Chapter 2

'It all started after Stone- I mean Cyborg went undercover at the H.I.V.E, I started to rethink my choices…I started to think that evil wasn't what I wanted in life. I went to Brother Blood and told him I wanted out, a clean start, and he pretended to agree,' Jinx's eyes were sparkling with tears. 'Then when my back was turned he blasted me, brainwashed me, and virtually removed my powers. I didn't even remember who Stone was, or how he'd changed my life.'

'So he made you believe you were completely evil again, basically?' asked Robin.

'Not exactly, he just made suppressed the positive inclinations that had surfaced since Cyborg's mission,' explained Jinx.

'He modified your memories,' Noted Raven. 'To make it seem there was never anything going on between you two to begin with.'

'Exactly,' Nodded Jinx. 'So anyway, yesterday afternoon was the weekly Battle Royale, every week we have a tournament to see who the best fighter in the H.I.V.E is. I'd gotten to the final. It was against that little bitch Scarlett. We went at it for a while, and then she got a lucky energy bolt to my head; she knocked me out and broke Brother Blood's hold on my mind and powers. When I woke up I went ballistic and nearly destroyed the academy. It's still standing but completely trashed; I think I also got rid of Brother Blood for good. I roughed him up pretty badly y'know, scared him.'

'That's all fine and dandy, but what do you want with us?' asked Raven, her face unreadable.

Jinx flushed a deep crimson. 'I –ahh…'

'I think I know. You want to join the team, right?' said Robin, smiling a little in spite of himself. 'Raven, can you sense deception in anything Jinx's said so far?'

'Not that I've picked up on no…' grumbled Raven, she wasn't liking where this conversation was heading. 'I think I'd better look a little deeper…'

'Hold on, there is NO WAY that psycho witch is going anywhere NEAR my mind, last time someone went there I lost a good chunk of my memory,' Jinx actually looked panicked. 'I mean it; if that's what I have to go through, I'm gone.'

Jinx got up and turned towards the door. 'Jinx wait, that's ok. I'm not sure I can give you Titan membership yet,' explained Robin. 'but I think we'll give you a trial.'

'WHAT?' exclaimed Raven, utterly gob smacked. 'Please tell me this is a stupid joke.'

'No joke Raven, I'm thinking we may soon have another member of the Teen Titans,' smiled Robin. 'A titan communicator for you, Jinx'

And to her surprise, Robin put the communicator into Jinx's hand and turned to the door. 'Raven, will you show Jinx to a guest room?'

'Whatever…' growled Raven, mumbling something under her breath. 'Come on…'

As Raven padded down the corridor towards the elevator that would take them up to the guest floor of Titans' Tower, Jinx bounded ahead.

'Wait, I remember this from when we totally kicked your-'Jinx started, and then rethought her sentence. 'I mean, from the last time I was here…'

'You mean when you almost killed us, broke into the Tower,' Raven's voice was a deadly hiss. 'And went into my room…'

Jinx blushed furiously and then mumbled. 'Yeah, then.' Before stepping back for Raven to push the relevant floor on the panel.

The silence in the elevator was deafening and Jinx was cracking up over it, so she decided to break the ice. 'You know, we have a lot in common you and I. I never really had a chance to see it before but maybe you and I could be-'

'Don't, just don't even say the word 'friends',' snarled Raven, her eyes glowing red. 'I trust my friends with my life; I wouldn't even trust you as far as I could throw you.'

Jinx's eyes sparkled with tears and she turned away before Raven saw. Raven however, was empathic, and got a major blast of despair that nearly knocked her to the floor.

'Jinx, I…' she croaked. 'I'm sorry if I seem harsh, it's two things really. One, my powers are closely tied to my emotions; I can't feel too much for fear of hurting people. And two, I've welcomed people openly before, and been hurt because of it so just give me time and I'll come round, ok?'

'Ok,' smiled Jinx, blinking away her tears and looking marginally happier. 'Thanks, Raven that means more than you know.'

The lift beeped and the door opened, revealing them to be on the East Wing of the Tower.

'The guest rooms are on this floor,' Raven smirked. 'But you already knew that, didn't you?'

Jinx laughed. 'Yeah, I guess I did. And don't be giving me one of the little rooms either. I know which one is the best, I want room 103.'

She crossed her arms and pouted, and Raven almost laughed before composing herself and replying. 'Fine, room 103 it is…the Presidential suite, Jinx, reserved for royalty and other such rulers visiting the tower. You really know how to pick them, huh?'

Jinx just smiled sweetly.