Sharp, white pangs of pain sizzled through my body with every step, but I continued to run, even though my right ankle threatened to collapse me onto the pavement. I grimaced and wiped my forehead, unsurprised when my fingertips came back dipped crimson in blood. Thank you, Gizmo, for that wonderful wound.

A heavy cough wormed its way up my throat, and more blood splattered into my hand as I covered my mouth. I grimaced again. Probably internal damage from that beating Mammoth gave me.

As I turned off the street where See-More would have had an easier time finding me, I ducked into a dark alleyway, sank to my knees, and flicked my finger at the entrance. A pink spark jumped from my fingertip to the cement and spread outward and upward, enveloping me in a bubble of pink. Then it disappeared.

Safe. I breathed a ragged sigh of relief as I collapsed against the brick wall behind me. That protection hex would break and warn me if anyone got within a threatening distance. I even extended the hex to the ground beneath me. I had learned the nature of Kyd Wykkyd's attacks the hard way. He liked to sneak up on his enemies.

Unlike a very tactless Billy Numerous.

I ripped off part of my black sleeve and plastered it against my forehead, wincing as the fabric touched the raw wound.

Someone had once told me that superheroes never bleed. I rubbed my fingers together to try and cleanse them of my blood. So did that mean that after two years, I was still deemed unfit to be a hero? Was two years of good just not good enough?

I sucked in a sharp breath as a new wave of pain washed over me.

In a futile attempt to make myself more comfortable, I tipped my battered body farther back and winced as I made contact with the wall. After spending almost two years fighting alongside these guys, and then spending another two fighting against them, I should have learned their every move. Unfortunately for me, in the past two years since I switched sides, my old teammates learned some new moves.

But unfortunately for them, so did I. And I had new teammates now.

Or something like that. I hadn't really tested that friendship yet – not even once in two years. But all that was about to change.

With my free hand, I dug inside my pocket, and my hand flinched only the slightest bit as it brushed the sought-after object. The memories of my failure, my regret, my heartache, even after two years away were especially poignant. I drew out my Titan's communicator.

As I examined it, I wondered at how the time had flown. Had it really been two years since the Brain's takedown? That meant that I had stayed good for all of two years. And for little less than two years, I had managed to avoid a certain blue-eyed, auburn-haired, confident, romantic, handso–

"Stop it!" I hissed to myself fiercely. This was no time to start waltzing down memory lane.

You are in a critical condition. You are alone, and you have five notorious villains hunting you down. And you're about to contact your only allies whom you aren't even sure are willing to come to your aid. Get a grip. You can't start daydreaming again about that cocky, no-good, heart-breaking–

I nearly screamed. I was thinking those awful, intruding thoughts about him again.

After all, I thought in a huff. It's mostly his fault that I'm in this situation. My old H.I.V.E Five team wouldn't be hunting me down if he hadn't converted me to good. Him and his stupid roses.

Deep in my heart, I knew that he wasn't to blame for this, and I was truly happy with my choice, but it still made me feel better to be able to place the blame on someone else.

I hesitated before flipping open the yellow communicator in my hands. I held down the button on the side.

"Calling all Titans. This is…" I hesitated again. What if they didn't want to come to rescue me?

...But what other choice did I have? I cleared my throat. "This is Jinx. Please someone help me. I'm in dire need of assistance. I repeat. I'm in dire nee–"

My protection hex snapped.

Two giant arms burst through the brick wall behind me. I gracefully leapt away – or at least, I tried to. My sprained ankle collapsed underneath me. To steady myself, I placed my other hand on the wall across the alley from Mammoth. Suddenly my hand was clasped high above my head. Kyd Wykkyd emerged from a swirling pool of darkness in the wall.

My free hand still held my communicator. I tossed it high into the air, flicked my hand above Kyd Wykkyd's head, and slipped from his grasp as pink sparks erupted from my fingers and through the brick wall. Kyd made a hasty retreat as the wall crumbled down around him. I performed a back handspring and landed on my good foot, catching my communicator in one hand.

