Hi, all! This story is a missing scene from 1x13 that was written before 1x14 aired. I apologize for the atrocious title but nothing came to mind :/

Disclaimer: I own nothing and profit nothing. I just enjoy taking characters out for a joy ride :)

"Why did you lie to Kara for me?" Alex asked Hank, stopping him from leaving. Kara deserved to know the truth, that she killed Astra and not Hank. But she didn't know how to tell her, knew the look of betrayal she'd see on Kara's face even though she killed Astra to save Hank's life.

"Because you're Supergirl's hero and I didn't want her to see you as anything other than that," Hank murmured sincerely. Supergirl, Kara, needed to believe in the good in everyone and that she could save everyone. It was what made her a hero. But he, Alex, and every other single soldier that worked at the DEO knew that no matter how much you might wish it, sometimes you just couldn't save everyone.

Hank nodded at her and left, leaving her to watch him. Alex blinked a few times to banish the stinging behind her eyes, unwilling to cry here in front of her co-workers. She worked her ass off to get where she was, gain respect as a woman in a sea of men. Maybe when she was home, alone, in a nice warm shower she could give in to the urge for a good long cry.

She looked away from the retreating form of her friend and glanced at the hall that led to the cells. This was going to be unpleasant but it was necessary. Alex slowly turned and headed that way.

"Goodnight, Danvers," another DEO Agent said, clasping her shoulder.

Alex smiled at the man and nodded. "Goodnight," she said immediately in return.

Alex slowly walked the long corridor of cells that housed the fiercest and most dangerous aliens. The only sound was a mixture of her boots hitting the cement floor and her ragged breathing. It was a long terrible day. She almost lost her sister, then had to kill in the line of duty, and Alex felt like she could just drop right now and sleep for days. She needed a vacation, but alien menaces waited for no one and she'd be bored stiff with nothing to do. Thoughts of getting away from National City for a few days were firmly banished from her mind as she rolled her shoulders, trying to work the tense knots away as she rounded the corner heading towards Cell 19. First she needed to go speak to someone first, then go check up on Kara, and finally then she could think of herself. If her day had been terrible she knew Kara's was twenty times worse. Kara lost her Aunt. Even though Astra had been an enemy, she was still her Aunt and the only real family (besides her cousin) from her old planet she had left, now gone—because of her.

Alex swallowed hard as she stopped in front of the closed steel doors of Cell 19's room where Maxwell Lord was being kept. She should just wait until tomorrow with a fresh mind and outlook to deal with him but she knew if she didn't get this off her chest now, there would be no rest for her tonight. Before she lost her nerve, she opened the door and entered. Max sat on the bench of the enclosed see-through cell he was in. He was still in the same clothes she brought him in with. Maybe she should be nice and go get him a new set or get him Netflix.

"Agent Danvers," he greeted. "Nice of you to visit me in my solitary confinement," Max said with a sweeping gesture to his cell. "Have you changed your mind about getting me that case of Dr. Pepper?" he quipped.

"Shut up and listen," she requested. "I'm not in a very good mood. But I needed to do this before I left for the night," she admitted.

God, she shouldn't even be here. Not after what Max had almost done to Kara with Bizzaro. He didn't deserve her gratitude when he had tried to kill Kara previously. But Max hadn't needed to help her save Kara from the Black Mercy. He could have easily refused or used their need for his brilliant mind to save her sister as a leveraging chip more so than he had tried. Maxwell Lord had given in far too easily when he had held all the cards. They had needed him, he knew it, they knew it, and yet he still gave in with very little resistance. Two snide remarks and he agreed to help her which left her suspicious. Did she believe her 'enemy of your enemy' resonated with him?—the more she thought about it, the more she knew the answer was no. As Hank pointed out earlier, Maxwell Lord was a survivor and did what was in his best interests. So what purpose was saving the woman he claimed to hate?—what did he get out of it? She didn't see a single thing he benefited from helping them. And the more she thought about it the more confused she became, but whatever the reason behind Max helping save Kara may have been she was grateful.

Max quirked a brow up, seeing as she hadn't said anything yet, as if preparing herself, allowing him a chance to study her. This woman was intelligent, beautiful, and lethal. She ensnared his interest, which took a lot as most women bored him and Alex seemed unimpressed by the money he had. What did she call him again?—a reformed nerd with a god complex. Max smiled. Her only flaw he could find was that Alex Danvers loved her adopted alien sister and wanted to protect her.

He rested his elbows on his knees and settled his chin in his hands feigning interest in what she had to say. "By all means, take your time. I have nothing better to do anyway," Max murmured.

Alex walked forward, ignoring his obnoxious stance, and stopped directly before the door to enter the cell. "Thank you for earlier," she said sincerely.

Max stood up and approached the door of the cell he was in. He stared down into her large brown eyes. "For saving Supergirl?" he asked.

She shook her head. "For saving my sister," she said instead. "Thank you Max." She turned so he wouldn't see how close she was to tears. Alex wasn't going to show any hint of vulnerability in front of him. She already showed too much earlier when she had thought she lost Kara. Max would only use it to his advantage.

Alex moved for the door. "Agent Danvers," Max called.

She hesitated and turned to look back at him. They merely stood still, gazing at one another. She waited for him to say what he wanted, yet he remained silent, as if he was having an internal debate over if he wanted to say whatever was on his mind or not. Alex simply stood there and gazed into his blue eyes, waiting. He wore an aloof façade, the mask slipped a few times and she saw the man he was underneath, but she wasn't willing to forgive him. Not yet, maybe never. She couldn't let go the fact that he had come after Kara, but had earned himself a brownie point with helping her today.

After several tense moments Max just nodded his head gently, she smiled briefly understanding his way of saying 'don't mention it' without needing the words. Maxwell Lord would never ever admit anything. Maybe one day she would ask him why he helped her save Kara and he would actually answer it honestly.

AN: Okay so if any of you have read 'Accidental Meeting' then you might have seen that I wasn't sure if I ship Alex/Max or not. Well I do, I tried not too but after the last episode aired there is a thing between them whether either one wants to admit it or not! I cannot help my shipper heart it wants what it wants which is Max and Alex!

Anyways my friend who proofs my stuff has a 3 chapter mini ficlet of Alex/Max that actually follows 'Accidental Meeting' that I wrote a week or so back, so that will be posted soon. And I got a tiny idea for a oneshot that may or may not be smutty (sigh, I got a lot on my plate) so I might write it out.

Thank you for reading my story and ramblings! Alex/Max might need some TLC *cough redemption for Max cough* before they can become a ship for sure but I don't mind a very slow burn. I actually prefer them :)