Author's Note: So I'm warning you now. Don't get mad because this chapter ends rather…abruptly. If you don't want an abrupt end, don't read this chapter. Wait. This is just three short glimpses to set up the end.

This story ends this week, for good or ill. If I don't finish it tomorrow, it will be done by Tuesday night, I swear to you all. This story got away from me several places, I guess that's a beginner's mistake. I might even re-write it…but if I break it into different stories and delete chapters I lose the reviews, right? So I'm not sure.

Thanks to everyone who stuck with me. I hope you will take the time to let me know what they thought, or look me up on Facebook.

zzz

Mendoza tugged at his collar. His uniform wasn't so comfortable anymore. He looked around the pueblo which had become his home. He'd never had a home before he came to Los Angeles. He took a seat in front of the cuartel gates and watched as people walked around doing their business. Their business. He opened his jacket a little bit so he could pull out the papers Victoria had given him. He ran a finger over the blank line Victoria wanted him to sign. All the words made sense to him. Victoria and Diego had sat down in their library and patiently explained every paragraph. Victoria and Diego also asked questions, and they never made him feel ignorant or undeserving. Diego had even understood that it was a big decision, and said he had time to think it over.

"Mendoza!"

He turned toward the alcalde's closed door. The alcalde was a different matter. Mendoza carefully folded the papers and put them away for safe keeping. He stopped when Amanda came out to the tavern porch to talk to some customers. She waved at him and Mendoza couldn't help but smile. She had been married before, and still had so much love to share. She was a special woman, and Victoria was right. He was falling in love with her. She was so confident, but always listened when other people were talking. He'd had some pretty bad ideas when he'd started helping her in the kitchen, but she never made him feel bad or stupid. She found joy in the smallest flower or a huge cliff…she'd let him escort her to the ocean and they'd spent the entire afternoon walking along the rocks and talking. She took pride in a job well done but she said everything you experience—good or bad—is a chance to learn or to make the world better. She made every moment count, as she said, and he loved her for it. He had never met anyone with such a positive attitude all the time.

He jumped when his name was called again, and stroked a hand over his jacket where his chance rested. The alcalde would have a pen he could use. He loved the army. The lancers had been his family for twenty years. The army would be fine without him. Now he wanted to take care of Amanda. Maybe Amanda would like to see the ocean again tonight in the moonlight?

DeSoto sat down at his desk as Mendoza came in, and the sergeant apologized for the delay. Mendoza didn't get a chance to ask for a pen.

"You were in the tavern when Zorro came," DeSoto said.

"Si, alcalde."

"Did you even try to arrest him?" DeSoto sighed.

Mendoza sat down and thought about how supportive Diego, Victoria and Amanda were. Did he really want to listen to DeSoto say mean things about his friend?

"Alcalde, he was sad. Victoria wasn't very nice to him. She pushed him down on the ground. You cannot arrest a man when he's down like that."

"That's precisely when you need to get him, you incompetent fool! He escaped. Now we have to think of something else. I don't suppose you have any ideas." DeSoto sat back in his chair. "I doubled the men on the roof and moved them to new positions."

DeSoto stroked his chin as he eyed the wanted poster with Zorro's face on it. "Is it true he came to apologize?" DeSoto looked back to Mendoza when he got no response. He sat up happily when Mendoza carefully nodded. "But that's good, don't you see? It means he still cares for her."

Mendoza looked up at the alcalde with wide eyes, his heart sinking. "But Victoria is getting married. She is living at the De La Vega hacienda now. What does that matter?"

DeSoto narrowed his eyes at his sergeant. "You've spent a lot of time at the tavern recently. Maybe you don't care about catching Zorro anymore. Feel bad for him, Sergeant? Think he should be pardoned?"

Mendoza rubbed at a dull ache in his chest when he saw the suspicion in the alcalde's eyes. He took a deep breath and hoped he sounded convincing. "No! Zorro is an outlaw. I'm sure we can think of a new plan together. He is sad. He will be easy to catch now."

DeSoto watched the sergeant closely for several moments, and Mendoza forced himself to not look away. "Very well. Without Don Alejandro and Victoria helping him, maybe you're right."

"Or maybe he will leave," Mendoza suggested.

"One can only dream, Mendoza."

