"Hi."

Alex looked over her shoulder, as if she didn't believe the person who the voice belonged to was actually there. "Hi," she echoed and then let out a sigh before she was immediately enveloped in a hug. She clung to her sister, but at the same time was struggling to keep her emotions in check. She'd been telling people all day that she was fine, it was a lie, but it had been necessary to keep her from being sent home. Everyone was working, so she had to as well.

"It's late," Kara whispered as they just continued to hold each other.

"What time is it?" she questioned, not willing to argue when she didn't have any idea what time it actually was.

"Eleven-thirty."

When they finally separated, Alex tried to take that in. Everyone was still working, though she had noticed some changes in the shift. She knew that Cisco was a person who worked all kinds of crazy hours, so it really was a constant thing for him until he felt like it was going somewhere where someone could step in and work on it for a few hours while he slept and not mess it up. She figured this had to be the case because she would have guessed it was closer to six if she'd guessed the time.

"Mom and Dad?"

"They're already home," Kara supplied and then tilted her head. "Well, at your place…"

"Yeah, they're still worried that I'm going to breakdown or something."

"Which is okay," Kara said slowly.

Alex gave her sister a small smile. "Drive home with me?" It wasn't something that they normally did because Kara could fly...and she was normally needed somewhere else. Alex just figured that it wouldn't hurt to ask and if J'onn saw her leaving without someone, he'd insist to drive along...and she just wasn't ready for that amount of time in a car with him. They'd have to talk and she wasn't really ready to talk to him. Kara, though, she wouldn't push...and they could talk about anything and her sister would be fine with it.

"Yeah, but let me change," Kara said with a smile as she motioned to the Supergirl suit she was still wearing.

"I'm in no hurry."

Kara left her to go change and Alex just stood there watching from The Pipeline's bridge as work was done. She couldn't bring herself to take a step into it, but there was some relief in knowing that it would be rebuilt, that it would be stronger, and that better measures would be in place for the more violent species that they normally housed down there.

"I heard about what happened here. I'm sorry."

Alex snapped out of it and looked over at the blonde. "I suppose it's our own faults...for having this alien prison here-"

"You didn't know that the alien prisoners would be released," Felicity pointed out. "And Cisco's tech is normally pre-tty solid...though I'll deny that if you tell him I said that," she said quickly with a wave of her hand. "We'll make sure that that kind of thing doesn't happen again...the whole cells opening when they shouldn't thing...I mean, the whole plague spreading and killing people thing shouldn't happen either," Felicity continued to ramble. "But I was meant...you know...the part that we could actually...pre-vent-I'm going to stop talking now."

There was something adorable about Felicity Smoak and apparently every other scientific person that Cisco knew. There was something about each one of them that reminded her of Kara, Alex was certain that it was the spark of light that her sister contained within her. Alex just nodded and pushed forward a smile. "I got it," she said. "And I appreciate you all just leaving your respective cities and people-"

"Just hoping they're not changing anything on the computers back home," Felicity mumbled.

"And I personally really appreciate it," Alex confided quietly. "I just really need things to go back to normal...well, as normal as things get around here."

"We don't have aliens, but I know what you mean," Felicity said. "What you guys are doing here...it's good...and the world needs it...it needs you."

J'onn had said similar words to her before, back when he'd recruited her out of university. The world needed a lot of people, but it was true that it did need the DEO. It might be classified and technically didn't exist, but the world needed it. Alex was still firmly in agreement that the world at large wouldn't be able to function without breaking into all out chaos if they knew the truth, the truth about aliens and just how many existed on Earth...and of their danger.

"We are going to wrap up for now, though, and get a few hours of sleep," Felicity told her. "We just figured we'd let someone know...and we figured it was safer than Cisco doing it."

"Okay, I'll let them know at the control center," Alex told her before watching her head back into The Pipeline. It was hard for Alex to fathom bringing herself to step foot down into The Pipeline and not flashing back to what had happened there. For it not to be a constant reminder of Max and losing Max.

For now, though, they had to just do what they could.

Right now, they needed to build up The Pipeline again.

And soon...they'd go after Trigon once again.

It was bright.

There was a blur to her vision.

The sound of a child's laughter, distorted at first, came into focus before her vision finally did. Alex blinked almost immediately a couple of times, her eyes and mind trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

Max.

