Bedside Blues

The very shadows of the Titan's common room seemed to stretch to the center of the room. The shadows were pulled from their base into a ball containing the four Titans. Raven's portal sank into the floor freeing the teens from her power.

The empath fell to her knees apon entering their home. Long distance portals were easy, carrying another three Titans across the city was the hard part. Her breathing was deep and her body was shaking. "Ugh… Where's Cyborg and that stupid car of his when you need it?" Raven grumbled standing too her feet.

Robin was already testing Beast Boy's vitals in case he had attended any damage from his fall or from whatever his problem was in the first place. "I was going to ask you the same thing Raven. Where was he?"

Robin's tone was anything but calm. He was tense, angry even. Though Raven didn't to look for body signs to know someone's emotions. "He stayed at the hospital. We found the man some doctors and I came back as fast as I could."

Robin had checked all that he could on an unconscious person, so far everything was fine. He'll have to wait till the serum wore off to find anything else out. "Starfire, I want you to take Beast Boy back to his holding cell, the same as last time."

"Robin please can this not wait? We have much to discuss and-"

"I know Star. I need to have a word with Raven." Even though his mask the girls eyes knew Robin's eyes were glaring daggers at Raven. Something only a fool would think of doing. Only Robin was no fool. He had a serious bone to pick with his empathic team mate.

'Well this is going to be fun…' Raven thought to herself folding her arms preparing herself for her leaders verbal assault.

"Please leave Starfire. We'll talk later."

The alien princess sadly bowed her head not wanting to worsen his already bad mood. Picking up her green team mate Starfire walked toward the common room doors with Beast Boy in her arms. She gave one last look back at her friends before leaving the two birds alone standing in the middle of the very loud non noise cancelling common room.

For a brief moment their was silence. Like the pair were waiting for the other to fire the first shot. Raven not one to back down from a challenge was the first to speak. "Well?"

"Well? WELL?! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT RAVEN?!"

'Not a good start.' "You're not seriously annoyed about the crater in the street are you?"

"No! Of course not. When we were outside your room discussing whether Beast Boy was fit to come with us on the mission you said he was fine. So explain what happened out there!"

"Are you trying to put the blame on what happened out there today on me Robin?"

"Yes, Raven. That's exactly what I'm doing."

"And just how have you come to that conclusion then?"

"You told me there was nothing abnormal about Beast Boy, that you couldn't find anything foreign in him-".

"Which there isn't."

"So why in God's earth did our green animal shifting team mate suddenly turn into a grey skinned mythical creature shape shifter?!"

"One, God doesn't exist. Two, if I had that answer I wouldn't be keeping it from you now would I?"

"Then you're missing something Raven. Something big, because what happened out there wasn't Beast Boy. It was something evil. Demonic even."

"If there was a demon possessing him or whispering things in his ear I'd know. Demons are kind of my thing you know."

"Like I said. Then you're missing something. Beast Boy would never say the things that monster had said. Beast Boy would never find pleasure in practically torturing people and he'd certainly never threaten mine or anyone else's life!"

"I am aware of what Beast Boy is like Robin. This is his opposite to his regular self. We will find the cause of this and help him. That's what we do."

Robin was quite for a few seconds. He knew she was right. But that didn't mean he was done with her. "Tell me something Raven. Did you let him going out on the mission because you really had no doubt that he was fine. Or is it because there's something more going on between you two?"

Up to this point Raven was holding a straight face. Nothing Robin had said had been under expected or shocking enough to shake her from her stone cold poker face. But that. That wasn't expected. "What?" Raven asked through gritted teeth practically daring him to ask such a stupid question again.

"You and Beast Boy. There's more going on than just the two of you being friends isn't there."

"I don't know where you're getting this from but you're wrong."

"So late night movies and Beast Boy being allowed in your room let alone your bed have always been a normal thing then?"

"Beast Boy and I have never watched a movie together and we needed a private place to talk where we wouldn't be disturbed and I sure wasn't going to go into his room for that."

"So whatever your feelings are for Beast Boy they weren't a deciding factor on whether you thought he was fit to fight or not?"

"Take a wild guess."

"Raven. Do you have feelings for Beast Boy?" Robin had thrown down the gauntlet. Now it was up to Raven whether or not she was going to pick it up.

