"Any questions about what we covered last week?" Cruz asked as he started the session. In response Supergirl put up her hand as Maggie mouthed at her to lower it.

"Yes, Supergirl?" He said.

"Two questions. One what do you do if someone interrupts when you are trying to negotiate?"

"That's a great question." He said. "But before I answer it I need Emily." He said taking her out of the bag and setting the dummy down in the corner. He then went back to the bag and pulled out his paint gun. He then looked round the room again.

"When you are negotiating there can be only one negotiator. Having a second, third or even fourth voice generates confusion. What does confusion lead to?"

"Dead Emily?" Supergirl asked.

"You are on fire today." He said as she shot the dummy. "Extra voices also causes the relationship not to build. If you can't build a relationship what happens to Emily?"

"She dies." Supergirl said.

"Exactly." He said shooting Emily again.

"When you step into the negotiation you remove everyone. How you do that is up to you. Normally a strong, commanding voice will do. But you can use whatever, legal, method you want. For you that might be a stare." He then looked at Maggie and said. "For you that might be a threat. You all already have the tools you need to take command." He then looked back at Supergirl and asked. "What was your second question?"

"Oh, I was going to ask where Emily was, but you already answered."

"Caring about the hostage. Excellent." He said. "Okay today we are going to learn how to be in touch with our inner emotions. Looking round some of you clearly want to look tough and as mentioned, taking over a negotiation you need that. However, tough doesn't win negotiations. Empathy does, or rather tactical empathy. You need to listen to them and hear what they say. They will share their fears and you need to label those fears. For example 'it sounds like you are afraid of …' 'or it looks like you are concerned by ...'" He explained. "The important thing is, no matter how crazy they sound, and they will sound crazy, you do not dismiss their fears. You embrace them."

"Embrace the crazy?" Maggie asked quietly. "This is like being at home."

"So time for some more role play." Cruz went on, not hearing or not caring about Maggie's comment. "But we will start easy and just have a chat. And for that I need two volunteers. Seeing you two are practically joined at the hip up you get." He said pointing to Maggie and Supergirl.

"I don't think this is a good idea-" Maggie started only for Cruz to cut her off.

"Fortunately you aren't here to think." He said as Supergirl and Maggie went to the front. "Okay, so I read all letters that got you on this course and it sounds like you Sawyer, have some criticisms of Supergirl. So why don't you lay them out. And you." He said turning to Kara. "You try to show tactical empathy."

When Maggie just stood silently Cruz said. "Make a start Sawyer. What don't you like about Supergirl? And go to town on it. Your job is to make her lose her focus."

"You never follow process and you show up uninvited." Maggie started.

"It sounds like you are threatened by me." Supergirl responded.

"Why would I be threatened by you?" Maggie asked.

"Well it sounded like you don't like me showing up." Supergirl said.

"Showing up uninvited." Maggie clarified.

"Uninvited?" Supergirl asked, trying the mirroring technique, getting a thumbs up from Cruz.

"Yeah, you just fly into a crime scene, take over and leave all the mess for real cops to clean up."

"So you are feeling annoyed?" Supergirl said.

"You think?"

"What matters is what you think." Supergirl said, growing in confidence.

"Really? Because it doesn't when we are at a crime scene and I tell you to back off and you don't."

"That sounds like it must make you pretty frustrated." Supergirl said.

"No. That's not the frustrating part. The frustrating part is that everyone takes your side. No one is prepared to hold you to account."

"Holding to account?" Supergirl asked mixing it up with the mirroring technique.

"If I break a perp's nose I get written up. If I knock over a pen holder I get written up. You leave Supergirl size holes in buildings and no one cares."

"That sounds like it must be quite … exasperating."

"Exasperating?" Maggie asked. "That's what you got from that?"

"Would would you prefer me to get?"

"Something much less understated maybe." Maggie said. "I want you to own your mistakes. To follow process and to stop letting perps get off due to bad police work and not following the rules."

"So you feel I don't appreciate the rules?" Supergirl asked.

"Yes."

"Because I am not a cop?"

"In part."

"So I should become a cop?"

"Yes. No. That's not what-"

"Okay. Let's stop it there." Cruz said interrupting. "Well I asked for empathy and I got it, good job Supergirl, you can all learn from that. And you Sawyer, you gave me crazy as well. Not sure you were aiming for it. But good going. Everyone pair up and give it go."

-00-

"Hey." Alex said as she returned home. Seeing Maggie holding the Kryptonite stress ball she immediately stopped and asked. "Where did you get Kryptonite?"

