All of this was actually written within a day of watching the episode Booster and only got around to posting it now. I have never, ever written so much in so little time (that wasn't a last minute report for class). This is also the only episode of Smallville I've ever seen so if there's continuity problems: oops.

Title: Step Out on Faith
Rating: R for some sexual situations
Characters: Ted, Booster, Jaime with minor appearances by Skeets, Alberto, Bianca, Lois, Clark, Barbara, Brenda, Traci and Kimiyo
Summary: Title taken from India Arie's "Strength, Courage and Wisdom". Spoilers for the episode Booster. Everyone's lives have changed, it was a matter of time the people changed with it.

It was a simple action. Just one measly drive and he was supposed to have a rogue piece of alien technology. One drive interrupted by a superhero accident, one day of fruitless searching and one freaked out kid in alien armor later Ted not only finally has that tech, he also suddenly has that freaked out kid. And the accident causing superhero. And the freaked out kid's family. All being moved to Chicago on Kord Industries' dime.

This is going to be hell on the financial reports.

And now the kid ("Jaime," he mutters lowly to himself, "he's got a name, Kord- use it.") wants to keep the weapon bug alien thing and be a hero with it. They don't even know what the thing is capable of or if he can possibly keep it under control all the time!

Well, Ted resigned himself to moving the Reyes family to Chicago from the beginning because who knew how long it would have taken to safely remove the scarab in the first place? But he's 96% certain this whole thing is just going to get a whole lot more complicated.

He also hopes Booster will go away the first chance he gets.

Jaime's parents are chilly but polite in varying states of both. Alberto is the less chilly one though it's clear he's still about eighty five shades of pissed. Bianca doesn't even attempt to hide the fact she blames Ted and Ted's company (and Booster, though that's tempered by the fact he did save Jaime's life at the same time) for the parasitic tech that's in their son. They had moved from El Paso, Texas to Metropolis barely a year ago and now they're being forced to move again. On top of that they have to deal with Jaime's superhero aspirations and his sudden case of hero worship for Booster.

At least Jaime's little sister is taking it in stride, saying about the whole thing: "Maybe now Jaime won't be such a dork." Kids certainly are resilient.

Ted gives them the royal treatment- or at least as much as he's able to. Accounting is going to send him a dead rat for Christmas, but he thinks getting in the parents' good graces is slightly more important. He gets them the nicest apartment in the building made especially for Kord Industries resident scientists and families, had Jaime and Milagro enrolled in the best schools in the district, opens a college fund for both and even gets Jaime a debit card and puts him on the payroll.

He had offered to give Alberto and Bianca a place in the staff as auto tech and EMT, but they politely turn him down. They still blame him for what happened, but at least they acknowledge his sincerity in fixing it.

The tests don't start for a month and a half after the Reyes family moves in, giving them all a chance to adjust to their new home, new city, new schools and the week before the first test, Ted gives them a tour of the lab. He explains each piece of equipment they'll be using, their purpose and how they'll be used. He answers all the questions they have. He hands Jaime, Bianca and Alberto access badges, telling them they're allowed to come in any time the lab is open. He even gives them a copy of the report on the scarab and tells them, "I don't like the idea of Jaime keeping the thing, I really don't. I can't force it out of him and I'll do all I can to help you control it, but I don't think it's safe."

He makes eye contact to Alberto and Bianca and he can see they understand what he's saying. They'll do all they can to talk him out of it.

Jaime asks suddenly, "Can Booster come, too?"

Ted gives him an odd look. "Why would Booster be here?"

Jaime's shoulders slump and he looks at Ted's shoes as he mumbles, "Well, he helped me control the scarab before. I just think maybe it would help if he was here in case something happens."

Ted takes solace in the fact that Booster is as surprised as he is when he gets an access badge.

Apparently Booster has become Jaime's bodyguard or something. Every time a car arrives to pick Jaime up, Booster is always with him, talking to him about something or other. Most of the time it seems to be advice: "They always go for the weak. If you think you're worthless, they'll know it and jump all over you. Stand straight, shoulders back, head high- act invincible and pretty much no one will challenge you. They won't pick on someone they think might fight back because if you shut them down, they'll lose face and anyone that picks on someone else has an ego that's too fragile to survive a breaking. If you have enough confidence, you can make anyone believe anything- even yourself."

Jaime looks up at Booster with desperation and asks, "You really think that'll work?"

"Works for me. And you're the one that stopped the scarab, not me. Keep remembering that and you're already well ahead of where you were before."

Ted can't help wondering if the scarab might actually help in the long run. He kills that thought the moment it comes.

