"Hey boys!" Felicity chirped as she skipped down the steps into HQ.

Oliver spun around. "Hello, Felicity."

"Guess who decided to pay us a visit?"

He looked behind Felicity's shoulder. "Barry," he sighed.

"Nice to see you again, Oliver," Barry extended a hand out but Oliver was reluctant to remove his arms from the crossed position on his chest. He just stared disapprovingly at Barry until he turned away. Felicity shot him a glance but Oliver had already looked the other way. For quite a stretch of time there was not a sound. Felicity broke the silence. "Well, Barry and I were going to get lunch. Would either of you would like to come?"

"No thanks. I've got some work I need to do," Oliver turned around and started typing on the computer.

Felicity looked in Diggle's direction. "How about you?"

"You two go ahead. Good to see you Barry."

"Alright, then. See you both later." Felicity waved as she turned to walk up the stairs. Within moments, the door closed and they were gone. Diggle walked over to where Oliver stared at the computer screen. "If you like her, which I know you do, you have to make your move. Or you'll —"

"Diggle." Oliver pushed the chair back and stood up. "Stop."

"Look man. I'm just saying you'll lose her."

"I'm serious, Diggle. Stop. I am not going to talk about this."

"Well, you don't have to talk. Just listen for a second. I know you don't want to lose Felicity. Especially not to Barry."

"That is the point, Diggle! I don't want to lose her. And just like everyone else I care about, I will. I can't be with someone I could care too much about."

"What made you say that?"

Oliver started to get angry. He started yelling. "Because I WILL lose her! And it would hurt too much if I cared that much about her. You know how many times I have barely saved her? You don't understand. I can't risk it hurting so much."

"No, you don't understand, Oliver. You already care that much. You are just trying to tell yourself that you don't. Look man, stop giving yourself excuses."

Oliver had had enough. "Just stop. I need some air." He started stomping up the stairs when Diggle called after him, "Don't do anything stupid." Oliver just shook his head and slammed the door behind him.

Oliver had been in his office for three hours and still had not done any work at all. He just sat and stared pensively out the window, down at the lively Starling City. He still refused to take Diggle's words into consideration even though they were still on his mind. His thoughts were going a hundred miles a minute and he could barely keep up. What I am doing is the right thing. I can't let it hurt. I will lose her. I can't let her get hurt. I can't care that much. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. "Who is— hi Felicity."

"Hey Oliver. Can I talk to you about something?"

"Uhh, sure."

Felicity came and sat down at one of the chairs in front of Oliver's desk. "What do you think of Barry and me?"

"Honestly?" Oliver asked.

"No, lie to me." Felicity rolled her eyes, "Yes, honestly."

"I don't like it." Oliver had a completely straight face, and Felicity was not surprised. She just nodded. "I thought so. Why not?"

"I don't like Barry, that's why." He began to cross his arms again. He could tell she was getting more and more frustrated with him. "What do you have against him? What did he ever do to you?"

"I just don't think he is right for you. I—"

"No. You're not my father, Oliver! You are my partner and my boss! Leave the disapproving daddy act for Thea and her boyfriends." Bzzz. Felicity took her phone out of her purse and looked at it. She stood up and looked Oliver dead in the eyes. "I have to go. I am meeting Barry for dinner."

Oliver was shocked. He could barely get a word out before she walked out the door. "Wait—"

"Save it, Oliver. You're not my father. I'll see you later." She whipped back around and walked away without pausing to look at him once. Diggle's words echoed in his mind. You'll lose her. And he was. His "plan" wasn't quite going as well as he had wanted. But even this wasn't making him think about changing what he was doing. I just need to give her some space. That was what he decided he would do.