"No."

Robin stared at any in certainty in her voice that could point to a lie but he found no obvious signs of lying with her answer. Her voice was clear and firm. Her eyes stayed fixed and didn't chew or scrunch her lips or tongue. Her hands remained at her sides and fingers where clenched in a ball. As far as Robin could tell, she was telling the truth. It wasn't often he was wrong. But he was sure there was something. "Alright. I believe you."

"Good. My turn to ask you something Robin."

Robin stood in silence. He knew Raven was upset so anything she was about to ask him would be a trap for him.

"Where you ever going to tell Starfire and I about the serum you had Cyborg make? Hell did you even talk to Beast Boy about it?"

"Of course I did Raven. Ever since his first accident with his Beast I've had it and Beast Boy has known from that moment as well. His Beast is dangerous Raven and we don't even know the extent of whatever this beast is. The serum was the safest way to bring down Beast Boy when he's loosing control of his powers."

"So what's your plan B Robin? When your little sleeping agent doesn't work? What's your plan?"

"If you couldn't tell by what happened out there a few minutes ago then I don't have a plan B. Cyborg said it should bring down the biggest of animals in a matter of seconds."

"What happens when all of your precautions fail. Then what?"

Robin was quite for a brief moment questioning himself if he should be truthful with his next answer. This might destroy any kind of friendship he and Raven had by he was Robin. Leader of on of the most successful yet dangerous teams in the entire world. "Raven. If all my plans failed in stopping any of my teammates. I'll do everything I can to stop them from harming the innocent."

"Does murdering your own friends fall under that category Robin?"

The fact that Robin was even thinking about this answer showed Raven there was another side to her leader. A side that conflicted with his morals. A side that made him chose between whether he valued being a hero or a friend more than the other.

"We don't kill Raven. There's always another way."

"If I were you Robin. I'd think about whether you're going to be this city's savoir, or be Beast Boy's friend." Leaving her leader with something to think about Raven walked to the doors of the common room ready to get out of this room.

"I'm trying to be both Raven."

"Then you're going to need to decide what's more important to you. You make whatever plans you need to make for Beast Boy. I'll help him my way." Raven exited the common room leaving Robin on his lonesome. She was right. He'd need to decide, but not right now. Robin had someone he needed to talk to. Pulling out his communicator Robin dialed Cyborg's communicator.

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Woods laid in a hospital bed with a heavy amount of bandages wrapping around his old body. An oxygen mask feed him the dose he needed as he slept. Hidden underneath his bandages where five recently stitched bullet wounds littered around his chest.

Deadshot's rounds were strong enough that they went clean through the veteran's chest leaving no trace of any metal fragments inside. It was a miracle none of his internal organs had been punctured by any of the five shots. Each where millimeters away from missing his heart, lungs or veins needed to pump blood.

Cyborg sat by his side watching his chest slowly rise and fall nearly keeping a steady rhythm with the heart monitor repeatedly beating in the background. In his metal palm Cyborg held Woods' dog tags by it's thin chain. On one side of his tags the logo of the United States marine corps was printed on the steel. The back of his tag read in small writing.

Frank Woods.

20/03/1930

A brother of arms

Cyborg sighed sadly. He wanted to help but there was nothing more he could do. It was up to Woods now. Cyborg placed the tags on the bedside counter next to Woods.

"Hey Woods… I uh, just wanted to say a few things. Whether you pull through from this or… not… I just wanted to say that without you, I wouldn't be the man I am today if I hadn't of walked into your bar that night. I asked for a glass of water and you gave me a roof over my head." Cyborg chuckled a little thinking back on it. "I've yet to meet another man as trusting as you were that night. I don't know what it was that made you choose to trust me but… I'm glad you did. Ever since my accident, no one looked at me the same. I was just a mechanical mess for everyone else. You didn't see that. I don't know what you saw but it wasn't what I thought you'd see. I wish I came back and visited you more. Asked how you were getting along, how the bar was… If yo- WHEN you wake up from this. I promise you, we'll get the punk that shot you, make him pay for what he did…"

Cyborg's hands clenched by his sides, his fists shaking with a mix of sadness and rate. It didn't last long though as his anger was let go. He wanted to be angry, say how he'd beat Deadshot to a pulp or make him regret messing with his friend, but he couldn't.

