This story is an amateur, not-for-profit publication produced solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe upon any rights by Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.

Broken Hero

Author's Note: This takes place on the day Risendo is shot by the alcalde in "Discovery".

Chapter 1 – Hurting

Diego was sitting in the library with his head in his hands feeling drained from the events of the day. He had never been so close to death before as today. Now that it was over the shock set in.

First he had been nearly killed by the landslide Risendo had caused to kill Zorro and he had barely escaped death the second time only because the alcalde had shot Risendo before he could kill Diego.

He could still feel the rocks crushing him and he had only escaped with Toronado's help. After Toronado had removed some rocks, he was able to squeeze through the narrow opening but had to leave behind his cape and hat, stuck between the rocks. After he had wriggled out from the rockslide, the rocks had gone farther downhill into the canyon taking the cape and his hat with them.

Risendo had been about to shoot him after their sword fight and it had been pure chance that the alcalde had decided to shoot Risendo instead of him. If the alcalde had known that he was Zorro, he would have probably shot Diego.

And now the brother he never knew of was dead and there was an emptiness inside of him where the unknown bond to his twin had been.

"Diego, you look terrible! What happened today, besides the shooting?"

Surprised he looked at Victoria because he hadn't heard her coming into the library.

"Although Risendo was my brother, he was an evil man. He never intended to honor the truce he offered Zorro. Instead Risendo fueled an explosion that buried Zorro under a pile of rocks in the canyon."

"Oh no, that can't be!" Victoria exclaimed.

Under the shock he still suffered from, he forgot his role and took her in his arms. "Victoria, I need you today," he pleaded before he kissed her. But before he could do more than brush her lips, Victoria slapped him in the face.

"How can you do this, Diego! First you tell me that Zorro has died and then you try to kiss me? I thought you were my friend! You, of all people, know best that I love only Zorro and no one can ever replace him."

"Victoria, please let me explain. It's not as you think. Victoria, please!" he called after her, but she had already left through the door. Crying she returned to her wagon and drove back to the pueblo.

Unable to stop her and stunned from the unexpected turn of events Diego watched her leave. Just when he'd thought the day couldn't get worse it did. Now he had lost Victoria too. Returning to his room he locked the door behind him before he lay down on his bed staring at the ceiling with empty eyes and slowly the tears began to fall. His father later came knocking on his door calling him for dinner, but he told him that he didn't want to be disturbed.

The next day he mostly slept or simply lay on his bed doing nothing.

Z Z Z

He left his room after two days to attend Risendo's funeral. Alejandro had insisted that he was buried next to his real mother Felicidad Elena de La Vega. There were only Alejandro, Felipe and Diego attending the the small ceremony that was conducted by Padre Benitez at the grave. Thinking of Victoria, who was now beyond his reach, tormented him more than anticipated and strengthened his resolve to continue the unplanned story that had started when Victoria had instantly assumed Zorro's death, before he could finish his tale and reveal himself to her.

As expected the alcalde came up to them after the funeral was over to offer his condolences to the de la Vegas before apologizing once more.

Just as he was about to leave Diego stopped him, "Alcalde," he nodded shortly in his direction, "there is one thing I have to tell you and you must excuse me for not telling you earlier, but I was a little distracted the last days."

"What is it, Don Diego?"

"When I was fighting against Risendo, we talked about Zorro and he told me that he had never intended to have a truce with him. When Zorro came to the meeting point at Perdido Canyon, Risendo fueled an explosion and he witnessed how the landslide caused by it buried Zorro under the rocks. Zorro died that day in the canyon and he will never return."

Diego looked in the shocked faces around him, feeling sorry for the hurt he caused them, but there was no easy way to tell them that he would never fight as Zorro again. He spoke the truth

as he felt it in his heart. The energy to fight had left him and even if he wanted to he couldn't with his badly injured arm that would take a long time to heal.

