A/N: Welcome to my Road to El Dorado fic! wee! i do not own this movie! get that straight right now...lol! so, i thought Miguel was WAY cooler than Tulio...no offense 2 Tulio fans...so i wrote this up...hee hee hee. my imagination really went crazy with this 1, so...enjoy!

Chapter 1: Runaway Prisoner

She ran until she felt her legs would run out from under her. The jungle brush was so thick, branches caught in her long raven hair and in her thick chemise, cutting her arms and any other exposed skin. Hoof-beats paced closer and closer and she knew she couldn't outrun them. She stopped long enough to rip off her sandals that were slipping from her feet and threw them away then took off running again.

"I heard something ahead!" a man's voice called behind her. "This way!"

"Hurry! Cortes will have our hides is we let her escape!" another man barked. She stopped as her golden eyes darted from side to side then she scrambled up a tree and onto a high branch. She held her breath when she saw two soldiers on horseback emerge from the brush and stop below the tree she was hiding in.

"She was here, I'm sure of it!" one of the soldiers snarled, yanking his horse around. "Maybe she went this way. Come on!"

The soldiers took off in a gallop and the girl in the tree let out a sigh of relief. Her relief turned to panic when she heard the branch beneath her crackle and she shouted in surprise when it gave way beneath her.

"What the---?" A man's voice was cut short when he broke the girl's fall and they both grunted in pain. She shook the rattling from her head and looked down to meet emerald green eyes and a sly smirk surrounded by blonde hair.

"Hello," the smirk crooned. She gasped and scrambled to her feet and started to run away from the man as he stood, but was met by a horse which reared back with a start. She shrieked and ran back to the blonde man mindlessly. She shrieked again but he gripped her arms to keep her from running away.

"Whoa! Slow down, miss. I'm not gonna hurt you," he smiled warmly, making the girl freeze wonder and stare at him.

"Miguel, what are you getting into now?!" another man's voice called from behind her and she faced the horse again to see a man with black hair pulled into a ponytail and sapphire eyes on the horse with a petite native woman behind him.

"This girl fell from the tree," Miguel replied as she looked between him and the man on the horse. "I think I broke her fell perfectly, Tulio."

The two on the horse dismounted as Tulio rolled his eyes. Miguel placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, making her jump and shoot wide eyes at all of them.

"S-Stay back!" she shuddered, backing away from them. "I won't go back there! I can't go back."

Miguel and Tulio frowned at each other then looked back at her as Chel glanced between them.

"Go back where?" Tulio asked and the girl stopped backing away as she still glanced between them. "We're not planning on taking you anywhere."

"You're not?" the girl breathed in wonder.

"Unless there's somewhere you want to go?" Miguel offered and Tulio slapped his arm. "Ouch! What?!"

"You don't just offer our services like that!" Tulio hissed, not wanting to be bothered by a tag-along stranger.

"But she looks like she needs our help!" Miguel argued.

"What's your name?" the woman asked the girl, drawing her attention from the two men who were still arguing.

"E-Esperanza," she replied and that seemed to jolt the men from their argument.

"I'm Chel," the woman replied, shaking Esperanza's hand. "This is Tulio and Miguel."

"Esperanza?" Miguel echoed in wonder and she nodded. "Where are you from?"

"Spain," she replied.

"How did you get here?" Tulio wondered sincerely, both he and Miguel engrossed at once.

"W-Well," Esperanza sputtered. "I-I was brought here by…" She trailed off, not knowing if she could trust these people.

"By…?" Miguel urged, but she only narrowed her eyes in suspicion at all of them.

"How do I know I can trust you?" she blurted and the three looked at each other in surprise.

"We're from Spain, too," Miguel shrugged finally, but Esperanza only crossed her arms.

"That doesn't tell me much," she retorted. "You could be Cortes's men for all I know."

"Do they look like soldiers?" Chel asked with slight sarcasm, but Esperanza regarded the two men. They wore the street clothes of Spaniards and both looked too easy going for soldiers. Even Tulio the Uptight looked easy going, but then, she didn't know him too well.

"I suppose not," she mumbled, letting her arms fall to her sides. "But one can never be too careful."

"Is Cortes the one who brought you here?" Miguel guessed and Esperanza nodded cautiously.

"I was supposed to keep him---"

"Don't tell us," Tulio pleaded, honestly. "We don't need to know."

Esperanza nodded gratefully. Lord knew she didn't want to tell anyone what Cortes brought her for.

"That's who you were running from?" Chel guessed and she nodded again.

"Well, then," Miguel chimed in with a brilliant smile, "we'll just have to keep you with us then, won't we?"

"Uh, Miguel," Tulio called, catching his friend's attention. He waved him toward him and Miguel frowned in confusion as he walked to him. Chel stood with Esperanza, both looking confused.

