Arlo taps his non-injured foot impatiently as he waits for the doctor to see him. He somehow managed to get here alone after he slipped, one or two many drinks into his evening. Its the next day by now and Leah is at the battle - basically, as usual, Leah is helping save his sisters ass.
Charlie is out of town, all the other wolves are busy and so are the vamps. So he drove with a broken foot once he'd sobered up some and slept it off - he was in agony when he woke up, though, and knew he had to get it seen to.
"Definitely a broke ankle." The doctor says. "I think we'll try a boot for now, but no weight baring for a few weeks."
Arlo salutes. "Perfecto."
The doctor pulls a chair up beside the bed, Arlo raising an eyebrow. "Now... Being that you're 18 years old, fit and healthy, we didn't expect the blood test to show us anything concerning." He begins, looking at the boy. Since Arlo hadn't had any general checks done for a while the doc decided to run a few while he was here.
Arlo frowns a little. "Yeah?"
"Arlo, your liver function is quite concerning for a boy of your age. I'd like to run some investigatory tests to see-"
Arlo shakes his head. "Naa, it's all good. I bet it's nothing." He says. He knows exactly what it is, of course he does. But why would he admit it? Admitting it is admitting he has a problem. "Look, can I get sorted and go? It's new years day, I don't wanna sit around all day."
The doctor sighs and nods once, leaving quietly. Once he's gone, Arlo sits back and rubs his face. He has to cut down. He can do it. He doesn't need the drink. He likes it, but he doesn't need it; he'll be like his dad, a beer a night. Or just on weekends. It'll be fine.
Once the nurse has showed him the boot and stuff, he hobbles his way out on his crutches, puffing air into his cheeks as he realises he can't drive. "Shit." He mutters.
"What happened!?" Leah panics, running up behind him.
Arlo hops around, smiling wide. "You're okay!!"
"You're not!" She says, grabbing his face. "I can't leave you for a day!?"
He smirks. "I'm fine, I got two left feet ain't I?" He shrugs, leaning over to kiss her. "I'm alright, I promise. Good job you're here, I can't drive."
Leah scowls and punches his arm, satisfied with his groan and 'ahhh' as he tries to shake the pain out. She grabs the keys from his hoodie pocket. "I'm so mad. Why didn't you call!?"
"I figured yous were all a lil busy." He rolls his eyes, climbing in. He pushes the crutches into the back and buckles up. "What happened? Is everyone alright?"
Leah backs out of the space and begins to drive him, constantly looking over at Arlo. She guarantees it involved drinking... "Everyone's fine. It could've gone bad but Alice came back - she found another hybrid."
"Course she did." Arlo rolls his eyes. "Everything always turns out peachy for Bella dun it."
"Well, hopefully now things will settle." Leah says. "We can go back to how things were, back to normal." She's trying to hint at the times before all of this, especially the times when Arlo didn't drink.
"Normal? That ship sailed the day I moved here." He mutters, looking out the window.
Leah stays quiet and just drives, pulling up outside the house. She helps Arlo out and follows him, making sure he gets up the steps okay. "Do you want anything?" She asks.
He shakes his head, crutching his way upstairs slowly. "I'm gonna go nap. Wanna join me?"
"I'll be up soon." She promises with a smile. He smiles in return and disappears, Leah waiting to hear the door close before she goes to the kitchen and pulls her phone out.
To: Jacob
I need the leech doctors number.
To: Leah
Why?
She groans and rolls her eyes, responding.
To: Jacob
Because. So can I have it?
Leah nervously bites her thumb, silently cheering as she sees the number come through. She pulls up a new message and begins to type.
To: Dr Leech
Carlisle, I need a favour. In a way, you owe me - well, Bella does, but you'll do. I need you to answer a few questions for me and I want you to be honest. - Leah
Instinctively, she puts the phone away and forgets about it for now. Making her way upstairs, she quietly climbs into bed with Arlo, his arms wrapping around her and pulling her close as he dozes. She plays with his hair. "I love you." She whispers, holding him close.
Now she can, now she hasn't got so many obligations or pack duties, she's determined to focus on her imprint. To help him, love him, be there for him. Because of Bella and Jacob, Renesmee, the pack, she hasn't had anytime for him. In the 8 months or so he's been here, it's all been focused on Bella. Now it's his turn.
-
It's later that evening, as they get ready to go to the res for a celebratory bonfire, that Leah finally checks her phone while Arlo attempts to shower.
To: Leah
Hello, Leah. I'm happy to answer any questions you have, I figure they are medical based? Do you want to do this in person or just through messages?
To: Dr Leech
Just through messages. And yes, they're medical related.
To: Leah
Ask away. I'll be as honest and non-technical as I can.
