So, I haven't updated in…forever. This fandom has been so dead! Well, trying to get back on track. This is a little shorter, but…you know. Lot's of Billy/Kitten focus. Posting at all is better than…yeah, I'm going to stop now. Small references to old H is for HIVE characters, for those of you that have read the story. If you haven't…please don't. Just pretend these are random kids I made up for the sake of Jinxed For Life. I still love reviews and all that jazz.

It Is Self-Explanatory

The gentlemen were deeply involved with their respective hands of cards when Jinx and Roy walked into the room. Montego was the only one who flicked his gaze towards the pair and asked, "What's with the baggage? They won't let you in without an escort?"

Jinx pursed her lips and glared pointedly at Killer Moth. "Hello, Uncle Keith."

Killer Moth nodded vaguely in her direction.

She turned to Ding Dong Daddy. "Hello, Uncle Dodge."

"Good to have you," Ding Dong Daddy grunted.

She turned to Mumbo Jumbo. "Hello, Uncle Jerry."

Mumbo raised his eyebrows. "Good lord, that tone. You'd think we'd done something."

"Why am I here?"

"Why is he here?"

Roy started. "I was told…I'm supposed to…"

"Boyfriend?" Mumbo guessed.

Killer Moth looked up for the first time and growled, "Don't tell me that's the thing she ran off with."

"No!" Roy and Jinx snapped at the same time.

"He's from Titans East," Montego put in. "And I have no idea why he hasn't gone back east yet."

"I was told to stick with her," Roy said hotly.

"In case we get nasty and scold her?" Mumbo sneered. "Good lord."

"Look, I just--"

"We're her godfathers, sonny jim," Ding Dong Daddy said. "And we don't need you in here harking in on our private conversation."

Roy opened his mouth to object again, but Jinx cut him off. "It's fine. This should only take a few minutes." She smiled thinly. "I can handle myself."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Well, I know that," he mumbled. "Come out when you're done."

The three older criminals watched him leave. It was a long time before Mumbo said, "So is this Flash kid a stripper or what? I've seen the pictures, and he looks ready to burst out of that painted-on slip of a thing."

"Jerry!" Jinx cried. "He's not at all like--"

"He got a place of his own?" Ding Dong Daddy asked.

"I want to meet his parents," said Killer Moth. "If they're anything like I know they are, I'll bet they aren't--"

"Is this seriously why I was called here? Cyborg told me this was for business!"

"My dear, this is entirely for business," Mumbo assured her. "Our business in protecting you."

Montego burst out laughing. "Protecting her? When did you start doing that? You've never done a single thing in her best interest!"

Mumbo shot him a withering glare. "I have never been interested in her best interests. Only in her correct interests, and this is definitely one of them."

"I believe you swore you'd let us have our say and have done," Ding Dong Daddy put in mildly. "This is our say, and we're not done yet. You hush."

Montego rolled his eyes and said to Jinx, "Do whatever you want."

"Thanks. I really needed your permission," Jinx hissed back.

"Yeah," Montego smirked. "You did."

They glared at each other for a few more seconds before Jinx lowered her gaze to the cards. "I want to play."

"You're too young," Mumbo said quickly, swiping the cards from everyone and tucking them away, "And we need to talk about business."

"What business? Psimon is out on a--"

"Not that business," Killer Moth said curtly. "Real business. Our business. You're out of the loop, and you need to get back in."

"I'm telling Robin whatever you tell me," Jinx said quickly. "I'm obligated. I'm--"

"You do whatever you have to. Just as long as you can't say that we don't tell you anything," Mumbo snapped at her. He indicated Montego with his chin. "Youngest first."

"Age before beauty," Montego replied.

"Fine. My dear, I'm retiring."

"Good," Jinx chirped. "You're old and I wasn't going to be able to go easy on you anyway."

"I'm also moving," Mumbo continued as if she hadn't interrupted him, "And I'm not telling you where, so don't bother begging me for the details."

