Note to Readers: This is fanfiction based on the television series Hey Arnold!, namely one that takes place during the proposed but abandoned project, "The Jungle Movie" - though hopefully, Craig Bartlett will proceed with plans to create it, someday. :)

Before reading this fanfic, it is highly recommended that readers watch the HA episodes, "Helga on the Couch" and "The Journal" as well as "Hey Arnold: The Movie". It would also be wise to locate the interview Craig Bartlett did, where he talks about what the plans were for TJM. (Just Google it, you'll find it) I wrote this to be as befitting and realistic as possible, incorporating facts from the interview as well as from "Helga on the Couch", "The Journal", and "Hey Arnold: The Movie".

[Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Hey Arnold! - All rights belong to Craig Bartlett and his team, as well as Nickelodeon.]

In the jungle of San Lorenzo, two blond fifth graders (a boy and a girl) were running from the henchman of the fiendish river pirate, La Sombra. After unsuccessfully attempting to use a vine to jump over a raging river, the worst-case scenario began to unfold...

It was no use - they were caught in a current with too much force to overcome. Arnold and Helga reached for each other. Was this the end for both of them?

"ARNOLD!" Helga shouted. "I LO-..." Before she could finish her sentence her head went under a rogue rapid.

It was hopeless. Even if she told Arnold how she truly felt, there was no way he would hear her over the roar of the approaching waterfall.

Wait...Waterfall?

"HELGA! HOLD ON!" Arnold shouted.

She could barely hear him, but the moment he reached for her and wrapped his arms around her waist, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders. All they could do, at this point, was hold on to each other with all their strength and hope and pray that they would survive this unfortunate ordeal.

And then...

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

The raging rapids tossed Arnold and Helga over the monstrous waterfall. Unbeknownst to them, this was the same waterfall that Miles and Stella went down, years ago. Luckily, the same net that saved Arnold's parents was waiting for them...

They landed with a hard, springy bounce. After a prolonged coughing spell, they checked in with each other.

"...*Pants* Are you alright?" asked Arnold.

"…*Pant* *Pant*...Yeah...I think so...just...shaken up. I need to lie down for a second. 'Scuse me..." Helga replied.

Arnold smiled. "...*Pants* That sounds like a good idea. That was a pretty close call..."

Helga glanced at Arnold for but a second. She rung out her hair and moved from the net further into the cave and promptly lay down, trying to catch her breath and soaking in the sound of the waterfall just beyond their location.

Arnold slowly moved into the cave and scanned the area around them.

"Maybe this would be a good spot to rest for a bit. My dad mentioned something about a net that saved him and my mom when they went down a waterfall that was outside of a cave, like this one. It was built by the Green-Eyed people. I'm pretty sure we'll be safe from La Sombra's men here, for now..." He moved over toward Helga. "...And when we get our strength back we can go find my parents and Gerald, Phoebe, and the rest of the cl-..."

"Arnold, what if we never see them, again? What if we get killed here in this jungle?" Helga asked. She sat up with a pained expression on her face. "I mean, criminy! We almost died going over that behemoth of a waterfall! What if we aren't as lucky, next time?"

Arnold moved closer to her, acknowledging her state of shock. "Helga, I understand that you're shaken up, but it's over now - we can't think that way. I know we could have died just now but we didn't. Everything's gonna be okay, you'll see..."

Helga turned to him and scowled, "Arnold, enough with the 'Mr. Sunny Brightside' act! We've gotten into a lot of trouble and risky shenanigans ever since we got off the stinkin' plane! And for the record, I don't think I can handle any more snakes, or giant spiders, or henchmen, or waterfalls..." She paused to compose herself. "Look, I'm glad you and your parents reunited and all, and I was happy to help make that happen, but we're ten years old. There's still so much life we have to live - so many chances we haven't taken...I haven't even told you-..." She stopped herself, abruptly, and covered her mouth with her hands.

Arnold tilted his head. "...Told me what?" he asked.

Helga scooted away from him abruptly, shaking her head and chuckling nervously. "...Nothing...It doesn't matter, Football Head! You're absolutely right...We survived! I was freaking out for no reason..." She got up and, with a surprising burst of energy, began to walk away. "...Now, let's go find the oth-..."

