Scared

Disclaimer: This story was written solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe on any copyrights held by Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.

Chapter 1

Diego had offered to join Victoria on her way to Santa Paula where she wanted to go to the bank. It gave him the opportunity to spend some time with the woman he loved.

The attack from the bandits came as a surprise. "We need only the girl," he heard them say. "She will tell us the identity of Zorro after we had some fun with her."

"Only over my dead body," Diego challenged them in a controlled voice. Diego cursed himself for not having come as Zorro. Then he would have had his sword with him. He grabbed the whip from the wagon and pulled three bandits from their feet. From one of the men he drew a sword after he had knocked him out.

Afterwards Victoria couldn't tell anymore what had happened. The men had threatened her and Diego had fought with surprising agility. He nearly managed to defeat them all, but then there was a shot from behind.

"Victoria," he had cried out and she had seen the look in his eyes before he fell to the ground.

Victoria had screamed as he went down. She had grabbed a pistol from the ground and without aiming she had shot at the men. She hadn't hit them but a little later Mendoza and his men had arrived. They had been patrolling in the area and come to their rescue when they heard the shooting. The soldiers had arrested the fleeing bandits and Mendoza had taken care of the rest.

When Mendoza arranged for Diego to be taken to the hacienda, she hadn't been able to say anything. While the doctor treated Diego, Alejandro had asked her what had happened.

"Zorro, he didn't come," she cried, pulling at her hair, "Zorro didn't come." Alejandro realized that she was under shock. He insisted she stayed at the hacienda though she wanted to return to the tavern. "Zorro will come to the tavern to see if I'm alright, won't he?" she sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

"Victoria, you're under shock, you can't return to the tavern in your state. But I'm sure Zorro will find a way to see you, no matter where you are."

Alejandro couldn't understand why she was so obsessed with seeing Zorro when it was Diego who was severely injured.

But how could he understand when he hadn't seen Diego fighting for her. She clung to the idea that Diego wasn't Zorro. It just couldn't be. If Zorro was someone else, it would mean that he was safe and that the man she loved so deeply wasn't on the verge of dying in the room next door, because he had saved her life. But she had seen his eyes when she had tried to stop the bleeding while he was lying in her lap soaking her skirt with his blood. She'd never forget the way he had looked at her. But it couldn't be. He couldn't be dying. Not him. She loved him and she couldn't live without him.

A glass was pressed into her shaking hands and the doctor told her to drink the bitter tasting medicine. She didn't care at all and without resistance she let a maid take care of her. The maid stripped her of her blood soaked clothes, washed her and put her to bed. She was already asleep from the potion when the doctor looked for her again a little later.

Alejandro stayed at the side of his son's bed, praying for his life. Diego had lost a lot of blood and the doctor had done all he could, but he stayed at the hacienda to check on his patient's condition and change the dressings. The shot itself had missed vital organs, but the loss of blood could kill him. Fortunately his patient was in a better physical condition then most. There was still hope that he might survive.

Z Z Z

It was a lonely night for Alejandro while he kept vigil over his son. From what he heard from Mendoza, one of the bandits had confessed that they wanted to kidnap Victoria and when Diego had started to defend themselves, he had been shot.

"Diego, my son, how could that happen to you? When you're never involved in a fight?"

Alejandro didn't understand what had happened. Victoria hadn't been able to tell much. He had never seen her in such a state before. The events had shocked her utterly and the doctor had thought it best to have her put to bed with a sleeping potion.

The next morning she appeared to be calm again, asking him about Diego and when she heard that there wasn't any change, she showed no emotion. Alejandro wanted her to stay and recover, but she insisted on returning to the tavern.