DAY TWO

Diego's fever broke during the night, but he wasstill somewhat weak. He sat on the edge of the bed while Dr. Hernandez changed his bandages. They talked while the kindly doctor worked.

"Diego, I am a doctor and as such, I keep confidences. You have unexplained injuries that you have treated yourself, without sending for me. I'm not upset, but I am terribly concerned. This last injury is a total mystery. How did you get shot? Who did it? When did it happen? Musket balls only come from lancers and royal guardsmen. I've been your doctor since you were a child, can't you trust me?"

Diego sighed. He almost wanted to tell the good doctor his secret, but two already people knew, and possibly a third person had guessed.

"Dr. Hernandez, I understand your curiosity. I'm sorry to have caused you worry. As you know, I have studied widely. I have medical textbooks available to me, many of the same ones you have. I have tried to be of service, not just to myself, but to others when you were helping others. I know how hard it is to need to be in more than one place at a time."

"I can appreciate that, Diego, and I'm glad you're able to help others in emergency situations. But treating yourself is a dangerous game. Tell me about that scar on your forearm, and the bumps and bruises on your neck and head. You didn't 'fall off a mare' again, did you?"

Diego snickered. "Oh Doctor, you must think me a clumsy fool."

"Try me. And I want the truth, if you can tell it."

Diego looked intently at the kindly, though no-nonsense Dr. Hernandez, and wondered if he should tell him, but decided against it for now.

"Doctor, I just don't know what to say."

Dr. Hernandez let out a "Humphf! Then let me tell you what I think. The scar on your forearm looks like a snakebite. As to your bumps and bruises…well…either you fell off your horse again – a great distance – or something heavy, fell on you."

"Your powers of diagnosis are accurate, Doctor."

Dr. Hernandez eyed Diego with a stern, yet sincere look. "Then tell me about the musket ball wound."

Diego knew he must take control of the direction this conversation is going. He couldn't afford to have another person know his secret, not yet.

"All I can tell you is that my father knows about it, and he understands how it happened. I told him the truth. Maybe in the future, once I see how certain situations turn out, I can be more forthright with you."

The kindly doctor sighed, then patted his patient on the shoulder.

"All right. Until then, Diego…take good care of yourself. And know that I am always available to you, and that I can keep confidences…even for a masked man."

At that, Diego's eyes widened, caught a bit off guard. He sputtered and recovered, but smiled. He knows, Diego thought. But I won't admit it, not yet.

"Uh – oh – uh – Thank you Doctor. I'll – uh – keep that in mind."

"I'll check on you in a couple of days – unless you don't think you need me."

Diego thought a moment. He wanted to put everything right. He wanted to let the older gentlemen know he knew, without actually confirming it.

"Thank you Doctor. I have listened to what you had to say. I just can't tell you anything more right now. And Doctor…until these… uh… certain situations I mentioned work themselves out, uh – please say I was stabbed instead of shot – uh – if anyone asks."

Dr. Hernandez smiled a knowing smile. "Certainly, Diego. I'll see you later."

"Goodbye Doctor." Dr. Hernandez left. Diego let out a huge sigh, rubbed his head, and held one hand to his head, thinking. He slowly leaned himself back into bed. Felipe entered, fluffed Diego's pillows, and brought him more cactus tea. Diego drank a few sips, wrinkled his face, and got back under the covers.

"Ah Felipe. Thank you for bringing me more tea. Now tell me again what Victoria said yesterday."

Felipe signed about the tea.

"She asked you about the cactus tea. She wanted to know if I concocted it myself. What did you tell her?"

Felipe signed yes and no, then a Z, pointing to Diego.

"You didn't say yes or no, but you think she knows…I am Zorro."

Felipe nodded.

"But she didn't say anything. She didn't ask you about Zorro?"

Felipe signed by stroking his chin twice, to indicate Don Alejandro.

