The usual disclaimers apply.

Chapter Twenty-six

Falling

"You should take your kids some place fun this weekend," Oliver told Dig on the drive to his mom's home to pick up Thea.

"Hard to do when I'm guarding you," Diggle pointed out, amused.

"Not this weekend, I'm flying down to San Diego."

"Oh? Planning a romantic surprise for Felicity?"

"A surprise, yes, but not romantic," Oliver sighed sadly.

"Oliver?" Diggle's tone was laced with concern.

"I can't keep doing this dance, Dig. It's time I break up with Felicity."

"Again, with this, Oliver."

"Things are different now, more complicated."

"How so?"

"I'm falling for her, for Laurel," Oliver confessed quietly after a length. In truth he knew he'd already fallen for her, but Dig didn't need to know that. His confession surprised John who took a longer pause to figure out how to respond.

"You're falling for a future version of Laurel, but our Felicity is right here, right now," Diggle probably had more prepared, but Oliver cut him off.

"Not just in the future, John. You know Thea's practically adopted Laurel as her big sister. I spend more time with the two of time them than I do my girlfriend. Heck, I spend more time with Barry than I do Felicity anymore."

"Do you still love Felicity?"

"You know I do."

"Then why give up on her? You don't know for certain you'll end up with Laurel, especially since she's with someone else right now."

"I'm not giving up, I'm acknowledging the truth. The distance is killing our relationship. When Felicity first moved to San Diego, we used to talk every day. Now, we barely catch each other for a few minutes once a week. Long weekends aren't enough to make up for all the missed conversations and time together."

"Then go, be with her full-time," Dig counseled though he knew the answer to that advice.

"My life is in Star City, hers is in San Diego. It wouldn't be fair to either of us if one of us gave up our dreams for the other's."

Oliver knew he didn't need to elaborate. Diggle understood why Oliver couldn't go. His family lived in Star City and they had years to make up for when it came to Thea. His club was booming, but he couldn't just abandon the business he'd built on his own. Also, all the work he and Tommy had been doing with non-profits and initiatives in the Glades were finally paying off and the slummiest part of Star City was getting cleaned up. Oliver had more loves tethering him to his hometown than the one love pulling him away. And he knew Felicity wouldn't give up her dream job to move back to him, not when she'd found the career that fulfilled her and brought her joy.

"You're right, that wouldn't be healthy for your relationship but wait a little longer before you end things. Don't go rushing into a decision because of what the future might hold."

Oliver took Diggle's advice. He didn't fly out that weekend. Instead, the following weekend Felicity came to him.

T*L*o*O*Q

Barry sat next to Oliver on a bar stool in Central City. Oliver was on his fourth beer while Barry was still nursing his first. They hadn't said much since Oliver arrived, but Barry knew it was best to let Oliver talk when he was ready and not press him beforehand.

"She started off babbling about space, which I suppose should've been my first clue. Think she mentioned something about space being relative and gravity and orbits," Oliver shook his head morosely at the memory, then took another swig of beer. Barry had another small sip and hummed to acknowledge he'd heard. He waited, and Oliver soon continued; "She started out asking for space, as if living in separate cities isn't spacious enough, but by the end she'd decided we should break up."

Barry patted Oliver on the back. Then Oliver drained his drink.

"Said she still loved me, but she didn't think it was fair to try and keep a relationship going when we barely saw each other anymore. She said we should see other people and find it in ourselves to be happy for the other – I couldn't tell if she was saying that because she'd found someone else or she suspected I have. But now I know, it was her choice in the end, not mine."

"Does that bother you, that it was her decision to end the relationship?" Barry asked as Oliver scowled at his empty beer bottle.

"No, in a way I'm glad she cut the cord, because I've spent so long trying to pick her for my future, I don't think I could let go. I want her to be happy in all aspects of her life, even if that means without me as her boyfriend. But I feel like a hypocrite."

"Because even though you'd thought about breaking up with her, it still hurts that she ended it."

"Yeah," Oliver shoved his bottle away, but waved off a fifth.

"You're human Oliver; feelings are messy and rarely make sense when we lose someone significant to us. The important thing is to let yourself feel, to grieve, and to keep moving forward even if it is one tiny step at a time."

"Thank you, Barry, for being here, for trying to help. And I'm sorry to be dumping this on you. I know Iris is still having a hard time."

"Hey, that's why I have two shoulders, one for each of you," Barry said lightly, not wanting Oliver to feel worse about the situation.

Yes, Iris was still having a tough time with Eddie's death, but she had Barry and Joe and Wally to lean on and she was doing better. It had been two months since an unknown suspect had shot and killed Eddie Thawne in the line of duty. Oliver carried an extra weight of guilt because he'd warned them that Eddie was in danger of dying. They'd thought they'd taken precautions, made certain no one would die that day, but it had happened anyway. Others' choices had led to the same result and Oliver doubted he would be able to change it, if he ever made it back in time. It made Barry glad that Iris didn't know about Oliver's gift. How could they explain to her why her fiancé still died despite Oliver's best efforts? It appeared there were some events they couldn't change, not when too many variables were in play, and that wouldn't bring Iris any comfort at all.

"You and Iris," Oliver slurred later as Barry helped him into a cab; "You and Iris, married; another constant in my futures. So, don't you give up hope yet, Bare."

Barry thanked Oliver for that glimpse into the future, but knew he wasn't going to act on it anytime soon. He had a girlfriend now, Patty Spivot, and they were happy together. Neither he nor Iris were in a good place to explore a future together, but the tidbit did brighten Barry's mood that evening. If there was still hope for him and Iris, then the future was full of potential.

A/N: And we're officially halfway thru the story. Any thoughts on how I'm doing? Questions, concerns, critiques? Things you're hoping to see/ not see? For those of you still reading, thank you!