Chapter One
Out of her favor, where I am in Love.
William Shakespeare
"I don't want to be a woman you love," Felicity told him.
He heard the steel in her words and saw the pain in her eyes. It didn't matter that he loved her or how much those words hurt, he was bound to do as she asked. If she wanted Ray Palmer and not him then he wouldn't do a damned thing to stop their relationship.
"Hey, Oliver," Dig roused him from his thoughts.
Oliver sat in the basement of the foundry at the table where he sharpened and tricked out his arrows. He turned away from his arrows and looked at John Diggle. His one-time bodyguard and now partner and friend stood there looking at Oliver with sadness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, man," he said.
"About what?" Oliver asked.
"I talked to Felicity. She told me…"
"We don't have to discuss it, John," snapped Oliver. "She's made her choice and there's nothing to be done."
"But it was the wrong one," said Diggle.
Oliver smiled sadly. He replied, "You won't tell her that, right?"
Diggle took his large right hand and rubbed his face. He knew Oliver was right. Felicity deserved to make her own choices and not have either him or Oliver interfere.
"I know things have been tough for you since you came back," he paused then smiled, "from the dead. You don't agree with Laurel being a vigilante and the team seems to work differently know…"
"I no longer belong here, John," said Oliver.
Dig looked at him in shook. Of course, Oliver belonged there. They considered themselves Team Arrow and he was the Arrow.
"Oliver," he barked, "you've come too far. Don't go backwards."
Oliver smiled at his friend. Diggle and Felicity had changed him a great deal over the last three years. He owed them both a great deal.
"Dig, I need some time alone," he said. "With what little money I have left in my personal trust, I've bought a building in the Glades, which I intend to live, work, and train out of. Walter has been trying to recover some of my former assets for me, so I should have money to live off of. Between what happened with Ra's Al Ghul, Thea, the team, and Felicity, I need time alone to think things out and train. Once he knows I'm alive Ra's will want to face me again."
"Can you beat him?" Diggle asked.
"I need to train. Someone I knew from Hong Kong has agreed to come and help me train with a sword. She's an expert," said Oliver.
Diggle smiled and said, "She?"
"Her name is Tatsu. Her husband is with the League of Assassins now. Their son is died because of the Triad and Amanda Waller," Oliver told him letting him know that Dig didn't need to ask anything more about her. "By the time Roy, Laurel, and Felicity show up tonight, I'll be gone."
"You do this and you'll hurt yourself more than anyone else," Dig told him.
Oliver took a deep breath and exhaled then said, "I love her, Dig. I don't think I can be around her all the time while she…"
He stopped talking. Oliver knew he sounded selfish and jealous. But, damn, it was more painful than any torture he went through watching her with Ray Palmer. No, he needed to be on his own for now.
"I understand, Oliver," said Diggle.
He walked over to his friend and offered him his hand. They shook hands.
"If you ever need backup, man, just call and I'll come," said Diggle.
"Make sure Roy ups his training and that Laurel gets trained. She needs to do more than use a bo staff as a baseball bat," Oliver said.
Diggle nodded his head in the affirmative.
"And… make sure that," he started to speak then looked at Felicity's seat and computers, "she is safe."
"Always," smiled Diggle.
Diggle watched as Oliver started loading up his arrows and equipment. Without asking he started to help his friend pack his things. He didn't want him to leave, but he understood.
Arrow
Wearing a red dress and red lipstick that matched, Felicity finished up her work for the day. She was due at the Arrow Cave in an hour. After her last meeting with Oliver, she was looking forward to seeing him tonight. She knew she broke his heart, but she couldn't afford to love him. Oliver was too willing to sacrifice his life for others. Ray she could keep alive, especially if they perfected his A.T.O.M. suit.
Thinking about Oliver, though, brought tears to her eyes. She knew she was harsh with him, but he could take it. The man had come back from the dead more than once. He was strong. She was too weak in some ways to love him.
"Hey, you want dinner tonight?" Ray came into her office and asked.
She looked up at him and offered him a forced smile.
"I have something to do tonight," she said.
"When are you going to tell me what you do with your nights, Felicity?" he asked.
"Besides sending some of them with you," she answered then blushed.
Ray chuckled then said, "Yeah, besides spending some of them with me."
"In time, Ray," she answered then she stood up, "but I really have to go."
"Okay, but not unless you give me a kiss," she said.
Felicity walked up to Ray and he leaned down and kissed her. It was nice, she thought to herself. She was comfortable with Ray. She could talk to him and he understood her. Maybe she didn't have that burning in her stomach for him like she did for Oliver, but Ray was a perfect match for her. The kiss ended.
"Be careful out there," he smiled at her.
"I will," she said.
She started to leave, but Ray stopped her.
"One of these I really will expect you to share with me what you are doing with your nights," he said.
"I know," she replied.
"Good," he smiled then let her leave.
Arrow
Felicity arrived to see Diggle, Roy, and Laurel in their workout gear, but they were standing around the evidence table looking grim. She scanned the room and saw that Oliver's glass case was empty of his Arrow uniform, his arrows and fabrication equipment were gone, his quiver and bow were gone, and his wooden chest was gone. He was gone.
"Where's Oliver?" she asked.
The last time he took off it was for that damned island. She couldn't believe that he go back to there.
"He's gone off on his own for now," Diggle answered.
"How? He doesn't have money or another Arrow Cave," she demanded.
"He used almost what was left in his personal trust and bought a building in the Glades. Also, Walter Steele is assisting him in getting some of his former assets back, so he can live. He wants to be alone for now," repeated Diggle.
"Why?"
"Ra's Al Ghul will be back once he knows that Oliver is alive," said Roy.
Felicity blanched. She hadn't thought of that. Ra's Al Ghul would consider the business between them still open with Oliver being alive. Her heart started to rush. This was why she couldn't love him. He once again was going to sacrifice himself.
"He needs to train," said Diggle. "He has a friend from Hong Kong coming to live with him to train him with a sword. Her name is Tatsu and according to Oliver she was expert with a katana."
"She?" growled Felicity.
Diggle wanted to grin. He knew that would prod her.
"Her estranged husband is Sarab in the League of Assassins. He joined them when after their son was killed in the crossfire between the Triad and Amanda Waller," Diggle explained.
"Oh," mumbled Felicity. Knowing Oliver he probably feels responsible for the boy's death, thought Felicity. He felt responsible for the world. "Well, we have a lot to do tonight. The Glades is still a mess after Brick."
"I agree," Laurel spoke up. "Oliver has made his choice. Now we have to carry on."
"You need to learn how to use your bo staff and some other weapons," said Roy. Now with his mentor gone, Roy felt responsibility to take a leadership role on the team. Oliver taught him well and he knew that he'd be there if he needed him.
"Who is going to train me?" asked Laurel.
"I will," replied Diggle.
"And I'll go out on patrol with Felicity covering my back," said Roy.
"Okay, sounds like a plan," said Felicity. "Let's get to work."
Diggle watched Felicity as she made her way to her computers to settle in for the night. Outwardly, she handle the news about Oliver well, but he knew that she was confused and hurting. Sometime in the future she'd recognize that she made the wrong choice, he just hoped it wasn't too late for her and Oliver by then.