Oh. Father intervened and told her to talk to me. He told her that I would explain everything! Well…perhaps everything will work out for the best. But let's see how long we can hold her off for now. Until I am stronger, I don't know how I'll react to her, if she presses me, or how she will react to the truth. Let's give her a couple of days, shall we? Our secret." Diego yawned.

Felipe signed "secret."

"Yes…I know. I can't wait to live without secrets either. Oh, by the way, I told Father the other day, that you had a pleasant surprise for him.

Diego pointed to his ear. "Your hearing."

Diego yawned again, and settled back on his pillows. "So….do with that as you like. Tell him….whenever you like…" And with that, Diego drifted off to sleep.

Z

Several hours after Dr. Hernandez's visit, Alejandro sat the writing desk doing paperwork, when he heard a knock at the door. He answered it to find a very impatient Victoria.

Alejandro motioned for Victoria to enter. Her expression wasn't hard to read, showing impatience and irritation. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. Alejandro saw this, and spoke friendly and gently to her.

"Come in, come in, my dear. How are you today, Victoria? What brings you out here?"

"Don Alejandro, I have come to talk with Diego. I – I wanted to see him – to see how he is doing, and to try to get some answers."

Alejandro saw her frustration. He wished he could do something about it, but knew the answers needed to come from Diego himself. Until Diego was able to speak for himself, Alejandro did his job as protective father. He job was to try to help Victoria be patient just a little while longer.

"Well, he is sleeping right now, Victoria. But do come in and sit with me for a while. Maybe I can help you try to understand some things before you talk with him. It won't be today, but maybe tomorrow."

Victoria's stress came out in her voice. "Does he still have a fever?"

"No, his fever broke this morning, but he is still weak. He's been through a lot in the last couple of days. He needs his rest."

"So – he really does need his 'beauty' sleep?"

Alejandro was taken aback a bit by her sarcasm. "Yes – yes, I guess you could call it that."

Victoria was on the verge of exploding. She tapped her foot. "Don Alejandro, you told me yesterday that Diego will explain things. What kinds of things do you know?"

Alejandro tried to keep calm. It won't help if I get upset, he thinks. Oh, Diego, I don't envy you, when this lovely fireball of a woman gets her hands on you…

"Yes, my dear. I know he will want to. There are many things about him I myself did not know until two days ago. You may have already guessed what some of them are. But please don't judge him for keeping secrets. He's been under a great burden."

"What secrets? What burden? Can't you tell me something? I have a great many suspicions…"

"Victoria, I'm sorry but you'll have to talk with Diego…"

Victoria had enough. "Then answer me one question – is he Zorro?"

Alejandro was visibly taken aback. "You'll have to talk with Diego about that…"

Victoria fumed. "He IS, isn't he?"

Alejandro tried to recover quickly and cover again for Diego.

"Victoria, it would be best if you talk with my son. I'll send word to you the moment he is able to receive visitors, I promise. Now, if you don't mind…I really have a lot of paperwork to catch up on. I promise we'll let you know the minute Diego is ready to talk with you."

Alejandro gently guided her to the door. "I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you, Victoria. I know that Diego will explain himself fully when he's able." His expression showed the regret he felt, but he would not betray Diego's confidence, not even to Victoria. That was for Diego to do.

Victoria sighed, as she allowed the man she had thought of as her surrogate father for many years to lead her to the door. "Thank you Don Alejandro. You've been most helpful. And yes, I will await word when I might speak to your son." Although the last thing she left like doing is smiling, Victoria turned to Alejandro with a small, polite smile, then left.

As Alejandro closed the door, he heard a voice behind him. He turned to see a wobbly Diego holding on to whatever he could find for balance. In the shadows, he almost looked ghostly, in his long brown robe, which covered his white full nightshirt, white long johns, and white slippers.

"Who was that Father?"

Alejandro frowned. He knew his son should not be out of bed, but with their 'new' relationship, coupled with the knowledge about who his son really was, he didn't want to get into any kind of argument with Diego.