"Miguel, we've talked about the little voice, haven't we?" Tulio scolded and Miguel nodded. "It should be saying, 'We've been riding for three days with hardly any food or water to feed and refresh ourselves. One more person is not going to make it easier.' But what is yours saying?"

"'Help the girl running from Cortes'," Miguel blurted and Tulio raised his hands as if he were going to strangle him, but let his arms fall to his sides in clenched fists.

"What makes you think she's even telling the truth?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"What makes you think she isn't?" Miguel retorted and Tulio opened his mouth to reply but found himself without an answer. There was really no way of telling either way.

"Besides, she's hardly in a position to lie, is she?" Miguel continued. "Just let her come with us, Tulio. What harm could she really do? She looks rather lost in more ways than one if you ask me."

Tulio frowned in confusion then looked to the two girls. Chel was chatting, happy to have a woman to converse with, and Esperanza looked…well, lost. She was either shy or afraid of Chel's energy. Her eyes had bags under them, as if she hadn't slept in days. Her lips were a bit dry, and she looked a bit too thin for a girl of, he assumed, twenty-two. Tulio sighed in defeat and looked back at Miguel who had now resorted to giving him The Face.

"You're doing this just because she's cute, aren't you?" Tulio muttered and Miguel tried to look innocent but had no success. Tulio rolled his eyes. Leave it to Miguel to insist on helping a girl so he could hit on her. "Alright, but she's your responsibility."

"What?" Miguel wondered. "What do mean by that?"

"I mean, you take care of her," Tulio explained, poking a finger on his friend's chest. "You watch her, and you keep her out of trouble."

"Oh," Miguel nodded then had a second thought. "Wait a minute, why me?!"

"Because you insisted on bringing her along!" Tulio retorted. "Is watching a pretty girl gonna be too much for you?"

Miguel gave a blank look to his friend then couldn't help it when he looked over at Chel and Esperanza. Chel had pulled their horse, Altivo, to Esperanza who was now stroking his neck and scratching his chin. He looked at her just in time to see Altivo nuzzle her cheek and she let out the smallest, but cutest, giggle.

"I'll take that as an, 'I can handle it'," Tulio smirked as Miguel still stared, almost mesmerized, at Esperanza. Tulio slapped a hand on his back, making him jump as they started back toward the girls. The girls looked at them as they approached and Esperanza shied away a bit behind Altivo's head.

"We have agreed to let Esperanza tag along," Tulio announced and Chel grinned as she hugged the other woman.

"Really?" Esperanza wondered if she heard right. "I mean, I don't want to be a burden."

"You can take that up with Miguel," Tulio smirked and shoved his friend toward her as she came out from behind Altivo. Miguel stumbled into her, almost toppling her over, but he gripped her arms and pulled her back toward him just in time.

"Are you alright?" he murmured and Esperanza swallowed as her golden eyes stared at him a moment.

"Y-Yes," she breathed and Miguel nodded then let go of her arms and stepped back. Chel looked at Tulio in question and he only shook his head as if to say, "Don't worry about it" as he pulled Altivo toward him.

"Well, we'd better get going," Miguel suggested, waving Esperanza toward the horse. Simultaneously, the men lifted the women onto Altivo's back, Esperanza's face flushing at Miguel and Chel smiling at Tulio. The two men looked at each other then back at the horse.

"Sit behind me, Tulio," Chel suggested. "Miguel can sit in front of Esperanza."

"That'll be too much weight for poor Altivo," Miguel protested, always looking out for the former warhorse.

"Then you ride, and I'll walk," Tulio suggested. "It's your turn to ride anyway."

"No, I'll walk," Esperanza suggested and moved to slide off of Altivo's back as Chel frowned at her rejection of a free ride.

"Oh, no you don't," Miguel objected, standing in her way of a dismount. "My guess is you've used those feet enough already. You stay on that horse." He gave Tulio a glare and said, "I'll walk."

"It's your turn to ride anyway," Tulio reminded him again irritably. "Just get on the horse!"

Miguel sighed in defeat and climbed onto Altivo's back, finally. They all started walking in a random direction and Miguel stiffened when Esperanza threw her arms around his waist as they did.

"What's wrong?" he asked over his shoulder at her and she looked up at him with a start.

"I'm afraid I'll fall off," she confessed and Miguel offered a warm smile then patted the top of her head gently.

"You won't," he assured her. "I won't let you."

Altivo rolled his eyes as Chel stared her wide brown eyes at Tulio who placed a finger over his lips that meant, "Don't say anything." Esperanza smiled sweetly for the first time since meeting the three and Miguel couldn't help it when his heart fluttered. This would be an interesting journey back to Spain.

Nightfall...

"We'll just stay here for the night," Tulio announced, dismounting Altivo as the moon hung in the sky. Beams of its light sprinkled the leafy ground through the leaves of the trees, giving them just enough light to see, barely.

"I was wondering when you were going to stop us!" Miguel complained in a yawn as he stretched. "I was just about sleep walking."

