Chapter 3: Truths (Part 2)

Looks like Chapter 3 is going to be three parts after all!

Enjoy and I look forward to hearing your comments!

At the same time, across the city, Diggle and Oliver sparred with Roy in the foundry, helping him practice some of his weak moves. He seemed to have difficulties in trying to read his opponent's body at times and thus could not anticipate what his next move would be. And now, during practice, this meant Roy often ended up on his back unable to move with either Oliver or Diggle standing above him. Roy was frustrated, but the two other men seemed to be happy with the progress he was making. Nonetheless, they teased Roy whenever he missed or ended up on the floor, laughing at his scowl.

It had been a long time since Diggle and Roy had seen Oliver laugh like that and they were willing to do anything to keep that smile on his face. That was one of the reasons Diggle had sent that message to Felicity telling her to take the night off. He knew that if Oliver saw her tonight all the effort they had put into getting him to smile would be gone and pain would be once again etched on his face.

Nonetheless, Diggle felt stressed. Worry had crept inside him and would not leave him alone. Looking at the man that he called best friend he was indeed truly worried for him, for what lay ahead. He knew that Oliver was lost, truly lost and he was going down a path of self-destruction from which it had –until now- been impossible to stop him from.

He could tell that Felicity's words the other day had touched something deep inside his friend. What Felicity spoke of that night, was what all of them had been feeling when it came to Oliver. The man, now laughing at yet another one of Roy's failed attempts to take him down, had pulled them all into this fight for justice, but now needed to fight to save himself.

Diggle had been shocked to say the least with Felicity's reaction. But he understood. Felicity was the one Oliver listened to no matter what and he was shutting her out time after time again, telling her it was for her own good, but never actually asking what she wanted. Diggle could swear that Felicity, although the first one to defend and support others, was sometimes too nice when it came to the people she cared about and often took the brunt of Oliver's harsh words and goodbyes stoically without complain, hiding the pain it put her in and selflessly remaining by their side knowing they couldn't do what they did without her. We all have our limits, he thought to himself. He also had a feeling that her words were exactly what Oliver needed to hear.

He could remember it as if it had happened just now, Oliver being dismissive, ignoring Felicity when she was trying to be his friend, finding himself getting angry with the way Oliver was talking to her. Diggle and the others knew what had happened at PT when he made a guilt ridden Felicity who had come back to the lair after the meeting looking for Oliver, tell them. All of a sudden Felicity was standing her ground – the way she usually would when it came to people she cared about getting hurt – and giving Oliver a piece of her mind. Her storming out of the lair right after. Oliver sitting at her chair, looking completely broken, shattered. As if the truth had finally cracked through the hard shield he was putting up and Oliver was starting to see what he was doing to himself, to her, to all of them Diggle thought to himself.

While he knew that only Felicity could make Oliver change his mind, he seemed so far gone now even she couldn't make him see what was right infront of him. Because although Felicity's words had been a start, Oliver was a stubborn man and only tended to see the truth either when it was almost too late or when it was practically drilled in his head. And this time it seemed that Oliver would need so much more to get there in the end.

This was the other reason he asked Felicity not to come tonight. Diggle wanted to talk to his friend, to the man who he had come to see as a brother. He knew that his friend needed help now more than ever and now that the shield was starting to crumble and he was more relaxed than he had been in quite a few days it was Diggle's turn to speak the truth with Roy by his side. Because Roy, although he was often seen as a 'kid' he was one of Oliver's few true friends and cared deeply about his mentor.

But this was a different truth to what Felicity had yelled at him before she stormed out. Because Felicity had put what Oliver was really doing out there. Now Diggle needed to name the reasons why Oliver was acting this way these past few months, slowly destroying everything. Cause Diggle and Roy had a few hunches… He had a feeling, though, that Oliver would not be happy with what he had to say and he did not know if his friend was ready to see why he was truly doing what he was doing. But they had to try anyway.

The question was, how were they going to breach the subject? They couldn't waste anymore time with Ra's al Ghul's offer hanging over their heads. Especially since Oliver seemed to be really considering it – he thought things would be better for everyone if he went to Nanda Parbat permanently.