Ted gets invited to the Reyes house after the first week of tests. It's awkward and the conversation is rather stilted and he doesn't really know why he's there with people that hardly like him. But he tries and they try and after he leaves, Ted can't help hoping they never invite him back.

He's trying his best to convince Jaime that keeping the scarab is a bad idea. He's almost tempted to skew the data they gather to reinforce his position but Ted's got too much scientist and too little businessman in him to do so. Of course, every day Jaime comes in he's more certain than before he wants to keep it and it's all Booster's fault.

Every time Jaime comes in for testing, Ted tells him, "It's too dangerous, you shouldn't do this, there's too many unknowns."

Every time Jaime leaves, Booster tells him, "You're doing great, you've got it under control, nothing can stop you."

He doesn't know how it happened, but Ted somehow feels like the bad guy in the situation.

Ted scrubs at his face. "Barbara, I don't know what I'm doing."

Over the headset, Barbara makes an almost sympathetic sound. "/You usually don't. What's wrong?/"

"Tell me this is right," he's rubbing his temples, so many things warring for his attention and Jaime is constantly at the top of it. "Tell me this has to be done and this is the only way to do it."

"/Ted- you know how dangerous this thing is./"

"I know."

"/So why are you suddenly having second thoughts?/"

"Because... I don't know. Because I feel like I'm being dismissive of Jaime's opinion and I always hated when my dad did that to me."

"/Why do you think you're way is better in the long run than Jaime's?/"

"Because we don't know what this thing is fully capable of, there's too many potential problems and I don't think Jaime understand exactly what's at risk here."

"/But...?/"

"But... every time I tell him no, it's like he's shutting me out. And every time Booster tells him yes, he opens up."

"/So you think you should be humoring a teenage boy with an alien superweapon attached to his spine?/"

"No- it's... it's like..." It's like Ted's childhood all over again with Ted's father trying to stop Ted from working in the lab, from going to college early, from taking over the business. And then having Uncle Jarvis saying you can do it Ted, don't let anything stop you, you could be amazing.

Then Uncle Jarvis trying to steal all his work out from under him and his father's disapproving look as he says I warned you, I told you, why do you never listen to me?

"/Ted/," Barbara's voice breaks in gently, "/in a situation like this, the only way you can tell what was the right decision to make is to make one, then look back on what's come from it. So, whatever you do, do it without regrets./"

Someone calls Ted over, citing problems with their instruments. Ted takes one look at the readings and has three guesses as to what could be causing them. They all start with 'Booster' and end with 'that goddamn idiot!'. He goes over to where Jaime is and, sure enough, Booster is leaning against the boy and he has a phone up to his ear.

"What," Ted demands loudly, "are you doing?"

Jaime shrinks back a bit but Booster just holds up 'hang on a sec' finger. Ted snatches away the phone, tears the battery out and tosses it all over his shoulder. Booster's indignant, "Hey!" is met by a snarled, "What the hell were you doing?"

"Making a phone call, obviously." Booster looks over Ted and scowls. "You owe me a new one, by the way."

"And you were using Jaime to do it?"

"We figured out how to use the scarab to get a signal boost. That's the only way to get reception in here."

"Did you not, for one fraction of a second, think there might be a reason why you can't get reception down here? Like maybe the possibility that there is a lot of extremely sensitive instruments that gets messed up by radio waves? You know- the same reason why Skeets isn't allowed in here?" Ted snaps. "Jaime is not your personal antenna!"

Jaime is still shrinking back from Ted and lets out a stammered, "I'm sorry, Mr. Kord. I didn't mean-"

"It's not your fault, Jaime. Future boy here should know better!"

"Right- because it's wrong to ask Jaime to do something as harmless as help make a phone call, but it's okay for you to poke at him like he's your personal guinea pig. I get how it is."

"The hell you do- you know what? Get out. Out! If you can't take this seriously, you don't belong here!"

"What? You can't kick me out!"

"No? Let me just double check that with my boss- wait! That's me, so I guess I can!"

Booster juts out his jaw challengingly, "There is no way you can keep me out of here!"

"Oh, really?" Ted whips out his pocket computer, fingers dancing over the screen. There's a beep from Booster's access badge. Ted smiles- another job well done. "Well whaddya know? I guess the only thing left to ask is are you going to leave on your own or should I call security?"

It is such a wonderful feeling to have Booster gaping at him like a particularly angry fish. He manages to rally a bit, though, and asks arrogantly, "And you think your pitiful technology can really stop me?"

"Please- you can't even work a toaster oven." Warm in his moment of schadenfreude, Ted turns to his teenage charge and says, "Jaime, let's get back to- where'd Jaime go?"

