NB: Thank you for all the positive comments I've received so far and for your patience as you wait for Alex to show up. This is the one - a wild Alex Danvers appears!

Chapter 4

Max took Piper to school the next morning feeling like he was walking on egg shells. There was no telling whether she was ok or whether something small would set her off. He gave her a hug before she walked away to her classroom and she returned it. As milestones go, Max thought that was a pretty good one.

His mind was wandering on the drive home so he didn't register the black car that was waiting in his driveway until he pulled up behind it. Eyes narrowing, Max got out of his Mercedes cautiously. The car's windows were tinted and the license plate was ambiguous, giving no clue as to its owner.

The driver's door opened and Alex Danvers got out. It was a bizarre feeling for Max. His life had changed so much that the DEO had been miles away from his thoughts. Seeing Alex felt like crashing back to reality, like someone had pierced the bubble that he'd been living in. It made him uneasy.

'Agent Danvers,' Max said, 'this is unexpected.'

'Yeah, well, it's not something I'd scheduled in my calendar either Max.' Good old Alex. Never pleased to see him.

'So what have I done now?' Max asked.

'Surprisingly nothing. Actually, I've been sent to escort you back to the DEO. Hank, despite my protests, has decided that we need your help.'

Max chuckled. The disapproval on Alex's face was clear. He could just imagine the glaring that would've taken place as those two stubborn bulls battled it out.

'Well that's all very kind of Hank, but I'm rather busy at the moment so I'm going to have to decline.' Max shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

'Then I guess we have a problem because this isn't a request.'

Alex knocked on the window of the car and two armed DEO agents emerged from the back seat. Max grimaced, closing his eyes. Why today of all days?

'No, Alex, you don't understand,' Max began, but he was cut off when the two agents grabbed an arm each and marched him towards the vehicle.

'Sorry Max. Director's orders. Be a good boy and put your seatbelt on.'

Max had never been very complimentary about the DEO, but his tone was poisonous as he argued for his release on the way back to base. He struggled against his guards all the way into the command centre which made Alex raise her eyebrows curiously. She'd never seen Max so agitated before.

'Let me out of here,' Max demanded the moment he was in front of Hank.

'As much as I hate to say it,' Hank sighed, hands on his hips, 'we need your help Max. So we can't let you go just yet.'

'You don't understand.' The grin on Max's face was menacing rather than smug and it unsettled Alex a little. 'I can't be here right now.'

'You're always telling us how smart you are. Put that brain to work and you won't be here for long.' Hank tapped some keys on the computer, bringing up some read-outs on the screen. 'These graphs show interference in our satellite signals. We've been picking up some odd noise in a frequency that we can't pinpoint and it's messing with our communications. All signals in National City are being affected in some way and it seems to me that something or someone is purposely disrupting them. I'm concerned that this is just a test run.'

Max listened with frustration. Two weeks ago he would've relished the challenge of beating the DEO at its own game. The opportunity to show off itched in the back of his mind. The scene was so familiar to him that it was almost nostalgic, but things were different now. It was like watching something happen from afar even though he was right in the middle of it.

'Let me guess,' Max said impatiently, 'you can't find the signal so you want me to find it and then work out a way to stop it.'

'Yes,' Hank nodded. 'If we can-'

'I can't do it,' Max interrupted. 'I've got other things to take care of.'

Hank and Alex stared. Where was the snarky comment about how useless the DEO are? Where was the bravado and the assurance that Max would flaunt his genius and save the day?

'This isn't optional Max,' Alex began, but Max had had enough.

'You know what's not optional? Kidnapping me every time you get into trouble. You're the big secret government agency with National City's alien saviour who sure as hell didn't want my help not so long ago. So what, is Supergirl not good enough for you now?'

He spoke with controlled anger which surprised Alex. One thing that had always irritated her was that Max was so calm and collected even in the face of danger. He never looked shaken, never lost his cool. Even now he hadn't allowed himself to shout or gesture. Alex had never been able to keep her temper like that. Hit first, ask questions later.

Max turned abruptly and started making his way to the exit, but Hank ordered the guards to arrest him.

'Max, I wasn't going to do this the hard way, but if you won't cooperate then I'm afraid I'll have to.'

'Get off me!'

'Take him to the cell,' Hank sighed.

'You'll regret this!' Max called back to Hank as he was dragged off in the direction of the containment cells.

'What was that all about?' Alex wondered out loud.

'I have no idea,' Hank replied, just as stunned.

Max paced back and forth across the familiar cell. He was angry. For the first time in a long time, he hadn't done anything to land himself in here and yet here he found himself anyway. Max had played cat and mouse with Alex and the DEO for a while now. It was a game that he'd enjoyed, particularly when Alex reluctantly played along. In a lot of ways, he found himself missing their normal routine of banter, showing off and saving the day. It was simple, it catered to his ego and it was fun. And now he had a daughter to think about and pick up from school.

Piper had brought the concept of family back into his life which was something that he'd never thought would reappear. It was also something that he wasn't willing to give up, even if that meant sacrificing his role as last minute go to at the DEO.

