Chapter Nine: Hoping for a Miracle

The Titans sat in the waiting room of the infirmary as Jinx was wheeled away into the ER. Cyborg paced up and down the floor, his metal shoes clinking on the tile floor. Nightwing and Starfire sat together in the uncomfortable seats, trying to fathom just what had taken place in the Soto warehouse club. Jinx had saved Cyborg, sacrificing who she was and what she believed in when she took out Gizmo.

What Nightwing couldn't believe was the fact that Cyborg and Jinx got married, in secret, managed to keep it quiet for three months before revealing it to his friends. Now that the truth was out, what was he going to do? He was uneasy about letting Jinx join the Titans, but she had saved Cyborg's life and that did count for something…Now she lay in that hospital, possibly dying and Cyborg was pacing up and down worried sick about her.

He got to his feet and walked over to his friend. "Any news?" he asked.

"The Doctors removed the bullets. They say she's stable...for now. They're trying to stop the bleeding. I hope she'll be alright. And there's something else the doctors found out about her…" His voice trailed off.

"What?"

"She's pregnant."

"Whoa," Nightwing exclaimed. "When did they tell you?"

"They told me when they informed me of her condition," replied Cyborg as he stared blankly at the wall. "That must be what she was trying to tell me, before Gizmo came."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Along with the baby," Nightwing attempted to comfort him. Cyborg looked surprised.

"I thought you were against Jinx."

"I was, but you saw a side of her that we never got to see. You knew she wasn't totally evil and…I think that's what saved her. The fact that you loved her unconditionally, even though she hated you with her whole being; you showed her how much she meant to you. You changed her for the better and showed her what it was like on the other side of the spectrum, what being something else besides being evil was. And, if she survives, I would let her join the team."

"Really?" Cyborg asked in shock.

"Yes, she's proven herself, even though she killed Gizmo, I don't know what we're going to do about that yet, but we'll figure something out."

"Thank you, Nightwing, this means the world to me."

"You're welcome, but I still have to figure out what we're going to do about this whole incident with Gizmo." Nightwing turned and walked back to Starfire, who looked up at him.

"Is Cyborg okay?" she asked.

"He's fine. Let's hope Jinx'll be okay." He sat down and picked up a newspaper. It was all over the headlines about Jinx's fight with Gizmo. Former Headmistress of the H.I.V.E. defeats Mastermind of Internal Coupe. "Well, they're all over it. Wonder if they know about Cyborg," Nightwing murmured under his breath. Gar was reading something it wasn't the newspaper; it was the local tabloids. His eyes went wide and he looked over at Cyborg.

"Dude, Cyborg. You may want to see this!" he said, pointing at the paper.

"What is it?" he asked, walking over. He took the magazine from Gar's hands. "Oh no," he groaned aloud. "It's out."

"It is, how? I thought you didn't tell anyone about this." Starfire walked over to them from her seat. "Wow!" she looked at the Headline: Are Cyborg and Jinx Married? See for yourself. Exclusive Interview with Mammoth inside!

"How did they get a hold of Mammoth?" Raven asked, seeing the headline. He's in jail."

"Everyone gets one phone call. He must have called the tabloids," Nightwing explained. "But how did he know?"

"Gizmo must have figured it out from their conversation right before he interrupted," Cyborg said. "Now what am I going to do?"

"Just confirm that it's true Cyborg. And then everyone'll get over it and things will go back to normal."

"Thanks Dick, you really know how to fix a situation," Cyborg slapped him on the back. Dick smiled at his friend.

"That's what I'm here for," he turned his attention back to his paper. Just then, a Doctor came into the room. He looked at Cyborg. "Victor Stone?" he asked.

"Yes?" he looked up at him from his seat.

"It appears that," he looked around awkwardly, "that Jinx is in stable condition. The bleeding has stopped for now and her vital signs are improving." Cyborg gave a sigh of relief as he leaned back into the chair.

"Is she awake? Can I see her?"

"She isn't awake, but you can see her," the doctor replied. "And I might warn you, she's in pretty bad shape." Cyborg rose to his feet, followed closely by his friends as the doctor ushered him into the room. Jinx was lying on a hospital bed, unconscious. Several tubes including and IV were attached to her body, which in turn were hooked up to several monitors that tracked her vital signs.

"Raven, can't you do something?" Cyborg asked. "You can heal people, absorb their pain. Can't you heal her?" He looked at his friend with a pleading look.

"Would that I could, Cyborg," Raven replied. "I can heal certain things, but it would be very difficult, even if I were more powerful than I am now I'm not sure if I could bring her back. She's very close to death now, I know that much."