Tulio playfully punched Miguel's arm then held his hands up to Chel to help her off the horse. She slid off Altivo's back and into his arms with a smile.

Miguel watched as Tulio did this then attempted to copy him. He stood himself in front of Esperanza and held his arms to her. She looked at him cautiously then swallowed nervously. She slid off the horse, but it was a little higher than she had thought and she fell and stumbled into his chest as his hands quickly caught her.

She looked up at him and their eyes locked, instantly. Miguel swallowed and clapped his tongue quietly…nervously.

"Th-Thank you," Esperanza breathed and all Miguel could do was nod. She fled his arms to find a place to sleep and he turned to watch her. Tulio and Chel sat themselves comfortably in each other's arms under a tree and Altivo sat himself at a distance away to watch over all for of them.

Esperanza sat herself somewhere in the middle of the horse and the couple, leaving more than enough room for Miguel. He rubbed the back of his neck, gazing around as Esperanza turned on her side, her back facing him. He sat between Altivo and Esperanza, but closer to her.

He jumped when she shivered and frowned at her a moment then rubbed his bearded chin in thought. He leaned over to see if he could catch Tulio's eye for advice on what to do but he was preoccupied with Chel, of course. He stroked his chin in thought again then heard Esperanza give out a few shudders as her body shook with more shivers, her teeth starting to chatter.

Miguel made up his mind and laid down behind her and wrapped his arm around her to pull her close, his arm perfectly aligned with hers.

"W-W-What are you d-doing?" she chattered in slight panic.

"You're cold, aren't you?" Miguel replied. "If we stay close, we can warm each other."

"I'm n-n-not c-cold," Esperanza lied and Miguel smirked.

"Says the girl shaking like a leaf in the wind," he retorted, pulling her a little closer. His other arm slid under her to align it with her other arm and his hands gently grasped her wrists. She glanced at his hands then pulled her wrists gently from his grip and turned to face him, his arms still around her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"When I said I didn't want to be a burden," she began, "and Tulio said to take it up with you, what did he mean by that?"

Miguel sighed and wanted to hit Tulio for saying that. He didn't want to scare this girl by telling her that Tulio had "assigned" him to watch her, but he couldn't lie. The strange thing was, he didn't want to lie to her.

"W-Well…" he tried, second guessing whether or not he should lie then thought better of it. "You see, Tulio decided that I should be the one to look after you."

"Oh," she murmured then looked away but he saw her cheeks turning red anyway. "Why did he ask you to do it?"

Miguel felt a twinge of hurt and apparently it showed on his face because when Esperanza looked at him she backpedaled.

"I'm sorry," she breathed. "I didn't mean that I don't want you to look after me--- I mean, that I don't like--- I just thought that Chel would be a logical choice to look after me because, she's a girl."

Miguel frowned at the fact that she had sputtered over a lot of words to get to that last full sentence but didn't want to embarrass her so he said, "That was my thinking as well. But Tulio had another idea about it, I suppose. He didn't dare tell her that he had to practically beg Tulio to let her come and that that was the reason Tulio had deemed her his "responsibility."

"Besides," Miguel continued, taking a chance at pulling her a little closer. "I'm happy to take care of you. It'll be nice to look after someone else for a change."

"Don't you and Tulio look out for each other?" Esperanza asked and Miguel smiled at her.

"Yes, but he can take care of himself, if he needed to," he explained. "Not that you can't do the same. I'm sure you can, but---"

"You want to take care of me like Tulio takes care of Chel?" she guessed and Miguel's eyes widened in shock. She only stared back at him, waiting for the answer. He suddenly felt very embarrassed that it was true and looked away.

"Well," he tried. "I-I suppose, if you want to put it that way, then…" He swallowed. "…yes." He dared to glance at Esperanza and she nodded then, to his surprise and relief, she smiled.

"You're so sweet, Miguel," she murmured, snuggling into his chest. "I would be honored if you took care of me."

"You would?" Miguel choked then cleared his throat. He was sure she could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"No one has ever done this for me," she confessed. "I only hope I won't be too much trouble."

"I'm sure you won't be," Miguel assured her. They were silent for a while before Esperanza looked up at him, catching his eye.

"Thank you for keeping me warm," she smiled and looked away to close her eyes and sleep. Miguel smiled as he saw her cheeks flush in embarrassment then closed his eyes and yawned.

"You're welcome, Esperanza," he mumbled, drifting off to sleep. Esperanza opened an eye to look at him before falling asleep herself. Silently she prayed that they wouldn't end up meeting Cortes accidentally. Who knew what would happen to her new found friends if that happened? She didn't want anything to happen to them, especially not Miguel.

A/N: ok, so Miguel ACTS like he's smooth with the ladies, but i think, if he found the girl he REALLY liked, he'd be kinda awkward. thats just me tho...reviews?