A/N: I have to keep thanking everybody for the great reviews, you certainly keep a gal writing. Continual thanks to Sorrow, you rock! I know I promised training session, but I think you'll all be happy with this. The next chapter WILL be a training session I promise! I really hope you're all enjoying reading as much as I am writing. Thanks again!

"Dix?" Max moved towards the communications platform of Terminal City HQ. Alec and Joshua were still by her side.

"Yeah Max?" Dix moved to her in his usual excited manor.

"We're going to need you to keep tabs on Logan. Tap his phone and hack into his computers, we need to keep him under surveillance. Can you do all that without him knowing?"

"Sure Max, Logan may be good, but he doesn't have the equipment anymore, plus well-"

"You're better." Max attempted to smile, but failed. Dix nodded at her answer and turned back to his computer screens.

Max took in a deep breath, turned to Alec and moved a hand to his shoulder. "We should clean that up."

"Yeah." Alec gave Max an almost smile. She was trying to cover up her hurt and wasn't doing a bad job, though Alec wasn't fooled. But he was however startled when Mole returned, yelling at the top of his voice.

"Well that had to be the single best event I have experienced in quite some time." Alec moved to the railing above and moved his hand back and forth below his chin, signalling Mole to shut up. He didn't, instead he raised his shotgun and looked at it with pride. "It's amazing how far you can shove one of these baby's down a human's throat before they puke."

There were mumbles of laughter and Alec tried his hardest to keep the smile off his face. Max stood silently.

"Well than you probably need to go clean that baby up, right Mole?" Alec rose his eyebrows to the lizard man.

"Clean it? This baby's going in quarantine for a month. It'll take that long just to get his stink off it." With that Mole headed for the cleaning bay.

"Come on." Max patted Alec on the back and the two headed for the medical room in the far right hand corner of HQ.

"Max, I'm sorry painting caused so much trouble." Joshua looked down toward the ground as she passed.

"Oh no Joshua," She turned and put a hand to his face, "That wasn't your fault. The painting is amazing."

"Just wanted to make Max happy."

"You did Joshua." She forced a smile and gave him a hug.

Alec patted Joshua on the back before he and Max left for the medical room.

*********************

"Take you shirt off."

Oh, the remarks that could have been made at that moment, but Alec decided it was certainly not the time. Instead he did as he was asked. Her perched himself on the medical table and removed his shirt, grimacing slightly as he pulled it away from his shoulder. Max brought some white gauze to the wound to collect the blood.

"I think it just grazed me."

Alec tried to get a look at his wound, his mouth opening slightly as he forced his head around to inspect. Max stood silently. She lightly ran her fingers across the light scaring that lay on Alec's shoulder.

"Yep, this one makes three. I'm starting to think I have some sort of magnetic field that draws all flying bullets to my shoulders."

Max dropped her hand to her side, her eyes transfixed to his wound.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's ok Maxie."

Alec placed his hand over Max's as she held the gauze in place. She looked up at him slowly and took her hand away. She collected the other supplies and continued to clean the wound in silence. The bullet had only grazed him, so there was no need for stitches. Max finished dressing Alec's shoulder and handed him his shirt. He slowly placed it back on, careful to not move the bandaging. Max returned the supplies to their draws. She sighed lightly.

"And how are you doing Max?" Alec moved quietly behind her.

"Oh, breathing is back to normal now." She kept her back to him.

"I mean how are you doing period?"

"I'm fine." Her answer was quick, but her gestures were slow and revealing. Her shoulders slumped slightly as she exhaled. Alec placed a hand on her arm and turned her to face him.

"And I would believe that if 'I'm fine' was German for 'I'm crushed'."

She made eye contact with him and than looked away. "I guess I could just…it would be really good to have something to hit right now."

Alec nodded slightly and turned to his side, lifting the sleeve above his uninjured shoulder. "Ok Maxie, take you best shot."

She laughed and softly connected her hand to his arm, but the laughter quickly turned to tears and her body was falling. Alec took a hold of her and slowly guided her to the floor. Tear's roared down her face and Alec could feel their intense heat on his chest as he drew he near.

For the briefest moment Alec hoped that what Joshua had said was true. That Logan wasn't the one Max wanted to touch. But as quickly as the thought came, it had left his mind, though the warm feeling remained. His thoughts went back to Max, as she leant on him for support. She had let her guard down and the flood gates were open. *Open all over my shirt.* But Alec didn't mind. He had never seen Max so upset, showing the world how vulnerable she really was. But Alec wasn't going to let them see.

"Shhh." He rocked her back and forth, stroking her hair softly.

This moment would stay between them forever.