A.N: For reference, Jinx was fifteen when she changed sides. She's now twenty two. Wally was a year older, and still is. Maria is twenty one and NOT a superhuman.

I'm sorry if Flash seems a little OOC at first, but really, I'm finding him hard to write. I like to write the moody, silent type with sarcasm and mean thoughts. So The Flash is a slight challenge. Anyone wanna offer help, I'll take it (though I have no idea how you'd help).


The first thing I saw when I was awake was the bright, florescent lighting, which burnt through my eyelids and maybe even damaged my retinas. Then I opened my eyes and let loose a slur of curses that would make a sailor blush. I slammed them shut again, my hand jerking up and shooting energy blasts. A second later, the light went out.

Of course, I was half dead, and I didn't pay attention to the dose of the power. So, instead of hitting just the light, I also hit a lamp, the wall, the ceiling and what held the light up. I heaved as the light landed on me, or rather the blankets that were on me. The lamp crashed and the walls and ceiling were shedding speckle and paint.

I bit my lip to keep from crying out, though my brain said it was useless. People would hear the noise and come see what it was anyway. My pride, on the other hand, wouldn't' accept that my cry brought people to help me. Pride, of course, won out; sin usually wins over brain. Not that my brain was wrong.

"Holy shit," a male voice exclaimed, though I had my eyes closed in effort not to cry out. It seems that the light landed on something broken. "What happened here?"

Then the two florescent beams and the casing was lifted off me. I cracked open my eyes and glared up at him. His head was covered by a sky blue and white hood, and a run down his body showed that the rest of his costume matched. A white cape, in what looked like shreds, hung from his shoulders.

"Dove, right?" I asked, then held back a wince. It wasn't painful, but my voice was scratchy and harsh, like I'd spend a long time screaming or yelling. I know that wasn't true; rubble had fallen on me before, and even if I wasn't as in shape, it wouldn't hurt that much.

"Yeah." He smiled, and I had to admit, it was charming. "I have to admit, though, I don't know your name yet."

"Jaden Brier." I croaked, then scowled. I didn't like my voice like this.

"Ah." He was fishing for my alter ego name. Too bad I didn't have one. I smirked at that thought.

"Sorry, no alter ego name here," He smiled again as I spoke. "I'm just your normal collage grad."

"Somehow I doubt that. You did take down Micron without help, and didn't get a single injury." He sat in the chair beside the bed to explain. "In fact, you probably would have gotten away before the Flash had gotten there if you hadn't been caught under rubble." He was silent for a second, "Your friend said you averted a magic blow so not to harm her and that was what got you hurt."

My mind latched onto the name, the 'Flash', for a second, before I forced it to start working again. "Yeah, just a little magic I was born with. I learned how to use it for defense. Jump City wasn't the safest place for a growing girl, and my parents thought I should know."

His brown eyes showed doubt, but he didn't question her. "Okay, now that introductions are out of the way," He kept his voice pleasant, "Want to tell me what just wrecked the room?" He wasn't demanding an answer, just asking. "I'm on guard duty, so if someone got in and tried to kill you, I'd like to know."

I held back a laugh as I answered. "My eyes are light sensitive, and the florescent lights were killing me. I threw a bolt and it went wild."

He nodded, "That's cool, then." Then he looked closer, "And you want me to leave the lights off? With those eyes, I can understand wanting darkness."

I froze. My eyes? Were my contacts still in? "What about my eyes?" I asked slowly.

"Nothing bad. I've seen a lot; pink cat eyes aren't enough to freak me out, not anymore." He said, still looking friendly.

So my contacts were out. No point in pretending to be human with a little magic, then. "Please don't mention my eyes to anyone," I waited till he nodded, "And where exactly am I?" Why had I waited till now to ask that question?

He blinked, as if it hadn't occurred to him that I had no idea where I was. "Metro Tower, in Metropolis." He gave a charming smile – he sure smiled a lot, "I'm a member of the Justice League."

Okay, I was in the Metro Tower, in Superman territory, surrounded by Justice League members and having been rescued by my ex-boyfriend, the Flash. Could this day get any worse? Oh shit, did I just think that? Because now it will.

