Oh, wow. This is my first Kaiketsu Zorro fic. It takes places after episode 25. I noticed that if Zorro was able to pull out the knife and that much blood came out with it, it was probably a serious wound. And it was never addressed as being serious? The last bit is kinda rushed because the length was getting a bit too long for my comfort zone. I own nothing. Thanks to IcyWaters for pointing out a few mistakes! Edited on May 26, 2014.

Child's Play

Lolita peered inside the big top, her heart beating fiercely as she watched Zorro force Raymond and Gabriel back, his saber sharp and gleaming. Swiftly, he tied them to the wooden beam supporting the tarp; the two soldiers sputtering out their oaths of vengeance against the Man in Black. Lolita laughed as Zorro threatened to release the lions. Though she knew full well he would never do that, it was still charming to imagine the smug grin he would sport as he commanded the foreign beasts with his whip; Gabriel and Raymond wetting themselves as they begged for mercy.

The vision was interrupted by Zorro's whistle for Phantom. The majestic horse whinnied and appeared like magic. Lolita's trained eyes noticed immediately how he favored one leg as he hopped upon the horse. It did not, however, take a trained eye to notice the blood smear that formed on the beast's white coat as Zorro urged the horse to retreat.

Little Zorro joined her and she wondered for the thousandth time why a child was fighting with Zorro. She believed firmly in freedom, but also in protecting children. "He's hurt," Little Zorro grumbled. The stiffness in his shoulders was obvious and she was aware the child had seen the blow that had harmed the hero.

Her jaw locked firmly, she marched a few feet away from the entrance and stood in the middle of Zorro's path. The ropes had branded her flesh leaving her with ugly red marks that burned as she spread her arms out to stop Zorro. As expected, he drew his horse to a stop, its nose inches from her face.

"Señorita Lolita," He acknowledged her presence as she lowered her arms. The others watched them curiously as she placed a hand on Phantom's neck.

She moved down his right side until her fingers were mere inches from the blood stain. It would be easier to pretend it was her father's wine that stained the silky coat, but alas, it was the blood of the man she had come to care for. The man who had saved her and the town too many times and never asked for anything. Lolita glanced up as the man, his blue eyes trained on her. Well, he had asked for one thing. Her kiss.

"You need medical attention," she stated the obvious. Her hand skimmed over the area above his knee, she applied the slightest of pressure before pulling her palm back, and the white skin was streaked with red. That touch had to have hurt like hell, and Zorro had not even flinched. "I can repay you. Gabriel cannot say anything about me offering to repay a debt." Even if he did have words to say, she could bat her lashes and distract him long enough for Zorro to sneak away.

"There's no need. I am fully capable." Zorro protested.

"You've lost a lot of blood." About a half liter, she would guess judging by the way he was breathing and the stains present. "You would be a fool to not accept my help," she added. Truly, he would be fine from the blood loose, however, the wound could become infected or it may require stitches.

Zorro sighed. "You are very kind, Señorita." He glanced back at Popolo and Tomas. Little Zorro stood next to Popolo. A knowing grin flashing on Little Zorro's face.

The masked child waved him off. "I'll escort them to a safe place." He held up two fingers in the form of a 'v' and Zorro nodded, apparently understanding what he meant.

Lolita watched as Zorro stepped down, careful to place his weight on his left leg. Little Zorro instructed Tomas and Popolo to get on before jumping up himself, being sure to take the reins. Tomas glanced down at Zorro, thanking him over and over again. Little Popolo stared at Zorro in amazement. The young man smiled at them and accepted their thanks graciously before smacking Phantom's rear. With another whinny, the horse galloped away.

Zorro waited for the sound of beating hooves to fade away before glancing down at Lolita. The blonde would never stop being amazed at the way he gazed at her. As if he knew her better than she knew herself. A blush formed from his heated stare and she turned away from him. "I, uh, this way."

She started to walk towards the main road, but he stopped her. Lolita looked back and down towards her wrist, towards the gloved hand that held firm to her forearm, just above the marks on her wrist. "I'd rather not take the main road," he whispered.

