Alex quickly moved along the worn path, keeping her eyes focused ahead, scanning the uneven surface for holes or fallen branches that might trip her up. She heard her own labored breathing reverberating in her ears, drowning out the normally peaceful silence of the area. Even with the cover of the thick trees, she could feel the heat radiate from her head, the sweat running down her face and the burning sensation it created when it dripped into her eyes. Her legs felt like rubber and she was sure that her right calf muscle was going to cramp up so tight that it would soon tear loose from the bone. But, she had to maintain her pace; push on and keep up with Kara. She dared to glance up to locate Kara and spotted her going around a bend of trees, some 200 yards ahead. Alex knew she couldn't go much further. Even though her breaths came quick, they were too short, causing her lungs to cry out, demanding more air.

"Kara." Alex forced out. "Kara, I have to stop. I need a break." Her soft words normally would not have carried far enough to be heard but, Kara had no problem. As Alex rounded the same bend Kara took minutes earlier, she caught up with Kara who had stopped along the path, inspecting a branch of trees overhead.

"It's so cool how these squirrels just leap from one branch to the other, landing only on a small, thin dangling branch before pulling themselves up." Kara remarked turning towards Alex who had managed to struggle up to her. "Hey, are you okay Alex?" Kara placed a hand on Alex's back as Alex bent over, hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "You don't look very good and your heart sounds like it is going to fly out of your chest."

"I…will….be….just…give…me…a minute." Alex sputtered out between attempts to take in air. She stood up, walked around in a small circle with both hands clasped behind her head, trying to get as much oxygen in as quickly as she could.

Alex wearily looked over at Kara. "I'm standing here, my tank, shorts and hair soaked in sweat and you don't even have one drop of perspiration on you," she exclaimed pointing to Kara's remarkably sweat-free tank top, matching running shorts and blonde hair pulled neatly back in a ponytail. "If I didn't know better, I would think that you were just out here taking a stroll through the nature park."

"Hey, you're the one that wanted to go for a run. I would much rather be sparring back at the DEO, improving my fight technique. If I need to get somewhere quickly, I'll just fly there." Kara countered as she sat down on a stump next to the path.

"But, sparring doesn't help me with my cardiovascular and endurance." Alex argued. "Your technique becomes sloppy if you become too tired during the fight. You have to be able to outlast your exhaustion and the opponent. Besides, running helps me think." She kicked away a small branch that had fallen on the path.

"Are you thinking about Jeremiah and Project Cadmus?" Kara asked. "We will find a way to get there and get him out, Alex." Kara got up and walked closer to where Alex was standing.

"I know we will. Hank is checking on some leads that we had found before we had to come back to deal with Myriad." Alex glanced at Kara who had stopped just to the side of her and had placed a hand on Alex's forearm. "It's not just Jeremiah that I am thinking about though." She took in a slow, deep breath and let it out. "You know, we really have not had time to talk since Max exposed you to the red kryptonite."

"Oh." Kara pulled her hand away and dropped her head to avoid Alex's eyes.

Alex immediately felt her heart pull from what she knew was a self-imposed guilt response from Kara. "Hey." She grabbed Kara's shoulder. "I told you that I don't blame you for those things you said and did, Kara. Everyone has negative thoughts that run through their head at one time or another. Most of those we make a choice not to say out loud. Max took that choice from you!" She dipped her head down, trying to catch Kara's eyes that were still staring at the ground. "But, it's more than that. You are so afraid of hurting others that you bury ANY bad thought that you ever have and it eats you up inside." Alex now had turned to put both of her hands on Kara's shoulders. "Listen." She dropped one hand under Kara's chin, bringing Kara's tear filled blue eyes up to meet her own. "It's not just you that needs to get thoughts out Kara. I have things I need to say too…about killing Astra...attacking you," Alex glanced away, "about my issue with control."

"I'm sorry that all of this happened to you, Alex." Kara cried and wrapped her arms around Alex, pulling her in for a hug.

"No, Kara." Alex pushed out of the hug but continued to grip Kara's sides. "It didn't just happen to me. It happened to both of us. You have been hurt just as much as me and that's exactly why we need to talk about it. We have to make the time. It's important."

"I know, but −"

"Hey!" Kara and Alex both snapped their heads around to the voice of a man quickly approaching them from further up the trail.

Kara dropped her hands to her side, turned and immediately took a half-step in front of Alex, placing some of her body between Alex and the man.

