Don Alejandro went to the garden. As he expected there he found Diego. His son was leaning back at the chair, his eyes closed. He looked as if he was asleep, his face exhausted and empty.

"Do you need my help, father?" Diego asked.

"No." Answered don Alejandro surprised. "How do you know it was me?"

"I heard it from your steps. Besides, I know Felipe is in library, and servants know to not bother me." Diego answered and showed his father another chair.

Don Alejandro noticed, that the smile was absence at his face. He was a great difference from the Diego a week ago, who had beam from joy.

"Yes, I noticed, that they are quite found of you. Not only our servants, but generally peons as well." Diego didn't comment.

"Diego... They are not the only ones, who are worrying themselves about you. You are my only son..."

"There is still Felipe." He remarked.

"... you know what I mean. I would like to know what happened. You ware so happy the last two months. And then... I know, you said you had an misunderstanding with Victoria. However, this wasn't the first time, and usually you come fast to reconciling. This time it is not the case. Your attempt to hide from Victoria how much you are wounded, and her apologetic look every time she sees you... It wasn't a simply squabble."

Diego didn't respond. Don Alejandro took his son's hands so he had his whole attention.

"Diego... my child... I love you. I often don't understand you, sometimes I'm angry with you. But you're my child. I want only good for you. I want to see you happy. To see you this week make my heart ache. And I don't have the smallest idea what really happened to you nor how I can help you."

Don Alejandro had tears in his eyes, but Diego as well. He reached for his father and hugged him. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you to worry."

"Then tell me, what happened." Don Alejandro insisted.

"I dared to dream. I dared to dream and hope, that some day we could be together." Don Alejandro understood at once.

"Diego, you know how much Victoria loves Zorro..." He said softly.

"I know, how much she loves the legend. Yet, I hoped she could love the ordinary men." He said bitter.

"One day, after Zorro removes his mask, Victoria will love the ordinary man who is behind the mask. You can do nothing for that her heart belongs to another man." Don Alejandro tried to comfort his son.

"She will not... not love the man behind the mask. And she doesn't love another man." Suddenly Diego didn't care if his father knew or not.

"Diego, I don't understand you." Don Alejandro asked for an explanation.

"You don't understand, or don't want to understand me?" He asked sadly, not ironically.

Don Alejandro looked at his son in astonishment. His answer would be synonymous in only one case. If his son would be... But this was impossible, wasn't it?

"Diego, you're not..." He stopped, because the sunset playing with Diego's clothes made them more dark then usually.

"My Goodness! You are him!" Before don Alejandro could get in astonish, Diego began to tell him everything.

ZZZ

Felipe, unaware of his friend and family state of feelings read a book in library, when Victoria came inside. Felipe immediately tensed. Even if she was his friend, momentary he hated her because of what she did to Diego.

"Good evening, Felipe, is Diego at home? I need to talk with him." She said in one breath. Before Felipe was able to answer Diego and his father came into library.

They stopped at once and looked surprised at Victoria.

"Victoria, what happened?" Diego asked concerned. She wouldn't come here almost at night if nothing important had happened.

"I'll give up" She sighed. "Whenever you are Zorro or not; and if he is not you, then whatever he will think or do about it... Diego, please, listen to me. My life without your presence, without your smile and without your friendship isn't a life. I'm sorry I had played with your feelings, but believe me, I miscalculated myself. I fell in love with you. I love you with my whole heart and I need you in my daily life like the air."

She said it bluntly, scared until Diego embraced her and put a tender kiss at her lips.

"Victoria, I love you with my all my soul. I need to see you, to hear you, to love you every day. Without your love for the ordinary man it's hard to life, but without your friendship it would be impossible." He hugged her. "And yes. I am Zorro."

"Oh, Diego!" She was only able to moan with sorrow and joy, before his lips claimed hers again.

Don Alejandro, seeing that the couple only had eyes for each other, pulled astonished Felipe.

"Come, show me the way to Zorro's cave. I think for those two we don't need to worry more."

END