"I know you didn't hear any of this, and if you did you'd probably think I'm in love with you or something but… I just had to say it." Cyborg finished with his speech bowed his head in front of Woods like he had been sat before.

"Well I wouldn't say love."

A feminine voice came from the doorway of Woods' room. A young girl was stood against the door frame looking equally as sad as Cyborg had been. While she wore long jeans and a hoodie, her pale skin and pink hair and eyes gave her away. That and Cyborg had been speaking with her only an hour ago. "I'd call it a bromance if anything."

"Jinx?"

"Hey tin man."

"How much of that did you hear…"

"Enough to know you that you care for Woods."

"And what are you doing here?"

"Are you going to ask that every time we meet in the same place?" Jinx now walking through the door walked over to Cyborg pulling out a chair for herself to sit on from the nearby table. The sorceress sat down next to the Titan and Woods. "I heard about what happened after I left. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you were attacked."

"It's not your fault Jinx, you couldn't have known."

"But I could have helped. This might have turned out better for Woods if I was there."

"Or it could have been you lying in the bed."

"If anyone in here deserves that it would be me."

"Jinx you don't need to-"

"No Cyborg! I'm not a good person. I've accepted that a long time ago."

Jinx stared at the floor as she continued, Cyborg also looking down at the floor listening to the girl next to him.

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When I was born my parents took one look at me and decided that they didn't want me. I guess they thought a girl with naturally pink hair and cat eyes was a sign I was cursed... From since I could remember I had been living in orphanages. I never fit in any of them with my pink hair, pale skin and all. I was moved around the county each orphanage as successful as the last. On my eighth or ninth birthday the orphanage gave me a doll as a gift. None of the other orphanages or carers had ever given me anything like this before and I fell in love with it straight away. I did everything with that doll. Eat, played, slept and such. I can't remember much about her but all I can remember was I called her Misty. A few weeks later I was moved to another orphanage. It was like a boarding school compared to the rest. I guess they thought a firm hand was what I needed. There was maybe three or four other girls the rest were boys, most a lot older than me. One night I was drawing something with the paints they had when two boys walked up to me. They were a lot bigger than me. Maybe thirteen years old from what I could guess. The jerks ripped up my painting and threw paint on my clothes. I tried to run but one grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and made me drop Misty. One held me back while the other picked up Misty and taunted me with her. Holding her above my head and threatening to tear her and such. I tried to fight back but all I could do was stamp on their feet. They didn't like that very much… s-so he…

A tear ran down Jinx's cheek while she spoke. Cyborg didn't acknowledge it but it didn't go unnoticed.

So he ripped her head off… I'm bawling my eyes out while they mocked me saying how I should show more respect to the bigger kids and how if I knew what was good for me that I should never let them see me again… When they walked off I held her in my arms. The cotton fell out of her head on to the floor. I don't know how long I cried for but I feel asleep lying next to Misty. No one stopped to help me or ask what happened. They all ignored me. No one wanted anything to do with the pink haired, cat eyed freak. When I woke up I wasn't sad any more. But I was angry. I could feel a powerful rage building up like it was trying to get out. I just kind of gave into it hoping it would make me feel better. That's where I got my powers. All the rage and sadness I kept inside made it's own way out. My whole life I had been treated differently just because of my appearance. So I decided that if everyone was going to avoid me for who I was. Then they may as well pay for the things they all did to me. I'd make them afraid to mock me again.

Jinx held her palm out in front of her. She looked at her hand knowing the things she had done with them aren't normal for regular girls.

Everyone was inside doing whatever they were doing. I didn't care who I hurt but I hurt everyone I could. I threw tables, exploded toys, smashed windows, tore clothes, stole belongings whatever would hurt someone I did it. People tried to stop me but no one could. I just kept going door to door hurting everyone inside the rooms. I kept walking through the building and eventually I ran into the two boys who broke Misty. They weren't sure what was going on but they knew they I was dangerous. The cowards ran from me. They were afraid of me. Everyone was. They both tried to ran down the stairs to escape but… when I clicked my fingers to trip one of them his leg snapped in two. He laid there on the floor holding his leg crying for help. He squirmed and wimped, begging me to stop. But I didn't… I just smiled. I snapped my fingers again and his other leg broke as bad as the first. He was screaming for his friend, the one who ripped off Misty's head to help him but he froze. He left his friend and tried to run down the stairs. As he ran down the stairs the step broke under him. He fell down the stairs and he broke his neck. They had to be hospitalized for what I did to them. The first probably hasn't walked the same since and the other will never walked again.

