a/n I've involved yet another TT ship into my writing, this time KFlash/Jinx. Inspiration was other fics, pics, and the episode Lightspeed (which I've never seen, but worry not, 'ccz this isn't the first time I've tried it and so far I haven't gotten bad reviews). Also, it turned out longer than I thought. I expected 1k words, tops, then ended up with triple of it. Haha. Wait, what are you waiting for? Go!

disclaimer I don't own TT or 'Wonderwall' by Oasis.

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The word was on the street that the fire in your heart is out

I'm sure you've heard it all before but you never really had a doubt

I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do about you now…

"Oh, damn it," 19-year-old(1) Hasha Claret(2) cursed softly as she tipped her head back just in time for a wet drop to splash on her forehead. The skies had been forecasting all day about the oncoming rain, and she hoped she could make it to her shift on time. Apparently not.

Clutching her purse to herself, she decided to make a run for it, knowing full well she had no chance of beating the rain.

When she arrived at the restaurant franchise, it was expected that she'd be soaking wet. Joyce, her fellow waitress and friend, beckoned to her.

"Girl, what happened to you?" The African-American asked hastily, in the midst of grilling four steak sirloins at once.

"The weather hates me," Hasha replied, shaking herself dry and leaving puddles on the floor.

"Why didn't you take the bus?"

"I'm broke."

"Well, you better change fast before Carter sees you and deducts from your paycheck again," Joyce said, referring to their ill-tempered manager. "There's an extra uniform in my locker. You know the combination."

Hasha grinned weakly. "Thanks. I owe you big time."

Joyce smirked in return, then assumed a mock-authoritative expression.

"Spare me the drama, girl, and go!"

Hasha nodded and rushed to the small employee's lounge, fumbling as she twisted Joyce's lock and exhaling in relief as it swung open. She quickly maneuvered herself from her tight, damp skirt and blouse to put on Joyce's spare, groaning when she realized the tag still bore her friend's name.

Tempted to shake a fist at the heavens, she bent over slightly and was just squeezing the remaining water from her hair when footsteps entered the room, and she motioned to a standing position to meet her manager's stern gaze.

"Well, well, well, Claret. Seems you're late for your shift… again." John Carter(3) said smoothly, with his arms crossed over his crisp polo shirt, hair slicked back to give a cheap if but professional air. The planes of his face were long and sharp, and he could have passed for handsome if he wasn't so arrogant and downright annoying.

"Haven't you got anything to say?" His eyebrow raised, and his foot was tapping impatiently.

Hasha bowed her head. "I apologize for my tardy behavior and I promise to get on time, er, next time, sir. You have every right to lower my salary for my poor performance. I've been a shameful employee and I must give my best to be fully functional. Sir." She recited the speech Carter composed for his imperfect subordinates.

"It's good you recognize your mistakes, then." He said, satisfied. He was just about to leave when he turned back to add, "Oh, and I'll add two hours to your shift for not wearing proper attire." He motioned to the name tag, which boldly stated "Hi, I'm JOYCE. May I take your order?"

The door slammed shut and Hasha sank to her knees and leaned against the metal lockers, banging her head lightly.

The energy hex that had been forming in her hand dissipated, and she wondered if she should have just flung it at the asshole just for kicks. She wasn't always this way, Hasha Claret, crappy waitress in a crappy restaurant with nothing to show for her life.

She used to be one of the top students in HIVE, a respectable member of the villainous community.

She used to be Jinx.

She was fairly happy with her life then, working against the good cause with her classmates. She was good, and she was something. She never questioned the ideals of the institution and, like most of the students, just wanted to belong and use their powers in a place where they wouldn't be labeled as freaks.

That is, until he came speeding by and gave her something to think about.

Wally, or Kid Flash, entered her life in his usual swift fashion and managed to convince her that her abilities would be of better use on the other side of the law, the right one.

And she believed him.

It wasn't as if she didn't try to be a hero. She did, and she fought the villain side of her at the same time. Wally urged her on, but they didn't get together often and were assigned to different missions and different places, until they didn't see much of each other at all. She lasted a complete year as a Titan, and then she decided to call it quits.

