Diego realised he was on dangerous ground, as soon as Victoria put her arms around his neck to pull him closer. He had leaned over her, gently positioning her on the floor. He sighed, and kissed her some more, but he focused on the pain in the ankle, instead of her sweet soft lips, and her soft skin. He gradually sat himself up, and glanced away from her to calm himself down.

"Diego?"

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I forgot myself for a moment."

She opened her eyes and sighed. She realised that they were in a strange and compromising position, and she sat up hurriedly.

"We both did," she said after a moment to clear her head. "We need to concentrate on your ankle for a while. And the next step in getting out of here."

Diego positioned his ankle on a rock, and tried to make himself comfortable. Victoria smiled at him.

"I'll get the blanket."

"What time do you think it is?"

"Late…"

"My father will be worried," Diego said with concern.

"You didn't think of that when you ran away," Victoria said with a frown.

"I did, actually, but I always justified my actions as being the best for everyone concerned."

"They weren't," Victoria said sternly. "Some people thought you were dead."

"I know," Diego breathed, remembering Felipe's tears. "I was cruel and unthinking…"

"You were grieving. You shouldn't have tried to be alone. Grief makes us vulnerable. You needed us, and you ran away."

"I was doing everything wrong," Diego murmured.

"So? Everyone has days like that, weeks like that. What makes you anymore wrong than anyone else, Don Diego?"

He smiled a little. "I am two men, so I was doubly wrong."

"No one else's fault but your own," she grumbled. "You should have admitted your identity a long time ago. It's just lucky that I seem to love both of you equally. It's easier to forgive you," Victoria added with a sigh.

She draped the thin blanket over him, and sat next to him. He flipped the blanket over her legs as well.

"It's going to be a cold night, Victoria. The offshore gales and breezes will chill us if we're not careful. The cloudless sky won't give much relief either. I won't hurt you, in any way."

"I know that."

"I promise not to touch you either," Diego said seriously. "My word, as a de la Vega. I take my promises seriously."

"No kissing?"

"How could I keep my promise if there is too much temptation?" Diego asked, gently. "You are the love of my life, querida, and you are not to tempt me right now."

"You loved Zafina before me. You were going to marry her."

"Yes," Diego admitted softly. "But I didn't."

"You thought she was the love of your life back then."

"I grew up and realised what I wanted, who I needed."

"You need me?"

Diego sighed, and brushed a curl from her face. "More than anything, more than life, I need you."

She snuggled against him contentedly. "I like that, Diego. I need your friendship, your love." Diego gently draped an arm around her, to hold her near him.

He wondered if he was bending his newly made promise. She didn't care, and it felt right. He needed to keep himself friendly but not overly so. She felt warm and safe in his arms, and he could feel her heart beating, a little faster than normal, but it was a comfort.

"Do you think we need to stay awake, Diego?"

"In case of dangers?"

"Yes. Could there be bandits up here? Or bears or something?"

Diego wondered about that for a moment, and shook his head. "No, go to sleep. I'll watch for dangers."

"You need sleep as well. That gash on your arm is nasty too."

"Not too bad. The man was an expert with a pistol, and he just wanted to take me down a peg, that was all."

"He could have killed you," she whispered.

"He didn't, Victoria." He shifted down a little more, and she laid her head on his chest as a pillow.

She could hear the thudding of his heart, and realised it had sped up a little as she had shifted more on top of his body.

"Is there a shirt in that bag? I think our rescuers may be a little disgusted with my attire," he murmured into her hair, thinking that their situation would be shocking to anyone watching or discovering them. He didn't know how long they could control themselves, especially with him already half dressed. Perhaps it had been a bad move on his part.

"Maybe," she whispered. The humour in her voice made him smile. She relaxed against him, and he knew that she had fallen asleep.

"Good. I can change when I wake up then." He yawned, and relaxed gradually. He didn't think he would sleep – the throbbing in his ankle was irritating and painful. He slowly fell into a deep sleep, snuggled up against Victoria.

Zzz

Alejandro paced the alcalde's office with increasing frustration.

"Capitan Destara," he said, turning to the officer. "Diego went to school with you. You were friends. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"We've already done what we can, Don Alejandro. I was sent on a mission to eradicate the bank robbers of Monterey, and my responsibility is to return the survivors to that precinct to face court and execution or imprisonment. I just do not have the time to help with this matter."

Destara turned to the alcalde. "Ignacio, you do have the authority to deal with this matter. Take command."

"I do not have the man power or the finances to mount such a risky rescue operation, Capitan. Knowing Diego, he probably was killed in the first cave in. There have been subsequent ones since. It makes it difficult to manage a safe extraction. When the environment stops being so reactive, we can retrieve the bodies."

"They could still be alive in there," Alejandro said desperately.

Isabella appeared at his side.

"Senora, take Don Alejandro home. There is nothing anyone can do," the alcalde said softly. Isabella took Alejandro's arm, and Alejandro patted it thoughtfully, as she guided him out the door.

"Do you think Diego is dead, Isabella?"

"No, Diego is unpredicatable and clever. If anyone could survive that cave in, it would be him."

"Do you love him, senora?"

"Love Diego?"

"Yes," Alejandro said, watching her face avidly. "You have spent a lot of time with him. The children love him."

"I love Francisco, and I always will. I'm afraid that I can't change that."

"I know the feeling, senora. I am still in love with Elena. I feel that Diego is probably in love with Victoria, although I could be wrong. I think he is Zorro," he whispered.

She nodded. She knew he was Zorro, and had known for a long time.

"Love is painful, and I wish it was unnecessary or easy to give up…but it's not."

"Come," Alejandro said softly. "I will buy you a fine lunch, and this time it will be with my money."

She laughed, and shook her head gently. "How will I continue to be independent, if you are always trying to buy me things, Alejandro?"

"Let me, just today. If I do this for you, perhaps I will enjoy myself a little. Then I can think about how to help my son."

She sighed. "Very well, senor. But remember, just this once. I am as wealthy as you, and I need no charity."

"It's not charity, senora. It's friendship."

"Then I must do likewise tomorrow."

"A lady doesn't pay for a gentleman's lunch," he said sternly.

"And why not?"

"Because it isn't done."

"This is not Madrid, senor. I am not a debutante, I am a widow. Different rules apply, I believe."