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Jinx looked up at Cyborg who was now feeling a little under easy about Jinx and rightfully so. He looked at the girl who was smiling wickedly at him.

"And too this day I've never regretted a single thing I did that day."

"Jinx… I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Like I said. I've accepted who I am…"

"I get it though."

"You do?"

"Jinx. I'm half robot, half black. I was judged for my appearance long before I became Cyborg. I learnt to live with it. That's just how some people are."

"But you wanted to hurt them?"

"I'd be lying if I'd say I hadn't thought about it."

"So why not?! You weren't hero then and no one knew who you were. You could have shown them you weren't someone to mess with. Taught them a lesson for being so judgmental and cruel."

"Because if I did that that only proves them right!" Cyborg's eyes narrowed, frowning at the girl. "If I hurt people as a retaliation that only makes me a worse person."

The anger slowly disappeared from Cyborg's face while Jinx's was a mix of realization and concern. "We can't fight fire with fire Jinx. Everyone just ends up burnt."

The teens sat quietly after Cyborg's mini speech. The two looked over Woods both worried about their friend.

"After my outburst at the orphanage, they sent me to Juvie. I thought it was going to be hell, but it was better than any of the orphanages I had lived in. People respected me. They wanted to be my friend. It's where I met Mammoth and Gizmo. We became friends and one day we broke out. Landed ourselves a new life in Jump. We started to make a name for ourselves as minor criminals when Brother Blood found us. He made us the fighters we today."

"So what's the story with Woods' then?"

"What makes you think there is one?"

"Do any of the Hive members call you by your first name Kat?"

Jinx jumped from her chair, pink hex bolts charged in her hand. "DON'T YOU EVER CALL ME THAT AGAIN! WHO TOLD YOU THAT?!"

Cyborg held his hands up defensively. "Hey don't blame me! Woods' was the one that told me. I never asked!"

Jinx still visibly upset sat back down, her powers disappearing from her palms. "Fine. I'll tell you."

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One night I was out walking the streets. I was having trouble… adjusting to being a wanted criminal. I looked though the windows of his bar as I walked by and saw it was empty. I don't know what it was but something about the place was telling me to go inside. It seemed cozy in there. So I did. I went in to his bar and sat down. It was warm and quite.

"Good afternoon Ms. What can I getcha? Oh wait, let me guess. A pink lemonade by any chance?"

He chuckled a little pointing at my hair. Funny thing was that was what I wanted.

"Oh ha ha. Do you make fun of all your customers?"

"Just the ones who might like a free drink after I apologize for being an asshat."

"Oh. Well in that case a pink lemonade would be lovely."

"I don't normally serve pink lemonades but I'm sure I could mix something up for ya."

He did a pretty good job with what he had to be fair. I didn't care much since it was on the house and all.

"Mmm. That's pretty good."

"If there's one thing I learnt from the army, it was how to improvise a good drink when all we had was a few pieces of fruit, herbs and mouth wash."

"You made drinks out of that?"

"No. The army was never nice enough to give us mouth wash. But I could if I wanted to."

"What war did you fight in?"

"Ha! What fight didn't I fight?"

"World war two?"

"I tried but my baby face gave me away every time."

"Then what war were you in?"

"Well to tell you the truth I've never been in a war."

"So why'd you say you were in the army?"

"Because I'm the guy they sent to end a war before it had begun."

"I… don't understand?"

"How about I tell you about the time we first stopped world war three?"

He told me about how he and his team were able to put a stop to chemical war between the Russians and the U.S. Something about a gas called Nova 6. Evil stuff apparently.

