A/N: So, I've noticed a decided lack in quality of my a/n's of late. Put it down to fatigue, stress and my muse being in a strop. Anyways, I feel badly, because I think a lot of people come more for the a/n's than the actual story, so, bad form on my behalf on that front of late.

I've decided to spice things up a bit for this a/n's, so, I'm wearing a jaunty hat. I know, I know, a hat isn't that exciting, but it's a novelty hat. It's actually a moose hat, not one made of moose, but shaped like one… at least I think it's a moose… they've got antlers, right… or are they feet sticking out like that? Hmm… maybe it's an upside down chicken… or maybe I'm wearing the hat wrong. Okay, now I'm really confused… perhaps I'll just take the hat off.

Alright, the jaunty hat thing was a bust. I'll try something else.

Let's see, let's see… I'm having Percy's testicles removed on Monday. I don't think that's of particular note. Okay, Percy's testicles probably think that's riveting information, but I'm not telling them just yet – I feel like these things should come as a surprise, particularly when it comes to testicles. My friend had this stallion that was castrated and then let lose in a field of thirty female horses… and they all ended up pregnant. Turns out that one of the horse's testicles saw the chop coming, and quickly retracted up into the stallion's body… to live to fight another day. So, all in all, the testicle got the last laugh… if testicles could laugh… which I think we can all agree is good that they can't. Genitals with the ability to guffaw would just be a bad idea all round. So yes, testicles, they can be sneaky, so you have to really maintain the element of surprise when looking to take them out. That's the plan with Percy's… a sneak attack.

I'll keep you updated on Percy's testicles… I'm sure that will be something you're all heavily invested in by now.

In other news, Pearl thinks we've got another rat in the house. Bummer. I can't tell you how annoyed I am… so, instead, I'll do this expressive dance for you on the subject… stand back, I need some room for the cape twirling and high kicks… you may also want to make sure all the children are out of the room at the time… my expressive dance moves have been known to stunt growth in pre-pubescents… and cause uncontrollable bowel spasms in adults… probably should mention that upfront as well… otherwise things could get messy… who am I kidding, my expressive dancing already involves a wading pool full of Greek Yoghurt and a flame thrower… it's going to get messy no matter what.

I'm just going to look for my best twirling cape, and get the local wildlife out of yoghurt pool and start the dance.

In the meantime, you guys read the chapter and I'll meet you at the end for the dance…

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

Diggle nodded at the front gate security guard as the man opened the large gates to let them into the grounds. "So, how was the rest of your night last night?"

Roy grimaced in the passenger seat beside him. "I tried to go to bed after you left."

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Couldn't get into the bed," said Roy moodily. "Ladybug had taken up my side of the bed and then some."

"Why didn't you just move him?"

"I tried, but it's like trying to move furry liquid. I eventually managed to move him enough to get onto the bed, then he stretched and the next thing I know, I'm hitting the ground. I gave up after that and just slept on the sofa."

"That's rough."

"That's my life while I can't tell Thea the truth about my life."

"So, you're going to talk to Oliver?"

"I have to," said Roy unhappily, "otherwise I'm going to lose Thea and I don't want that."

"Well, I meant what I said last night."

"I know, and I appreciate it. I'll talk to him after we get this Ross thing out of the way." Roy looked around himself in amazement as he and Diggle drove up the sweeping front drive of the house Bunny had rented out for his entourage while staying in Starling. "Wow, this is some place. Makes Oliver's place look like a beach shack, and that isn't easy to do." The house, or rather, series of houses were indeed impressive. It was almost a small village with the five buildings and the enormous, perfectly landscaped grounds.

"Bunny freely admits he's not a subtle man," said Diggle dryly as he pulled up in front of the house.

Roy climbed out, still marveling. "Who rents out a place like this just to put up his staff while he goes into hiding?"

"I wonder what they're health plan is like?" said Diggle straight faced. "Pretty spectacular, I'm guessing."

Two heavily armed men were walking towards them. Diggle recognized them from the hotel. He addressed them both as they came to stand in front of him. "You know who I am. I'm here to talk to Mr. Forbes-Hamilton." There was no need to advertise that they knew full well Bunny wasn't there. If someone here was reporting back to Ross, Diggle wasn't interested in painting a target on their back any more than what was already there.

"Is he expecting you?"

"No, but he'll want to see us."

"He's not here, you'll have to come back."

