Felipe would have stayed there, basking in the sun. He was tired, scared and he also felt guilty. If the two of them had gone through what they had gone through, it was because he had not been able to carry his task properly. Diego, however, knew that they were not the only persons who had been trapped in the mine. He couldn't leave them there to die. Besides they couldn't count on two very important things: the ability to run, because Felipe appeared truly to be exhausted, and horses.
They walked as fast as they could, both in silence. Suddenly, Felipe found the courage to ask: 'Am I in trouble? Are you angry with me?'
Diego smiled. 'I'm too relieved that you are not only alive, but also well that I can't possibly be angry with you right now. But we'll need to talk about a few things tonight. The first one will be why on earth did you enter a collapsing mine? – he looked at Felipe, who was looking down and patted his shoulder.- But we have a more urgent matter right now. Save your breath, Felipe . We still have a long way to go…' Felipe nodded. He was afraid he had disappointed Diego. He didn't want to!
At last they got to the cave. As soon as they were in, Felipe let himself drop onto the hay and watched as Diego turned himself into Zorro. Diego's mind was totally into saving the men still trapped in the cave, but Felipe thought at how things had gone differently just a few hours before. Now lives were truly at stake, before it had been like a game, at least for him. When Diego mounted the stallion Felipe asked to go with him. He was afraid of letting the caballero go alone. He had explosives with him and the boy was really afraid it would be the last time he would see his father alive.
'No, you must stay here. You cannot be seen with Zorro –said Diego. He couldn't risk the child's life again – Give me my other clothes. If all goes well, I'll soon need to appear as Don Diego.'
As the boy handed him the bundle of clothing, Diego couldn't help feeling sorry for his virtual son's anxious look. He smiled and thanked him, than he raised his thumb and wished himself success. Felipe smiled, but his eyes still looked fearful, as Zorro turned to leave. Suddenly Diego had a second thought and came back. 'Felipe, get something to eat then get a bath and change into clean clothing. We can't risk anyone to think you were in the mine with Zorro.' Reluctanctly, Felipe nodded and went up to the living room.
María, the head help and the one who had always had a maternal role both with Diego and Felipe, almost gasped when she saw the boy in her kitchen. Even before talking she put her hand onto the boy's forehead. 'What the heck happened to you? You look frightened and you positively reek. ' Felipe shook his head and signed he was only tired and needed something to eat. He had just been playing with some friends. The middle aged woman, who was as good as Diego at reading Felipe's language, gave him the benefit of the doubt and gave the boy some bread and some fruit juice, then, as he ate, she went and prepared his bath. She perfectly knew Felipe was treated by the De La Vegas as a caballero, almost, so she treated him the same way. Even though Felipe hated it, she stayed by him as he took his bath, occasionally showering him with more warm water. She couldn't help to notice bruises and a few scratches in the child's back and proceeded to clean them, much to the boy's protests. The liquid she poured on the little injuries stung and he hadn't expected to feel pain. He had been too worried about Diego, to worry about what was happening in his set of rooms. María picked Felipe's chin so that he looked into her eyes. 'Won't you tell your dear María what's troubling you? Have you done some kind of mischief? DO you think you are in trouble with the patrons? Do you need some cover? I've covered for you and for señor Diego so often, I don't really mind going on.' Felipe shook his head violently. He was in no trouble at all, he just was tired from too much rough playing. María ruffled Felipe's hair and handed him a warm towel, asking the boy to come out of the water before it got too cold. Felipe wrapped himself and, as María, went out with the tub, he rubbed himself dried and put clean clothes on. Then he went to the library and pretended to read. What he actually was doing, though, was looking out of the window to wait for Diego, who was not coming home apparently. Suddenly María appeared to lay the table for dinner. She looked at Felipe reading and came to him. She gently shook him and Felipe jumped. 'Are you still sure nothing happened?', she asked him in a worried look. Felipe nodded again. 'I've already washed your smelly cloth. I won't say a word.' The boy thanked her and she went back to the dining table she was supposed to prepare. Felipe ran after her and hugged her tight. Since he seldom did that any longer, it confirmed her that something had happened, but respected the boy's wish to keep that a secret.
The boy resumed his nervous reading. Suddenly, at last, he heard hoof beats. Diego was coming home. He left the book fall and ran out of the front door right as Diego, smiling, rode up to the gate and dismounted to announce the operation had been a total success. He walked toward Felipe to hug him, when the look on the child, and the fact that the boy pointed to something behind Diego, startled him. Then Felipe grabbed his arm and Diego, finally, turned. Gray Wing was riding up to the hacienda. Diego stopped breathing and refused looking at Felipe. His day was not over, yet, he still had to pretend.