Jinx blinked. "Oh." She watched Mumbo take out the pack of cards and begin shuffling them. "All right," She said. "Next?"

"I'm moving too," Montego said quietly. "It's business stuff, the same company as before. It's the same for Bailey. He'll be here next week for a few days, and then we'll both be gone. But we were expecting all that to happen anyway, so you're probably not surprised."

"Of course not!" Jinx snapped.

"Well, good," Montego said gruffly, "Because Angelica will be back, and in charge, and she's going to want some explanations."

"For what? I've been completely self-explanatory," said Jinx, crossing her arms. "Gender and identity and independence and all that. It's not like she up and left for a different reason."

"There will be more kids," Montego continued. "We had to keep a few. Decker and Mitch and Iris and Amber."

Jinx laughed. "The worst ones! Great. She must be having the time of her motherly life."

"She'll want your help with them."

"My help with what?" Jinx muttered darkly.

"That's enough out of you, missy!" said Mumbo.

"And that's all I have to say," Montego finished darkly. "Anybody else?"

Ding Dong Daddy and Killer Moth exchanged looks. Killer Moth shrugged. "My house remains yours, as long as you don't go bringing any cops in."

Ding Dong Daddy smirked. "Any time you need a car fixed, call me."

"Okay. Great. Now what about Psimon?" Jinx demanded. "You guys, I wasn't even around when any of this happened. I don't anything about the guy, and Robin kept asking me last night if I did."

"Is he always on your case?" Mumbo asked quickly.

"Extortion," Ding Dong Daddy announced, looking pleased. "Like I always said."

Jinx rolled her eyes. "No, it isn't--"

"Have they been trying to get information about us out of you? What have you told them?" asked Killer Moth.

"Nothing! There wasn't anything to tell!" said Jinx. "Nothing he cared about anyway. And I'm out of the loop, so it's not like I'd know anymore. Jeez, you guys. Give me a break."

"No," said Mumbo. "We can't afford to. What have you been doing the past few months? We're out of the loop too," He added when Jinx slumped in her chair.

"It's Titans business and I can't tell you," She muttered. "I can't believe you're even asking."

"Right back at you," said Ding Dong Daddy.

"So nobody's going to tell anybody anything, then," said Jinx, getting up to leave, "So I have no reason to be here anymore."

"Sit down," said Montego. "We're not done yet."

"What else is there?" Jinx demanded. "It's all self-explanatory, isn't it? Everybody's leaving and it's none of my business anymore! I don't even know why you bothered to tell me!" She stomped to the door, and said, "If anybody has anything relevant to say, say it to Cyborg. I'm so done with this!" And she slammed the door behind her.

Mumbo leaned back in his seat, looking immensely satisfied. "I always liked her. She was always my favorite."

Montego snorted. "I told you nothing much had changed with her."

"I prefer to experience proof for myself," Ding Dong Daddy said. "And now I have. Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure." He rose to leave.

"Hold it!" said Montego. "What am I supposed to tell the kids?"

Ding Dong Daddy snorted. "Whatever it is you usually tell them, I guess. Is William still here?"

"Probably ran away as fast as he could," said Killer Moth.

Montego rounded on him. "Only because you were so--"

"Well, I'll call him then," Ding Dong Daddy said quickly, retreating to the door. "Pleasure and all again."

Montego looked to the two older men. "Is there anything else we need to talk to the police about?"

Mumbo snorted derisively. "They don't know anything we don't know, and suddenly I'm not feeling as generous as before. Let them figure it out. They always do eventually."

"I can't see how it will do any good anyway," added Killer Moth. "Personal details will just drag us in further."

"Billy, do you want me to drive?"

Billy jerked in his seat. "No way. Your driving is terrible."

Kitten pouted. "But you're tired and I don't want to freaking die because you fell asleep at the wheel."

"I won't fall asleep. Just keep talking. Tell me about…tell me about that thing that happened at the party I missed."

Kitten narrowed her eyes. "I just did."

