Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold or anything else I might mention.

Summary: It certainly wasn't how Helga Shortman had planned to spend her day. Trapped in an 8x7 space with her estranged husband. 1 elevator, 2 people, 6 hours. Will they kill each other or rekindle their love?

A/N: Whoot whoot epilogue time!

You've got that old thing about you.

1 year later.

Life had resumed a comfortable normal for everybody. Things were getting better, slowly but surely since that fateful day Arnold and Helga had agreed to go their separate ways after a year long plunge into hell. She had soon after moved out of their home, relocating to a smaller house not too far from the old. For his part, Arnold had hit the ground running once he got back, consuming himself with work, making phone calls, evoking favors from men who were long overdue for repayment. He moved back into his old room at the boarding house for a little while, before finding another house, jimmied some equipment to auction, and pulled a little money from his kids college fund to get their house current on the mortgage and then stuck five Hillwood U medical students in it, renting it for just enough to cover its payment. He hadn't any plans to sell it, Helga hadn't mentioned wanting to just yet, and even if he wanted to, the market was still trash for houses that size in golf course communities. There was a part of him that hoped she would eventually want to move back into it, and he would have no problem footing the bill for it since cash flow had begun to stabilize.

For the first few months he struggled with the idea that Brian was in her life in a way other than just a friend. He kept waiting to see things things escalate between the two. Escalate into a whirlwind romance, where she got swept off her feet and fell in love, and next thing he knew they were getting engaged and then married and then starting this whole new amazing life together. Or worse, them careening into a hormonal and emotional recklessness, she got pregnant, and they had a love child, perpetually winding the two together forever. These things happened, he knew that very well, and he knew Brian was just the guy for either job too.

It had made him sick, and he was certain that he'd probably lose his marbles if either happened.

Why? Because for his part, even with his fresh off the press divorce from her, and even though they had both agreed to go their separate ways on everything but their children, he still considered himself the only guy that had any business doing either to her. To which Gerald kindly (not kindly at all) reminded him that he did not, anymore, and perhaps he should have kept it in his pants in San Lorenzo if he never wanted it to not be so.

His friend was right. He was in no position to be pissy about who and how Helga spent her time, and what came out of said time. He said he wouldn't, and in keeping with his promise, he needed to let it go. And, none of it ended up mattering anyway, because none of it ever happened, because none of it was even the slightest bit like Helga...or even Brian for that matter. He was constantly shorting the guy in credit, and he knew it. But time had made those misplaced thoughts ebb, and her relationship with Brian appeared to be just as casual as she had told him it was.

He, for the most part, had receded into his work, re-calibrating his now debunked neighborhood into an apartment complex in order to take advantage of what he speculated would soon be a booming rental market. Meanwhile becoming burlier by the day. Who was he trying to impress? He'd yet to cut his hair since getting back from San Lorenzo, choosing to just continue putting it up in the man bun and his beard was just flat out ridiculous. Stinky had taken to calling him Boss Grizzly Bear, or just Boss Bear, and Natalie, hearing him say it one day, had began calling him Grizzly daddy.

While he had receded, Helga seemed to really be flourishing. At least to him. He noticed that she went out more, which could of been a Brian thing. She began traveling a lot more, taking the kids for weekends where ever, taking girls weekends with Phoebe and Lila. It made him wonder if he had kept her from doing that all along. Not purposely, but, him being constantly at work had consumed a lot of time over the years.

However, with everything aside, he was just glad that they were on friendly terms with each other. He noticed it, she noticed it, the tension had slowly defused and had practically become non-existent by about a year. He just wondered if there would ever be a day where she forgave him, and maybe, just maybe wanted to reconcile.

He wouldn't hold his breath, she was stubborn...but he might take in a little extra air, just in case.

1.5 years later.

"You know what I realized yesterday?" Helga said, leaning against Brian's kitchen counter, twirling a glass a wine while he put the very last dish he could fit in his dish washer. She'd been twiddling this little tid bit of information around in her mind for a few days now and she finally needed to get it off her chest.

He pushed the appliance door shut, "Whats that?" He asked as he began rinsing his hands in the sink.

"How much I miss him."

Brian perked his brow and tilted his head to her, expecting more or less that she was about to tell him something along the lines of he'd turned her into a cabernet wine person. "Really?"

