A Million Trillion Billion (What's Eating Gilbert Grape Fanfic) *ORIGINAL*

Chapter 8 - Fixing You

I sit by a lake, on top of a hill, in deep thought. My fingers fun through the clear blue water, and I close my eyes, wishing I could fly as freely as the water in the lake does. I swirl my hand around, making patterns that last for a second until they're washed away. Water always helped me to think, to sort out my head that is constantly filled with shit that I've screwed up.
I take off my boots and dip my feet into the water, leaning back on my hands, looking up at the sunny sky.
"They told me you'd be here." A voice says from behind me. "Why are you here Leon?" I ask, knowing its him without having to look. "Because it's my fault you ran." He says, taking a seat next to me on the grass. "It's my fault you're hurt." He says, shrugging, and running his fingers through the water just like I did moments before.
"You can't fix it." I shake my head. "I know. But I can be there." He says. "Everyone in my life has either died or left me. What makes me think you won't do the same?" I look at him with angry tearful eyes. "Because I care about you Janie." He says, smiling slightly, with soft eyes. He places his hand on my cheek. I let him for a moment before I turn away. "Why are you helping me?" I ask, looking away. "Because you're my friend, and I want to." He says. "No. It's because you pity me isn't it? You're saying all this just to make yourself feel better because you flaked out when you knew you could've done something." I say, looking at him with an angry expression. "No, no I'm not believe me-" "Just don't okay?" I say, shaking my head and walking away.

I run back to the house, bare feet, chucking my shoes on the mat outside the door. I wipe my feet and walk inside. "Oh there you are Janie! I've been wondering where you were." Amy says cheerily from the kitchen. "Sorry Amy, it's been a weird day." I say, giving my best to smile back at her.
Gilbert walks in the room. "Janie? Would you mind putting Arnie to bed? I gotta go back to work, Mr Lamson needs me to work a night shift." He asks, looking stressed as ever. "Yes. I can do that where is he?" I ask. "Upstairs." Gilbert says. "Thanks !" He says, scrambling out the door.
I head upstairs and find Arnie. "Hey Arnie, bedtime!" I say as lightly as I can. "You have to catch me first!" He says in sing song. "Come on Arnie, I really can't do this to-" Arnie runs past me in an intense giggling state.
I walk around the whole house trying to find him.
After about half an hour, I slide to to the floor just outside his room and find myself breaking down.
I hear his voice and his footsteps come up the stairs. "Janie?" He calls out, laughing. "Janie..?" He says once he realises where I am. "Oh no no no Janie! Don't cry!" He says, kneeling down beside me. He takes my hands away from my face, looking very concerned. He wipes the tears away from my cheeks. "What's the matter Janie?!" He asks me, sitting down on the wooden planks as well. "Everything!" I say, blubbering. I feel like such an idiot. "It's alright Janie." Arnie says, grabbing my hand, and holding onto it. "You can tell me if you want to." He offers. He says it just like my Uncle Dan would.
That's when I realise. Arnie's the one that I knew I'd find! He's my Uncle Dan! I knew I could never lose him. That's why I felt an instant connection when I first met Arnie. That's why I fell in love so quickly. Realising this, I pull Arnie into a tight hug. "I know, I know." I say. "I love you Arnie." I whisper into his ear, closing my eyes, holding on as if my life depended on it.

"And then what happened?" Arnie asks. He's laying in his bed, me laying next to him, and I'm telling him a story. He asked me to tell him one of my own, and I told him I'd make it up on the spot. "Then he said to the man 'If you ever steal my pudding again! Well, you'll know what's coming!'" I say, and Arnie claps with excitement. "Make the whale noise again!" He asks, clapping, and flicking his finger against his nose. I proceed to make a whale noise, much to Arnie's liking.
The story I came up with was about a whale and a starfish fighting over a bowl of pudding. Ridiculous really, but I enjoyed it as much as Arnie did.
"Again! Again!" He says laughing. "I think that's enough whale noises for tonight." I say laughing as well. "Janie?" Arnie asks, as I start to get up. "Yeah?" I say. "Will you stay?" He says, with a look in his eyes that I've never seen before. "Of course." I smile, laying back down. "Goooooodnight." Arnie sings. "Goodnight Arnie." I say, closing my eyes smiling to myself.