Maggie stood in Alex's lab with J'onn who had one of the neural inhibitors in his hands. Maggie couldn't help but think of the times she would come here and practically have to drag Alex away from whatever her current project was.

"I don't see how this will do us any good," J'onn said. "It would have to be calibrated and right now we aren't detecting anything from Evo that would give us an idea of what to block."

"It was Alex's idea so she must have some use for this."

"Let's hope that when she wakes up she will be willing to share."

"I don't think we should wait," Maggie said. "Let me speak to Evo again. I know he has information and he at least seemed somewhat interested in speaking with me the last time."

"Alex didn't think that was a good idea."

"Which is why you need to let me do it. Something is happening here, and we don't have the first clue as to what that is, and Alex isn't being forthcoming. She knows something but the fact she hasn't spoken up is more reason to let me do this," Maggie said. "I get that you trust her and her judgment more than anyone else, but you have to consider that whatever happened to her compromised her in some way. Why else would she not tell you or Kara immediately that something is going on?"

She watched as J'onn considered what she had to say. She knew J'onn trusted Alex more than anyone else, but he was also smart and had to see that something was wrong with her. The evidence was right there in front of him, she just needed him to see that it was what he should base his decision on – not on his feelings for Alex.

There were a lot of questions Maggie had about all of this, but Alex's hostility toward her was one she couldn't reconcile. Despite what had happened between them, there was no reason for Alex to be acting like she was toward her.

"Evo wasn't exactly forthcoming the last time, what makes you think it would be any different this time?" J'onn asked.

"I don't know, but he was at least willing to speak with me last time when he wasn't speaking with anyone else," Maggie said. "Please, J'onn let me do this."

"Ok, but like before, I won't let you be in there alone."

"Thank you."

…

Evo – still in Alex's form – was sitting on the floor of his cell, a smile on his face as Maggie and J'onn came into the room. But Maggie paused almost immediately because, despite the smile, it was still a moment before Evo looked up to see them. So why was he smiling?

"Maggie!" Evo said, quickly getting to his feet. "How good it is to see you once more."

Maggie came fully into the room, stopping in front of the cell, her arms crossed.

"What are you doing to her?" she asked.

"Oh no, you forgot our deal," Evo said. "It's my turn to ask you a question."

"Ask."

"Do you still love her?"

Maggie uncrossed her arm wondering if she should answer truthfully or not.

"Yes," she said finally. "I never stopped."

The smile on Evo's face turned into a more serious expression at these words. "You realize there is no scenario in which you get her back, don't you?"

"This isn't about that."

"Oh really, then what is it that you are hoping to accomplish?"

"I just want to make sure she is ok, that she is safe."

Evo moves closer to the barrier, "that too is out of your hands detective."

Maggie also stepped closer to the barrier, staring down this mock Alex. "I won't let you hurt her."

"She doesn't belong to you any longer detective, she belongs to me. I know her in ways you never could. I know what she fears, her hopes, her desire," Evo said. "There is nothing she can hide from me. Everything she has ever experienced I have experienced, even your touch detective. Everything she has yet to experience, I will experience including her death."

"You tried killing her once already, that didn't work out for you so well did it?"

Evo again smiled at her. "The difference this time is that Alexandra will be begging for death. She will want it and she will achieve it because we both know she doesn't give up and believe me she will want death's embrace. And once she does, she and I will become one."

The confidence with which Evo spoke shook Maggie, causing her to take a step back.

"I won't let you hurt her," Maggie responded, trying to reassert some control but she suddenly got the feeling that Evo was the one in control and everything that was happening was how he wanted it.

"There are only three ways this stops detective," he said. "One is Alexandra's death. One is if you volunteer to take her place, which Alexandra will never allow to happen."

"What is the third?"

"Another thing that Alexandra will not allow," Evo said. "Don't believe me, go ask her. She is awake once more."

…

Maggie marched into the medbay, seeing Alex sitting up in the bed looking exhausted so she almost decided not to confront her, but she felt anger – anger at Evo and yes anger at Alex.

"You ready to tell us what the hell is going on here?" Maggie said.

"I thought I told you to leave," Alex said immediately getting defensive.

"I'm not going anywhere," Maggie said, crossing her arms. "But I'm going to ask everyone else to leave this room right now. You and I are going to talk."

Everyone else just stood there for a moment and finally Alex spoke, "Clear the room please."

After everyone left they continued to stare each other down but Alex was the first to blink. "Evo told you what you wanted," Alex said.

"No, he spoke in cryptic little sentences so now I want to hear from you what is happening," Maggie said. "Let's start with the basics of how you know what he and I were talking about."

"I don't know," Alex said. "Not exactly at least. All I know is that he can somehow access my mind."

"I'm guessing that you have known about it since the beginning."

Alex nodded.

"Damn it, why wouldn't have said something?"

"It wouldn't have made a difference," Alex sighed.

Maggie could see the defeated expression on Alex's face and wanted so much to go comfort her, but she didn't make a move.

"Why wouldn't it have made a difference?"

"Because whatever he did, it won't stop," Alex said.

Maggie shook her head, "that's not what he said. He said there were …"

"I know what he said," Alex interrupted. "But those aren't options."

"Your death isn't," Maggie said. "But …"

"No!" Alex said.

"I'm not saying I should volunteer to take your place whatever that means," Maggie said. "But he said there was a third option, so what is it?"

"It's not an option."

"Well, why don't you tell me what it is so I can determine that for myself."

"No," Alex said. "Now if that is all, you can leave now."

"I'm not leaving," Maggie said.

"You have to," Alex said.

"Why?" Maggie said, and this time she couldn't help but come closer. She walked next to the bed and reached for Alex's hand but Alex moved it.

"I just can't have you here," Alex said. "I can't."

Maggie backed up a step and again crossed her arms.

"Ok, I will leave but only if you answer one more question. He said that I made you vulnerable, what did he mean by that?"

Alex remained silent for long enough that Maggie didn't think she was going to answer. "When it first started, I could keep him out … out of my mind if I could stay calm if I could keep any emotion at bay. That is what attracts him. His victims, they were all emotional for one reason or another. It doesn't matter if the emotions are happy or sad or even anger. They just have to be strong and in some ways uncontrollable. The person feels incomplete I guess you could say or maybe it's just unfulfilled because they can't get a handle on what they are feeling. Evo can sense it, sense that the person feels this way whether they want to or not, and that is how he gets in. You make me vulnerable to him because of how I feel about you."

Maggie wanted to ask how did she feel about her – did she still love her or did she resent Maggie because Maggie couldn't give her what she wanted?

"If my presence is making it worse for you then I'll stay away," Maggie said. "I never wanted to hurt you."

"You didn't," Alex said quickly. "This isn't your fault in any way. I just can't have you around me or him."

"I'll go then," Maggie said. "I hope you find a way out of this."

Maggie left the room even though she wanted so much to stay but knew she couldn't. Kara looked at her expectedly.

"Take care of her," Maggie said.

"You're leaving?"

Maggie glances back at the room. "I don't have a choice," Maggie said. "Evo is in her head somehow, communicating with her, and my presence is making it worse for her. I'll let her explain. Just … just let me know how she is doing ok?"

Kara hugged her, "of course."