Chapter 11:

Diggle had to admit that there was something about having Katya in the lair that made it feel more complete than it had since Felicity left. Even having her friend Jay there made the lair feel more like home than it had felt in years.

He came in today after Roy had told him how much like Felicity Katya was he had to see it for himself. Felicity was like the little sister he never had or really wanted but from the moment she was brought into their lives he couldn't, nor ever wanted to imagine his life without her. But sadly when she left that was what he had to do. He had been so hurt that she left without word, but after he found out about Oliver and Felicity sleeping together he had been furious with Oliver, he was always so careless with Felicity emotions. It had taken weeks until Diggle felt calm enough to talk to Oliver without wanting to punch him and that only happen when he realised his own guilt with Felicity leaving, he had been so caught up with his own stuff that he failed to notice her need for him. They looked for her, all of them. But they found nothing. Year by year his hope of finding Felicity died but he promised himself that one day he was going to find the women he loved like a little sister and hug her once more.

Katya looked a lot like Felicity but she had Oliver's temperament. She had Felicity bright blues eyes but Oliver's real smile. She had smiled at him brightly when they first met and he couldn't help but smile back. He had tried making conversation but her attention was elsewhere, but Diggle could understand her worry for her mother's safety so left her too her work. She worked with Felicity's skills but Oliver intensity.

Diggle and Oliver trained with Roy while Katya and Jay seemed to be bickering between themselves. Diggle smile as he watched the pair interact. They were so much like Felicity and Oliver were, and just like them it was clear the pair had feelings for each other. Diggle knew Roy hadn't picked up on it yet but he wondered if Thea had. He remember the first time Thea had brought up Oliver and Felicity's attraction for each other. It was just after Oliver came back from his disappearance from their mother's death.

FLASHBACK

Diggle watched in amusement as Felicity squared up to Oliver, despite their obvious size difference Felicity never let Oliver intimidate her.

"What they arguing over this time?" A soft voice asked from beside him.

Diggle looked over and found Thea standing next to him an amused look on her own face. She hopped up on the desk Diggle was leaning against and looked back over at her brother and Felicity.

Felicity looked up at him her arms folded across her chest with Oliver glaring down at her.

"Something about letting her fight her own battles." Diggle replied.

Thea nodded her head.

"Let me guess, Ollie is just trying to protect her." Thea added doing her best impression of Oliver's voice.

Diggle snorted.

"Something like that." he replied.

They went back to watching.

"It never really matters what they argue about does it?" Thea said after a while.

Diggle looked over at her surprised and confusion.

Thea sighed.

"It always come down to the big pick elephant in the room." she added.

Diggle raised an eyebrow at her.

"Pink elephant?" he asked.

"They both like each other but for some unknown reason won't admit it." Thea replied.

Diggle couldn't help but nodded, he knew the reason but he still agreed with the youngest Queen.

When Felicity and Oliver came out they barely talked to each other, Diggle looked over at Thea.

"Definitely pink elephant." He told her and she burst out laughing.

END OF FLASHBACK

Pink elephant became the code between him and Thea over the years they had known each other, every time they wanted to talk about the Oliver and Felicity situation when one of them was in the room.

Jay standing up caught Diggle's attention and brought him out of his thoughts. Diggle watched Jay hold his hand out for Katya who sighed deeply before taking it. He brought her over towards the training mats stopping just before, he gently squeezed her hand and whispered.

"Be brave kitty Kat."

She glared at him fondly before stepping closer to the training mats.

"Oliver?" she called.

Diggle turned to see Oliver stop instantly pushing Roy back and pointing towards Katya Roy nodded and stepped away.

"You ok?" Oliver asked his daughter.

Katya smiled at him nervously and nodded.

"I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me, just the two of us?" she asked quietly.

"You don't have too if you don't want to." Katya continued after Oliver didn't reply straight away.

Oliver smiled.

"I would love that, let me just shower and change ok?" Oliver asked.

Katya who had now visibly relaxed nodded.

Oliver went to shower.

"That wasn't so hard was it?" Jay said smugly.

