HOMECOMING
Disclaimer – I don't own the rights, Zorro Productions Inc does - I just like to play with the characters.
Plot - Victoria and Diego arrive home after two and a half years away in Spain.
This is the final story in the Forever Zorro Trilogy.
I had several ideas on how to end this trilogy but I realised that if I included everything that I would like, our favourite couple would have to be in Spain for 5 years or longer and not the 2 years that I had intended. I have changed the format of this story, I didn't want the story to be set entirely in Spain so I have written it in the present, with Victoria and Diego arriving home, with flashbacks to a number of events in their two year stay in Madrid. Some of the flashbacks may seem to be out of order but it depends on the person and situation prior to the flashback and not every chapter has a flashback. I have kept the present in the correct time order. I hope it's not too confusing to read.
The flashbacks are in italics.
Rated - M
Chapter 1
Doña Victoria de la Vega smiled lovingly and with great pride at the sight of her husband leaning against the ship's railing as he held their small son, Edmund de la Vega, in his arms. She had come on deck from their cabin in search of them and she found herself standing still and watching them, with love overflowing her heart.
She couldn't believe how fast the last two and a half years had passed. It seemed like it was only yesterday when Diego had revealed to her that he was the masked bandit, Zorro. And of their swift marriage three days later in order for him to leave for Spain to take up his appointment as Associate Professor at Madrid University. So much had happened in those years and she didn't regret one single moment.
Don Diego de la Vega was pointing out the coastline to his nineteen month old son. Edmund was the image of his father, with dark hair, blue eyes and with a cheeky grin that would one day, win and break the hearts of many young senoritas. Diego's heart had gone out to his son the first second he saw him. He never thought that being a father would be so overwhelming, his love for his child was boundless.
Diego saw movement out of the corner of his eye, turned and saw his wife gazing at them with love shining from her eyes and he smiled back. His love for Victoria had grown even deeper over the years and he couldn't imagine his life without her. Dios, she's so beautiful' he thought. She had given him wonderful news last night that she was again with child. He held out his hand as Victoria carefully crossed the rolling deck to him and clasped his hand as they stared out over the blue water, towards their homeland. Both wondered, not for the first time, how different it would be, now that California was under Mexican rule.
When the Mexican army came through Los Angeles seven months ago, Captain Francisco Escalante had been given the option of relocating back to Spain as a foreign officer or to resign from the Spanish military and swear an oath of allegiance to Mexico. Needless to say Francisco resigned, he had recently married a local senorita and wished to stay in Los Angeles. He had lost his military rank but had kept his position as Alcalde, until such time as the new government decided to place their own officer in the pueblo. But since Francisco was very well-respected by the citizens of Los Angeles and ran a tight garrison, there was no immediate need to replace him.
Diego shifted Edmund into his left arm so that he could place his right arm around her. "I love you querida." he whispered causing a small shiver of delight in his wife.
"I love you too Diego." she whispered back, she placed her hand on her still smooth stomach. 'Oh please let nothing happen with this baby' she pleaded silently as a small shudder went through her body. Diego felt her tremors and pulled her closer.
Over the two and a half years there had been much happiness, love and passion between them. They had a couple of misunderstandings but there was one tragedy which had devastated them. Five months ago, Victoria suffered a miscarriage.
"Querida, everything will be fine this time." he whispered.
Victoria nodded. "I hope so Diego." as she leant into his embrace, as their thoughts drifted back to that terrible day.
Diego had just finished a lecture on chemistry and was walking back to the office he shared with Professor Martez, when he saw his good friend, Miguel waiting for him.
He grinned widely. "Miguel, it's good to see you...Dios what's wrong?" he asked. The look of sorrow on Miguel's face made him go cold. "Victoria..." he gasped, thinking the worst.
Miguel placed his hands on Diego's shoulders. "Diego, Victoria is okay but...oh I don't how to say it..."
"Just say it Miguel." Diego hissed through clenched teeth, he started to shake in fear of what could have happened.
