He didn't think he would be so scared. Not after how he was trapped on a Reach ship, not after he had been trapped inside his own head for two months, not after he had been told he was a mindless puppet for an alien species in an apocalyptic future. Now, he wasn't quite sure.

His stomach felt queasy, his skin was clammy. The weight on his back felt much heavier than it really was.

"You okay?" Peter asked. Jaime nodded slightly. He was far from okay, but what else could he really do?

"I'll be fine," he squeaked quietly.

'Your heartbeat indicates otherwise.'

Jaime avoided grabbing his head in pain. There was talking to the scarab, and acknowledging the irritating piece of alien tech. When the scarab talked to him a little too much, it led to a headache. Not that he had many problems before. Many just ignored him. But this was much bigger than his old school. And the scarab made it clear that this school was a bad idea. Being here, a possibility of being discovered. He feared it. But he had no means of leaving yet. And there was no way he could hide not going to further his education when he shared classes with Peter the Spider.

Even worse, his locker was only four away from Peter. He didn't know how he was going to do this. Unless... Unless he was going to attempt to make a deal with him. But that would show his hand. In order to get an advantage, he'd have to reveal a secret. His little "friendly" secret. He hated the secret. Every fiber of his being was against saying anything. Even his little mechanical buddy.

But he wasn't going to stay idle if life's were on the line. He then thought back to his old team. Sure they may have disliked and not trusted him, but they understood the need to protect and the need for another identity. But wouldn't Peter as well? He kept his secret. Even, from it seemed, his Aunt. Even Jaime told his mother and sister that he had become the Blue Beetle.

He'd think about it more during lunch. He'd find a quiet place to organize his mind and tell the scarab to be quiet. Not like there was much else he could do.

He'd have to decline Peter's offer for lunch. How did he know he was going to ask? Well, a little time around a little birdie helped. And usually the first semi nice person one met at school usually invited a new person to lunch. It was just common curtesy. At least from what he had seen at school and on TV.

He heard the bell ring and followed Peter to his first class. He could feel the scarab tense as he entered the room. It was full of students. But the scarab seemed extra testy. It focused on three students in particular. A rather large African American male, a lean, shaggy haired blond, and a tan skinned dark haired girl.

His scarab warned him of unknown mutations in the tall boy making him similar to Super boy, the blond carried himself similarly to Nightwing, and had the muscles to imply it was physical as well as mental strengthening, and the girl had a feral air about her person, similar to Beast Boy or La'gann.

"Ah, Mr. Reyes. Class, please welcome Jaime Reyes. He is new here and I hope you will all make him feel welcome," the teacher introduced. Jaime gave the class a small smile. The students looked at him with slight curiosity. The blond stared into his eyes. Jaime wanted to look away from the searching blue eyes. There was something unsettling about them and how they seemed to dive into his very being.

"Mr. Reyes, you will sit next to Mr. Alexander. Mr. Alexander, please raise your hand."

Jaime was surprised to see a smaller looking darker skinned boy in the back of the room. There was... Something different about him. Walking toward him he noticed an innocence. An innocence with a cruel understanding of the world around him. Even with his warm goofy smile, he seemed to know things that no normal boy his age should know.

He looked like Bart.

Sitting in his seat, he sat forward ignoring the darker Bart lookalike. He didn't need any reminders of home. Not when he wasn't going back.

How could he?

It was his fault that Kid Flash aka, Wally West was dead. If he had been stronger... If he had been smarter... If he had been faster... The reach wouldn't have had the bomb. Wally wouldn't have had to sacrifice himself to stop it. He would have been with people who loved him. It was too soon.

Just being near Bart's lookalike put him on edge. Guilt filled his veins. He silently reaffirmed his vow from when he had arrived. He would be the one to fall. The one who would let another hero go home to their loving family. Or a civilian. It didn't matter too much. All he had left in his life was to protect others.

His mind remained off of the school work the teacher assigned, and more into convincing the scarab that they would not be eliminating the three noticeably different students in the room.

Peter sat down with his friends hours later at lunch. He was a little shocked when Jaime said that he didn't want to eat with him and his friends but wasn't too put off. He had gone from essentially homeless to back in school in about a four day span. As it was he was still wearing Peter's clothes. Except underpants that his Aunt May had run to the store to get for him of course.

"So what's up Webs?" Sam asked. Ava punched his shoulder. A reprimand for using his superhero nickname while in civvies no doubt.

"I assume Jaime is your new housemate?" Danny asked, already knowing about Peter's guest. Luke raised a brow in confusion, Ava whipped her head around to look at both Danny and Peter while Sam looked confused.

"Wait, I thought we were your special housemates. So not cool Parker."

Peter rolled his eyes.

"Yeah well, Aunt May broughthim home after finding out he's homeless."

"Homeless?"

"We think he is. He mentioned having a home but he doesn't seem to inclined to talk about it."

"We could look him up. See his story. Maybe get some help if he's a runaway," Luke stated. Peter nodded his head.

"That would be good. If someone was hurting him then they should be behind bars."

Some may have called Peter out on his overprotective streak involving someone he barely knew, but the team knew that it was just his personality.

"So what was his name again? Jamie or Whatzit?"

"Jaime Reyes."

"Right. Like the little ray of sunshine he is," Sam grumbled.

"What's your problem?" Ava snapped.

"He ignored me! Flat out wouldn't look me in the face!"

"Maybe he knew how ugly you were without your make up," Luke joked. Sam held his hand to his heart in mock offense.

"I'll have you know I look beautiful under my make up," Sam gloated trying to one up Luke.

"So you do wear make up?" Peter joked.

"Yea- No! Dammit!" Sam grumbled as his friends laughed.

Well, that escalated quickly. Please review.