A/N This chapter's kinda late, kinda short, and kinda sappy. Kinda a "filler" one, but there's some KF/Jinx in there to keep you going.

I do not own Teen Titans or anything else...

The kingdom rejoiced with the news that their beloved Queen Jinx would be married. Her fiancée was known to be charming and kind, and news fluttered around the entire kingdom, wishing them both all the happiness in the world. It was impossible to walk ten steps without hearing people gossiping or talking freely, truly joyful that their adored monarch would be wed happily. The sun even gave his blessing, shining brightly and freely day after day, but naturally never too hot. The winds danced and the stars sparkled, the moon singing her gentle lullaby and the clouds even gave their blessing with blissful tears of warm rain.

Inside the castle, however, an entirely different story was playing out. Initially, the thought was that Kid Flash would be chasing skirts the entire time, but the opposite was happening. His attention entirely focused on Jinx, who seemed to prefer him to chase skirts, until she found him simply conversing with a giggling servant girl and her temper exploding. She'd argue and snap at him, but he always came back to her, thank goodness. For at the same time, her most trusted advisor and best friend had been moving farther and farther away from her duties. Raven was becoming more distant, rarely seen around the castle, much to Jinx's worries.

"Jinx, you have to marry him sooner or later." Raven told her, the pair walking through one of the many gardens surrounding the castle. Jinx's eyes narrowed and she fervently shook her head.

"How is that possible? He's so irresponsible and flamboyant and loud, he makes my head hurt." She snapped, her face wrinkling in disgust at the very thought.

"He's taken by you."

"Why should I care?"

"Your people do."

"Here we go."

"I'm serious. It's worse having a man run around the castle you say you're going to marry, and then putting it off. It starts very unflattering rumors about you."

"Well, I am a hard-working woman."

"Not in the implied sense."

"But how could I have him as a partner? Forget the romance-"

"Only you could."

"-but he's so irresponsible."

"You've just assumed that."

"No I haven't."

"Have you talked to him at all about what's going on in the kingdom? Asked for his advice?"

"No, because-"

"You assume he is. Jinx, you honestly think I would have you marry a man who would be useless?"

Jinx pressed her lips together, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away. No. Raven would never do that. In fact, the whole idea of Raven forcing her to marry was preposterous as well, but that happened. So why shouldn't she believe she'd also be married to a useless one? She looked back at Raven, and everything in those violet eyes shouted at her otherwise. Jinx held her head high as shamed filled her from those wicked thoughts, but neither of them said anything.

"So when you return to the palace, you will discuss with him matters of state?" Raven confirmed, and Jinx nodded. "Good. Then I can tell you it's time."

"For what-oh." Jinx's eyes widened and filled with sudden tears. "I'm not going to let you go. You understand that."

"Jinx, you honestly think you could stop me?"

Jinx put her hands on her hips, staring her friend down. And failing. She had taken down enemies, from dragons to smugglers, but she couldn't take down her best friend. Especially when it was the witch Raven, who probably could smite her with her pinky. She sighed, not sure what to do next, what she could do.

"It's been fantastic. Really." Raven pulled her into a final hug, holding each other's hands until they were too far apart and their arms were too short. Raven pulled up her hood, turning her back, but not until Jinx caught a slight smirk on her face. Her eyebrows shot up, pressing her tears down as she listened to Raven's words. "My journey will be short and uneventful, for I know where I am going. I will need no food, for the path there and back takes less than a half day."

"Really?" Jinx grinned. "I see."

"I'm sure you do. Please don't send anyone to stop or hinder me in any way, and that I may see no one at all."

"Of course. I understand."

Raven nodded, her back still turned, walking away from Jinx. The Queen waited until she could barely hear her teacher's footsteps, cracking over branches, before scampering off after her. She followed the sounds her mentor made, easily making her way through the forest with the silence grace of a hunter. Her steps were soft and cautious, but still swift as she darted around trees, hiding behind them and keeping out of Raven's gaze as promised.

