A/N: We write for the pure enjoyment of it. We make no money. Set two months after the end of the series. Diego wiggled out of telling his father about his secret that day in the plaza, but he doesn't know that Victoria has a lot of suspicions. Sorry everyone, when a story is over (as in Bull Fight) – it's over. Hope you like this one. It's a bit different and more brutal than my other stories have been. And when this story's over – and it will be over when it's over…but another story called No Deadly Medicine will come later. I've rated it "T" for violence and suggestion of lust. Lotta stories can be told…who knows…maybe someday I will do a 'take' on those last four episodes…I never say never…

SIEGE II

CHAPTER ONE – Visitors to the Pueblo

Tavern Victoria was bustling with the early lunch crowd. Victoria brought a plate of tamales out to a new customer, a man who had the general look of a vaquero. Even though he seemed pleasant enough, Victoria felt there was something not quite right about the man. She prided herself on being a good judge of character, and she sensed an inner rage he kept hidden.

"Your tamales, Senor. Please enjoy." Victoria hurried away to look after the customers at the next table, when she looked up and saw two of her favorite people enter the tavern.

Don Diego and Don Felipe de la Vega walked in, greeted a few caballeros, and Felipe sat at their favorite table. Victoria immediately came over with a smile.

"Buenas dias, Don Diego, Don Felipe." It was a month since Felipe's adoption by Diego was finalized – two months after the Emissary's death. Felipe was just beginning to talk. He had surprised Diego at the adoption party by saying "Father…gracias…I…love you." It wasn't like a dam had broken yet, but if Felipe carefully thought about what he was going to say, he could spit it out. He still relied on sign language much of the time though, especially when nervous or he had too much to say.

"Senorita…tamales, por favor," Felipe got out his first sentence, and possibly his only sentence of the day.

Victoria smiled. She knew how hard it was for Felipe to talk, and she was very proud. "Don Felipe, you're doing so well. I'm so proud of you, and I know your father is too." She looked at Diego, who was smiling as big as she was.

"Never been prouder. I think his progress is excellent," he playfully slapped Felipe on the arm. "Oh, and I'll have tamales, too. Gracias, Victoria." Diego looked into Victoria's eyes.

The friendship between Diego and Victoria had deepened after the Emissary's death, but Diego had yet to trust his secret to Victoria – he had however, told her just about everything else he'd been feeling. Diego had talked about his feelings of having a brother he never knew…how that fact was so unsettling. He thought maybe that explained the intense anger, bordering on hatred he felt for Gilberto. He talked of his intense anger towards Ynez Risendo, the woman who'd stolen his brother from him. He talked of his dreams for a family and running the ranch someday in the future. He talked of the internal satisfaction he felt when helping others, such as teaching the Indians the local language, how to read, etc. He felt great satisfaction in sharing his knowledge of farming techniques with the Nielsons. But he steered clear of the specifics when speaking of the future – namely of his love for Victoria…although it was difficult not to, when she was the object of his affections, and her patient listening helped him heal from his negative feelings. Before sharing the depths of his heart though, he wanted to make sure she saw more of the 'real' Diego before revealing his love…and eventually, his secret identity.

She listened, then shared her perceptions and her thoughts. She talked of her dreams of being married, being careful not mention to whom, although Diego was quite aware who she meant. She shared about the beginning years of running the tavern as a young teenager – during the time he was in Spain. He'd heard about her mother's death before, but Victoria spoke of the difficulties she'd had to face at such a young age, with her brothers in the military, her father imprisoned, and her mother, executed before her eyes.

"If it hadn't been for your father…helping me learn the business of running the tavern, I wouldn't have anything today. Your family has done so much for me already…"

Things had been going well, and their relationship had taken on a lighter tone recently. Because of their deep 'familiarity' with each other now, they began a lighter tone with each other. They knew what they could get away with, and they also knew what they should steer away from.

Victoria began to see a playful side of Diego she'd never seen before. She saw it in their conversations, as well as his relationship with Felipe. She'd always known Diego and Felipe were very close, but since the legal adoption, she seemed to see things she hadn't seen before – their easy manner with each other, and the masculine way they kidded each other.

Recently, she and Diego had put a 'tease' in their conversation – pushing the boundaries of friendship almost to the beginnings of a courtship, although nothing was 'formal.' It was two very close friends becoming closer, but only beginning to test its' boundaries to see if romance could indeed be a part of its' future.

The alcalde had toned down his oppression of the pueblo long enough for Diego's arm to heal properly, but Diego had a nagging suspicion that this month of quiet was a sort of 'calm before the storm.' He didn't know what kind of storm to expect and he didn't know where it would come from.

Victoria went behind the counter to put together a juice tray, with a pitcher and a few glasses. Diego strolled over to the counter and leaned in while he talked with Victoria, as she set the tray up. Diego looked around the tavern, his trained eye always looking for people who seemed out of place and might cause trouble. He spotted the man in the corner who was trying to look uninterested in everything around him, yet Diego could tell he was listening to everyone and everything around him.

He said to Victoria, "Who is that new vaquero in the corner? I don't remember seeing him in here before."