"I'm going back to sleep. Wake me when I can leave," I said faintly, flopping back on the pillow, blonde hair spreading around me.

Dove chuckled but stood. "I think the Flash'll stop by for a visit when he's back from his mission. He tends to check up on people he rescued." Then he made his way towards the door, not giving me a chance to say no.

Well, shit.


It took him less than a second to get from the entrance of the Tower to the medical bay. Dove was lounging outside the room, tipped back on two of his chair legs and reading a magazine. Home Living, by the looks of it. Probably the only thing to read around here; Wally had stayed in the med. bay on some occasions and knew it was really quite boring.

"How is she?" He asked, leaning against the wall next to Dove and reading over his shoulder, blue eyes moving at light speed. His mind processed it even faster.

The blonde man didn't look startled to find the speedster there. Wally popped up on everyone frequently enough for the entire League to be used to it. "Well, she woke up long enough to tear up the room, then fell back asleep. I believe her exact words were, 'Wake when I can go', or something similar."

"Cranky, aren't we?" Wally didn't wait for a reply; he knew it'd be yes. Dove had been passed up and separated from his brother for a mission, because they needed a mild-mannered person to watch over the injured girl. Dove hadn't liked it. "Anyway, think she'll be mad if I wake her up?"

"Maybe. I didn't talk to her long." He shrugged and stood, yawning as he folded the magazine. "Since you're here, though, I'm gonna get something to eat. Have fun talking to your guest."

"Get me a pizza!" Wally called out as Dove vanished around a corner. Then he took a breath and slipped in the room, wondering only for a second why the lights didn't work.


"Jinx? You awake?" His voice was soft, almost a whisper.

I was silent for a second, "I guess it was too much to hope for that you wouldn't recognize me."

"You were my best friend and girlfriend, Jinx. There was no way I wouldn't recognize you, even with the hair and weird clothes," Wally snapped.

Damn. Still angry, then. "You know, my name is Jaden, and most people consider the clothes normal." I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I don't know who Jaden is, but she isn't you," He said, then sighed. I almost felt sorry for him. Stuck in a room with an ex-girlfriend who vanished off the face of the earth seven years ago, leaving only a Dead John letter. Not that it was completely my fault; he shared the blame, too.

Neither of us spoke for a second, then his voice cut through the room. "Two cracked ribs on your left side, a bruised one on the right, and a sprained wrist. Nothing major, and nothing that won't heal in a few weeks." He knew I healed fast.

"Good." That was the only thing I could think of. So awkward.

"I looked for you after you left. The entire year." Another sudden burst of noise. "Hell, it still bugs me that someone could hide and I couldn't find them." A flash of a grin.

"I went underground, working in a different city every few months, at least until I was eighteen." I said after a second. "Not that its any of your business."

He shrugged, "Just wondering." Then he stood, "Look, I've gotta go. Its late and I've been on missions all day."

I snorted. He was lying. He always shifted feet when he was telling a fib. "Liar," I was known for speaking my mind. "But whatever."

He laughed a bit at that one, "Yeah, I guess I am." Then he shook his head, "I actually have monitor duty here at the Tower, and Bats will kill me if I'm late again."

I looked at him like he was crazy. "Bats as in Batman? You gave Batman a nickname?" I held up a hand as he opened his mouth. "No, don't answer." A silly grin came in reply to my words. "So explain this monitor duty thing."

"We all take shifts," He shrugged, "Watching Earth and monitoring heroes. You know, the usual." His grin was weak, but there. "We switch off every day, stay the night at the Tower."

"Wait. Let me get this straight...You sit and watch screens for hours at a time?" That sounded way anti-Flash. In fact, this entire conversation was anti-Flash. So far, there had been no flirting or jokes, and then he says he's got to sit and watch for hours at a time.

He laughed now. "Hey, I can change!" He pursed his lips, and it looked a little funny under his mask. "I have matured." He emphasized the last word.

I snickered, "I'm sure you have. No more flirting or jokes for you; you're a serious, stick-in-the mud guy now. Professional!"