Her mind tried to grapple with that reality first. He was so alive and so happy. He was dressed casually in light colored clothing...and his smile was beyond dazzling. There was a carefree air about him and it was almost contagious.

It was a moment to get lost in.

The child.

At first she'd thought it was Charlie Benanti...but no, this was another child. A little girl dressed in a white dress with blue ribbons. For a moment, the girl reminded her of River-

"Alex, Sweetheart, come sit with us!" Max interrupted her thoughts. He patted the space next to him and it seemed to open up the world around. They were on a porch outside or on a-

"Why can't we play on the beach instead?" the little girl suggested as she bounced.

And then it was a blink and they were suddenly on the beach, everything clean and so bright… She watched as the little girl danced along where the water met the sand...her laughter and surprised giggling filling the air every time the waves crashed down on her bare feet. Alex's eyes darted downwards and she realized that Max had her hand. Looking up at him, she watched him watch the child. Her mind had so many questions, but they were temporarily diverted as her brain fought to understand the familiar blur of shapes beyond Max...behind them. She focused and realized that she knew exactly where they were. They were in Midvale. She could see her parents' home. She realized that she knew where they'd been earlier, it had been a home that she remembered that she'd walked through during an open house when she was younger and bored.

"This isn't right," she whispered.

"It could be."

Her eyes turned back to him and she tried to push back the reality of what she knew she'd have to wake up to. This was all a dream. She knew that now. Max was gone… The child, she would never be...she was just some fantasy brought about by the idea of her and Max having a child together.

"It should be," Max whispered.

"I regret-"

"Don't regret, Alex," he pushed with a breath as his lips found hers. His palms pressed against either side of her face as the kiss deepened. As much as she knew it was a dream, it was hard to pull herself from the wonder of this moment. From having to go back to the harsh reality that she knew she'd face. "Love doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints," he whispered against her lips.

"Max-"

"It takes and it takes and it takes," he continued in a whisper. He wasn't said, he seemed happy and almost hopeful. It was confusing and dizzying. Alex couldn't do much more than stare at him, wish that it was all real, and just savor the moment (even if it was all a dream). "And we keep loving anyway… We laugh and we cry and we break and we make our mistakes…"

Alex opened her mouth to say something, but he was being tugged away by the little girl. Unable to move, Alex extended her hand, trying to keep hold of him for as long as she could as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"And if there's a reason I'm by her side when so many have tried," Max's voice seemed to carry to her. "Then I'm willing to wait for it."

They disappeared and all Alex was left with was suddenly a stormy beach. The clouds dark, heavy, and grey above her. There was a loud crackling rumble above head. It was deafening.

"I'm willing to wait for it," Max's voice seemed to echo in between strikes.

But all Alex took in was the dark environment that she'd been left in all alone and the pure heartbreak of the dream that she knew she was currently trapped in. She wanted out. She wanted home-

The water had run cold.

Alex had no idea of how much time passed.

She didn't care.

After waking up from the dream...nightmare...whatever it was...it felt too real...and she'd gone from throwing up to sitting in the bottom of her shower with it running. Her knees pulled to her chest, her arms wrapped around them, and her head resting against them as she cried. Alex hated crying. She hated feeling like she was weak or unable to control the things in her life. Her future felt so uncertain and-and crying had just seemed right after everything.

Her eyes burned and every time she closed them, she saw the perfect picture of her with Max and the little girl on the beach in Midvale. It was a future that wasn't possible. A future that would now never happen. It only made her feel guiltier.

It wasn't something she could wait for.

It was out of reach.

She was out of time.

The sun rose.

It seemed different.

The day felt different.

Maybe it was the five cups of coffee that she'd already taken in and it was only seven in the morning. Alex hadn't been able to go back to bed after she'd finally forced herself out of the freezing water of her shower. She'd dressed, made coffee, sat, looked out a window, drank the coffee, and had just thought…

She was the one thing in life she could control.

Alex knew that if she put her mind to things, she could do anything. There was no way to go back and save Max, but she could keep his memory alive...and do the things that she thought would better the world as a whole. She could use science. She could use Lord Technologies. She could use the DEO. No matter what, she didn't have to forget who she was and what drove her in life. She had resources, more than she probably had realized she'd had the day before.

Yesterday everything had felt like an endless uphill climb.