Lolita nodded in understanding. Troopers would have heard of the incident by now or would be patrolling the streets. He released her arm. Before he could fully pull away, she reached out and took his hand. She expected him to stop her, but he did not. He merely watched her, his lips turned up in a smile and suddenly she felt like she was missing out on a joke. Their fingers threaded together and the worn leather of his gloves was soft. She pulled him along behind her. The two weaved quietly through the circus grounds before finding the first of the town buildings.

Walking with Zorro was effortless. She did not feel the need to talk to fill the silence. Lolita looked back to check on him once or twice and both times his eyes met hers and nearly made her trip. He was the first to look away; always vigilant as he observed their path for soldiers or followers.

His footsteps were uneven from a limp, but still quiet. So much unlike Diego whom was always bumbling around and making noise. Thinking of Diego made her feel guilty. Lolita never truly forgave herself for denying his hand at the rodeo while publicly professing her love for Zorro. Diego had never mentioned Lolita's kiss to Zorro and it made her wonder if he had even been there or if he was even hurt by it. She was engaged to him, whether or not it was formal was a minor matter, but they would one day have to address it without jokes. Elena had been fooled into trying to claim Diego as her own and it had angered and hurt Lolita. It had forced her to realize she would have to accept Diego's offer of marriage or cut ties with him.

If she cut her ties with him, what were the chances of Zorro taking her? He was wanted by the military. And even if she knew his real identity, there was the fear he was toying with her emotions. That Zorro already had a girl on his arm.

She led him down another alley and soundlessly counted the buildings until she came to the familiar back door of the doctor's office. Lolita was forced to push aside thoughts of marriage as her real task was drawing near. She knocked four times loudly and glanced up. A light from one of the bedrooms upstairs came on before Médico Lopez popped his head out. Lolita waved at him before placing a finger over her lips. He glanced at Zorro and disappeared back into the bedroom. The light diminished and it was only a matter of seconds before Lopez opened the door, his wife Leticia behind him. They stood aside and allowed their guests to enter. Lopez glanced out into the alley, looking left and right, before shutting the door.

Lopez was an older man. His greying hair was thin and wispy from sleep. His nightgown was cut above the knees and elbows so that he could easily transition into midnight doctor. His wife was similarly dressed for the nightshift. Her blonde hair pulled back into a loose braid and her nightgown sleeveless though longer in the legs to allow for decorum. Their eyes were both wise beyond even their aged years.

"Señor Zorro," Leticia gasped, her brown eyes wide. The blue sleep cap on her head nearly fell off in her haste to rush to the stove to boil water.

Lopez was not in the least surprised to see the masked man at Lolita's side. His narrowed eyes examined Zorro's form with practiced ease as Lolita explained…as much as she remembered.

Lopez motioned for Zorro to sit on the small bed used for patients. Before sitting, Zorro removed his sombrero, "Gracias."

Lopez waved his hand nonchalantly, "It is nothing." He looked down at Lolita and twisted his lips. "You'll need that African salve after it's clean."

Lolita shook her head. "I'll worry about that later," she whispered before joining Leticia at the stove.

Zorro watched as Lopez turned to a cabinet. He opened the wooden doors and retrieved sterile supplies. Or, as sterile as supplies could be in California in the 1700s. He placed the tray of intimidating medical equipment on a small table before returning to the cabinet for balls of cotton and towels. These too were placed on the table before a final trip was made to the cabinet. Zorro gave Lopez a disbelieving glance at the bottle of Tequila set before him.

"Trust me, mi amigo, you will need it. Lolita, bring a cup." Lopez commanded before kneeling and contemplating the task before him.

Lolita returned with the cup as told and poured him a sip or two, her hand steady. Setting the bottle down, she handed him the cup, another blush dusting her nose as he took the cup, his gloved fingers brushing against hers. He nodded his thanks and she was surprised at how easily he knocked the liquor down. It must have burned his throat, but he there were no tears in his eyes.

"I'll need you to remove these," Lopez said, his fingers plucking the material at Zorro's knee. He stood and instructed Leticia to fill a large pot with warm water so as to clean Zorro's ruined trousers. The nurse-wife did as told.

Zorro stiffened at the three people that crowded him. He trusted Lolita and he would like to trust the Lopezs, but it would be hard. They had never done anything sneaky and had treated his alter since a child. That meant they could easily tell who he was under the mask if he gave the slightest of hints. With that piece of valuable information, they could turn him in and be rewarded.

