The Two Day Ordeal

Day 1

The celebration of all the parents waking up went on long through the night. All the dancing, food and catching up between the families was the most joy that part of the jungle had seen in decades.

As the fires flickered out and the villagers made way back to their huts, so did the gang of friends and the newly found parents.

The hut was meager but welcoming with rolled out straw beds for the crew to sleep in. At first glance, it didn't seem that the two adults and three children would be able to fit comfortably but with some rearranging from Stella, all beds were rolled out accordingly.

"This will have to do for tonight, kids." She apologized. "Tomorrow we'll make it back to your classmates then head on home."

"Yeah!" Miles chimed in with forced excitement. "Just think of this as camping!"

With a kick of her straw bed, Helga snorted loudly. "Heh, yeah right. Camping? You've got to be kidding me?"

Both adults looked between each other before looking at their son who was scratching the back of his neck. "Her family camps in an R.V..." He explained, "Not under the stars like Grandpa taught us."

"That's right, bucko!" She said as she poked Arnold hard in the chest a few times. "Only the best for the Pataki's." But after she finished her statement quoted from her father, she stopped poking him and retracted. "Or... rather, it was." Then kicked the dirt.

"Things will get better, Helga." Arnold reassured as he placed a hand on her shoulder, unknowingly causing a tingle to shoot up her spine. "Just you wait and see."

His smile charmed her into nearly melting on the spot but in order to keep her composure, she swatted his hand away and immediately laid on the furthest bed. "Yeah, yeah... whatever. Let's just go to sleep so we can get back to civilization."

"Now that's something I can agree with." Gerald nodded with a smile before taking his own bed, giving the rest of the hut mates incentive to do the same.

After a long goodbye from the Green Eyes people to Arnold and his parents, they were finally off.

As they walked, the parents asked their son questions about his life as well as his grandparents. All was well and the young boy couldn't have been any happier to answer their questions as well as inserting his own questions for them.

Behind the family walked Gerald and Helga.

"Man, I don't think I've ever seen him this happy." Said Gerald as he watched his best friend glow as he told his parents a story. "Just think... this is how things are gonna be from now on."

The boy's comment resonated within Helga as she walked. Indeed, things were going to be different from now on. Arnold's family was finally whole... as for the hole in his heart. She thought back to his words while they stood atop the crow's nest. She thought of his painful expression as he explained his internal struggle, while she hoped he was speaking of his secret feelings for her. This is how things are gonna be from now on... huh. Helga sulked in silence. "Yeah, sure. He's on top of the moon..." Her words were more of a hiss.

Gerald raised one of his eyebrows in surprise. "I'd think out of everyone, you'd be the happiest for him. After all, you were the reason we got here in the first place AND it was your locket that operated the machine." He watched as she twitched at the notice of her private possession but paid no mind and continued to eye her. "What you did for him..." His voice trailed off as he looked back at the happy blond boy, "You know he'll never forget."

"What the heck are you even getting at, Geraldo?" Helga growled in anger. "Spit it out or shut up."

With a shake of his head at her attitude, the boy rolled his eyes and continued. "If you're worried that he's just gonna move on and forget about you, then you'd be wrong." He noticed her demeanor soften. "Arnold isn't the type of guy to just... kiss and move on, if you catch my drift." Hearing another growl from the mention of their intimate moment, Gerald chuckled. "Sure, he's liked a lot of girls but I can tell you for sure that he's never liked them enough to... ya know, physically show it. You really must have made an impression on him to make him go that far. That's all I'm saying, Helga. Take it however you want."