Rushing Into Things

(Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans.)

Chapter 1: Heroes and Villains

She couldn't quite remember what happened and wasn't sure if she wanted to. It all came in flashes like the lighting that erupted from the billowing, black sky with the large cracks of thunder. She couldn't quite see where she was going as the icy rain pelted down upon her soaked, black and purple clothing. Her entire body was numb from the experience, every brain cell frozen, but she kept running as if some other force was pulling her away from that building.

There really was no reason to run, which was why it was strange. The enemy left when she thought she was finished; there was no one chasing her. That blasted Madame Rouge must have thought it'd be better if she just got rid of them all together, and though she was grateful to be alive, Jinx couldn't help but wonder how she could possibly forget her… but she supposed nobody really cared to even think twice about the misfortunate missy, even the villains who were out for blood. Her tainted blood might give them bad luck anyways.

Since she wasn't really concentrating, it was a shock when her legs finally gave out, and she dropped to her knees in the middle of the street, panting and gasping for air. Her hands trembled in front of her eyes.

Sound returned. The pattering of the rain began to shell her. She could hear her breathing calming down. She could hear the thunder booming. She could hear the city, still busy not far from where she was… and then…

She rose her head weakly as she was blinded by bright beaming lights, and her hearing was drowned in the blaring of a car horn. It took only a moment for her to realize that she was about to be hit, and she barely had time to scream when she was suddenly away from the source of what would be her doom… and getting farther away.

She blacked out before questions could be asked.

-

It seemed dreams were the window to the soul.

She slowly began to remember what happened, though it was still fuzzy.

Madame Rouge decided to pay the Hive Five (or Hive SIX would be more correct) a visit during one of their heists at a jewelry store. She seemed confident, and she had every right to be, since she took each one down one by one with ease. Jinx, like a coward, had hidden behind the counter, curled up in one of the cubby holes where most people's feet went. She normally wouldn't have been that way, but she'd seen her in action, and she knew she didn't stand a chance, even with her team backing her up (because they did such a FINE job at it in the first place). Fear wasn't normally a word even in her vocabulary since she was very confident in her skills, but when her skills were put to the test, her confidence was gone.

She could hear the cries of pain and fear from Gizmo, Billy Numerous, Mammoth, Billy Numerous, Billy Numerous, See-More, Kid Wicked, and… Billy Numerous. One side of her told her to get up and help, no matter what the cost, while the other half was claiming her to be insane if she did. Before she could finish arguing with herself and coming to a conclusion of what to do, all was silent, and when curiosity forced her out, no one was there. There were a few spatters of blood, ripped shreds of clothing pieces, broken glass… but there wasn't anyone. Nothing in the store was living except for her… and for the first time since before H.I.V.E. Academy… she was completely alone… and afraid…

-

She blinked her cat-like eyes open, and focused her vision. There was a ceiling, which was definitely a good thing since it was still pouring outside according to the tapping on the windows. As she lifted her body into a sitting position, she held her head to steady the dizzy feeling and focused again.

"How did I… get home…?" She asked, rubbing her forehead. "I didn't run all the way here…"

"Nope! I did!"

"YEEK!" She jumped and jolted her head to the doorway.

"Hey!" He said, raising his gloved hand.

"It's YOU!" She gasped, powering her hands.

He wasn't in the doorway anymore. Now he was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking over his shoulder at her and kicking his legs off the side like a child would do. "That's not any way to act for someone who just saved you from becoming a Jinx pancake on the road, now is it? Show me some love!"

"I don't love," She said, blasting at him.

Kid Flash's lightning speed was too much for her however, since he dodged her attack easily, and she ended up blowing up her dresser. She growled in frustration and looked in his--- or where she thought was his--- direction… only to find he wasn't there anymore either.

"You shouldn't stress," His voice said in her ear, his hand placed on her shoulders. "It's really not healthy."

Her face turned red, and she turned to blast him, but he took hold of her wrist and held her hands high up in the air, out of blasting range. "Let's not fight."

"Let go of me!" She yelled, struggling against his grip. She was too tired to fight for long and soon resorted to pouting angrily.

"Do you promise not to fight?" He asked, beaming at him. She swore she heard a ding of an oven somewhere.

She sighed. "I promise…" She mumbled, not sounding too happy about it.