Billy grinned sheepishly. "Oh."

"Pull over. I'm driving."

"Girl, we're nearly at your house. We'll make it."

Kitten gripped his arm for the rest of the ride, pinching him whenever she felt like he might keel over. When he pulled up into the Keith's three-car driveway she dragged him out and insisted that he rest in the house for a little while.

"Your dad is going to be back at any time," Billy moaned as she pushed him onto her bed, "And he's going to find me here and use one of those bullets he wrote my name on just for occasions like this."

"He'll finish up at the station and then all the guys will go out drinking and reminiscing about how villainy was so easy before Slade set the bar for world domination," Kitten hissed. "Let me get you some aspirin. Or something to eat? Are you hungry?"

"Are you kidding?"

Kitten pinched him again and ran down to the kitchen. "The funny thing is," She called as she began cutting cucumber slices, "Is that Slade never even went for world domination in the first place. I mean, maybe that was the eventual plan, but all he ever really did was conquer the city. For a villainous psychopath, he was being completely reasonable." She grabbed an apple and ran back up the stairs. "I mean, don't you think…?"

Billy had fallen over on one side, practically dead to the world. Kitten smirked, and set her food on the nightstand. Kicking off her shoes, she climbed up next to him on the bed and plucked his sunglasses off his face, revealing eyes wide open.

"What's Psimon's motivation for all this, anyway?"

Kitten squeaked. "I thought you were asleep!"

"I wasn't," Billy rolled over to face her. "Didn't your dad tell you anything?"

"He said it was adult stuff that I shouldn't worry about."

Billy sighed. "They always say that. I don't get what they think they're protecting us from."

"Mumbo was joking about it a little. Just about what drama queens adult men can be. He's moving, you know. Retiring and all."

"Good. He's old. Another year or two and he would have turned into a liability."

"That's true."

"Hey. Everybody was saying there was something up with Dodge too."

Kitten frowned. "He was worried about something a few weeks ago. Locked up in his garage. Daddy went over to check on him a few times. He said there were just papers scattered everywhere. Maybe he was catching up on his taxes or something."

"Taxes!" Billy laughed.

"But Dodge just said he felt it was the right time in his life to be worried about it, and he should have done it sooner."

"That's definitely not taxes, then. Did he say anything else?"

"Well, aren't you curious all of a sudden! I thought you didn't care."

"I don't! But the others do."

"And Montego's leaving."

"Yeah. He told us all last night. People fucking hit the ceiling at first."

"So that puts you in charge."

"The hell it does!" Billy scoffed. "Angelica will be back, and she'll deal with things, not me. I'm not…I'm really not the person for that."

"Sure you are. You're older."

"Not really. The only difference between me and the other kids is that I was around when we didn't need so many rules. I just got free reign. All this…organization and stuff is so weird for me." He rolled over so he could reach his jeans pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "I've outgrown all this. We both have." He lit a cigarette for himself and blew the first cloud of smoke into the air.

"She'll want you to stay so you can keep an eye on things," said Kitten.

"Keep an eye on things? That's a fucking joke. I'm just the bad example. 'Kids, don't do what Billy does! Do the opposite of that, you'll be golden for everything!' And she's bringing back a bunch of the little kids, and how am I supposed to help with that? I hate kids."

"The kids like you, though."

"Ugh."

Kitten snickered. "Give me one." He handed her the pack, and she continued, "So, are you going to leave to?"

"Leave? Where am I supposed to go?" Billy looked at her. "I mean, sorry for the teen drama, but it's not like I've got many options."

"Australia," Kitten suggested.

"What's in Australia?"

"Your mom."

Billy thought about it for a moment. "I'd be in her way," He finally said.

"Bet you anything she'd love to have you," Kitten said wistfully.

"I've only talked to her a couple times, and it was all legal stuff. She's probably married or something, and that would just be awkward." He looked at the ceiling. "I'll probably figure something out if I want to leave bad enough."

Kitten pouted. "Well, you know where she is, at least."

