A/N: Here is part two of my Episode 20 redux. Apologies in advance for the shortness, I'll make the next one longer. I'm hoping I've come up with a logical way to explain away the Laurel issues, but if it seems a little off just wave the magic "Off Canon" wand over it all ;)

Disclaimer: CW and DC own it all.

Oliver paused outside the lair door. The only way he was going to convince the two of them he had done the right thing chasing Rasmus down instead of going after Deadshot would be to show no fear, no weakness, no emotions. He walked in and almost lost his resolve as Diggle sat on the chair and Felicity played nursemaid.

The argument escalated quickly. Oliver stubbornly refused to admit he had let his friend down which just made Dig even more upset. Felicity stood to the side not wanting to hear them but not being able to move or even look away. Then, the ghost in the room that she thought had been exorcized floated back into the room. "This was never about that kid" Diggle accused "He is under armed security at your house. This is about Laurel."

"Diggle, I made a choice."

"I know, and you chose Laurel. Always her, everybody else be damned." He slammed into Oliver's shoulder as he left. Felicity's eyes followed him up the stairs, shocked, before she flicked back to Oliver. She looked at him for some sign that Dig was wrong, that he wouldn't always choose Laurel. She wanted some indication that he understood why this would make her upset. At the very least she wanted him to ask if she was ok. Instead she got a cold emotionless glare.

"Something to say Felicity?" He monotoned. That did it, she decided, she was done. It wasn't real, she had known it all along. But he had convinced her they could actually be something, she had fallen for the act.

"Nothing you want to hear." She put away the medical supplies, grabbed her sweater and bag. "Goodnight Oliver." This finally shook him out of his shocked silence. He was confused.

"You're leaving?" she passed him and kept walking. She desperately wanted to get to her car before she lost her brave face and crumpled like she wanted to.

"You can call me if anything work related comes up." She had reached the stairs before he figured out what she meant.

"What about if it's not work related?" She turned around to see him standing there, looking very small by himself in the large basement.

"You told me once that I wasn't a time filler. That doesn't mean I'm not your second choice. I've got to go." She ran up the stairs fast enough that she couldn't tell if he was trying to stop her or not. She didn't want to know either way.

Felicity wasn't sure if she was going to go to the club the next day or not, until she watched the news. The attack of Queen Manor was top story. Even if she was mad at him there was work to do. Walter wasn't home yet. She walked in just in time to see Diggle storm out for the second time. "Where's he going?"

"Diggle just resigned." Oliver took off his jacket and tossed it violently on a chair.

"I'm pretty sure I know the answer to this but, why?" She sat in her chair but turned it away for the computer so she could face him.

"He said we weren't on the same page anymore." Oliver looked at her. "There wasn't time, I had to make a choice."

"I know, I'm pretty sure I'm the one who told you that. But choices have consequences."

"Don't you think I know that?" He began to pace. "My life has been nothing but consequences since I got off that island. I've been paying for my sins and making others pay for theirs. I get consequences Felicity." He wandered over to the punching bag and gave it three solid hits.

"Was he right?" She asked quietly. "About Laurel?" Oliver turned back to her.

"No. She's important to me, but I didn't go after Rasmus for her. At least not just for her. I did it for Tommy." He sighed. "I was trying to show him that I still had his back, that I was still his friend."

"Did it work?" Oliver shook his head.

"No, He just got the same idea as everyone else, even you."

"Chalk it up to crippling insecurity for me and bad communication skills for you. Then again being stuck alone on an island for five years would kind of dampen that." Oliver wasn't going to correct her about not being alone on the island, he wasn't correcting anyone else.

"Still, I want to make something clear." He crouched down in front of her chair "You are not second choice. Never have been and never will."

"I want to make something clear too. I'm not going anywhere." She pulled him into a hug. He relaxed as she rubbed his back holding him close. Oliver groaned softly as if in pain "Something wrong?"

"It's Saturday. I was supposed to take you to dinner."

"Right..." Felicity remembered their plan from Monday. "How about tomorrow?" She felt Oliver nod against her shirt. "Good. In that case, I will be going because I have a sudden urge to go shopping." She let go of him and stood up gathering her things.

"Felicity you don't have to buy something new, it's just dinner." He rose and leaned against the desk.

"Hey!" she pointed "I'm not shopping because I have to, I'm shopping because I can. It's been awhile since I've had a good excuse." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Tomorrow, 7, my place. Deal?" He nodded and she left.

For the first time in the last 48 hours, Oliver didn't feel like the most hated man in the world.