Arnold grabbed her by the wrist, taking Helga by surprise. Her breath hitched.

Arnold sighed. After a moment he looked up at her.

"Helga...wait..."

Helga slowly sat back down. 'What is his deal? Is he trying to get me to talk about my feelings? Well, I ain't talkin', Bucko…' she thought to herself.

Arnold let go of her wrist.

Helga laughed nervously. "...Well, sheesh...What's with you, Football Head?"

Arnold looked at her in a very direct manner. He began to feel peeved by Helga's flighty responses. "Enough with the front."

Helga's eyes moved back and forth, quickly. "...Huh? Front?...What front? Like the warm front that came in last night? I mean...heheh...We are in a rainforest, Brainiac..."

Arnold sighed a heavy sigh and looked at the waterfall. He was tired of the games she played. Although he felt like he might have figured out Helga's secret, he wanted her to reveal it to him.

"Just now. When you said you still haven't told me something - you already have, haven't you?"

Helga blinked, twice.

'…Is he about to refer to…' she thought.

"Do you remember that night on the roof of the FTI building? You know...what you said to me?"

'Oh…Crap!' Helga thought. Her eyes widened and she suddenly choked on her breath.

Helga rubbed her neck. Oh, why did he have to bring that up?

"Arnold, I thought we agreed that what I said during the FTI incident was all in the 'heat of the moment'..."

Arnold looked at her, with a narrowed, skeptical glance. "...Was it?"

Helga froze. "Arnold, we put that night to bed! Can you just dro-..."

"Was it, really?" Arnold's tone began to become more direct.

Helga's body became rigid as she looked directly at Arnold. He was making her very uncomfortable, so much so that she couldn't speak.

"I-I...I-I-It..." Helga shifted her eyes back and forth, frantically, knowing her façade was torn down.

She felt figuratively 'naked'. He could see right through her - she could no longer hide. Had he figured out her secret?

Arnold then realized that he had never seen Helga so genuinely vulnerable, to this degree. She looked as if she were about to burst into tears and bolt. Although he knew that he could finally get an answer from her that would ease his confusion regarding her feelings for him, he also knew that he would get nowhere if he got too forceful with her - and he certainly did not want to upset her.

"Helga, please tell me the truth. No front. No 'tough-girl' act. It's okay - you can be yourself. It's just me. We've known each other for a long time..." Arnold said, softening his voice so as to not make her uncomfortable.

Helga closed her eyes and sighed, refusing to look directly at him. This whole situation was way too much for her. She briefly thought about running further into the cave to find a way out, but before she could take a step, she remembered what Brainy had helped her figure out, earlier - about how the sooner she revealed her secret, the sooner she could move forward with her life, with or without her love for Arnold. She knew she had to accept a 50% chance of an unfavorable response, so she would hope for the best but expect the worst.

She sat back on the ground, took a deep breath, and slowly released every drop of oxygen out of her lungs, turning her gaze toward the waterfall. She was ready to talk, as the real Helga G. Pataki – or, at least as 'real' as she could be.

"...It was all true." Was all she replied, saying it softly, mid-sigh. Tears began to form in her eyes. Concerned, Arnold began to inch over to her, but before he could reach her, she turned her back towards him. "...Happy now?"

Arnold stayed where he was, rubbing his arm nervously.

'So, she finally admitted it...Now what?' He thought to himself.

He knew she was putting herself out there and did not want to exacerbate her discomfort - He did not like to see her cry.

"...I, uh...kinda figured it was." Arnold responded, with a small smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

Helga felt utterly embarrassed. He really had already figured out her secret. She really wanted to cry. Squeezing her eyes shut, she curled up tight, into a ball, then released her tension for a few moments, and wiped away a few stray tears that snuck onto her eyelashes.

"Well...the cat's out of the bag now, eh, Football Head? Now you know what I've been wanting to say to you since that day in Preschool..." she said, scowling out of habit.

Arnold blinked in surprise. This was brand new information.

"…Preschool? You've had feelings for me for that long?" He was amazed. "But...why?"

Helga rose her head and turned to see him out of her peripheral vision.

"Because...you were the first person to ever notice me."

Arnold looked directly at Helga. 'I was?' he thought to himself.

Helga turned herself toward him, slightly, and continued the story.