They ventured into the woods, seemingly towards nowhere at all. Jinx had explored the woods time and time again, and had no idea where Raven was truly headed. She knew exactly what was up ahead, and it was nothing that Raven had told her about, however vaguely. Even with the time frame she had been given, you could still travel far into the woods in a quarter of a day. She saw a dark shadow cross Raven's path-a tall man, dressed entirely in black, a skull for a face with slashes of red. Raven paused, and Jinx's couldn't see her face as stood in front of the man. He bent down into a playful bow, flipping his tattered cape behind him. He sent chills racing up and down Jinx's spine, but Raven took his hand nonetheless. Even from where Jinx hid, she could see their hands fit together perfectly, and he gently let her though the woods.

Occasionally, Jinx stopped, not to take a break, but to let Raven go farther ahead. She wanted to be sure her friend was far out of sight, and that in no way would she be stopping her in hindering her, never dreaming to break such a promise to her closet friend. And there was the fact of the masked man, a figure Jinx never wanted to see in the first place, she could feel in her heart, let alone again. She wondered if she would see him in the future, for the same reason as Raven, to be taken away after her time was up too. Her heart pounded in her chest as she lingered behind, wanting to spring Raven away from the man and run away as fast as possible, clinging to her Raven.

"What are we doing?" Kid Flash asked. Jinx's eyes flew opened and she barely swallowed a yelp as he appeared beside her. His blue eyes sparkled with mirth, light shining between trees and highlighting copper streaks in his hair. He was grinning from ear-to-ear, clearly pleased to have found her. She narrowed her eyes, quickly over her shock, nervously making sure she could still hear Raven, tears fluttering to her eyes at his burst of ignorant cheer.

"None of your business." She snapped at him, keeping her voice low, moving around his slender form to continue following her friend.

"Why are we whispering?" He asked, keeping perfect pace beside her, his steps as quiet as hers.

"Either shut up or go away, alright?"

"You'll tell me sooner or later, Queenie."

She glared at him, suppressing every urge to blast him all the way back to the castle. She would not let him ruin her final moments near Raven, her teacher, her mentor, her friend. The woman who had raised her and guided her, turning into her person she was today. She felt old and weary as she gave into him, the words of 'final moments' sinking in deeply. She controlled her tears, pushing them down once again, her face turning red with the effort.

"Just stay quiet. Please." She mumbled, looking ahead at the path in front of her. Kid Flash did as he was told, matching her every step as they made their way to the edge of the woods. It was an edge Jinx knew didn't exist, making her stomach flip and bile rise up in her throat. Something was wrong, oh so dreadfully wrong. She froze in place, unwilling to approach any further. Every hair on her body stood up, charged with foreboding, her legs shaking as a layer of sweat thinly coated her body.

"Queenie? Queen? Jinx?" Kid Flash asked, waving his hand in front of her face. He touched her arm and she jumped, finding herself startled far too often than she should, blinking quickly.

"This isn't right." She said softly, moving forward towards the trees. This wasn't her kingdom. This wasn't Vault. She was-they were-somewhere else, somehow, somewhere on the edges of the lands that haunted the edges of Jinx's memories. The bright sun had been hidden by a sky of grey, darkening shadows and sending cold, unfriendly winds. Strange shadows danced from trees, casting soft degrees of light that constantly mingled and shifted with one another. She stayed at the edge of the woods, not daring to move any further, spying Raven between the trees.

"Jinx?" Kid Flash asked once again. Jinx didn't respond, sliding down to her knees as she peered between the trees. Kid Flash did the same, his eyes worriedly flickering between her and the witch, before settling on the witch as well.

The forest had given way to a flawless lake, with diamond sands Raven's shoes sunk into. She looked before it entirely unimpressed, then back to her masked traveling companion. Jinx knew whose domain it was, her hands balling into fists, but she didn't move. She couldn't. Not because she didn't want to, but a primordial fear inside her telling her to go nowhere near that masked man, that she shouldn't be this close in the first place.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, stepping to the edge of the shore, just before his feet touched the water. The sea parted before them, a deep path leading to a glint of green Jinx had to squint to see. Raven walked down, without fear, without pain, with strong steps, her hand back in the masked man's as they glided down. He led her only slightly, perhaps an inch in front. The sea began to fill in behind them, clear as glass, until they were too far to be seen with or without the water. Jinx saw the man with completely ink black eyes ahead of them, the image diluted through the water, but there nonetheless as he looked directly at her, not saying a word.

