WHAT WAS MY DADDY LIKE?

Chapter 6: Canaries

A/N: I wrote this after 7x18 aired, so I was able to draw material from the episode even if the rest of this fic is canon divergent. Like 7x18, this chapter is all female too, but it's packed with more drama than action. Despite the delay, I liked how it turned out. I hope you do too.

Thwack! The sounds of bo staffs clashing echoed in the cold, dank air in the team's secret lair at the basement, mingling with the whirring sounds of the computers and the soft, intermittent blowing of steam from the pipes overhead. Every now and then the sounds of three females grunting blended in. It triggered reminiscences in Felicity's mind of when Oliver, Diggle, and Sarah used to spar down at the foundry many, many years ago.

Sarah. There had been a number of times in the past several years when thoughts of her had crossed Felicity's mind, and each time, the original Black Canary had been sorely missed. The two of them had had a rocky start as acquaintances in her second year of working with the Arrow, and Felicity still kidded herself each time she remembered how jealous she had been of one of Oliver's ex-girlfriends turned assassin and vigilante. Yet, over time they had become very dear friends.

Yes, Felicity missed her blonde friend from time to time – like she did as was watched her daughter Mia spar with Dinah and Zoe – but it wasn't the same as when she missed the love of her life. With Sarah, it was the kind that made her somewhat thrilled. There was an element of anticipation, not knowing when her time-traveling friend would suddenly appear. There was predictability and intentionality, too, for any time Felicity very desperately needed the White Canary, all she needed to do was contact the Legends on the Waverider, just like when she needed help convincing Black Siren to stand down when the Earth-2 version of Laurel was framed for murder all those years ago. But missing Oliver? It was completely different. It was the kind that made her lonely heart ache.

With Oliver, there used to be an element of improbability; Felicity used to hold on to a glimmer of hope that her husband, the hero of their city, would still be alive and return. But after twenty years, that hope had faded, such that improbability had been replaced long ago by a dreadful impossibility. She had learned to live with the painful reality that the best thing she could do was to honor his legacy by continuing the valiant fight to save their dying city. If she could get her daughter to do the same, she would have considered it a victory on her part already.

"Ah!" Mia cried out in pain, instantly pulling Felicity out of her deep thoughts.

Dinah and Zoe froze in place, as Felicity's glare darted in their direction. The Canaries weren't sure which one of them struck Mia on the cheek. It happened too fast.

With the back of her hand, Mia wiped off some of the blood from the cut on her cheek, which was surely going to bruise soon. "I'm fine," she assured everyone with a stern voice. She wasn't a baby, even when she knew that sometimes her mother and her aunt still felt the need to treat her like one. She wouldn't have asked the Canaries to train her in using the staff if she didn't think she could handle a few cuts and bruises. Mia was so used to pain by now.

"That's enough sparring for today," Dinah said. Zoe gave her aunt a look that said she knew Mia would protest.

True enough, Mia responded stubbornly, "I can handle it," giving the Black Canary a pointed look of disapproval.

Dinah shifted on her feet, planting her staff firmly on the ground and leaning against it slightly. "I know you can. You're the Green Arrow's daughter." She sighed, trying to save herself the trouble of arguing with the stubborn Smoak-Queen spawn. "But it's late, and tomorrow is a big day for all of us, including you. We have to be in the best shape possible."

It was Mia's turn to sigh. She never liked giving in, but she knew that Dinah was right.

Tomorrow was "the day" - the day they breach the other, more surreptitious base of operations of Eden Corp. in the Glades, which was merely a front for what remained of the Ninth Circle after Emiko Queen's demise years ago. From there, the main goal was to disable the Archer program with a super-virus that Felicity and William had engineered for weeks, allowing them to locate and disarm the bombs that were supposed to be detonated remotely and simultaneously in Star City.

Rene, as Mayor of the Glades, had continued to feign allegiance to Kevin Dale and had passed on valuable intel as to the location of the secret base of Eden Corp. to the team through Zoe. However, he could only keep Kevin Dale from discovering what he'd done for a brief time, or Dale would find out that his own daughter was a Canary, too. This was why their vigilante team had but a 48-hour window to plan an effective, covert attack and see it to fruition, without glitches this time.

Every last Canary that Dinah and Zoe had been able to contact without being intercepted by Archer – thanks to the genius of Felicity's remote jammer – had come to their secret lair in trickles over the past two days. All seven of them. While Felicity and William had been busy over the past few weeks, the Ninth Circle had somehow managed to dismantle the Canary network. Kevin Dale's engineers and technical analysts – headed by none other than Alena Whitlock, the mole who had been planted by Dante in Team arrow at the inception of Smoak Tech – had developed a special type of computerized headgear that enabled the Ninth Circle to track every single vigilante that had ever been in contact with Dinah Drake over the course of six months. The digital tracker in those high-tech helmets, combined with Archer's DNA scanning protocol had located one Canary after another in just a week's time. Fifteen Canaries had been caught and had given their lives rather than betray the other birds of justice. In the last two days, the seven remaining birds had risked coming out of hiding to join the team in the impending mission.

