Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned in this story.

They all belong to their rightful owner: Craig Bartlett.

Title: "Strangers like me"

In the last chapter: After Arnold and Helga's bonding ceremony, the teenagers snuck off to have some alone time. After Arnold showed Helga his favorite spot, a placed filled with fireflies, they consumed their love in the jungle night. The morning came too soon though and Helga had to leave Arnold behind who regretted that he never got to say he loved her.

Author's 1st note: So, you may notice that this chapter is shorter than the others and I'm very sorry about that… but I really wanted to finish this story already so Arnold and Helga could have their happy ending and we could all move on to other things. I've personally been waiting to start my next story eagerly and frankly, I just wanted to be done with this story already

[Please notify me if you notice any grammar mistakes. This isn't my first language, so there's bound to be mistakes.]

Chapter 16: "Match made in heaven"

"Hey, Arnold!"

Arnold kept staring at the bird in his hands, noticing his mother's voice. She approached him slowly, observing him. The sight was familiar, but so completely alien to her; Arnold had once again found an injured bird in the jungle, much like the day when all this began, but rather than looking worried, his thoughts were clearly somewhere else.

"Arnold?" Stella said and poked his shoulder.

Arnold flinched in surprise, almost squeezing the poor bird in his hands. "Mom!" he squealed when he turned around and saw who had touched him. "You scared me, don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I've been calling your name a few times, dear." Stella explained softly.

"You have?" Arnold asked and thought about it. He couldn't remember hearing anything but his own thoughts, but he nodded apologetically at her anyhow. "I'm sorry… What did you want?"

"Tanana wants to talk to you."

Arnold looked surprised, but simply nodded and handed Stella the bird. Without another word, he walked past her towards the shaman's tent, leaving his worried mother behind him. He hadn't been himself since Helga had left and that was way too long ago by now. She knew it would take time, but it was getting to the point where she was fearing a depression and the jungle had no medicine for that.

On Arnold's way to the tent, he was greeted by the villagers as always. What was different was his own greeting. He tried to smile, to seem enthusiastic, but the mere act of lifting the corners of his lips felt difficult and foreign. When he reached the shrine, he stopped walking for a moment. Before he saw Hillwood, this shrine was mostly just awkward to look at. Now he couldn't help but resent it a little bit. He had never cared for being considered a demi-god, but now he legitimately hated it. He wanted to blame his rotten situation on the Green-Eyes so badly, but he couldn't bring himself to even dislike the people he grew up with. He'd just wish it didn't feel so forced now.

Arnold entered Tanana's tent. She was sitting on the ground, but something about the aura in the tent seemed different. This consultation would be different from the other one, he could feel it. Arnold sat down across the shaman, waiting for her to speak to him.

"You didn't listen to me, Arnold. And you've taken too long to realize that so I've lost my patience."

Arnold looked at Tanana in shock. "Didn't listen to you?" he repeated.

Tanana opened her eyes and gave the boy a sour look. "Before you left the jungle, I gave you our symbol and told you to remember where you belong." She said.

Arnold grabbed the amulet in his palm. "But I did… Tanana, I came home!"

"I did not tell you to come home!" Tanana said sourly and bumped her fist on the boy's head.

"You told me to go where I belong!" Arnold argued as he soothed his sore scalp.

"Where does one belong, boy? What makes a place a home?"

"Well—"

"You belong where your heart is!" Tanana said dramatically.

Arnold's hand fell from his head. "Where my heart is…?" he repeated in a whisper.

Tanana nodded eagerly, awaiting the boy's realization. Arnold caressed the amulet in his hand and it felt so heavy in his palm. He shoved his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small flower. It was the flower Helga had given him on the night they had been bonded. It was withered and had lost almost all of its petals, but it meant so much to him. He looked at Tanana with determination.

"My heart is with Helga." Arnold finally admitted and Tanana smiled proudly. "But my heart is also here, Tanana!"

Tanana shook her head. "Your heart is with the people you love. Your parents, grandparents and now Helga. It is not the location that makes a place a home, but the people who are there with you."

"But… mom and dad's hearts are here—"

"No, their hearts are with you." Tanana interrupted. "Your parents' hearts have always and will always be with you, no matter where you go. They don't belong here. They never have. We care for your parents and are eternally grateful for what they have done for us, but they do not belong with us. They belong with their family, their son. And you, child, you belong with the girl who has your heart."

