A/N: Tried to make the chapters fairly short for ease of reading, and they build one block upon another, with, I hope, some interesting side trips and relationship building. Patience is a virtue and I believe the story will reward you in the end. There are lots of things to address and talk about during the 10-11 days after the death of Risendo. Suspicions abound…but…

A/N2: Also – the multiple "Zs" tell you at the end of which day it is after the Discovery. For instance, at the end of Chapter 10, there are three "Zs". It's 3 days.

A/N3: I am now a Zorro beta reader, if anyone is interested…send me a message.

CHAPTER TEN – Communication Begins

Later that night, Alejandro sat with a sleeping Diego. The older man was also sleeping, head cocked to one side, his elbows on the arms of the chair and his hands folded on his chest. Diego woke up and watched his father sleeping. His expression was one of love, yet regret. Father, Diego thought, I regret not telling you my secret, but I can't yet. I so love you Father. You are my hero. But I just can't bring myself to share my deepest secret with you. Not yet. There has to be a 'right' time – but I don't know when that is. I hope I will be able to recognize it when it comes.

"Father. Father?" said Diego with a voice hoarse from sleep and from being thirsty. He stretched out his left hand to touch his father's knee.

Alejandro stretched and worked his muscle kinks out. He looked at his son and saw he was awake. "Ah, Diego, you're awake again."

"I feel like all I do is sleep…could you get me a drink of water?"

"Of course, my son."

Alejandro got up and stretched again. He walked to the end table and poured a glass of water from a small pitcher. He handed the cup to Diego, who raised himself up on his pillows and took a drink.

Alejandro decided to try the direct approach, wondering what kind of reaction he'd get.

"Diego, I feel there are too many things left unsaid. I have this feeling that you are not telling me everything, beginning with the plaza the other day. I understand you can't tell me everything at once, but can you tell me something?"

"What would you like to know?" He took another drink. Inwardly, he was cringing. Outwardly, he was trying to appear nonchalant.

"I know this may be difficult, but let's start by talking a little about our feelings regarding the other day. I know how it feels to have lost a son, but how do you feel about losing a brother?"

Diego sighed with relief. I can talk about this, he thought. "I'm very upset about it, Father. It's hard to explain, but as soon as Gilberto said that I 'sensed it all along,' some feelings I had – became clearer."

"What feelings?" Alejandro took the cup from Diego and set it back on the table.

"For days after he came to the pueblo, I felt intense hostility and resentment towards him, close to hatred. I've never 'hated' anyone, but with Gilberto…I came close. He'd done so many things against us – for no apparent reason. I couldn't understand him, and I couldn't understand why I felt that way. Why I felt hatred towards someone I hardly knew. Felipe said he thinks it's a 'twin' thing, once he knew.

"A 'twin' thing?" Alejandro looked at Diego questioningly.

"I've done some reading about twins, and of course, we know some. Some twins have remarkable invisible mental and spiritual connections. There were twins in Corsica, Italy, who felt each other's pain when they were separated by many miles. In other cases, there was just 'intuition' that their twin was either in trouble or had some kind of event of high impact. Or they'd be thinking of each other at a certain time on a certain day, and one would get a letter from the other that day. If they lived close enough, one would go visit the other."

"That is remarkable. So, you 'sensed' some things about Gilberto?"

"Remember when we were talking in the tavern after he seized the hacienda and bank accounts? It didn't make sense for him to do that. Remember I said he was after 'more than money.' Felipe said he witnessed a conversation between Lieutenant Hidalgo and Gilberto when they were here in the hacienda. He said Gilberto knew 'there was more to' 'me' than 'met the eye' about the same time I said 'he's after more than money.'"

Alejandro sat back in the chair and looked at Diego. "That's amazing son."

Diego began to feel uncomfortable about sharing too much, so he thought he'd turn the tables. He appreciated that they were communicating better than they had for months, maybe even years, but Diego wasn't quite ready to give up the Zorro secret yet, so he deflected.

"Yes, well…uh – Father, how do you feel?"

Alejandro sighed, and shook his head. He too appreciated the way he and Diego were trying to get along and communicate better. He still had many unanswered questions, but he didn't want to push too hard. Alejandro saw the deflection, and went along with it. He realized that there were just some things about Diego he would have to learn later. The important thing was to keep cool, and communicate. Keep him talking, by sharing with him, as well.

"The other day, I was so angry with Senora Risendo I could hardly see straight. I think I'm still in some kind of shock. To think that she planned all this for years – I just can't understand that kind of hatred. I knew she was bitter, jealous and angry because she couldn't have children of her own…but I never in my wildest dreams would have suspected she would steal someone's child, my child, just because life had given her none. She had to have been insane to do that. I think she chose our family because she knew there were going to be twins, and because we were rich. She plotted to take one, then cover it up, and get 'revenge' later. Revenge because she was poor? I don't know. I just can't understand it."

Diego looked at his father with great sympathy in his eyes. "Nor can I."

Diego sighed deeply. "Father, thank you for sharing with me." Diego shivered. "Is there a fire in the fireplace? I'm freezing!" With every chill, he inadvertently pulled his arm to him, and grimaced each time.

Alejandro checked Diego's forehead. "Son, your fever has gone up! You're hot!"

Diego shivered, put his hand to his head, and wished he could spare his father more pain. "I'm sorry Father. Once this fever breaks, I'll get well quickly. I know I will." He stopped short of saying, "I always do." Father wouldn't understand that, and I'm not ready to explain, he thought.

Alejandro put his hand on Diego's shoulder. "Son, you just rest. Don't worry. You're going to be just fine. We're here for you son."

"Thank you Father." Another chill wracked him. "And yes, Father…we'll be all right. We really will, you'll see."

Diego lay back on the pillows and even though chilled, fell asleep quickly. His sleep was restless. Alejandro again looked with amazement.

Alejandro muttered to himself again. "My son is sick, yet he tries to cheer me up! I will know get to you, my son. I will."

Alejandro sat down again in the chair and got ready for a long night.

ZZZ

TBC