Within months on the good side, she realized how hard it was to be a hero more than it was to be a villain. Being a hero was a serious and 24-7 job, while being a villain was frequently just for fun if she and the rest of the team felt like causing destruction, and their duties weren't so demanding.

That, and she soon found out her new co-workers didn't really trust her. Not that much. Apparently, the Titans have had their share of betrayals, and as she used to be an enemy, they kind of expected her to turn on them. Not to mention the looks her former friends from HIVE gave her when they encountered in battle…

She couldn't take it; she was simply not cut out to be a hero. And she obviously couldn't go back to the bad side, because the other villains would tear her apart; and even if she could, she wouldn't, because being with Wally, no matter how short a time they had, had completely altered her morals.

So she took the remaining way out: a life of normalcy.

She moved out of the Tower, landed herself a job as a waitress, rented an apartment, and dyed her hair to its original brown and had it cut to a simple, average-teenager style. She didn't get colored contacts to hide the unusual pink of her eyes, though; it was the one part of her appearance that came with her powers, and even if she wanted to leave that hero/villain phase of her life for good, she wanted to keep a part of herself still. Maybe she just couldn't leave it behind, not really, but maybe she also wanted a reminder that even if she started living among ordinary people, she wasn't really one of them.

She didn't keep in touch with any of her old friends, hero or otherwise, not even Wally. She figured if she really wanted to start anew she had to begin from scratch.

So here she was, registered in the city records under the identity of a girl called Hasha Claret (she couldn't remember her birth name, not anymore), with the girl called Jinx left in the past but never to be truly forgotten.

She got up and breathed deeply to clear her mind, then put some of her hair in front to cover the nametag, lest she be reprimanded again.

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Hasha (or should we call her Jinx now?) had just finished clearing a table and she glanced at the clock, nearly rejoicing as it marked the end of her shift when she remembered that Carter added two more hours to hers.

She looked around wearily at the restaurant. Joyce had gone home already and there were only five more employees, excluding her, left in the place. Carter, two cashier girls for those who wanted to order takeout, another waitress, and the janitor. There were only a few customers too, so maybe that was a plus.

She sank down in one of the chairs to rest for an instant, leaning her head against her elbow and praying that she wouldn't fall asleep from exhaustion.

Then she heard the entrance open, and she hoped Theresa, the other waitress, would take care of the incoming customers. She was just so tired…

"Excuse me, is this table taken?" Said a masculine voice that was vaguely familiar.

Her head jerked up to attention, and she was then staring at those bright blue eyes she thought she would never see again.

The man was tall, just over the average height, lean with muscles faintly rippling over his torso, dressed in jeans, a red shirt, and a light brown jacket(4). The face was more mature, but had the attractive features she would recognize anywhere, along with the shock of messy, thick red hair adorning his scalp. Plus that smile that was so real and sincere and genuinely glad you couldn't help but speculate if it was teasing, and those ever-so blue eyes…

"I'm sorry if I woke you up," Wally, or Kid Flash (though he couldn't really be called a kid anymore), said pleasantly. "But I'm kinda hungry."

She rose awkwardly and nearly stumbled, but then he caught her arm with the speed of a lightning bolt that she caught her breath from the proximity as his fanned on her face, warm and comforting.

"I got you," he whispered, and that was when she knew he was really Wally West.

"Yeah, um, sorry," she blushed and stammered, bringing out her pad and pen. "I'm, er, Hasha. May I take your order?" Her heart thudded in her chest. Did he recognize her too?

"Yeah, sure you can, Hasha. Can I call you Ash?" His smile never left his face, but hers lessened a few inches. So he didn't see her after all…

"Uh, sure you can, um… too. Yeah." She nearly smacked her forehead. Of course he wouldn't be able to identify her; she had changed as well, more than he ever will. "Um, and you'll have…?"

He took a fleeting look at the menu. "Spaghetti, white sauce, chicken salad side dish. And, Four Seasons juice. That's all."