Arnold clenched the flower in his hand. He knew it was unfair, but he was so relieved to hear Tanana tell him this. A burden was lifted from his shoulders. He wasn't the only one he felt odd in the jungle, he knew his parents did as well. They had chosen to live here to help the Green Eyes and they cared deeply for the people, but Tanana was right; their hearts weren't here. They were back home. They were just too caring to admit it.

"I want to go home, Tanana…" Arnold admitted in a whisper before feeling a tear escape his eye. "I want to be with, Helga."

"And so you shall." Tanana said with a loving smile. "And your parents shall go with you. It's time you all go home."

Tanana and Arnold stood up and exited the tent. Stella and Miles were right outside, obviously about to head into the tent, but they stopped when their son and the shaman appeared. "Arnold, we—"

"It's time for Stella and Miles to go home!" Tanana declared in a loud voice for all the villagers to hear. "And to take Arnold with them! They have cared for and protected us for many years and it's time for us to repay them by letting them go! They have already wasted so many years of their lives here! It's time for you to return to your own lives."

Stella and Miles looked at each other in shock while the villagers where cheering. The Green Eyes did by no means want their protectors to leave, but Tanana had told them years ago that someday, she would have them leave them so they could return to where they belonged. It saddened the villagers, but they believed in Tanana and knew it was best for them all. Outside interference had never been something The Green-Eyed people were fond of.

"But, Tanana," Miles said in shock. "this is our home."

Tanana shook her head. "Your home is with the people you love and the people you love is Arnold and his heart belongs with Helga." She said matter-of-factly and a tad lazy. "Your son can fill in the blanks. I'm not going through that whole speech again!"

Arnold couldn't help but chuckle at the shaman. "You're irredeemable, Tanana." He said lovingly. "I will miss you so much."

"And I you." Tanana said before she looked up at the sky. "Your transportation will arrive shortly. Be there to meet him."

"But—" Stella complained, but the shaman was already leaving in a giddy manner. "What's going on?!"

Arnold clutched the flower in his hand again. "Mom, dad…" he said softly and tried to collect enough courage to speak. "The day where I was taken away from you… Tanana warned me against it. She told me to remember where I belong and to find my way home… but my home has changed since then and she knew that… My home is where my heart is and that's with Helga. I can't pretend anymore… I miss her so much that it hurts."

Stella and Miles looked at each other, having a silent conversation. Truth be told, they had discussed this scenario before, even before Arnold disappeared. They had always considered the fact that Arnold wouldn't want to stay in the jungle forever, it was a likely situation after all. Most teenagers didn't want to spend the rest of their lives the same place they grew up, but they had never thought it would end up quite like this.

"Stella," Miles said to his wife softly. "I miss my parents."

The confession didn't surprise the woman one bit. "I miss them too… and my own family as well." She admitted a bit sadly. Then she gave a frown. "And I miss sushi!"

Arnold and Miles laughed loudly at the last comment, knowing full well how much she was joking. She absolutely hated raw fish with a burning passion. Arnold never understood that joke until he tried it himself in Hillwood. He didn't think it was that bad, but it didn't surprise him his mother didn't like it.

Miles sighed. "I've considered going back to Hillwood for many years, but I never thought I'd actually do it." he said thoughtfully.

Stella nodded in agreement. "But Tanana is right. Our work here has been done for years… They don't need us anymore, but our son does." She said and smiled at Arnold. "Are you sure you want to go live in the city? It's a difficult life, it's way different than this."

Arnold nodded. "I'm sure!" he said eagerly. "I actually… think I know what I want to work with as well."

"Really?" Stella asked in surprise.

"A teacher." Arnold answered. "I'm not sure about the subject yet, but—"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?!" Miles said excitedly and lifted his son off the ground to swing him around.

"Dad!" Arnold squealed in shock before he was put back down.

The family couldn't help but laugh hysterically at the situation. The day had started like every other and here they were, preparing to go home. They left the village to go to their hut and pack their belongings. It didn't take them long, there wasn't much need for material things in the jungle after all. It was mostly small tokens of affection like the framed picture Miles had of his parents, the letters they had received from the families over the years, their amulets and a few articles of clothing.

Arnold was the first to greet Eduardo once he had landed in the meadow. He jumped into the helicopter, letting his parents explain to the man why they were all there waiting for him. Eduardo had sighed in relief, admitting that the detour to the village had become a slightly tiresome task. A task he would have continued doing till the end of time of course, but nevertheless a bit tedious. He was mostly happy for the family because he knew that Stella and Miles had secretly been pining for the life they had back home before they left to live with the Green Eyes.