Helga sighed, feeling mildly ashamed to have even mentioned it, "Yeah," She shrugged lamely, "I don't know. You move past the anger and you start remembering little things," She began trying to justify it. He didn't immediately reply as he shook his hands and grabbed a towel to try them, "I uh...feel weird telling you that."

"Why? It's not like were...together," He smirked, in an attempt to diffuse her soft-hand apology, retrieving his wine off of the counter and then leaning against the kitchen island across from her.

She took a sip of wine, bouncing her brows in agreement, "We are, but we're aren't, and it still feels strange telling you that I'm missing my ex-husband."

"Well, I mean...we have an understanding," He offered with the faintest bit of tension in his voice before looking away and taking a hefty gulp of his wine. It didn't go unnoticed to her either. She responded to him with a huff and a slight eye roll before setting her wine down on the counter.

"See, you're getting aggravated." She gestured her hand at him, "I've told you, repeatedly that you and I could always try something more. We could try. I owe you that much."

Brian looked back at her, "You don't owe me anything," He insisted. She didn't, he was just happy to have going on what they had.

But the look she gave him clearly said that she thought differently. She crossed her arms, feeling a bit put off and replied, "Alright, I guess I don't then."

He looked at her for a moment before sighing and running his hand through his hair. Damn him and his non-casual reply. Damn her and her attention to detail. "At the risk of sounding cliche'. It's not you, it's me," She went to open her mouth and he cut her off, "-Hear me out, please?"

"Yeah, Alright."

He licked his lips, trying to figure out how to word exactly what he wanted to say, "Sure, I would like to try something more with you, because I...really think you're the closest thing to being in love I've come, and...I think it would go great...for a little while. And then I would screw it up."

Helga nodded, getting exactly what he was hinting at, while her gaze shifted to the floor, "Because you're not a one woman kind of guy," She finished for him.

"I've got a wandering eye, you know that. I hate it, but it's who I am. This isn't a movie where, I suddenly fall in love and it goes away because, alas I've found the perfect girl."

Helga shifted her gaze back up to him, "Have you ever thought that maybe you don't give yourself enough credit?"

Brian met her eyes with his, "And you give me too much credit, because you're my friend. Look, I would get miserable being tied down, just like I did with Rhonda. I would never cheat on you, but we'd eventually grow to dislike one another because of me, and...I'm sorry but it would do irreparable damage to our friendship," He warned, trying to convince her of what a bad idea it would be for her. "Besides, I don't ever want to get re-married, I don't want anymore children-"

"-Whoa, nobody mentioned any of those things," She butted in quickly. Perhaps he was getting ahead of himself. He'd never asked if she wanted anymore of that either.

"The point I'm making is, I would be content with this situation we have going on right now...forever. You go do your thing, I...wander as much as I want, but we still have our sexy thing, no strings attached."

Helga couldn't help but chuckle a little at his 'sexy thing' comment. "You want the world, B."

At that, he chuckled too and closed the gap between them, placing a hand on either of her hips. "I know. I love being so close to you. Love. It." He swayed his body in sync with each syllable. "But I also know this isn't going to be a feasible thing for you in the long run. And I'm not willing to completely destroy our friendship to go for more when I know the outcome would do just that. At least now, we could just go back to being friends without any hurt feelings. I uh, just wasn't expecting you to get the Arnold bug so soon."

"Alright, slow your roll a bit." She pushed him away and retrieved her wine glass, "I just said I missed him, not that I was about to leave here, drive to his house and throw myself at him," She fiend off the absurd notion with a head shake and a elaborate eye roll.

"Damn, I guess I'm just not enough for you huh?" He joked with a smart ass grin.

"Oh here we go again, just like with the revenge bang neighbor thing." Helga lolled her head back on her shoulders and groaned, "Why can't I just use generic statements around you?"

"Because it gets a rise out of you."

Helga tossed the last of her wine back, "Anyway, like I said I miss him, not that I want him back." She set the glass aside.

"Isn't it the same thing though?"

She frowned, kind of wondering herself now that he had mentioned it, "No?" At that Brian gave her a look that basically said 'get real', "Doesn't matter, because I still don't trust him," She smartly informed him, giving him a smug look.

"I think you do."

"I don't," She insisted.

"You wouldn't be feeling nostalgic for him if you didn't."

"Whatever."

