Party time! The gang from Earth-1 arrives, as does someone from Maggie's past who threatens to ruin the day. And at the end, it's back to Mars with Kara, J'onn, and M'yrnn.

Enjoy!

***

"You never told me the whole story," Alex told Maggie that night. "About your dad and the car."

"What's the point?" Maggie asked glumly.

"I wanna share everything with you, Maggie," Alex told her. "I mean, the good and the bad. I knew that he was hard on you, but – "

"Before that day, he was the best father," Maggie interrupted. "I know he sounds like a monster, but you just don't know where he came from."

"Well, it sounds like you still really love him," Alex remarked.

Maggie sighed. "I don't know. I am just saying that he didn't have it easy."

"Well, have you ever thought about calling him?"

"Of course I have!"

"And?" Alex prompted, sitting next to her.

Maggie scoffed. "My aunt told me that my mother removed every picture of me from the photo albums. They erased me. I don't need that."

Alex sighed, thinking about what to say. "Look, what your family did to you was incredibly hurtful, but sometimes parents can do really stupid things when they are up against something they don't understand. What if you invited them to the shower?"

"Are you kidding?" Maggie's eyes widened.

"Well, it's the perfect excuse to reach out!"

"Yeah, right," Maggie scoffed. "You kicked me out because I'm gay, but hey, come to my gay shower!"

"It was a long time ago," Alex reminded her. "Maggie, the world has changed. Maybe they have, too."

"I don't think so," Maggie shook her head as they got in bed. "Babe, look, I love you, just . . . please, drop it."

"OK," Alex sighed, pulling the sheets up and lying down.

***

Maggie didn't fall asleep for a long time. She laid awake in bed, drumming her fingers absently, before finally sitting up and quietly slipping out. She walked over to her phone on the table, picking it up and looking at it nervously. Finally, she sat down and dialed a number, looking back to make sure Alex hadn't woken up. When the line connected, she took a deep breath. "Hola, Papi," she greeted. "Soy Margarita. ¿Cómo estás?" She checked back on Alex, then started speaking again. "I'm living in National City now. I'm a cop. I like it, it's good. So, um . . . " She fidgeted slightly. "Anyway, I am calling because I'm getting married. No, it's not a . . . her name is Alex. Anyway, we are having a party. A wedding shower, on Sunday, and, um . . . you probably can't make it, but I thought maybe I would invite you. See, I'd like it if you came, se puede. Anyway, I hope you and Mom are good." She said goodbye, then hung up, staring at her phone for a long moment.

She finally turned back to the bed to see Alex was sitting up and watching her worriedly. "Why did I do that?" she asked in shock.

Alex just gave her a sad smile.

***

When Sunday morning came, Winn, James, and Lena had come to assist Alex and Eliza with setting up. "Bridal bingo?" James raised an eyebrow when he saw the game.

"Ooo, trivia," Winn brightened when he saw the cards. "I'll host that!"

"You'd be good at that," Lena chuckled.

"OK, the drinks go there," Alex started to point, only to be caught off guard by a knock on the door. "Huh," she checked her watch. The party wasn't supposed to start for another few hours. "It's open!" she called, curious as to who had arrived early.

She got her answer when the door opened, and her sister's boyfriend poked his head in. "Hey, Alex," he grinned.

"Oliver!" she cheered, setting down the beer she held. "Come in, come in!"

"There's one of the special girls!" Thea grinned as Oliver held open the door, showing that yes, the majority of Team Arrow had indeed come over.

"Hey, guys!" James smiled. "You're early."

"Well, we were hoping to catch Kara, but when we got here, I got a message saying she was, uh . . . " Oliver checked his phone, scratching his head in confusion as Felicity, Dinah, and Laurel squeezed in with Malcolm, Dig, Rene, Curtis, and Quentin behind them. "Off world?"

"Oh, yeah," Alex nodded. "She and J'onn went to Mars."

Rene choked on air. "Come again?" Quentin blinked.

"I'm sorry, did you just say Mars?" Curtis's eyes widened.

"Mars," Alex confirmed. "As in J'onn's home planet."

"Wow," was all Rene managed to say.

"That's cool," William grinned.

"Yes, it is," Alex nodded in agreement, looking around. "Thank you all so much for coming."

"Wouldn't miss it," Dinah smiled.

"We're still mostly setting up, so," Alex began, looking around.

"Just tell us what needs to be done," Dig said, rubbing his hands together.

Alex smiled, watching as James and Lena helped them figure out what needed to go where, then tapped Oliver on the shoulder. "Oliver, can I talk with you and William?"

"Yeah," Oliver nodded, putting his hand on William's shoulder. "Come on, bud."