Voices rang out behind me.

"Nice moves, peabrain. Your snot-nosed boyfriend teach them to you?"

"Dang, she's just a regular one-flea circus, ain't that right, Billy?"

"Why yes she is, Billy." A high-pitched cackle.

I whirled around to face Gizmo and Billy Numerous. Behind me, I could sense Mammoth and Kyd Wykkyd closing in. I shook my head to clear the black dots ebbing away at my vision. To cover up my pain, I smirked at my old team.

"Gang's all here. Now all we need is–" I cart wheeled out of the way as a huge eye-ball crash-landed where I had been standing a moment before.

"That's my cue," quipped the one-eyed teen. He flipped the dial on the side of his head to reload. He stood on top of the building above the alleyway.

See-More.

"Nice timing, you idiot. Now get down here and help us finish her off!" screeched Gizmo. The miniature genius pressed a button on his backpack. With a mechanical grind, he grew taller on four metal spider-like legs that protruded from his backpack.

I shook my head. Some things never changed.

"H.I.V.E Five! Get her!"

Despite my situation, I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "How clever of you. You think of that all by yourself?"

All five villains rushed me. I counted in my mind. Two from behind. Two from the front. One from above. I concentrated most of my remaining energy. As I let it loose, my vision blurred and my eyes glowed pink. Waves of pink cascaded out of my palms, and I whirled in a circle. Slowly at first, then faster and faster until everything was a blur. Finally, I stopped.

Stray hex magic sparked pink across the devastation. The brick wall to my left had completely collapsed on Mammoth. Gizmo and Billy were buried up to their necks in cement. I glanced upward and saw See-More entangled in a metal fire escape.

I froze. But where was Kyd?

A dark portal swirled open in front of me, and a black figure burst out of the darkness. Kyd kicked me in the stomach, knocking all of my breath out. I slammed against the wall behind me. If I had had the means to scream, I probably would have. Earlier, Mammoth had beaten me up pretty badly and several of my ribs were probably broken.

Now Mammoth was slowly emerging from the pile of brick debris and the others were coming around. I heard See-More moan. My eyes glowed pink again, and I sent a wave of hex magic at Kyd. He simply dived back into his portal to escape.

I hurdled over Billy and Gizmo and ran farther into the alley. I still grasped my communicator in one hand. Fortunately, I was out of sight when my ankle gave out. I dragged myself behind a trashcan. I tried to make myself as small as possible to hide. I brought the communicator once more to my mouth.

"This is Jinx. Please somebody answer me. I really need help."

No response.

I felt the tears on my cheeks before I could stop myself. If the Titans didn't help me, then I was all alone. And I would surely die.

"Please–" My voice cracked and I cursed myself for being so weak. "Please. I-I'm badly hurt, and the H.I.V.E Five are after me. Please come help me. Anybody–" Before my dignity could stop me, a sob choked my throat. "If somebody doesn't help me, I'm going to die and–"

"Oh Ji-nx. Come out, come out wherever you are." I heard Gizmo faintly taunting me from farther back in the alley. I heard his metal spider legs scrape against the cement. I madly scrabbled farther behind the trashcan.

"See-More. Scan for heat sources," barked Gizmo in a shrill voice.

"Already on it, man." See-More paused. And I froze.

I swore that I heard him hiss, "Over there."

I stopped breathing. Fear strangled me. I was completely helpless. My energy was almost gone.

The metal trashcan beside me was flung to the side. Billy Numerouses fanned out and surrounded me but still gave me a pretty wide berth.

"Fitting ain't it Billy? Just like a rat should be caught."

"Yessir, Billy. It's mighty fitting. Like a rat in a trap."

I scowled back at him and wiped my tears away. Anger whisked away part of my fear. Billy charged at me and I flicked a hand at him. A shallow pink wave rippled across the ground as the cement that Billy was standing on collapsed, trapping his legs underground.