"But can't you at least try?" he asked again. "For me, please? I love her more than life itself!"

"That's a lot to say," Beast Boy observed quietly.

"It's the truth though." Cyborg turned to Raven. "Can't you try, at least?"

"I will do what I can," Raven said as she knelt down by Jinx's unconscious form. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos," she began to chant as she placed her hand quietly on her shoulder. Her power flowed from her hands into Jinx's body. Slowly it began to knit the broken muscles and tendons back together. She concentrated harder, trying to heal her faster. She soon became exhausted from the strain of the attempt. Opening her eyes, she stopped. Cyborg looked at her.

"Why did you stop?" he asked.

"I pushed myself to my very limits," Raven told him. "I've done what I could. I can do nothing more. She has to fight by herself now. I'm sorry Cyborg. It's her time to come back to you now. I can't bring her back."

She looked at her friend with sympathy and compassion. Cyborg seemed stricken. "But-but, you healed yourself, B.B. and Robin. Why can't you fix her?"

"My powers have their limits, Cyborg," Raven said sadly. "You really do need a miracle now. Hope for the best, that's all you can do." She turned away from him and walked over to a chair.

Cyborg pulled up a seat besides Jinx's inert body. He took her hand in his. Staring down at her, he began to talk to her. He had heard once that sometimes, even though a person might be unconscious, they could still hear someone speak to them, even though they couldn't respond.

"Jinx, can you hear me?" he asked quietly. "I'm not sure if you can, but just hold on, Jinx. Hold on for me. I don't want to lose you. You can beat this, I know you can. If I do lose you, I don't know what I'll do."

"If you can hear me, Jinx, then squeeze my hand, and I'll no you're okay," he said it in a pleading voice. "Please, just come back, Jinx. Just come back…" It was barely a movement, barely a twitch, but he felt Jinx's hand squeeze his lightly. He looked down at her. There was still hope.

"Listen, why don't you guys go out and wait in the waiting room. There's no sense you guys trying to crowd in here waiting for her to wake up."

"We'll all be waiting outside in the waiting room," Starfire whispered. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" she asked him quietly. She was worried that Cyborg would experience an emotion or mental breakdown if he stayed in the room with Jinx by himself. She looked at him again and she knew by the look in his eyes that he would be fine.

"Don't you worry Star," Cyborg reassured her. "I'll be fine. Y'all go on outside and wait. I'll stay with her for now." Beast Boy frowned, he wondered if he was really fine, though. He looked at Cyborg.

"Cy, are you sure that—"

"I'm fine," he insisted. "So just go out there and wait, okay? I'll be out when I know she's okay." Beast Boy turned and left the room. He noticed the doctor walk by him as he approached Cyborg. He put a hand on his shoulder.

"Mr. Stone, apparently your wife's condition is reasonably stable. The bleeding is now under control although she hasn't regained consciousness. We'll continue monitoring her through the night. We'll let you know if there are any changes."

"Thank you, Doctor," Cyborg thanked him. "That's…very good news." Cyborg rose to his feet after what seemed like forever that he had been sitting, unmoving, at Jinx's side, hoping for a miracle. The Doctor had given him a miracle, even if it was just a small one.

Walking out of the room, he found his friends. Nightwing looked up at him. "Any news? Is she awake?"

"Not yet," replied Cyborg. "But the doctor said she's in stable condition and that the bleeding's finally stopped. She's still unconscious and I don't know how that'll affect her recovery."

"That's good news, Cy," Beast Boy said. "I suppose we should go home—"

"I'm not going back to the Tower with you," Cyborg interrupted. "I'm going to stay here and watch over Jinx."

"But Cyborg, we need your help—"

"Nightwing, my mind's made up. I'm staying here." Cyborg quietly sat down in one of the chairs and picked up a TIME magazine and began reading it. Nightwing looked at his friend and sighed. There would be no changing his mind about the matter.

"Do you want us to get you something to eat?" Nightwing asked.

"A pizza would be nice. Pepperoni. Lots and lots of pepperoni," Cyborg enthusiastically replied.

"Of all the things we could get you to eat, you want a pepperoni pizza?" Nightwing was surprised at this request because it seemed rather odd.

"Yeah, it will be the first time in a long time that I can eat a pizza that's not covered in vegetables."

"What's wrong with vegetables?" Beast Boy asked.

"Nothing. It's just we keep eating them because you won't let us get any meat!"

