Forsaken Love

AN: This is my version of the episode 'A new lease on love.' It's slightly AU and I have included some of the transcripts of this and other episodes into it. I wanted them to mark them by putting them in italics, but since it's getting too confusing, I just include them into the text. Thanks go to Pam for providing the transcripts and to Marla for beta reading.

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

Zorro sneaked into the back of the church listening to the padre who addressed the couple in front of him. Padre Benitez turned to Victoria. "Victoria, will you take Juan to be your husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. . ."

Zorro swallowed hard in anticipation.

" . .to love and to honor him all the days of your life?"

Victoria looked over at Juan and then back at Padre Benitez. What was she to do? She remembered the advice she'd been given both wanted and unwanted. There wasn't anyone to tell her to wait for Zorro. How could she wait for him when she didn't know if his fight would ever end or he'd even be alive tomorrow. She loved him, but she had to get him out of her heart. She looked at Juan who waited for her answer.

"I do."

"Victoria!" Zorro came out of his hiding place and was standing in the aisle. "Zorro!" Victoria blanched at the sight. He was here in the church and he knew that she had married Juan, forsaking their love. She couldn't stand his hurt expression. "I'm sorry," she whispered, but Zorro only looked at her without saying anything more.

Zorro leaned back against the wall. He didn't listen to the final words as the padre blessed the married couple. The world had just ended for him.

Slowly he exited the church to face the alcalde standing behind the large cannon that was pointed at the church entrance with the soldiers gathers behind it. The church emptied behind him and the people of Los Angeles drew back fearful to the church wall as if it would give them protection. When Victoria saw him standing in front of the cannon she anxiously rushed to his side.

"Zorro, please I'm sorry. Don't challenge the alcalde, it's no reason to get yourself killed." Zorro only looked at her. "I think your place is with your husband now," he said without emotion and then she was drawn to the back by an angry looking Juan. "He is now your past, Victoria!" Juan took her by the arm, making Zorro face the cannon alone.

"Prepare to die, Zorro!" De Soto held a lit punk.

"Be reasonable, Alcalde," Zorro tried to argue with him. "You could kill every citizen within fifty meters with that diabolical device."

Mendoza ran over toward De Soto. " Ah, then you've heard of Sir Henry Shrapnel's magnificent invention."

"Each cannonball contains hundreds of lead pellets. They cause devastation over a vast area."

Mendoza tried to get De Soto's attention. "Alcalde!"

De Soto looked down at Mendoza. "Be quiet, Sergeant!" He turns his attention back to Zorro. "This is one piece of artillery you will not evade and you cannot outrun. And after I have blasted you out of existence, I will leave it here, mounted in the middle of the plaza as a reminder to the good people of Los Angeles of what can befall them if they try to cross me."

Zorro looked at Don Alejandro, Juan and Victoria who stood to his left.

"You're in no danger, amigos. Step aside please."

Don Alejandro nodded and led Juan and Victoria off to their left.

Mendoza scrunched up his face. "Ooooooh!"

Mendoza yelled as he tried to run toward Zorro.
"Alcalde!"

"Get out of the way, Sergeant!" De Soto yelled. "I know what I'm doing!"

"Alcalde, don't do it!" Mendoza tried to stop him starting to run toward Zorro again.

"Come back here, Sergeant. There's no danger if you're standing here." De Soto lit the cannon's very short fuse, then blew a mocking kiss at Zorro.

Mendoza scrunched up his face again."Aaaah!"

The cannon exploded and fell off its mount. De Soto fell backward off its base. Clouds of smoke obscured everyone's vision. When the smoke cleared, Zorro had disappeared.

Mendoza helped De Soto to his feet. "I was trying to warn you, Alcalde. Zorro tinkered with the cannon."

De Soto inspected the damage. "Ah! He took the cannonballs!"

Well, he promised to destroy them." Mendoza said while Zorro lit a fuse attached to a wagon.

"And you believed it?" De Soto thumped his chest. "He'll use them against us!" The wagon exploded behind the church.

Mendoza said, "Zorro usually tells the truth."

Juan led Victoria over to the tavern with a smile on his face. "Now we will celebrate and then we will be on our way to Monterey."

Victoria continued to stare at the now empty spot before the cannon where Zorro had vanished and she felt like crying. What had she done?

Then she was interrupted by the long line of friends who wanted to congratulate her on her wedding and express their best wishes. She put up a smile and tried to focus on the man beside her, Juan, her husband. He loved her and she had made her decision. There was no more going back. But why wasn't she happy? Wasn't that what she had always been dreaming of? To dance at her own wedding with a husband who loved her? Wasn't this supposed to be the happiest day in her life?