Chapter 37

An hour later Diego came into the library where his father was sitting at a table, bent over some paperwork. Alejandro put the papers away and looked around to face his son.

"Where's Victoria? Is she coming too?"

"I don't know. Maybe she went back to bed. She doesn't like to be startled out of her sleep and it takes her some time to get fully awake." Diego explained. "I guess she'll join us soon."

Alejandro raised an eyebrow how Diego would know these details about a sleepy Victoria, but suppressed his comment.

"Sit down, Diego," he pointed at the chair in front of him. "Now I want to hear your story. I realized that you did a lot more than working on your science. Did you even spent some time on experiments?"

"No, none at all. I never had time," Diego confessed, sitting down.

"Then what the hell did you do all those months you were gone? When did you meet Victoria? And what about that Mateo you killed yesterday? When did you fight him? Why did you get involved in a fight at all?"

"It's a long story, Father," Diego stated.

"I'm willing to listen and I don't want to hear any half truths. I want to hear all of your adventures. I came to believe that there were adventures?" Alejandro looked at Diego inquiring.

"Yes, there were adventures, more than I wanted," Diego sighed. "I had some differences with Victoria when I thought that she'd never love me and I needed to get away from Los Angeles for some time to think about my future. I decided to investigate in the missing women that were abducted from the mission in San Antonio."

"Why you, Diego? Why did you not leave it to the officials? Because you wanted a story for your newspaper?"

"I did it, because I could." Diego said confidently. "The officials weren't able to bring back the women and I had gotten some valuable information."

"What kind of information?"

"Indians told me what they had seen and knew about the abductions," Diego explained.

"Indians? What would they know and how can you trust them?" Alejandro asked doubtfully.

"That's just the attitude that kept the officials from gathering all available information. They don't trust the Indians and the Indians don't trust any officials."

"But the Indians trust you?" Alejandro asked, surprised.

"Yes," Diego stated simply. "I helped them before and I learned to speak their language." He started to explain what he had learned about the traveling vaqueros that had been seen at the abductions and how he had decided to go undercover.

Alejandro wanted to interrupt him and ask questions, surprised by the confidence his son showed, but then he simply listened as Diego talked about the time it took him to grow a beard and pose as a traveling vaquero.

"You worked as a vaquero? That's one of the hardest work around the ranch." Alejandro said respectfully. "I never knew you were such a good horseman, Diego. I can't imagine you wearing a beard to disguise yourself."

"It worked quite well," Diego grinned. "Not even Victoria recognized me at first, but she didn't like it at all. It tickled."

"It tickled? When? How?" It took a moment for Alejandro to understand. "Oh, I see. You kissed her. When and how did you meet Victoria?"

Diego told him about the day he became a full member of the gang and his shock to see Victoria among the prisoners. "She was badly injured and I was afraid she'd die if she didn't get immediate medical attention," Diego explained.

"What could you do without blowing your cover?" Alejandro understood Diego's dilemma.

Diego explained how he had claimed Victoria for himself and Alejandro looked at him shocked. "How could you do that, Diego? And to Victoria?"

"Do you think I actually took her, Father? Don't you think you raised me better?"

"Then you didn't?" Alejandro asked, relieved.

"No, of course not, Father! If I had made her mine I wouldn't have been better than Mateo who was looking for a chance to rape her. Victoria was injured and needed my help. I would never force myself on her."

"I'm sorry, Diego. I should never have doubted you," Alejandro apologized, expressing his respect for his son.

"You can trust Diego, Don Alejandro," Victoria assured him who had entered the library, overhearing the last words. With a smile Victoria sat down in the chair next to Diego's and slipped her hand in his. "We never crossed that line."

Diego continued his tale how he had saved Victoria from Mateo and fought with him.

"After that we talked and sorted out our feelings for each other," Victoria explained, not going into details. "I love Sebastián will all my heart!"

"Sebastián?" Alejandro asked, confused.

"I used my second name as my cover name," Diego explained.

"Is that the reason why you call him Sebastián sometimes, Victoria?"Alejandro asked and she nodded."It makes sense if Diego is Sebastián and I also understand now what Mateo said to Diego before he died."