Not today.

She had something to prove.

She had nothing to lose.

There was a knock at the door. She knew exactly who it was. Alex had texted her parents and Kara hours before, apparently waking them both. Her brain hadn't exactly been thinking straight when it came to looking at the time or taking in the color of the sky as any indication of time either. All she'd been concerned with was trying to push what she'd thought of. Alex didn't want to waste any more time.

Moving to the door, she opened it and found both of her parents there and Kara behind them. Alex moved and motioned for them to come in and found herself immediately under scrutiny. "Alexandra," her mother practically gasped. "You look like you haven't slept in days...and I saw you yesterday." Her mother placed her hands on either side of Alex's head and just looked overly worried about her.

Alex couldn't help any of that.

"Bad dreams," she whispered truthfully and sadly. It wasn't all bad, of course, mostly just the reality that those dreams could never be fulfilled in that life.

"How much coffee have you had?" came Kara's question as she examined the coffee pot.

Alex realized that perhaps her texting, behavior, and her appearance hadn't helped with Kara's question either. She sighed and put a hand to her forehead now that her mother had released her. She closed the door and bit her bottom lip for a moment. "I don't even remember," Alex admitted to her sister.

"Yeah, you're cut off," Kara told her.

She didn't care. Alex watched as Kara went to work making a fresh batch, which would obviously be for everyone that wasn't her. "That's fine, I just-"

"Alex, Sweetie, maybe you should go back to bed and try to sleep before we talk?" her mother said ever so gently.

They were still walking on ice with her, she'd catch them doing it here and there. It wasn't really disrespectful or anything, they were just trying to be polite...and they were her family...they loved and cared about her...and she had to remind herself of that to keep from snapping. "I need to get to the DEO," Alex said in a breath and held up a hand before her father could join in on the protesting. "But first, we're going to talk about what I've been thinking about."

"You said it was about Lord Technologies," her mother prompted quietly and took a seat.

Alex, however, paced. She needed to move. Maybe it was just all of the coffee in her system or maybe it was the anxiety of the great burden she felt she carried, whatever it was...it demanded she kept moving. "I was thinking about the company and Max…" His name was harder to say outloud than she'd expected. Him being pulled under the door as it closed by Trigon flashed through her mind for a split second. She couldn't dwell. Alex couldn't stop. She had to keep pushing herself forward, she knew that. "I was thinking about all the good that he wanted to do, but never seemed to completely accomplish. I was thinking about his background...and what the company could really be used for… I know that the board is going to expect some kind of profit, but if the company could be used in order to create good...to make the world better...isn't that really what we should do?"

"We are going to be the last ones to argue that, you know that," her father said. "But they're going to need a lot of plans and paperwork and projections...and a general outline of how Lord Tech can provide the benefactors with a continual large profit while making the world better."

He was right.

Max's legacy was one that Alex felt like she had to protect.

"That's why I need your help… I have some ideas and I think we could partner with other companies-"

"Palmer Tech," Kara spoke up.

"Right," Alex said as she paused for a moment and looked to her sister. "Even STAR Labs." Lord Tech could be used for so much and the possibilities were truly endless...but they really did need a plan. "I just...I need the help...and I just-" Her voice broke and she stilled as her hand came up to cover her face. She refused to break down, not again. Once was really enough for the day. The quota was already met and Alex refused to allow herself to so much as shed a single tear. "I just don't want to lose what Max left to me…"

She and Max may not have a future together, but this was as close as she'd get now.

That wasn't lost on her.

"Please?" she whispered as her hand dropped. "Help me?"

"You know you always just have to ask," her father said gently before wrapping her up in his arms. She kept it together and just savored the feeling of being held by him. There was so much comfort there, but the weight still weighed heavily upon her.

"You look like crap, Danvers."

"You're not the first...or second...or even third person to point that out," Alex countered.

Adler just pushed the pink box into her hands. "How much coffee have you had today?"

"Kara already cut me off...I lost count-"

"I'll make you tea...strong tea…"

Alex looked into the box. "It's full," she stated in clear confusion.

"You need'em more than anyone else here," Adler told her. "Even if it's just to feed the Flarrow squints."

"Flarrow...squints?" Alex questioned, now even more confused. Either Adler wasn't making sense or Alex had just completely lost it.