"It's not. I might wish it was, but it isn't. It's a stress ball."

"I am assuming the training didn't go well." Alex guessed.

"You've not spoken to Kara?"

"I did. She seemed happy, so I am a little confused that you are sitting here pretending to hold Kryptonite. What happened?"

"Tactical empathy."

"Sounds painful." Alex replied.

"Especially as it didn't end when training did. She did it the whole car ride back."

"She?"

"Kara."

"Why did you car share? She could have flown." Alex asked before realising her mistake and saying. "Not the point. It sounds like you are feeling stressed."

"Are you kidding me?" Maggie asked, reacting to the statement. "What happened? Did you two sit down over sticky buns and decide this would be funny?" Maggie asked.

"Sit down with who?"

"Kara."

"I said I haven't seen her. And what is meant to be funny?" Alex asked feeling lost.

"Saying that it sounds like I am feeling stressed."

"That wasn't meant to be funny. That was concern. It does sound like you are stressed." Alex said. Her words seemingly upsetting Maggie more causing Alex to add. "Perhaps you should try squeezing the stress ball?"

"That's what you got? Squeeze a stress ball?"

"What do you want me to say?" Alex asked wondering what had happened.

"Right now, the best option is nothing."

"Okay." Alex said.

-00-

"Training went well then?" Lena asked when she saw Kara talking to Simon.

"It was awesome." Kara said. "I was even praised by Cruz."

"Then why are you talking to Simon?"

"I'm not sure how I should use this in therapy."

"Use what?"

"Tactical empathy. Like I said, I can't see the opening."

"Perhaps you should wait until you have done the whole course before going in for the kill?" Lena suggested. "You don't want to tip your hand too soon."

"You have a point." Kara said.

"Although the tricky question is, who will be the hostage and who will be the hostage taker." Lena said. "Who will you actually be negotiating with?" She added as the door opened and Alex walked in.

"What did you do to Maggie?" Alex asked, but when she saw Simon she added. "I thought you said the class went well?"

"It did."

"Then why Simon?" Alex asked.

"Practice."

"Right." Alex said before going back to her original question. "What did you do to Maggie?"

"What do you mean?" Kara asked.

"She's really cranky."

"How's that my fault?"

"You were with her today." Alex reminded her.

"Yeah, but I didn't do anything. Apart from what Cruz told me to do."

"Which was what?"

"Show tactical empathy."

"By which you mean?" Alex pressed.

"Listening to what people say and then verbally expressing their feelings." Kara explained. "You know like, it feels like, or it sounds like."

"So he taught you how to act human?" Alex asked.

"Empathy isn't just a human thing." Kara said.

"You know what I mean." Alex said. "But why is Maggie upset by it?"

"I don't know. She's your fiancé. All I did was express her issues like Cruz told me to."

"In front of everyone?" Lena asked.

"That was the exercise. And it was something that he praised me for. And he praised Maggie for turning on the crazy. If anyone should be angry it is me, because she was expressing a lot of anger, frustration and resentment towards me. But I'm not because I am trying to understand Maggie better."

"Any idea what is going on?" Alex asked Lena.

"Absolutely." Lena said.

"What?"

"From now on I will be using words like 'feel' and 'sounds like' a whole lot more." Lena said confusing Alex even more. "Anyway I need to go."

-00-

"I hear you are feeling stressed." Lena said as she sat down next to Maggie in the bar.

"Don't start." Maggie said.

"It sounds like it was a challenging class." Lena said, careful where she was placing the emphasis.

"I will shoot you."

"Because you are feeling hostile and angry." Lena went on.

"I think I am really starting to understand Lex." Maggie said.

"And without doing a degree, I'm impressed."

"While Lex's destiny fits into place the thing I don't get is, is Kara doing this deliberately?"

"Doing what?" Lena asked.

"Trying to wind me up. I mean she denies it and it's Kara. But yet the results are undeniable."

"Putting your feelings aside for one moment, are you really suggesting Kara is sitting at home masterminding the downfall of your mind? Kara, who is the most kind hearted person you will ever meet."

"She bugged the hell out of Alex when they were growing up." Maggie pointed out.

"Pretty sure that was mutual and them just being sisters."

"You saying this is her way of making feel part of the family?" Maggie asked.

"No, I think you are just crazy. She's trying to become better and appease you." Lena said. "But I should thank you." Lena said. "You have just saved me four hundred dollars."

"How?"

"Well, I no longer feel like I need my weekly therapy session."

"Good for you. You can donate the money to my shrink."

"No need. Kara really wants to give you a follow up and that will be free."