So that's what the black ops' job was.What?Woods told me about how he was apart of a secret task force called the Black ops.Well now you know. When they were in Vietnam his group we're captured and taken prisoner. One of his guys was killed and was forced to leave a second behind while he and the last member of the group escaped in a helicopter. Something about their sniper going MIA aswell.Eventually they ran into trouble and Woods had to sacrifice himself by throwing himself and a Russian suicide soldier through a window to save his partner. Somehow the two survived and he was tortured for weeks and left to rot in a shipping crate.

"That bastard Menendez killed twenty innocent men right in front of me. He thought I'd break and tell him everything I knew about what the CIA knew about him. But I didn't. After weeks of this shit he through me and the bodies inside a shipping crate and left us to rot."

"That's… disgusting…"

"There's no worse smell than twenty rotting corpses in a hot metal crate for two weeks."

"You were locked in that crate for two weeks?! How are you still alive?!"

"It wasn't pretty. I had to do things a normal person couldn't. Ever piece of survival skills I learnt in my time with the army kept me going. If my team didn't save me when they did I wouldn't be here today. I just knew that no matter what those Russian pricks did to me that I was not going to die in some god forsaken swamp."

"That's… wow."

"You know. I didn't know what to expect when you walked in here. But I didn't expect this."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"There's a difference between a criminal and a bad person Jinx. I just wasn't sure which one you were. But I do now."

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"The sly old fox knew who I was the entire time. But he wasn't afraid or threatening to me. He treated me like anyone else."

"Woods isn't like everyone else. We had a similar introduction."

"He was interesting. For an old dude he was pretty cool. We kept talking and said I was welcome back any time. Eventually he told me that if I was going to come back he'd need to know my name. My real name. To him I wasn't Jinx the criminal who everyone sees on the TV. I was a girl who he could relate to. And inside his bar I could be someone else. Someone no one else could see. I could be myself."

"That's some story Jinx."

"Katie…"

"Wha?"

"I know yours, it's only fair that you know mine. Just don't call me it." Jinx pointed a finger at Cyborg. Her gesture seemed as threatening as someone aiming a knife.

"Fair enough".

The two sat in silence again neither feeling entirely right about this situation.

"Cyborg?"

"Yea Jinx?"

"Are we still enemies?"

"I don't know. Are you still with the Hive?"

"I guess."

"Then there's your answer."

"It's not that simple though…"

"No… It's not…"

"Safe to say we misjudged each other then."

"You could say that."

"What's going to happen in the future. When we meet on the battlefield? Are we going to act like this never happened?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

Before either could continue Cyborg's arm began to chime as Robin called. "Cyborg. Where are you?"

"I'm at the hospital man. What's up?"

"I need you to come back to the tower. We need to talk about Beast Boy."

"I know. I'll be back soon. Cyborg out." Ending the call Cyborg stood from his chair.

"Problems with salad head huh?"

"Private matter then. I see how it is."

"I'll see you around Jinx."

"See ya. I guess."

With walked away from Woods and Jinx but stopped at the doorway. "Hey Jinx."

"Yea?"

"When Woods said there was a difference between a bad person and a criminal. What did he say you were?"

"W-what? He said I was a criminal not a bad per-" Jinx tried to stop herself before she finished her sentence but it was to late. Cyborg could only smirk as he smiled back at Jinx as he walked away confirming what he already knew. "We all deserve a second chance Jinx. Take care of the old man for me." Leaving Jinx with Woods Cyborg left the hospital to return to the tower. Where big problems were awaiting him.

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Alright another chapter down. I'm stepping away from the action for a few chapters to concentrate on the relationships / pairings. I don't want this to be fic all about an intense story. Having fun with the characters is just as important to me.We got to see a difference view of Jinx's past and how she met Woods. Hopefully you all liked it.Plutonimus – Glad to have you on board, every review means a lot to me so thanks for making it this far.I'm not sure how familiar everyone is with Woods so all I can say is look him up on YouTube or Google Images to get an idea of him since he's not an OG character I made up. He's a total bad ass and will be apart of the story till the end so I can only ask you take the time and research him a little but that's just my opinion.Anyway once again I hope you all enjoyed and let me know what you're thinking about the story so far. Any errors I've made, where I can improve, what you'd like to see and so on.See you next chapter.DansaCharm