This is it. I have finished my creation, so this is it. The story is complete and I hope you all have enjoyed the long dramatized relationship between Helga and Arnold. I want to thank everyone who have been patient with me and my story. I couldn't have done it without ya'll. I appreciate all the support.

Thank you so much to for the reviews last chapter:

Lady G-Unit- Thank you for being loyal to this story and I can hardly believe its over too. It seems just a year ago I started it and now its over, but hopefully there will be more stories if I'm lucky that will be just as good if not better than this one. So, I hope you like this last installment and thanks for the review.

X Shin X- Thank you, thank you so much. I worried about losing some of my imagination because of the long break I had from writing, but I don't think I did. It all seemed to turn out okay. Yes, I'm a busy girl as I'm sure you're busy also. Only a year left of school you say? Well, that's a lot less than me. Good luck with everything you do.

Babycakeswanigan- Yup, Lila deserved everything she got. I don't think Lila will ever realize Arnold doesn't love her because she doesn't want to. I hope you like the ending. Thanks for the review.

Corporate Lullabies- Oh, good, I'm glad you liked it. Yea, I know my writing got better as I progressed in the story because just yesterday I went back and reread the whole thing and I couldn't believe how bad chapter one sounded. I'll definitely look into correcting the mistakes in those chapters you said. LOL. Maybe I could write a story where Lila does just that. You don't have to thank me about your story; I really enjoyed reading it. Anyway, thanks for reading my story and reviewing.

Chapter 22: Fulfillment in Love

A year had gone by. A year had gone by since heartbreak. With heartbreak lessons are learned, especially with the lengthy time of a year. For the young man it proved no different. A year had passed since he thought his life was over. Fortunately, that thought had passed in a year's time. With that thought gone it allowed a clear pathway for new thoughts to emerge. These thoughts came with a new perspective. This perspective taught this young man to learn from his past for if he insisted on dwelling on a lost love it would only haunt him until the point of insanity.

So, the young man learned. He learned that he had a life to live and he was the only one who could live it. The direction life took him was chosen by him. Where he took his life he learned was the most valuable lesson of all. It was above pride. It was above jealousy and guilt. Most of all it was above love.

Breathing in deeply, Brainy thought of how fortunate he was. Not many people had mastered the lessons Brainy had at such an early stage in life. Brainy was different than most. Thinking was what he did above everything. After Helga, he thought and he thought until everything became clear. Then, he learned. Brainy understood it took some their whole lives to understand what he did. For that, he felt grateful. Even though he christened himself as sixteen he declared himself a man. A year ago he was a boy. A year ago his boyhood caused him to be a coward because he appeared too scared to confront the enigma that was himself. Now, with the will to confront he was a man.

No longer did Brainy experience distress engulf his heart when he watched Arnold meet Helga in the hallways between classes, when Arnold wrapped his arms around Helga's shoulders to comfort her, or even when Arnold stole a kiss from the lips of Helga that Brainy had once kissed. Yes, he was a different man; he was a new man. Fate had seized to torture Brainy in one of its little games. Instead, fate now placed Brainy in roles where the best opportunities came to him.

As he sat on the park bench, Brainy stared at a squirrel that was in a hurry to gather varieties of food. At the moment everything felt calm to him. From the blue sky the sun shined brightly as a cool breeze danced around the many people relaxing in the park's corridors. Children laughed softly as they tossed a football back and forth. The birds chirped a beautiful rhyme of melody as they chased each other from tree to tree. It was enough to force Brainy to want lay his body on to the jagged wood of the bench.

Shaking his tired head, Brainy knocked the slumber from him. Now, was not the time for sleep to visit. Brainy had a date. Unhurried, Brainy glanced at his watch. For fifteen minutes he waited patiently for his date's arrival. She was not late; Brainy was just early. Over the phone he had told her to meet him at this bench at four o'clock. Three fifty-five had just passed. Brainy's early arrival was due to the reason he did not want to take any chances at making a bad impression such as not being here when she showed up. With this girl, Brainy hoped for many more dates after this one.

