DIFFERENT FUTURES

Disclaimer – I don't own the rights, Zorro Productions Inc does - I just like to play with the characters.

Plot - This is an alternative ending to "No One Knows What The Future Will Bring"

I wrote this at the same time of "No One Knows" which was over a year ago and just recently, I started to rewrite this into a new story. I wanted to keep the majority of the story the same but it just became too hard.

As I started to unravel one part, another part had to be undone, then another and then another. I've never done a major re-write before, so I didn't know what it entailed; I thought it would be reasonably easy to do but it wasn't. So, I've decided to go back to THIS alternative story and perhaps one day, I might use the beginning of the other one for some other story.

Since it's been over a year when "No One Knows" was posted, I have a short summary of it for you or you might find it best if you reread that story up to Chapter 15, otherwise this one may not make much sense :)

Spoiler Alert for No One Knows What The Future Will Bring:

Victoria attends her brother's wedding in Santa Barbara and while there, she meets up with Diego and discovers the secret. Diego is there to buy a new bull and he visited a female friend of his (a widow with a young child). In the meantime, Mexico has declared independence. Victoria is injured and she argues with Diego and he leaves Los Angeles for a business trip to Monterey and on the way home he meets up with the widow once more.

That is where this story changes - from chapter 15 (with some minor changes to fix it up)

Chapter 1

Diego felt honoured by the time he spent with the local Indians, both in and around the district of Monterey and he learnt a lot from them. He had also been sadden to hear of the devastation of the measles epidemic, which had struck their community over sixteen years before and of the many casualties it had caused, when the disease had spread like wildfire throughout the people who had never experienced it before.

But now, as he packed his bags, he knew it was time to make his way home; he had been away for almost three months and he knew that he could no longer hide away. It was time to face life once more, whatever that life may become. He said his goodbyes to the Garcias and mounted Toronado for the long ride back to Los Angeles.

When he reached Santa Barbara, he decided to stay a couple of days and visit Selena and her young daughter Marie. It was good to see a friendly face once more and immediately he felt at ease in her company as they chatted away like old friends. He saw her every day, helped her with her shopping, and took Selena and her daughter for walks down to the docks to watch the ships unload their cargo. He would often return to her home for lunch and told stories to Marie. Her childish giggles melted his heart and he felt a strong yearning to have his own children; it was as though Selena and her young daughter were healing his troubled soul.

Selena enjoyed spending time with Diego and it appeared that he had captured her daughter's heart and she quickly realised that he would make a great father. However, she was worried about him. When he showed up on her doorstop, his appearance had shocked her; he had lost weight and it seemed that the light had gone from his blue eyes. At first, he did not say what was bothering him and she did not press him, but he eventually opened up to her.

It had been five days since he arrived in Santa Barbara and they had returned to her home after enjoying a picnic lunch in a nearby park. Selena had put Marie to bed for her afternoon nap, and when she returned to her sitting room, she saw how unhappy he looked as he sat on the lounge. As she sat beside him, Diego began talking about Victoria and once he started, he found that he could not stop. He sat with his head in his hands and everything just poured out of him; his pain, his grief, his love.

Selena let him talk and didn't interrupt; she knew that he had to let go of whatever was troubling him, otherwise he would never recover from what was disturbing him. She remembered how shocked she had been when she had visited Victoria soon after she had been shot and seen just how deeply affected she had been by the loss of her arm. She could not even begin to imagine what Victoria or Diego had gone through over the last four months or so but she would help him in any way she could.

"You still love her, don't you?" she asked kindly as she placed her arm around his trembling shoulders and pulled him close to her.

"Yes, I do." He finally admitted as he took the comfort that she was so willing to give him.

As Selena held him, she felt her own tears build in her eyes. She knew that Diego loved Victoria deeply and that there could be no one else for him. Her heart sank at that realisation because over the last couple of days, she had come to realise her own growing attraction for the handsome caballero and that nothing could from it.

