A Debt Redeemed With A Kiss

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

Plot – A small add on scene at the end of the 3rd season episode "They call her Annie"

Victoria closed and locked the tavern door with a sigh of relief. It had been an eventful day; first bandits had robbed the bank, then they took little Juanita captive in a cowardly ploy to protect themselves before their new school teacher took a musket from one of their lancers and fired at the fleeing bandits, killing one of them. Then at the urging of de Soto, the teacher took aim with another musket and shot at Zorro, who she had believed was part of the gang.

She smiled as she crossed over to the bar, grabbed the last of the dirty glasses from the counter and made her way to the kitchen. She had taken great pleasure in bumping the young American woman, thereby ruining her aim with the musket, the bullet harmlessly passing by her target. There was no way she was going to let the woman or anyone else for that matter, shoot at the man she loved.

As she began washing the glasses, she realised she had distrusted Annie at first, unsure of what her true motives were, especially where Zorro was concerned but as the day wore on, she had come to an understanding with the American. An understanding over a certain masked man; a man who was already spoken for and there was no threat from the American to that relationship.

In the end, she had come to like Annie and if she had stayed, she knew they could have become friends. But it wasn't to be, not the way Annie had thwarted de Soto's plans to capture Zorro. It was not something their Alcalde could have easily forgiven or forgotten, so Annie had to move on.

As she wiped the glasses dry and placed them on the shelf, she felt a presence behind her. She twirled around and let out a breath of relief when she saw who it was, "Zorro," she greeted him with a smile, "I'm glad you came tonight."

Zorro moved out of the shadows, "Oh, why is that?" he asked curiously.

She stepped forward, "I have a message to give you, from Annie Smith." she replied.

He raised an eyebrow under his mask, "What kind of message?"

"This," she stood on her toes and planted a kiss, a very chaste kiss, to his cheek, "A debt paid for helping her."

He cleared his throat, "An interesting message, from an interesting senorita."

Victoria frowned slightly, "And this is from me." She gently held his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly on his lips, wanting him to forget all about Annie Smith. And he did, as he first placed his hands on her waist but when their kiss deepened, he placed his arms around her back, pulled her against him, while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The need for air, soon separated them, "So, which 'message' do you like?" Victoria asked with a gleam in her eyes.

Zorro knew better than to answer that question, so he reclaimed her lips in a deep and hungry kiss, after all actions spoke louder than words. He tightened his arms around her, pressed her softness against him, as he continued his assault on her sweet lips. He demanded more than ever before, knowing he was slowly losing the tight control he always kept, whenever he held her in his arms. And it didn't help when she responded to his growing desires with her own.

Victoria was swept away with Zorro's increasing passion, she had only wanted to tease him, not to take her breath away with his desires. She couldn't help but respond to him, matching his passions with her own as she felt his growing arousal pressing against her lower body, sending a hot surge through her own body. Never before had she felt this way, or at least not this strongly and as he slowly ran his hands over her body, she knew they could both lose themselves to their desires, if she didn't stop.

So she reluctantly pulled back, breaking the kiss, "I...I...can't." she stammered breathlessly, her face burning with desire and some embarrassment. She didn't want to become his mistress for a night, she wanted to be his wife.

He gently placed a gloved finger against her swollen lips, "Forgive me, mi amor." He replied, equally breathless. He realised he had gone too far, his desire had all but overwhelmed him and threatened to override his common sense.

"There's nothing to forgive, Zorro." she said as she stepped backwards, breaking their intimate embrace, "I shouldn't have...teased you. I only wanted to...give you Annie's message."

He saw her embarrassment, her uncertainty over his love and he sort to reassure her, "Victoria, there is only one woman I want." he said.

As he took a step closer to her, he removed a glove before he reached out with his bare hand and gently brushed her hair off her face, "Never doubt my feelings for you." He leant down and planted a tender, sweet kiss to her lips, this time full of love and reassurance.

She sighed as he pulled back, "I don't, not really but it's just...that time keeps slipping away from us. I don't know when it's all going to end. For you to keep your promise."

He nodded, "It isn't easy, for either us," he replied as he took her hand in his, "But the day will come, when I can keep my promise to you."

"And if you can't, what then?"

He took a deep breath, "Then I will find another way for us to be together -" he paused as they both heard loud shouts coming from the plaza, "It seems the lancers may have come across Toronado," he raised her hand and planted a soft kiss to her skin, "I must go."

She nodded, "Be careful."

He smiled, "I will." he replied as he gave her a swift kiss to her lips before he leapt up to the window ledge and disappeared into the night.

The End

A/N - It's been awhile since I've posted a Zorro story, even a short one like this :)

This is one of those 10 or so half written stories / ideas that's been sitting around gathering dust and I surprised myself by actually finishing it tonight. I must have found this episode interesting as this is the 2nd short story I've done for it. This time the idea came from the line that Annie said to Victoria:

"So if you happen to see that Zorro fellow again, tell him I owe him one. And give him a kiss for me." With Victoria replying "It will be my pleasure"

Thanks to Pam and her wonderful transcripts, without which most of us writers would be lost for words or at least, having to troll through the episodes to find what we need :)

Also for something a little different, I have Victoria pulling back from Zorro, normally I have it the other way around.