A/N: They are both 16 in this. Arnold can't take the torment anymore so he finally takes matters into his own hands. What if Arnold knew all along about Helga's feelings all this time. Before the movie. No TJM movie happened. Also this is a one shot since I needed to push some of my writers block away. Thanks to Diamonddiva for giving me an idea when it came to us talking. You are an amazing person.

I don't own Hey Arnold

Arnold felt like he was stalking his prey in how Helga continued to try and duck his every move. Does she really think he is this blind? This dense? The torment shifted so much since PS118 to the point he thought to shift himself and finally do it even as Helga's doe eyes flashed from a meager scowl to scorn to panic in a matter of seconds. Oh her emotions were always so fast as was her constant pace of trying to ditch him. Doesn't she know that he could find her anywhere he wishes? He has his hidden Helga compass on him just like Brainy does.

Oh he knew about Brainy's feelings. Knew about him stalking her until Arnold caught him physically up in her tree looking in on her. Since then, he hadn't done it, or he has, but is even slyer now.

Arnold called out her name and right then and there those blue eyes flashed into panic mode before she dashed away again. He could only shake his head as he felt like a villain in the Evil Twin movie. The victim dashes away while the killer casually walks after them only to catch them up the pathway.

He watched as her long hair trailed behind her. Watched at how her slender but strong legs ran. At sixteen she was pretty radiant in her appearance. She was athletic. The fastest runner in track. Won poetry contests. Phoebe and herself were considered the smartest in school. While she could be lazy at times, she could also not be. He watched as more boys began to ask her out more over the years, but she never had a boyfriend. Arnold paused in his reverie to consider his next move as he took a pathway through the alley to emerge on the other side as a smirk formed.

His own prey has been spotted. Of course she was spotted by Wolfgang and Edmund as they paused long enough to watch her run past. He couldn't honestly blame them. She was a pure gazelle.

He wandered past them both as he overheard them mention how she has gotten hotter over the years. Arnold smirked again as he walked past without a teasing remark from them. Over the years they teased him less and less, but there was a rivalry when Wolfgang was bored enough to want to raise some trouble. Today wasn't the day for him to do so. He was thankful of that as kept his task of locating her. Disbelief showed on his face to notice that she wasn't at all tired from all that running.

Soon though, he located her on the bridge looking out over the water. She appeared so serene right now. It was her spot to think about her troubles she was going through. Was he her trouble right now? He'll find out soon enough as he approached silently to study her more completely from the back. He'll wait to speak. He needed to voice it just right.

"Since fourth grade on, I've known your secret." Her shoulders jerked up before easing down as tension filled her backside. Arnold continued on. "Yes you finally confessed to me on the FTi building, but even I knew you weren't truly ready to let it be known. That is why I questioned you after it was all done. I saw that relief in your eyes. You wanted that heat of the moment excuse."

He had a feeling she closed her eyes before opening them up wide to listen to him. Arnold couldn't wait to hear what she had to say to him. He desired it. "I knew you were responsible for ruining my chances with Ruth at the Cheese Festival. I knew about it when it came to Lila. I didn't know how you got me for April Fools till later on, so bravo there. I knew you managed to knock out all those girls to be Juliet." He heard a slight gasp from her making him smile.

"I knew those were your poems, Helga. All those poems were about me. All that past bullying towards me was your way of showing attention. Something so school yard. You still wrote about me. Those poems you wrote and won with are about me. That pink journal I still have is yours. I recognized your writing from past assignments."

He heard an audible question that was so low that he strained to hear it, but he did hear it. "I was always wanting to keep you safe one way or another. I wish I can keep you safe from the injustice your family does to you. You are smart, talented, beautiful." Helga turned her head as much as possible to look at him once he said the last word. Her sweet innocence was there.

"I knew you were the fake Cecile. You were so adorable that night. So mature. So you. I love that side of you." Arnold told her even as she looked away.

"Did you really write Arnold loves Lila on the wall?" Helga nodded her answer. "Was it originally something else?" She nodded again. "Why? Fear again?" She nodded again. "Please tell me in your own words."

"If my parents don't love me. What makes me think that you can love me?" Her voice was so sad. "I know we were too young and while I was sure of my feelings, I knew you would reject me simply because of how I am."

"Because with your family how could you express yourself more fully since you didn't feel that confident to do so."

Helga turned around to her side still unable to face him, but still giving him a clearer definition of what was going on with her expressions. "Since my birth I have been called a mistake. I wasn't Olga. I was a continued mistake where I was ignored except when it came to times I may benefit him. I knew what I did was wrong towards you, but I did so out of fear. Out of sheer loathing of myself. I hated myself for all that I've done in the past. That is why the torment died away because I couldn't do that to you anymore."

Arnold's eyes softened up more as he took in her words. "You still torment me."

Her eyes went to his as surprise took hold. "What do you mean? I haven't done that at all to you. What are you getting at?"

Just then he took a step forward. "Not in the way of spit balls. It isn't by teasing or torture. Well it is that."

Helga turned to face him completely while she still had her back against the railing. "I'm confused. I say hi and bye to you, but you still act irritated by me."

"That is frustration, but not in the way you think it." Arnold was closing the gap between them both. "I let you have your secret till you are ready to really confess your feelings. I know you still feel that way for me by those poems you even write in class."

Helga tried to be strong. Tried to scoff. "Boy! Look who has the biggest head imaginable now. Get over yourself bucko. I mean crimeny what is with you?"

"You, Helga. You!" He stopped just at her personal space. "You have taken over my life the moment you entered it. You! I let you keep your secret because that is how much I liked you. You, who have these poems that are constantly stuck in my head. You, Helga. It is all you. Not that there is a thing wrong with it when I finally caught up."

She appeared to want to step back, but forgot she was blocked. "Football Head?"

"A name that could irritate me when I was younger but now I crave it. Why? Because you are the one I only want to hear that from."

"Heh." One hand went up to scratch her other arm. She was really nervous. "I think you've gone off the deep end, Arnoldo."

Arnold cocked his head to the side for a bit just to study her. "Even that I don't mind. Why? Because I want to hear that too. Do you still feel the same way about me, Helga? Tell me in your own voice. Please. I have a very strong desire to hear them come out of those insanely pouty lips of yours." He loved how those piercing blue eyes seemed to get a stronger shade in them as he surprised her. "Stop the torture, Helga. Stop it."

Helga looked away as he continued to get her to speak before her arms went down to her sides as she leaned forward to speak. "Fine! I'm still insanely head over heels in love with you, Football Head!"

That was all he needed to hear as he caught her in a surprising kiss. He bent her back slightly as one arm went around her waist and the other went up to support the back of her head. She was in shock all right by her inability to respond readily to him till the shock wore off, and she kissed him in return. Arnold thought her lips felt so perfect against him. Felt that the way she molded against him showed him how right she was. They were born to fit. Arnold didn't want to stop the kiss ever. He wanted to bring her home so they could never stop, but he had to. He needed to respond.

He pulled back to enjoy the dazed look in her face. He'll always love her expressions. "I'm also insanely in love with you, Helga. May I take you out for ice cream?"

She nodded her head as he took her hand. Arnold knew he ended that long bit of torture between them just to end up with newer tortures for their future. It was something he looked forward to.

Well that was fun. It was all him ending both their tortures.