clutched to his chest. "Find my passport." Was all he said.

Before Helga could utter a response, Regan came clamoring out the backdoor, nearly tripping over her own two feet and colliding into her dad. "What'd I miss?" She righted herself. "I heard yelling and Sender's name. Did she actually get into some real trouble?!" She excitedly inquired.

Helga took a heavy drag off of her cigarette, "I'll say. Your sister thought it was a good idea to hop on a plane and spend her summer in Europe."

Regan's face fell, mouth falling agape, "No fair!"

20 Years Later - Smooth sailing.

Oh the blessed day had arrived, 26 years in the making. She'd known that this was heading down the pike at some point, yet no matter how much she'd emotionally prepared for it, there she was, doing everything she could to preserve her mascara until the ceremony.

"Mom, you okay?"

Regan snorted from the wall she leaned against, popping gum loudly, "She's envisioning you as like...a giggling infant," She teased.

"Honey I wouldn't laugh," Emma nudged the teen in the arm, "You're last. She's going to cling to you like lent to a black skirt."

Helga didn't hear a word of the exchange. Her eyes were glued to Sender, eloquently dressed in a flowing white shoulderless gown, her hair cascading down past her shoulder in curling waves of shimmering gold. Simple, but elegant. "You look gorgeous sweetheart," She gushed.

"Thanks mom."

"Do you guys need a moment?" Amber asked.

Sender smiled and nodded, "Please."

The five bridesmaids filed out of the dressing room, leaving mother and daughter alone. Sender smoothed her hands over her dress, "Do I look ready?" She then began nervously knotting them together.

Helga knew how frazzled Sender was, she just couldn't believe she was holding it together as well as she appeared to be. "As ready as you'll ever be," She tried to comfort her. Sender laughed but her mother could still hear the edginess woven through her airy voice. "It's easier than it looks."

"Is it? I just want everything to be perfect, you know?"

Helga smiled, "It will be." She felt her eyes begin to water painfully, enough to warrant a quick lid wipe with her finger. She didn't exactly appreciate the water works, but her baby was no longer her baby! She was grown, she was getting married today. She was starting her own life with a wonderful man. When did she grow up? Where had the time gone?

"Are you crying? Mom, you never cry."

"I know." Helga sniffed, "It's a big day." She turned and sat down in a nearby chair. Sender did the same, "You know, twice in my life I almost lost you. Now I am losing you, but in the best way imaginable."

"Aw, mom."

"I know things were a little weird in the beginning but, everything turned out fine, you turned out fine. It's...we'll, it's more than I ever hoped for."

Sender quietly chuckled, "I've got to hand it to you mom, you pulled it off well. It was a little hairy there for a minute, especially when I thought you were never coming back for me. But, you and me...we got here in one piece. I guess in the end that's what matters." Sender knew everything, and had known since she was 14 when she went inquiring to uncle Gerald after watching a Nat Geo drug Inc special on tv. Helga had initially been furious with him. She'd wanted her past life dead, buried, and gone, and certainly not ever known by her girls. That was until she got into her car one morning and saw a note taped to the steering wheel that simply said, 'You're still my mom. -S'

Helga felt a smile course warmly across her lips, "That's all that matters." She leaned forward and gave her a tight hug, "Oh, you grew up on me too fast!"

Sender chuckled, "Not that fast. You've still got Regan. I don't see her going anywhere for awhile."

Helga pulled away and peered at her daughter with a knowing expression, "Yes but, you'll always be my first and oldest. You'll understand one day."

A knock came, followed by the wedding coordinator poking her head in, "Helga, we're seating the mothers."

Helga looked back to Sender and took a breath, "I'll see you in a bit." She gave her hand a squeeze, "You're going to knock Riley's socks off," She teased as she got up.

"Your dad will be back to get you in 10 min, Sender," The woman cheerfully said and closed the door.

"Right about the dad part but off by about, oh...9 minutes and 53 seconds."

Sender bolted from her chair, nearly suffering a fatal heart attack. From the mirror, she could see her father standing on the opposite side of the room, dressed sharply in a formal black suit. She whipped around, face hidden by her wide eyes. Greens meeting an identical pair of greens. "Dad?" Her voice quivered. Was it? Arnold didn't look like the pictures she'd seen, a young, vivacious 20-year-old. He looked his true age, had he lived of course, but he was dead, how was that possible? She couldn't even continue focusing on that. There was an angelic glow about him that was mesmerizing, alluring.

He drew closer, eyes twinkling in response. "You look stunning." He tenderly smiled.

Sender was still flabbergasted, now leaning heavily against the vanity counter. "You're...but how...I mean...Dad!"

"That's me. I came aged." He held his arms out. "I figured it'd be weird if I looked as young as my daughter."

