Dedicated to @NewYorkDoll, @CamrynKissel, and NoraXSWest-AllenFam for their fantastic feedback on my stories :)

"Mia needs your help. She could be in danger and you weren't there to protect her, like you promised mom you always would," were the only thoughts that swirled within William's head as his vision danced around the grimy, metal-walled box that he stood in.

His hands gingerly moved back and forth against his back, feeling the sturdy lines of thick manilla rope tying them behind the beat-up cafeteria-style chair he sat in. His ankles had similar shackles, only they seemed to connect to something unknown on the opposite side of where he was positioned.

The air was blanketed by the smell of rotting fish, their old corpses' remains lying around the almost empty room.

This would typically be the time of year where kids say that they had dreams of sugarplums dancing in their heads, but you know, this is our family we're talking about so, I guess I'll just have to settle for a deafening headache and the smell of rotting trout instead.

He blinked twice, his vision slowly becoming clear again as he took in the rest of his foreign surroundings. The floor felt slick against his sneakered feet, dirt from its surface spreading to any object that it touched like poison seeps into one's veins. Fast and unforgiving.

The walls were painted a pale gray that only added to the place's dreary mood, occasional maroon red marks dotting their exterior. Above him, hung a single yellow light fixture, its circular lamp shade wobbling precariously above his head like an unstable tree topper. A steady drip of water seemed to fall down from a split in the cracked gray ceiling just a few feet away from him, its quiet splashing noise echoing around the nearly abandoned dark room.

This place isn't creepy at all...

He shuffled his hands around a little more, hoping to identify the object that his captors had so graciously tied him to. It had ridges, unkempt blood dried onto its primary surface. It felt simultaneously warm and cold, sending nervous shivers down William's spine like a combined wave of freshly made cookies and expired milk. But despite the object's hidden oddities, he somehow felt like it should be kept much closer to his chest.

Please tell me it's not what I think it is...

"Are you seriously trying to do some stupid sibling hand hold right now," moaned Mia, angrily as she smacked her brother's unexpecting hands aside, despite neither having the ability to go anywhere.

And there it is.

"No, of course not. But as you could probably tell, I didn't exactly get the memo as to what's even going on," replied WIlliam quickly, hoping to subside any of his sister's anger.

"Well, I don't know about you, but the Wilson brothers escaped from Argus' custody and attacked me. I almost won, but they tag-teamed to take me down. Must've thought I was too powerful for them to fight, which I totally should have been. What's yours and dad's excuse?" Questioned Mia, irritatedly.

He didn't need to see his sister's expression to be able to tell how angry she was. But then again, he probably would have been angrier too if not for the pounding headache that was currently preventing most of any thought of annoyance.

"I don't honestly know, something in the storage room just exploded and we were both knocked unconscious," answered William as his eyes finished examining the room.

It kinda felt claustrophobic in a way, its colorless pale walls imitating the intensifying fear that was building within his nervous wreck of a body.

What if dad got caught too? Are they torturing him somewhere while we just sit here, waiting for someone to save us? No, if your family needs help, you have to come, regardless of the danger.

"Oh, so while I was busy beating up the deadly criminals, you and dad were just in the next room lazing around? I mean, you I get, but dad? He could've actually done something," remarked Mia as she vigorously struggled to untie the rough knots that were acting as her so-called "handcuffs."

Is this really how often I blamed dad for stuff when I was a kid?

He had the sinking feeling that the answer to that question was probably yes, though he didn't really have the time to dwell on that particular problem at the moment.

"I'm gonna try and pretend like that one didn't hurt because you're upset right now," commented William, a slight hint of pain carrying his voice.

"I'm not upset," Mia responded, matched with what he assumed was probably a plain expression to mask her worry.

"You are in complete denial right now, you know that right?" Groaned William back as he once again unsuccessfully tried to loosen the rope from the inside.

Each moment that they continued to lock him in place felt like throwing something into the endless void, waiting for it to hit the ground with the result that was an inevitable shout into nothingness.

"Since when do you get to tell me how I feel?" Questioned Mia, her fists clenching tightly behind her back.

"Because someone has to try and sort through your feelings and clearly, that's not going to be you!" Shouted William, his words finally succumbing to the building anxiety that was cracking through his otherwise kind voice.

I'm really, really trying not to yell at her, but now isn't the time for her to be closing herself off!

"Well, maybe everyone doesn't have to talk about their "feelings" to make decisions! Maybe some of us need to process things longer because we want to make sure that the thing we love won't leave again!" Protested Mia, fury now coursing through her veins like burning hot lava.

"Yeah, well I think that's really mature of you!" Shouted William, smiling slightly to himself.