Brian smirked, getting tickled by how he was pushing her buttons, "I think its unlikely, honestly, that you two will be able to stay away from one another long term. Over a year ago, your world collapsed, and I could maybe understand you never wanting anything more to do with him if he'd come back with that other woman. But he didn't, and I think he is genuinely sorry about what he did."

"Wow." Helga mused, incredulously, "You're sticking up for him?"

Brian shrugged and nodded, "Against my own self interest, yeah." For what ever reason, he laughed a little at himself, "I now see a guy who, for the first time in his life, lost control and made a really bad decision and just kind of...shut down over it. Now he just mopes around like a dog that lost its owner."

"Yeah, well..." Helga trailed off.

"All he does is go to work and go home. Even Gerald has tried to get him out on some blind dates and he's just had none of it. Talk about drought. I don't know how the guy does it," He stated with awe, completely mesmerized by Arnold's new found celibacy. It gave pause to Helga as well, considering, when they split she had Brian to fall back on, and so she naturally assumed he would...well, turn to some other female for some comfort too.

But he didn't. Something that she just then noticed.

2 years later.

Arnold whipped his truck into Helga's driveway at about 7:30 on a Sunday night, pulling up behind her SUV and parking. "Alright kiddos," He gleefully announced, "The monster truck express stops here." He stepped out and opened his back door, watching them giggle, unbuckle and hop out single file. Helga had by then, walked out the front door and they both ran off to her while he retrieved their backpacks from the bed of the truck.

The best arrangement they came up with to make them both happy, was each getting the kids two weeks out of the month, alternating those weeks. They had been with him since the prior Sunday night, and it was time for them to go back to her for a week.

Arnold walked across the yard, carrying their backpacks, smiling a little goofy at Helga, for no particular reason other than he felt like it.

Sunday nights were his favorite. A) every other one he got his brats for the week, and B) he got to see Helga.

That night, he was just happy to see her.

"Alright, dinner is ready, go inside and get cleaned up, please." Helga shooed them inside before turning back around trying to hid a smile of her own and said, "What is so funny?"

Arnold shrugged and handed off their backpacks to her, "Nothing, just feel like smiling is all."

Helga eyed him suspiciously, "You get laid or something?" She came out and asked with a smirk. There was no way to see the blush that flushed his cheeks, considering half his face was hidden by beard.

"Of course not," He propped his hands on his hips, "I'm just in a good mood is all. Are you ever amazed that we have a nine year old and an almost seven year old now?"

She chuckled at his musings, "Every single day, actually,"

"They were babies like...a month ago."

"Yeah, feels that way sometimes," She said in agreement before a small pause crept up between them. She wanted to keep the conversation going a little longer in a un-obvious way. She sort of, secretly liked seeing him on these Sundays and chatting with him a bit, "I see your apartments are coming along."

His eyes brightened at that. She thought because he was excited about it, which he was, but he was more excited about her continuing to talk to him, "Yeah," He wanted to tell her all about it, he wanted to grab her and tell her all the details of what was going on just like he used to, "Its coming along nicely. Its going to be a good thing for me," He said, cheerily instead.

Helga gave him a very genuine smile, "I'm happy that has worked out for you."

"Thanks," He began rubbing the back of his neck. "It's a load off, for sure."

"I bet. So," Keeping the conversation going, "You're going to be at Timberly's wedding Saturday right?"

He smiled, "Wouldn't miss it. You?"

"Yep. You going to clean up a little?"

He reached up and stroked his beard a few times, "I don't know. I've kind of gotten attached to it."

Helga just gave him a look, "Really? Cause it looks like the other way around."

"It's mutual I think," He stroked it a few more times and grinned at her, "You taking anybody?" He poked.

"As in a date? No. You?"

Arnold shrugged, "I've thought about asking Katie if she wanted to go," He lamely replied.

She laughed, "Your office assistant?" She rhetorically asked, a little embarrassed by how relieved she was that he wasn't bringing an actual date.

"Well I thought it would be weird to show up alone," He attempted to justify to her, wondering if she really cared, "But...I guess if you aren't bringing anybody, I just wont worry about it either."

Helga shot him as carefree of a grin as she could, "Well, if you're so concerned, just bring her." She hoped that he didn't.

He gave her his own indifferent shrug, "Eh, I'm not going to worry about it. Too much hassle."

"Well...I should get back inside before they...burn the house down or something," Helga said, thumbing back at her dwelling.