Billy sighed and scooped an arm around Kitten's shoulders. "God, we're so…what's the word. Emo. Today, at least." He raised an eyebrow. "Want to find a party?"

"I'm tired," said Kitten. "And it's not even close to evening. Nobody in their right mind would even be thinking about partying yet."

"Yeah, well, who wants to be in their right mind anyway," Billy muttered.

They were silent for a good long while before Kitten finally said, "Well, Jinx looked good."

Billy's eyes, which had been drifting shut, snapped open. "What?"

"She looked healthy and stuff. You know. She looked good."

Billy rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"I'm not commenting on her situation. I'm just saying she generally looked good." Kitten let herself smile a little before adding, "I definitely want to meet her boyfriend."

"Not much to him."

"How so?"

"He's indecisive and self-righteous and spineless."

"You know, that's what you said about St--well, Cyborg," said Kitten, "The you got him drunk once and you guys ended up being really good friends."

Billy considered this for a moment. "But I don't think his metabolism really works like that."

"What?"

"I don't think getting him drunk would have the same effect it would on most people. Kid Flash, I mean. Wallace, I mean."

"What?"

"You just said I should get him drunk and then see what he was like, but I don't think it would work the same way, that's all."

"I didn't say to get him drunk! I just…god, you twist everything around! I just meant you should give it a little time before you went and made up your mind about him!"

A tinny version of 'Many Funerals' by Eisley began buzzing; Kitten and Billy exchanged quizzical looks. Kitten said, "I don't recognize that ring tone."

"Maybe somebody changed theirs," Billy dug his communicator out of his pocket and flipped it open. After studying the image on the screen for a few seconds, he groaned and handed it to Kitten. "Tell me if that's Elliot and if he's bleeding."

"Your eyesight isn't that bad, don't put it all on me," Kitten scolded him, and looked at the screen. "Elliot, sweety, please tell me that's just ketchup."

Elliot winced and put a few fingers to his bloody forehead. He shrugged an apology, and a text message appeared, "Can you come to Titans Tower? I don't really feel like teleporting."

Kitten conveyed the message to Billy and Billy growled, "He can damn well stay there all day for all I care. Why can't he call Seymour?"

Another text message appeared, saying: "DON'T TELL SEYMOUR!!"

"You're pathetic," Billy said loudly. "I'll be there in a while." He threw the communicator across the room and flopped back down on the bed next to Kitten. "Let's just let him stay there for a while. I'm tired."

"How about I drive, and we get this taken care of?" Kitten said firmly. Billy groaned and let her drag him down the stairs and into the car.

Elliot turned off his communicator ruefully and turned back to Raven, who was seated deep in her reading chair and glaring at him.

"I'll have you know," She finally said, "That I was ordered to read these diaries to make sure you or anyone else hadn't done anything to them. It's not snooping, and I am completely in line in doing as I do."

Elliot narrowed his eyes, causing the congealing blood on his forehead to crack a little.

"I have no reason to reason with you," Raven continued. "I could just as easily kick you off the top of the Tower in your current condition, and no one would think anything of it for at least a few hours, which would give me plenty of time to cover my tracks. Even better, I could just make you disappear. And you know it. By allowing you to stay here, I am evening the odds, and giving you no incentive to tell…communicate to anyone my activities." She sighed. "Do you want me to get a med kit or something? I'd take you to the room itself, but then people would find out that you're here, and you don't seem to want that."

Elliot shrugged. He stood, very slowly and carefully, and walked to Raven's bed, where he began to make himself comfortable. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered them to Raven, who took them and threw them out the window.

"I'm already being far more generous than I should be. Don't push it. And don't get blood on my pillow."

It was tempting to just leave him there, but Raven didn't want to imagine the kind of damage the other boy might wreak in her absence. It was less tempting but far more plausible to call Jinx and ask her for advice on the situation, but Raven's pride was still in a higher place than that.

And there would still be the matter of the diaries to clear up…