Alex led them past the island to where Eliza was pretending to be arranging flowers. "Mom," she said, and Eliza looked up. "This is Kara's boyfriend, Oliver Queen. Oliver, meet my mom, Eliza Danvers."

"Dr. Danvers," Oliver smiled, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Please, just Eliza," she smiled back, shaking his hand. "And who's this?"

"My son, William," Oliver answered.

"Hi," William smiled politely at Eliza.

"It's nice to meet you both," Eliza smiled, looking at Oliver. "Kara mentioned that you're a hero on your Earth?"

"I passed that on, actually," Oliver admitted, looking down at William. "I have more important things in my life now than the hood."

"Kara's awesome," William told Eliza with a smile.

"Yes, she is," Eliza agreed with a chuckle. "Would you tell me how you met?"

William was more than happy to launch into the heroic tale of how Kara had saved everyone on Lian Yu, and Oliver chuckled as he watched them. "Who'd have thought he'd connect instantly with her?"

"Mom's good with just about everyone," Alex said fondly, looking at him. "I'm sorry Kara isn't here, it's just that neither of us wanted J'onn to return to Mars alone . . . and it sounded extremely important."

"Don't worry about it," Oliver immediately shook his head. "It's good to know he didn't go back to Mars alone after what I heard happened to the planet. We can always catch her before we go back to Earth-1."

"Right," Alex nodded in agreement.

"Aw, this is cute!" Felicity's voice came from behind them.

"Danvers, is this you?" Rene asked.

The two turned, and Alex groaned when she saw they had found her bridal board. "I wanted to burn that," she whined, making Oliver laugh.

"Guess that didn't happen," Malcolm smirked.

"Come on," Oliver chuckled, patting Alex's shoulder sympathetically. "What else do you need help with?"

***

Maggie walked up to one of the buses that had pulled up, watching with anticipation as people disembarked. When her father walked off, a bag in hand, she blew out her breath and walked up. "Margarita," he greeted.

"Dad," Maggie nodded, holding out her arms. He awkwardly hugged her, and Maggie cleared her throat. "I wish you would have called and told me you were coming. I would have picked you up at the airport."

"The bus was fine," her father shook her head.

"Is Mom – ?"

"No, your mother isn't coming. She doesn't like to fly."

"Oh, you don't have to explain," Maggie shook her head bitterly. "Are you hungry? We could grab a bite."

"The party of yours is soon, no?" her father asked.

"In a couple of hours, but we have time," Maggie nodded.

"I can wait," her father told her. "I should probably check in at the hotel. I think it's this way."

"OK," Maggie nodded, walking with him along the sidewalk.

"So," he began. "You're a homicide detective?"

"Yeah," Maggie confirmed. "Among other things."

"That cold case you cracked sounded very interesting. The Martial murder."

"You know about that?" Maggie asked, surprised.

"Well, I'm an old man, but I know how to Google," he shrugged. "I follow all your cases." Maggie let that sink in, then her father turned to her. "Tell me something. For eighteen years, they didn't have a single lead. How did you solve that?"

"I went back to the scene of the crime, studied the ordinary details everyone dismissed," Maggie answered. "Like you taught me. You used to say 'the key to most mysteries is in the mundane.'"

"You remember that," he said, sounding surprised.

"I remember everything you taught me," Maggie confirmed.

***

"Gotta say," Felicity smiled as she joined Winn and Lena at the bridal shower, looking around. "This is quite the party."

"Eliza knows how to throw one," Winn agreed.

"Everybody!" Eliza called, making everyone turn to her. "Everybody, it is trivia time! And Maggie . . . you are in the hot seat."

"Thank God," Alex joked.

"Oh, but doesn't that mean you're up next?" Thea raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

Alex balked, and Laurel snickered. "Good luck," she patted her shoulder.

"Dr. D, I got this," Winn smiled, taking the cards from Eliza as James and Lena sat down to watch. "All right, here we go. What is Alex's favorite color?"

"Blue," Maggie answered at once.

Alex nodded. "What is Alex's favorite animal?" Winn continued.

"Uh, dog."

"Well, it's good to know you've got someone who knows you," Dig smiled at Alex.

"What is Alex's favorite ice cream?" Winn asked.

"Rocky road," Maggie answered.

Alex nodded again, turning to refill her drink when the door to the loft opened. "Oh, Mr. Rodas!" she blinked when Maggie's father entered hesitantly. "Welcome!"

"Hi," he nodded, holding out a glass bottle. "I'm sorry, I didn't know what to bring."

"Oh, no, no, this is perfect," Alex smiled. "Maggie loves Merlot. Can I offer you a drink?"

"Sure, why not," Rodas nodded.