At that, Sender managed to pull herself off the vanity, shelving her surprise in favor of a newly excited smile, "That's...it's, um..." That was her dad! The very man she'd always longed to meet. Standing casually before her. The man that she knew always kept watch over her, but never showed himself, despite the countless times as a child that she'd begged him to. Now here she was, finally getting her wish and she couldn't even think what to say to him! She must've looked so silly, stuttering like an incoherent fool.

Arnold appeared not to notice, he just kept smiling, "About to get married. It seems like just yesterday I was watching mom swaddle you up like a little caterpillar for the night. That was my favorite time, you know, because once she went to sleep, I held you for hours."

"And mom likes to brag about what a great sleeper I was as a baby," Sender jokingly remarked, surprised that a full-fledged sentence came out of her mouth.

"Secret weapon." Arnold thumbed at himself and his daughter giggled. "So, tell me about this guy."

Sender snorted, "Psht, 'this guy?' He's only the love of my life. Shouldn't you know all this?" She teased.

"Hey, I'm a guardian, not a spy," He defended, "But yeah, I do know. I just wanted to hear you're reaction."

"And do you approve? Wait, you're not here to stop me are you?"

Her father knowingly smirked, "He never got creeped out in the house did he?" He winked.

Sender's eyes went wide, "Oh-I knew it! I knew that was you!"

"Yeah, that was me. I like Riley though. I knew he was the one the day he threw that rock at you on the playground." Arnold's eyes were twinkling again, "Its funny how life is, how it repeats itself. So, are you excited?"

Sender exhaled, "I'm nervous. I'm mean, what if I trip, or stutter, or forget my vows? You know how embarrassing that'll be?"

Arnold chuckled, "You'll be fine," He soothing assured, "Your mother on the other hand..." He trailed off with a smirk. "You'll nail it sweetheart."

"You're right. I just have to stop thinking about it and just do it." Sender resolved with a nod. "It's going to be great. No falling or stuttering."

"Deep breath," Arnold instructed. Sender did as she was told, and then exhaled. "No worries." An easy silence settled between the two as Sender began collecting her nerves. After a minute he asked, "Feel better?" She nodded. "The trick to anything, is to just breath."

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Is there ever going to be a day when you aren't around anymore?"

Arnold nodded, "One day. But not for awhile."

"Good."

"I'm surprised that you don't have a million questions for me," Arnold admitted.

Sender chuckled with a shrug, "I don't know. Guess I'm still too awestruck to think of any."

"I tend to have that effect on people," Arnold joked.

"It's a gift enough to have finally met you."

"Speaking of gift, I have something for you," Arnold reached into his inner vest pocket leaving Sender as perplexed as ever about what it could be. Could spirits buy things? He offered his hand to her, and placed a eloquent string of pearls in her open palm. Sender was at a loss for words. "They were my grandmother's, and then my mother's, and eventually would have been you're mother's had I have gotten the chance."

"Where were..."

"You know all that stuff of mine in the attic that mom gave you? Where all of my hats were?" Sender nodded. "They were in that stuff. I nabbed them before you could find them for just such an occasion."

"Wow...they're...they're beautiful." She looked up at him with a smile.

"Want to put them on?" Sender eagerly nodded, handing them over and turning around. She pulled her hair out of the way and Arnold draped the necklace around her neck and fastened it. "There," He looked at her in the mirror, seeing her grinning.

"Perfect," She said.

A knock came from the door. Her eyes shot to her father's. "Sender? We're ready," She heard Brian's muffled voice say.

"Just a minute!" She called out and spun around.

"I suppose that's your cue." Arnold happily smiled.

Sender on the other hand looked thwarted, "Am I ever going to get to see you again, like this?"

"Maybe." Sender nodded. Before she could reply though, Arnold wrapped his arms around her in a big hug. "Deep breath, no worries," He whispered, "I love you sweetheart."

Sender hugged him back tightly, "I love you too."

"Now," He pulled back, "Go kick some wedding ceremony behind."

"You got it." Sender laughed.

"From the day you arrived,

I've stayed by your side,

Placed inside, safe and sound." -Deftones (Entombed)

The End.

That's it, no more! Done! I'm about to cry in relief and sadness. Hope you guys enjoyed it. I know it wasn't the ideal HelgaxArnold story but, I love beautifully imperfect scenarios. That's life. I appreciate all of you who stuck it out with me. Acosta perez jose ramiro, DyingXDasies,MRobitussin, Nep2uune, Twilightfucker, Hanna cabrodi, rabias, EJ, Shiona Acitiu, 4elementgirl, Sandra Strickland, 77, bunny7433, mortay 3, etc, etc.

Thanks so much for being an outstanding audience! I could not have done this without you all!

Also, if anybody is interested, I've got another story I'm doing right now called, "What are the odds?" It's a light HelgaxArnold comedy. Not at all like this story, lol. But I do have another angsty sort of HxA short I'm thinking about throwing up called "The Elevator." So, keep watch for that.