"But Diego," Alejandro looked at him uncomprehendingly and Diego knew then Alejandro had thought he was Zorro, but his declaration of Zorro's death shattered this image once more, "this can't be."

"It is the truth, Father," Diego said quietly. "I'm sorry."

Padre Benitez was the first who found his voice again. "Zorro has done much for this pueblo and he will be greatly missed by many. Let's say a prayer for his soul."

Jointly they became silent again listening to the padre intoning the prayer for Zorro. The declaration had them stunned and Diego could see that even the alcalde was moved by it.

Felipe who had looked as stunned as the others ask him to step to the side out of hearing distance from the others and gestured at Diego animatedly.

'How can you tell them that Zorro is dead when you are standing here alive? How can you hurt them like this?'

"Felipe, I'm finished with Zorro. I will never have Victoria's love for myself and without her nothing makes sense anymore. There is no Zorro anymore. Zorro has died under that pile of rocks and he will never appear again."

'You have to tell her the truth!'

"This is the truth," Diego voice was sad and with an unfocused look he remembered the moment when felt the rocks over him, hardly able to breath or move at all until Toronado had dug him out.

"Diego, Diego," Alejandro was tucking at his arm, "where are you with your thoughts? This is terrible day for us all, but we need to go home now."

Obediently Diego followed him to the carriage, sitting down silently for the whole return trip.

As soon as they arrived, Diego retreated to his room again for the rest of the day and only on his father's insistence did he join them for dinner the next evening, but the fire in him had somehow died.

Z Z Z

During the next days he listlessly sat in the library. There was nothing that interested him anymore and though he pretended to read, Alejandro watched him looking at the same page for hours.

Alejandro became very concerned by Diego's behavior and tried to find out what had devastated his son so much.

"Diego, if there is a problem, please tell me. Maybe I can help you."

"No, Father, everything is fine." Diego lied.

Felipe also tried to get him out of his stupor, telling him that the lancers had found the remains of Zorro's cape between the rocks and had confirmed Diego's statement. The rock slide was too unstable to dig under and so Zorro's body could not be dig out. Felipe tried to persuade him to reappear in town again to prove that he was still alive, but Diego only shook his head.

Shocked Felipe looked at him asking what had happened between him and Victoria and what about the people who needed Zorro's help?

"All you need to know is, I found out that Victoria only loves Zorro and not me and I just can't care anymore about the people. I have helped them long enough and now they have to take care of themselves."

All efforts of Felipe to change his mind were in vain and couldn't get him out of his stupor.

The longer it went on, the more concerned for his son Alejandro became. The last time he had seen Diego so devastated had been after his mother's death, but even then he had been able to talk to him. Except for the funeral Diego hadn't been to the pueblo since that horrible day not even for The Guardian. When Diego's was asked when the next edition would come out, Diego had simply shrugged his shoulders and said that he didn't care for the paper any more and that somebody else should take care of it if they wanted to have a newspaper.

All attempts of Alejandro to talk to his son were blocked off by Diego's silence and sometimes Alejandro had the impression there were two mutes sitting at the dinner table with him and Felipe was the more talkative of them.

"Please Diego, " Alejandro made another attempt, "This cannot go on. Please tell what is wrong and what has hurt you so."

"Father, I don't want to talk about it. But you are right, I can't go on like this that's why I have made a decision. I will leave California for some time."

"Leave California? But why? Where will you go? And for how long will you be gone?" Alejandro was shocked.

"I will go to Europe and visit with some friends, first to Madrid and then maybe to France."

"It will take months for you to travel there and then several more to get back. Or don't you plan to come back at all?"

Diego said nothing, clearly uncomfortable with Alejandro's question.

"Diego, what is so terrible that you can't stay? Please, Diego, talk to me. I'm your father and I love you. Tell me what has happened that day that has changed you so much. Let me help you."

The only answer he got was silence.