"It was raining, and Big Bob and Miriam were so busy listening to Olga 'tickling the ivories'. I kept asking them to take me to preschool, but they completely ignored me. That's always how it's been, you know that - Olga sucking the attention onto her and away from me like some kind of 'poster child' leech - Heck, I was pretty much on my own at the age of three - so, that morning, I just walked those five blocks to preschool by myself..."

Arnold moved closer to Helga, and she did not move away, this time.

"...Your own parents neglected you at a really young age. They paid more attention to your sister. I understand why you resent them...and Olga...I've known about that for some time, now...but...I didn't know you had it so bad, back then..."

"That's right, Arnoldo! I did have it bad. I really did. I felt so...I dunno...alone. Like nobody cared about me at all..."

She turned to face Arnold.

"...That is, until you came along..."

Arnold raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "...Me?"

Helga nodded and looked at the ground. She found a small pumice rock and began carving lines in the red dirt. The feeling of the jagged point in the fine volcanic minerals that she sat upon provided a sensation that calmed her.

"That morning, when I got to preschool...You offered to share your umbrella..." Helga, spoke, quietly. She then mustered a chuckle. "...and you told me how you liked my bow because it 'was pink, like my pants'..."

Arnold's eyes widened in astonishment - She had quite an impressive memory.

"You remember all that? From that long ago?" he asked.

Helga nodded and smiled at the ground. "...Yeah, I do..."

Arnold looked down at Helga's bow, which she had tied around his arm after he had injured it on a sharp, volcanic rock while they were running through the jungle, trying to locate his parents. He smiled - he always did believe that this bold accessory suited her. He then racked his memory to recall the day they met.

"...I think I remember offering my umbrella to you. You looked cold and dirty. I guess I felt kinda bad for you."

Helga chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the pity, Arnoldo...You know, that same day, during snack time, you offered your graham crackers to me, too - after Harold ate mine."

Arnold chuckled. "Heh...that doesn't surprise me..."

Helga smiled, but only a little bit. "Heh...Yeah...Some people never change, eh?"

Arnold nodded as the corners of his mouth rose. "Yeah…"

There was a long pause of silence before Arnold spoke again - after finally processing all of this information, he only had one more question left that needed an answer.

"So, all this time, you've liked me...well...loved me. Why didn't you tell me for so long?"

Helga stood up and began pacing. She remained silent until she stopped to look at the waterfall.

"I thought about it, but you know - I had to be tough. I was targeted by the boys in preschool because I was a 'different' kind of girl...constantly being called too 'weak' to hang with the boys but too 'ugly' to hang with the girls kind of takes a major toll in the confidence department, you know?" A scowl returned upon her face and her hands clenched into fists. "I had to make a name for myself - create a reputation to make everyone fear me, so they'd think twice before teasing me..." She then relaxed, opening her hands and lowering her head. "...If I confessed to you…well…I felt...like...I dunno, maybe everyone would think I went soft...And...well...I was afraid of being…rejected by you. I couldn't handle anymore rejection...I guess you could say I'm..." She paused, reluctant about her next admission. A few quiet moments passed before Helga found the words to say.

"...I'm...really insecure..." she finished.

Arnold was no longer confused about Helga's confession. With this new information, he finally understood her - in fact he understood her all along. This was merely the confirmation that he needed to move forward.

"So, you were mean to me all this time because you were scared?"

Helga really did not like the fact that he put it that way. Helga G. Pataki never got scared - or maybe, she did. She was only human…

"...Yes!" She replied, sharply, trying to hold back tears - though she allowed a few tears to fall down her cheeks - but only a few.

With that added confirmation, Arnold's heart sank. He could not believe that he had been so dense. How could he have let this go for so long? On a daily basis, he did his best to keep the peace among his friends, but he never could have imagined that he was unknowingly mixed into the internal chaos within one of them, especially someone with such a fragile spirit as Helga's. He felt ashamed about all the times he retaliated when she abused him and now, all he wanted was to do right by her.

He moved closer to her.

"Helga..." he began.

Helga turned away from him. She was sure he was about to reject her - completely positive. Her heart was bracing for impact.

Arnold sighed. A small smile formed on his lips. He reached his hand out slowly and rested it on her back.