He pulled back from her, "Thank you Selena. I don't know what came over me."

She smiled softly, "It's alright Diego, you needed to let go."

For a moment he gazed into her hazel eyes, saw her compassion and something else that he didn't understand, something that he didn't want to acknowledge, even to himself. They were close, so close that he could feel her warm breath on his face and without realising what he was doing, he closed the distance and pressed his lips against hers. The kiss was between friends but suddenly without warning, it deepened into something more as he kissed her with growing urgency.

Selena began responding to his kiss but when he moved to deepen their embrace even further, she pulled back, "No Diego, I won't be used as a substitute for her." she stated firmly as she stood up. It had felt wonderful to be kissed, after such a long time but she could not, would not, take advantage of his vulnerability.

"Madre de Dios, I'm sorry." he too stood up. He was shocked at his actions, ashamed that he had taken advantage of her generosity; she given him her friendship, her understanding, and he had repaid her in this disgraceful way.

"It's alright, it's just one of those things that happen." she replied understandingly.

He sighed as he ran his fingers through his dark hair, "I think it would be best if we don't meet here in your home anymore," he said, "I do not want your reputation to suffer because of me."

She shook her head, "I can take care of my reputation myself, " she replied, "You're my friend and if I can't help a friend when he is in trouble, then what does that say about me." she said, "Besides Marie likes having you around, telling her stories."

Diego smiled, "I have to admit that I do like telling her stories," he replied, "If you're sure Selena, I will give you my word that nothing like that will happen again."

She smiled re-assuringly, "Of course, I'm sure. Come anytime you want to, until you are ready to go home."

For the first time in a long time, a real smile graced his face, "Thank you."

Regardless of their belief that they could ignore any gossip, her neighbours had noticed Diego's frequent visits to Selena, and in a very short time, the gossip had reached her parents.

Don Jorge de la Rosa barely contained his anger as he stood in the sitting room of his home. He had ordered both his daughter and Diego de la Vega to come and explain themselves, "You've become the talk of the town Selena, you and de la Vega. So much so, that I cannot ignore this any longer." he said angrily.

Diego tried to re-assure the older man, "I give you my word, Don Jorge, that I have not betrayed your daughter's good name -"

"It's too late for that Don Diego, it's gone beyond pledges of propriety," Don Jorge said, "The gossip that the two of you have generated, can now only end in one way. With marriage." he stated firmly.

"What!" Selena cried out, "You can't be serious father, Diego's been a good friend, nothing else."

Don Jorge shook his head, "A 'good friend' doesn't put a lady's good reputation in jeopardy without doing his duty towards her," he paused as he frowned at the young man standing in front of him. "You should have known better than to visit my daughter repeatedly at her home, without realising the consequences of those actions," he said, "And now I expect you to be the gentleman that you claim to be and marry my daughter or do you want to become a disgrace to your father?"

"Of course I don't." Diego replied as he exchanged a shocked glance with Selena; neither one wanted this forced marriage.

"But father, we can't!" she said with growing alarm.

"Yes you can and you will," he growled threateningly, "I will not take no for an answer."

"But...but what about mother, what does she say about this?" Selena asked.

"I agree with your father, Selena." Doña Adelina said as she entered the room.

Selena narrowed her eyes at her mother's words; she knew all too well that her mother wanted her to marry Diego. She had all but came out and said it when he first appeared at their home, many months ago, when he attended Senor Escalante's wedding.

Doña Adelina saw that Selena was about to speak but she raised her hand to stop her, "Selena, you haven't heard what they are saying about you. They are saying that you -" she stopped and shook her head, "I won't repeat it, it's simply too terrible to know that people are saying it of my only daughter," she said, "And if Don Diego doesn't marry you, it will become worse, much worse."

She turned her attention to the young man that she wanted in the family, "Don Diego, you are an honourable gentleman, would you want to see Selena become an outcast in society, where everyone would treat her as though she was a leper?"

