Oliver walked into the lair and saw Diggle standing in the middle of the lair. Oliver pulled down his hood and the mask and walked over to Diggle. Diggle just looked at him seriously. "Dig hi. I'm glad you reached out" Oliver said. He got a good look at Diggle's face. "You don't look to happy. Should I be dreading this conversation" Oliver asked. Diggle just continued to stare at him. "Listen Dig. I understand why you quit. I get that this relationship we have is done. I'll move on" Oliver said.
"I haven't been able to stop thinking everything since you revealed your secret to me. I wish it was that easy to move on" Diggle said.
Oliver shook his head. "I was wrong. I shouldn't have sprung all of this on you like that. I'm sorry. We both should just try to move on" Oliver said.
"They never caught the guy who killed my brother. You know when I was in Afghanistan, I had a job and I did it and when I could I would help out the people there so that in some small way when I left, I could believe I left it a better place" Diggle said.
"Ever since I've been home all I do is protect punks and spoiled one percenters, no offense. I miss feeling like I'm making a difference in the world" Diggle said.
Oliver nodded. "I understand. I'm trying to right my father's wrongs and make a difference in this city" he said. "Some people would consider what your doing wrong" Diggle said.
Oliver shrugged his shoulders. "I'm making this city a better place. I don't believe that's wrong. How could making this city better be wrong" Oliver asked.
Diggle shook his head. "I don't know Oliver but I think the idea you have of helping this city is a noble one and it's something I want to be a part of" he said.
Oliver looked at Diggle and smiled at him. "Really that's great. We can start…" Oliver started to say but Diggle held up his hand stopping him.
"I have one condition" Diggle said.
"OK what is it" he asked.
Diggle sighed. "Your not going to like it" he said.
"Try me" Oliver said.
"You have to at least consider telling Felicity the truth" Diggle said.
Oliver shook his head. "I can't" Oliver said.
"Why not" Diggle asked.
"It's complicated" Oliver said.
Diggle walked over to Oliver and put a comforting hand on Oliver's shoulder. "Listen Oliver. I know you love her and don't want to hurt her but I care about her too. I've known her for almost three years and she's a special person. I don't want to lie to her. It's not fair to her" Diggle said.
Oliver nodded in agreement. He knew Diggle was right. He hated lying to Felicity but he had to. "I can't lose her" Oliver said lowly.
"She's not going to turn her back on you. She loves you and she would support you no matter what" Diggle said.
Oliver looked at Diggle seriously. "That's the problem. Felicity would want to help and she'd be putting herself in danger. If she died because of this I don't think I could handle that" he said.
"Shouldn't that be her decision though" Diggle asked.
Oliver shook his head. "Not this time" he said.
"She'd want to know Oliver" Diggle said.
"It's not fair to ask her to keep my secret. To have to lie to everyone she loves just to protect me. She'd have to lie to her sisters, her father, her mother, everyone for me. I can't ask her to do that" Oliver said.
Diggle nodded in understanding. "She would, you know, without question" he said.
Oliver nodded. "I know. When I came back I promised myself two things. I was going to save this city and I was going to have Felicity back in my life whether I was with her or not. I got lucky that I'm able to be with her. I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep those promises I made myself even if it means lying to the woman I love more than anything. I won't lose her" Oliver said.
Diggle sighed. "I just don't see how you can move further in your relationship with her with this secret between you two" Diggle said.
Just then Oliver's phone rang. He took it out and looked at it. It was Felicity calling. Diggle smiled at him. "Answer it. Just think about what I said" he said.
Oliver looked at Diggle and answered the phone. "Hello" he said.
"Hi Oliver. I just got home from the office and was wondering if you wanted to come over. I miss you" she said.
Oliver smiled. Hearing that voice that he hadn't been able to hear for five years made him smile. "I miss you too but I can't tonight. My moms having this family thing and I kind of have to be there. I'm sorry" Oliver said.
"It's OK. Have fun with your family" she said.
Oliver looked over at Diggle who was staring at him. He took a deep breath. "I will but can we see each other tomorrow? I have something I want to tell you" Oliver said.
"Is it bad" Felicity asked.
"Well that depends on how the conversation goes" Oliver said.
"Is everything OK Oliver" Felicity asked.
"I don't know. I just have to talk to you" he said.
"OK we can meet tomorrow" Felicity said.
"At the mansion" Oliver said.
"OK I'll see you there" Felicity said.
"I'll see you there" Oliver said.
"I love you" Felicity said.
"I love you too. See you tomorrow" Oliver said. Felicity hung up and Oliver did the same. He looked over at Diggle.
"It's going to be OK. It's better coming from you than someone else" he said.
Oliver nodded. "I have to go" he said.
"Where" Diggle asked.
"I have to get a confession out of Jason Brodeur" Oliver said.
"How are you going to do that" Diggle asked.
"By scaring the living hell out of him" Oliver said pulling his mask over his eyes and putting his hood back up. He looked at Diggle. "We have to look into Malcolm and Evelyn Merlyn. I want to know exactly what they're into" Oliver said.
Diggle nodded. "I'll see what I can find. Good luck" he said.
"It won't be a problem getting this confession from Brodeur" Oliver said.
Diggle shook his head. "I meant with your conversation with Felicity tomorrow" he said. Oliver nodded and left the lair. He was putting himself in danger tonight by trying to get this confession from Jason Brodeur but the scariest thing to him was going to be telling Felicity the truth. Hopefully she didn't hate him forever.