While his parents slept through most of the long flight, Arnold was too happy to sleep. As the time had passed, he had noticed how hard it was getting to keep Helga's memory alive. With only his own memories to rely on, Helga's memory had faded a bit over the time. He had done his best to keep it alive and it wasn't like he had forgotten her. How could he? But small things were hard to remember; like her voice. He remembered the way she spoke, but not her voice. He remember her last words to him, the song, but he couldn't hear her singing it. He was looking forward to having his memories refreshed and to start anew.

In Hillwood, Helga was obliviously unaware of the surprise coming for her. She was fidgeting with the necklace Arnold gave her, but she wasn't aware of it. Everyone else was though and they were all worried about their favorite tomboy. She had been eerily quiet since Arnold had left. They all knew how much they had started caring for each other, but it was clear that it was much more than they thought. They still thought Arnold was Helga's pen pal though so they assumed they were writing to each other. Not that letters could replace actual contact.

"This is so sad, just ever so sad!" Lila bellowed unhappily. It was the first time her classmates had ever seen her so miserable. "It hurts my heart to see someone as strong as Helga be so unhappy."

"I have to admit, I think it's messed up too." Sid said. "I want my rude tomboy back!"

"She's never been yours." Gerald argued, but he knew Sid was joking as always. "I don't know what to do, man. I've never seen Helga like this."

"Is there really nothing we can do?" Sheena asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid not." Phoebe muttered, being one of the two to know the full truth.

"If she would give me his address, I could have him shipped back here in no time." Rhonda said sourly.

"No, you really couldn't." Gerald argued and gave Phoebe a knowing look. She gave a crooked smile back before she looked at Helga.

"Maybe it would have been better if she had stayed…" Phoebe whispered to herself.

"This is gonna be the most depressing summer ever if Helga doesn't get back on track." Nadine complained. "She's always been the one to get us together to play sports, who is gonna do that now?"

"We could also think for ourselves." Patty countered, but she didn't seem convinced. "But it's not gonna be as fun without Helga."

Phoebe sighed, but caught a glimpse of something outside the classroom. A car was getting parked at the street near the school yard and it was an odd sight at this time of day. She kept looking at it absentmindedly, but it got her full attention when she recognized one of the people coming out of the old Packard. She lifted her head in shock and pulled at Gerald's shirt to get his attention. He looked in the same direction as her and gasped. That caused everyone in the class, except for Helga who was sitting further away from the others, to look out the window as well.

"Helga!" Phoebe screamed

The blonde girl flinched in shock. She was about to scold her best friend, but the sight of her pointing behind her confused her. Helga turned around in her chair and looked out the window, expecting nothing particularly amazing. The sight she was met with was more than amazing, it was unbelievably. She sat frozen to the spot for a moment longer before she had eye contact with the amazing sight. Then she stood up and ran towards the window and opened it.

"What are you doing here—"

Helga's sentence was cut short when Arnold put his hands on her cheeks and pulled her into a kiss. Helga sighed in relief and happiness while she wrapped her arms around Arnold's shoulders. The classmates were confused, but were cheering at the sight, not that the blondes noticed that. When they stopped the kiss, mostly to get air, they smiled lovingly at each other.

"What are you doing here?" Helga asked again, but this time in a most softer voice.

"I forgot to tell you something." Arnold answered as he put his forehead against hers.

"What?" Helga said in disbelief, but the smile never left her face. "Must be pretty important… for you to go all this way to say it."

"It is." Arnold said and put his hands back on Helga's cheeks. "I love you, Helga."

"Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God!" Lila chanted as she waved her hands at her face. Her classmates gave her a funny look, but they were just as happy as she was.

"Say it back, woman!" Rhonda screamed with a voice just as intense as Lila's was. The girls hugged each other in suspense as if they were watching their favorite show.

Helga's blue eyes had never been bigger when she heard those unfamiliar words. Initially, she had no idea how to react. She had heard those words before, but only from her sister and not in such a serious tone. A part of her was going into self-defense mode. She wanted to run away and never have to deal with such strong feelings again. But the honesty and love in Arnold's eyes made her stay. And it made her grin brightly.

"I love you too."