"I'm glad I finally found someone. I've been on this trail for almost an hour trying to find my way." The man reached them, glancing first at Kara and then Alex, giving each a smile and a nod before rambling on. "I'm supposed to be meeting some friends at the shelter house next to the lake and I thought it was close enough to the road that I could just walk to it. But, evidently it isn't as close as I thought or I'm completely lost. I tried locating it through Google on my phone but, the dang thing died on me." He held out the phone showing the low battery signal blaring from the otherwise black screen.

He seems harmless enough, Alex thought as looked around Kara at the man now only a few feet away. He was close shaven, with dark black, wavy hair that partially fell onto his forehead but was cut tight on the sides. He was a few inches taller than Kara with a lean muscular build. Even though it was warm out, the man was wearing a pair of khaki slacks and a short-sleeve, light blue, button-up shirt. In one hand, he held his dead phone and on the other, was a blazer draped across it and his forearm. But, it was his eyes that drew Alex's attention. They were the brightest color of emerald green that she had ever seen and they seemed as though they penetrated right through her own when he looked at her.

"Which shelter park are you trying to get to?" Kara asked, still holding her defensive position.

"Mountain View. We're having a big surprise birthday party for my friend. But, at this rate, I guess I won't be tooting any horns or wearing one of those small dunce hats, which might not be such a bad thing," he gave a half-laugh as he looked at Kara.

"Oh, but that's the best part!" Kara squealed, softened her shoulders and turned to Alex. "Alex, do you know where Mountain View Shelter is located?"

"No, but I can check on my phone. It should be charged." She unzipped the fanny pack that she always wore when she went running. She rummaged through the contents of band aids, mace, her Glock 9mm and some aspirin before finally pulling out her phone. She pushed the power button to get it out of sleep mode. "Well, it doesn't look like I have any reception right here. There's too much interference." Alex glanced around, looking for an area that might be better. "Right over there is a clearing in the trees," she pointed to an area about 100 yards away where the tree line dropped off to open sky and tall grass. "I guess I could go over there to see if I can get it to work." She said hesitantly, glancing at both Kara and the green-eyed man.

"Oh, thanks! I appreciate it so much. I really don't want to miss this party or the dunce hats either, apparently." He immediately looked back at Kara, who smiled and shook her head in agreement.

"Nope! Or the cake!" Kara eagerly added.

"Okay. I'll be right back." Alex took off in the direction of the clearing, glancing back over her shoulder to check on Kara as she walked. She saw the green-eyed man and Kara talking and laughing. Of course Kara would make immediate friends with any nice looking guy, Alex thought as she swiped at the sweat bees that swarmed her head as she walked. Kara's gorgeous, funny and doesn't smell like a sweat-box due to running 10 miles in the heat for the last hour. Alex glanced down at her phone to check the reception. There was still only one bar showing. She looked up ahead and knew that she was going to have to make her way through the almost knee high grass to get better service.

"Ugh!" she grunted as she slowly lifted one leg after another over the grass. She started to turn back toward Kara and the green-eyed man.

"If I see a snake, I'm −"Alex's words were cut off when she saw the once assumed non-threatening man now pointing a gun at Kara. "Kara!" she screamed.

The man said something that was inaudible to Alex and pulled the trigger, unleashing a barrage of green-tipped bullets into Kara, who with each shot was thrown back a step, eventually falling backwards onto the ground.

"Kara! No! Stop! Stop!"

Alex unzipped her pack, frantically trying to find her gun and plowed back through the grass toward the pair.

The man turned toward Alex and saw that she had successfully retrieved her gun and was now leveling it at him. He quickly spun and ran back up the pathway as Alex began firing shots at his fleeing body. Alex saw that most of her shots missed, whizzing by his head into the trees beside him but, she knew one found its mark in his right, back shoulder blade because she heard him yell out in pain and lurch forward, stumbling a bit before continuing on.

When she got to the spot where Kara laid prone on her back, Alex only glanced briefly at the man before dropping next to Kara's right side.

"Kara!"

Kara's chest heaved up and down in an attempt to get air. She felt burning pain all throughout her body but with each breath, the pain doubled. Her head was tilted away from Alex but, upon hearing Alex's voice, she slowly turned to find Alex's concerned eyes meeting her own.

"Al-ex." Kara managed to get out, between short gasps of air.

