Author's Note: I went through this a lot and took out some scenes and dialogue to save for later chapters. This is quite a bit more serious than the previous chapters, but also a great combination of POVs and character interaction. Hope you enjoy it.
John Diggle always reported for duty. Though Oliver never gave him a time to arrive at the foundry, he was always up bright and early in order to get to the foundry by eight in the morning. He never failed to be on time.
He parked his car a couple blocks away. He exited the car, gathered his jacket and holstered his gun before slamming the door and pressing the lock button. His routine was the same each morning. Keeping to that routine saved him the trouble of running late or losing something. His time in the military had made him a stickler for order and consistency. It drove Oliver nuts.
He kept a brisk pace as he made his way toward the foundry. Along the way he scanned his surroundings, always careful and precise. As he turned a corner, he found Felicity's car parked unevenly along the curb. He raised an eyebrow has he passed it. Did something happen?
He ran through scenarios in his head and came back to one conclusion he hoped was correct, though deep down he knew it wasn't. He thought back to Felicity's obvious infatuation with Oliver, hoping she'd finally been given a chance. But Oliver was oblivious to her interest. His relationship with Sara and her recent death had distracted him considerably.
Diggle made it one of his duties to console Felicity, subtly. He reminded her constantly of her worth and importance to Team Arrow; her importance to Oliver. She often brushed him off, attempting to feel strong and in control of her insecurities. But he always saw through her. She was an open book. It's a wonder how Oliver can't see how she feels.
Turning another corner, Verdant came into view. During the day it lacked the vibrance it gained at night, with all the neon lights and music escaping its doors. The lair beneath had become a second home to Diggle.
He went around back to the service entrance and through the security door. As he made his way down the stairs, he found all the lights on. Unusual, he thought. Oliver is typically asleep around this time. A little hope for Felicity sprang up, making him smile.
At the bottom of the stairs, he turned toward the bed in the far corner. He found Oliver and Felicity there. Felicity was wrapped up in blankets with one sweatpant covered leg sticking out. Her head rested in Oliver's lap as he slept, sitting up. Diggle grinned. It's a start, I suppose.
He began to switch on the computers quietly, trying not to wake them. As each monitor came to life, he sat in Felicity's chair and waited.
When Felicity awoke, she imagined she'd be in Oliver's arms. The last thing she remembered was leaning against him while they talked. They talked about nothing important. She told him about the plot of Girls and why she enjoyed it so much. He told her about Thea's latest complaints regarding Verdant and Roy. He asked for her advice on how to keep Thea in the dark when she was so close to the truth. She kept her answers short, trying not to babble or sound silly. Did I succeed in that? She couldn't remember much of what she'd said. Falling asleep against him had brushed all her thoughts away. He was so warm and so comfortable.
But Oliver wasn't holding her. She sat up. Her glasses were still on, sitting askew atop her nose. She straightened them and looked around. Oliver was drinking some coffee and watching the local news on one of her monitors. Digg was quietly reading the newspaper. She looked down to find herself still in her sweatpants and t-shirt. Her previous embarrassment assaulted her again. She stood up and stretched.
"Is there more coffee left?" she asked as she walked toward the two men.
Oliver stood and went to the coffee-maker and made her a cup. He smiled as he handed it to her.
"Thanks," she mumbled. She went over to one of the four lockers along one wall as she sipped on the plain brew. She opened it to find her gym bag. Inside she found the clothes she preferred to use for her training, as well as fresh underwear and socks. I suppose I'll just wear these today.
She finished off the cup and then went to the restroom to change. She pulled off the baggy clothes and last night's undergarments and changed into fresh ones. She slipped into the tight-fitting work-out clothes, feeling much better as the fabric hugged her curves. Much more flattering. But she thought back to the night before and Oliver's words. He didn't care that she looked like a lazy homebody. She looked in the mirror and found her blonde hair a mess. She turned the faucet to the sink on and wet her fingers before running them through her hair, attempting to untangle the strands. When she was satisfied, she tied her hair up in a ponytail.
She left the bathroom feeling much better about herself. "All right. I'm gonna go out and search for clues."
Digg turned around, confused. "What now?" She explained the graffiti to him, and her attempt to find a clue where it once had been. He nodded. "I'll join you."
They left the lair and she found herself blinded by the sunlight. She squinted as they walked along the sidewalk toward the wall.
Standing in front of it in daylight, she could see slight remnants of the message coming through the new paint. "The message was here. Last night, I looked for clues around the ground, but it was too dark to see anything for sure. I figured I'd check again today."
"I'm not seeing anything out of the ordinary," Digg said after a several minutes, tossing aside a crushed beer can.
Felicity straightened and looked around. "There has to be something here, Digg." She paced, running through ideas, nitpicking each one until she came up with one she thought might bring results. "Maybe there's something on the other side of the wall."
Before Digg could answer she began climbing the wall. Even with the training Sara and Oliver had given her in response to Slade's return months before, as well as Digg's continued instruction, she was still too weak to get up with ease.
"Felicity, wait," Digg said, coming up beside her. He was sitting atop the bricks before she had pulled herself up.
"Thanks for the help," she laughed between attempts to catch her breath.
"I figured I'd let you do it on your own. Practice makes perfect."
"I don't intend to make this a habit."
They jumped down to find themselves inside an abandoned lot for a housing development. With the slowly recovering economy and the aftermath of the Undertaking, most developments had been left unfinished. Especially in the Glades.