"It was Victoria, and by the looks of her, you'd better speak to her soon."

Diego sighed and looked at the ceiling, gripping the pillar tightly. "I'll try to tomorrow, if all goes well. How did she seem?" Although he tried to keep it out, Alejandro could sense the dread in his voice.

"She flat out asked me if you were Zorro. She said she has many suspicions."

"I was afraid of that," Diego said, putting his non-pillar gripping hand to his head. "Oh, this isn't the way I wanted to tell her at all."

Alejandro noticed Diego's struggle to keep standing. "Son, you'd better get back to bed. You're looking a bit pale."

"I'm tired of being in bed. I'm going to sit in the Library and read something."

Alejandro knew better than to argue. "How are you feeling, son?"

"Better all the time, but…"

"But?"

"I must admit I am nervous about talking to Victoria. I love her so much, Father. I'm afraid she'll reject me as Diego de la Vega. It's always been my biggest fear." He swayed a bit, and looked like a clumsy child who wanted to slide around a maypole.

Alejandro rushed to help his son. "Diego, come, let's sit you down."

Alejandro put his arm around Diego and help him to the couch in the library. Diego sat in somewhat of a lounging position. Alejandro pulled a chair from across the room to sit closer. Diego put his head back and placed his left thumb and forefinger in a light pinch on either side of the bridge of his nose. Alejandro decided it was a good time to gently draw Diego's feelings out into the open.

"Now son, I want you to listen to me." Alejandro said with a gentle authority, the authority of a father who dearly loved his son, and had good advice to impart.

"Of course, Father." He still slouched, and leaned back with his fingers still in a nose 'pinch.'

"Am I correct then, in my understanding, that you have been unofficially courting Victoria as Zorro for….how many years?"

Although Diego didn't intend, an attitude creeped in. He sensed a lecture coming, but knew he didn't have the strength for any kind of argument. He hoped it didn't go that far.

Sighing, Diego said, "Around five years. Since I came back from Spain and first put on the mask."

"You love her."

Diego dropped his hand, and used it to help him sit up a bit. "Yes, Father, with all my heart."

"And the whole pueblo knows how she feels about you."

"Father, it's Zorro she's in love with, not Diego de la Vega."

Alejandro shook his head at the apparent blindness of his son. "But is not Diego de la Vega – Zorro?"

"Yes."

"So – doesn't it follow that Victoria will love you – Diego – if she loves Zorro?"

Slouching a bit again, Diego sighed. "Father, as Diego de la Vega, she hardly notices me at all, or only as a friend, or a brother. I'm not her 'type.'"

Alejandro snorted. "That's nonsense. If you will be yourself, not this 'Diego' mask you wear, be yourself, be Zorro, and be Diego all at once – you can't help but win her heart."

Diego rubbed his temples a bit, then rested his head on his left hand. His right arm was still held in a bent angle.

"I don't think it's that simple. Not only that, but what can I offer her now? We don't know how De Soto is going to govern yet. We can hope he'll change. But if he doesn't, my worst fear of all is that she will reject me. And those whom I love, whom I have tried so very hard to keep out of danger – by not knowing my true identity – will be in as much danger as I have been. If I appear as Zorro again, or De Soto finds out, we'll all hang. And...if De Soto doesn't change, and if you or Victoria were to let something 'slip' in the heat of the moment…"

Alejandro leaned forward and put his hand gently on Diego's outstretched leg.

"Son, you have to face these fears of yours. They may prove to be groundless. Most are."

Diego looked his father in the eye. "But if they're not…?"

"Well son, I believe you'll work things out. I don't think Victoria will reject you. I believe she even 'loves' the compassionate, yes – studious, and caring Diego de la Vega, as well as her hero, Zorro. Because they are both – YOU."