Suddenly Felicity's computers beeped the way they always did when there was something important going on in Starling – whether crime related or not. Oliver turned round and walked to stand infront of the screens before Diggle and Roy exchanged a look that showed their disappointment in missing the chance to say something to Oliver.

What is it this time? Diggle wondered, his hand on his phone ready to ring Felicity – without her they would almost definitely be lost.

The computers seemed to have picked up some news report that was making its way across TV Channels and Newspapers in Starling quite fast. All of a sudden a police report was flashing on the screen, but before Oliver could open it his phone rang.

'Captain Lance' The Arrow greeted the man on the other line.

'You need to have a look at the file I've sent you. Frankly we don't have any idea what or rather who it is yet, but I thought you might be able to find out faster. It doesn't look good. We don't know if he's friend or foe, but sure as hell we don't need another vigilante running around this city.' Lance went on.

As Lance spoke, Oliver had opened the report. There was a newspaper article with the title 'New Superhero in Starling?'

'You might want to look at that video first' Lance added.

Without reading the article Oliver pressed on the link that was also in the report. A video started playing on the screens shot by a passer-by at the scene. The three men leaned forward watching what looked like a man in a strange suit hover above a skyscraper. He stayed there for a few moments before speeding off around the building. The man was superfast and had circled the skyscraper 3 times in just a few seconds. The laughter and surprise of the people watching the man from below could be clearly heard. Suddenly the man stopped, the suit seemed to be giving him trouble. He dropped height and seemed about to start spiralling towards the ground when he managed to drop on the roof instead and disappeared from view.

The three men looked at each other when the video finished; Oliver clearly worried and glancing as his suit.

'So I take it from your silence that this isn't another of your vigilante friends?' Captain Lance asked.

'No. Do you know anything about more about this?' Oliver asked.

'I was hoping that you do. Maybe our blonde friend could look into it?'

At Lance's request, Oliver tensed 'She's not here. I will see what I can do' Oliver replied before hanging up the phone.

'Should I call Felicity?' Roy asked as Oliver turned his attention back to the video.

Oliver said nothing, but Diggle – still trying to have the chance to talk to Oliver – shook his head.

'No man. I think we can run a simple search now and Felicity can find out more tomorrow. No point dragging her here if we know nothing about this. It could be really bad or it could be Barry Allen and his team doing crazy experiments in Starling' He said with a smile as he remembered their friend.

'Let's look at the video again, maybe we'll find something' He continued and they all turned their attention back to the screen.

They watched the video once, twice, three…probably 50 times before giving up. They couldn't gather much apart from the fact that they located from which building the man in the suit seemed to have been flying over. Their search had given them few other clues, just that the news were all over the internet. Some were questioning if what they saw was even human, others wondered if he was a friend or yet another enemy of the city and what was the man's relationship the Arrow. Were they friends or competitors?

Diggle and Oliver sat back on their chairs, a silent conversation taking place between them. They both wanted to go check the building out, see if they could find out anything more. As if we don't have enough to deal with, Diggle thought to himself. Roy on the other hand still stared at the screen, deep in thought. He kept rewinding the video to the moment where the man disappeared from the screen.

'Roy give it a rest' Oliver said finally.

Roy didn't reply.

'Roy' Oliver continued in a warning tone. He seemed to be getting angry now. He was getting frustrated with everyone lately.

'Guys…' Roy answered keeping a casual tone, but there was a slight edge to it. Both Oliver and Diggle leaned forward, one on each side of him and looked at the screen again and Roy rewinded the video again.

'Can you see that?' Roy asked them pointing at a spot on the screen.

Both men frowned at what they were seeing. It seemed that there was someone else standing on the roof of the building. Every time they watched the video their attention was caught by the man about to drop to the ground – they never noticed he wasn't alone on that roof.

Roy stopped the video and zoomed in on the figure standing on the roof. The picture wasn't clear at all but it looked like a woman. He zoomed in further. She was shorter than the other figure, standing with her hands crossed across her chest. She had what looked like blonde hair caught up in a ponytail and…Diggle squinted his eyes…it looked like she wore glasses, but he couldn't be certain.

Why do I feel like I've seen this woman before, he thought frowning.

He glanced to the two men next to him. Roy was gaping at the screen and all colour had drained from Oliver's face.

'What…?'

'Felicity' Oliver breathed.

Well, it looked like a talk was long due after all.