Adler shrugged. "They're all Team Flash and Team Arrow… I heard the annoying one with the obnoxious t-shirts refer to them as Team Flarrow…"

"Oh-kay," Alex said slowly, figuring that Adler meant Cisco. It sounded like a word that he'd make up, but then...all of them seemed to be more than capable of making up words. "And squints?"

"God, Danvers...watch some TV!" Adler grumbled. "That's what they call the scientists on 'Bones'...because you know...they squint at things…"

"Oh...oh-kay," Alex mumbled, still sort of confused as she watched Adler's retreating figure. She looked at the full untouched box of donuts again and then pushed the lid shut. No one needed to know about this. She would normally head to check in with J'onn or to report to the control room, but she didn't want to face any of them...especially not with that box in her hands.

She moved to The Pipeline entrance. Alex stood there for a few minutes, collecting herself, preparing herself to descend down… Memories...nightmares...it had all been haunting her that day...she knew she could face it...and if she couldn't, she was fairly sure that she'd cried herself out already so there was no fear of breaking down in front of Cisco and the others. Sucking in a deep breath, she moved down the Bridge slowly. She tried to keep herself focused on what she needed to do while she was down there, which mainly consisted of making sure things were getting done and getting an update so she could report that information to J'onn because he'd want to know.

Her hands were shaking, but she forced herself to still them before approaching those working. Everyone seemed to be busy, but the moment Cisco spotted her she knew that it was all over. Alex knew that she had to be on the ball and reminded herself that this was still very much her job. They'd given her an out (a temporary one) and she'd refused to take it. Right now, The Pipeline needed to be rebuilt and they needed to work towards tracking down and recapturing all of the aliens that had been freed during Myriad.

"What did you bring us?" Cisco asked almost too excited. Alex noticed that he was wearing a Tetris shirt today. She was going to go with video games as his theme for the week. "Please say donuts-"

"Actually, I didn't bring them-"

"The only other person I've seen with a box full of donuts like this hates us," Cisco said very seriously.

"Adler doesn't hate you," Alex said, trying to stay light as she opened the box and offered it to him. "She just hates babysitting…"

"Isn't that the same?"

"No."

"I mean, I'm sure we can get a little annoying," Cisco stated as he stuffed a donut into his mouth. "But you know, genius comes at a price."

"Yeah, for you it's not having learned it's not polite to talk with your mouth full," Caitlin stated with a shake of her head as she moved towards the box.

Slowly, Alex seemed to infuse all of the Flarrow squints with sugar before she set the box down for them to raid later for refueling. She needed to get down to the real business of her being there and why they were there. "The Pipeline," she said.

"It's still going to take a lot longer to repair and upgrade than it took to put this thing in here," Cisco spoke up.

"I'm still working the kinks out of the cryo systems," Caitlin added. "I mean, I am hoping for a few more days until I have a fully operational one, but we're going to have to test it."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Alex said quickly without really thinking about it. She knew that that was really J'onn's call to make, but she was fairly confident she'd said the right thing.

"The coding and the more sophisticated parts are going to take some doing," Felicity said. "Curtis and I have been working on it, but we're going to definitely have to order in some other parts...and we might need to go back to Star City and send the coding to Cisco from there. It all depends on how long this takes, I told my team that we wouldn't be gone more than a week...but this project is looking more like three."

"Three?" Alex practically spat out.

That number hit her like a freight train.

"I mean, it could go faster," Barry said, obviously trying to brighten that harsh news. He was really like a male version of Kara, all sunny and always trying to make things better than they already were.

"Right," Cisco said. "But it's all a matter of things working out. The actual repairs shouldn't take more than a week, it's just getting all of the super fail safes and the new cryo chambers and all of that. It's a lot more complicated than the original design...for obvious necessary reasons."

Three weeks.

God, how was she going to break the news to J'onn? He hated having things left undone for so long. It was a necessary thing. It wasn't like they could rush it, especially with how much they needed The Pipeline. There was no moving forward without it. There was no pursuing Trigon without it. That hit her hard and fast and left her like the wind had been knocked out of her. How was she going to stay sane for that long?

"Okay," Alex finally managed to say.

"Are you okay?" Barry asked concerned.

"It can't be rushed," she whispered.

"That's not an answer."

"No," Alex said. "But it doesn't make it any less true."

TBC…