"That must have been really hard for you to admit."

Helga continued to force back back tears.

"Way to state the obvious, Captain..." she said, with a trace of defense in her voice.

Arnold nodded, once. "I know..." he replied, showing no signs of offense but many signs of compassion.

Helga's body tensed up and her eyes tightly clenched shut.

'Any second, now...He's going to smash my heart into pieces...Let's get this nightmare over with...Gee, I wonder how fast used gum burns?' she thought to herself.

Arnold rubbed her back a few times, slowly. She relaxed slightly. Could this be mere pity or something more? She mentally wiped away the false hope that he would return her feelings.

"...As I said before, I kinda already figured out that what you said that night on the FTI building wasn't just in the 'heat of the moment'..."

Helga blinked a tear away. She glanced at Arnold sideways for two seconds in acknowledgement, then looked back at the ground. She slowly began to tense up, again.

'This is it...Here it comes...More rejection. Man…I can never catch a break, can't I?' she thought to herself.

"...Helga, I want you to know that...I think you're a pretty amazing girl."

Helga suddenly forgot to breathe. Did he really just compliment her? Although she relaxed a bit, she still didn't feel like she was in the clear – her heart remained on guard.

Arnold took his hand off her back and scooted right next to her. Helga's heart began to flutter.

"See, I always knew that you weren't really a mean-spirited person, like you made yourself out to be. But, I wanted you to see that for yourself and admit it."

Helga sniffed, "...Really, Arnold?"

Arnold smiled. "Really. I know you feel insecure about what others think of you, but now that you've shown me your true colors, do you wanna know what I think?"

Helga pulled at the collar of her shirt, nervously. He already told her that she was amazing, but could she handle any more sweet words from him?

One thing was for sure - Helga G. Pataki had never once denied satisfying her curiosity.

"...Uhh...sure..." she replied, twiddling her thumbs.

Arnold gently put his hand on her shoulder.

"I think you're a shy, sensitive girl who's put up with a lot in her life. A girl who, despite pressure from others to change, stands her ground and stays strong, never giving up on what she believes in. A girl who is brave enough to take risks and make sacrifices to make those she cares about, happy. A girl so…complex…that she is probably the most interesting person I've ever met...one I'd definitely like to get to know better..."

Helga remained silent, but she could no longer hold back the tears that streamed down her face. Those were the sweetest words that anyone had ever told her - it was a miracle that she did not start full-on sobbing, right at that moment.

Arnold's eyes softened. He was somewhat amused by the fact that she was trying so desperately to keep herself together. He hesitated due to the bold nature of his next move, but he managed to finally take her hand, slowly lacing his fingers with hers - and of course, Helga was so enraptured by this that she could feel her heartbeat in her ears.

"…And you're a girl with a really big heart...you're unlike any other girl I've ever known..."

Oh, how he pulled at her heartstrings...his words like those in a sweet, musical tribute...

"...You're one in a million, Helga Pataki."

Helga smiled, slightly. Although she still felt uncomfortably vulnerable, fireworks began to explode in her heart. She could not believe that Arnold would say such kind, meaningful things to her, and she soaked in every word, every syllable, every letter, preserving them in her memory bank – She would be sure to copy them into her diary when they got back to camp. After processing everything that he had just told her, she had a small epiphany.

She turned to face him and softly said, "...Well...gee, Arnold...that was really...sweet. And when you put it that way, it makes me realize that...we're not so different...y'know?"

Arnold's breathing slowed. He paused for a moment. It was true - in regards to their true inner selves and desires, they really were quite alike. They both had difficult times in their pasts, they both always stood their ground, they both did everything they could to make those they cared about happy, and they both had many dimensions to their personalities. Even though Helga was bolder and harsher in the way she went about interacting with others, they both had the same inner drive to change their worlds for the better. Perhaps Helga's aggressive 'yang' would nicely balance with Arnold's more passive 'yin'.

With that being said, Arnold realized what Helga had known all along - they just might be good for each other.

"...Wow. Yeah...I never really saw it that way, until now..." He replied, rubbing the back of his neck and blushing.

Helga's heart beat fast. She had, once again, forgotten to breathe...Did her dream come true? Did this mean that Arnold had not rejected her? Did he love her, back?

