After the suspension, the twins came back to school. Jordan was pale because he was afraid of coach Gaines.
"You will be alright."- Jonathan said while he held his brother's shoulder and walked side by side in the corridor.
"The Kent's, it's nice to see both."- coach Gaines said- "I want to see you on the field. I have special training for what happened on Monday. Jonathan, I want to see you there too."
"You can wait on the bench."- Jonathan said firmly, calling the attention of his colleagues.
"Excuse me."- coach Gaines said, astonished.
"I am suspended for one year of the football, Mr. Gaines and you were at the principal office when I was warned about it. So, you are not my coach, never was my coach. If I am not wrong, I was only on the bench watching every game. What I learned being on the bench? Well, I realized how shit player I was, I was weak, powerless, and of course stupid. So, I felt so miserable and desperate to play that I decided to take X-K. The interesting thing about the X-K novel is: I did not do it alone, your perfect team was using it, why? Because I was not the only player who was feeling miserable and desperate to play. So, let us think: am I the only one responsible for the football team's suspension last year or our lack of leadership has responsibility too?" - Jonathan asked firmly- "So, Mr. Gaines, I will not call you coach, because you are not a leader. So, do not wait for me."
Coach Gaines was shocked by Jonathan's words, so he did not react. Jonathan's words haunt Gaines until the football training. After punishing his team for the fight on Monday, He announced that Tyler was suspended from the team for three months and was facing two weeks of suspension for almost injuring a girl.
"Now I want the team to line up in front of me. I will ask questions and I want honest answers. Nobody will be in trouble."- coach Gaines said firmly- "Who felt you were a shit player, weak, powerless, and stupid because you didn't have opportunity to play last year?"
Silence and then, coach Gaines felt bad when he realized that just three players (who were always team starters) did not step forward.
"Who of you felt so desperate to play that it took X-K to call my attention?"- Coach Gaines asked. After a few minutes of silence the same players stepped forward. - "I owe apologies to all of you, I am terribly sorry. I promise that we will have more rotation during the games."
The team smiled and accepted the apologies.
"Jonathan Kent opened my eyes today; you should thank him for it and for not rating you last year. He took all the responsibilities alone, mine and yours. He apologized to us and what did you do? Bullied him and his friends. What happened on Monday must not repeat, understood?"- coach Gaines said firmly.
"Yes, sir!"- the football players answered.
"Clark, I asked Jonathan to come, but he strongly denied. I would like to see him in one training, so we can apologize to him."- coach Gaines said, determined.
"I will talk with him."- Clark said.
Jonathan could not believe what he heard from his dad: coach Gaines and the team wanted to apologize to him.
"Okay, Jordan, is that true?"- Jonathan asked, confused.
"Yeah, you did a really good speech in the corridor."- Jordan answered. And then, he told his brother what happened at the football practice.
"Well, I will see when I can go."- Jonathan said with a small smile.
"What?"- Clark said, astonished.
"Dad, my agenda is full, and I don't want to be in trouble for skipping any class."- Jonathan explained.
"You can go tomorrow morning."- Clark said firmly. - "It's Saturday."
"I have my football training with grandpa and farm chores."- Jonathan answered.
"Jonathan, you will go and listen to the apologies. It is not time to have pride. I believe that you have been waiting for this apology for a while, right?"- Clark said gently. So, he hugged Jonathan.
"Yeah, dad, I can go, but can you stay by my side? I do not feel comfortable being around my former football team."- Jonathan said, concerned.
"Don't worry, I will be with you."- Clark promised- "But, if Superman needs to work, can you go with your grandfather? I am afraid to make a promise and not keep it."
"Yes, dad."- Jonathan agreed with his dad.
On Saturday morning, Jonathan felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders as he heard the apology from the football team and coach Gaines. He felt safe because his father was next to him. After the apologies, Jonathan met his grandfather at the school park, he was waiting for him.
"So, how was the apologies?"- Samuel asked.
"I strangely feel free now."- Jonathan answered.
"Good, now we will go to the farm. We must do our football training."- Samuel remembered.
"Grandpa, thanks for waiting for me, I really did not want to stay there with dad and Jordan. I am tired to be on the bench."- Jonathan thanked his grandfather.
"You will not be on the bench anymore, Jon. You have been doing an amazing job."- Samuel said firmly.
"Grandpa, can I be honest with you?"- Jonathan asked.
"Always."- Samuel said firmly.
"You are the best football coach that I had until now."- Jonathan said honestly.
After these words, Samuel thrilled hugged his grandson.
During the week, Jonathan was relieved that his former football players really meant the apologies, because they were not being cold or disrespectful with him anymore. Jordan's friends started to talk with him casually.
"Are you part of the football again?"- Natalie asked, confused as soon as the football players left the trio alone.
"No, they just apologized to me and are being nice now."- Jonathan answered.
"So, are you going back to your old friends now?"- Lilian asked, upset.
"First, they were not my friends, because real friends' never give their backs when you need their support. Second, once a 'fugitive from Arkham,' always 'fugitive from Arkham.' I promise that I will never leave you and Naty behind, even if I eventually start playing for the crows again. My table will always be the freak table."- Jonathan said firmly and proudly. So, Lilian and Natalie hugged him.
The week went by quickly, so Jonathan was finally able to hang out with Lilian as they had been planning for the past few days. She asked Jonathan to meet her in the square and from there they walked together to a nursing home where the nurses and staff of the establishment visibly knew his friend.
