"Do you see anything Supergirl?" Kara heard Alex ask into the comms, right before a loud pop that made her ears ring.

"Alex?"

There's no response.

That's how it happened and that's what plays on a loop in Kara's brain daily. There had been no clues. Not a single thing to tell them where Alex and the other three agents had disappeared to. In a matter of seconds, they were gone.

Three years, that's how long Alex has been missing. Officially declared dead after a year. Kara and Maggie had never believed that to be true.

"How is Sarah enjoying her new apartment?" Kara asked around a mouth full of food.

"She loves it. She made me spend an hour yesterday moving her couch back and forth because she couldn't decide where to put it."

Kara laughed, "That sounds familiar," she joked pointing at Lena sitting beside her. Lena just shook her head good-naturedly.

Maggie tensed when Kara tensed and tilted her head in her signature "super hearing" fashion, "I gotta go," she said to Lena with a kiss on her cheek.

"Be careful," Lean murmured squeezing her arm.

Not even a minute later Maggie's phone rang, "Whatever it is, its big," she told Lena after hanging up.

"Go, go, I've got this," Lena waved her away.

Maggie nodded her mind already on the job ahead. As she stepped out of the restaurant a patrol car screeched to a stop in front of her. She jumped in and I sped away before her door was even shut.

"Details are in short supply," Sara Jenkinson, Maggie's partner explained as she weaved through the dense traffic.

"You said something about a portal?" Maggie asked grasping the handle above her head.

"Yeah, we've gotten a lot of calls about a portal opening up in the middle of the city."

Maggie shook her head, it was always something.

"Holy shit," Sara muttered as they slammed to a stop amongst the chaos.

Some people ran scared as others stood in place either gawking or filming the giant black pulsing portal floating over the park. There were cops and DEO already standing with guns ready. Supergirl and J'onn standing at the front. Sarah and Maggie moved to flank the two superheroes.

"Any idea what it is?" Maggie asked, her eyes trained on the black cloud in front of her.

"I have seen them before," J'onn answered. "But I have never seen one stay open this long?"

"What usually comes through them?"

As if to answer her question the portal began to pulse harder and a rumbling sound filled the air.

"Sorry I asked," Sarah mumbled to herself as she raised her gun.

Suddenly with a loud pop two figures fell out of the portal, right before it disappeared. A beast of an alien covered with scales landed gracelessly on its back. While the second, very human looking figure, wearing a mask, like a gas mask, landed with a grunt on their feet. Before the scaly guy can even get back on his feet, the smaller figure has him pinned as they scuffle on the ground.

"I don't know what to do," Kara complains. "Which is ones the good guy?"

The two fighters seemed completely unaware of their audience until the smaller one glanced over. They freeze giving the big guy the opportunity to land a massive blow to the head of his opponent. The small guy is knocked to the ground but gets up quickly. But by now the scaly guy has noticed his audience and takes great interest in Supergirl.

"Don't do it," Supergirl warns, as he stalks closer.

"Shoot him!" a muffled voice yell's from behind him.

Apparently not satisfied with everyone's reaction, the smaller figure darts to their left, deftly pulling a gun out of a stunned DEO agents hands. Ignoring the shouts to lower the weapon they aim the weapon at the beast's head and pull the trigger twice, with deadly precision.

The beast staggers, a dazed expression flashing on his face. Then finally falls as another shot land's in the center of his chest. He's still breathing, the smaller figure approaches and presses the gun against the beast's chest, leaning down, seemingly to whisper something to the beast, it pulls the trigger. The beast stills for good.

"Put your hands where we can see them," Maggie is the first to break out of the spell.

The small figure drops the gun and raises their hands.

"On your knees," a DEO agent orders, as he moves the gun out of reach.

"He was going to kill you all," the figure says calmly as it follows the order.

"Take off your mask," Supergirl finally steps up.

Moving slowly, the figure unclasps the locks on the mask a hissing sound whooshes forth. They remove it equally as slow.

It seems like slow motion to Kara as she watches the kneeling figure take off their mask. The shock of seeing Alex staring back at her brings her to her knees. She's pale, deep dark circles under her eyes. There is a large angry looking scar on her left cheek, going from her eyebrow to her jaw. The white of her right eye is filled with blood, a deep cut, still healing is on her cheek below it.

"Alex?" Kara reaches forward, and a deep stabbing pain courses through her as Alex moves back away from her. "I'm sorry," Kara whispers clasping her hands together to keep from touching her.

The moment is broken as an agent moves to grab Alex's hand before he can make contact Alex has him on the ground his arm pinned behind his back. It happened so quick, Kara had barely registered her movement.

"You have to let them take you in," Maggie was now at Kara's side a hand on her shoulder. "Alex please."

With a clenched jaw, Alex stands and puts her hands behind her back. Another agent puts the cuffs on Alex, and Kara can do nothing as she watches them lead Alex away from her.

"Kara?" Maggie is standing in front of her now, eyes wide and full of tears.

"She's…," Kara swallows her sob. "She's back."

Maggie watches as Kara paces back and forth, she's been doing it for the past two hours and it's exhausting to watch. They hadn't been able to see Alex since she was brought to the DEO, the "higher ups" keeping everyone away. Maggie, Kara, Winn, and Sarah had all been waiting impatiently in one of the empty conference rooms.

Maggie had asked Sarah to stay with her, she had all the same DEO clearance that Maggie had, having helped save Supergirl numerous times. They had been partners for a year and a half, Sarah was a last-ditch effort to keep Maggie in line during a rough patch after she had lost Alex.