Diggle gave a short shake of his head. "No, this important. Mr. Forbes-Hamilton said that if he wasn't here, we were to talk to Pang. Is she here?"

The two men exchanged looks.

Diggle made an impatient noise. "How is that a hard question?"

"She's here," said one of the guards. "But—"

"Good," said Diggle, starting up the stairs. "Take us to her."

The men hesitated again, caught off guard by Diggle's confidence.

Diggle looked back over his shoulder. "I don't have all day and this is important. Your employer isn't going to thank you for holding things up, trust me."

The two men looked at each other again and then one nodded at the other. That man went up the stairs ahead of them, leading up to the front door, where more guards were on duty. "This way," he said shortly.

Diggle and Roy followed the man into the vast foyer of the mansion. It was like walking into a grand hotel. The guard headed to the left, taking them through an equally impressive reception area, onto a living room, and then out into a conservatory type area, which led directly out onto an enormous pool area. More security guards peppered the area, not exactly being discrete.

Roy eyed the elaborate waterfall feature which fed into the vast pool area, complete with a spa, waterslide and a bar set in the actual pool where you could sit and make your own drinks. "I've never been to Disneyland, but I feel it'd be a letdown after this," murmured Roy.

"Not subtle, remember?" Diggle spied a petite, tan woman with long dark hair, and giant white-framed sunglasses reclining on a bed by the pool. The young Thai woman was sporting a tiny white bikini which she was filling out more than amply, despite her tiny size. There was no way that wasn't Pang.

Their escort walked up to her. "Pang, someone to see you."

She didn't bother opening her eyes. "You in my sun."

The man grimaced. "They said it was important."

"And you still in my sun."

The guard stepped to one side, no longer blocking her sun. "Do you need me to stay?"

She gave a short shake of her head, and the man headed off.

Diggle stepped in front of Pang, who still hadn't bothered to open her eyes behind those giant glasses.

"Now you in my sun," she said in vague annoyance. "Is big pool. Why everyone have to stand in my sun?"

Diggle didn't move. "We need to talk to you privately. It's important."

Pang finally opened her eyes, and then looked both of them up and down over the top of her sunglasses.

Out of the corner of his eye Diggle could see Roy was trying hard not to stare. Diggle couldn't blame him. That bikini didn't leave much to the imagination, and they all knew they didn't need their imagination to know what was going on in that bikini bottom. Which, Diggle had to admit, was impressively hidden.

Pang caught Roy's stares. "You want take picture?"

Roy blushed. "Ah, no," he said hastily.

Her intent, unapologetic gaze was on him. "You got questions?"

"No," said Roy, looking distressed, but he clearly did.

"I use tape, tuck it up and hold it in place," said Pang, unabashed at giving away her ladyboy secrets.

Roy's eyes went wide. "Isn't that uncomfortable?"

"No beauty without pain," she said casually. "Ask any woman."

"Umm… okay." Roy looked flustered, and like he was still trying really hard not to look at her crotch.

"Pang, we need to talk," said Diggle determinedly. "Now."

She looked him over again. "I need drink." Pang stood up and reached for a white sarong, wrapping it low around her hips. She walked around one edge of the pool, hips swinging in the very essence of femininity, and heading towards large, opened French doors. They followed her through the doors and found themselves in a state of the art kitchen. Pang sashayed to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of orange liquid. She poured herself a glass, and looked at them with a silent question.

Diggle shook his head. "We're not thirsty. We just have a few questions for you."

"Is Mr. Bunny alright?" she asked. "He come home soon?"

Diggle gave her a hard look. "No, he's not great, now that you mention it."

Pang put her glass down, and a frown marred her perfect features. "What wrong with Mr. Bunny?"

"Someone is trying to kill him," said Diggle flatly.

Pang shrugged. "I know that. That why he go and stay with you, so you protect him. So, everything the same. You come here to tell me everything the same?"

Diggle gave her a hard look. "I'm coming here to tell you that we almost died tonight, and I think you know why."

She looked blankly up at him. "No."

"You knew about the operation last night and we walked into a trap," said Roy sharply. "You set us up."

Pang gave him a disdained look. "Why I set you up?"

"Maybe because you're working for the guy who wants Bunny dead," said Roy accusingly.

Pang gave a gasp of outraged and her small hand shot out, delivering a forceful slap to Roy's face. The younger man reeled at the unexpectedly violent assault. "Hey!" he yelled in shock.