"Great," Alex turned to the beers, pulling one out for him.

"Thank you," he took it from her.

"Yeah, cheers," Alex smiled, gesturing further into the loft. "Come in."

Rodas followed her in before pointing to the bridal board. "Is this you here?"

"Oh," Alex blushed. "Yes. I don't know why I thought overalls were cute in middle school."

"Oh," Rodas raised an eyebrow. "So you are – "

"The woman I am going to marry," Maggie said as she walked up. "Um, Papa, meet Agent Alex Danvers."

"Federal agent?" Rodas asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes, sir," she nodded.

"Margarita, there's no picture of you up here," Rodas pointed to the board.

"No," Maggie confirmed, biting her lip.

Rodas considered, then handed her his drink. "Here." Confused, Maggie took it, then watched as he pulled out his wallet and took out a small photograph of Maggie as a child. He kissed the picture, then placed it on the board.

Alex beamed in delight, and Maggie smiled happily. "Thank you, Papa."

"Alex!" William called, and Alex turned to where he was grinning widely, Thea and Laurel snickering. "You're up!"

"Oh," Alex blanched.

"OK, why don't we just open the mountain of presents instead?" Eliza suggested, standing up.

"OK," Alex nodded hastily, taking her hands.

"Hi, I'm Eliza," she added to Rodas as she nearly dragged Alex and Maggie to the couch.

"She's my mom," Alex explained.

"I'm the mom," Eliza agreed.

"Wow," Quentin blinked as he took in all the presents the ladies from Earth-1 were gathering together. "That is . . . a lot of presents."

"No kidding," Dig whistled, impressed.

"Surprise us," Maggie looked up at the group.

"Oh, us?" Curtis raised an eyebrow, pointing between them.

"Hmm," Dinah stepped forward, examining the gifts before picking one. "This one for . . . Maggie," she held it out.

"OK, thank you," Maggie smiled at the fellow police officer, taking the box. She opened the envelope on top, then laughed. "Oh, I think I know who this is from." Alex smiled sheepishly, and Maggie looked at her. "Alex, before I open this, I want you to know that you are the greatest gift I could receive."

Alex beamed. "I love you," she smiled.

Maggie smiled back and kissed her, making William playfully wrinkle his nose at the show of affection, even though Oliver chuckled, and ruffled his hair.

The sound of the door banging made them all look up, though, and when Alex and Maggie separated, they saw Rodas was no longer in the loft. "Oh, no," Felicity's eyes widened.

"Maggie!" Alex called as Maggie ran towards the door, going after her father.

***

Maggie ran outside, storming after her father. "You're just gonna walk out?" she shouted. "After all this time, that's it?"

"I can't do this," Rodas shook his head.

"Can't do what?" Maggie demanded. "Tell me, please. What exactly have I done that is so offensive to you?"

"You spit in my face," he answered.

"I spit in your face?" she repeated, shocked. "For loving somebody? I can't – I don't understand. I don't get it."

"I came to this country nine years old," he told her. "At eleven, I was working in a factory."

"Yes, I know," Maggie nodded.

"Do you?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah!"

"Do you know I was the only Mexicano working alongside a bunch of white boys?" he asked. "Do you know that they would wait for me at night by the road and laugh and call me wetback and kick me till my ribs were broken?"

"Dad, what does this have to do – " Maggie began.

"With you being a lesbian?" Rodas asked, cutting her off. "I worked to win their respect. Those same boys, when they grew up, elected me their sheriff. I endured for my children so that you would never have to face that kind of hatred. So that you would belong."

"I am accepted for who I am," Maggie told him. "The world is different now."

Rodas laughed bitterly. "They're building a wall to keep us out, because in their minds, we are nothing but rapists and murderers. The only thing they hate more than a Mexicano is a homosexual. The world is not different, my dear." Maggie's face fell, and he fumed. "Look, you can live any way you please, but don't ask me to witness it."

Rodas stormed off, leaving Maggie in the middle of the sidewalk, watching him leave, a torn expression on her face. When the door to enter the building opened and Dinah, Quentin, and Laurel stepped out, Maggie swallowed hard and turned to them. "Come here," Dinah held out her arms.

Maggie immediately sniffed and moved to hug her, Quentin and Laurel both glaring after her father.

***

Kara picked her way through the remains of M'yrnn's home, approaching the Martian praying in the center. After J'onn had tried to convince his father that he was real, Till'all had attempted to force his way to M'yrnn and take the location of the spear by force. They had taken M'yrnn back to his old home, but M'yrnn had snapped, accusing J'onn not only of being a White Martian trying to steal J'onn's form, but for taking him to his deceased family's home.