"Yes!" the girls squealed happily and jumped around in ecstasy. Except for Patty who high-fived the boys instead.

"But that doesn't explain how you're here!" Helga bellowed as Arnold grabbed her around her waist.

The boy chuckled as he lifted Helga out of the window. "I realized that my home is where my heart is."

"What does that mean?" Helga asked as her feet landed safely on the ground.

"It means I belong here with you." Arnold said and turned around to smile at his parents. "And my dad belongs with his parents."

"And I'll go wherever these two nutcases go." Stella joked. "I've missed this city though. It's weird to be back in civilization. It'll take time to get used to the cold when it becomes winter again."

"But it's spring now!" Helga said happily and put her arms over Arnold's shoulders. "You're really here to stay?"

"Yes, we're moving into Sunset Arms with my grandparents."

"We've been begging them to come home for years!" Phil said as he waved from inside the Packard. "Thanks for changing their mind, Helga!"

"You're welcome!" Helga shouted back. "What's the plan now though? You still want to be a teacher?"

Arnold nodded. "I know that it means I have to go to school—"

"And several years back than us." Helga added.

"But I want to do this."

"And Arnold's a smart kid, he'll catch up to us soon." Gerald said from inside the window before he jumped out.

"Gerald!" Arnold bellowed happily and went to hug him with one arm while the other hand still held onto Helga.

Arnold hugged all of his new friends one at a time, but he kept holding Helga's hand as he did so. He had missed her too much; he was not letting go until it became a bother. And he had a feeling it never would. Helga followed him obediently while he hugged the others, but she looked awkwardly at Stella and Miles who were chuckling quietly.

"Helga, would you like to join us for dinner?" Phil asked as he and Gertie approached them.

"Actually, I—" Helga answered just before she heard a honk nearby. She smiled and lifted her free arm to wave at the white mustang.

Arnold looked at it curiously. "Is that your dad's car?"

Helga nodded. "Yeah, he's taking us all out for an early dinner." She answered and then gave Arnold a suspicious look. "When I came home, he said he was out of his mind with worry… Something about me writing him a letter saying I didn't want to see them anymore unless they started caring about me."

Arnold scratched his head innocently. "How about that."

"How about that." Helga repeated in a mockingly sweet voice before she slapped the back of his head gently. "You wrote that letter, didn't you?"

"I—I just didn't want to leave you the way I met you… I know you wanted a better relationship with your family so I… I did something out of line. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Helga said and smiled as she saw her family getting out of the car. "It's actually been… pretty nice. They're all making an effort, including myself."

Arnold smiled brightly at that. "That makes me so happy, Helga."

"Me too…" the girl said before she smiled herself. "How about you guys join us for dinner instead? I think my dad would just love to pay the check for all of us."

"Helga!" Stella scolded, but she couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Bob Pataki inviting them to dinner.

"Are you coming, girl?" Bob said with a small smile on his face.

"Of course. I was just wondering if Arnold and his family could join us?" Helga asked innocently.

"Of course, baby sister! The more the merrier, right, daddy?" Olga asked Bob and wrapped her arms around his arm.

Bob got a tense look in his eyes, but after looking at Helga, he nodded meekly. "Of course." He answered, doing his best to give a smile.

Helga couldn't help but grin at that. "Thank you, Bob." She said kindly as she approached him.

Bob looked at his youngest daughter for a moment before he lifted his hand. There was a tense silence while he put his hand on her head and caressed it awkwardly. He patted it twice after that before he turned around and headed towards the car again.

Helga turned to look at the others while she soothed her scalp. "He needs to be gentler… but he's trying."

"That was the most awkward pat I've ever seen." Gerald said before he patted Phoebe's head. "And pats on the head are always kinda awkward."

Phoebe giggled giddily, ignoring her classmates' teasing looks.

"Well, what are we waiting for, soldiers? Off to the war!" Gertie said before she grabbed both Phil, Miles and Stella and pulled them with her towards the car.

The blonde teenagers waved at the others before following them, hand-in-hand. The future was uncertain and trying times were ahead. But Arnold had never been happier to feel uncertain about his future and Helga had never felt more safe and loved in her life. Where one was weak the other was strong. They were a match made in heaven.

The end

Author's 2nd note: And that's that! I hope the ending was somewhat satisfying even though the entire chapter is so much shorter than you're used to -.- I hope that when I get the first chapter up for my next story will make up for it so stay tuned if you still want to read my stories! X'D