Mendoza thought of the papers in his pocket, and he agreed. Maybe all Diego and Victoria's trouble wouldn't be wasted though. They could just cross out his name and put Amanda's. He would not abandon his friends.

zzz

Amanda slapped Sebastian's hand when he reached underneath a towel to steal a cookie. She grinned at his reaction when he looked like an injured little boy again. Her grin didn't last, however, and she walked back to stand by the curtain and look out into the tavern. Sebastian stole a cookie anyway and came to put an arm around his aunt as he took a big bite. The tavern was slow at this time of day, but he saw Mendoza sitting alone over in the corner. He took a step to the side to look at Amanda's face.

"What are you doing in here guarding cookies? I thought you liked the man."

She was sorry now that she hadn't thought to hide her feelings. Sebastian didn't need to take on her troubles. "I'm not sure."

"Did he say something? He doesn't look too happy," Sebastian observed as the sergeant stared into his drink. No pie, no enchiladas, and he was staring into his glass not drinking. Sebastian had learned the good sergeant liked to eat and drink. "He's not eating?"

"No. He came in to ask if I knew when Diego was planning on coming back. I guess he went out to the hacienda to see him but he was gone. He wouldn't tell me what he wanted to talk about, though."

"But he's supposed to talk to you. I thought he liked you." Amanda shrugged. "Do I need to go make him apologize for something?"

Amanda smiled. "No. Something's troubling him. You're right, though. I wish he'd talk to me about it."

Sebastian gave his aunt a squeeze and headed into the tavern. Before he got too far, Amanda grabbed his shoulder and stole the rest of the cookie back. "I told you to leave the cookies alone. You haven't eaten lunch yet."

"So go make me some lunch! What do you think I came in here for? All you had for me was cookies. Really, Aunt Amanda. Look at me, I'm wasting away!" He ducked before she could swat him. At least she was smiling again when she went back into the kitchen. Amanda piled extra broccoli on Sebastian's plate for the cookie theft. She knew he'd eat it so he wouldn't hurt her feelings, though it was probably his least favorite food in the world. She also added two cookies. He was a grown man after all. So was Mendoza. She added two more cookies.

When she went out into the tavern, though, Sebastian and Mendoza were both gone. Alejandro and Rafael found her several minutes later, sitting alone at the table staring at a tray full of uneaten food.

Zzz

Diego enjoyed the breeze as he raced ahead of Felipe, Ramon and Francisco into the pueblo. Sebastian had been missing again this morning, and Victoria was being secretive lately. He'd taken her brothers out to play instead. He decided Diego didn't need the limp anymore so the cane was at home. He'd also left Esperanza at home. He'd rekindled his love of riding with Sebastian around all the time, and he hadn't been able to choose the more docile mare Diego usually rode when he left the hacienda this morning. He was already tying his stallion to the post in front of The Guardian office by the time Francisco, then Felipe and Ramon caught up to him. They'd all come to an understanding. Ramon understood that if he gave Victoria any more attitude, Diego would take him apart piece by piece.

Francisco had been impressed with some of the experiments Diego had shown him since his arrival. They had ridden around looking at caves and plants and made some things explode—they had a grand time. Somewhere in between all that, both brothers had wanted to test his steel. Just like in Madrid, he met every challenge with enthusiasm. Ramon's pants were a little dirty and he probably had a few bruises from Diego's enthusiasm, but they'd had fun. Francisco had spent the time learning. He'd already fought and lost to Zorro years ago, so he knew better than his brother. Diego was a good teacher, and had promised to fence with him again soon.

Diego was being himself more and more, and he'd started to worry that he wouldn't want to act at all, even around the alcalde. Somewhere along the line he'd gotten sidetracked from harsh reality when his friend had come to visit, but Diego had found a new resolve today. He was done living in fear, along with the people of Los Angeles. He had Ramon and Francisco, Sebastian and Rafael. Mendoza was on the inside of the military, and Rafael was secretly at the top of it. Alejandro lead the caballeros, Victoria was a leader of the people. He was also going to find Sebastian and tell him his time was up with whatever secret he was avoiding. He was done risking Victoria's safety, and there were going to be big changes before, not after, his wedding. Zorro was a part of his past.

So was DeSoto.