Author's Note: I do not own anything DC related, and thank god I don't own anything Marvel related…I like to avoid pissing people off, unlike some editors named Joe.

Timeline: Takes place during the events of Booster Gold #5, before the Blue Beetle grabs Booster

Booster glared at Rip Hunter. "Let me get this straight…you were never going to help me save Ted?"

Rip sighed. "Booster…Ted had to die…it was a solidifying moment. His death saved the world…it made him, strangely enough, a greater hero then he would have ever been in life…if only because it was the key to making you a hero, Booster."

The hero from the future paused at that, considering what Rip had said. Finally, he spoke. "That is the stupidest thing I ever heard. Screw you, I'm going home." Storming out of Rip's headquarters, Booster took to the skies, Skeet on his tail.

"Sir…perhaps Mr. Hunter is right. You are just one man…who are you to decide who lives or dies?"

"He's my best friend, Skeet…he deserves to live." Booster sneered in disgust. "Stupid Rip…if he won't help me, I'll find someone else."

"I do not believe anyone will help you with this sir. Not if what Mr. Hunter said was true, about Mr. Kord needing to die." Skeet computed some odds. "Besides, considering that no one seems to stay dead anymore, why not wait for Mr. Kord to come back."

"Ted…come back? Come on, Skeet, unless I do something, Ted stays worm food. People don't come back from being dead."

"According to my records from our timeline, many do. Superman, Green Lantern, Metamorpho, Hal Jordon…infact sir, looking up in my records, the only person of any significance not to come back is Uncle Ben."

"The rice guy?'

"No sir…"

"I could care less about some guy that makes rice, Skeet." Booster complained. "I just want to save my friend."

"Maybe I can help you " A mysterious voice said.

Booster and Skeet turned quickly, finding a devilish man in a suit hovering near them.

"Mephesto?" Booster asked.

The man frowned. "Uh…no…my name is Neron."

"Who?"

"I am the devil of this dimension…escaped from the trap set by Ralph Dibny."

"Ralph trapped the devil…cool." Booster said.

"Sir…perhaps we should feel from the demon…" Skeet said.

"Nonsense…I am merely here to give Booster his wish…I will make it so Ted Kord was never killed."

"Really?!" Booster shouted. "Wow oh wow…" he paused. "Wait…is there some sort of hideous cost that I am going to have to pay in order for this to happen, something so steep that everyone will think I am a moron for accepting it?"

"You know me so well." Neron grinned. "Besides, everyone already thinks you're a moron…"

"Hey!" Booster shouted.

"But that is beside the point. I offer you this: In exchange for Ted, you must sacrifice ever meeting Skeet."

"Huh?" Booster asked.

"Yes…time will continue as if you never met Skeet, and thus insuring your friend Ted is alive."

Booster pondered this. "Wait…so I would never have met Skeet…but I still went into the past."

"Of course. There would also be other ramifications…for example, Sue Dibny would be alive, as would Ralph."

"So they never died?"

"Oh, they died. I would just bring them back."

Booster scratched his head. "huh?"

"I would bring them back…easy as a snap of my fingers."

"So why not just bring Ted back, instead of erasing me and Skeet knowing each other?"

"It doesn't work like that."

"But won't people be confused that Ralph and Sue are alive?"

Neron shrugged. "I'll make it so that everyone forgot they died, altering their memories."

Skeet processed the information. "Sir…this is scrambling my circuits. The deal seems overly confusing and complicated…and annoying."

Booster nodded. "Yea…I mean, I want Ted back…but having the sacrifice Skeet…and muddling up time…why not just call myself Boosterboy Prime?"

Neron rolled his eyes. "It isn't that complicated. Trust me, it is a great idea."

"Things are rarely good ideas if you have to explain why they are to people." Booster said.

"…shut up. Furthermore, there is more payment."

"More?" Booster groaned.

"Because of you never meeting Skeet, you will never meet your future wife, your future children will never be born, and…"

"Ok, I'm out. Ted was a great friend, but he isn't worth losing out on scoring. And kids…I'd have to be the most shortsighted man in the world to go with this deal…a deal that makes no sense to begin with!"

"It doesn't have to make sense." Neron said. "Its magic."

Booster's right eyebrow ticked. "What happened to the laws of magic?"

"oh, we ignore those when they get in our way."

Skeet floated inbetween Booster and the devil. "Sir, to summarize…in exchange for Ted Kord being alive, you never get to meet me, your wife is never your wife, your children are never conceived, people are brought back to life but they don't realize they were dead, and time is muddled completely, all because magic doesn't have rules." The robot paused. "I say we take the deal."

"WHAT?!?"

"Well, it seems terrible, but if Mr. Kord is alive…"

"What kind of friend agrees to destroy their relationship with someone that quickly? Do you care so little for me, Skeet?"

Skeet paused. "I wasn't aware I could care, sir. I thought robots weren't people."

"Figure of speech." Booster turned to Neron. "Get the Hell out of here…only an idiot would go with that deal."

Neron watched on as Booster flew off. "Well…that sucked. Joe Q. isn't going to be happy I failed." He pulled out a list. "What next, I wonder…"

&&&

Steel frowned as he looked at Neron. "You want me to start a Civil what?"