Diego shook his head, "Of course I don't, Doña Adelina but I can not marry Selena." he struggled to control his rising panic; as he much as he liked and respected Selena, he didn't love her and he couldn't force her or himself into a loveless marriage.

Don Jorge stepped closer, "Why not? Isn't she good enough for the likes of you." he all but shouted as his temper finally erupted.

"Shhh Jorge, not so loud or you'll wake Marie." Doña Adelina tried to calm her husband; getting angry was not going to solve things.

"Nonsense, if I want to shout in my own home, then I will." he paused as he pointed a finger in Diego's direction, "Tell me why you can't marry my daughter. Is there any legal reason why you can't?"

Diego swallowed hard as he tried to think. There was no legal reason why he could not; he was not married and Victoria had ended their engagement, so legally he was unattached and therefore available for marriage.

"Well, is there?" Don Jorge asked again as he stepped closer to the young man.

Diego glanced at Selena, who was white faced and had tears in her eyes and he shook his head, "No Don Jorge, there is not."

"Good, then you will be married in two days -"

"WHAT! Two days!" Selena cried out as she slumped down onto a chair.

Diego could not believe this was happening; it was like a nightmare and he was hoping that he would wake up any second. But it was no dream, it was real, all too real. There must be a way to stop this forced marriage. Suddenly an idea came to him. If he could delay the marriage somehow, then they could then wait until the rumours had died down and then renounce their intentions to marry, "Don Jorge, I am willing to accept an engagement between us -"

"Diego?" Selena frowned but Diego continued as though he did not hear her, "But a marriage in two days is not acceptable, even by the church."

Don Jorge snorted in derision as he saw straight through the younger man, "An engagement can be broken," he replied, "And as to the church accepting this, we've already discussed that with my cousin and he is willing to give a special dispensation to permit the wedding."

Diego frowned, "Your cousin? I don't understand."

Selena's voice trembled as she answered, "My cousin is the Father Superior and he is currently here in Santa Barbara." she confirmed.

Diego gaped as he stared, first at Selena, then at her parents; her cousin was the Father Superior of the all Missions in California. If that was true and he had no reason not to believe it, then he was lost. He could not, would not run away from his mistake; it was a matter of honour, both his and Selena's. He would not leave her with a tarnished reputation that would cause her pain and suffering from those who had nothing better to do other than spread malicious gossip. He turned his attention back to Selena and saw the same shock reflected on her face that he himself was feeling.

Selena was in total shock by what her father was demanding. Once again he was interfering in her life; he never liked her husband, he believed that Roberto was below them and he had forbidden her to marry him but she had simply waited until she came of age and married Roberto anyway. She could have handled any rumour about Diego and herself by ignoring it; she had always hated those women who sat behind closed doors and whispered spiteful things so they could feel better about themselves.

Then she saw Diego's white face and knew that as a gentleman, he could not let this innuendo about them to continue; it was a matter of honour with him and she finally understood the dire situation that they were in. As she glanced at her mother, she remembered the words she had once spoken to her; that a woman's reputation was all that kept her respectable and accepted by everyone in their class. Once it was gone, there was no coming back from the disgrace, no matter how innocent the situation was. The only way to save her good name was to marry Diego.

Don Jorge smirked; they had no choice but to marry, "That's right Don Diego, my cousin is the Father Superior, and Selena is his favourite. Now you can do this willingly or you'll have to tell your father why his only son and heir has acted dishonourably with a respectable lady and refused to do his duty towards her." he stated firmly. He had to stop himself grinning ear to ear so that the young man would not see his glee. He had long wanted a formal connection with the de la Vega family and when he heard of the gossip between his daughter and the young de la Vega, he could not, would not let the opportunity slip by.

Diego gazed at Selena and saw her small nod of acceptance before he turned back to her father, "Very well then, you leave us with no other choice but to marry." he said stiffly.

A/N - I know that they probably wouldn't be allowed to get married in only 2 days - more likely a month but it makes for a good story plot :)