"Shut it Numerous. I'd rather be a treacherous rat than be some kind of idiot that plays petty thief and loses to himself at video games."

I ignored his protests as I turned to face the remaining four of the H.I.V.E Five.

"Calling Jinx. Come in Jinx. Do you copy?"

My communicator squawked to life. The visual was blurry, but the voice was oddly familiar. Was it Robin? Or Beast Boy? Or maybe even Cyborg. Heck, I was willing to drop my grudge if he was going to come help me. I was willing to take anybody for help. Actually, anybody but a certain yellow-and-red clad super teen– No! Never again!

"H.I.V.E Five! Eat her alive!" The four villains rushed me.

I had no time to taunt Gizmo over his stupid battle cries. I held down the button and shouted, "This is Jinx, over."

"This is–"

Mammoth slammed his fists downwards, meaning to crush me flat. I flickered a hand over the ground, and a rock popped up to trip him. I rolled sideways to avoid the blow. Carried by his own momentum, Mammoth crashed to the ground.

I hadn't heard the name from my communicator, but at this point, I didn't care.

"I'm coming to assist you."

I blocked three of Gizmo's metal legs with a feeble wave of pink. They fell off and Gizmo tottered into a wall. I brought my communicator back up to my mouth. "Please hurry."

Suddenly I sensed a pool of black forming behind me, and I limped away as fast as I could. But I wasn't fast enough. Kyd Wykkyd's cloaked arm shot out at me and grabbed me by the throat. I struggled feebly to loosen his arm, but I was at my limit. I sensed See-More beside me. Kyd Wykkyd stepped out of his portal.

"I say we have some fun with her before we finish her off," suggested See-More. He cackled as he flipped his eye to X-Ray. Realizing, my hands went to tug down my skirt. Behind me, I heard Mammoth's deep chuckle and Billy Numerous' high-pitched one.

"Now, boys, that's no way to treat a lady." A voice echoed down the alley. It was the same voice from the communicator.

I strained my neck to catch sight of my savior. Was it Robin or Beast Boy or Cyborg or–?

In a sudden flash of yellow and red, all five H.I.V.E villains were thrown back, and before I could hit the floor, someone scooped me up bridal-style. For the next five seconds, the world around me was a blur, then, suddenly, everything stopped.

I blinked. I was inside some sort of hospital room. How had I gotten to a medical facility this fast? I glanced up at my rescuer. My jaw dropped.

Oh god. No.

He smiled down at me as he gently placed me on a hospital bed.

"Don't worry. You're in Titan's Tower. You'll be safe now." His blue eyes twinkled at me. He was no longer the lanky teen I once knew. His shoulders were broader, I dully noted. And he was taller.

He looked me over, taking in my dyed brown hair and contact lenses – I was pretty sure that one was missing, though. One pink eye, one brown.

I felt frozen under his gaze. My mouth was gaping open, but I couldn't close it. My savior raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Wow. That speechless to see me again, huh?"

A wave of fatigue and pain washed over me. I bit back a scream and managed to only grimace at the heavy pain. His eyes widened and he held down a button on the wall, not taking his eyes off me.

"Hey, Raven. Could you come to the medical bay, pronto?" He turned back to me, and I glanced away.

"Why?" I mumbled.

He frowned. "Why what?"

"Why did you do it?" I risked a ragged breath and winced as a bolt of pain shot through my chest. "Why did you save me?"

"Jinx," he murmured my name for the first time. He glanced down. "It's because I couldn't save you last time."

I felt a shiver go down my spine, even as black dots hovered at the edges of my vision, threatening to overwhelm me. I was so ungrateful to him. But I couldn't help it. Not after what he had done to me. My eyes felt like they had two-ton weights glued to them, and they threatened to close.

I blinked. The words spilled from my lips before I could stop them – my moment of weakness.
"Thank you for coming back," I murmured before the blackness took me. "Kid Flash."

Thanks for reading guys!

-K