Jaime isn't hard to miss in his baggy shirt and jeans among the cluster of white coated scientists, far away from the two arguing men. Ted suddenly feels a little guilty for scaring the kid off.

Booster is glaring, hands akimbo, "You know I'm responsible for that kid's safety, right?"

"In the lab, I am the safety authority, not you. You want to wait outside for him, that's fine with me." Ted grins nastily and points toward the elevator. "We'll call when we're done. Goodbye, Mr. Gold."

One of the guards is waving for Ted's attention. When Ted goes over to him he says, "Booster Gold is waiting outside the building, sir."

"For how long?"

"Since he went outside."

"What- an hour ago?"

"Yessir. Hasn't left."

Ted shakes his head. "He'll get bored eventually, don't worry."

It's getting to be early evening as Ted walks Jaime to the door. They've gathered enough data for the team to pour over for the better part of the week so Jaime can just focus on school and normal teenaged socializing. As they approach, the guard on duty says, "Sir, Booster Gold is waiting outside."

"Huh," Ted replies, "good timing."

"Actually, sir, he hasn't left."

Both Ted and Jaime's eyes pop wide. "What? Why is he still- I told him we'd call when we were done!"

Jaime gives him an odd look. "You tossed his phone, remember?"

Ted thinks back to the battery and phone scattered on the lab floor.

Oh yeah.

Ted stretches and pops the vertebrae in his back. It's almost midnight- long past the time he should've closed up shop- and he's the last of the research team that's still there. He grabs his things and takes the elevator to the ground floor. He waves a sluggish 'night' at the guards when one of them says, "Booster Gold is outside."

That makes Ted rock in mid-stride. "Booster? What in the world is he doing out there?"

"Er, judging from the cameras, he's sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

"Yessir."

"Outside?"

"Yessir."

"For how long?"

That gets him confused looks. "I went down to tell you when he returned after escorting Jaime Reyes home over four hours ago."

Ted's jaw drops. "He's been out there four hours?"

"Yessir."

"Why?"

"No clue, sir."

Ted's head is whirling about as he says a little numbly, "Okay. Uh, goodnight, gentlemen. I'll see you tomorrow." He stumbles out and there, sure enough, is Booster with his back propped up by the door and chin cradled to his chest. Ted has no idea what to say so he kicks lightly at Booster's leg and says, "Hey. Hey, wake up."

Booster blinks. Then he scrubs at his face and groans. "Oh. That does not feel good."

"I don't doubt it. What are you doing here?"

Booster peers out from between two fingers, as if remember where he is and who's talking to him. "Jaime's mother called and found out you were still working, even though it was past seven. So she sent me down with leftovers." He holds up a thing of tupperware. Ted takes it and peeks inside.

"What are these? Calzones?"

"Empanadas. Hope you like chicken and cheese. And, you know, other stuff."

The empanadas smells really good, even if they were cold through. "Why were you waiting here for so long?"

"Because Mrs. Reyes would know if I didn't give that to you and I really don't want to make her mad."

"Couldn't you just leave it with security?"

"You disabled my access badge."

Ted hides a wince. "Oh." He watches Booster yawn again and finds himself offering, "You can hitch a ride back to the compound with me." At the surprised, questioning look, Ted gives a self-conscious shrug. "It's late and it'll probably be chilly flying back."

Still obviously waiting for the other shoe to drop, Booster cautiously says, "Okay."

They climb into the car and Ted just sits in the driver's seat for a moment. Then, because he's kind of a sap and knows it, he pulls out Booster's phone and hands it back with a low, "Here."

Booster takes it, blinks at it and turns it over in his hands. He's silent for a long moment. Then, "You re-fabricated the casing."

"It got kinda damaged when I threw it."

"So you re-fabricated the entire casing?"

Ted turns over the engine to mask his discomfort. "I felt kinda responsible-"

"You threw it. 'Kinda' is an understatement."

Ted glares, "You know, you're good at making me not want to apologize to you."

"Sorry." There's a slightly pause and Booster looks up and Ted can't help thinking he's like a puppy trying to make up for piddling on the carpet. "Look, I know I can be a bit much sometimes. I'm not actually trying to get you to hate me."

Ted's automatic snark mechanism almost goes off, but he bites it back.

"So- you know. Sorry about earlier. And all the other times I got you yelling. You really need to loosen up a bit, though."

Ted let's out a bark of laughter- someone's actually telling him to lighten up! Wait until Babs hears about this! "Honestly? I'm hardly ever this short tempered. I'm just... I'm really worried about Jaime and this scarab."

