Dear Superman,
There is a little boy here who is dying.
You are his favorite superhero.
I hope that you will visit him.
Before.
He.
Dies.
Raven looked up from the letter, blinking a bit more than usual. She and the other Titans were helping Superman with his Christmas letters. She handed the letter to him as she hid her face.
Superman read the letter out loud.
Kid Flash volunteered to go with him.
Jinx sat on the bed. Besides a lone couch, it was the only piece of furniture in the room. She'd restuffed it with any soft thing she could find, and the results were incredible. It was the softest bed she'd ever slept on.
Only, she didn't really sleep on it anymore. Josh did. She used to sleep on it with him, but she always had to get up to do something. Anything was better than just laying there, listening to him breathe, wondering if it would be his last. It was Christmas Eve. He wasn't supposed to make it to the New Year.
She started thinking about her letter. It was a last, desperate attempt of hope that Josh would die happy. It was stupid. They wouldn't come. Ever. Because she was a villian. Ex-, but still.
Josh stirred inside his bundle of blankets.
"Gee-Gee?" His voice was small and raspy, but she couldn't help but smile at his name for her. Apparently, four year olds couldn't pronounce 'Jinx'.
"Yes, Joshie?"
He went into a hacking fit, and she was by his side in a moment, patting his back gently but firmly. In a few minutes, it subsided.
"Gee-Gee, is Santa gonna come?" he rasped. On the inside, Jinx was in full sobbing mode, but she couldn't let him see. She just smiled and ruffled his hair.
"As a matter of fact, Joshie, I just got off the phone with him. He said he may be a bit late, and he might not be able to drop your present off here. He told me where to find it, though, so don't you worry," she said, frantically trying to think of what she could get for him to make it his best Christmas ever. If he survived the night, anyway.
"Can you go get it now, Gee-Gee?" he asked, his big, blue eyes pleading.
"Well, I don't think so. It's too dark outside. See? It's midnight. I gotta wait until morning to go get it," she said, buying herself more time to think.
"Can you tell me what it is?" he pleaded before going into another hacking fit. This one didn't last as long.
"Well....I guess I can give you a hint," she said, loving the way his eyes lit up.
"What is it? What is it? What is it?" he said excitedly, hugging Peter even tighter to his chest.
"It's your favorite," she whispered to him. His eyes filled with more questions. Before he could blurt them out, she said,"I think that's enough for now. Go to sleep, Joshie. See you in the morning."
"Gee-Gee?"
"Yeah, honey?"
"Could you sing me to sleep?" Jinx smiled.
"Of course. Which one you want?"
"The lullaby one."
"Ok. But only if you promise to go straight to sleep afterwards, got it?"
"Ok. Pinkie swear," he promised, holding up his pinkie.
"Yeah. Pinkie swear," she said, locking pinkies with him and shaking it,"Now, close your eyes. Make sure Peter's under the covers. Relax."
Once she made sure he had followed her directions, she started singing softly:
Hush, little baby, don't say a word
Papa gonna buy you a mocking bird
And if that mocking bird won't sing
Papa gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring is brass
Papa gonna buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass will break
Papa gonna buy you a chocolate cake
Here, she tucked him in, he being sound asleep by now.
When the chocolate cake you eat
Papa gonna buy you a puppy, sweet
And if that puppy just won't bark
Papa gonna buy you a horse and cart
And if that horse and cart break down
Papa gonna buy you a big toy clown
Hush, little baby, don't you cry
Mama's gonna sing you a lullaby
At this time, she let all her tears out. She was silent about it, as not to wake him. Looked like she was going to have to steal breakfast soon. She'd make it his favorite.
That is, if he made it through the night.
With that last thought, she placed her eyes into her crossed arms and finished crying.