Displacement

She'd awakened in the hospital in a great deal of confusion, recalling nothing of the past month or so. Not that she realized at the time just how much she'd forgotten. She only knew that she neither recalled being there, nor being involved in any situation that would cause her to be there.

She'd been unconscious for a number of days prior, in which time Olga had returned to the city to be at her side. It was from her sister that she learned the news regarding her parents shortly after waking.

The grieving Olga had been going on about nearly loosing her baby sister and being so grateful to still have her despite such a tragedy. Which had prompted Helga to inquire regarding the nature of said tragedy. Olga had then tearfully explained that Mommy and Daddy were gone. That the three of them had been attacked. And that Helga herself had been the only one the paramedics could save. Very few details beyond this were given or requested.

Helga wasn't certain just how she felt about the death of her parents.

Though she had cared for them in her own way, she couldn't say that she'd miss all the yelling, the neglect. Being compared to her sister. Watching her mother waste away in a drunken stupor. Or the disappointment that came with those moments in which they actually seemed to act like parents, only to return to their same old routine, over and over again.

She wouldn't miss one bit of it. And yet, she wasn't pleased to see them go. Not angered or saddened, but simply... not pleased.

She would've preferred to feel something more than this, but didn't. She couldn't seem to feel all that strongly over much of anything really. Even the fact that she would likely be raised by Olga for the remainder of her youth.

None of it even seemed real at the moment. As if she'd never awakened and was still dreaming.

This feeling lingered through much of her stay at the hospital, even during visits. She barely recalled who had come and gone most of the time. That was, with the exception of certain more memorable guest.

Arnold had been among the first to arrive and the last to leave during visiting hours each day, a fact which would've thrilled her to no end under different circumstances, but which somehow rang of something unsettling.

Between this, the pain medication, the actual injury, as well as the lingering state of shock, she hadn't been overly excited to see him. Not displeased. But simply... not excited.

His visits were more or less pleasant despite this, even if slightly muted at times. She'd actually spent time with him, without feeling the need to withdraw within her defensive persona. Even when they didn't happen to be alone for the moment.

He wasn't Arnold it seemed, but simply a person whom she cared for and was fond of. A friend even.

Among her other visitors was Phoebe, who appeared only slightly less than Arnold. Generally choosing to allow him the most time alone with Helga while she herself lingered in waiting rooms, the cafeteria, or any number of other locations within the hospital.

Gerald had come as well. Of his own accord, despite his history with Helga.

He'd actually admitted to considering her a friend of sorts, as well as having seen a measure of what Arnold and Phoebe had seen in her over the years. He'd mostly left her to them after that, generally acting as moral support to one or both of them whenever necessary.

Olga had stopped in briefly at least twice a day. Longer whenever possible.

This was between the time she spent arranging to take custody of Helga, acquiring a job as well as an apartment in the city, making funeral arrangements, not mention dealing with a host of other details.

She'd been so swamped at the time that none would've faulted her had she missed a few visits here and there, yet she'd somehow made time each day. A fact which did not go unnoticed by Helga.

Lila Sawyer made an appearance as well...

Helga had visibly tensed at the sight of her, her body recalling the trauma as she tightly gripped Arnold's wrist.

Sensing her distress, he had suggested that Lila see her some other time, prompting the girl to leave. Helga had then surprised herself by confessing to Arnold that she'd actually been frightened.

"She scares me Arnold." She'd said. "I don't know why, but she scares me. I don't want her anywhere near me."

He'd been confused by it, but hadn't pressed the issue. This was enough for Helga, for she herself did not understand the feeling she'd experienced.

Lila made no further appearances during Helga's stay at the hospital. Possibly thanks to Arnold. He'd never said this was the case, though she suspected as much.

He continued by her side throughout the remainder of her recovery, helping her through physical therapy and providing additional support when necessary. She gradually regained much of her original spark, though a great deal of her more prickly nature had faded.

To put it simply, there wasn't nearly as much she considered important enough to be angry over anymore. At least, not seriously so.

This wasn't to say that she'd become entirely docile. Simply more measured. In fact, in a number of ways, she'd actually grown considerably more bold than she'd ever been.

She continued spending time with Arnold long after healing and completing therapy, no longer feeling the need to maintain her bullying image for fear of appearing soft. She was perfectly capable of sticking up for herself without it.

She and Arnold continued growing closer over the years that followed. And somewhere along the line, they'd become official.

There weren't any desperate confessions or climactic moments. They'd simply been honest with themselves and each other.

Helga's relationship with her sister had greatly improved as well.

True, Olga's somewhat deluded personality could still become a bit tiresome at times. But it didn't inspire the sort of anger and frustration it had once caused in Helga. In fact, she now considered a number of her sister's previously annoying traits to be endearing. To a point at least.

It wasn't perfect. But it helped that Olga had learned to listen a bit better. That she'd grown just slightly more realistic about the world around her. That she actually made certain that her sister was fed and well cared for. Something which couldn't be said for either of their parents.

It was troubling at times, how much her life had improved as a direct result of their deaths. It caused her a measure of guilt on occasions. And yet, this was not what troubled her most.

There was something. Something at the very edge of remembrance. Something which scraped at the back of her mind at odd moments, telling her that all she had gained was somehow tainted. The same feeling she'd experienced the day Arnold had first come to visit.

She didn't understand it. But the day would come when a single word would trigger a memory. No more than mere flashes to start with. But slowly, she would remember the day which had changed her life. And once again, her life would change.

End

A/N It's rather open ended, I know. But this is as far as I alone can carry it.

If anyone wishes to continue this or explore the world of this story in any other manner, you officially have the go ahead. Scratch that. You not only have the go ahead, I'm actually asking you to do it.

For all those accepting this call to action, I would naturally make myself available to assist, if called upon to do so. That is, I would be open to providing advisement and or doing some of the actual writing if necessary. Admittedly, I would prefer to stick to a strictly advisory capacity, considering the fact that my strength as a consultant is in many ways greater than my ability as a writer. But I wouldn't say no to acting as a Co-Author / Consultant.

Of course, if there are no takers. Then I suppose we can just leave it at this.