She wrote the order on the pad, then repeated the items. "White spaghetti, chicken salad, and… Four Seasons. Thank you for ordering, sir. Your meal will be served in ten to fifteen minutes."

"Thanks, Ash," he said, and as she walked away she felt the old knots tightening in her stomach, just like before.

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And all the roads we have to walk are winding, and all the lights that lead us there are blinding

There are many things that I would like to say to you but I don't know how…

"Here's your order, sir. Have a nice meal." She placed the tray on the table and just wanted to get away from this remnant from her past when he caught her again, this time by the wrist.

"Excuse me, Ash," he was grinning again, damn it!

"If you're not busy, can we talk for a while?" It was such an unusual request, and she really shouldn't say yes because 1) Carter would kill her, and 2) did she really want to connect with Wally again, and lose him when her shift was over and he went out the door?

But he was smiling, and she never could resist that smile.

But that didn't mean she couldn't put up a fight.

"I really shouldn't… my manager wouldn't…" She stuttered, trying to break free from his hold.

"I'll take care of that," and he raised his hand, calling for attention.

"Manager! Who's the manager of this place?" He shouted, and in less than ten seconds Carter was there, with a forced smile and a heated stare at her.

"Is there a problem, sir?" He said through clenched teeth. "Is it your waitress?" Like everything was her fault.

"No, no, of course not. Ash' been wonderful," he ignored Carter's obvious irritation. "Which was why I'm asking permission for her to stay and chat with me, if that's all right with you. It's late and you don't have much customers, and I could really use the company."

'The customer is always right,' had always been Carter's motto, and even if it was clear he didn't want to, he couldn't try and displease anyone. The paying anyone's, anyway.

"Why, certainly, sir. I'll make sure Ms. Claret here would be free to accommodate you for the rest of your stay." Carter's angular face was turning beet red, a sign that he was angry to be defeated, but he was trying not to let it show.

She tried to plead with him through her eyes that it wasn't as if she asked this crazy guy to clear her shift, but it was of no use. Carter was just about stomping away when Wally called him back.

Carter was already visibly frowning. "Yes, sir?"

Wally paid no heed to the goaded manager. "I forgot. What'd you like to order, Ash?"

She was still surprised. "Um, uh, you don't really need to…"

He shook his head jovially. "No, it would be rude to let you watch me eat while you don't get any. Come on, what'd you like?"

"I… I don't know."

"Hmm, then I'll have to decide for you. Ash will have… fried fillet and mash potatoes. And some iced tea. Is that okay with you?" He asked curiously.

"I… I guess so," she replied meekly.

"There. Put it on my tab, won't you, uh--" He squinted to read Carter's tag. "John. All right?"

"Yes, sir." Carter choked out in mild mortification, then left before the guy could pester him any further.

Then Wally faced her, lazily twirling the pasta noodles on his fork and putting it to his mouth so fast she barely saw it happen.

"So," he began, "it's just you and me, huh, Ash?"

"Hmph," she huffed and crossed her arms. "Lucky me." Her sarcasm lied. It was to make up for the anxiety she felt after being with him after what seemed like two too long years, and he didn't even know it.

"Aw, come on, why so grumpy?" He leaned forward inquisitively, and she her cheeks reddened yet again. "I'm not that hideous, aren't I?"

"Speak for yourself," she snapped, and afterwards smirked when he sulked. "What's with all this… anyway?" She said, trying to be more comfortable.

"This?" He mimicked her quote gestures. He slurped up a stray noodle.

"The 'I need some company act.' I'm a waitress in a stupid restaurant, why didn't you just pick some gorgeous hooker off a street? You're cocky enough to pull it off." The response was so insecure and complementing and mocking at the same time his expression contorted at first, unsure what to think.

"I thought I'd get to know you first," his grin came back, leaving her stunned. Those were one of the first words they'd ever exchanged, was it possible that…? She shook her head, trying to get rid of the thoughts. He probably dropped that line to every girl he met, based on his flirtatious nature.

"Good luck with that," she answered curtly. The irony made her giggle, and suddenly she didn't care if he thought she was insane or something. She was just happy.

