x. driving a wedge

It had been two weeks since that morning. Since then, it was nearly impossible to see Mia and Julia apart. They worked together on both rehab and on missions and, almost every night, they went home together. Their inconspicuous relationship stayed that way until one morning where they both thought they were caught. Together, they walked out of the elevator with Connor and Zoe staring at them and William giving them a look that sort of said 'run.'

Connor looked to Zoe who nodded and put Julia in a choke hold.

"What the hell?" She managed to ask while desperately trying to breathe.

"Zoe what the hell are you doing?" Mia questioned her best friend, trying to get her off of her girlfriend.

"She conned us again! Check the news Mia. Reports have the Black Ghost all over town." Zoe responded, tightening the grip on my neck.

"That's impossible. She's been with me." Connor and Zoe gave her bewildered looks. Julia, who began to turn a light shade of purple, tapped frantically on Zoe's hand who then finally let go of her neck. She bent over, trying to catch her breath.

"Okay, let's get Jules checked out, then we'll figure this all out." Mia suggested.

XXX

William closed the door to examine Julia, just him, Mia, and her in the room. "I tried to tell them without telling them you were dating, but they just wouldn't listen." William put his hands up in defense.

Julia, who was still struggling to catch her breath, couldn't speak. William tossed her an inhaler which she used to calm her breath.

"Now tell us what's going on." Mia demanded of him.

"Remember how there was that copycat archer all those years ago? Someone's doing that with Julia." He summed up. "Now I have to come up with a cover story to tell them since you won't tell them you're dating." William left shaking his head.

"You didn't do it, right?" Mia asked Julia. The fact that she had to confirm broke Julia.

"You still don't trust me, do you?" Julia concluded. "After everything?"

"Look, Jules, I'm sorry, but you can't blame me." Mia tried to justify. "I mean this isn't the first time you've betrayed us."

"Of course I can blame you. I have a broken arm and leg. How would I have possibly done that?" Julia snapped, raising her voice at the blonde. "And what happened to new beginnings? Does that not mean anything? I almost died for you and you still can't trust me. You're fucking unbelievable." Julia shook her head, exiting the medbay.

XXX

"Something's off." Connor told Zoe.

"Yeah, Mia's been acting weird lately." Zoe agreed.

"Hey, have you noticed how Julia and Mia always leave together and always come back together in the morning." Connor finally put together.

"And how defensive Mia got when I put my hands on Julia. And how she called her Jules." Zoe added onto Connor's statement.

"You don't think they're..."

"No, they can't be..."

Neither of them could finish the end of their statement, as Julia hobbled her way out of the medbay and towards the elevator.

"Julia, wait!" Mia, who was a few steps behind, missed the elevator by an inch.

"What the hell was that?" Zoe questioned her friend.

"That was me fucking up." Mia rested her hands on her head.

XXX

With nowhere else to go, Julia ran to the place she was forced to call home-her apartment. The room was empty, her roommate on a bender, Julia presumed. So, Julia burned off the anger the only way she knew how-fighting. With her non broken arm, she hit and she hit until her phone rang.

CALL FROM: CLAYTON

"What do you want Clayton?" She asked, slightly annoyed he had interrupted her.

"Are you with Mia? She ran off a little while ago and hasn't come back."

"No, I'm not with her."

"Whatever she did, she's sorry. She couldn't focus on anything and Connor and Zoe left.

"Are you that helpless? Could you not stop her."

"I tried to, but she gave me a black eye."

"Jesus, Clayton." Julia pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'll find her."

XXX

The first thought that ran through Julia's head was Oliver's grave, but then she recalled telling Mia about the bar she went to settle down in The Glades. When she walked in, she wasn't surprised to find her girlfriend sitting at the bar, completely wasted.

"Oh my god you found me! I knew you'd find me. Didn't I say she would find me?" She slurred drunkenly to the bartender.

"Johnny, my friend here would like to tap out." He nodded and handed me the $400 bill. Julia couldn't restrain herself from rolling her eyes, as she grabbed Mia's arm and dragged her out of the bar.

XXX

"Don't." She said weakly as Julia tried to change her shirt. "I have a girlfriend. She will beat you up." She made aggressive karate chops with her arms.

"Mia, I am your girlfriend."

"Oh, sorry baby." She flopped onto the bed. I was headed downstairs when her voice called my name. "Julia, can you stay until I fall asleep."

Julia, though still upset with Mia, couldn't help but laugh. "You're lucky you're cute."