Okay, I'm stuck on the next chapter of "Bats, Foxes, and a Hornet"…so I'm going to do this one shot (maybe more) to get my brain going! This takes place before the events of "Bats, Foxes, and a Hornet." Once again…I own nothing except maybe the OC's!"

August 1, 1949…

Reid Ranch… Del Rio, Texas…

Daniel Reid's Bedroom…

The elderly, dying man coughed heartedly as he waved the hovering nurse away from him and asked weakly, "Is that blasted son of mine here with my grandson, yet?!"

The Hispanic nurse hesitated for a moment, finally with regret she replied, "No, Senor Reid…he…he will not return any of my phone calls or messages."

It took all of his will power not to curse up a storm, he softly hissed out with fury, "Is Juan here, yet?!"

"Not yet, Senor Reid," she answered him with reassurance, "But, he did call from the airport an hour ago and will be here shortly.

"Good," he grunted and then gestured to her, "Help me sit up and then bring me that old photo album on my dresser."

"Si, senor," she said and quickly did what he asked; "Will there be anything else, senor?"

He waved her toward him as he settled back into the pillows, "You can humor an old man and go thru this album with me."

She smiled gently, "Of course, senor." As she perched on the bed beside him and helped him open the album; she asked as she pointed at the striking woman in old black and white photo, "Who is that woman beside you senor? She looks like one of the rich, senoritas in the plaza."

Daniel Reid's quirked in amusement, "That's not me…that's my twin brother, John Henry Reid; the woman beside him is his fiancé Maria Del La Vega. That photo was taken at their engagement party on August 1, 1914." He's eyes misted over at the memory…

August 1, 1914

Reid Ranch…Del Rio, Texas…

In the rose garden…

Daniel stood behind the photographer as he made funny faces at his twin, who stood beside his future bride. John Reid stood ram rod straight in his army, dress uniform; neither he nor his bride was smiling for the photo that was being taken. Finally, the torture was done and John as well as Maria burst out laughing at his antics. "Daniel, really!" she exclaimed as she stood up from her chair and flung her antique, lace fan into his face.

He caught the fan before it reached his face, but was unable to duck the swat to the back of his head that his brother gave him, "I can't wait until its your turn to go down the aisle, little brother!" he exclaimed

"Well, my dear, older brother," drawled out Daniel as he used the fan to brush off the imaginary dust on his army, dress uniform; "You're going to be waiting a damm, long, time!"

"Daniel!" she exclaimed as she grabbed her fan, "You don't use a fan like that on you're uniform!"

Back to the present…

"Did they have a happy life together?" asked the nurse as she interrupted his musings.

"No," he replied sadly, "John died on the Western Front…he was buried in a little, churchyard outside of Paris. Maria never got over his death, and has remained a single…adventurous…woman."

"Ah," muttered the nurse, "I am sorry, senor."

He waved his hand at her in dismissal, "It's all right…I've gotten over it a long, time ago. And I imagine I'll be seeing my brother soon enough…" He smirked as he remembered holding his grandson, "Besides, John's fire…his passion…lives on in my grandson!"

As the nurse helped him turned the page, he scowled down at the photograph, "I just wish that damm fool of a son of mine inherited at least a little bit of what I and my brother…my father…and his father as well as his brother had!"

The nurse looked down at the photograph which contained to smiling toddlers side by side in their play pen.

January 1, 1922…

Los Angeles…

Del La Vega Hacienda…the study…

"It's nice of you to invite us Diego," said Daniel as he accepted the brandy that his friend offered.

"It is nice of you to come, Daniel," said Diego as he sat down and puff on his cigar, "I assumed you and Beatrix needed a change of scenery."

"We did need one, my friend," he told him as he sipped his brandy, "this last miscarriage…" He let out a deep, sad sigh and took another sip.

Diego looked at him in concern, "Are you and Beatrix…"

"The doctor said it wasn't safe to try again," interrupted Daniel before his friend could complete the question.

Diego stared at him in a mixture of concern and shock, "Then Henry is the only chance for the Lone Ranger to rise again."

"Yes," he replied sorrowfully, "I would do it myself…but this blasted leg!"

Diego raised his hand to stop his friend's coming rant, "Then, we will prepare him as well as Juan for their destinies together, my friend. And I pray that they will…like their ancestors before them…ride together as brothers if they are needed."

"Amen," stated Daniel as he raised his glass in a toast to the future and Diego's prayer.

Back to the present…

"That boy," he hissed out in fury as he brought himself out of his memory, "that blasted, foolish boy of mine! All of my hopes were pinned on…" He would have said more, but he started to cough hard and the nurse quickly got up.

"Senor Reid!" she exclaimed as she raced toward the medicine bottle on the counter, "You need to calm down!" She quickly poured a teaspoon of the medicine and gave it to the elderly man.