A loud hiss startled Max from his thoughts and he looked up to see Alex enter the room. He crossed his arms as she approached the cell.

'Max, it doesn't have to go this way,' she said.

'I'm feeling difficult today,' Max answered haughtily, 'so yeah, it does.'

Alex sighed and shook her head. 'You were happy enough to help us defeat Non last month. Is this kind of thing not worthy of your attention?'

'Not at the moment, no. There are other things that are far more important.'

They glared at each other in stony silence. Max tapped his foot. He'd never lost his temper at Alex before and he didn't really want to start now, not when her attitude towards him was beginning to soften. She'd been slightly nicer to him after the battle with Non. Could he trust her to keep his secret? His heart thumped at the very thought of telling her.

'I don't know what I expected to get out of coming in here,' Alex muttered eventually and turned to go.

'Alex, wait,' Max called, but she didn't acknowledge him. 'ALEX!'

The intensity of Max's roar stopped Alex in her tracks. She looked back to find him sucking in deep breaths, his fists against the glass. That was an outburst and Maxwell Lord didn't do outbursts. Something was wrong.

'What is it?' Alex asked carefully. Max dragged a hand across his chin and looked away, biting his lip.

'Promise me you won't tell anyone. Not Hank, not Supergirl, not a soul. Promise me.' His voice was low and Alex had to step closer to the cell to hear him.

'Depends,' she countered suspiciously.

'Alex, please.' He'd never pleaded with her like this before, not even when he'd been imprisoned last time. She sighed and nodded her head in agreement. 'I can't help because I'm…I'm looking after someone already and she needs me. Her mum just died and I'm the only person she's got.'

'Go on,' Alex replied, her curiosity piked.

'Look Alex, I…I've got a daughter ok? I only found out a couple of weeks ago. Her mum died in a car crash and left her in my care and I have no freaking idea what I'm doing, but she's only nine and I know what it's like to not have any family so I took her in and now she's at school and if you don't let me out of here, I won't be there to pick her up and…and…'

The words came tumbling out and Max didn't even stop for breath until he found he couldn't say anymore. He'd started pacing again. Alex's mouth had dropped open in shock. Max had a daughter? Max was a father? She almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it, but the sincerity on his face stopped her. What a bizarre turn of events.

'You're not serious,' she breathed.

'No, I just decided to invent this whole thing to make you feel sorry for me.' He shook his head and rolled his eyes at the ceiling sarcastically. 'Of course I'm serious! It's not exactly a story that you would believe unless it was the truth!' Max waved his hands around in agitation. Alex had to agree there. It was one of those things that was so strange, it wouldn't have passed for a believable lie.

'Jesus.' Alex ran a hand through her hair. This complicated things. 'Ok, fine. I'll…I'll talk to Hank. I'll see what I can do.'

'Promise me you won't tell him.'

'Sure. I promise.'

'Thank you Alex. I mean it.'

Alex let her eyes rest on Max for a few seconds, registering how different he looked to the last time she'd seen him. He wasn't different physically. His hair was the same, his stubble still neatly shaved. His shirt was tucked in and he was business-like as ever, but something had changed and Alex guessed that it came from inside. This whole revelation had knocked her for six. It was the last thing she would ever have expected from Maxwell Lord.

She nodded once and left the chamber, desperately wondering what the hell she was going to say to Hank.

An hour passed and Max checked his watch every five minutes. If Alex didn't come back soon then he'd be late. Strangely, he was kind of glad that Alex knew. It had just been nice to share it with somebody and if it had been his choice, it always would've been Alex. Despite their history, she was the most trustworthy person he knew. Not that he could really comment on being trustworthy.

Eventually the door to the chamber hissed open again causing Max to jump to his feet. Alex strolled in with two armed guards on her heels. She tapped away at the control panel and the door to the cell opened, much to Max's relief.

Alex walked over to grab Max by the arm and whisper in his ear. 'I told Hank that you'd be willing to cooperate as long as you were allowed to work from home. I mentioned something about the media commenting on your disappearance last time we held you hostage and he agreed that that is not a situation we want to deal with again. Too many questions. It still means you have to help us.'

Max nodded gratefully. 'Of course.'

'There's one more thing,' Alex said slowly.

'There always is Agent Danvers.'

'Hank's assigned me to supervise you and report back so we know you're actually doing what we need you to do. I'm coming with you.'

'Babysit me you mean? As in come to my house and lock me in my study? While my-,' Max glanced quickly at the guards who stood impassively by the door and continued in a whisper, 'while my daughter's in the next room?'

'It's the best I could do Max,' Alex huffed impatiently. 'I won't drag your daughter into this, I promise. I'm just going to be there to report your progress back to Hank.'

Max thought it over quickly. There didn't seem to be any other options so he nodded with resignation. He followed Alex out of the containment cell block, flanked by the two guards, and out of the base altogether. Alex directed him to the passenger seat of a nondescript black SUV as she slid into the driver's seat. They started off in the direction of National City and Max couldn't help but feel slightly relieved that Alex was coming with him. He needed all the help he could get right now.