Chapter Nine
At first it was an unfamiliar scent that slowly made its way into her dreams, almost immediately followed by comforting warmth that slowly invaded her sleep. With her eyes still closed she could distinguish the first rays of sunlight illuminating her small bedroom. She did not want to wake, refused to let the coziness of the moment be taken from her and so she snuggled up to the one lying next to her, took in his scent and tried to go back to sleep. However, memories of their previous night's conversation began struggling with her need to stay in that very moment and no matter how hard she wished for the world to just stop spinning for a few more moments, her conscience eventually won. Sighing deeply she opened her eyes to the real world and was quite a bit surprised when she found a pair of blue eyes looking at her.
"Good morning," Diego said, his voice still rough from sleep and smiled at her. "Did you sleep well?"
"Good morning," Ana replied with an equally rough voice but jerked awake instantly when she realized that during the night she had obviously come way to close to Diego. "I'm so sorry!" she mumbled and quickly got of bed. "I'll make you some breakfast," she stated and was about to leave the room when Diego's voice held her back.
"What exactly is it that you are apologizing for?" he queried and looked at her curiously.
"Tonight I'll sleep in the armchair," she said, hoping that he would just leave it at that. Of course he didn't.
"That was not an answer," he stated and kept looking at her. "What is it that you are sorry for, Ana?"
"I… I… didn't mean to… you know," Ana stuttered fighting hard to maintain her composure. "I didn't mean to come that close to you. Please accept my apologies."
Diego's surprise was not feigned when he could not make sense of anything she was saying. "Ana, I don't understand!"
"Well, it wasn't appropriate to for us to spend the night together in one bed. And besides…" Tears had begun to well up in her eyes and she immediately wiped them away angrily. "Besides, I didn't want to make you feel disgusted by my presence." There. It was out.
"Whatever makes you think that I am disgusted with you?"
"Weren't you listening last night?" she almost yelled at him in her anger and her shame.
"I was listening, I was listening very closely. But obviously you were not. Despite of what you think – I am not disgusted with you. On the contrary. Your trust honors me, Ana. I don't think I could have allowed anybody to come that close to me, if I were in your place," Diego argued in an equally loud and agitated voice, as he simply refused to believe what he was hearing. "If I weren't bound to this bed I would take you to the next mirror and make you face yourself. Despite of what you think, Ana, you are one of the most beautiful persons I know – both on the inside and the outside. You put yourself down for who and what you are and you are expecting everybody else to think like you. Well, I'm afraid it doesn't work that way."
"What do you know, Diego?" she fumed and before she realized it she had approached his side of the bed and had only come to a halt when she standing right beside him. "It is not that simple. Contrary to your believes, you do not know half about me. There's so much more that has forced me into this life than you could ever imagine. So don't judge me, for you do not know who you are talking to."
"Alright. Then tell me," he demanded, holding her bewildered gaze.
"Even if I wanted to – I swore to never tell a living soul. And before you try to further persuade me, I suggest I make you some breakfast and let both our tempers cool down."
"Ana, I'm sorry. I never meant to push you. It's just…" Diego suddenly found himself at a loss for words and his struggle was almost visible.
"What, Diego?" Her voice softened considerably as she was watching him fighting to find the right words.
"I… I care about you, more than you probably think. You've given me so much, whereas I have a feeling that I cannot do anything for you in return. Not only have you saved my life, but you've also shown me what it is like to be myself. I know I've already said that last night, but it just means so much to me," Diego whispered. Suddenly he couldn't stand looking at her. For the first time in a long time he felt vulnerable, a feeling that he wasn't used to anymore since the roles he was constantly playing didn't allow him that kind of luxury. Pretending to examine the cover's pattern for any irregularities he desperately tried to hold his own tears back. "I'm beginning to ask myself whether I actually want to go back. I mean, I do miss my father and thinking that I'll never hold Victoria in my arms again nearly breaks my heart. But I can no longer live this life full of lies. I don't want to anymore. And then there's Felipe. I've been asking too much of him for the previous years. I've actually taken advantage of his handicap, by asking him to further pretend to be deaf when he really could hear. I tried to make some of my wrongs right by adopting him, by making him a part of our family officially but that will never make up for everything he's missed in his life because of me. He's most certainly come up with some sort of excuse for my prolonged absence so that my father wouldn't go looking for me. And now that poor boy is surely worried sick about me, hoping that I'm still alive while he's probably realizing that I may as well be dead by now."
"Well, then why don't you send him a message?" Ana suggested.
"And exactly how do you propose I do that?"
"Well, I don't have any carrier pigeons but there's still a gigantic black stallion outside in my corral, waiting for his master to heal. From what I've seen and heard this particular stallion is a very clever animal that usually finds his way home without someone guiding him there."
"Toronado," Diego mouthed. "Of course. I should have thought of that earlier."
"I'll get you a quill, ink and parchment," Ana smiled at him and patted his hand before she quietly turned away from him and left the room.
zZzZz
Don Alejandro had finally turned in for the night and with it had given Felipe the chance to escape the usual rush of daily business at the de la Vega hacienda. Quietly he sneaked to the fireplace in the library and pushed the hidden button that allowed him access to Diego's secret cave. The sudden silence surrounding him made his ears throb and he quickly made his way into the main part of the cave. For a while he just stood at the top of the stairs and stared at the equipment Diego usually used for his experiments. After a while he walked over to the large wooden desk of his father and sat down in his chair. Closing his eyes he caressed the smooth dark wood with his fingertips and conjured up images of Diego working tirelessly in this very cave, constantly trying to find either new ways of helping the people in the pueblo or new gadgets that would aid him in his fight against injustice.