"I no want Mr. Bunny hurt!" shouted Pang. "I love, Mr. Bunny!"

"You're the only one who knew about our plans last night," said Diggle calmly.

Pang hauled off and slapped Roy again, as the younger man was closer to her than Diggle.

"Hey!" screeched Roy as his other cheek felt the pain of Pang's wrath. "Quit it!"

Pang ignored him, glaring angrily up at Diggle. "I love, Mr. Bunny, I die for him! I no let him get hurt!"

Diggle wasn't convinced. "Somehow Ross knew we were coming and seeing as you were the only other person outside our team who knew, it just stands to reason—"

"You shut your mouth!" yelled Pang, slapping Roy on both cheeks this time, while still looking furiously up at Diggle.

Roy made a yelp of annoyance. "Slap him!" shouted a hard done by Roy, rubbing his cheeks. "He's the one pissing you off!"

Pang's pretty features were clouded with anger. "You both pissing me off! I no tell anybody anything, and I kill next person who say I do!"

Diggle looked into her dark eyes, the one spitting death at him, and had to admit, he wasn't convinced they were just empty threats. "If it wasn't you, then who?"

"I not know," she spat out. "I no tell anyone!"

"Could someone have overheard your conversation?" asked Diggle.

Her eyes narrowed menacingly. "You think I that stupid?"

Roy flinched and took a hasty step back, obviously worried about getting another slap for Diggle's implication.

Diggle held her stormy gaze. "I think it's a big house, and it's hard to keep tabs on everyone."

Pang's eyes narrowed. "Spotty Man!" she bellowed.

One of the security guards appeared from the other room in an instance with a distinct pattern of freckles covering his face. "Yes, Pang?"

"Everyone here last night?"

"Yes, ma'am," said the freckled man. He paused. "Actually, no, Athol went out last night. He got home about half an hour ago."

"Athol?" asked Diggle.

"Is chef," said Pang by way of explanation. "I want to talk to him."

Spotty Man nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He disappeared again.

Clearly Pang ran a tight ship. The men didn't seem to question her authority whatsoever.

Pang looked up at Diggle. "Is Mr. Bunny alright?"

"For now, but his life is in more danger than ever if we can't find who is leaking information to Ross," said Diggle without hesitation.

Her eyes narrowed ominously. "Oh, we find out who squeal. You no worry about that."

The Spotty Man reappeared with a sweating, red-faced blonde man. Diggle was immediately suspicious. Athol the chef was not presenting the persona of a man with nothing to hide. Also, the man had a heavily bandaged right hand, where Diggle could see blood already leaking through the dressings.

The security guard was by Athol's side, holding up a suitcase. "He was packing this when I found him."

Pang had gone ominously still as she stared, unflinchingly at the fidgeting Athol. "You go now, Spotty Man. I talk to Athol alone."

The man nodded and then discretely left the room.

Pang still held Athol's gaze. "You going somewhere?"

"I-ah—" he cleared his throat nervously. "My mom, she's sick. I need to go and see her. Sorry about the short notice." Athol attempted a smile. "But you know, family stuff, these things happen, right?"

Pang didn't return his smile. "What happened to hand?"

Athol held up his hand to look at it, and Diggle could see that the index finger was an unsettling grey color. It clearly wasn't getting the proper circulation.

"Oh, ah, kitchen accident last night, no biggy." He paused, blinking sweat out of his eyes. "Although I might need to make a short trip to the hospital, just in case, you know, something needs to be sewn back on." Athol's smile was weaker than before. "So, um, can I go now?"

"Where were you last night?" Pang demanded to know.

Athol blinked. "Went out to a bar, got drunk, you know how it is. Woke up in a strange bed, and then just kind of made a run for it this morning."

Pang's questions were unrelenting. "Which bar?"

"Oh, umm…"

"What girl's name?"

"Well… ah…"

"How many times you have sex?"

Athol was looking really rattled now. "Oh, ah, let's see…"

"You big fat liar!" screamed Pang. Suddenly she was launching herself across the kitchen bench at the faltering Athol. In her journey across the bar, Pang snatched up a large knife from a knife block, and then continued her lunging at the sweating chef.

Diggle went to grab her, but he was too far away. Roy was closer, but he still couldn't get to her in time to stop her leaping on Athol and clinging to him like some kind of deranged, knife wielding koala. "I kill you, I kill you for betraying Mr. Bunny!"