"Kara, you're going to be okay. Just hold on." Alex swung her head to quickly scan Kara's body and assess her injuries. She saw five bullet wounds, two in her upper abdomen, one about mid-left thigh, one at the left shoulder and another, more concerning wound, right above her heart. There was so much blood and she needed to get pressure on the wounds. Her hands flew over Kara's body, trying to go from one wound to another to stop the bleeding. It was too much! She thought. I don't have enough hands to be everywhere! I need to call for help, but how…where? She looked up, swirling her auburn head from side to side. There's no reception here! I can't leave her! The normally calm agent began to panic.

Kara felt an odd sensation crawl into her chest. The agonizing pain started to subside but, it was replaced with a sudden chill. "Alex." Kara whispered trying to pull Alex's frantic eyes back towards her own. "Alex. I'm cold."

Oh, God. Alex leaned her head down closer to Kara. Calm down Alex! You have to stay level headed. She grabbed Kara's right hand and pulled it up towards her own chest while placing her other hand on Kara's forehead.

"Kara, I have to go call for help. I need you to hold on, to keep fighting," she said while running her hand from Kara's forehead to the crown. Alex tried to keep the fear from her voice as she spoke to Kara but, she knew it showed from the way it wavered after each word. "I'm just going to be… right over there," she nodded toward the open area, "to get reception. I'll be right back."

"lex…pleas...don…go." Kara's eyes filled with tears, overflowed out the corner of her eyes and down the sides of her face. Each breath had become slower; more labored causing her words to be cut short. She could see Alex because her face was close to her own but, everything outside of Alex became fuzzy and dark.

Alex dropped her hand off of Kara's forehead to gently wipe the tears that had escaped down that side of Kara's face. "Kara, I have to." Her words muffled by her own tears and a lump of sobs that she was desperately pushing back to the base of her throat. "We have to get you back to the DEO. They can get the bullets out so you can heal." Almost all composure that Alex had left began to collapse. "I can't do anything to help you," she sobbed, tears unrestrained now fell freely.

Kara's eyes began to feel too heavy and she struggled to keep them open. I need to close them, for just a bit, she thought, letting her eyelids fall and wrapping herself in the darkness. She was immediately brought back by the sound of Alex's frenzied voice yelling her name. I have to stay awake, for Alex. She forced her eyes open and Alex's face came back into focus. She was so weak and couldn't seem to get enough air.

"lex..love..you." She finally forced out.

Alex bent down and kissed the top of Kara's forehead. She sat back up and brought Kara's hand up to her own cheek. "I love you, too, Kara. I'll be right back. I just need you to hold on for me please, Kara, just hold on." She placed Kara's hand back down by her side and tore her eyes away from Kara. She jumped up quickly, sprinted to the open field while scrambling to find the DEO contact number in her phone.

Please let me have reception, please God, please let there be reception.

Once in the clearing, she looked down at her phone. Two bars. Please be enough. She pushed CALL on the screen, holding her breath, she kept her eyes locked on Kara's motionless body yards away. "Come on, come on." The phone rang and Agent Vasquez picked up.

"Vasquez! I need a MedEvac at my current location. Kara's been shot! Multiple wounds! I need it now! You have to hurry!" Alex rattled off, not even waiting for the agent's response before hitting END and running back at Kara. She knew the DEO would be able to get a fix on her location. They probably had it as soon as the call came in as they screen all calls before answering.

When she reached Kara, Alex noticed that Kara's eyes had closed and wasn't struggling with her breathing. An uneasy feeling began to form at the pit of Alex's stomach.

"Kara?" Alex dropped down to the same side as before, grabbing Kara's hand and searching her face for any movement of recognition. Everything seemed to go in slow motion. "Kara?" she repeated with no response. The earlier feeling of dread had now worked its way to her heart and Alex put both hands on Kara's shoulders, gently shaking her to wake her up.

No response.

Alex glanced down at Kara's chest and watched….and waited.

It did not move.

She bent over, pushed a piece of hair that had fallen back behind her ear, dropped her head close to Kara's face and turned it to be able to feel Kara's breath on her cheek…..and waited.

There was no breath.

Finally, with fingers shaking, she reached up to find the carotid artery in Kara's neck. She held her breath….and waited.

There was no pulse.

"Oh God, No! Alex screamed at the sky, breaking the obtrusive silence of the park. "No, no, no, no, no. This is not happening!"