Nervousness slowly succumbed his stomach as the minutes wore on. A bead of sweat trickled from his forehead to his cheek, and then rolled off his scarlet face from his chin. He may have declared himself a new man, but right now he felt like a small boy as he fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. Straightening his glasses he inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly. Be calm. Be calm. Be ca—

"Hello."

Startled, Brainy jumped in his seat slightly as he turned to confront the feminine voice that had greeted him. As he presumed it was his date.

"Hi," Brainy returned casually, trying to control his wheezing. Be calm. Unfortunately, his date's beauty caused his breathing to become even more sporadic. Brown curls framed her delicate face, bringing out her prettiest features. With the aid of dark eye shadow, her chocolate eyes radiated brilliantly causing her smile to become breathtakingly attractive. Her body was chauffeured by a blue tank top and dark, denim jeans that highlighted every curve perfectly.

"I didn't scare you, did I?" Brainy's date asked cautiously. To Brainy, her voice could only be described as heavenly. From behind the bench she walked to sit next to him.

Answering her question, Brainy shook his head rapidly as his cheeks grew a brighter shade of red.

"You know, I wanted to thank you for inviting me here," she confided, "I mean, I really love the park and I don't really have anyone to go with since Rhonda started dating Curly."

"Uh-huh," Brainy replied, nodding his head. Nervousness did not act as his problem anymore. Attempting to find something interesting to say proved as the real conflict.

Nadine gazed straight ahead. Knowing that Brainy became shy easily, she tried to make him feel as comfortable as possible with her. I can't believe he even got the nerve to ask me out in the first place. Of course he didn't ask me out himself. He had a friend of a friend of a friend ask me, but still it took some nerve on his part. Grinning to herself, she captured a fast glance at the young man to her side. He is pretty cute. The constant wheezing did not even seem to annoy her too much. I'm sure that with some herbal teas that could be taken care of.

"So, what do you want to do now?" Nadine inquired. I have to get him talking.

Turning his head to see her, Brainy shrugged his shoulders. He had thought they were doing something. Sitting on a bench in the middle of the park was doing something. What…else…is there…to…do?

"Well, why don't we go over to the pond and look at the goldfish. Or maybe we could find some insects to watch," Nadine suggested, but quickly second guessed her second option, "No, forget the second idea. Let's just go to the pond."

Nodding his head Brainy agreed, "Sure."

"Okay, let's go."

The pair walked to the pond in silence except for when Nadine pointed out a certain type of bird along the way. To show he was listening, Brainy would nod his head as she spoke. As he walked his stare remained on the ground, lifting it only to confirm he was not about to run into an unknown object. Once, before Brainy could turn his gaze up his face hit a few branches hanging low from an elm tree. This only caused Nadine to chuckle quietly to herself because she did not want to offend the soft-spoken, young man. The silence felt odd, but it permitted the potential between them to remain open.

Brainy thought the date was going fine, but he knew he was speaking too little. A fear of saying the wrong choice of words plagued him. Since his break up with Helga Nadine showed as the first girl to capture his attention. In his attention proved as where he longed for her to stay, but to do so he would have to take a chance. She would think him dull and never want to speak to him again if his voice refused to break the silence. Talk…Brainy.

Before Brainy could say a word, they reached the pond. The pond was medium sized, but recently the grass had been trimmed, allowing it to appear larger than it actually was. The fish were hard to see because of the murky water, but it was not impossible.

"Let's sit there," Nadine proposed, directing Brainy to a spot beside the pond. It masked itself under the cooling shade of a weeping willow tree. Moving the trees limbs to the side, Brainy waited for Nadine to walk through and then he followed. They reached the spot Nadine pointed out and sat down carefully.

Searching for something to say, Brainy spoke first, "It's….nice…out…here."