"Holy crap!" yelled Roy as he grabbed Pang's hand with the knife from behind and tried to pull her off the panicking Athol. "Drop the knife!"

"Don't kill me!" screamed Athol, trying to detach the vice like grip Pang's legs had around his wrist.

"I kill you big time!" threatened Pang.

Diggle was moving to help Roy when in amongst all the flailing and thrashing about the three of them were doing, Pang's heel managed to connect with Roy's groin area. The young man gave a cry of pain, and immediately dropped to the floor, clutching his damaged goods.

"Okay, that's it!" said Diggle roundly. He covered the small distance between him and the physical assaulting Pang was giving the whimpering Athol in two giant steps, and then he was grabbing Pang around the waist and just yanking her off the frightened man. At least, he attempted to. Pang's leg grip around Athol's waist was so strong, that Athol was dragged up with Pang. The three of them lost their balance, and slipped over, landing on top of each other. Athol was underneath the two of them, and was now going even redder in the face under their combined weight.

"Can't breathe," he gasped, eyes watering.

"Is good practice for when you dead!" Pang yelled in his face, still trying to get to use the knife on him.

Diggle found his footing, one hand grabbing Pang's wrist to stop her waving the knife around so wildly, the other securing itself around her waist. He again tried to pull her off Athol who was now beginning to resemble a fish flopping around on land. Pang's tight grip around his waist was making it almost impossible for him to draw in breath. Diggle heaved Pang up, but the stubborn woman refused to let go. Her free hand came up and her nails raked deep grooves through the flesh of his skin, but Diggle just gritted his teeth and ignored the pain, not letting her go. He'd endured worse.

Roy, eyes still watering, had recovered enough to try and lend a hand. He crawled over on his hands and knees and started to try and loosen the hold Pang's legs had Athol's waist. Pang hauled off and punched Roy in the face. As Roy flopped backwards on the ground, Diggle used her momentary distraction and refocusing of her energies to finally pry Pang off Athol. The hapless man gave a strangled cry as he sucked in a huge gasp of air at finally being allowed to draw breath properly again. Pang wasn't going without a fight though. She grabbed a hold of Athol's hand, the heavily bandaged one, and held on tight as Diggle tried to tug her free.

"Ow, ow, ow, OWWWW!" screamed Athol as she started to lose her grip, her own hand slipping until she was just clinging to his index finger, mulishly refusing to let go. "Let go, let go, let go!"

Abruptly something did let go, but it wasn't Pang, it was Athol's finger. It came out of the bandages and Diggle staggered back as he was suddenly free of Athol's weight. He regained his footing in time, but Pang had a hold of Athol's finger, and she still had the knife.

"My finger," whimpered Athol in distress. "Give me back my finger."

"I give you back your finger, I shove it up your lying ass!" she promised him loudly, still thrashing about in Diggle's arms. "Then I wait until you shit it out, then make you eat it, so you can shit it out again!"

"Never mind," said a panicked Athol, "you can keep the finger."

"Okay," gasped Roy, staggering to his feet. "That is it. I am done!" A bruise was already starting to form on his left cheek, thanks to that punch. Roy lunged for both the knife and the finger. "Give me those!" he spat. Roy wrestled both the knife and the finger out of Pang's death grip and waved them around at all of them. "Everyone shut the hell up!" Roy was the one shouting now. "I've had enough of this! In the last twenty four hours I've had a house fall of me, been punched and kicked by a woman with a penis, become a cannibal, and my girlfriend is sleeping with a dog. I. Am. Done!" Roy jabbed the finger at Athol. "You, get up, you've got some questions to answer."

Athol got gingerly to his feet. "But you just told us to shut up."

Roy gave him a threatening look. "You want me to get him to let Pang go again?"

Athol blanched. "Please God, no, not that."

"Then shut the hell up until we ask a question, then you get to talk." Roy turned his attention to Pang, waggling Athol's finger at her. "And you, you're going to put the crazy bitch genie back in the bottle, and calm the hell down so we can get some answers to all this. You got it?"

Pang glared at him from where Diggle still had his arms wrapped around her, feet off the ground. "You no the boss of me, little man," she snapped.

"Yeah, but I'm the one with the knife and not being restrained by a guy with tree trunks for arms."

Pang pouted. "Fine," she grumbled.

Diggle leaned over her shoulder, so he could see her face. "I'm going to put you down and let you go. Don't make me regret that decision."