Every member of their new, expanded vigilante team had been preparing for this for the last two days - planning, strategizing, simulating scenarios, sparring and staying fit, and psyching up themselves that victory was not an impossible, elusive dream. They had to succeed, or Star City was doomed. If they didn't make it out of the enemy's facility alive, or if they get caught, the destruction of all that's left of Star City was a done deal. Everything they'd been working so hard for – all these years – would come to nothing. Even Mia, who had just joined the vigilante movement recently – no matter how hesitantly at first – felt the weight of the mission on her shoulders.

Felicity thought that there was no better time to reach out to their long-time friends and teammates, John and Lyla Diggle, at the risk of either of them getting caught via DNA scanning. Through Connor, she had reached them, and they had come to join them on the mission; however, they could only wait from a location that was off the grid, miles away from the scope of Archer's reach. Because they were formerly with ARGUS, which had been infiltrated by the Ninth Circle and decommissioned by the government many years ago, the enemy had everything on them, including their DNA. The moment John or Lyla stepped into the boundaries of Star City or the Glades, the Glades PD would be after them in mere minutes. John and Lyla were ready to fight, but they needed Felicity and the team to disable the Archer program from the Eden Corp. base before they could cross into the "scan zone" and help the team disarm the bombs, which had already been strategically placed in various locations in Star City.

Zoe left to retire for the night as Dinah put away the bo staffs.

Felicity, on the other hand, approached Mia and asked, "Are you sure you're okay? If you need help with the cut, I can-"

"Mom…"

"Mia… I just…" Felicity paused to think about what to say that would not cause her daughter to put up her wall again. "I know you can tend to your own minor injuries. And I know you've done it for the past couple of years by yourself. Well, maybe not completely on your own. I'm guessing Connor's been there to help fix you up more recently…"

"MOM…"

"Okay, okay. But I am still your mother. And last time I checked you are still my daughter. I care about you, but you haven't given me a chance to show how much I care about you for so long. So, could you please, just let me help you for once?"

Mia uncrossed her arms from her chest and let them fall on her sides, letting her mother know that she was welcome to come closer and take a look.

Dinah came back from putting the staffs away and approached them. "The medic kit is in that box over there," she said, using her chin to point to a brown box in the corner of the room. As Felicity went to retrieve the kit, Dinah dared to start a conversation with Mia.

"You know, you don't have to be tough all the time, especially when you're with us," Dinah said, leaning back against a metal table near where Mia stood. "Canaries are there for each other."

"I'm not one of your birds," Mia retorted.

"Maybe not now. Maybe not ever. Who knows? But if I were you, I wouldn't close the doors. As far as I'm concerned, vigilantism is a noble profession in these parts," said Dinah, with a hint of humor in her voice. Mia wasn't smiling though, but Dinah continued to speak, this time with less teasing.

"When your father and I first met in Hub City, I told him to stay away from me. He was trying to recruit me into his team of vigilantes back then, but I refused. You see, when I'd lost my partner… or thought I had lost my partner, my life had changed… for the worse. Yeah, I did get a superpower that turned me into a badass whom no one dared cross, but I was broken and empty deep inside. I didn't know what to do with my life. I just wandered from place to place trying to find my purpose in the midst of the darkness that I had allowed into my heart. I was so lost, so angry. Anybody who got in my way… Well, let's just say that there was a time in my life when I thought that my canary cry had defined me as a person and made me think that nothing could get in my way… until I lost that power later on, too." Dinah paused, thinking back on the day when she had discovered that it hurt too much to use her cry again – the day she had to accept that she wouldn't be able to use her superpower again because of what Stanley the Slasher had done to her.

Mia was quiet, trying to distract herself from the heart-to-heart that the Black Canary was giving her by wondering what was taking her mother so long. From the corner of her eye, she saw Felicity taking her time preparing the things she needed to mend the cut on her cheek. Her mom could obviously overhear their conversation, and Mia knew her mom all too well to know that she was stalling to give Dinah the time to give her some much-needed talking to.

"Mia," Dinah continued, "when your dad found me, he offered me a way out of my messed-up situation. He had seen something in me worth saving that I'd never thought was still there. He gave me a shot at redemption. He helped me find my purpose, and like your mom, I know that I'm supposed to be brave and strong to help those who are weak and afraid, to defend those who are threatened and oppressed but can't fight back, even if it means making sacrifices. That was what your father did the whole time I knew him. That's what I've been trying to do all these years, even when hope often seemed… gone. That's why the Canaries exist, and that's what this team is still fighting for."

Felicity came back with the supplies and set them on the metal table. She looked at Mia but didn't say anything. Just one look at Dinah, and the leader of the Canaries knew that Felicity wanted her to keep going.

Dinah told Mia, "Your mother told me that you left home to find your purpose, to discover who you really are. Judging by how angry and closed off you still are, I'd be right in thinking that you haven't figured that out yet. I hope you do. Real soon. Because after tomorrow… well… Things around here might change permanently… drastically. You just might find yourself regretting all the time you've lost running away from the legacy you've inherited from your parents, regretting all the energy you've spent trying to survive in this jungle and proving to yourself that you are stronger and better than any of us. That is, if you live to see another day in Star City."