She saw him smiling at her. Her eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"Nothing," his gaze withdrew to his pasta, and for once he didn't do it in super speed. "Just noticed something?"

"Like what?" She repeated, feeling like a parrot.

"Your eyes."

"W-what about my eyes?" She faltered again. It seemed like half of her desperately wanted him to know who she really was, and the other half wanted to leave things be.

"They're pink." He blurted out.

There was something more coming along. "Yeah, and?"

He shrugged. "They're nice."

"Oh." What could you say to that?

"And… and they glow when you laugh." His voice dropped law, husky, almost in a secretive manner. "I like it."

She gasped softly, mesmerized by the seduction of the moment. He drew closer, closer, reaching for her across the table; the funny thing was, she was doing the same thing.

Their eyes were closing, and their lips were inches, centimeters apart, and they're almost there… and just when they brushed slightly, the contact sweet and breathtaking…

"Ahem." Someone cleared their throat, and the two hurriedly split apart, both a little bit embarrassed for what almost-kinda happened.

"Your… fillet and mashed potatoes are here, sir. Have a nice meal." Carter stiffly recited, then practically dropped the tray on the table and skipped away from the oddities.

It took a full minute of quiet staring at the newly-brought food before Wally pointed at it.

"You… gonna eat that?"

She was shaken out of her trance. "Um. Uh. Yeah. Sure. Thanks."

The next several minutes consisted of her picking at her meal and him finishing the last of his, all done in silence.

That didn't mean they didn't enjoy it.

When he was done, he merely watched her as she ate, which resulted in some self-consciousness.

Then when she couldn't take it anymore, she pushed the chair back, the creaky, high-pitched sound it made as it grazed the floor disconcerting and loud.

"I… Excuse me. Need to go to the bathroom." She wiped her mouth on a napkin and stood up.

"Wait," he stopped her, for the third time that night, with fingers hovering over her hand. And at a rate she couldn't keep up with, she was suddenly on his arms, encircled by his warmth and his face burrowing into her neck and hair. She wishes he'd never let go…

And when he did, but not without a final farewell (not goodbye, never goodbye), "It was good to see you again," it was over too soon.

And then he was gone, speeding out of the restaurant faster than she could blink. Her eyes tear up because she misses him already, and they're drawn to the table.

Beside the handful of bills that was payment for the meal, lay a single red rose, from which a note was attached.

'Jinx,

Call me up or something, won't you?' Written after it were his contact details.

She continued to read, hands trembling from the sheer emotional tremor of something once lost, that now came back.

'Cause I missed you.

I really did.

Love,

The Fastest Man Alive.'

She clutches the note in a fisted hand, picking up the rose and lifted it to her face so that the petals swept against her cheek, to inhale the bittersweet fragrance, just like she used to.

The tears sting her eyes but she doesn't mind, because mixed with the sadness was joy.

Because now she realizes that Jinx was never gone.

Or if she had been, it doesn't matter now.

He knew her all along.

fin

I said maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me?

And after all, you're my wonderwall…

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a/n I love the song. I was just browsing through the hundreds of lyrics in my folder when I saw this and thought it went nicely with the fic. So, what did you think? It was my first with the couple and I have to say that I really enjoyed it and got to love the couple more. So please, please

REVIEW!

(1)I don't know Jinx's real name, or her original appearance, so I made it up. The original DC Jinx is of Indian origin, so I used an Indian-ish first name; the last name was a synonym of 'red' because… err, that's the closest it gets to pink, which was her body-color theme, and it sounds cool. Haha, creative license, I tell you!

(2) I assumed that both Jinx and KFlash were sixteen in Lightspeed, and this happened three years later. Do the math, people.

(3) I ripped off the name from my favorite character from the show E.R., played by Noah Wiley. However, rest assured that the character from E.R. and my horrible OC of a manager here bear any resemblance, it's all in the name.

(4) Sorry. I dressed Wally like I do Robin in my other fics. It's just the thing I imagine him wearing, so forgive me if I'm wrong. Sorry if I made him OOC as well, but you gotta remember I've never seen him in action. But damn, he's pretty cute, isn't he?