Disclaimer: No copyright infringement meant with story. Characters owned by ZPI, not by me. I only wish to borrow them for a little while.
AN: Thank for returning to my story. Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Fireworks will ensue! I know I should wait, but I am anxious to share this chapter as well…hope you are enjoying it and let me know what you think. Always greatly appreciated.
Previously:
All of a sudden it was as if shutters were removed from windows, letting in the sunshine. Victoria shook her head; she couldn't believe it. First she couldn't believe it was true. Then she couldn't believe she'd never seen it all along. Especially when Zorro first appeared, at the same time Diego had returned from Spain.
Diego was Zorro. Zorro was Diego de la Vega…the coward of the pueblo. Her best friend. Her confidante. The scum.
All along, her best friend was keeping a secret away from her. Here she was, always worrying about Zorro being dead in a cavern somewhere, and there he was, the next day, sitting in her tavern, eating her food, smiling at her, watching her work, as if nothing was wrong. Did he actually laugh at her behind her back? Did he ever mean anything he said, about loving her, about marrying her?
Suddenly everything she thought she knew about either of the two most important men in her life was under doubt. Did she ever really know Diego de la Vega?
Victoria thought she did. Especially when they were young. She had watched the young daredevil quietly lead her brothers into all sorts of mischievous pranks, then somehow always escaping blame. However, he was always so much fun and charming to be around, her brothers always forgave him, for he was quick to think of some new adventure for them to embark on next.
She then remembered the young man who had left for Spain. He was suddenly all "grown-up", at least in her young adolescent's eyes. She had cried herself to sleep the night he left, thinking she'd never see him again. Her young heart breaking, she wondered if she would ever find someone who had stolen her heart like the young, dashing Diego de la Vega.
Life's events then distracted her like she never thought they would. Her mother killed, her father running off to Mexico, her brothers chasing after him. They all left her, alone, to tend the family tavern. At the tender age of fifteen. Without Alejandro de la Vega helping her, she would have been lost. He was her lifesaver, with his business sense, his offer of his cook's assistance, and his support of her enabled her to become the one of the pueblo's most successful business owners. Even as a woman.
By the time young Don Diego de la Vega had returned, as a well-educated caballero, Victoria had forgotten all about her crazy adolescent dreams. Until she looked into those blue eyes again as he kissed her hand. And she was lost again.
Until the mysterious savior dressed in black arrived to stand up against the tyranny of the Alcalde, when the caballeros of the pueblo refused to do so. And Diego, instead of taking a leadership role in the pueblo like she and his father thought he would, showed himself to be a passive participate in the life of the pueblo, always standing back, never opposing the injustice. So unlike the young Diego Victoria had fallen in love with.
Only to come to today. Finding out that they were indeed the same person, this man she thought she knew and her mysterious lover who had sworn her his undying love. The same.
What was she going to do? She wanted to storm off to the de la Vega hacienda, demand Diego to explain his reasoning to her, then punch him senseless. However, there was a treasonous part of her who instead wanted to attack him and kiss him senseless. That part of her was not angry. Nah, it was relieved. Relieved that Zorro was indeed someone she knew, someone she already had loved half her life, someone who was from Los Angeles so she wouldn't have to move away from everyone and everything she knew.
What was she to do?
~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~
Diego and Felipe made their way back to the hacienda with the unconscious Don without difficulty. Luckily, they weren't observed, due to its being siesta. At least one thing we got lucky with.
Felipe assisted Diego in getting Don Alejandro into his bedroom and into a clean pair of pajamas. Felipe quickly hid Zorro's outfit in a blanket and hurried out of the room, intent on bringing it to the cave. He also was anxious to check on Toronado and ensure he had safely returned to the cave.
Diego quickly checked over his father. He was relieved to find, just like Felipe had told him, no other injuries and that his pulse remained strong. The bump on his head was small, but worrisome still the same because of his father's amnesia. Diego wondered whether it would be beneficial to have the doctor check his father out anyway. By the time Felipe had returned, Diego had decided.
"Felipe, why don't you ride to the pueblo and get Dr. Hernandez? I'm certain Father will be all right, but it never hurts to get the doctor's opinion. Just in case."
Felipe smiled and reached out to give Diego a comforting pat on the shoulder. Diego nodded in acknowledgement and turned his attention back to his father, who remained sleeping.
Later, much to Diego's relief, Dr. Hernandez did agree with Diego's opinion. He also denied any real need to be concerned, but that he would check back the next day to ensure Alejandro was recovering without difficulty. He also recommended the older man to rest in bed the next day as well.
~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~
The next day Victoria had reached a decision. It was about time for Zorro to honor his promise, mission or not. She hoped Diego would come to the tavern for lunch, but ended up being disappointed. Finally, the gossip reached her that Alejandro had suffered a bump on the head yesterday, and Diego remained at the hacienda to take care of him.