Felicity reached up to treat Mia's cut with an antiseptic-soaked piece of cotton, but Mia suddenly held her by the wrist and gently stopped her mother from starting to treat her injury.

Looking at Dinah, Mia asked pointedly, "If you really knew my dad as well as you say you did, can you honestly tell me that he made the right decision to choose others over his own family?" There was a fire in her soul that needed quenching. This was the real reason she'd been angry all this time.

Dinah answered, "Look, I wasn't there when Oliver had to make that choice. I didn't really know why he had to, or what was at stake. I was in prison. But when I got out, I learned about what happened from John Diggle and your mom. I understand why you resent the fact that you grew up without your dad in your life. And believe me, your mother understands firsthand how hard it is to grow up without a father. But your mother and I, our fathers made choices that were not half as noble as the ones that your father had to make time and time again."

Dinah's voice was no longer soft and gentle. It was serious and stern. She even took a step closer towards Mia.

Challenging the young Queen to a stare-down, Dinah spoke, "You're wondering why Oliver Queen chose to give his life and to give up a future with the ones he loved? It's because he was a hero who understood what sacrifice is all about. And if you're asking me whether or not he had made the right choice that one last time, I won't hesitate to tell you in a heartbeat. Yes! It was the right choice. He knew it. Your mother knew it. Too bad you were too young to understand it. But the choice had to be made because the world depended on it back then. The only reason you're still alive to wonder and complain about it now is because your father had the guts to do what needed to be done. So, if you want to keep up this stubborn, self-absorbed attitude instead of channeling all your pent-up emotions and childhood hang-ups to heroic pursuits that really make a difference in people's lives, then go ahead. I won't stand in your way. That choice is yours to make."

Dinah gave Mia one last I-meant-every-word-I-said look, and then the Black Canary walked away.

Felicity blinked away the tears that welled up in her eyes and attempted to reach for Mia's cut again. This time, Mia let her.

"She's right, you know," Felicity spoke softly as she wiped the blood off her cheek with the soaked cotton pad. She wanted her daughter to understand. She wanted her daughter to tell her that finally she understood.

But Mia was silent. She said nothing until her mom finished treating her cut and plastered a sterile, adhesive, antiseptic pad over it. Felicity was about to put away the supplies when Mia finally spoke.

"So, all those years you were telling me about my dad… They really weren't just supposed to make him or you look good in my eyes? Everybody I've ever spoken to recently… the people in this… team… They all say he's a hero, like you've always said."

"It's the truth," replied Felicity. "There's not a day since your father disappeared that I didn't wish you could have known him. I think the only good thing about you growing up without Oliver is that you didn't have to miss him like I do. Every. Single. Day."

To Felicity's surprise, Mia launched herself at her mother. She wrapped her arms around her mom and squeezed her tight, just like she used to do when she was a little girl. Felicity's tears fell. As far as she was concerned, Mia didn't have to say the words. Her daughter was just like her husband, who was a man of few words but loved with so much passion. Felicity hugged Mia tighter and ran her palm on her daughter's back in circles, just like she used to when her little girl needed comfort. They stayed that way for a couple of minutes, until they pulled back when they both got their beating hearts under control.

"We should go get some rest," Felicity told Mia, cupping her girl's cheek with one hand.

Mia nodded. She helped her mom put away the supplies, and then she let her mom link their arms as they walked out of the lair.

"Mom, when all of this is over, I'm coming home," said Mia. It was obvious that she was trying to keep herself from crying.

"Oh?" Felicity couldn't believe her ears.

"Yeah," Mia replied. "Doesn't matter where, as long as we're together."

"O—kay," said Felicity, her lips turning up for a smile. "But, aren't you being a little too presumptuous? We don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow."

"We're gonna win this, Mom. I know it." Mia's voice was confident and resolute.

"And how do you know that?" asked her mother.

Without hesitation, she answered, "I'm the Green Arrow's daughter. And just like those Canaries and everyone in the team, I'm gonna make sure that my dad's sacrifice was well worth it."

Felicity smiled. "That's our girl."

A/N: So what did you think of this one? Would love to hear from you. The next chapter will focus on John Diggle, who has been a huge part of Oliver's and Felicity's journeys as heroes. It will be the penultimate chapter, and then there's gonna be a surprise for the final chapter (I hope). :-)

Some thoughts:
1. I've always been skeptical and suspicious of Alena's character on the show. I still am. In my opinion, Felicity Smoak has always been a good judge of character, except in Alena's case. I still think that underneath the cuteness and charm, Alena is evil. Her reaction to the Archer program's ability to track her using her DNA, as well as to Felicity knowing her last name, was kind of off to me. She really feels like a wild card in the story line of the show.
2. Even before the plot twist on Black Siren's arc, I had already decided that she was not going to play a major role in this fic. I liked that she got redeemed in the show at 7x18 in a reasonable and sensible way, but Black Siren becoming yet another Black Canary (even if in another earth) was not very appealing to me. How many Black (or White) Canaries does a show really need? Well, that's just me. Sorry for the mini rant.