These Prison Walls (An Arrow: Season 7 Fanfiction)

Chapter 22: Sister?!?

'My sister?' William asked, his hands shaking as he pointed the gun at Mia. 

'I wish it wasn't, but here I am,' Mia retorted. I let go of the young man with Mia and turned to face the estranged siblings. 

'I practically helped raise her in the wake of what happened with your father, William. Felicity and I both raised her. For a lot of years, you both were like my children.' 

'Now get the damn gun off of me,' Mia snapped. 

'He will when you stop lying,' Zoe said. 

'She's not lying, Zoe,' I gritted out. 

'It just doesn't make any sense,' Dinah said from behind Mia. 'We all knew Oliver and Felicity. They never had a daughter.' 

'Guess you didn't know them as well as you think.' 

'And - you knew?' she asked, pointing to me. 

'I did know. Oliver and Felicity asked me not to say anything so Mia could be protected. So she could grow up to have a normal life. After what happened with William's younger years... they didn't want a repeat.' 

'Is this true?' Roy yelled, aiming his bow at the young man. 'Is she their kid?' 

'Hey, let him go!' Mia exclaimed. 'He doesn't know who my parents are. I never told him.' He stood slowly, dropping his batons, then turned to Mia. 

'She's telling the truth. Look, Mia, my dad told me to keep a watch on you and to keep you safe, so I knew who your father is.' 

'Your dad knew too?' Dinah snapped, stalking up to the young man. 

'Okay, okay,' I said. 'Can someone clue me in? Whose kid is this?' 

'Who the hell is your dad?' Mia snapped, but it was laced with curiosity. 

'John Diggle is my adoptive father.' 

'A vigilante,' Mia said with disdain in her voice. 

'Mia -' 

'So you've been lying to me this entire time?!' she snapped, her voice cracking with unshed tears. Dinah stepped up, laying eyes on Connor. 

'Well, now that we're all acquainted,' and at this, she turned to Mia, 'what the hell are you doing down here?' 

'She's looking for Felicity, who's apparently not dead!' William exclaimed angrily. 

'How do you know?' Roy asked. 

'Because she's done this before,' Mia snapped, coming up to the main platform. 'She's just hiding somewhere, being paranoid like always. Figured it might be here this time.' 

'So you're just going on a hunch, huh?' Dinah snapped, coming up to the main platform to untie Zoe from the chair that she'd been sitting in since the beginning of the fight. 

'No. I am going on an entire lifetime of dealing with her. Did you even bother checking into her murder?' 

'Of course, we did,' Zoe retorted, standing up and rubbing her wrists. 'She died in an explosion.' 

'Did you actually see a body?' Mia snarked. William put the gun down on a crate and walked up to the platform to stand in front of his sister. 

'Okay. Where do we start?' She scoffed. 

'Yeah, I'm not looking for any kind of family reunion here, bro.' 

'Oh I'm sorry, sis,' he retorted, stepping up closer to her, 'but I have come too far to get sidelined now, so we're helping each other whether you want to or not.' 

Bloomfield, outside of Star City. Present-day (not quite)...

Mia walked inside the house, placing the grocery bags on the kitchen counter. 

'Mom, I'm home!' she called out. 'Mrs. Carver had that cheese you love so much at the store, the one that tastes better than it smells.' She turned, expecting to hear Felicity's voice, but heard nothing. 'Mom?' She stepped forward, listening. It was eerily quiet. 'Mom.' Still nothing. Reaching over to the knife rack, she pulled out a knife and walked through the kitchen. Turning around, she heard something behind her and spun suddenly, putting her knife to her mother's throat. 'Seriously, Mom.' She lowered the knife. 

'Good instincts,' Felicity replied. 'Hi.' She smiled, making Mia instantly relax as she walked past her to the kitchen. 'How is Mrs Carver?' 

'Uh - the usual. She's had to tell me everyone's business in town, and she's trying to set me up with her son.' Felicity sat at the table. 

'Henry?' 

'No, the older one,' Mia replied, going to unpack the groceries. 

'Ooh, "Cowardly Lion" Seth?' Felicity asked with a chuckle. 

'Isn't he more Scarecrow, though? No brains?' 

'Either way, not for you.' Just then, footsteps sounded as Evelyn padded out into the kitchen with bare feet, shivering almost instantly. 

'Whoo, that's cold. Hey, kid.' She filled up a glass of water and stood at the counter, drinking it. 

'I thought you'd gone home, Auntie Evelyn.' 

'Mm, no. Your mother asked if I wanted to stay the night, and of course, I couldn't pass up good food and a warm bed.' 

'Which you wake up from half the time,' Felicity shot back. Evelyn let out a short, sharp laugh. 

'Yeah... sorry if it's disturbing. My sleep medication isn't working like it used to. My nightmares are getting worse these days - ever since Oliver left.' 

'Where were you?' Mia asked Felicity. 

'Well, I was on the phone. Meeting with Smoak Tech.' 

'Have you ever thought about actually going in to work?' Mia asked. 'You know, we could get out of Bloomfield, go to the city. I could go with you.' 

'Oh, you know, the city's not safe for us. If anyone ever found out who your father is or who you are...' 

'Right, right,' the teenager replied, turning away to pull some stuff out of some more bags. 'But I know how much you love that company. And I know how to protect myself. You made sure of that.' 

'I sure did,' she said with a smile. 'So did your aunt.' I smiled softly. 

'All to protect you, kid. And to earn my keep around here. So please, listen to your mother.' 

'So if Dad's a big a hero as you say, then why can't we just tell everyone that?' Mia asked. I looked at Felicity. 

'It's not that simple, Mia. You just have to trust me and your aunt on that. I'm sorry,' Felicity replied. Felicity stood and walked to her daughter. 'Hey, I was thinking a vintage movie night. A Jordan Peele marathon.' Mia shrugged. 

'Yeah. Sure. You joining, Aunt Evelyn?' 

'Why the hell not?' she replied, cracking a smile.

'Hand over that cheese,' Felicity said, and Mia handed her the cheese.