SUPERMAN
PG (Minor Language and Really Minor Violence)
BY: BrokenAngel1753
-----------------------------------------
DISCLAMERS: I own nothing related to Remember the Titans or Disney though I like many other teenage girls WISH I owned Ryan Hurst (Gerry). I don't own the song "Superman" either that is property of "Five for Fighting"
SUMMARY: I was sitting in my writing room (on the third floor not that it matters) when I thought of this story…it seems even thought it's a true story what happens to Gerry Bertier it seemed unfair. What if he hadn't gotten into the accident? Here is how I guess he saw it. His perspective on how unfair it was. Though it's fiction;though maybe he felt this way at least for a moment. ONE-SHOT SONGFIC
-----------------------------------------------
My life…not much really I was your average teenage football player. Okay so I could've been worthy of pros. But that never really mattered to me…as long as I got to play the game.
I remember when I first found out that Coach was replaced. It stung; Coach had been my football coach for practically forever! And they are replacing him with a black man none the less!
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
I'm just out to find the better part of me
I'm more than a bird I'm more than a plane
I'm more than some pretty face beside a train
And it's not easy to be me
I guess when I found out I let my emotions get the best of me. So I'm human…even the guys Ray and Alan agreed with me. It wasn't right to get rid of Coach! When he announced that he was leaving to most likely coach somewhere else I let my mind do the talking.
"I won't play unless you're my coach!" something along that line flew out of my mouth. It even stunned me. Especially when Ray and Alan shouted the same thing. People even gasped. That's how committed to Coach we were. One of those relationships where as they jump you jump. Coach was like a father to me. Don't get me wrong what I remember of my real dad is still there but Coach was there for me. Like a father would be for a son. The team was practically his sons anyway. Coach had decided that us throwing away football…or in our cases our life and future...wasn't worth his leaving. I saw the admiration and hurt even a small amount of pity in his eyes that night. Funny how things could change, but to think how if we hadn't spoken up and threatened to never play high school football with out Coach…we could've be forced to go to a desegregated school with no Coach to get advice or to talk to. Surely we wouldn't listen or talk to the so called replacement! It wasn't right how he could just waltz in and take Coach's job!
When Coach became the assistant coach things seemed a little better. Still not perfect like before. But it would have to do it could be worse. Right? The replacement had embarrassed me in front of Ray and Alan the moment I met him. Reminding me it was "his team" My mind was screaming at me how it wasn't rightfully his but how it was Coach's team. But luckily I had managed to keep my mouth shut before I got into trouble. I looked at Alan who was stunned then I looked at Ray who was furious. His eyes almost had a flame to them. If looks could kill the replacement would be nothing but ashes. Ray was clearly trying to burn a hole through Boone's head and being. I had to keep my act together. I didn't want to come home with my head between my knees. The guys wouldn't let me live it down if I ran from the replacement. And what would Emma my girlfriend think of me? If I told her I wasn't able to handle a stupid replacement? It wasn't an option to quit. Not after I got coach to stay! I couldn't let the guys or Coach down! And the worst part about the replacement was yet to come. He made all defense on one bus and all the others on the other bus. That meant we had to desegregate each other! I was forced to sit next to a black kid. And to make things worse he was going to be my roommate! How could this be happening to me! My life is officially hit rock bottom!
After a few days I actually became friends with my roommate. Go figure huh? Julius was the type of friend that pointed out my flaws. All of them too. And when Sunshine eventually came he was one of the ones that kept me from tearing him to shreds after he
kissed me. Had to hand it to him for a guy that looked like a fruitcake Sunshine had guts.
After training camp we headed back to reality. My girlfriend Emma Hoyt wouldn't even shake hands with Julius because of his skin color!
I wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find away to lie about a home I'll never see
It might sound absurd
But don't be naïve even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed
But won't you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
And it's not easy to be me
After winning countless games we had finally won the game that would get us into the game to win state. The game we Titans (and our new cheer thing) were on top of the world.
Up up and away…away from me
Well it's alright you can all sleep sound tonight
I'm not crazy or anything
I was driving in my '67 Camaro looking out my rolled down window. The whole town was cheering for me. I grinned and laughed even waved. Just to show off I sped off looking at the crowds on the sidewalks not seeing the stop sign. Only before it was too late. I heard the truck's horn and I saw the lights. That was the last thing I saw as it slammed into my car sending it spinning. I hit my head on the window and was knocked out. Listening to the crunching of glass and metal be drowned by my screams of pain and terror.
I can't stand to fly
I'm not that naive
Men weren't to ride with cloud between their knees
I'm only a man in silly red sheet
Taken for kryptonite on this one way street
I'm only a man in a phony red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me…inside of me
Inside of me
Yeah inside of me inside of me
As I sat in that hospital bed I saw the team one by one. Even Emma came. After I broke up with her too, it was nice to know everyone cared. When Julius came I saw he was in tears. The nurse said only 'kin' could be in the room at that time.
"Can't you see the resemblance? He's my brother!" I laughed getting a grin from Julius.
"My football days are gone…" I whispered so softly I barely heard myself.
"We got to find something else for me to play…that'll let me have my new wheel chair!" I laughed. Julius then just realized the wheel chair was there. He seemed more pained than I was. And I was the one in the accident! After Julius left I slowly drifted into a deep slumber dreaming…
----------------
I saw myself walking…no running I had just won us the game. The team was grinning and cheering the crowds roaring. I looked at Julius my brother and raised my fist like I did earlier in the hospital.
"Left side!" I shouted causing him to shake his head laughing.
"Strong side man!" he laughed. I shrugged and told him it didn't matter anymore.
"Strong left?" I heard Sunshine yelling with a grin. "That way you both win!" we all shrugged and began to laugh harder. I saw Emma run over and smile. I even saw Sheryl run over so I picked her up and spun her around cheering with her.
"YOU DID IT GERRY! YOU WON THE TITANS THIS GAME!" she yelled. We all went out to a cook out at Coach's place. I saw my mom talking to Julius' mom and smiled.
"Change of heart…" was all I heard I turned around and smiled seeing Coach.
"Great game Bertier. One of the best I've seen." Said Coach Boone. I grinned walking over to my mom she smiled as she wrapped her arms around me in a hug.
"I'm so proud of you Gerry…your father would be too!" she sighed. The cheers continued as Blue and Louie broke into song singing none other than Ain't No Mountain High Enough. Sometimes I wonder if that's the only song they knew…
----------------
I then woke up to find out it was only a dream…I hadn't won us the game. It was about time for everyone to come by. I slowly wiped away all signs of tears and sat up as straight as I could as they all walked in. If they saw signs of tears they didn't say anything. Thankfully...
I'm only a man in a phony red sheet
I'm only a man looking for a dream
I'm only a man in a phony red sheet
And it's not easy
It's not easy to be me…
Don't get me wrong I was proud as hell the Titans won the game. Though deep down part of me wished the dream I had actually had been true…I guess I keep dreaming right? Maybe my friends can fill me in more…at least I didn't loose ability over my arms so I can still play some catch! Leave it to me to be optimistic for I am a Titan. Captain…well maybe Julius can take that job but I'm still a Titan!
----------------
What do you think? I was actually close to tears writing it. (You mock me and I'll tackle you and hit you with a football!) I have one kinda like this but Ray Budds' story about what happened to him after he got kicked off the team. So stay tuned for that it's called: WHEN THE SAND RUNS OUT and it will be rated T!