Surprised, Nadine raised her eyebrows. Maybe I won't have to do all the talking.

"Yes, it is," she agreed, putting her hand in the water to play with the goldfish that had swum close to the surface expecting food. Then, she removed her hand and continued, "I used to come here all the time when I was younger and for hours I would just sit and watch the goldfish swim. I loved it."

Brainy smiled at Nadine's amazement in the smallest things. Those were one of the aspects he admired most about her. She did not seem hard to please like other girls and he liked that about her.

"It's…very…uh…soothing," he replied.

"Yes, it was for me. No matter how sad or angry or scared I was; if I came here it all went away," Nadine spoke more to herself than Brainy as she remembered her childhood.

"It takes…you…back?" Brainy questioned, curious for the answer. Talking about her was a topic Brainy found interesting. She seemed like no other person he had encountered before.

"Yes, to my childhood. It's been so long since I've been here, but all the memories are coming back to me like it was just yesterday," Nadine answered. In her voice pleasure was becoming apparent. She enjoyed reveling in her past memories and she enjoyed confiding in someone.

"Yea…that's good," Brainy responded. He wanted her to continue. Her voice had the magic of soothing him.

Nadine did continue. From long ago, she talked of how her parents took her camping and fishing, but they were chased away by a husky grizzly bear. Reminiscing, she remembered the first time she came to this pond was when her parents had thrown her a surprise birthday party, and she told of how every Sunday for almost three years she and her father would each buy a vanilla ice cream cone from the Jolly Olly Man and eat them exactly where she and Brainy sat now.

"Those were good times," Nadine finished, pushing a brown ringlet behind here ear.

"They…sound…good," Brainy smiled timidly. By the minute, he felt his attraction growing for her. Everything about her and surrounding her felt right.

"Oh, they were," Nadine confirmed. No one had ever listened to her with the same sincerity that Brainy had. All her life she had been known as Rhonda's sidekick, listening to Rhonda's orders. Rhonda had never truly listened to Nadine's words. No one had truly ever listened to her words. Now, Brainy had. Also, he had done it so respectfully and with so much care. Nadine was beginning to feel a strong emotional attachment to Brainy. She wanted to explore it more.

"Brainy?" she spoke gently.

"Hmm?" Question arose in his hazel eyes as he looked at her. A fear of her saying she had to go worried Brainy. He did not want her to leave.

"I like you. I mean I really like you," she told him calmly, watching for his reaction. Please don't get scared.

A sigh of relief escaped Brainy's mouth. His mind raced at her words. They were the best things he could hope to hear depart from her lovely lips. He smiled happily, but inside he felt unsure of how to respond.

"Well?" Nadine asked impatiently. In her mind she feared rejection at his staggered response.

Brainy lifted he eyebrows in confusion.

"Do you like me too?"

Hurriedly, Brainy nodded his head eagerly.

"What do you want to do now?" Nadine asked, the tension leaving her body to make room for ecstasy.

Glancing around the area, Brainy looked for something to do. Finding nothing, his gaze returned back to her and he shrugged his shoulders at her question.

Nadine laughed, "Brainy, I meant us. What so you want to about us?"

"Oh," Brainy replied as embarrassment flooded his cheeks.

"Well?"

"Um, …you could…uh…go out…with…m-me," he suggested, desperately desiring her approval.

"Maybe," Nadine said playfully, "but I need you to ask me properly."

At first Brainy looked at her confused at what she meant, but he quickly came to understanding of what she was asking, "Okay, Nadine…will you…uh…go…out…with—"

"Arnold, stop playing!" a voice interrupted. The voice belonged to a girl, obviously holding amusement for the young man she named. Looking around, Brainy searched for where the voice came from. At a nearby bench, Helga sat pushing Arnold away as he attempted to pick her up. Unexpectedly, a surge of pain quickly browsed through Brainy. Why…is she…here?