"Thank you! And I really appreciate how much you actually care about me, okay! I've always wanted someone who's there for me and I'm glad that person is you!" Screamed Mia back, a few tears forming in her bright green eyes.

"Well, that means a lot to me coming from someone as special to me as you!" Yelled William back, tears now streaming down his face, too.

"I feel the same way!" Agreed Mia, their voices now reverberating around the metal walls like a thousand tiny jingle bells.

It was honestly a miracle that neither of the Wilson brothers had heard them yet.

"Then why are we still yelling?!" Exclaimed William as his hearing finally started to return from their heated discussion.

"I don't know!" Replied Mia, her heart beating loudly against her chest.

"Okay, then let's just stop," reasoned William, his voice slowly lowering to its usually quiet octave.

"Agreed," panted Mia, exhaustively.

How did mom and dad argue so often? It's really exhausting.

Both siblings took a second to breathe, letting their highly tense emotions rein back in as they remembered what had just happened hours prior.

"Mia, I just think, I just think that you'd be happier if you worked things out with dad," explained William, softly.

"Maybe, but I wanna decide for myself whether or not he cares, not have dad or you deciding it for me," stated Mia, a rare tinge of vulnerability carrying her confident voice.

"Then, that's what we'll do," conceded William, understandingly.

"Really? Just like that?" Asked Mia, raising her eyebrow, sketpically.

"I just want you to be okay, Mia. And if that means that you have to distance yourself from dad a little longer than I'll respect that," replied William, gently.

He may not have had nearly as many issues with Oliver since they'd been transported back in time as she had, but that didn't mean he still didn't remember all the mistakes he'd made when he was a kid. Trying his very best to push away one of the only two people who promised to always be in his life. The dad he'd always wanted when he was younger, his dad.

I made that mistake once and I'm not going to make it again. But I need to let Mia decide what's best for herself, not force the advice on her that I'd wish I had when I was a kid just because I didn't listen to it when I should have. I have to be here with her, not for her.

"Well, thanks... that means a lot," smiled Mia, thankfully.

"Anytime for my little sis. And I'm sorry for not coming around quicker," added William, sighing disappointedly.

"You should be," agreed Mia as she inconspicuously took her brother's left hand in hers, locking their fingers together.

There was something about their hands touching that made both siblings feel at home, like they were once again safe in the comfort of their parents' arms. Or rather, each others'.

I know that we haven't technically known each other for longer than a year, but it already feels like I could've never lived without her.

"Okay, now that the emotional situation is settled, how 'bout' we get out of here. Wherever here is," stated William, his head instinctively looking around the room to regather his surroundings.

"And how exactly are we supposed to do that? Considering you're the genius, after all," Asked Mia as she held onto her brother's hand for a few more seconds before letting it fall against the back rim of the chair opposite her.

"Um, just a second," replied William as he continued to look around him, hoping to see something that would spark an incredible idea to save them.

Or at least, get them out of the ropes currently binding them in place.

His eyes crossed over various misplaced objects such as rusty screws, pieces of crumpled up paper, and something that looked eerily similar to a dead Christmas tree's branch (tis the season, right?). Of course, the most helpful item of the three was on the opposite side of the room where neither of the siblings would have any chance of getting to.

If only we could actually reach that screw because that is definitely sharp enough to get us out of here, even if we would need a tetanus shot afterwards.

"Can you reach that tree branch on your left?" Asked William as he leaned over to the right the farthest he could manage in his wobbling seat without any success.

Though, to be fair, the chair didn't really feel stable just staying still, either.

Mia extended her restrained foot as far as she could, her toes pressing against her boot's inner rim.

She got close, the tip of her shoe touching its weak structure, but she wasn't strong enough to get it any further than several inches from them.

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen," stated Mia, panting slightly out of tireless effort.

But luckily for The Archer, her nerdy brother had thought of an even better idea in the meantime.

I'm not complaining or anything, obviously, but I am starting to wonder where these guys' security is...

"That's okay because I actually just got another idea," thought William aloud, a small smile creeping onto his bruised face.

"Are you doing that really weird dorky face that you get when you think of a plan?" Remarked Mia, raising an eyebrow, knowingly.

"Yep, I one-hundred percent am," answered William, no longer able to contain the excitement that seemed to be growing quicker than Oliver's cookies disappear during the holiday season.

"Good, because we need that brain of yours right now," reassured Mia, hopefully.

"Now, what's the plan?" She asked, readily.

"Well, I can't really fully explain it until you answer one very important question, have you seen all of the James Bond films?" Questioned William, his tone suddenly turning very serious.

Here's the real test on if she's more like mom or dad...

"We are not doing that." She stated, knowingly.