"Why? He's got it under control."

"We don't know if he actually does. It's a piece of something that came from outer space, Booster. We don't know what it's capable of, who made it, if it's safe or if it's slowly poisoning him-" Ted abruptly cuts off, the muscles in his jaw twitching. "The only reason we know it's a weapon is because it attached to one of our researchers and killed people before we could stop it." Hands tighten knuckle-white on the steering wheel and gear shift. "And removing it killed the guy it was attached to."

Booster must've read it in his face because he asks quietly, "Who was it?"

Ted's throat tightens and his eyes prickle and he doesn't want to think about it- forced himself to not think about it since the day it happened and he's trying to block out the memory of the funeral and the black suit that's in a crumpled heap in the darkest corner of Ted's closet. "Dan. He was my mentor and one of my best friends." His voice trembles, just like his jaw. "I can't let the same thing happen to Jaime."

A hand covers Ted's and Booster says quietly, "I won't let him get hurt, Ted. I promise."

And, for the first time, Ted believes him.

A week goes by and Ted and Booster don't argue once. Well they have stupid, simple little arguments that don't mean anything, but they haven't yelled at each other which is something. It's not just something on it's own since Jaime's disposition gets better the longer the two go without a fight and with it, Jaime's control over the scarab grows. Obviously it responds to Jaime's mental state and apparently Ted and Booster's relationship plays an important part to that.

Ted isn't certain how he feels about this revelation.

A month after the first dinner invite, Ted gets another one. It's a little less awkward than before and it's nice to hear Jaime being more talkative. He talks about his classes and it sounds like he's made a friend at his school. Paco, his name is, who also works weekends at the same garage Alberto does under a work permit. Ted has the crazy urge to do a background check on the guy but pushes the thought away. Instead he listens to Booster encouraging him, taking as much an interest in his life as Jaime's parents do.

Ted can't help but feel like a complete stranger at the table.

Ted goes to pick them up and finds that neither Jaime nor Booster are waiting for him out front. As he goes to park and knock on the Reyes's door, he finds the two on a bench, hunched over a book. As he nears Ted can hear Booster explaining- rather accurately, Ted's surprised to find -wave-particle duality. Jaime scribbles something down in his notebook and hands it over to Booster. "Like that?"

"That's it exactly!" Booster rubs Jaime's head with a bright, fond smile. "See? I told you this stuff was easy!"

Ted knows instinctively that it's easy for Jaime because Booster is there watching out for him. Ted feels his resolve slipping.

They're trying to get a power reading on the scarab when it makes the meter explode. That causes the armor to reactivate and the scarab is going haywire again. Ted is barking out orders to his researchers to use the same electrical charge they had to stop it the last time. Booster yells back that Jaime can handle it, just give him time.

They don't have time- people's lives are on the line!

If Jaime is keeping it, he has to learn to regain control!

They can't chance it! It's too dangerous!

Have some damned faith in the kid! Stop beating him down and support him for once!

The scarab probably would've killed them but Booster shoves Ted out of the line of fire and flies at Jaime, encasing the two of them in his forcefield.

Ted can barely hear them over people shouting at each other or the electrical fires that have sprung up. "You can do this, Jaime," Booster tells him, not in the least bit afraid of the vice-like hands clamped down on his arms. "You did it before, I know you can do it again. Just calm down and think, Jaime. You know what you want, you know what you need to do. If the scarab won't listen, then make it listen."

And then, to Ted's shock, the armor starts peeling back and reveals Jaime flushed and panting. He practically collapses against Booster's chest and Booster just holds him close. "Good job, Jaime. I knew you could do it."

Ted turns away and, after all the fires are put out and everything has been shut down, he sends everybody home. Then, in the half ruins of the lab, he starts redesigning the place with equipment and tests to help Jaime control the scarab.

Dinners at the Reyes house is apparently going to be a monthly thing. Afterward Milagro drags Jaime and Booster in the living room to play with her and Ted offers to help with the dishes. When he and the parents are alone in the kitchen Ted says, "I think Jaime should keep the scarab."

Bianca hesitates for one brief moment as she puts the dishes in the washing machine. "Is that so?"

"I know what I said before and I know you know what happened to... to Dan. But Jaime is different. I really think he can overcome this."

There's a silence that stretches uncomfortably, broken only by dishes being rinsed and put away and leftovers going into the fridge. Eventually Alberto says, "To be honest, we've been thinking something similar ourselves. Jaime has been getting more confident since he came here. He's been happier, more energetic and certain. I don't know how much of that is Booster's doing or Jaime asserting himself over the scarab and, right now, I think they're pretty much tied together in Jaime's mind. Take the scarab away, you take away the reason why Booster is around and you take away Jaime's source of confidence."