Lolita noticed his stiffening and sat beside him. "Are you in pain?" She placed her palm, now clean, to Zorro's forehead. "There's only a slight fever…" She combed her fingers through his thick, blond bangs and watched as they flopped against his forehead and mask. She did not find the sweat that weighted his hair down gross in the least.

Lopez turned to his wife. "I think we should let Lolita handle this."

Leticia glanced at the two. "It may be better…But, the wound will need to be cauterized. Lolita's never done that."

Lolita chewed her lip as she stood from Zorro's side. "I can clean it and ready it for you. Afterwards, I can stitch and dress it."

The doctor considered her words. "Yes. That would work. Let's go, Leticia." The doctor and his wife wasted no time in departing for their private rooms. Too much time had been wasted at this point.

After hearing the door to the upper rooms shut, Lolita sighed and turned towards Zorro once more. "I am sorry…I didn't think this would make you uncomfortable."

Zorro smiled at her charmingly. "Lopez has treated me in my other life. It would be troublesome if he discovered my identity."

"I should have asked first," she blamed herself as she dipped a wash cloth in the water Leticia had brought for cleaning the wound. She stilled when Zorro touched her hip. His hand fell back to his side as she turned to face him.

"You did the right thing, Lolita. Lopez can stop the bleeding. You brought me to him for help. Do not let my fears stop you from doing what is right." Zorro held her gaze until she turned away blushing.

She cursed herself for acting like a silly school girl with a first crush. "If that's how you feel, then what's stopping me from taking off your mask and telling Gabriel, huh?" Her voice wavered and betrayed her nonchalant tone.

She heard him stood as she whipped around to tell him no, only to have the words die on her tongue. Zorro stood within inches of her, her gaze at the level of his mouth. She thought of his kiss again. Of the urgency hidden in the soft way he moved against her. His hands took hers and for a moment she thought he would kiss her again. Instead, he raised her hands to either side of his mask. He released her hands and dropped his hands to his side, watching her intently. Lolita froze, her hands hovering in air near the bandana he had cut.

"Then do it," he whispered. His eyes were playful and that smug grin she had dreamed about earlier was there.

She considered her actions carefully. This could be the only time she found out who the man behind the mask was. And he trusted her with this secret. Her hands quaked before falling to cup his cheeks. Her fingers teased the edges of his mask for a moment before she stroked the skin below the mask. Her thumb brushed against the edge of his mouth and it opened, releasing a soft puff of air. Lolita's right hand dropped to his shoulder to play with the strands of hair that curled against his neck. Her left hand pulled away just enough for her index finger to trace his mouth as it closed. She stilled her finger against the arch of his lips and sighed when he pressed his lips against it.

His eyes closed as he reached for her left wrist. He was ever so careful of her burns as he lifted the palm to his mouth. She watched him kiss her palm. He started at the center and kissed his way down. He ghosted his fingers away from her burn marks and gently kissed the tender flesh of her ruined wrist.

This was entirely improper, but it felt so nice…so soothing. Her fingers tightened around the hair at the nape of his neck, her breathing a little too heavy and her body a little too warm. His other hand found her hip again and trailed up to her waist. His touch was not as gentle as the day of the festival, but not as rough as Gabriel had been. Closing her eyes, she twisted her hand to once more cup his cheek, his hand sliding down her arm (always careful of the other burns) to her shoulder. His hand did not stop there. It went down lower to her waist and pulled her closer to him; her body pressed against his the way it had been the day of the festival.

There were no sweet words when he kissed her this time. His kiss was hungry as his open mouth moved across hers. She had heard her friend giggling about a French kissing, and shyly, she moved her tongue to find Zorro's. He returned the motion with smooth strokes of his tongue. She moaned into the kiss, her body molding against his like clay. Her fingers threaded into his hair as his own arms circled around her waist, his hands lying against the top of her bum lazily.

She was certain they could have gone on, if not for her knee brushing against his thigh and putting pressure to his injury. He pulled away with a hiss of pain, his arms leaving her waist. She felt cold and foolish. "Oh, God!" She gasped as her senses came to her.