Many times had her brother already tried to suggest this particular plan to her during their previous missions and all times had she outright denied it, purely for its movie cheesiness.

"It's the only way we're going to get out of these ropes," commented William, happily.

C'mon, Mia, you have to let me do it this once...

"Ugh, fine. But next time, you have to let me choose the plan," countered Mia, begrudgingly.

"As long as it doesn't involve any of our enemies being brutally injured?" Confirmed William, clearly.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it," scoffed Mia, rolling her eyes, playfully.

"Then, yes," agreed William, excitedly.

Ooh, I always thought this move was so cool and now I'm actually getting to do it right here! Younger me would totally be jealous right now... as in if I were younger, not the actual thirteen year-old me in this time.

"Okay, on the count of three then, we'll stand up?" Confirmed William as he tried his best to keep his enthusiasm a secret, mainly because Mia would never let him live it down if it didn't work.

"Yeah, sure," sighed Mia, already having a general idea of how awful her brother's plan was going to turn out.

And could you really blame her when it was based on an action movie he'd watched when he was kid?

Hey, Christmas is supposed to be the time of hope, right?

"One, two, three," called William slowly as he and Mia both immediately toppled their adjoined metal chairs to the right hand side towards the stick.

The seats crashed to the concrete ground with a resounding bang! Returning a ringing to both of the two Smoak-Queens' ears. But William's idea worked for now Mia could actually reach the random object that would be acting as their makeshift key.

"Wow, I guess that wasn't such a terrible idea," admitted Mia as she used the tips of her chipped up golden nails to inch the stick closer and closer until finally, her right hand was able to grip the small object's cylinder frame, pulling it into her outstretched hand.

"Yes, it worked!" exclaimed William, happily as he felt his sister slowly start to cut the strong bindings using the sharpened tip of the stick's head.

He felt an oddly strange sensation pass up his arms as Mia worked tirelessly to break her bonds, their hands pressed awkwardly against one another.

I don't care what she says, I am totally hugging her when we get out of this.

Neither Smoak-Queen were entirely sure how much time passed as they worked, only that each second spent could be one second closer to losing their chance at freedom.

"And it's finally done," declared Mia as she swiftly shook the manilla ropes off of her ankles, rubbing her hands together for a quick moment before pulling herself to her feet.

This was the first time that William was getting to see his little sister since they'd both been captured and it brought a sort of comfort to his heart knowing that she would soon be safe, hopefully along with Oliver and himself.

I need to make a mental note to make sure she ices those bruises as soon as we get out of here, though.

"I knew you could do it," smiled William, happily.

"Me too," smirked Mia, proudly placing her hands on her hips in victory.

William just laughed lightly, glad to have his little sister's sass back in his life, even if it had only been gone a few hours.

"But I do have to give you some of the credit. It was your plan, after all," added Mia, rolling her eyes, playfully at her brother.

"I was kinda hoping you'd say that," admitted William, a knowing smile covering his face.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm cool. Now, let's get you untied so we can get out of here," stated Mia as she bent down behind her older brother, her hands immediately pressing the stick against his ropes.

But as Mia was untying his tight binds, both siblings heard the heavy metal a few doors down start to creak open, the faint echoes of their captor's footsteps ringing throughout the room. The pair immediately exchanged worried looks, their hearts beating against their chests.

"We both know what we need to do," whispered William, a gentle urging in his voice.

I have to stay calm because otherwise, there's no way she's going to leave without me.

"No, I'm not just going to leave you here," stated Mia as she quickly tried to cut him free, only the process was much too tedious to be rushed.

"Mia, you have to go," reasoned William, softly as he looked into his sister's eyes.

She was trying to look angry at him, but all she was managing to show was her concern.

"I can't just leave you alone with them, especially with how angry they'll be that I escaped," protested Mia as both siblings heard the footsteps getting closer.

"You're not leaving me, you're just going to help dad first, and then, you'll both come back for me. I'll be okay, trust me," reassured William, hurriedly.

Every moment that she spends trying to save me is another moment that these guys get closer to hurting her again. And I'm not going to let that happen.

Mia angrily threw the stick aside, her eyes narrowed as she stared at her brother.

"I swear, if you die while I'm gone, I will kill you," warned Mia, a fiery intensity covering her face as she pointed at him, accusingly.

"Fair enough," agreed William, a small half-smile covering his face.

Without notice, Mia threw her lean arms around her brother's binded chest, squeezing him as tightly as she could.

"Just go find dad, okay?" Asked William, gently.

Mia nodded, pushing herself back onto her feet before throwing open the nearby ventilation shaft door and climbing through it, disappearing towards what William hoped beyond hope would lead her to safety.

It doesn't matter what happens as long as I know she's safe.