"You know that Margarite was having lunch with Victoria today, well Victoria started to have cramps...oh Diego, I'm so sorry." Miguel's voice was unsteady, his eyes moist by unshed tears.
Diego was trembling harder. "The baby?" he whispered.
Miguel shook his head. "I'm so sorry Diego."
Diego slumped down on the chair. "Madre de Dios. No, NO." He couldn't believe it, they were so thrilled when she found out that she was pregnant with their second child but now, for this to happen was unimaginable, it was too horrible to even think about
"I...I...I must go." Diego rose unsteadily to his feet and Miguel helped him.
They reached Diego's two storey house just as the doctor was leaving. "Doctor, how is she?" Diego asked, his voice hoarse.
"Don Diego, Doña Victoria is as well as can be expected. She has lost a lot of blood but I have managed to stop it. She will need time to heal." The doctor replied.
Diego nodded. "But...will she be okay?"
The kindly doctor placed his hand on the younger man's arm. He had delivered their first child and had rarely seen such a devoted husband and wife. The bond between the couple was strong and he knew it would survive this tragedy. "Si, Don Diego, your wife is young and strong and she will recover but it will take some time. I have given her a sedative, so she should sleep for the next ten hours. I will come back tomorrow to check on her." The doctor picked up his bag. "One more thing Don Diego, I must ask you to refrain from marital relations for a month, two would be preferable. Her body needs time to heal".
Diego nodded again. "And...do you...will Victoria...be able to have more children?"
The doctor nodded. "Yes, I believe so. I will know more in a couple of days."
"Thank you Doctor."
They shook hands as Miguel showed the doctor out.
Margarite came down the stairs, her eyes red and puffy. "Oh Diego, I'm so sorry." she sobbed as she hugged him tightly.
"I'm...thankful that you...were here...with her when...when..." Diego shuddered, trying to hold back his grief.
"Go to her Diego." Margarite said softly.
Diego nodded and raced up the stairs and into their room.
Victoria stayed in bed for a week recovering. Diego was at a loss, she had become withdrawn, quiet. He didn't know what to do, of how to help her. He knew that she needed to grieve, they both did, but it seemed as though she was denying what had happened. He stayed in the house with her that week, his classes were taken over by Professor Martez.
Victoria couldn't think, didn't want to think, the pain was too great. At first she felt pleased to have Diego around, fussing over her. He had been busy of late, marking exams, creating new experiments and she hadn't seen much of him. But soon she felt smothered by his love, his concern.
It was almost two weeks after the miscarriage that Victoria finally broke down. Diego was home early from classes and was again fussing over her, wanting to know if she required anything when she snapped. "Diego, will you stop it." she said angrily.
He looked up, surprised at her anger. "Stop what mi preciosa?"
"Stop fussing over me. I'm sick of it. I'm fine Diego. I don't need to be fussed over this like." she yelled at him.
"You're not fine Victoria, you need..." but he didn't get any further.
"I am fine Diego, I don't need you to hold my hand every second of the day." she yelled again.
Diego saw that her anger was becoming more hysterical and was very worried about her. But he knew that anger was part of the grieving process and that she had to let go of the anger, of the hurt, so they could heal. He held onto her arms. "Victoria, what we went through..."
Again she wouldn't let him continue as she shrugged off his hands. "Just leave me alone." she stalked out of the room.
"Victoria." Diego called as he followed her out. He caught up with her and wrapped his arms around her tight.
"Let me go." she hissed at him, she struggled to get away from him, to run away from her pain.
"No, I won't let you go querida." he said quietly, hot tears burned his eyes as his own grief came forward.
She continued to struggle but his strong arms kept her immobile and before long she gave up, she stopped fighting.
He felt her resistance leave her. "Querida, we lost our baby, a wonderful precious gift." he was crying now.
She sagged in his arms gasping, sobbing. "Our baby, our baby." she wailed. Her legs buckled and Diego lowered them down onto the floor as they held each other tightly as they finally gave into their grief, in heart-wrenching sobs.