Katya laughed, it was a beautiful vibrant sound that reminded him so much of Felicity and by the pained look on Roy's face it reminded him too.

Felicity winced as she heard the front door slam.

"Mum?" Katya voice yelled.

Felicity looked over at the clock and curse she missed their lunch date again. Guilt flooded her, soon it would be time to leave and she had wanted to spend as much time with Katya as she could. As clique as it sounded her past was catching up with her, fast and the less that Katya was involved the better.

"Mum?" Katya called this time her voice sounded unsure.

"In my office." Felicity replied.

She knew Katya was getting suspicious but luckily for her, Katya School had been keeping her pretty busy.

Katya walked into her office looking tired and Felicity couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. Katya looked so much like Oliver it made her heartache sometimes to be around her, but other times seeing Katya was all she need to cheer her up.

"You ask me to meet for lunch then you don't show up." Katya moaned.

Felicity sighed as she stood up.

"You know how busy school is at the moment." Katya added.

Felicity nodded and pulled Katya into a hug. Not that she would ever say it but Katya missed Jay, and whenever he was away Katya did nothing but work. Felicity was sure it as because Katya was worried about him and school work stopped her from thinking too much about him.

"I'm sorry baby." Felicity whispered

Katya sighed and hugged her mum back. After a couple of minutes Katya pulled away and looked at her mother a serious look on her beautiful face. Felicity smiled at her reassuringly.

"You ok?" Katya asked.

Felicity nodded.

"Of course baby why wouldn't I be?" Felicity wondered aloud.

Katya opened her mouth to reply then closed it again, whatever she had been thinking she clearly wasn't sure about yet.

"You, know you can talk to me right mum," Katya told her softly.

Felicity had to physically fight back the tears that threaten to fall.

Felicity pulled Katya back into her arms.

"Of course I do baby." she whispered pressing a fierce kiss to her head.

Later that night Felicity looked into Katya room to find her fast asleep. It was now or never Felicity new that. Sooner or later Katya would figure it out and the less that Felicity was there to question her about it the better.

Felicity watched her daughter sleep, she wondered if she would ever get it witness it again.

"I love you Katya." Felicity whispered.

She wanted to kiss her daughter one last time but Katya was a light sleeper and Felicity didn't want to take the risk of waking up.

She left the apartment quickly but quietly and yelled for a cab. Two more days and Jay would be home, until then Katya would be on her own, Felicity just hoped she could keep him distracted until then.

"Any luck with finding out who she is?" Dr Winter asked as he check Jane over.

Jackie shook her head and gave him a sad smile.

"Not yet, but I'm not giving up." Jackie replied looking down at Jane giving her a silent promise to find her family.

Dr Winter steadied her with a look.

"Be careful not to get too attached." Dr Winter warned.

Jackie nodded and smiled but they both knew it was too late for that.

Katya thanked the waiter after he took their orders.

"Thank you for coming to dinner with me." Katya said after they sat awhile in silence.

Oliver smiled at her.

"Thank you for inviting me." he replied and they slipped back into silence.

Katya looked down there was so much that she wanted to know but she wasn't sure she should ask.

"You can ask me anything." Oliver said as if reading her thoughts.

Katya looked up at him surprised.

"I know what I do about you from you mum's emails but you know nothing about me, it's only right that you get the chance to ask whatever you want." Oliver explained.

Katya nodded in understanding.

"She told me a lot about you." Katya said.

Oliver looked at her surprise filled his eyes.

Katya bit her nail nervously.

"She always told me that all it would have taken to love me was to know I existed." Katya added.

She looked down unable to meet her father's eyes. She had no idea why she brought this up now but she had said it and it was too late to take back.

"Katya?" he called.

Katya swallowed before looking up slowly.

"She isn't wrong." he told her and Katya could help but smile.

A few minutes later their waiter arrived with their meals.

They ate in slowly talking here and there, asking each other questions. When the waiter took away their mains and took down their desserts. Katya steadied her father with a look.

"Why aren't you mad at her?" She asks all of a sudden.

Oliver looks startled unsure how to answer.