"I don't want that thing inside my son," Bianca says, "but if he thinks he can control it, then I believe him."

Ted smiles at them, feeling as reassuring as he wants them to believe he is. "He's a brave, strong kid. Jaime can do this. I know he can."

While the lab is being rebuilt, Ted has Jaime and Booster with him in a testing chamber. "We're going to try something a little different," he tells the teen. "We're going to try to have you activate that suit of yours. Not the entire thing, just something small like your hands, okay?"

Jaime is hesitant, curling over himself like a wilting flower. "I-I don't know. I might loose control again."

"That was only because it took you by surprise. If you activate it yourself, you should be able to control it."

"But... what if I hurt you?"

Booster is nearby, ready to toss up his forcefield but looking convincingly relaxed. Ted just smiles and says, "I trust you."

Jaime searches his face for a moment. He takes a deep breath, uncurls a bit and says, "Okay."

Jaime has to stay late at school to work on a social studies project with his partner. Ted, knowing Bianca is on the evening shift and Alberto has to take Milagro to soccer practice, offers to pick Jaime up for them. Booster insists on going with him.

They don't talk much and the silence constantly toes the line of comfort. Ted checks the mirrors to change lanes and notices Booster watching him.

"What?"

"Nothing," the blonde man says. "Just thinking about how you've changed is all."

Has he changed? Ted can't feel a difference. Maybe he'll ask Barbara sometime. "Is it a good change?"

There's a shrug. "I guess."

"Since your first meeting, Mr. Kord has become 83% more receptive, 46% more talkative and his rate of smiling has gone up 215%." It takes Ted a moment to place that voice, eyes darting to the earpiece Booster has. "Likewise, Booster's receptiveness has gone up 68%, openness 59% and, in fact, in the past few weeks even the mere mention of Mr. Kord causes a heart rate increase of-"

"That's enough, Skeets," Booster interrupts a little sharply. "We get the idea."

"Why are you wearing Skeets, anyway?" Ted asks. He's glad Booster's taken to wearing contemporary clothing out in public now. He doesn't have time for superheroics and Ted had warned him that if he tried to advertise himself in Chicago, he'd be paying for his own way.

"Skeets may be just an articulate robot to you, but he's a friend to me," Booster says. "He helps pass the time when everyone else is busy."

Ted can't help stealing a glance at Booster, wondering how he could've missed the suddenly obvious loneliness in the man. Not knowing what to say, Ted keeps quiet as they pull into the school parking lot. His eyebrows jump and he says to Booster, "Do you see that?"

Sitting on the curb is Jaime. Next to him is a pretty Asian girl, smiling and leaning in close. Booster give a low whistle. "I feel bad for coming here, now."

"No kidding." Ted wonders if it's possible for them to sneak away and spy from a corner or something but Jaime catches sight of them and stands. He says goodbye to the girl and jogs toward the car.

"Hey, guys," he says, obviously surprised to find someone that's not his parents there.

They return the greeting and before Jaime can get in Ted asks, "Does your friend need a lift?"

"Traci? She said she lives just a few blocks away. She was just keeping me company."

Ted and Booster exchange glances. "Well, we can still drop her off a few blocks away. Go ask."

Giving them an odd look, Jaime turns to do as Ted says. They watch the teens talk, Traci biting her lip in thought before smiling and nodding. Booster reaches over pat Ted's shoulder. "Nice thinking."

Ted grins back. "I am a genius, you know."

It's surprising how quickly Jaime is learning to use the armor. Within a few weeks he was able to enclose any part of his body at a moment's notice with little effort. He found he had wings and Ted added flight principles and dynamics to the training program. They focus more on the harmless skills such as the scarab's ability to sense electric currents, pulses and various wavelengths, the ability to record data, mimic electric signatures and hack various kinds of security. It's all just a mere fraction of the scarab's possibilities but it's exciting. And at the same time frightening as Jaime prepares to go full armor for the first time.

Booster is talking lowly to Jaime when Ted approaches, apparently giving him a last minute pep talk. When Booster steps back, Ted goes up to put a hand on Jaime's shoulder, "How're you feeling?"

"Nervous," the teen admits, "a little scared."

"That's normal," Ted tells him, "and it's okay to be a little afraid of the unknown. You just have to have faith that whatever happens, you can handle it."

"You really think I can do this without losing control?"

Ted smiles a bit, "What do you think?"

There's a pause. Then a determined, "I know I can."

"Thatta boy."