Lolita pushed him down onto the bed and she bent over to untie the cord holding his pants up. Zorro gently replaced her hands to remove his pants himself. To give him privacy, she turned to retrieve the cloth that had been soaking in the basin. She rung it out loudly and reached for the stool Lopez kept nearby. The stool scrapped loudly against the wooden floor and she blushed. Lopez had to be listening for noises and it would probably seem odd that she was just now getting to this part of the treatment.

By the time she had pulled the stool close enough to sit and turned to face Zorro, he had removed his pants, cloak, and gloves. The clothing and his weapons were placed on the floor within easy reach. She tried not to blush again, but it was difficult when her hero lay before her in his shirts and underpants. His eyes were closed beneath his mask and Lolita was surprised by that. He had just kissed her senseless and had no comment?

She breathed in deeply as she focused on his thigh. The pale skin was caked with blood and thanks to her help the wound had started bleeding again. Blood had dripped from his mid-thigh to below his knee where she assumed his boots had prevented the blood from going lower. His upper thigh was not covered in too much blood and only the edge of his white underpants was soiled. She dabbed the cloth around the edges of his wound were the blood was thicker. His thigh muscles tensed as she moved closer to the hole in his skin. She put the cloth directly over the wound and bore down with both hands. The pressure had to hurt since the wound had been reopened, but Zorro took it better than most men she dealt with. And far better than Diego who cried when he bumped into the edge of dinner table.

Her lips pressed together in a thin line. Diego. Would she tell him of this encounter? She could edit out the kiss, but how would he feel about her being alone with a mystery man? Would he care? He certainly had not cared when Gabriel had wanted to marry her. Diego was a mystery himself. She just could not understand what had happened to him in Spain. Or why he had lied to her about being a master fencer? From the stories she had heard, he had not studied at all in Spain. He had only goofed off. What was it about the homeland that had made him do those things?

When the blood had stopped flowing, she released her grip over the wound. Methodically, she turned back to the water and began the soaking process again with a new cloth. When she turned back, she found Zorro watching her. "I promise I'll be gentler," she said in fear he was done with her rough handling.

He looked up at the ceiling and said, "You're not the problem." His voice was heavy as he tried to hold back some emotion from entering it.

She began to pat the dried blood. "Then what is?" Immediately, she looked over at him, her hair falling over her shoulder and brushing against the bed. "You don't have to talk…" She corrected herself. Who was she to know what was on his mind? "It just seems to help my other patients not focus on their pain."

When he did not look at her, she tossed her hair back and resumed cleaning. After she had gotten his knee cleaned and was moving up his thigh, he said, "It's something Gonzales said to me."

"Gonzales?" Lolita confirmed.

"Gonzales may be a Sergeant, but he's a good man. I was questioning him earlier tonight and he said something rather troubling."

"Troubling?" She repeated. "What did he say?" Gonzales was a kindhearted man. He himself would never say something intentionally cruel or mean, but he could have repeated something he overheard.

"He pointed out a flaw I've made," Zorro laughed at himself bitterly. "It's only a matter of time until Gabriel knows."

Lolita thought of what she knew of Zorro. "What is the flaw? I can't think of a single one." Her cloth was soiled and she retrieved a fresh one before working on the flesh near the tear. Now that the gore had been cleaned away, it was a breath of relief to discover that the wound itself was only an inch long and was a clean cut. It would easily be fixed and the scar would not be too ugly.

He winced once when she dabbed the cut. "One day, I'll spend time with you and it won't be like this."

Lolita laughed. "I'll invite you to our next dinner party. I'm sure Diego could learn a thing or two from you."

"Diego Vega. I would not want to take his place at dinner."

Lolita froze. "How…How did you know I sit beside Diego?" She glanced at his face and found the soft look she was coming to recognize.

"I may be hidden behind a mask, but I thought it would be obvious by now that I am a man. And Diego would be a fool to not find you as charming and brave as I do." There was no joking in his face or tone. He was serious. And it made her blush again. She was being reduced to a school girl yet again.

"Ah, well, Diego is quite a fool." Lolita was quick to end their talk of Diego. It made her feel guilty again. "And you never told me what Gonzales said."