Arnold chuckled, "Yeah, they are...certainly capable. I'll uh...see you Saturday then."

Helga returned a smile, she thought a little too quickly, "Yep. Saturday." It wasn't unnoticed to him either, and he suddenly had a inkling that she might have been just as excited to see him next weekend as he was.

He wouldn't get ahead of himself though.

Saturday.

It was the wedding that Gerald's parents had been looking forward to for years. Their youngest daughter Timberly, finally walking down the aisle. All Gerald had to say was, "Thank God...they went with an open bar." Of course, no expense spared for the baby of the family.

They were about 20 min until the start of the thing, friends and family were filing in steadily. He was standing off away from the row he had reserved for himself and the gang with Sid, who was turned around, looking at his hair with his phones camera. "How much more checking can you do? You've got enough gel in it to withstand a hurricane," He fussed at his friend before turning back toward the entrance to see his best friend stroll in.

His new and improved friend.

Arnold sauntered in the door, in his slim fit suit, his new Beckham hair cut and a beard that had been cut and shaved back into sexy stubble. "Hot damn...dudes going to drop panties tonight," Gerald said in an impressed voice. At that, Sid finally turned around, pocketing his phone, "What is it with you and..." And then seeing what his friend was seeing, "Boy howdy..." He trailed off before holding his hand out and saying, "$100 its Helga's."

Gerald popped him in the back of the head, messing up his hair and then taking his bet with the handshake, "$100 she ain't having none of it."

"Deal."

He then walked off to greet his brother from another mother with a, "Man, you are looking sharp son." He shook his hand, Arnold shooting him a lopsided smirk.

"I couldn't be remembered in any photos that get taken of me as a grizzly bear. Do I look good or what?" He held his arms out wide, "The girl who did my hair tried to give me her number."

"If you didn't already have mine, I would try to give it to you too," He laughed.

"Where are we all sitting?"

Gerald turned and pointed down to a row of seats on the brides side of the aisle, noticing that Sid had already taken a seat…but still messing with his hair, "Where Sid's at."

"Alright, well I'm going to go on down then," He said and walked on down and took a seat next to his other friend.

Everybody continued to pour in, filling the empty seats one by one. Stinky and Lila arrived, sitting down next to Arnold and Sid, each reveling in Arnold's new hair cut and lack of woolly beard. Phoebe finally came over and took a seat next them.

Helga and Brian were last to arrive, as they hurriedly marched through the entrance doors. Not late by any means but, cutting it too close for her liking. She would be the first to admit, she hadn't immediately noticed him, and not because he wasn't noticeable. Getting caught up with speaking to Gerald and his family as she worked her way down to the row where they would sit.
When she did, she almost didn't recognize him. Not from he looking completely unlike himself, be because she hadn't seen that Arnold in many, many years. He turned a looked back at her, with those piercing green eyes of his, and her breath hitched in her throat when he gave her the tiniest smile.

He had always been a very handsome guy, but he'd been a very busy man too. Busy enough to where he had never worried himself with manscaping like men like Brian did. Busy enough where he shaved less often that he should have and didn't really care about his hair half of the time, which is why he grew to really like the man bun thing and was sad to see it go. He put it up and forgot about it.

But now, here he was, looking like the Arnold that she remembered from their mid twenties, when things had been simpler. And she suddenly found herself, impossibly turned on by him.

This wedding could be a problem.

She took her seat on the other side of Phoebe and Gerald, saying hey to them and giving Arnold a quick hey before doing everything in her power to avoid looking at him. Which was fine, she had other things to look at, like the wedding that began shortly there after, but that didn't stop her mind from being in a whole other place entirely. In fact, and shamefully, she was pretty sure she'd tuned out everything after the wedding march because she was too busy thinking about the person two seats down from her.

By the time the wedding had concluded she had reasoned with herself that it was perfectly natural. Of course she found him attractive. They were once together, for a long time. Of course she would still find him attractive. He was still her type, no amount of flaws could change that.

Yeah, she missed him...like crazy. Yeah, she liked having an excuse to see him every Sunday night.

But it didn't change anything.

She was thankful to get to the reception venue, and walk it off. And grab a drink. That also helped. But he was quick to meet her at the bar, grabbing his own bottle of beer and giving her a sweet little Arnold smile, "You look stunning," He complimented her, a noticeable amount of weariness in his voice, as he was unsure how she'd take his innocent gesture.