To: Dr Leech
I need to know what damage Arlo is doing to his body. Its no secret, Bella made sure of that, that he has a problem. He is 18 years old and has probably used alcohol as a coping mechanism since he was 13. What are his chances of beating this easily? What are his chances of having done little damage and being fine?
Carlisle sighs to himself; he's thought about this, a lot. Bella has asked and he's managed to lie or bend the truth, but Leah is his imprint. If it were Esme, he'd want to know.
To: Leah
In the simplest terms, he's already done irreversible damage to his body, specifically his liver. He was drinking during some of the most critical points of development for his body. While adolescent bodies are stronger in many senses, they are easier to permanently damage. If his habit has only really picked up lately, there's a change he hasn't done considerable damage. But taking on board his mother's habit and the culture he grew up in, he's most certainly done and is doing damage to his body. He really must stop soon or it could be fatal.
Leah stares at the last four words. It could be fatal. Doctors say that instead of it 'will be' fatal because they want it to seem less scary at first, right? Apart from chaining him up and making him quit, she isn't exactly sure what to do.
To: Dr Leech
Thanks Doc.
"Who's texting you, your boufriend?" Arlo teases as he crutches into the kitchen.
Leah swiftly puts her phone away and smiles. "One of them, yes. Are you ready?"
He nods. "Yeah. Can you grab me guitar case? I wanted to show you something and I bet the acoustics on the cliff are insane."
Leah raises an eyebrow. "Okay?" She nods. She runs upstairs and grabs his case and song book, heading out to the car where he's only just settled in. He's a bit useless on those crutches.
She drives to the res and parks as close to the cliff edge as she can. She then helps him through the wooded area, often lifting him over things. He always giggles at that like a child - his superhuman girlfriend can pick him up and carry him as if he weights nothing. When they get there most people are already there.
"What did you do!?" Billy chuckles as he sees Arlo.
Arlo smirks. "I've got less coordination than me old man." He shrugs. "Broke me ankle, nothing I haven't done before."
Billy rolls his eyes. He has a sneaky feeling it wasn't an accident; Charlie has noticed his sons drinking habits. He doesn't want to be the harsh dad, the enforcer. Arlo comes from a place where he's legally allowed to drink and, while he isn't legally allowed to here, Charlie is okay with him doing so responsibly. He doesn't really know how to parent, especially when the kid is 18 and only just come to live with him, really.
Arlo settles and takes a beer from Paul. Leah comes back a moment later with his guitar case and sets it by him, Seth looking at it. "What is this, summer camp?"
"Summer camp in the Peak of winter? That would suck." Arlo rolls his eyes. "Naa, I wanted to play Leah the song I wrote for her."
Paul gags. "Blugh!!"
"Stinks of cheese." Jacob agrees with an eye roll.
Arlo isn't offended. "Hence why I said I wanted to play it for Leah, not yous."
"I'll be alright with you playing it if we can request a song." Jared smirks.
"Wonderwall." Quil chimes in.
"Oh you basic bitch." Embry teases.
"Shut up, I wanna hear my song!" Leah snaps, glaring.
Arlo smile and grabs his guitar, setting it on his lap as he tunes it just a little. He opens the song book and keeps it open by resting the tip of his boot between the pages, quickly reading over it. Trying to ignore the eyes on him, he quietly begins to sing.
"All I learned, growing up
Was that love, chewed me up
Spit me out on the pavement
Next to the cuts and the blood
That my mum and dad would
Always take out on each other...
Sweetheart, you are changing my mind.
Nobody taught me how to love myself so how can I love somebody else? There ain't no excuses, I swear that I'm doing my best
Nobody taught me how to love myself so how can I love somebody else? I'm so new to this, I swear that I'm doing my best.
I won't let you down."
Leah wipes a stray tear from her cheek as she listens; all the others are intently listening too, no teasing or judging. He's perfectly captured how it feels to find your imprint. You realise what love truly is, what it mean to love someone so deeply. Half of the boys in the pack haven't been loved or haven't known what it is. Absent parents, dead parents, judgement. None of them have ever felt so... Heard.
Standing there, you look at me. Understanding everything, yeah, it's so fascinating you patch up the blood and the cuts but our blood got mixed up so I guess we belong to each other?
Sweetheart, you are changing my mind...
They will try to pay for me to erase all the memories but I can't. But you shine so bright in a spotless mind someone gets left behind
Nobody taught me how to love myself so how can I love somebody else? There ain't no excuses, I swear that I'm doing my best. I won't let you down.... "
Leah instantly wraps her arms around his neck and sniffles. "I freaking love you. We're going to get through this together and I promise I will never leave your side." She whispers. Never.