Zorro inhaled through his nose as Lolita again cleaned directly on the wound. "It wasn't something Gonzales said, so much as something that is being said amongst the army. It's also something I've noticed in the children."

She paused again. The flesh was as clean as she could get it until Lopez stopped the bleeding completely and she stitched him up. They would have to hurry because thanks to her, he had probably lost three-fourths of a liter. He would be okay, but they needed to patch him up before the soldiers found him.

Lolita reached for a larger cloth and tied it above Zorro's wound to create a tourniquet. Sighing, she sat back. "Almost half way there," she cheered. Her smile fell. "Now comes the hard part. I'll just go fetch Lopez and-"

He sat up and grabbed her arms. The movement was swift and unexpected and took her breath away. "Lolita, you need to leave California."

The sudden request shocked her and left her wordless for a moment. "I can't leave. My family and friends are here. And someone has to help you."

He shook his head. "Lolita, you have to listen to me. Get your family and leave. Don't come back until I send word for you."

"I'm not leaving," she summarized her previous argument. Standing, she turned and headed for the stairs.

"I'm the reason you were in danger today."

She paused, her hand on the rail and her foot on the first step. Lolita turned, her eyes meeting his across the room. Diego had thought it was odd Gabriel had given her tickets. After she woke up and found herself tied and Zorro fighting, she had pieced the puzzle together. Namely, she had been used at bait. Being kidnapped was beginning to become normal to her. She was either held at gun point or being tied up. Either way, Zorro always came for her. "How silly. Gabriel was probably hoping you would lose and he would be there to free me."

He shook his head. "Gonzales said the reason they used you was because wherever you go, I'm right behind you. The first few times I saved you were not something Gabriel would notice much, but the fact that I kissed you…" He sighed. "I should not have done that. Then or tonight."

"Don't bother apologizing for kissing me," she snapped. "I won't accept it."

"I can't take back my actions, but I can warn you. So, please, Lolita, if not Spain, then just move away from this town." He was begging her.

"You're just as cowardly as Diego," she snapped. "He wants me to run away like a kitten, too."

"He's just concerned for you," was his response.

"And how do you know how Diego feels?"

"Because I care!" Zorro bellowed.

Lolita lost her footing on the step and fell back against the edge of the wall. The breath was knocked out of her again, but Zorro did not come to her aid. He was silently watching the aftermath of his confession.

"You've known Diego since childhood. You're engaged to him. He must love you. If not like a lover, then like a sister. If he wants you to leave, then he must love you."

She shook her head widely. "No! You can't just kiss me like you did and then tell me you care about me! And then turn it all around on Diego! Diego has nothing to do with this!"

"If Diego has nothing to do with this, then why did you mention him earlier?"

"Because you remind me of him. If only because you're completely opposite him. You're the man I wish Diego was now." She admitted, averting her gaze. Lolita looked up at him when he remained silent. His socked feet were planted on the ground, his elbows pressing into his knees as he hung in head into his palms. His shoulders were slumped and blond bangs blocked her view of his face. "Now you remind me exactly of Diego," Lolita whispered.

Zorro looked up at her, his arms dropping between his legs. "Please, Lolita…"

The girl shook her head. "I'm not leaving. I'm too stubborn. And besides…" She looked down, her hair falling in her face like curtains. "I love you. I have for a while." Embarrassed, she dashed up the stairs to fetch Lopez.

By the time they returned downstairs, Zorro was gone. The only evidence he had been there were the disarray of the room and the blood on the bed.

"Poor boy," Leticia said. "It must be hard for him to trust people. He's seen so much evil, yet he tries to protect us."

Lolita hung her head, the blood –Zorro's blood- on her dress made her woozy. She was one of the people he trusted, she had just made his work difficult. She knew all along what he had been hinting at as soon as he mentioned the game the children played. They played Zorro in the streets. There was always a thug, a Gabriel, and a Zorro.

"We've not seen the last of him, dear." Lopez placed an arm around Lolita's shoulders. "As for you, we need to get you fixed up, too."

She let him lead her to the cabinet of supplies as she thought of the last role one lucky girl was given. Her role. The role of Lolita. And always…the children ended with Lolita running into Zorro's arms. If mere children could figure it out, then it was no doubt Gabriel had been able to figure it out.

That she was madly in love with Zorro.