Felicity turned to face the wall and was instantly rewarded. More graffiti was scrawled along the length of brick: Clue number two in... 3... 2... 1...
"Um..." Felicity said, her heart beginning to pound.
Digg turned toward her, his eyes wide. Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her away, running.
Behind them, a muffled explosion sounded, followed by multiple thuds as debris hit the ground. When Digg was certain they were safe, they turned.
As the dust cleared, Felicity found that section of wall destroyed and a deep hole in the ground beside it. They inched their way towards it, Felicity's hands shaking. At the foot of the hole, she realized it was the shape of a grave.
Inside, a plain wooden casket rested with a note atop it. How many have died on behalf of your self-righteous mission?
Without hesitation, Felicity started running back to the lair. "I'm getting Oliver."
Oliver pulled his way up the salmon ladder with quick momentum, his muscles burning in the most familiar way. Each move made his mind clear and the night before seem like it was worlds away. The Master didn't exist in those moments.
He was a few notches from the top when the security door swung in and Felicity bolted down the stairs, out of breath and sweating. He looked down at her, concerned. "Felicity, what happened?"
She was bent over, trying to catch her breath. He jumped down and touched her shoulder, hoping the contact would help her calm down. Finally, she looked up at him and said: "I found another clue."
He rushed over and grabbed his hoodie, tugging it on over his sweating skin and zipping it as he ran up the stairs. The morning light assaulted him, making his eyes water. Felicity came up beside him and showed him the way. "Oliver, I need you to stay calm when you see this."
Her words stopped him in his tracks. "Why will I need to stay calm?"
"Trust me, Oliver," Felicity mumbled, her eyes trailing over to the abandoned development down the street. He saw the wall they'd examined last night and found a large section of it missing, bricks scattered all over the street. He could see Diggle looking down at the ground, into a hole on the opposite side of the wall.
He crossed over the debris and went to stand beside his comrade. He looked down into the hole to find a mock grave, and the words he tried not to think about on a regular basis. How many have died on behalf of your self-righteous mission?
He walked away, trying to keep the words away from him. He kicked at the dirt and rocks, swearing under his breath. Who is this Master? he asked himself. Who could possibly know everything?
"Oliver..." Felicity's voice broke through his frustration, and he turned to find her and Diggle patiently waiting for him. "It's gonna be okay."
He laughed, all his pessimism and all his cynical thought breaking through with each burst and vocalization. "Right. You tell me how that's true."
"Well..." Felicity couldn't answer. Her eyes filled with worry and her shoulders slumped. Diggle shook his head, knowing there was no certainty that things would be okay.
With a final glance at his team, Oliver crossed over the debris again, tossing a few words over his shoulder as he walked towards his motorcycle: "I have something to do."
And he didn't look back. He kept his eyes forward as he put on his helmet and started the bike. He watched the road with expert eyes, his senses alert and ready. He didn't care that Felicity had repeatedly begged him to stop using the motorcycle for everyday use in case someone recognized it. He didn't care that he used the same helmet for both occasions. If someone like The Master knows, how hard is it for anyone else to put two and two together?
In minutes he was on the outskirts of town and pulling into the cemetery. He parked the bike and began the long walk to Tommy's grave. He was the first person he'd lost who made him want to forget his mission; Tommy was the first person to make him consider breaking his promise to his father. In the distance, he saw the headstone. Beneath his name were flowers -most likely left by Laurel- dancing from side to side in the breeze.
Oliver came upon the grave and dropped his helmet in the grass. And then he collapsed, knees buckling beneath him. Everything from the moment he'd lost Sara to losses even further back -his father, Shado, Tommy and even Slade- rushed over him like sequence of crashing waves. He felt overwhelmed. His eyes stung with the tears he'd kept in for months.
After what seemed hours, he finally spoke. "Tommy... hey. Um... I really wish you were here. I have no idea what to do." He paused, breathing in the scent of freshly cut grass. His emotions were beginning to fall back into order.
Oliver reached out and touched the cold granite of Tommy's headstone, the only remnant of their friendship. Were we even friends at the end?
He stood up, feeling he'd gotten no answers and still reeling from the second clue. At a brisk pace, he went to Sara's grave. There he stayed in silence until he heard heavy footsteps behind him.
"Sulking and throwing around all your angst isn't gonna help us find this douchebag."
Oliver turned to see Roy's smug face staring down at him. He groaned. "I don't need this right now, Roy."
"You know, actually you do," Roy persisted, grabbing Oliver's hoodie and dragging him up to face him. "Frankly, I'm sick of your moods. We've done nothing important since Sara died, and I'd like to take out some bad guys. I'd like to get out some anger on someone other than you on the sparring mats. But I've been patient. I've been quiet. I've been all cheery so you could move on. But you're not."
"You don't understand, R-"
"Don't give me that shit, Oliver. I know how it feels to lose someone. But at this rate, we're gonna lose more of the team if you don't man up and face what's coming. Do you even realize that Felicity could've died today? Had Diggle not been there, she could've been in that blast."
Oliver thought back to the hole in the wall and all the debris. It hadn't even registered to him. The dull ache he'd felt since Sara died flared up in a new and painful way. Guilt filled him.
"If you need someone to talk to, talk to Sin," Roy continued with less aggression. "She's going through the same thing you are."
Reluctantly, Oliver nodded.
Roy patted Oliver on the shoulders and pushed him towards the parking lot. "Now get back to the lair before I drag you there myself."
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