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Jonathan’s X-K Storyline: Alternate Version

Chapter 3

Notes:

Hi everyone how are you all doing?

Here’s the third chapter & with it the aunt and nephew talk.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Setting: Smallville

Location: Lane-Kent Family Home

 

Jonathan and Lucy were currently seated within the former’s bedroom while Jordan had already been sent down beforehand to converse with his parents regarding his using his abilities to rescue his brother. As they sat and comfortably chatted about different fun stuff their conversation eventually shifted to the subject Jon would’ve rather avoided but that Lucy knew needed to be brought up.

“I want you to know that I love you, am more than proud to have you as a nephew, and none of that will ever change,” she began gently while smiling at him before her face morphed into a sad and disappointed frown. “However I won’t lie and say I’m not currently disappointed in you over the X-K mess you got yourself into and I know your parents taught you better than that,” she then expressed to which Jon looked down in shame.

“You allowed yourself to get caught up in an unofficial drug substance and in turn gave yourself an unfair advantage and I’m sure you know that doping in sports is a highly serious issue regardless of age and as a high school athlete can significantly ruin your chances of ever participating in professional sports if it hasn’t already,” she further stated before her face then transitioned into a reassuring smile. “However and while I am disappointed in you, I’m also deeply proud of you for deciding not to continue participating in this and instead finally realized the error of your ways and I also believe along with your parents that you yourself are not the drug dealer which is a tremendous boom for all of us.

“I’m also proud of you for taking responsibility for actions and not making excuses.

“None of that’s enough however and what you need to do is come clean as to who your dealer is. Please Jon. It would break my heart if your life were ruined and especially if you allow everyone to believe you were the dealer.”

Jon sighed.

“I hear you Aunt Luc. Believe me I do and I know all of this is serious and what you and mom and dad want. And I swear I’m not trying to sabotage my own life. But I can’t. I know I should and that it’s the right thing to do but I just, um, I just, can’t. It’s just that this person, the one doing the, you know. Their life would be entirely ruined and I can’t do that to them, it’s just that I…….”

“You care for this person very deeply. Someone that means more than anything to you. Don’t you?” she softly finished for him in understanding to which he responded with a silent nod. Lucy nodded back and with her own lips pursed before questioning him as to what she was starting to suspect.

“Would this person in any way have a connection to you and your girlfriend being attacked tonight and the reason why or even a connection to this whole X-K mess?” she probed further to which her nephew didn’t answer though the expression upon his face affirmed her suspicions.

Moving her hand she gently rested it underneath his chin and used it to turn his head over to face her while staring into his eyes.

“Between your girlfriend and that young man who violently came after the two of you, I can’t see you throwing your life away over the latter and so shall I assume it’s the former you’re covering for?” she questioned him further while continuing to hold his gaze. He squirmed a bit wishing he was anywhere but there but she continued to hold his attention.

“It’s Candice isn’t it?” she questioned him yet again, her voice gentle though insistent and with a clear hint of firmness while her eyes glowed with a particularly intense expression that only someone trained within the military could give. Jon was left cowed by it and he swallowed in response before finding himself nodding in confirmation. And then before he could stop himself he found himself emotionally pouring out everything to his aunt.

He shared with her regarding Candice’s current predicament and the near severity of it, how she was trying to make ends meet for her ailing father and those pertaining circumstances she was forced to endure, that she’d become a dealer to bring income into their home and pay for her father’s medical bills, and plus the fact they’d been forced to relocate from place to place. Lucy on her part listened silently, absorbing the info while finding her heart breaking for the young woman.

It did not mean she condoned what Candice was doing. Not at all and especially since it had played a major role in getting her nephew in trouble though not to excuse Jon’s own choices. But Lucy felt empathy for her and found it terrible that the latter was in that sort of situation. Something which no teen should ever be in and especially since parents should be the ones taking care of and providing for their teens and not vice versa.

“I see. That is truly an awful situation Candice is going through and I completely understand the extenuating circumstances. No youth should have to go through that and she shouldn’t need to be the one who has to take care of her father. And I now understand why you feel the need to protect her,” she voiced in sympathy and Jon nodded.

“Her dad doesn’t have anyone else and if I told on her then not only would she be going through what I’m currently going through, which I completely deserve, but she’d also lose the source of income she needs to pay for her dad’s bills. Plus they might even have to move again and it’s not an experience I want either of them to repeat. I just don’t want to see that happen to her. To either of them. Or for her dad’s health to decline if he doesn’t continue receiving the treatment he needs,” he explained to his aunt who sighed before enfolding him into her arms and holding him close while shaking her head sadly over this entire messy situation.

“Again, I am so sorry to hear all of that and what your girlfriend is going through. This is definitely a complicated situation,” she voiced while continuing to hold her nephew before releasing him. “However what you’re currently doing isn’t the way to help her but instead you’re only making her situation worse and not just yours,” she continued. “In fact her situation could significantly worsen the longer you remain silent.”

Jon looked up at her with a puzzled expression.