"I no kill Mr. Shitty Lying Pants Betrayer," said Pang moodily.

Athol gave a sigh of relief, but still was eyeing her warily as Diggle put Pang down on the ground.

Her eyes narrowed. "I wait till you gone and then cut out his lying tongue, and feed it to him, so he know what betrayal tastes like."

Athol's eyes went wide as he looked imploringly at Roy. "Please don't leave me alone with her."

"They no help you," said Pang darkly. "They got to sleep sometime, but Pang no sleep until she cut out your heart and shove it up the ass of donkey."

"Alright," said Roy tersely, "no more talk about things going into asses. This isn't getting us anywhere."

"Can I have my finger back, please?" asked Athol weakly.

Roy jabbed the man's finger at him. "You'll get your finger back when you've answered our questions."

Diggle did his best to hide a smile at the vaguely macabre, but funny picture Roy cut, waving that finger around.

"Yeah," said Pang bitterly, "like why you big old shitty mouth big time liar with tiny dick?"

Roy glared at her. "Pang, shut up until we ask you to say something."

Diggle had to admit he liked seeing Roy take charge like this. It was good for the kid's self-esteem, which had taken a battering of late.

Pang eyes went wide in outrage. "I kill you, little man, no one talk to Pang that way!"

"You're not killing anyone, because I've got the knife." Roy held up the knife, but Pang immediately made a lunge for it. She grabbed his hand, but all that did was cause the knife to slip out of Roy's grasp. The knife somersaulted through the air gracefully, embedding itself in the wooden floorboards… through Athol's foot.

Athol gave a scream of agony, grabbing at his leg. "My foot!" He yanked his foot out of his shoe in a panic, and it was covered in blood. Athol's eyes became saucers. "My toe!"

It was actually the lack thereof Diggle assumed he was referencing. Apparently the knife had managed to sever his big toe, which was most likely still in his shoe. He looked at Roy with huge eyes. "You cut off my toe!" he said in distress.

Roy's jaw hardened. "It was an accident, and what's the big deal, you're already going to the hospital for the finger, they'll probably do the toe for half-price, like a reattachment special or something."

"Ha!" said a pleased Pang. "Serve you right."

"I'm going to bleed to death," wailed Athol.

Diggle moved to grab a drying cloth from the sink and then bent down and tied it around Athol's ankle, to slow the bleeding. Next he walked to the ice dispenser on the front of the large fridge and emptied out ice into a salad bowl he'd grabbed. Then he found a second drying cloth, and took the finger from Roy, shook out the bloodied toe from Athol's shoe, and then wrapped both in the cloth and then put them on ice. He then turned to look at Athol. "Alright, here's what we're going to do next, and you're going to listen very carefully to everything I say, and do everything I tell you to, otherwise—"

"Otherwise?" asked a pale, sweating Athol.

Diggle held his gaze steadily. "Otherwise your day is about to get a whole lot worse."

Athol swallowed noisily. "Worse than this?"

Diggle nodded. "Oh yes, so much worse than this."

#

Roy grimaced as he lifted a crate of vodka bottles onto the bar to start restocking. Verdant was packed to capacity tonight, despite the early hour and they were burning through the liquor fast. An early happy hour was turning into a big success. The pumping music was keeping in time with the throbbing in his balls from where Pang had kicked him earlier today, and it wasn't improving Roy's mood. They were one down behind the bar, Thea was avoiding him, and he'd spent the day babysitting a guy with nine fingers and toes. Diggle appeared out of the crowd and Roy nodded at him. "Hey."

Diggle nodded back.

Roy jerked his head towards the back office, and Diggle followed after him. "Well?"

"Our chef is sleeping off the operation, he'll be out for hours yet."

"He's going to be alright on his own?"

"He's drugged up to the eyeballs after having his finger and toe sewn back on. Athol's not going anywhere, besides, we've got the information we need out of him."

Roy leant back against the office desk behind him. "Fifty grand to snitch, that's not exactly chump change." He hadn't been able to believe how much money Ross had been willing to pay the man for inside information on Bunny. "The surveillance tech he used to listen in on Pang's phone calls would have only cost him twenty bucks. That's not a bad profit to make."

"There are other overheads," said Diggle wryly. "Like the guy you're snitching for getting mad that we weren't killed in the trap, blaming you, and then almost cutting your finger off with a cigar cutter."