"Thank you." She turned and replied back, "I see you and the beard broke up?" She teased him playfully, causing his smile to widen.

"Yeah, we'll see how it goes."

"Well, you look good...great actually," She returned his previous compliment. At that moment they heard the band kick off loudly with some typical wedding reception music. The type that everybody would like and was designed with having a good time in mind. Arnold's face lit up, having a fondness for that particular song.

He juked his body a little to the beat, "Want to dance?" He asked.

"Since when do I dance, hair boy," She countered.

But he was unconvinced, "Never. Lets go," He sat his beer down, reached out and grabbed her hand and began pulling her away from the bar towards the dance floor where a line of people were already gathering. At that point, he didn't care, if she yelled at him, she yelled at him. She didn't though, she only forced out a half-hearted complaint with no real teeth behind it before just going along with him.

"Arnold! I'm going to embarrassed us both!" She fussed in a slight squeal as they blended into the flash mob that was quickly forming. Gerald's family were some dancers, there was no argument about that.

"You'll be fine. There is no prison for lack of rhythm," At that, she shoved him, which he quickly corrected, making some sort of ridiculous spin move out of it. By that point, there were probably about 40 people out on that floor and the school of fish mindset really set in.

Slide to the left, slide to the right...

She went along with it, actually enjoying it, and enjoying seeing him have as much fun with it as he was. When the song concluded everybody group clapped and slowly began dispersing a bit. Arnold, now out of breath, turned to her with a wide smile, "See, wasn't so bad now was it." But before she could answer, the band began playing another song that he loved, "Oh! This ones a goodie too!" He reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Arnold, no! I'm going to kill you!" She said as he twirled her. Yet, no matter how much she complained, she couldn't dampen the smile radiating on her face, something that he could see as well. She was happy, he was happy, and they were both silently agreeing to themselves to do just that without worrying about what it meant.

He chuckled, pulling her to him, "I say, 'twas madam Helga, on the dance floor, with her bare hands!" He announced, using his best British old man voice for his game of clue joke, and then sauntered them across the floor, weaving in and out of the people, the both of them laughing the entire way.

They managed to bump into Sid at some point, hardly noticing it was him, but he noticed very much that it was them. He made an effort then to pinpoint where Gerald was-on the opposite end of the floor with Phoebe-and danced his way over to him, booty rolling into the back of him. Gerald jumped away from him right as Sid straightened up and said, "Tell your wallet to kiss that $100 goodbye," He gloated.

Gerald looked off to where Sid had come from, seeing Arnold lean into Helga while they danced, say something and her toss her head back in laughter. He turned back to Sid, "Man, get out of here!" He shooed him, his friend laughing and jigging away, "The night is still young!" He then called after him.

That song came to an end and Helga was winded. Straight up. "Alright, I need to catch my breath. And I need a drink."

"Yeah me too," Thankfully, he agreed, held his arm out for her to walk in front of him, and the pair headed off to the bar. "Beer, and..." He told the bartender once they arrived, "... what do you want?" He turned to Helga, "White wine please," She told the young guy behind the counter.

They got their beverages and pushed away from the bar, "You want to go sit for a bit?" He asked her and she nodded. They found an unoccupied cocktail table over in the corner and hopped up on the stools to rest. Arnold was eyeballing the food from afar, "Food looks good," He commented.

"Yeah, really good actually."

"Want me to go make us some plates?" He offered, looking back at her.

She was fine with that, so they at least could keep their table, "Yeah, sure. You know what I like." She gave him the go ahead and he skipped off for the goods.

While he was gone, it gave her a little time to think about what was going on and how much she was enjoying it. She was having a blast with him, which she thought was ridiculous, because why wouldn't she? It wasn't like he was a stranger or something. He wasn't away for long, returning with two plates, remembering the mango from the fruit bar for her.

They sat, eating their food, watching the newlyweds first dance and then the other wedding guests parade around the dance floor, "You know what I suddenly find hilarious?" He said, never taking his eyes away from the dance floor.

"Hmm?" She answered, still chewing the spanakopita she'd just taken a bite of.

"That Phoebe can dance Gerald out the door," He said, as serious as the sun was bright. Helga snorted, zeroing in on where he was looking at in the crowd of people, and seeing her best friend breaking it down, possibly giving Beyonce' a run for her money, with her poor husband trying, and failing, to keep up with her.