"It's like you're eating me when you eat meat! Dude I've been most of those animals!"

"Yeah, but it's not like they're going to be wiped out any time soon, so just get me some pepperoni pizza!"

"Alright already!" Beast Boy exclaimed. "Carnivores, ugh!"

"Get over it, Gar. You married me and I eat meat!" Raven said irritated.

"Yeah, you keep reminding me!" he said as they walked out of the hospital. Nightwing followed suit and walked after them.

Starfire turned to him and said "Cyborg you will tell us if she is better, won't you?"

"Sure thing, Star. Go on, Nightwing's waiting for you on his motorcycle and B.B. and Raven are already leaving."

"Thank you Cyborg," with those words, Starfire joined her husband as she walked out the door.

Nightwing and Starfire drove on his motorcycle to the pizza parlor that they knew was the Titans favorite. They had eaten there many times over their teenage years over 10 years ago in what seemed like another lifetime. Pulling into an empty parking space, Nightwing jumped off and helped Starfire dismount off the cycle.

Walking in, they noticed the line was rather long as they looked around the bustling pizza parlor. Some of the costumers regarded them with interest, some didn't even seem to notice. Stepping into the line, they began waiting for their turn to order.

"So, what do you think will become of Jinx?" Starfire asked. "Do you think she will recover?"

"I honestly don't know, Kori, "Nightwing replied. "It's her fight now. That's what Raven said."

"What Raven said is true, but if she recovers what will you do?"

"What do you mean by that?" Nightwing asked quietly.

"Will you make her a Titan?" Kori asked in very low whisper as so no one could hear her but him.

"I don't know. I've been thinking about it for awhile," replied Nightwing in an equally low whisper.

"Have you made a decision yet?" she asked.

"No. Like I said. I've been thinking about it."

"Well, you'll have to decide sooner or later. Cyborg would be heartbroken if she wasn't allowed to join."

"I know, and that's what makes the decision harder. But I will have made my decision by tomorrow. At least I plan to. So don't worry, Star. I'm leaning towards letting her join us."

"But you still hold back. Because of what she did to Gizmo."

"Yes, but she saved Cyborg's life and that's why I'm having a hard time with my decision. I know that she wanted revenge for what he did to her, but she loved Cyborg and saved his life when she killed Gizmo. I'm torn between what I stand for and what's best for my friend." Nightwing wiped a hand across his forehead.

"I'm sure you'll make the right decision when the time comes," Starfire told him. "It's our turn in the line now," she said as they stepped up to the counter. The worker tuned her attention to them.

"What can I get you folks?" she asked.

"A large pepperoni pizza, please," Nightwing said. The lady called out the order in the intercom and turned back to them.

"So is this for you two?" she asked.

"No, it's for Cyborg," Starfire replied.

"Oh, is it true what I read, that he married Jinx?" she asked. "The tabloids said that they got married because of some kind of Coupe or something."

"The tabloids exaggerate," Starfire replied. "I guess they interviewed Mammoth and he didn't tell the truth. Well, what do you expect from a tabloid magazine anyway?" she laughed. "They did get married. But they love each other, as strange as the relationship sounds. They love each other, and that's all that matters."

"So don't trust the tabloids, huh," the lady laughed.

"Yeah, it's all trash anyway," Nightwing said as he grabbed the pizza from her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Nightwing. Come again, okay?"

"We'll be back again sometime." He said as he had Starfire hold the pizza as he climbed up on his motorcycle.

They drove back to the hospital and walked in on Cyborg, who was seated once again in the hospital room, staring at Jinx.

"Hey Cy, here's your pizza." Nightiwng handed him the hot, just cooked food. He took it smiling. He looked at it for a few seconds, then he turned and looked at Nightwing.

"Thanks this means a lot," he smiled.

"Any change from last time?" asked a concerned Nightwing.

"No. Not yet," Cyborg replied.

"Well, we better go—" Nightwing said, just as his communicator began blinking. He picked it up. It was Beast Boy.

"There's been another Jailbreak. We have to go!"

"We'll be right there!" Nightwing said. He turned to Cyborg. "I'd really appreciate it if you'd help us."

"I'm staying Nightwing. I need to make sure she'll be fine," Cyborg said, his voice filled with determination. "You go on, if things get really bad, I'll come. But for now, I need to stay with her."

"I can see that there will be no changing your mind on this one," Nightwing said heavily. "I'll call you if we need you." He turned, followed quickly by Starfire; he rushed out to the parking lot. Jumping on the motorcycle, they sped off towards the Jump City Jail and what awaited them there.