These Prison Walls (An Arrow: Season 7 Fanfiction)

Chapter 13: A Really Rather Tough Week

Star City. 2040. 

William sat in a small area, sipping a bottle of strong alcohol when Dinah walked into the area, with Evelyn following behind her. 

'I thought you didn't drink,' Dinah remarked. 

'Yeah, well, it's been a tough week.' I held out my hand for the bottle. 

'Give it here, kid. I need a sip too.' He passed it on, and I took a deep gulp of it and passed it back to my nephew. 'Hopefully, it'll get better,' I remarked and gently grasped his shoulder. 'You're made of tough stuff, kid. Your dad was a fighter, and so was your mom. Don't give up.' I walked away, leaving Dinah and William alone to chat. 

'I know the feeling,' Dinah said, taking the bottle again from William and taking a sip. 

'You know, Roy told me this would only bring me pain,' William said, holding up the reconnection stone, 'and he was right.' William chuckled. 'I'm going home.' 

'Just like that, huh, without any answers?' Dinah shot back. 

'Felicity is dead. And before that, she had a plan to blow up an entire city. So I'm not sure exactly why I'm supposed to care about what happened to her. I'm just sorry I dragged you all into this.' 

'You need to see something,' Dinah said, putting the bottle down and turning to William, rolling up her sleeve to reveal a tattoo of sorts. 'It's called the Mark of Four. Your dad came up with it.' 

'I don't remember that,' William remarked, turning to look at the mark. 

'You were already gone. It was right before everything.' She got a faraway look in her eyes, then turned back to William. 'It symbolises the four pillars of heroism - courage, compassion, selflessness, and loyalty. We all got them as a reminder that no matter what happened if one of us was in trouble, the other ones would be there. That's why Roy came back with you to Star City.' 

'Is that why Aunt Evelyn was with you?' he asked. 

'She started getting worse after Felicity died. Her alter ego... Athena, she's become dangerous. Evelyn hasn't been okay for a very long time. She's been depressed, even suicidal, she drinks a lot to hide the pain. But she still loves you, William. Very much. She cares for you. Roy saw the symbol written on the inside of your father's bow.' 

'So that's why you're helping us?' William asked. 

'I didn't know what to make of you at first,' Dinah admitted, reaching for the beer bottle and taking a sip. William chuckled. 'Trust doesn't come so easily to me.' 

'Yeah? So what changed?' 

'I started seeing the best parts of your dad in you - the strength that made him a hero.' 

'I am not that.' 

'You sure about that? 'Cause your dad, he had this way of looking into things, of seeing beyond the evidence. So what does your gut tell you about Blackstar?' William looked down in contemplation, then looked back up. 

'That she isn't telling us the whole story.'

'Good. Let's find out what she's hiding.' 

Star City. Present-day. Remains of the Arrow bunker. 

'The bunker has seen better days,' Oliver remarked. John came around the corner, carrying two briefcases with him. Oliver and I turned around to meet him.