However, the memories were bittersweet since Felipe still didn't know where Diego was. There'd been no word from his adoptive father for more than two weeks now and he didn't know how for much longer he could stand the uncertainty and constant sorrow about Diego. What frightened him even more was the fact that Toronado was also missing. Usually, whenever Zorro was in trouble, the black stallion would find his way back home and come to Felipe for help, but he had also vanished.
Felipe heaved a frustrated sigh and got out of Diego's chair in order to leave the cave, when he heard the familiar sound of the secret entrance to the cave being opened. With eyes and mouth wide open in anticipation he ran towards the horse box within the cave, eagerly awaiting Diego and Toronado. He didn't have to wait for long.
Almost immediately the black stallion appeared out of the darkness and whinnied affectionately when he saw Felipe. The young man smiled at the large horse, but couldn't hold back a gasp of surprise when he noticed that Diego was not on Toronado's back. The horse's saddle and bridles were also missing and panic was beginning to rise within Felipe when he discovered a rolled up piece of parchment dangling loosely from a stripe of black silk that had been woven into the horse's mane. With shaky hands Felipe freed the parchment put it in his pocket and rushed to get Toronado a bucket of oats and some fresh water before he retreated to the desk where he sat down and unrolled the letter.
My dear Felipe,
I must apologize for not sending word sooner. I know how worried you must be and it troubles me deeply to know that I am putting you through so much emotional turmoil.
Two weeks ago I got into an ambush. A group of six bandidos attacked me. I was shot and Toronado threw me. My death would have been inevitable if it hadn't been to a most generous senora who has saved my life. Unfortunately my spinal column was also hurt which left me in a state of paralysis. Whether this is a temporary condition or not remains to be seen.
This is also the reason why it is impossible for me to return to the pueblo as soon as I would like to. Without any feelings in my lower extremities I am bound to stay in bed.
Even though Senora Ana is taking care of me in the most splendid way, I do miss you, my son. I suppose we both always knew that such an unforeseen turn of events might occur, but it is always a surprise when it actually happens.
For now I am safe, rest assured of it. I cannot tell you where I am, since I don't really know, but Toronado will find his way back here. Senora Ana has kindly agreed that you can join Toronado should you wish to do so.
Please be safe.
Love, Diego
zZzZz
The first rays of sunlight were beginning to illuminate the small bedroom when Diego's eyes slowly fluttered open. For the first time in quite a while he had slept well. No nightmares had been haunting him in his sleep and for a moment he pondered whether he should go back to sleep. As in the previous couple of nights Ana had once again snuggled up against him and was sleeping soundly, with her head resting on his chest. He had his arm around her, holding her to himself in quite a protective way. A smile crossed his face as he was listening to her hardly audible snoring. An early morning rarely ever held such peace for him and he closed his eyes and cherished the innocence and beauty of these fleeting moments.
About half an hour later Ana stirred and Diego placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head. Ana needed a moment or two to contemplate her surroundings and when she realized that she had yet again come that close to him, she was ready to jump out. But Diego held her back, however without depriving her of a chance to flee, if she really wanted to.
"Don't go just yet," he whispered pleadingly. "Your warmth puts my troubled mind more at ease than any words ever could." And with a smirk he added "Even though your feet are quite cold."
"What did you just say?" Despite his plea to lie next to him for a few more moments, she sat up and stared down at him. Diego was confused.
"What did I just say indeed?" he asked her, giving her a puzzled look.
"Diego," Ana almost shouted as she looked at him in amazement. "How would you know that my feet are cold if you didn't feel it?"
"Well, I suppose I wouldn't," he admitted still not quite sure where she was going with this.
"You felt it!" she exclaimed with excitement. Suddenly wide awake she literally jumped out of bed and quickly walked around it to his side. Without so much as a warning, she lifted the covers and using her fingernail she scratched along the line of his shinbone.
"Hey, that hurts!" he complained before it dawned on him why she'd become so excited all of a sudden. "That hurts!" he repeated himself, but his words were betrayed by the huge smile on his face.
"You will walk again, Diego!" she smiled back at him and before she knew it, she had put a tender kiss on his forehead. When she realized what she'd just done, she immediately blushed several shades of red. However, when Diego tried to get out of bed, she held him back. "Slow down," she scolded and raised an eyebrow as she looked at him. "Just because the feeling has returned to your legs doesn't mean that you have regained full use of them just yet. The lump pressing against your spine is still there and it will take some time for it to completely vanish."
"But it will eventually be gone, right?" Diego tried to reassure himself.
"Yes. But make no mistake, Diego. You won't simply get out of bed one morning and start walking around as though nothing has ever happened. It will take time for your muscles to regain their strength and it will be a painful process. I really don't want to frighten you, but I also have no intentions of lying to you."
"It doesn't matter," Diego said his face suddenly grim. "I will walk again. And I will find the men who did this to me and bring them to justice."
AN: Thank you all so much for your reviews. It makes writing this story even more fun than it already is, even though I have to admit that some chapters are quite difficult to write. I am glad that you enjoy this little story of mine.
Thank you also for your continued support katie1999, calamity carol, jblevins0927, jkl88, ABlape and mychakk. It is greatly appreciated and means a lot to me.
N-girl: no, I haven't forgotten you. ;-) Just tell me one thing. Why the sudden change of heart? I thought Ana was too old to be romantically involved with Diego. I'm not saying there'll be any romance between the two of them (there might be - or maybe not). I was just wondering. ;-)