Roy grunted. "I guess. This Ross guy, he is straight up crazy." On the way to the hospital they'd gotten the whole story out of Athol. No wonder Athol had decided to skip town. Between a Ross and Pang, it was the very definition of a rock and a hard place… both of which wanted to cut things off your body.

"At least we know where the leak was coming from, and now we have an ace up our sleeve."

"And what are we going to do with that ace?"

Diggle lifted a shoulder. "Set our own trap this time round."

Roy nodded. "It'll be nice to be ahead of this thing for a change. It feels like we've been three steps behind this whole time."

"We'll talk about it later on tonight." Diggle glanced at his watch. "It's nearly six. I've got to go and pick Oliver up from the office. We'll come back here and discuss strategies. Are you able to get away?"

"I will if—"

Just then Asha came in from the back door, looking a little worse for wear.

"If all my bar staff turn up," finished off Roy, looking her over. "You're late."

"Sorry, big night for my birthday," muttered Asha, looking quite grey. "Still not over it if I'm honest. Feel like my insides are trying to become outsides." She rubbed her head. "And I've got this blinding headache which won't go away."

Roy shook his head at her. "Yeah, well, that's what you get when you party too hard now that you're a quarter of a century old," he teased her. "Another year closer to death."

Asha grunted at that, and shuffled past them. "Death would be an improvement on how I feel right now." She kept going though, heading out into the club to begin her shift.

"We're fully staffed," said Roy. "I'll be there."

Diggle inclined his head. "See you soon." He turned and went to leave through the club, running into Thea on the way. "Hi Thea."

"Hi, Mr. Diggle," she said with a smile. "Leaving so soon?"

"I've got to pick up your brother from work."

"Oh right, tell him I'll see him later tonight."

Diggle smiled back at her. "Will do." And then he was gone.

Roy gave a tentative smile. "Hi."

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Sorry I had to leave so early this morning, and when I got back, you were gone."

Thea gave a little shrug. "I'm used to it and I have my own stuff to do, you know."

Roy wasn't sure what to say to that, so decided to say nothing.

"Ladybug and I had a nice morning together anyways, we had breakfast, took him for a walk around the neighborhood—"

"You took Ladybug for a walk this morning?" asked Roy sharply.

"Yeah, thought he might like the fresh air. Well, not that the air is that fresh in your neighborhood, but he didn't seem to mind."

Roy's heart was beating double time. "You shouldn't have taken him out."

Thea frowned at his tone. "Excuse me?"

"It's-ah-just that he's a big dog," said Roy, trying to come up with a good reason that walking Ladybug was a bad idea. Taking such a recognizable kind of dog out into the open when cannibal lunatics were gunning for his owner was not a great idea. The trick was to sell that concept to Thea without the mention of guns, lunatics or cannibals. "He might have pulled you over or something."

"Ladybug is very well trained," protested Thea. "He was like a little lamb on the leash."

Roy's eyebrow arched up. "Really? Because with me it was like he was trying to pull my arm off my body."

"Maybe he just likes me better," said Thea flatly. Her gaze moved to his cheek. "How'd you get the bruise?"

Roy's stomach turned over on itself. "Tripped."

Thea was just staring at him. "Don't you get tired of lying to me, day in, day out?"

A rush of blood went to Roy's head. "Okay, a ladyboy punched me in the face while I was trying to stop her cutting someone's tongue out."

That earned him a glare. "You think this is funny?"

"There is no part of this I think is funny," said Roy sincerely. "Look, Thea, I know things are a little rough between us right now, but in a couple of days—"

"What? You'll have thought up new lies to tell me?" she asked tightly.

"No," said Roy quickly, "that isn't what I was going to say."

Thea closed her eyes and shook her head. "This isn't working," she said painfully. "Roy, I love you, but I can't keep on doing this."

"Thea," said Roy in anguish, "please, just give me a couple more days. I have this thing I need to take care of and then—"

Thea held up a hand to him, her resolved gaze suspiciously bright. "Don't, just don't, Roy," she said unevenly. "I can't handle one more promise from you that goes nowhere."

Roy felt like he was going to be sick. "Thea—"

"I can't be with a man who's always wearing a mask," she whispered. "I just can't. I want to really know the person I'm with, not have to wonder all the time what's the truth, and what are the lies to protect his secrets." Thea's voice was wavering, but she valiantly continued on. "You know everything about me, Roy. I've let you into every part of my life and my heart, but you won't do the same and it's eating me up inside." She blinked back tears. "I love you, Roy, and I'd do anything for you, but I can't make you love me the way I need. That has to come from you, and if you can't do that, then…" Thea drew in a long, uneven breath. "Then I can't do this. I'm not giving you an ultimatum, I'm telling you what I need from us. I'm being honest, because that is what I want for us, honesty."