"Come, he is here."- Lilian said excitedly- "Good afternoon David! He is my friend who I told you about."
Jonathan and Lilian were in the living room where the seniors could watch TV, play cards, and board games. Jonathan and David greeted each other.
"Nice to meet you sir. I am Jonathan Kent"- Jonathan politely.
"You have a strong name, of the bravest and kindest person that I have ever met: Jonathan Kent."- David said. - "You are special, kid, you just have his eyes. My best friend's eyes, we can see by your eyes how much you care for others. You can talk with your eyes, just like Jon. It is sad that you could not meet him."
"You knew my grandfather!"- Jonathan said, astonished.
"He was the best person that I ever met."- David said gently and then he shared memories of his childhood with the teens. - "You need to know that your grandfather and I were the best chess players of Smallville." So, David talked with Jonathan about his time in Smallville High School. - "Now, I will play chess against both."
Hours later, Jonathan and Lilian left the nursing home. Both were happy.
"Thank you."- Jonathan said smiling.
"Welcome."- Lilian said ashamed.
"How did you find it?"- Jonathan asked curiously.
"My mom is a nurse, she works here, and I decided to work as a volunteer."- Lilian answered- "So, I do not need to say that I enjoy playing chess with the seniors and one day David talked about his best friend Jon Kent. I did not need to be so smart to realize that he was talking about your grandfather."
"I need to tell dad and Jordan about David."- Jonathan decided anxiously- "But, first I want to show you something."
Jonathan held Lilian's hand, so they walked together.
"Are you kidnapping me?"- Lilian joke.
"Don't worry, I will just kill you and hide your body."- Jonathan answered laughing.
Jonathan and Lilian went up a hill where in the end had an old house. Near the house there was a tree whose trunk was laid down. Then Jonathan and Lilian sat down on the tree trunk.
"We arrived just in time to watch the sunset."- Jonathan said smiling.
As the sun went down, the couple grew closer. Jonathan held Lillian's shoulder as she laid her head on his shoulder. Suddenly, they looked at each other and kissed. During the kiss Jonathan felt a unique sensation. He felt a heat run through his body as his lips touched Lilian's lips, as the kiss deepened, that sensation intensified while his heart pounded in his chest. After the kiss, the couple smiled at each other.
"I love you, Jon Kent."- Lilian said, ashamed.
"I love you, Lily Beck."- Jonathan said honestly- "Do you want to be my girlfriend?"
"Yes."- Lilian agreed happily.
Minutes later, Jonathan arrived home. He was excited, so he greeted his family with a big smile. He saw his brother setting the table for dinner and decided to help him.
"So, how was your date with Lilian?"- Jordan asked curiously.
"Perfect, just perfect."- Jonathan answered- "We are dating now."
"I kind of knew it, because it's on your face."- Jordan said.
"Yeah."- Jonathan said, rolling his eyes. And then, he realized that his parents were listening to him. - "Please, stop this stupid smile."
Clark and Lois laughed.
"Someone is in love here." Lois teased.
"You don't need to be ashamed, Jon."- Clark said- "We could see in your eyes, every time you talked about Lilian."
"About that, dad, you need to meet someone."- Jonathan said. And then he talked about David to his family. - "He said that I'm like grandfather Jonathan."
Clark was touched by Jonathan's attention and care in telling him about his father's best friend. On Sunday, Jonathan introduced David to his family who were thrilled to see their friend's son again. At home, as he watched the stars in the sky, Clark was reflective.
"Are you fine?"- Lois asked, concerned.
"Jon has a big heart; he did not think twice before telling us about David. And I failed with him about the fortress and telling him about Krypton and worst did not introduce him to my dad."- Clark said, ashamed and upset- "I do not deserve him. Did I tell you how his visit was at the fortress?"
"You didn't give details, just said that both had a fun time together."- Lois answered. So, Clark told her in detail about his visit to the fortress with Jonathan - "So, he asked you to build a snowman, it's so cute."
"Olaf, Lois."- Clark corrected his wife- "Olaf is his favorite character from Frozen."
"He loved Frozen, he used to watch it several times a day."- Lois said smiling- "Clark, you committed a huge mistake with Jon, you didn't ask him to go to the fortress with you before being destroyed neither introduced him to your hologram father, but you apologized, and Jonathan chose to forgive you. It is fine now. But it can be better."
"How?"- Clark asked anxiously.
"Let Jonathan be the first to meet his grandmother."- Lois suggested. - "Then, of course, introduce her to Jordan next week. But tomorrow, Jon must be your priority, understood?"
Jonathan and Clark at the fortress…
"Dad, it's freezing here."- Jonathan said and then when they arrived at the fortress entrance, Jonathan could not stop laughing- "I am sorry dad, but Elsa castle is ten times better than yours! Come on, where are the giants, warriors, stairs, and chandelier of ice? And the big question is: where is Olaf? How can you have a fortress of ice and not have your own Olaf?"
Clark laughed.
"I'm sorry, son, I believe that Elsa castle is at the South Pole."- Clark answered smiling. Then he got closer to his son and told the story of Krypton.
"It's sad."- Jonathan said thoughtfully. So, Clark hugged him. - "Dad, can we do something before going home?"
"Sure, what do you want to do?"- Clark asked gently.
"Do you really don't know?"- Jonathan asked and then he made a snowball and threw it to his father.
Minutes later, they build together their Olaf. A moment that father and son keep in their hearts.