"Blah!" he exclaimed as he took the medicine and he gasped out, "Britt…my grandson…my last hope…that our legacy…"

"Senor," said the nurse as she took the album out of his feeble hands and laid him down on his bed, "Rest…I will wake you when Senor Del La Vega arrives."

"Juan," he muttered drowsily, "my godson."

January 30, 1919

Los Angeles

Mary and Margaret Catholic Hospital

Daniel carefully held the newborn baby in his arms, his wife Beatrix looked over his shoulder and cooed at the baby, "He is precious," she muttered in her Dutch accent, "Congratulations, Isabella!"

Isabella smiled wearily, "Thank you, but I hear it will not be long before you have your own little one."

"In nine months," she muttered, "God willing…Daniel, let me hold him!"

"All right," he said softly, "Here you go, my dear!" As she held the newborn close to her breasts, he asked Diego and his wife, "What is the boy's name?"

Diego and his wife looked at one another; finally he looked at his friend and said, "Juan…after your brother. And I realize that you're Episcopal, but we would like you to be one of our son's godfathers. "

Daniel stared at his friend in shock, finally he stuttered out, "I-I would be honored Diego…and you have deeply honored me as well as my brother if he was here."

Back to the present…

"Senor Reid," said the nurse as she roused the dying man, "Senor Del La Vega is here, senor!"

He slowly woke up, and gasped out, "Juan…Juan is here!"

Juan Del La Vega came up behind the nurse, "Si, Uncle Daniel…I am here."

Daniel Reid narrowed his eyes in fury and asked weakly, "Is my son here with my grandson?"

Juan and the nurse looked at one another, finally it was the nurse whom answered the dying man, "No, senor….they are not here."

"That…" Daniel started to say, but then he sighed resignedly, "Nurse…leave us alone and close the door." As soon as the nurse did as she was instructed, he gestured to his godson, "Sit down beside me boy, have you done as I requested regarding my will?"

"Si, Uncle," he replied as he sat down beside the man.

"Good," he gasped out and then looked sternly at the young man, "Now…I've got a last request that I need a certain fox to do because I am certain that damm fool of a son of mine will not inform my grandson of anything!"

Instantly, a certain expression came over Juan Del La Vega's face and he said with Zorro's voice, "Do you truly think he would deny his son of his heritage?"

"Hell, I am damm well certain that he will!" he exclaimed and then immediately began to cough fiercely, he waved away the help that was offered and continued, "There is a letter in the safe in case that happens…but either way I need you…Zorro…to make certain that Britt gets this…" With great effort, he removed the silver and turquoise amulet that hung around his neck and held it out to his godson, "This belonged to my ancestor, the Lone Ranger…from the time when he was a boy until the day he died," he explained, "He passed it to my father whom passed it to me…even though my brother was supposed to get it…"

Juan Del La Vega carefully took the amulet out of the old man's hand, "But, he died before your father could pass it to him," he finished the sentenced in his alter ego's voice, "I'll will give Britt Reid the amulet when he is a man and ready for the responsibility that comes with it, senor."

"Good," he gasped out as he started to close his eyes a final time, "be careful with it…the g…" Before he could finish his final word…he gasped out…and died with his final breath.

A week later…at the cemetery that overlooked the Reid Ranch in Del Rio, Texas…

Diego Del La Vega…the eighth to hold that name…cried silently as watched the coffin containing his brother all but in blood was lowered into the ground. He choked out, "A moment, please senors." He gestured to his son to wheel him closer to the grave, he looked down at the coffin and saluted, "Good bye, old friend…say hello to your brother for me."

"And a kiss for him from me," choked out Maria Del La Vega as she used her crutches to move beside her brother; after she blew a kiss into the grave, she muttered, "Adios, Daniel...rest easy beside Beatrix…"

Juan looked down sadly at the grave as his father and aunt said their good byes, he heard his wife whisper to him, "Henry isn't here…I must admit I am surprise."

"I am not," he growled out softly to her, "As soon as he was old enough, the blasted fool has run away from everything that means to be a Reid!"

Unknown to them, two young, identical men in army dress uniforms were watching the proceedings; John clapped his hand on his brother's shoulder and reassured him, "It will be all right, little brother...they will not let us down…Britt will know sooner or later what it means to be a Reid!"

Daniel turned toward his brother with a scowl, "Unlike that damm blasted, fool of a son of mine!"

John smiled sadly at his brother, and pulled him away from the scene, "C'mon, let's go home! If I am around Maria anymore…I might do something foolish!"

"Like the time Pa and Uncle Alejandro caught you both in the barn in an uncompromising position?! If I remember correctly…" As they disappeared from sight, another ghost sighed sadly, "Lucky boys…they'll be able to stay...as for me I am in for a very, long wait!"