Alejandro began to realize what Diego and Victoria had been through when Diego related how he had to leave Victoria behind in order to ride to Monterey and alarm the authorities. Victoria talked about the ship that had come too early, the efforts to delay it, hoping to be saved in time.

Diego didn't say much about his return with the soldiers when he had to realize that he was too late, but Alejandro could see in his face how much the memory pained him. Alejandro thought it must have been the worst moment, but Diego continued to tell about the fight on board of the slave ship when he had desperately tried to save Victoria.

"It was horrible," Victoria whispered. "I thought I would drown and the water was rising minute by minute and I couldn't breathe anymore. If it weren't for Diego, I'd be dead," she cried.

"I thought you were dead when I saw you floating motionless under water," Diego confessed, running his hand across his face as he relived the scene. Victoria put her hand in Diego's again and he held it in both of his hands, not letting it go anymore.

Alejandro realized how close they had escaped death and that they were still shocked by everything they went through.

When Diego had composed himself again, he told how they had gotten back to Monterey and the honors the governor had bestowed on him, before they had returned to Los Angeles.

"Now you know everything that happened," Diego finished his tale, leaning back in his seat, and Alejandro only stared at him, shocked and hurt.

"Why Diego? Why didn't you tell me it before?" Alejandro asked. "Why couldn't you tell me everything on your return? Why did you keep it a secret from me? Why did you tell me all those lies about your studies? You could have died more than once and if I had lost you I wouldn't even have known what had happened to you! Why Diego? Why didn't you trust me? I'm your father, doesn't that mean anything to you anymore?"

Diego had never seen his father so hurt before. "I'm sorry, Father. I hope you'll forgive me, but there was a reason and it's not because I don't trust you or don't love you. Something I haven't told you yet."

"What else is there? I thought I knew you, but now I realize that you're a complete stranger to me!" Alejandro asked, depressed.

"Remember when that evening when I said there was something I needed to tell you and you joked about me losing my head?" Diego asked.

"Yes, I do. You got me very worried that night and I couldn't imagine what you had done," Alejandro stated. "What has this to do with it? You became a hero in Monterey. Why could you lose your head about it? You did nothing wrong. You did more than I believed you were able to do."

"Yes, that's the point, Father. You never thought I could do all this. I made you believe that I was a fool, only interested in my studies and unable to fight or find my way."

"Yes, I can see now that you deceived me all the years. Why Diego?"

"Because I'm Zorro, and I needed to keep you and Victoria safe."

"You are Zorro?" Alejandro stared at him, but it no longer surprised him. It only made sense.

"Do you understand now, Father?" Diego pledged his forgiveness. "If I had told you what happened after my return, you would have treated me differently and the alcalde would have become suspicious. Like you, he would have drawn the correct conclusions and hung me as Zorro and you and Victoria beside me. I couldn't risk that."

"You used me as your cover, Diego? Me? Your father?" Alejandro felt even more hurt.

"I did it to keep you safe, Father. Did you think it was easy for me to hear your reproaches every day? To see your disappointment in your useless son?" Diego showed his own hurt.

"Diego didn't tell me either, Don Alejandro. He used me as well, and I know how that hurts. He only told me after he could no longer hide his true self from me at the bandit's hideout." Victoria added.

"Diego didn't tell you either?"Alejandro asked her. "All these years as Zorro?"

Victoria shook her head. "No, but I forgave him."

"Father, it was the most difficult thing I ever had to do. To hide from you and Victoria. Will you forgive me?" Diego asked, kneeling be his chair.

"I think I will, Diego, but give me a little time. There's so much I learned today and nothing is the same anymore. Everything I believed about you is wrong and I need time to think about it." Alejandro rose from his chair and embraced Diego who responded the gesture. "I love you, son. I am happy that you're here and alive and that's what counts. Forgive me my hurting remarks." Alejandro wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Always, Father." Diego had tears in his eyes too.

Alejandro released his son and headed for the door. "I'll go for a ride. Don't wait for me!"

"Do you think he will be all right, Diego? Shouldn't you go after him?" Victoria asked.

"He needs time, but I believe he will come back when he had time to think about everything." Diego stated.