He was gone. She was gone. They all were gone. It wasn't until then she noticed the birds had begun to chirp again, or that the sun made its way back into the sky. Her heart was broken, her limbs useless before her, the tree her only support as she let the tears stream down her face. She thought she would have been able to walk back to the castle, in a silent, dumb trance. She had been completely and entirely wrong.

"It'll be alright." Kid Flash said gently, his voice still at a whisper. She wouldn't have heard him even if he spoke louder. She barely felt his arms around her, warm and steady, as she felt all the hope drain from her body. Her eyes stared lifelessly before her, realization hitting her.

"I never told her I loved her." She whispered, disbelieving, having to hear it aloud to comprehend it. She had never told the one person who mattered the most to her how much she loved her, how much she needed her, how important she was-how was that possible? Angry and irrational thoughts whirled through her mind, disappointed and shocked, her body breaking into violent sobs as her fists hit the ground. How was that possible? It was the one thing everyone told the ones they loved, and it had never even crossed Jinx's mind!

"I didn't tell her!" She wailed, Kid Flash pulling her into his chest. She didn't want him! She didn't want him, or this kingdom, she wanted her family back, her Raven! She pushed away from him, but he didn't waver, whispering sweet nothings in her hair-everything was just nothing now, there was nothing that could make Jinx it any other way. She hit his chest, but he just pulled her in tighter, and she gasped between sobs for breath as her eyes were squeezed shut. She didn't want to see the world, but at the same time, she didn't want to follow Raven to wherever she went, which just brought more shame and guilt upon her.

"It'll be alright. You'll be alright." Kid Flash's voice became clearer and clearer, and she fought his grasp between every word, shaking her head.

"No! It never will! It can't be!" She sobbed back, her face sticky with tears and snot, running down her nose freely and unchecked. She moved her face away from Kid Flash, peeling her eyes open, sealed with saline. She didn't want to look at him. She didn't want to look at anything, but there was nowhere else left to look. His eyes were sympathetic and understanding, without an ounce of pity or pride in seeing her fall. She hiccupped, and she buried her head into his chest, bawling like a small child, clinging to the fabric of his shirt as he gently picked her up from the ground.

Kid Flash knocked gently on the wooden door, before gently pushing it open. Jinx was in a grand four-poster bed, complete with translucent purple curtains and rich purple blankets. She smiled at him apologetically, and he couldn't help it as his heart soared. She had been grieving for nearly two weeks now, barely moving from her chambers. He had been visiting every day, especially as she gave up trying to banish him since he came back anyway. His fingers tightened around the mug, softly padding across the stone floor to her side. She nodded for him to place it on the nightstand, her eyes lingering on the cup as he sat on the foot of her bed.

"What's wrong?" He asked, worried that he had already done something wrong. She shook her head, her hair loose around her shoulders, her face freshly washed.

"It's just…Raven loved tea." She admitted, taking a deep breath. Kid Flash's face fell. He had been bringing her tea every day, having no idea. He watched her bite her lip, taking deep breaths as she pulled everything inside her.

"It's okay." He said gently, taking her hand. "You don't have to hide it."

"Yes, I do." She insisted, her eyes fire as she glared at him. It mingled with the pain, and he took her hand.

"Why?" He pressed, scooting closer. She pulled her legs in under the blanket, pulling the covers closer around her. She glared at him, shaking her head as if he was the stupidest thing in the world. He had no idea why, so he couldn't be offended, only press why she thought so.

"I'm the Queen, idiot!" She exploded, ripping her hand away. "I can't just fall apart, I can't let anyone see me weeping like some kid! No one can underestimate me!"

"Even someone stupid?" Kid Flash smiled. Jinx opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. He watched her hesitate before she crumbled, falling into tears once again. He pulled her back into his arms, and melted into place. Sure, it was gross how her snot was getting all over his chest, but he didn't care. Jinx had fallen, something he hadn't been quite sure was possible. It wasn't earth shaking or mind-blowing, but comforting. She was human. She wasn't just the topic of legends and rumors, not just an amazing ruler, but human girl that felt pain and loss.

"She was really close to you." Kid Flash murmured. She paused, pulling back slightly and looking up at him.