"Brainy, what's wrong?" Nadine asked, concerned. She had seen Helga too, but she thought it would have little affect on Brainy. Around school it seemed obvious Helga and Brainy's relationship was over. It had been for a long time. Nadine sat back, resting on her arms. A worried look ran over her face. I wonder if he still has something for Helga.

Nadine's concerned voice interrupted Brainy's concentration. He returned his focus to Nadine. Shaking his head, he did his best to convince her he was fine, but she proved hard to convince.

"It's Helga, isn't it" Nadine insisted.

Guilty, Brainy dropped his stare to the grass.

"Look, at me Brainy," Nadine ordered. Brainy obeyed.

"I really like you. If you're still feeling something for Helga I think you should move on because it looks like she has," Nadine advised, resting her small hand on his calf, "You deserve someone who cares for you and who will like you back."

Nadine's eyes radiated an intense pleading to Brainy's. She wanted him. That seemed all Brainy needed. He needed someone to want him. All his life he had done the wanting for others. Now, he needed a change and Nadine was providing him with one. He could feel the care she had for him in a single glance. It was a powerful feeling. Brainy refused to let that go for a thousand Helgas. Nadine had released Brainy from Helga's tangled web. For the first time, Brainy felt he could trust someone.

Leaning into Nadine, Brainy whispered in her ear, "Nadine…will you…go out…with…me?

Shocked, Nadine felt speechless. Nodding her head. She wrapped her arms around Brainy's neck as Brainy wrapped his arms around her thin waist.

Then, subdued, Nadine whispered in response, "Yes."

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Helga watched intently as Brainy and Nadine embraced each other. Jealousy did not overcome her. In fact, it was the furthest emotion from her mind. All she felt was content and happiness emerge inside of her. Since the day she had left Brainy for Arnold guilt had plagued her. For that, she felt unable to give her self as a whole to Arnold. She always held something back. Now, that Brainy had moved on she could also. Now, she could give herself fully unto Arnold.

Noticing, Helga's attention leave him, Arnold grew worried. What is she looking at?

"Helga?"

Reviving her from her deafening stare, Helga scowled at the one who had called her, "Can't you see I'm looking at something?"

"I know you are, but what?" Arnold questioned. The rudeness from Helga did not bother Arnold. Over the year they had been together he had grown used to it. It was one of the things he loved most about her. It created the Helga he had come to know over the span of his life.

Without saying a word Helga pointed to Brainy and Nadine hidden under the sweeping branches of the willow tree.

"Oh, I see," Arnold replied unenthusiastically. Fear arose in him. He feared Helga was experiencing jealousy towards Nadine. If that proved as the case it meant she encased some type of love towards Brainy still. No, that can't be. Or could it? Arnold began to waver between the two choices. He knew Helga changed her mind often. Maybe she's changing her mind about me.

Becoming aware of the worry that took possession of Arnold's eyes Helga quickly reassured him, "Don't worry hairboy, I still love you and you only." Turning her body to him she snuggled close to his frame and kissed underneath his chin gently. In relief, Arnold held on to her tightly. Never again did he want thoughts of losing Helga to cross his mind. It had taken him too long to receive her. Grasping her tightly, he declared he would never allow Helga to slip away from his grip again.

In Arnold's arms Helga melted. She never wanted to leave their firm grasp. It was an overpowering sensation for her to be with someone who needed her as much as she needed him. She refused to take that for granted. Never again would she question her love for him. He was her love; her true love. It was not any other man. It was Arnold. Gratitude was the only thing she felt for whoever brought him and her together. I love you, my beautiful, oh so beautiful Arnold. As if he read her mind he replied, "I love you, too."

A/N: It's over, it's over, it's over. The saga is done. Did you like? Please, please, please tell me. Leave a review. Let me know. I want to hear from everyone. Give me suggestions. Say whatever, I don't care. I'm trying to become the best writer I can be and this story is my first story, which is a huge stepping-stone in my journey of writing. Leave your opinion. And thank you to you all for joining me in this emotional roller coaster.