“What, um, what do you mean?” he questioned her with confusion evident within his tone.

Lucy sighed then wrapped her arm around his shoulders before explaining.

“What I mean is that while her intentions and yours are noble and I completely understand the extenuating circumstances, there’s a saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. You see but if you allow Candice to get away with this she might be encouraged to do something else wrong later down the road but for the right reasons and if that continues then her future actions could transition into something darker and far worse until her moral compass is skewed and her originally noble intentions fade away should she take pleasure in those actions leading them to worsen further until she ends up in prison or worse. Is that really, as a loving boyfriend, something you want for her future?”

Jon in response looked down nervously while absorbing his aunt’s words and their implication, not having considered the situation from that angle. But he couldn’t deny she was making perfect sense while beginning to feel apprehensive over their future ramifications.

“Frankly but the two of you are not being a good boyfriend or girlfriend to each other. You because of what I just explained and her because by not coming forward she’s allowing your own situation to deteriorate and for you to be in deeper trouble than you already are,” Lucy continued further. “And neither scenario is good. I’m sorry Jon but if this continues then none of this will end well for either one of you.

“As for Candice’s situation I know she can’t officially be employed since she’s not yet 16 even though she probably will be very soon. But I’m certain there are still a number of alternative options for her to explore to aid in her current predicament. Plus from what I’ve seen this town consists of a close knit community and I’m certain they would all rally together to provide aid for her and her father or do something to help their situation. Besides and since your parents were able to provide you with a job to pass the time while you’re grounded and even though you’re still 15 then maybe something similar could be afforded to her so that she can receive income the right way.

“Nevertheless but if the two of you insist upon continuing down this path then I can guarantee you both will lose and have no one to blame but yourselves. And I don’t want that to happen to either of you and especially you Jon since I love you so much.”

Jon was silent as the entirety of his aunt’s words washed over him and the further he mulled over them the more they began to impact him. A sense of dread then overtook him as he could not deny the veracity of everything she’d just explained to him and his eyes were finally opened to the undeniable truth. The truth being that his current actions, which he’d originally seen as noble and were indeed noble in regards to his intent, were actually and nonetheless detrimental towards both him and Candice in the long run.

“What am I doing? Heck what have I done?” he thought to himself with apprehension, shaking his head regarding the lack of wisdom of his current decision making.

Lucy meanwhile patiently observed her nephew’s internal musings, desperately hoping that she was finally getting through to him.

After some time Jon finally looked up towards his aunt, guilt and embarrassment coloring his face.

“You’re right Aunt Luc. Everything you said is true and I can’t believe I thought I was in the right by protecting Candice,” he said to her with remorse. “And you’re also correct that my actions were not protecting her but hurting her. Hurting both of us and not to mention further increasing mom’s and especially dad’s disappointment in me and I honestly can’t blame them. Gosh I totally screwed up.”

“Yeah Jon you did. You most certainly did but thankfully you’re finally awakening to that and therefore I couldn’t be more proud of you,” Lucy affirmed then smiled, pleased her efforts were successful and that he’d finally seen reason. “But the question now remains as to what you’re going to do moving forward.”

That was definitely a good question and Jon already knew the answer in his heart of hearts. And so making his decision he then spoke up once more.

“I need to turn her in. Tell my parents and the principal the truth,” he said to his aunt before adding, “But could you please not say anything to them for now? I’d like to speak to Candice first,” and with a pleading expression upon his face.

Lucy nodded in understanding.

“Of course Jon. I’ll keep silent for now though there will be a limit and that’s because I love you. But I only hope you’ll both do the right thing,” she agreed but gently warned him and meaning it to which he nodded.

“Fair enough,” he agreed after which they embraced each other tightly once more followed by a quick kiss from his aunt upon the side of his forehead. They then bid each other goodnight and Lucy exited his room and climbed back down the stairs as Jordan was climbing upwards and towards her after his conversation with his parents. Them having told him that they were proud of him for rescuing his brother but warning him to be careful and not to be reckless with his abilities. Stressing how paramount it was to protect their family secret which he understood. As Jordan passed his aunt they also shared a quick embrace with Lucy bidding him goodnight before he continued the trek upstairs to his and his brother’s room.

As Lucy continued down the stairs she decided then and there that she needed to ensure that Candice would do the right thing and therefore she decided a second conversation was in order but this time with the young woman herself. And before Jon spoke with her. She wasn’t going back on the agreement she’d made with her nephew since she was still giving him the chance to speak with her first before he told his parents.

But she wanted to make certain that both youths would be on the same page in making the correct decisions moving forward. And so tomorrow morning she would do exactly that and for their own good.

 

 

 

To Be Continued

 

Notes:

I hope you all enjoyed their heart to heart conversation and that it was hopefully satisfactory for you.

And now that Jon has let go of his stubbornness and is willing to make the correct decision, the next chapter will feature our second conversation but this time between Lucy and Candice. Though we’ll see if the former gets through to the younger woman just like she got through to her own nephew.

Have a great day.