He let go, and she plopped onto the bed, glaring at him.

"What?" He asked offensively. "I saved you!"

She looked away, still looking angry.

He watched her for a moment, a vexed look upon his face, when again came the ding of that oven as an idea hatched like an egg in his mind.

"Hey, now! Don't ignore me like that! I just wanna talk to you."

"What would I even have to say to you," She more stated than questioned.

"Well…" He said, "for one, what were you doing in the middle of the street, just waiting to become a Jinx pancake?"

"I wasn't paying attention. I had been running."

"Being a runner, I always find paying attention an asset when running. Otherwise you might get hit by a car," He said matter-of-factly.

"I hate you," She said blandly.

"I figured," He responded in a defeated way.

"Now get out of here before I change my mind about not fighting you," She said, crossing her arms.

"-but-"

"GO!"

"Nah," He said, leaning back against the wall.

She snarled, turning in his direction, her eyes lighting up with pink light.

"Oh, take a chill pill," He told her. "You totally owe me, and I'm only staying because I---"

"-because you what!" She shouted, ready to bounce on him and rip his throat out.

"Well…" He shrugged. "I suppose, I'm worried that you're not okay."

She gazed at him in astonishment, not sure of what to say. "Wh…" was all that came out.

"Why?" He responded, raising his eyebrows. "I'll tell you why. One as observant as you wouldn't just sit in the street like that. Something must have happened to you to occupy you, and I'm not going to leave you here all alone when you're in that sort of state. If your enemies attack you now, you might be in danger of getting hurt," He began pacing, "and even though you're a thief and a villain by the standards set today, I can't allow something like that to happen, at least until the fight is fair."

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

He blinked his glittery blue eyes at her, then smiled.

"That was… not the answer I expected…" She finally responded.

"Hey, I'm a hero. It's what I do!" He posed dramatically and seemed to shine.

"You're an idiot."

The light around him flickered and went out.

"Well, I saved you anyways," He shrugged. "You can't exactly get mad at me for that, right? You know, unless you had a death wish or were trying to commit suicide or something, and even if that was the case, I still wouldn't leave, because suicide and death is wrong and bad."

She stood up and walked to her busted up dresser where many garments of her clothing lay scattered on the floor, unharmed. She'd safeguarded them against her powers in case of incidents like this.

"I'm going to change," She said. "When I come back in here, you better not be in here."

She went into the bathroom and switched out her wet clothes for her dry ones and rubbed her hair with a towel until it was dry.

When she exited the bathroom and returned to her room, she almost felt a little disappointed. Kid Flash was gone.

She ALMOST felt disappointed… until she walked into the living room to find him sitting on the couch watching a cartoon show and laughing like an idiot.

"HEY!" She barked.

"What?" He asked, shoving a potato chip into his mouth. "You said I had to get out of the room, not the building. Want some chips?"

"I hate you."

"You already told me that, but then again, heroes and villains are supposed to hate each other, right? I say we break down those boundaries and get along, at least until you get back up to speed… unless you're trying to get up to my speed, then it'll never happen. So, where's your friends?"

He was good at abruptly changing the subject after rambling…. But that wasn't what got her.

"I… don't know…" She admitted, feeling her eyes burn. It hit her again how alone she was.

He looked at her in concern and surprise. "What happened?"

"I don't know…"

"Don't you have any idea at all?"

"Madame Rouge…"

"Madame Rouge!" He exclaimed, hopping over the couch and rushing to her.

"Do you think they're okay?"

"I…don't…know…"

She hung her head and trembled slightly, her isolation sinking in and froze her veins and sent fear slinking up her spine.

The ice seemed to vanish as a warmth comforted her in the form of Kid Flash's arms. "No worries, Jinx-y. I'll help you find them."

"Don't… call me Jinx-y…" She mumbled, not letting him see her smile.

"Okay," He replied, beaming. "As long as you trust me."

"Why are you so into making deals?"

"I dunno. Why?"

"You're really good at it."

"It's a gift," He laughed. "So, do you accept my help?" He stepped back and extended his hand.

She stared at him for a moment. "I can't believe I'm saying this… but…" She put her hand in his and shook it. "Yeah. I do."

Suddenly, it seemed an alliance had formed between a villain and a hero. The walls fell, and the two were now comrades.