Alejandro rose to leave, and put his hand on Diego's left shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"Think about it, son. I want you to know, I'm here for you, no matter what."

"Thank you Father. That – that means a lot."

Alejandro looked with pride, yet fatherly concern. "Don't wear yourself out by staying up too long, son." He smiled and gave the shoulder another gentle, yet firm squeeze.

Diego brought his left hand up to place it on his father's arm, which lingered a moment on the shoulder.

"Thank you Father, I won't."

Z

In the cave, Felipe brought hay to Toronado, who snorted with the attention. Felipe enjoyed taking care of Toronado, and the feeling of fulfillment he had by being Zorro's right hand man.

As Toronado munched on the hay, Felipe picked up a brush, and brushed Toronado's back and sides. From time to time, Toronado snorted with satisfaction of the brush stroking, even while eating. Felipe knew things are changing. He thought about being an 'official' member of the de la Vega family. It is something for which he could have never, in his wildest dreams, thought to aspire to.

Yes, he knew that Diego and Alejandro loved him. After all, they've cared for him all these years. The attitude, in some ways, at least to Felipe's reckoning, felt more like a trusted and loyal servant rather than as a son. But now – a son! An adopted son to Don Diego! And yet, there was Alejandro's statement in the plaza about two sons! Felipe wasn't sure how all this was going to play out, but he was overjoyed at the prospect of either!

As he continued to brush Toronado, Felipe thought back through the last few years, since Diego's return from Spain. It had been very difficult to see Diego leave in the first place. Alejandro was a kind man, but that trusted and loyal servant thing seemed to be all he felt. Upon his return, Diego immediately took Felipe into his full confidence. It drew them closer together knowing that they shared each other's secrets. He knew Diego was Zorro, and Diego knew he could hear.

But now – Don Alejandro also knew Diego was Zorro. Since announcing Felipe's adoption in the middle of the plaza, it seemed that disclosure gave Diego the courage to tell his father that he was Zorro.

Felipe again traced the relationship between Diego and Alejandro. They had always been close, but after Zorro was created, and Diego split himself into two people – a divide of another sort was caused. It came to a head about a year ago…during the time when Felipe experienced growing pains. He wanted to see the world, as any young man did. He and Don Diego had their own falling out about that for a short time. He learned later what a difficult time that was for Diego…his own father called him a coward! He knew that wounded Diego deeper than he let on.

After that, a sort of unspoken truce of sorts ruled over father and son. Felipe had encouraged Diego to show his father more of his true self, whenever he could, so as to not arouse suspicion. It seemed to work. However, the Alcalde never let Diego forget how inept he was. If De Soto only knew, he thought. It was Diego the Inept who, as Zorro, landed a knockout blow time after time to the Alcalde, just to get him out of the way. Felipe chuckled to himself.

During the last couple of weeks, father and son grew close again. It was like the de la Vegas were against the world. No one was going to divide them – even though it had been tried. Felipe frowned when he thought of the Emissary-turned-brother. He didn't like the Emissary at all, but in death, actually felt a little sorry for him.

Felipe continued to stroke the big, black stallion, and the horse snorted. Yeah, Toronado likes this. He likes the attention. Felipe realized it must be getting towards evening now, and he should check to see how Diego was.

As Felipe came out from the cave, he saw Diego sleeping on the couch, his head cocked to one side and tilted back against the back of the couch. When his leg was broken, Diego had gotten in the habit of stretching out his right leg, and so he still did. The other knee was bent. He held his right arm close to his chest. The book he was reading had fallen into his lap.

Felipe tried to waken Diego by carefully shaking his left shoulder, but Diego didn't awaken right away. Felipe looked alarmed. Not again! He carefully shook Diego again. Diego began to wake up, but seemed a bit out of it.

Felipe was visibly relieved, but saw Diego perspiring. He looked with concern.