"I Am." he tells her after what feels like eternity.

"But I know Felicity." he adds.

He takes a deep breath and shakes his head.

"Your mum, only ever lied to me when she thought she needed to protect me, that's why I have to believe that she left for a reason." He explains.

The chat aimlessly throughout the rest of dinner but Katya thoughts are still filled with his words. Deep down she knows his right but she can't help but fill angry at her mum herself.

Oliver pays for dinner, much to her protest and they head out. The walk in silence towards the car.

"I'm mad at her." Katya says suddenly and Oliver stops and turns so his facing her.

Katya looks at him.

"I am mad at her for some many dam things." Katya mutters.

"From keeping me from you, for lying, for hiding something." Katya rants and her eyes fill with angry tears.

"But most of all I am angry that I have no idea where she is and that scares the crap out of me." Katya confesses.

Oliver steps forward then, his hand touches her arm and moves gently up and down as if to comfort her.

"What if were too late?" Katya asks.

A sob escapes Katya mouth and that's all it takes for Oliver crush her too him. One arm comes round her waist and the other comes round cradles the back of her head close to his chest.

Katya sobs on her father.

"Will find her." He promises with so much truth in his words Katya can't help but believe him.

Katya pulls away and gives him a water smile.

"Thank you." she whispers.

Oliver presses a kiss to her forehead.

"Anytime." He replies and Katya knows that he means it.

Oliver followed Katya down the stairs, she had been really quite on their journey back but Oliver understood it. She was afraid.

Katya walked over to the training mats where Roy and Jay were sparring against each other while Diggle watched looking impressed. Oliver stood next to Diggle.

"Jay?" Katya called softly.

Jay swiped his leg out bringing Roy to floor before quickly pinning him to the ground.

"Dam it." Roy muttered in frustration.

"Kid's beat him three times in the last hour." Diggle told him.

Oliver eyes widened in surprise. Not that he would ever admit it to him but over the years Roy had gotten better than he was and to know that Jay had taken Roy down so easily was impressive.

"Sorry." Jay said to Roy as he helped him up.

Roy shook his head and smiled.

"No its cool nice job." Roy replied.

Jay nodded once before looking over at Katya. She looked pale, tried and very vulnerable.

"Hey," he said softly.

He approached her and Katya walked forward meeting him half way. They stopped inches away from each other and Oliver could help but the familiar memory of him and Felicity. Both wanting to touch, but both too afraid of the consequences if they did.

"You ok?" Jay asked her softly.

Katya nodded but looked down. Jays hand gently moved to her cheek and he titled her head up so she was looking at him. His thumb whipped her tear stained cheeks.

"Talk to me." he ordered lightly.

"I'm just so tired Jay." she replied and Oliver can hear how tired she is.

Jay nodded.

"Let's go home then." he suggested and Katya nodded.

Jay and Katya said goodbye to Roy and Diggle, and Jay nodded his goodbye to Oliver but Katya stopped in front of him.

"Would you have dinner again with me tomorrow please?" She asked softly.

Oliver smiled and nodded.

"I would love too." he replied instantly.

Katya swallowed before she hesitantly put her arms round his waist to hug him. Oliver hugged her back instantly and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Get some sleep." He told her lightly and Katya smiled and nodded.

After they disappeared, Roy leaving not long after. Leaving Oliver alone with Diggle.

"So," Diggle starts.

Oliver looks over at his friend.

"Are we going to talk about the pink elephant in the room?" Diggle asks and Oliver snorts.

He found out that was what Diggle and Thea had called his and Felicity's issues.

"Pink elephant?" Oliver asks.

"Katya and Jay." Diggle replies.

Oliver shakes his head.

"Nope, nowhere near ready for that talk yet." Oliver says quickly and Diggle laughs and slaps him on back.

"Hate to brake it to you but she twenty and incredibly pretty." Diggle adds.

Oliver glares at him.

"Still not ready." Oliver adds more forcefully.

"Jay seems like a good man." Diggle comments and although Oliver hates the idea of having his daughter dating anyone he knows that Diggles right.