Victoria's smile faded and her expression clouded. "I don't know, but makes me feel very uncomfortable, like he's a tightly wound spring about to snap. I wish he'd leave, but he's behaving himself – so I don't have an excuse to throw out a paying customer."

"Let me know if you do have any trouble with him, will you?" Diego asked with concern.

"Absolutely. But what would you do about it?" Victoria asked with a bit of tease in her voice, with a smile to match. "Go tell your father?" She went to their table and set down two glasses and the pitcher of juice, then returned behind the counter for a moment.

Previously, Diego would have bristled at the slight, but with their deepening relationship, he only chuckled. "Uh, well – that depends on what he actually did." With an air of false effrontery, he added, "I could challenge him to a duel if necessary – to defend your honor – of course." He put his chin in the air and pretended to be offended.

Victoria caught the joke and giggled with him. "Of course. Just like you would have 'dueled' Ricardo Quintana – if Zorro hadn't intervened for you?"

"Well, I did 'duel' Miles Thackery, did I not? And that was – for your honor!" Diego said teasingly.

"Yes, that was very brave of you, but it was a good thing you sprained your ankle, or…"

"Or what?" Diego's chin was still elevated in mock offense, but he smiled as he winked at her.

She stifled a laugh, and walked into the kitchen to get their orders. Diego went to the table and sat down with Felipe.

Z

Pedro Sarasota sat in the corner of the tavern taking in all the local 'color' of Los Angeles. He knew the tavern would be the best place to gather at least some of the information he needed. After only two hours, Pedro had learned that the alcalde was a pompous oppressor, that Zorro was the local hero, and that the tavern owner had a romance going with him. He'd also learned that the richest family in the territory was de la Vega, and that Don Alejandro had a magnificent hacienda two miles outside the pueblo.

He looked up when he heard people addressing two young men entering the tavern as 'Don Diego and Don Felipe de la Vega.' So, these are the sons of Alejandro de la Vega, the richest man in the territory, thought Pedro. Then he heard that Don Felipe was the adopted son of Don Diego. No matter, he thought. Both would be excellent bait for his trap of vengeance. Los Angeles will pay for their part in what happened to my brother, and that black bandit will die for killing Pablo…now if I could only find out who the black bandit they call El Zorro really is…Pablo…I will avenge your death…

Z

"How much longer do we have to wait?" Rodolfo Garcia turned to his Capitan, Jose Rivera. They were part of a twenty-five-man force camped about twenty miles outside of Los Angeles. It was a hot day, and the gang was scattered over a tenth-mile area, finding shade wherever they could in a clump of trees. Garcia and Rivera were sitting under an oak tree that provided good shade. It felt at least fifteen degrees cooler under the tree than in the hot son. It was mid-afternoon, and most of the gang was taking siesta.

Jose replied, "Patience Rodolfo. Patience. Pedro and Gonzales should be back to camp soon. Pedro is scouting Los Angeles for the best possible locations to get his vengeance."

Garcia took a drink from a canteen, and spat some of it out. "Vengeance. I think his plan to kill this black bandito is muy loco!"

"Ah, but the pay will be worth, it, eh! There is a 6000-peso reward on Zorro's head, and with a payoff from the richest family in the territory as well – we will be living in luxury for the rest of our lives, and Pedro will have his revenge." Rivera took his hat off and began to fan himself.

"But it's not like Pedro was that close to his brother. They didn't even have the same father. They don't even have the same name – Pedro is a Sarasota, Pablo was a Zaragosa!" Garcia swilled another sip from the canteen.

"Maybe not, but they grew up together and they were the best of friends for a long time. Pedro was very, very angry when he found out his brother had been killed in Los Angeles by El Zorro. He's been planning this revenge for well over a year. I am afraid it is eating him alive." Rivera shook his head and wiped his brow with his bandana.

Z

Pedro walked over to the bar where Victoria was now behind it. "Senorita, your tamales are straight from heaven," he smiled his most disarming smile.

"Why gracias, Senor…"

"Oh, pardon me. I am Pedro Sarasota, a humble man of humble origins, but one who is an admirer of your beauty and your ability to satisfy a man's stomach. If it is true that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, you have won my heart today, Senorita." He bowed slightly and took her hand in his and brushed his lips against the back of her hand before releasing it.

Victoria was taken off guard. Her earlier impressions of him were fading in the light of his charm.

"Senorita?"

"Si," replied Victoria.

"I am going to need a room for a few days. Do you have one available?"

"Si, the room at the end of the hall to your left at the top of the stairs is available for six pesos per night." Victoria pointed in the direction of the room. "Here is the key. I can walk you up if you like."

"Gracias, but no, that will not be necessary Senorita. I can find my way." Pedro took a stack of coins from his pocket and counted them out on the counter – eighteen pesos, enough for a three-night stay. He took the key, grabbed his saddlebags and climbed the stairs to his room for siesta, but looked back. Yes, Gonzales was still down there, helping by picking up tidbits of conversation from the other side of the room, including what went on at the counter between the Senorita and de la Vega.

TBC