So that's what happened.
Victoria momentarily debated whether she should delay her confrontation with Diego in light of this news. However, it sounded like Alejandro would be all right, so she continued with her plan. She informed her workers she was going to visit the de la Vegas due to the news regarding Don Alejandro and bring them a basket of comforting foods. After preparing such, Victoria hitched up her buggy and left for the hacienda after lunch.
~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~
Diego breathed a sigh of relief as he sank into his favorite armchair after breakfast. It appeared all had returned to normal. His father woke up, feeling better, his memory returned, all but for his little 'escapade'. Which Diego was thankful for. He didn't know how he would've explained any of that to him.
He had sent Felipe to the pueblo to check on any gossip about his father, whether anyone else had seen him in the Zorro outfit. Luckily, it appeared no one had. His father must have made a beeline to the tavern for whatever reason, and proceeded to "rescue" Victoria from the visiting vaquero, and had gone nowhere else.
It also seemed as though Victoria hadn't discussed the situation with anyone. Felipe hadn't heard anyone discussing such an occurrence within the tavern. Diego thought it strange, for Victoria usually was forthcoming with information regarding any unusual event happening in the tavern or pueblo. Diego wondered if he should be concerned, but he pushed it aside. He certainly needed to check with Victoria regarding her thoughts about the situation, but there was time to do that later.
Instead, he needed to stick close to home to ensure his father did stay in bed for the rest of the day. Dr. Hernandez had been pleased with the older man's progress this morning, with the return of his memory, but he was still concerned about the toll on his body and recommended a day of rest. Over his father's objections, of course. Thus the need for Diego to stick by in case his father got any ideas about going against the doctor's suggestions. So Diego settled in the chair with his favorite book and began to read.
~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~Z~~
After the de la Vega servant had shown her into the library, Victoria took a look around the seemingly familiar room. Even though it was more Don Alejandro's home, being the patriarch of the family, Victoria could see Diego's influence in the decorations and the objects lying around the room as well. However, nothing indicated the hacienda also housed the masked hero of the pueblo.
"Oh, Victoria, how nice of you to visit. Father will be honored you thought of him."
Victoria turned around to watch as one Diego de la Vega entered the library and walked towards her. For the first time in her life, she really looked at him. She had never paid attention to how he walked, or stood, slightly slouched, as if to hide his true height. How he never quite met her eyes, even though they've known each other for years.
With his long stride, Diego was by her side quickly. He noticed her pensive look and asked with concern in his voice, "Victoria, are you all right? Is something wrong?"
Is something wrong, he asks! Of course there's something wrong.
Victoria swallowed the lump which had suddenly appeared in her throat. "Why don't we sit down, Diego?"
He nodded and led her towards the sofa. Sitting down, he looked at her with concern and a question in his eyes. Victoria almost lost herself in those eyes, but she shook herself with a reminder of what a lying scum the man in front of her was.
Diego straightened his shoulders and leaned back slightly away from her as he observed the temper flare up in her eyes. "What is it, Victoria? Did something happen? What has made you angry?"
Not trusting herself yet to bring up the topic, she went with a safer question. "How is your father? I heard he had quite the adventure yesterday."
She was pleased with the double-take Diego did at the mention of the word adventure, but she was impressed at how quickly he recovered. "Oh, yes, Father knocked himself in the head yesterday getting something out of the fireplace. Dr. Hernandez says he's going to be just fine. You know how he is, though, it's been difficult to keep him resting quietly in bed today. So that is why I stayed home, to keep an eye on him."
"Yes, indeed, you de la Vegas do have your stubbornness about you, don't you?"
Victoria took pleasure in Diego's surprise at that remark, and the bitterness which snuck in. She looked him in the eye and waited for his reply.
"Victoria, I apologize. Is there something I've done to make you angry?"
Despite herself, a short, bitter laugh escaped her lips. "You might say that."
Victoria watched as Diego's quick mind reviewed the past few days, attempting to figure out what had gotten her angry, but coming up empty-handed. Or was he pretending not to know? "I'm sorry, but I…I have no idea what I could have done to make you angry."
"You don't? There's nothing you've been meaning to tell me…perhaps, for years, that you haven't quite come around to tell me? Your supposedly best friend?"
Another spurt of satisfaction shot through Victoria as she watched recognition occur in Diego's bright blue eyes, which quickly were shadowed again. Wondering if she should let him stew a while longer, Victoria decided against it. Wouldn't want to be here all day.
Leaning close to Diego, Victoria whispered, "When were you going to tell me you're Zorro?"
AN: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and enjoying this story. I sure am. Yeah, fluffy but we need that sometimes in our life, right? At least I sure do. Thanks again for reading, and as always, if you are kind, please rewind…oops, I mean, review. (Yep, showing my age, but the joke came into my mind, oh well). And I kinda told a little white lie….the fireworks only are BEGINNING…