Arnold knew one thing was for certain - Any boy would be a complete fool to reject Helga G. Pataki.

Despite her messed-up past, this girl could love like no other.

Arnold's blush turned rosier as he smiled at Helga, with his signature half-lidded eyes that she adored so very much. For him, timed slowed down. He could not help but admire her dilated, ice-blue eyes that reflected the light streaming through the waterfall, making them glimmer. He loved the way her naturally dark eyelashes framed them - and the fact that they were adorned with small tears really made him love her eyes even more. For the first time, he noticed how cute her turned-up nose was, the way her shiny, golden hair was drying in soft waves, the adorable way her lips pursed as she held back tears of joy, and how her alabaster complexion began to turn a soft shade of pink. How could a unibrow hide the natural beauty in someone who was so wrongly accused of being 'ugly' for so long?

Helga could not help but smile back, a very bashful smile, eagerly but, in contrast, patiently anticipating what she suspected would happen next.

'...He loves me...At least I think so...or he at least likes me likes me...I can accept that, too...' she thought to herself.

Arnold really did not know what he was feeling - this was different than any Ruth or Lila-type crush. Could this even be considered a 'crush'? It definitely felt different. Trying to sort out his emotions overwhelmed him, but he could do that later. For now, he simply accepted these new feelings and rolled with them.

They were only ten, after all...

Their minds kept racing as they looked into each other's eyes, but gradually slowed down as their faces slowly moved toward each other. Inhibitions were lost - they were acting instinctively. It was as if they were being pulled by a magnetic force; like two spiritual hands that gently guided their faces together.

Just as their eyes were closing, right after they had just begun to feel sparks as their noses barely touched, they heard a "Whoaaaa!" and a crash. They immediately recognized the producer of the voice as...

"…Gerald?!" Both Arnold and Helga called. Arnold retracted his hand from Helga's, much to Helga's slight dismay.

After a few short moans and a couple of coughs, Gerald got up and rushed to the part of the cave that they were sitting in.

"Man...that's some luck, right there! One minute I'm running through the jungle with your parents looking for you guys and the next minute, I fall through a hole and there you are...You guys okay?"

Arnold got up and looked at Helga, who had a dazed but happy expression on her face - her signature goofy smile. He laughed to himself and then looked back at Gerald. As he helped Helga up he replied, "Yeah, we're good."

Gerald breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Alright...Good."

Arnold briskly walked over to his best friend.

"Are my parents up there?" he asked.

Gerald nodded. "Yeah, man. I fell behind them, but we can catch up. Easy. The hole I fell through has a ladder so we can get out of here in a snap - but we have to hurry!"

Arnold nodded. "Alright, let's go!" He began to run after Gerald but turned around to see Helga still standing in the same spot. Her happy expression had since turned into one of mild disappointment.

Arnold chuckled and ran over to her. He knew exactly how to make her smile, again.

"I don't know if I told you this already, but thank you for helping me find my parents." He then quickly grabbed her shoulders and pressed his lips onto hers, taking her by surprise. Although the kiss was brief, a flood of emotions swept through both of them as sparks flew. Her goofy smile promptly returned. Arnold grinned.

"You know...You're really pretty when you smile," Arnold said, his half-lidded eyes returning.

Helga blushed, her goofy smile turning into a radiant grin. After beaming at each other for a few seconds, they giggled.

"C'mon...Let's go catch up with Gerald," Arnold said, grabbing her hand. Despite the fact that Helga was on the brink of fainting, Arnold managed to guide her towards the ladder...that is, after they bumped into Gerald.

Gerald stood before them with a smirk on his face - he saw the whole thing.

"Mmm...Mmm...Mmm! Did I just see what I think I just saw?"

Arnold and Helga blushed. Arnold chuckled nervously but Helga was still in a daze.

"Heh...Well...I mean, we were just...Umm..."

Gerald put a hand out, saving Arnold from continuing his explanation.

"...Hey...Whatever you say man. It's none of my business." Then, Gerald winked.

Arnold, once again, blushed bright red. Helga sighed her classic, "Ohhhh…"

He then led Helga in Gerald's direction and the trio safely climbed the ladder to freedom.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed my perspective of Arnold and Helga's Kiss in HA!TJM. Please feel free to leave your comments below. ;)