She swallowed, "Yeah, I'd say she's about...three gin and tonics in at this point." Arnold laughed and side eyed her, "What? Gin makes the woman get down. That's all I'm saying. I can't believe you've never noticed that."

"She just puts Gerald to shame..."

They sat at the table, had a few more drinks, chatting and laughing at their friends making lovable fools of themselves on the dance floor. The bride and groom cut the cake and Arnold ran out and got them a piece to share. They'd always shared a piece of cake or pie or any dessert, no matter where it was, and keeping with old auto piloted habits, he didn't even think to ask if she wanted her own or think about the fact that two were technically needed now.

If it bothered her, she didn't say anything, but he didn't think that it did.

About two hours in, the band went on break, pushing the music to an automated DJ. That's when a particular pop tuned clicked on that made Helga's face light up like a Christmas tree. She swatted Arnold in the arm excitedly saying, "Uhhh! I haven't heard this in forever!" He knew the song. It was their song. He remembered when it had come out, in their early twenties and how it had always been their favorite to dance to when they went out to bars.

"Sorry!" She jumped off of her stool, grabbing his hand and pulling her with him, "I'm going to embarrass us," She apologized while swaying more sexily to the music that she meant to, running a hand through her hair as she dragged him along. He was hardly dragged out there with her, he was more than happy to go.

There were others out there, but they might as well have been the only two people in the world., because that's how it felt, just the two of them, lost in a song that held a lot of really good memories for them. She could move, when she wanted to, and she was obviously wanting to, because the way she was moving against him, mouthing the words to the song, had him developing a real predicament. She was just...dirty. Both in the sexy way and the flat out low blow kind of way. When the song ended, they were slow to leave the floor, and she told him she had to make a trip to the bathroom, which he escorted her to before walking back to their table, that amazingly enough, hadn't been taken.

He propped himself against it, downing the last of his beer, trying to shake the newly inflamed arousal that had bloomed within during that song. Meanwhile, Helga sat in the bathroom, wondering what the hell she was doing as well. She'd somehow managed to go from missing him but keeping her distance to flat out coming on to him on the dance floor. She needed to keep her cool, she had too, or else she was going to end up doing or saying something she regretted.

Like kissing him or...telling him how much she still loved him, or something crazy out of the blue like that.

She returned shortly after, coming to stand next to him, but not saying anything, instead looking for an escape route away from him. He wondered what she was feeling, and if it were anything like how he was feeling. He did know one thing. He was ready to leave...and possibly go take a cold shower. He didn't think he could stand being around her much longer without doing something spontaneous like, kissing her, or slipping up and saying 'I love you,' or calling her 'baby' or worse...dragging her off to the janitor's closet and giving her something to scream about.

He looked down at her, knowing that his eyes were probably smoldering with lust and said, "I think I'm going to get out of here."

She looked up at him, seeing the change on his face and, without another thought said, "Take me home," It came out so wanting that she mentally blanked out for a second. He noticed, his mouth falling slightly a gap because he could read her like a book when she wasn't careful. And she wasn't being careful. She blinked and then cleared her throat and quickly corrected with, "I mean, I'm actually ready to go too. Could you take me home?"

Great, he thought. She's begging for it. Literally, she was begging for it, and he was about 95 percent certain of it. He shot her a flicker of a smile, "Um, yeah...sure," He still played cool, just in case though.

"I'll uh...I'll go say my goodbyes then," She had a hard time wanting to take her eyes off of him, but the sooner she did, the sooner they could be out of there. So she grabbed her drink and headed across the venue to where she saw her friends standing, tossed back the last of said beverage and marched up to Brian and Phoebe and announced, "Hey B, Pheebs, I'm heading out."

Brian, with a highly cocked eyebrow turned his head and gave her a very interested look, "With who?" He inquired seeing as she had ridden with him so she wouldn't have to worry about her vehicle if she drank too much and he was potentially her ride home too.

"Hey," She said defensively...and guiltily, "I had planned to take an cab home tonight. Maybe I'm just ti-"

"Who?" He repeated, calling her bullshit expertly, while wondering why she even bothered trying with him.

"...Arnold," She finally admitted.