He rolled his eyes at her. "This is totally one big joke to you, isn't it?" Though he was holding back a laugh at that description of himself, I could tell. Then he shook his head, and I got the feeling he was going to leave now. "Well, I really gotta go. Seriously, both Bats and Supes will murder me if I don't show. Again."

That sounded more like the Wally I knew. "Does that mean I can leave as well? Because staying the night in this bed does not sound appealing."

"I'm hurt!" A hand flew to his head, right next to the lightning bolt. "You don't like my home?"

"Ha. We both know you don't live here, and really, being surrounded by superheroes makes me spastic, even if I quite." I said dryly, rolling my eyes.

"Ah, come on. No one knows who you are," He teased, then paused, "Except maybe Bats. He seems to know everything." He shivered, "Creepy."

"Considering he dresses like a bat and makes even other heroes piss in their pants, I would think so," Another dry remark. I hadn't changed much. Still dry, sarcastic and utterly pessimistic.

He laughed again, then held a finger to his lips. "Don't tell him that, he might give you the Death Glare, as we call it." Same old Wally, always joking, always smiling. It was annoying, but at the same time, it made everything better. Stupid Wally, though I thought this with affection.

"Well, I'll let you get back to you're monitor duty." I put disbelief in the last two words. "Go have fun."

He stuck his tongue out at me, then was gone in a flash, no pun intended. I couldn't help but giggle when he was gone. Not that he was gone for long. He was back in about ten minutes, right as I was laying back on the bed. In his arms was a stack of clothes, and what looked like my flip flops. In fact...

"Are those my clothes?" I asked after a second.

He nodded, dropping them on the bed. "Yeah. I stopped by your house, hope you don't mind. Dove just called out on a mission, and J'on asked that I escort you home before my shift." A slight shift; a slight lie. I didn't call it.

Instead, I cracked my neck and threw back the sheets, standing. I was wearing a hospital gown, which didn't surprise me. "Cool. Now can you turn around or something so that I can change?"

He slapped a hand over his eyes and smirked. "I may have to help you, considering you have rib problems."

I unfolded the pile of clothes and felt my eyebrows raise. "You've seen everything anyway. Did you have to pick the shortest skirt, though?"

The smirk grew to a smug smile. "I just grabbed the first thing that caught my eye. Besides, its not that short."

The 'first thing to catch his eye' had been a red skirt and a man's work shirt. "You remind me of a eighteen year old boy," I said in mock disgust, pulling on the undergarments and slowly, very slowly, the skirt. "And did you have to pick bright red?"

"It was that or jeans, and I've had enough bruised ribs to know that jeans aren't fun to put on." He explained. I have to admit, he's probably right.

The shirt posed more of a problem, but my pride wouldn't let me accept help. I know, stupid, but I can't really help it. Shaking out my hair, I took a glance in the dark mirror, frowning. I didn't look my best, but what the hell. I'd just spend who-knows-how-long in a hospital bed. I wasn't expected to look great. I did wish that I could scrap my blonde hair in a ponytail. Too bad I didn't have a band. Or a brush. Makeup wouldn't hurt, either.

I looked over at him, "Done."

He looked and did a survey of me, then held out a hand. "It'll be easier if I carry you."

I looked at him for what, to him, had to be a long moment. The last time I had been in his arms was...well, a while ago. It would be odd to be back there again. Still, he was right, and I did want to go home. Sighing, I took his hand and snapped, "Try and keep it below March Five, okay? It always wrecks my hair."

His eyes laughed, but his face was mock serious as he gently lifted me. Damn, but the guy had muscles that would make Superman proud. "Yes, m'lady. I swear I'll go slow."

I opened my mouth to retort, then slammed my jaw and said nothing. I loved watching the colors blur and being with him when he ran, but bugs didn't taste good. Not to say that I didn't elbow him in the stomach when he asked, "Slow enough for you, Jinxy?" God, I hated that nickname...Or wanted to.

"Don't call me that," I growled as we came to a stop. I glared up at him, and my face creased in confusion when he slowly set me down and said nothing. "Wha...?" Then he turned me around to face my house.

My eyes grew wide.

Fuck.