It had torn J'onn dearly, and after everything he had done for Kara, the least she could do was try and help him. "I'm sorry to interrupt your prayers," she told M'yrnn hesitantly, "but I think it's important that you hear me right now."

"What is left to say?" M'yrnn asked, not opening his eyes.

"Look at me," Kara crouched in front of him. "I'm not a White Martian. You can sense that, can't you? You know it's true?"

M'yrnn opened his eyes, and with a frown, he reached towards her head. Kara leaned forward slightly so his fingertips touched her temple. "You're Kryptonian," he identified.

"Yes," she nodded. "That's right. I come from a dead planet. I come from a dead people, just like you."

"Krypton is gone," M'yrnn told her. "But my world remains, and every day for two hundred years, I have been forced to remember the horror of what happened to my people."

"You're right," Kara nodded.

"There is no future for Mars."

"Not for Green Martians, no," Kara shook her head. "But this is bigger than you now. This is about your faith."

"What do you know of my God?" M'yrnn scowled.

"I heard you earlier. H'ronmeer tests us. This is a test. You have a chance to save your planet. Not for your people, maybe, but for another people who want to do better than those that came before. I don't blame you for not wanting to believe that J'onn is actually your son. I don't blame you for not wanting to open your mind, because if it weren't true – "

"It would be like losing him all over again," M'yrnn finished.

"Yes," Kara nodded, watching J'onn hesitantly approach. "Whether or not you believe he is your son, he wants to save Mars. So please, M'yrnn . . . open your mind just a little bit. Just give him a chance."

M'yrnn considered, then turned as J'onn approached. "May I?" his son asked, holding up his hand. After a moment, M'yrnn closed his eyes and bowed his head, acquiescing. J'onn smiled slightly, putting his hand on his father's hand. Kara watched with wide eyes as light poured into the room, lighting up the house as if it had never been destroyed. "This is my favorite memory," J'onn said, looking around. "This is our home, Father. I haven't thought about this in a long time. Can you see it?"

"I see it," M'yrrn confirmed. "I remember it." Kara gasped in delight when down the stairs came two Green Martian children, both chattering excitedly. "K'hym!" M'yrrn identified them. "T'ania!"

"My daughters," J'onn confirmed. "Your granddaughters."

"They're beautiful, J'onn," Kara whispered, smiling widely.

"They were excited about something," J'onn continued. "They were terrible at keeping secrets."

"What did they know?" Kara asked.

"That I had left worship early to surprise J'onn," M'yrnn answered.

The door in the memory opened, and the two girls jumped up and down as M'yrrn entered. "K'hym, T'ania," he smiled. "Look at you two." He crouched down, looking at them. You're getting much bigger, K'hym. T'ania, give me that smile. Does he know?" Both girls shook their heads, giggling. "Daddy doesn't know, does he?" J'onn appeared from the other direction, and he stopped and laughed when he saw his father. M'yrnn laughed as well as he stood. "Did they tell you?"

"You came!" J'onn smiled widely, approaching.

"Yes, I did," M'yrnn nodded, giving him a hug. "Happy birthday, my son."

"Thank you, Father," J'onn smiled. "Thank you! Thank you for coming." He then turned to his daughters, pointing at them. "You both kept a secret! You kept a secret!"

His daughters jumped up and down in excitement, laughing happily, and the memory slowly faded away, leaving the remains of the house. Kara watched in hope as J'onn turned to look at his father. M'yrnn looked at him with wide eyes, then exclaimed, "J'onn! My son!"

"Father," J'onn gasped, embracing him tightly, and Kara smiled widely as she watched. "I missed you!"

"I'm so sorry for not believing you," M'yrnn cried, closing his eyes. "I'm so sorry, J'onn!"

"I'm the one that should be sorry," J'onn told him.

"How did you survive?" M'yrnn asked, pulling back. "Why did you come back here?"

"The staff, Father," J'onn told him. "It's urgent. There's still time."

"No, there isn't," Till'all's voice said, and Kara and J'onn both stood protectively in front of M'yrnn as the resistance forces entered. "But we need the staff, now."

"I'm sorry, J'onn," M'gann said apologetically.

"J'onn," M'yrnn held up a hand when J'onn went to speak. "It's OK." He walked forward to address the Whites. "The staff isn't far," he told them. "They're taking it to the hive below the L'oren crater."

"Let's go," J'onn smiled, holding out his hand.

M'yrnn took it, and Kara grinned widely, running after the Martians as they left.

***

One of the few scenes I teared up in. I loved J'onn sharing that memory. His daughters were absolutely adorable.

The ending of "Far From The Tree" is next! Don't know when that will be up, but hopefully tonight. :)