At that, Phoebe, who was jamming the tiny straw in her cocktail, attempting to break the ice up some replied, "All the men at this venue and she wants to go home with her ex-husband..." She looked up to see both of her friends blinking at her, "...and I just said that aloud didn't I?"

"He is her baby daddy, so...he's got that going for him." Brian played along and Phoebe smirked.

"She has a type, I'll give her that."

Helga was trying to remember exactly why she bothered saying anything to them to begin with, "He's just taking me home..." She butted in, "...and I might invite him in...for you know...coffee or something."

Both Phoebe and Brian gave her dead panned looks, not buying her explanation at all, "Coffee? Alright, well have fun with that, call me in the morning and-oh! On that note..." She looked past Helga, "I think I just saw my husband accept some sort of bet from his cousin. I'm going to go intervene on that. Love you, mean it!" She bid farewell and hurriedly chased after Gerald, who was headed to the beef carving station with said cousin.

"Bye Pheebs," She called after the petite raven haired woman before turning back to Brian, who was smiling, "What?"

"See, I told you."

She crossed her arms and cocked her hip, "Told me what?"

"That you two would never be able to stay away from one another long term."

She rolled her eyes, but wasn't the slightest bit annoyed by what he'd said, and he seemed to know it, "Go on. I'm excited for you."

"Really?"

Brian rolled his own eyes lovingly, "Um, duh. I'm your best friend. I'm required to be excited about things you're excited about."

"You do know, that this might be the night we officially go back to being just friends," She informed him, to which he to took a sip of his beer, seemingly un-phased by what she'd just said.

"Helga, you haven't booty called me in three months now. I'd say it's been official. I know where your mind has been," He pointed out, still smiling, "Now, before you go, what do you think about her over there?" He did a nod point to a woman over near where the band was playing. "I've had my eye on her all night." Helga looked and then looked back at him with her brow tipped.

"The maid of honor's sister...who is a lesbian?"

Brian's face brightened considerably, "Oh, a challenge," He declared, before turning back to his friend, "Go on, get out of here. Go get you some Arnold candy," He spun her around and gently pushed her away with his hands.

Smiling she began striding away, turning back and saying, "Bye B. Let me know how that goes." She motioned her index between him and the girl he'd pointed out.

The ride to her house was quiet mostly. He had a little bit of music playing softly, but she couldn't be bothered to even see what it was much less that it was even there. The entire ride she wondered if she'd made the right decision. Had it really been a good idea to leave with him. Was she ready for this? After all the pain and heartbreak that he'd caused her, was she really ready to totally forgive him?

Sure she had forgiven him, but was she really ready to pose a reconciliation on him?

She looked from the window, back to him thinking maybe so. Because no matter how much she tried to cut him out of her heart, she couldn't get it all. She could never get him all out. And she thought there was only one simple reason why.

He would always be her Arnold.

Always.

And maybe, in the end, everybody deserved a second chance. And maybe, that meant them too. With as much history as they had together, it almost seemed wrong not to.

His arm was propped on the center console, his hand in a loose, pinky side down fist and from the moment they had driven off, she had to catch herself from reaching out and holding it like she had always done so many other times she had ridden with him somewhere.

Muscle memory was a strong force, and a strong reminder. When he pulled into her driveway, her heart began to beat a little faster. She hopped out of the truck and so did he, walking her to her door like a gentlemen.

"Well, that was fun." He said, like an idiot as she was unlocking her door, she looked back at him, heart coming up in her throat a little bit...and here went nothing, "You want to come in for some coffee. I've got pie too." She offered and he perked up, and not because of the refreshments either.

But continuing to play cool he replied, "Key lime?"

She half smirked, "The only kind I like." She opened the door and walked in, holding the storm door out for him as a physical invitation inside. He accepted it, and walked in, loosening his tie as he went as if he had just walked into his own house, and having to fight the very real urge to grab her and sling her up against one of those walls.

She led them to the kitchen, flipping lights on as she went before booting up the Kuerig on her counter. He took it upon himself to grab a seat at the nearby kitchen table and let her handle everything. While he waited, he gazed around, finding everything he hated about her kitchen, something that she noticed out of the corner of her own eye. "How badly do you hate this house?" She called him out, playfully.

"I know you can't possibly like this kitchen," He smiled at her, watching her pull the pie out of the fridge. She side eyed a smirk to him.

