A/N - This is the bridge into the next "arc" of the story. I'm changing it up to what I initially was planning, and it probably is another short chapter. Work has been slamming me with hours but I'm trying my best with updating.

Days were starting to get back to normal. Kara had gone back home and to work, Alex had gotten back into her routine as an operative agent at the DEO, and Maggie was getting back to work as well. Alex's legs had healed, her walking with a slight limp in her left leg. Maggie still kept a watchful eye on Alex, but it had been getting better. Her and Alex were starting to get intimate again, adjusting to the changes that had taken place over the course of the past few weeks. Kara was no longer there as another pair of eyes to take care of Alex, and it took some adjusting for her to stop living with Maggie after the bond they had formed during her sister's coma. It was all becoming normal until Alex saw her father again.

It had been three days since Alex's confrontation with Jeremiah. Another night had gone by, and Alex couldn't stop cursing herself out. Another night of pain, longing for a bottle of scotch, seething with rage. Another night where Alex couldn't save her father. She trembled at the thought, anxiety-ridden and still fuming with anger and hatred towards Cadmus. You took my father away from me, you tried to kill my sister, what else do you want?

The confrontation resulted in Alex closing herself off to the people around her. She couldn't let her rage hurt other people, she couldn't be responsible for anything she said. She told herself that she was weak, and that she couldn't save anyone. Everyone had tried to get through to her, but even J'onn said that there was no use. It hurt to see her in so much pain.

"You can't do anything to make her feel better?" Kara asked with worry.

"Alex has completely shut herself out. You need to make sure she knows she isn't worthless. That's what she's feeling right now. She's suppressing all of her feelings down, bottling them up. While I can read her mind I can't make her feel better."

"For now we just have to be there for her. I can tell it's been taking a rough toll on her mental and physical health. She barely wants to eat, and I know she's not sleeping at night." Maggie chimed in.

"She's scared the nightmares will come back."

"Do you want me to come back and stay longer?"

"No, Alex will shut herself out even more I feel like. She's trying to get through this herself, and I disagree with her that she can. But as much as I think you should come back to stay with us, we both know that it'll take a bigger toll on Alex's independence. We just have to try and distract her.

Kara thought donuts and a movie night would help if she was up for it.

Maggie thought cuddling would help if she was up for it.

Winn, James and Lena thought a game night would help if she was up to it, but she never was.

Nothing seemed to help. Nothing anyone said or did would cause Alex to be up for anything. Nothing seemed to help Alex get through the pain of letting her father get away, letting her father hurt Maggie's friends. She contemplated what she'd do if he hurt Maggie, but couldn't even bring herself to that conclusion.

"Danvers." Maggie's voice was softer than ever. She joined the DEO director on the couch, mindlessly watching TV. "What's on your mind, Alex?"

"My head hurts."

"That's not it. What else?"

"I couldn't stop him. I should have. He hurt your friends. He almost killed McConnell."

"But they're okay. And McConnell's okay. He's on a bunch of meds, he's having a hay day in the hospital."

"I froze."

"What?"

"I could have stopped him. I should have the second I found out it was Lillian Luthor behind all of it. I mean, Cadmus is back."

"Oh honey. You had no way of knowing."

"I don't know. Maybe I would have if we didn't wait so long."

"It's not your fault." Maggie pulled Alex into a hug and kissed her head. "No matter what you think, this was not your fault at all."

"I can't eat. I can't sleep. I just keep thinking about him. Where he is, who he'll hurt next. God, if it was you he hurt I don't know what I could have done." Tears were forming in Alex's eyes.

"But he didn't hurt me. Cadmus won't touch me. This will be over soon enough. We'll get your dad back, Luthor will be back in jail and Cadmus won't be anything anymore."

Maggie sighed, still holding her girlfriend. "I wish I could make you feel better. Clear your head."

"I don't know if anything will, Mags. Not anytime soon." Her stomach growled.

"Why don't I get you some food? Maybe you won't feel better but it'll at least make that headache go away."

Alex chuckled and nodded. "Want me to go with you?"

"No, you need to rest. I'll be back soon. I'm going to get you some of those fries from the bar, yeah?"

"Yeah, sounds good, Mags." Alex kissed her.

Maggie got up to get her purse and put her jacket on. "I'll be back in twenty." With that, she walked out and shut the door behind her.

Alex looked towards the door and sighed. What did I do to deserve her?

Five minutes later, Maggie reached the bar when a bright light startled her. She slowly turned around, reaching for her gun.

"Margarita Elena Sawyer. I'm surprised you don't have your other half with you." She recognized that voice. No, it couldn't be.

"The hell are you doing here?" Maggie held her gun out to the shadow.

"I came here for you."

"How did you know I was here?"

"I've been keeping an eye on you and Alex. Kara too, but she's not important right now."

"What do you mean right now? Don't you think coming to a place where everyone hates you would be a terrible idea?"

"Well, unlike you I didn't come alone."

Three more shadows came into Maggie's view. They were armed with alien technology.

"Why don't you fight me yourself, Lillian? You're a coward, just like Alex said to you while you were brainwashing her father."

"I don't need to waste my breath on you. You'll join our cause soon enough. Take her away, boys."

Maggie shot her gun, but Lillian's henchmen struck back. The NCPD detective felt an electric shock in her chest and collapsed. It only took one hit and Maggie was out cold.

"Welcome to Cadmus."