"You are an idiot." She said slowly, and wiped her nose fully on his shirt for emphasis. She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. "Well, maybe not fully."

This time he pulled back, his eyes wide and his eyebrows arching up. She glared at him, pulling him back, adjusting herself under the sheets.

"What?" She grumbled. His shock softened into a smile, and he put his arm around her. A ghost of a smile crossed her face and she sighed again.

"Alright, what's on your mind?" He finally asked.

"…You don't know anything that's going on in the kingdom, that's all. And if we're going to get married-"

"You're seriously going to go through with it?"

"Well, yeah. Raven had faith in you, and you're not a total idiot."

"I guess."

"You guess? Great, now what's wrong with you?"

"It's just…it's happening. You. Me."

"Whoever said we're happening? We're just getting married."

"Just getting married." He laughed as her eyes narrowed. She pulled away, and he could see the flush rise up her cheeks.

"It's-what I mean-ARGH!"

And that was when she hit him with a pillow.

"Stop! Laughing!" She ordered, hitting him again and again. He put his arms up in a futile attempt to protect himself, his laughing increasing exponentially. The pillow smacked his head and she put more strength into it, the blows verging on painful. He grabbed a pillow of his own and hit her right back. She paused, her mouth dropping open and her eyes wide with indigence. His smile slid off his face, especially as mirth danced back into her eyes and a wicked grin replaced her gaping mouth.

She lunged, grabbing another pillow, and Kid Flash jumped off the bed. Pouncing from the bed, she threw another pillow at him, and Kid Flash could tell she was taking this entirely too seriously. But that was what made it fun, right? He pulled his hands to his face, the pillow bouncing off his arms as he dashed across the room. It was as if she was standing perfectly still, frozen in time, and he ran right behind her. He hit in her in the back with a pillow, darted back to the opposite corner.

"Oh, bad move." She said as she stumbled forward.

"I thought it was rather sneaky." He argued, his eyes widened as her eyes glowed pink. He ran, but then realized she had expected him to. He tripped over a rug, his foot sliding under the fabric he could had sworn he should have just been able to step over. He rolled onto his side, slightly bruising his arm, Jinx standing over him with a pillow in her hands.

"Looks like it's your unlucky day." She said as she swung. He shot up, taking her hands and pushing her back down onto the bed.

"Really? Hey, is that where 'jinx' comes from?" He grinned, looking down on her. She was pinned underneath him, and he saw her mouth move soundlessly. She didn't fight against him, the pillow falling from her hand as he leaned closer. He shut his eyes as their lips met, soft and cold. She was sweet and tender, gentle and needing. Her hands slid from his grip and against his chest. He hesitated, afraid she was going to pull away, but she gripped his shirt and pulled him in closer.

"Queen Jinx-"

The door braced to open after the short knock, and Kid Flash pulled away. Jinx's eyes narrowed as she let go of his shirt, and he rolled to the side as she stood up. Smoothing her dress, she sashayed to the door, leaving Kid Flash stunned and silent on the bed. She exchanged a few words and slammed the door closed, throwing the latch shut.

"Well that ruined the moment." Kid Flash joked as Jinx huffed, her arms crossed over her chest, hiding his own disappointment.

"It's alright." She said quickly, sitting back down on the bed. "There's something else I need to talk to you about."

"Huh?" Kid Flash asked, stopping in mid-movement. She didn't seem to notice or care, lost in thought, and he returned to a more comfortable seating position beside her.

"I have an idea. Well, it was more of Raven's idea."

He nodded, pushing aside his own feelings for the moment. But then she smiled, lighting up her face, standing up for a moment as she took a cloth from the water basin and wiping her face clean. Moving her hair back from her face, she sat across from Kid Flash, his eyes following her every move.

"We'll put together a team of heroes and friends, to protect the kingdom." She said, her eyes glittering. Kid Flash slowly smiled, thinking about the idea himself as she continued on. It was a great thought-powers in numbers, and any travelers would want to make Vault their home after the way Jinx had been rebuilding it. It truly was a paradise, and extra security would keep it that way.

"Sounds like a good start." Kid Flash interrupted, before she noticed that he hadn't been listening as closely as he probably should have been. "Any idea what you're going to call them?"

"The Titans."