"No, I don't. It's not mine," She finally admitted, "But I'm renting so I'm not too concerned about it." She sat a slice of pie on a plate down in front of him, then a cup of coffee before joining him in the seat next to him, but around the corner of the table.

Arnold took a bite, he wasn't hungry, at all, but he needed something to occupy himself with, "You could always move back into our old house." She gave him a funny look, feeling her heart start beating a little quickly again. "It'd be on me."

"I couldn't take advantage of you that way."

He frowned, "I don't think that at all." He took another small bite of his pie, "It's your house, after all...and my fault you aren't still in it." Helga didn't reply, and seizing his opportunity he continued with, "You know, I've missed you...a lot these last couple years. But I'm glad that we are able to sit here and at least be cordial with one another. Not all...divorced couples are so lucky." There. Maybe that would start this ball rolling.

Helga bit her lip a little, "Arnold, I...forgave you, for what you did, probably about a year ago." He could only just look at her, "Continuing to be mad at you was only going to make me a hateful individual and I didn't want you to continue to be that person to me."

"Thank you. That means...the world to me, really." It did genuinely mean everything to him that she was capable of coming out of and looking past the hell that he had dragged them into. "Then think about the house, please?" He took another small bite, appearing to her to be in no rush to finish his food, and for her part, being so well over the small talk and the fact that they were both so obviously beating around the bush about things. He in fact, agreed, but couldn't be the one to move first, couldn't be, he just felt it wouldn't be right. He wronger her, the ball was in her court.

Fine, she'd play ball then.

Standing, she snatched his fork from his hand, rounding the table and precariously seating herself in his lap, her legs on either side of him. She took his face between her palms, pulled him to her and enveloped him into a longing kiss that he immediately returned. "I have missed you too," She whispered as his tongue darted out to greet her own. His hands moved down her sides, to her thighs, fisting a handful of her short little dress he'd been itching to get off of her for half the night in his hands as if he were struggling, holding back. "I've missed you so much." Her hands ran down his chest, loosing his tie completely, and then yanking his dress shirt out of the front of his pants.

It had been three long years since he'd touched her. Three long years. "Baby," He breathed, "I promise, I will never leave you again."

"Don't you ever," She begged between kissing him, and moving her hips in his lap.

"Never ever. I love you so much," He promised, before his voice dropped into a more husky tone as he sat forward with her and then stood up, wrapping her legs around his waist, "Daddy's home, and I'm going to tear you up tonight." He growled walking out of the kitchen, she being the only one who knew where what he said came from. Their private little joke.

She knowingly smirked against his mouth, feeling the jolt of excitement run through her, "It has been awhile Mr. Shortman. I'll cancel my morning jog then."

A/N: And there you go everybody. THE. END. See, I told you all that I would wrap this up nicely. I never wanted to completely wreck them beyond repair, but even I got a little worried at how much I manipulated them into destruction. However, I never saw them staying away from one another indefinitely. I've always seen them as a pair that the, borderline obsessive love they have for one another could easily be turned into a tool of pain, but once they moved past that, they could regenerate.

I also think there is a bit of a...silent understanding between them now. He knows that she wouldn't think twice about throwing him out if he ever did it again, and he could never stand the thought of her possibly going right back to Brian should he ever anyway.

What's the old saying? Those who love us the most are most capable of causing us the most pain? Something like that. I also wanted to lighten all the characters up in this too, so you could meet a little more light hearted side of everybody.

Thank you for everybody who followed, commented and added this to your favorites. Hope everybody liked it! I know some will not. There were quite a few Brian/Helga shippers following this. It's cool, can't please everybody. I pull a lot of stuff I write from things I see or have seen in my life so, sometimes things don't always end well, but sometimes they do. Some couples can't survive infidelity, some can work through it and come out of it stronger. I know both types.

If anybody is interested, I've got a comedy called "What are the odds?" that I'm going to be throwing myself into finishing. Doing this story and that one at the same time was a big mistake. I couldn't hope back and forth between drama and humor without out one taking on too much of the other.

After I finish that I've got another, different type of story I've been twirling around in my head for awhile now that's going to be called "Vyrus." It's completely different from everything I've done so far so, and if you're interested in a...mad max-ish, zombie apocalypse type deal, that's how its going to be...except working with our favorite gang! I'm excited about it, but admittedly a little scared of something so far out of my comfort zone. We shall see!

Thanks again!