Z Z Z

Victoria hadn't been over to the hacienda since the day Diego had tried to kiss her and Diego hadn't been to town either. She had started to miss him in her tavern and when she asked Alejandro about him, she was told that Diego wasn't feeling well.

Zorro's death was prominent on her mind and kept her distracted from Diego's absence and she was used to him being ill from time to time.

Recently the tavern had been very busy and she hadn't had time to talk with her customers, but today the tavern was nearly empty when Mendoza entered.

"An extra large portion of your tamales, Senorita Victoria, please. A man needs to keep in shape in hard times like these."

"You haven't been to the tavern lately, Mendoza. What has kept you away? Problems with your stomach?"

"Madre de Dios, Senorita, that would be truly horrible. No, the alcalde had us chasing bandits the whole week. I always thought it would be quieter when there would be no more Zorro to chase, but I really wish him back. I took us a whole week to capture the bandits and Zorro would have done it in one night. Oh yes, I really miss him."

Mendoza got lost in thoughts and Victoria sat down at his table when he continued.

"Zorro was a kind man and he saved the lives of me and my soldiers more than once. He even told me he was my friend and it is hard to believe that he will never come back. Of course I don't miss him slashing my uniform, but life without him.."

Then he looked at Victoria. "I'm sorry," he said, "I did not want to make you cry. You have waited so long for him and now.." He sighed. "And now Don Diego will be gone as well..., no more free lunches..."

Alarmed Victoria looked at him. "What do you mean, Don Diego will be gone as well?"

"Haven't you heard, Senorita Victoria? Don Diego is leaving California for Europe."

"Don Diego is leaving California? When? And Why?" But the moment Victoria asked the questions she knew the answers herself. He was leaving because she had hurt him. She never expected he would take her outburst this seriously. She didn't want him to leave, she was missing him in her tavern already.

Z Z Z

As soon as it was siesta, Victoria closed her tavern and rode to the hacienda where she found Diego sitting listlessly in the library. She was appalled by the way he looked. She had never seen him so apathetic.

"Diego, I need to talk to you. I want to apologize for my behavior the other day. I'm sorry for the way I treated you when you needed my help. Please don't leave." Pleadingly she looked at him, but Diego only stared at her saying nothing for some minutes. When he finally spoke, his voice was sad.

"I think Victoria, you have made your point quite clear. There is only one man you love and that is Zorro whoever he may have been behind his mask. You must forgive me that I forgot myself for a moment, but it will never happen again. My ship will leave in week and I will never impose myself on you again."

Victoria started to cry. "Please, Diego, forgive me. I never wanted to hurt you."

It hurt him to see her cry and he longed to take her in his arms, but she would only accept him if he put on his mask and never without it and that was more than he could bear now. She asked him to stay, but all she offered was friendship when he wanted her love.

"Goodbye, Victoria." He took her hand and placed a kiss on it before he turned around leaving her crying.

In the corridor he was intercepted by Felipe who had heard the conversation. Agitatedly Felipe gestured him to return to Victoria and tell her that he was Zorro and make up with her again.

"No, Felipe I won't and I forbid you to tell her that I'm Zorro as well. There is no more Zorro. I'm finished with him. Zorro died under that pile of rocks and will not reappear."

Felipe gestured again pointing in the direction of Victoria and to Diego.

"You think I expect too much from Victoria to have feelings for me when she is in love with Zorro and maybe you are right. But nobody can compete with a legend especially not the ordinary man behind the mask. No matter what I do, it will never change and there has never been a chance for Diego like I always feared."

'You think I'm stubborn and that it is my fault I'm in this misery?'

"You can think what you like, Felipe, but I have made up my mind. I'm going to Europe for some time. I need a break from all this. Maybe I'll be able to forget about Victoria and Zorro and everything."

'You'll never be able to forget, don't lie to yourself.'

"At least I can try! I want you to ride to San Pedro tomorrow and get me some things I will need for my journey."

Felipe raised his hands in exasperation. There was no helping Diego.