"Oh, Felipe. "

Diego started to move, was stiff and sore from the somewhat uncomfortable position. He moaned and groaned a bit as he stretched. He tried to get up, and found he was a bit woozy. He stretched his arm out to balance himself. Felipe took hold and the swaying stopped. Felipe motioned towards the bedroom.

"Yes, I'm feeling somewhat tired again," said Diego, as he trembled from a large chill. The automatic response of tensing himself in an effort to get warm brought a wince from Diego, and he grabbed his right arm with his left. "I'm cold. Yes, you'd better help me get back to bed now. Thank you."

Felipe helped Diego up, and they began walking to the bedroom. Felipe helped Diego take his robe and slippers off, and eased him into bed. He put a hand on Diego's forehead. It's a bit warm. Felipe wiped the perspiration off Diego's face. Felipe signed "Cactus tea."

Diego wrinkled his nose at that. "No…I don't think I need more cactus tea. "

Felipe signed, "Yes you do, for your fever, and for rest."

Diego sighed. "All right, just a sip or two to help this chill. Thank you Felipe."

Felipe gave him the bowl, and Diego drank quite a bit. Felipe helped position the pillows so that Diego could sleep. When Felipe looked up, Diego was already fast asleep. Felipe smiled, nodded his head, and then headed for his own room.

Later in the evening, after supper, Alejandro came in to check on Diego. He didn't like what he saw. Diego was feverish again, with chills and perspiration. He was semi-conscious, drifting in and out. He heard and responded to some things, but not others.

A knock was heard at the front door. Alejandro continued to wipe Diego's fevered brow. He thought and whispered without knowing it. "Ah my hijo, my brave muchacho, I am so proud of you. Don't let this infection beat you. We need you."

Felipe brought Victoria to the bedroom. Alejandro turned in surprise. Victoria was very agitated.

"Don Alejandro, I've been put off for two days now. I don't care if he doesn't want to see me. Just let me sit with him, please."

"Victoria, it's really late. You shouldn't be here – you should be home in bed yourself after a long day at the tavern."

Diego stirred slightly. He was asleep, but at hearing the name of his beloved, he began to awaken.

"Please Don Alejandro. Just let me sit with him. He is my best friend."

"Are you sure, Victoria? He may not be able to talk with you the way you'd like. And not only that, I'm not at all sure it would be proper…"

"I don't care. I just…I just – want to be near him. Be with him."

Diego finally found his voice. "Victoria, what are you doing here? This is my bedroom!"

Victoria leaned over to him, speaking softly. "Diego, I'm not here to talk now. I'm just here to be with you and be of help."

Diego smiled, "Thank you Victoria. Sorry I'm not…up to receiving visitors just now."

Victoria smiled, with a bit of gentle sarcastic humor. "Just think of me as your nurse. And I'll think of you as my patient…as Zorro once had me as a patient." With that, Diego's eyes widen, then narrow a bit, but he said nothing. He still struggled to stay awake, and it was a struggle.

Alejandro cleared his throat. "All right, Victoria. You can stay, but please, make him stay quiet."

"Oh, you can be sure of that, Don Alejandro. If he gives me any trouble, I'll just give him some of his 'concoction.'" The last word had sarcasm in it.

Alejandro hesitantly took his leave. Victoria looked down at Diego. He looked up at her, gave her a groggy smile.

"Thank you for coming Victoria. I'm sorry to be so much trouble."

"Trouble? Trouble! Oh, it's no trouble!" Victoria looked at him with a critical eye, thought about what she's going to say for a second, and decided to plunge ahead, just to see his reaction. "It's not every day a girl gets to take care of her 'fiancé' when he is at a distinct disadvantage. Am I right?"

Diego, even though feverish, heard "fiancé" and opened his eyes wide, with alarm, then they begin to close. He tried to stay awake, but found it very difficult.

Victoria chuckled, put her hand on his left shoulder. She saw all the response she wanted to see. "Don't worry. We'll talk later. I just wanted to see how you'd react."

Z