Sarah had helped her through and had slowly become a member of the family. Maggie knew it was that Sarah reminded her so much of Alex that they got along so well. She had told Sarah all about Alex over several nights of drunken bonding. So, it was a relief to have her sitting beside her holding her hand.

"Kara?" Everyone turned as Lena swept into the room, rushing to take Kara into her arms.

"It was Alex, she…she's alive," Kara spoke into Lena's neck. "We can't see her yet. It's torture."

"J'onn called me. What do you need me to do?" Lena asked, rubbing a soft hand down Kara's cheek.

"Just be here. That's all I need," Kara hugged her again.

Maggie looked away from the intimate moment. Lena and Kara becoming a couple had been a shock to everyone, but it also felt right somehow. It was very apparent how happy they made each other anytime they were together. Maggie was a little jealous of their bond. It reminded her of what she and Alex used to have.

Pulling away from Kara, Lena surprised Maggie by pulling her into a hug, "Are you OK?"

Fresh tears fell down her cheeks, but Maggie managed a nod, "Overwhelmed," it was an understatement.

Lena nodded with a smile.

It was nearly another hour later that the door slowly opened and J'onn stepped in, looking tired and sad.

"Can we see her?" Kara is the first to react.

J'onn sighs, "She's being quarantined in a cell."

"Quarantined?" Panic squeezed Maggie's heart.

"The Lardack, the alien that she was fighting had been infected. She doesn't know what it is, but where she came from it takes over and you go into a fit of rage and can't be stopped unless your dead. They were both injected with something."

"But she isn't showing symptoms?" Lena questions.

"No, she said they had never injected a human while she was there. She doesn't know how or if she'll be infected."

"Where was she?" Sarah joins.

"She says doesn't know. She isn't being particularly cooperative."

"Can we see her?" Kara asks again.

"Yes, I just. She's different," J'onn warns. "This isn't the Alex we're used to.

Kara, Maggie, Lena, Sarah, Winn and J'onn all make their way to the cell. It's a large cell with a bench and a toilet and not much else. Alex is calmly sitting on the bench her legs crossed and her back against the wall. She doesn't show any reaction to them showing up, just simply watches them as they moved toward the cell.

Kara walks up to the glass, putting her hand against it, "I'm sorry you're being kept in here."

"It's for the best. I'm infected, and I don't know how it will affect me." Alex shrugged looking around the cell, "This is the Ritz compared to where I was before."

"We're bringing you a change of clothes and some essentials," J'onn said from his place beside Kara.

Alex gave a small nod.

Maggie gasped when Alex's attention turns to her. There was an intensity to the stare that hadn't been there before. Maggie felt like she was being studied under a microscope. She actually breathed a sigh of relief when Alex's attention moved slightly behind her, to where Sara was standing with a comforting hand on Maggie's back.

"Do I know you?" Alex directed her question to Sarah.

"I'm detective Jenkinson. Um, Sarah, I'm Maggie's partner," Sarah, stumbled over her words. Maggie didn't blame her. Alex was a little intimidating with her dark look.

They were interrupted when an agent walked in carrying several bags, "Would you all stand back please?" When no one moved she sighed, "I'm just trying to follow protocol."

When the group finally moved away from the glass, she opened the cell and handed Alex the bags, "There's food in this one."

"Thanks, Jade," Alex said quietly, taking the bags.

The agent smiled and left without another word.

The group all shuffled back up to the glass. Alex dug into the food bag with abandon. Maggie tried to keep the tears at bay as Alex ate like it had been months since she's eaten. And by the looks of her, it probably wasn't far from the truth. Kara had to turn her back burying her face in Lena's shoulder.

Maggie met Alex's eyes, there was none of the familiar light there. There was just darkness. These were the eyes of a broken woman.

After finishing her meal, Alex dug through the other bags, ignoring her audience she turned her back and pulled off her shirt, "Oh my God," Maggie couldn't hold it back. Alex's back was covered in a crosshatch of scars, from the tops of her shoulders disappearing into her pants.

Kara grabbed her hand and they shared a look.

After pulling on her shirt Alex turned back around, her face still an emotionless mask, "Don't pity me."

Maggie flinched at the words.

"We don't pity you Alex. We hurt for you," Kara's words were harsh with tears.

Alex seemed to soften slightly, but then she and Kara tensed at the same time, "Do you hear that Kara?"

Kara nodded, "Barely."

Alex nodded and stepped closer to the glass slight fear in her gaze, "Listen, they are going to come for me," she held up her hand when Kara and J'onn started to interrupt her. "Please, you have to let them take me. They will kill everyone. J'onn, Kara you are no match for them. Let them take me."

The ground started to slightly tremble.

"They won't kill me. They need me," she put her hand against the glass. "I know how to get out now. I know what I need to do. I'll come out in the same place we did today."

The ground shook harder, knocking down everyone but J'onn and Kara.

Alex kept her feet, "Please, do not fight them," Alex finished just as the room was filled with figures dressed very much like Alex had been. All armed with large black swords. Maggie could tell they weren't human.

Alex spoke to the one who had appeared in the cell with her in some alien tongue. The alien responded, its voice loud, harsh and menacing. It gripped Alex's arm with its giant hand, Alex looked at them, "I'll be back."

Then all the figures were gone in a blink. Along with Alex.

"What the hell was that?" Maggie shouted as she stood.

"I've never seen anything like that before," J'onn answered.

"I just…I let them take her," Kara said quietly, putting her hand against where Alex's had been minutes before.

"We have to trust that she knew what she was talking about. We'll have eyes on the park 24/7. We have to trust that she'll be back."

Maggie nodded. But she was breaking inside.