These Prison Walls (An Arrow: Season 7 Fanfiction)

Chapter 21: Nightmares and Discoveries

Star City. Present-day. 

Oliver placed the pot of chilli roughly on the kitchen bench as Felicity walked up tentatively behind him. 

'I take it by the way you're treating the chilli that your talk didn't go so well,' she said softly. He turned to face her. 

'He wants to go live with his grandparents.' 

'And you think that's -' 

'I think it's ridiculous because we are his family and we are what's best for him!' He sighed angrily. 

'Well, we've all grown and changed a lot since you got out of Slabside and Evelyn got out of Iron Heights, and I've been thinking that maybe you and I need to think more about what William needs.' 

'You need to tell me... if you honestly believe that he would be better off far away from us,' Oliver said slowly. 

'I think that now that you're working with the SCPD and Team Arrow again that we don't exactly provide a life of normalcy and -' 

'I just want to be a better father for him than my father was for me.' 

'You already are, by giving him the life he deserves... even if it breaks our hearts.' Just then the power went out completely in the house, and in one of the bedrooms, they heard a sharp, blood-chilling scream. Oliver had heard that sound all too often. When he found me, I was on the bed curled up in the fetal position, shivering and crying at the same time, the blankets in a haphazard state all over the bed. He turned one of my battery-powered lamps on, pulling me into his arms as I cried on his chest. 

'It's okay, Evelyn... I've got you. It's alright. It's okay.' 

'It was - it was him. It was the killer. He killed everyone...' I wept, cuddling into his chest. 'And made me watch, and then - he killed me.' 

'It's alright, Evelyn. I won't let anything happen to you or my family. I promise. I swear, on my life, I won't let anyone hurt you.' 

Star City. 2040. 

'If you didn't kill Felicity, then who did?' William asked. 

'No one,' Blackstar replied. 'Felicity's still alive.' 

'How do you know that?' William retorted.

'I just do. It's why I need ARCHER... to find Felicity.' 

'Don't say anything to her,' Zoe hissed. 'She's a liar. She'll say anything to -' In the blink of an eye, Blackstar punched Zoe. 

'You didn't need to do that,' Evelyn grunted, sitting up slowly. 'Impressive surprise with the tranq darts, but kinda lame too.' 

'No, but I enjoyed it,' Blackstar replied with a satisfied smile, then leaned down to meet William's eyes. 'Now... how about those codes?' 

'Only after you tell me why you're looking for Felicity,' William said. 

'Let's just say we owe each other. What I don't get is you. You're no hero wannabe like the rest of them. You're obviously well off, enough to not slum around Star City. So what are you getting out of this?' 

'Honestly... I don't know. Closure, maybe, to ask Felicity why she disappeared from my life only to contact me now out of the blue.' 

'Why, did you guys date or something?' Blackstar scoffed. 

'God, no. I'm gay, and she's my mom.' Blackstar frowned. 'Stepmom,' William added for clarification. 

'Oliver Queen is your father?' Just then, the young man that was with Blackstar walked into the room. 

'You get anything out of them?' he asked. 

'You're supposed to be watching the others!' she hissed. Suddenly, a knife flew into one of the monitors nearby. Dinah ran out, kicking Blackstar, while Roy jumped from a rafter and rolled, tackling the young man nearby. The fight finally came to a stop when Blackstar had a knife to Dinah's neck, Evelyn tackled the young man, holding him in a fierce headlock while Roy had his bow and arrow pointed at him, and William had a laser point gun pointed at Blackstar. 'Drop the bow!' Blackstar hissed. 

'You first,' William replied. 

'You can't win this,' William growled, his hands shaking on the trigger. 

'Drop the damn knife,' Zoe exclaimed. 

'You kill her, Blackstar, and I kill your little buddy over here!' Evelyn shouted. The man groaned loudly, trying to claw at my arm. 

'Please... let me go...' 

'Not in a chance in hell, buddy,' I snarled. 

'Come on!' William yelled. 'Don't give me a reason to pull this trigger!' Blackstar pushed Dinah away. 

'You're not gonna shoot me,' she said, slowly turning around, dropping the knife in her hands. 

'You sure about that?' 

'I would listen to her if I were you,' I called out. 'Before I lose my patience and turn her little guy friend into a broken twig.'

'And why is that?' William retorted. 

'Yeah... because my name is Mia Smoak. I'm Felicity's daughter - and your sister.' William lowered the gun in shock.