Roy so wanted to tell Thea everything in that moment. She deserved it, more than anyone, but it wasn't just his secret. He gave her an anguished look as she waited for his response. "Thea… I-I need just a little more time—"

"It's been years, Roy," she said quietly. "I don't think I have any more time to give you." A solitary tear streaked down her face. "I'm done. I'm sorry, but I'm done." Thea turned around and walked away from him.

Suddenly that kick to the balls earlier felt like kid's play after the way Thea had just ripped his heart out, and Roy couldn't even blame her as he stood there, watching his world crumble.

#

Felicity pulled up in the side alley by Verdant, away from the noisy club going crowds. She grabbed her bag and climbed out of her car. Felicity let out a long breath as she prepared herself for the rest of the day. She and Oliver had been painfully polite to each other all day. Oliver trying to pretend he wasn't bothered by the revelation, and Felicity just wishing that none of this had happened. It had been a tense, awful day, but both of them trying to make out that wasn't the case. Oliver had been so careful around her, trying to make her feel better, which only made her feel worse. Felicity hated this. She just needed to get everything worked out with Felix and then everything would go back to how they used to be… hopefully. Felicity sighed heavily. There was no putting it off. She just needed to get to the coffee shop, meet with Felix and get this mess fixed, once and for all.

Felicity started to walk towards the meeting place, pulling out her phone and intending to touch base with Lucius during the short walk. The various videos of the Arrow flipping that car were all over every news broadcast and media outlet. There was no way Lucius hadn't seen it, and Felicity had been working out how to broach the subject with him. Bunny was right, Lucius was no idiot. He was going to see the Arrow obviously using a suit very similar to the one he'd been working on with her. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together and get that Felicity was working with the Arrow. Felicity was very conscious of Oliver's reluctance to let people into his inner sanctum in the past. It wasn't just her secret to share, which was a problem. But tonight was a night of dealing with things, so Felicity went to dial Lucius' number when there was a clatter in the alleyway beside her. She peered down into the gloom, trying to see what was going on. "Hello?" she called out tentatively. "Is there anyone there?" It was the back entrance to the club and usually only staff used it. A little whimpering sound drifted out to her, and Felicity swallowed hard. "Hello, who's there?" She looked around herself, knowing that going in there wasn't a great idea but that sound had been of a person in distress and she couldn't just ignore it. "I've called the police, they're on the way," she called out as she hesitantly started down the alleyway. "So, you know, if this is a trick or something, then you should just stop right now." Felicity's footsteps echoed eerily along the brick walls as she walked down the alleyway. Over to her right there was a large industrial dumpster on wheels. For a moment she thought she saw a flash of movement behind one of them. "Hello? Who's there? Do you need help?" Felicity drew closer to the dumpster and then suddenly a figure burst out from behind the metal containers. She didn't have any time to react as she was knocked off her feet by the person, crashing to the ground in a painful heap, and glasses skittering across the dirty concrete. The breath was knocked from her body, and she was left helpless and stunned on the ground…

A/N: You know what we haven't had in a while… that's right, a cliffhanger. I know how you all enjoy them so much, and Cliffhanger the movie was on last night, or a couple of days ago, something like that – so that feels like a sign to me that it's the right thing to do.

You probably think this is another fake out… well, that's possibly, of course… but I will tell you this, not everyone makes it out of the next chapter alive. We need to get serious with this fic… and do more torturing of Oliver, obviously, because that's always fun.

I had a good writing day today, so I'm going to pull a Marc Guggenheim on you and say if I get say… something unheard of… say 50 reviews for this chapter (even though it's not deserving of that many – although I did have a lot of fun writing Pang – did it show? ;) ), I'll post the next chapter tomorrow, and put you all out of your misery… or introduce you to new misery depending on who bites it… because I can be a bit of a cow like that. Is that manipulative… most likely… but I'm totally cool if I don't get the reviews, because I get to buy some more time with getting these dang chapters done. Win/win for me! Just a bit bored and wanted to play. :D

Okay, every brace accordingly for my expressive dance capturing my annoyance at the possible return of Ratus ratus in three… two… one…