"You wanted to talk to me, Diego?" Don Alejandro asked as he returned to the Governor's office, after his son had asked him to.

"I did, Father." Diego stated, as the two men were standing face-to-face, yet hesitated.

"May I hug you, son?" Don Alejandro asked and it was all the invitation Diego needed to throw his arms around the old don.

"I missed you, Father." He told him.

"Not as much as I missed you, my son! Not as much as I missed you!"

"Felipe pointed out we have a few things to clarify, don't we?"

"We do, Diego. But before that, I need to ask you to forgive this old man for all the times he has hurt you. I never wanted anything more than to see you happy, and all I did was cause you grief!"

"There is nothing to forgive. And if there ever was, it is already forgiven!"

As the two reluctantly let go of each other, Diego guided his father back to the armchairs in which they had been sitting before Felipe had walked into the room with Elena.

"Perhaps we should start with the beginning…Although, it is hard to pinpoint if you think about it." Diego stated. "Zorro, you already know all about, I guess."

"I do. Victoria and I read all your journals!" Don Alejandro confessed.

"You read my journals? Well…I am sorry, Father, but that is unforgivable!" He stated as he rose from his armchair.

"No! Please, Diego, don't be upset. I only did it because I missed you. Please forgive me, son! Surely I have done worst things you said you have already forgiven me for!"

"I was just joking, Father!" He uttered with a grin, taking back his seat. "They were meant to document Zorro's adventures, weren't they? Some do contain passages I'd prefer others didn't read, but, mostly, they are just chronicles. I don't really mind."

"Can you please stop making jokes at a time like this, Diego?" Don Alejandro asked as his temper was rising.

"I can't really help it, Father…It's what I do when I'm nervous. Make jokes…De Soto thought I was funny..."

"Don't you even mention that man! It's because of him that all this happened…"

"No, it isn't. It is because of me. I chose to put on the mask, to hide the truth from those I loved, to put myself in the way of that bullet, to ask Victoria to marry me…I guess that is how all this started, after all…When I asked her to marry me."

"I should have never interfered, Diego, I am so sorry, son!"

"Will you stop apologizing? I am trying to tell you that you did nothing wrong. Or well…You did, but you didn't know and I am responsible for that. I guess we all handled some things wrongly. However, I just had a long conversation with Felipe, and my very clever son just pointed out how everything that went wrong, somehow worked up for the best."

"What do you mean, Diego? All these years, all the sorrow…How was it all for the best?"

"It was for the best because all that grief pales at the mere thought I could have lost Elena forever. Or that, under different circumstances, she might have never even existed…"

"I don't understand…What do you mean, son?"

"Well…first of all, De Soto suspected of me being Zorro after I saved him. Had you and Victoria acted any differently, he would have had his suspicions confirmed, and who knows what he might have done? I could have ended up executed as a traitor to the Spanish Crown. Then, had I never left for Mexico City, Elena would have either never existed or would be dead, you would be either dead or ruined…and where do you think all that would have left me and Victoria? Of course, many things could have gone differently, but, as they stand, all the people I love are alive and well. Happy, I dare say. And the only regret I truly have is not being able to meet my daughter for over two years. Yet, it's a small price to pay if the alternative would have been to lose her forever. Felipe was right when he once reminded me that God works in mysterious ways and I, for one, am grateful for how he directed our paths."

"Diego…You can't really believe that God made us do all the wrong things we've done!"

"What I believe is that God gave us choices and the way we acted, right or wrong, brought us here, and for some reason, as I said, it all worked out for the best. Frankly, there are, indeed, as Felipe pointed out, just too many coincidences, Father! And something tells me there might be more even, which I ignore…Look…even Ruben, whom you know…Felipe just told me he was the one who sent the two men I had hired to go after you, to San Pedro to board the ship, instead of having them wait here for the next one, which would have delayed them but one more day. Had I not found and helped Ruben when he was attacked by bandits, had I not hired him after his crops failed and he lost his farm, had he not followed me to Monterey, things would have turned out differently. Victoria and Juan might have not made it. The same with Miguel: I helped save his life a few months after Elena was born and that, in turn, led to me finding the roots I used to save her, brought me here in time to do it and brought her to me by means of a soldier I helped while looking for Miguel. And Felipe: he encouraged me to teach my students how to react in case of a health emergency after the incident with the dean, and that resulted in two of them saving your life. Had I been in Los Angeles when it happened, who is to say I would have been anywhere near you? My leaving for Mexico City and Felipe's decision to come with me, led to you being here, alive. In turn, the decision you and Victoria took to come find me, led to Elena's birth and all our misunderstandings, me believing Victoria had married another man, the two of you believing I married Isabel, not knowing about my child, all of that just gave me the time and means to find a way to save her, even if I had no idea that was what I was doing. It's like all these pieces of an old Roman mosaic which, taken by themselves, are no more than colored stone, but when put together they form this wonderful picture people have marveled at for ages."

Don Alejandro looked at him in wonder as other examples came to his mind, slowly cementing the point Diego was trying to make: the hacienda burning while they were away: hadn't his men told him he would have probably died in the fire?; him leaving for Mexico City leading to Diego's decision to hire the two men who saved Victoria and Juan; Victoria's decision to take Elena to the fake doctor, thus putting her in the path of the caravan which had brought her to her father.

"You may be right, son…But what now? Your daughter is still illegitimate, although I prefer her to be that, rather than forever gone…"

"Actually…that's one more coincidence, Father…As it turns out, Victoria and I are still married. The Annulment is null due to a procedural matter: I had changed my name before the request was registered – there was some delay, due to God-only-knows what reason -, and the request had been sent on my old name…now that Elena exists, the marriage can't even be nullified."

Don Alejandro remained looking at Diego, open-mouthed, for long enough as to make his son fear a health problem was behind his unresponsiveness.

"Father?" He asked as the older man kept staring right through him.

"Father?" Diego repeated.

"I am fine…It's just…So both Victoria and Elena are De la Vegas?"

"I am actually not sure about that precise aspect. I married Victoria as a De la Vega but changed my name afterward…She didn't, though, and Elena was born to parents bearing different names…I think I should consult Felipe on this specific subject…"

"Yes…Do that…Perhaps find it in your heart to re-become a De la Vega? Nothing would make me prouder, my son!"

ZZZ

"Feipe, up!" Elena asked, hurrying towards her brother after he came out of his father's office and climbed down the stairs leading into the courtyard. He smiled broadly and took her in his arms, raising her on his shoulders, then strolled with her towards her mother. "Tee!" Elena requested and Felipe changed direction towards a tree he knew his sister liked to climb.

"She could fall!" A concerned Victoria cautioned.

"The daughter of Zorro falling from a tree? I doubt that. But, don't worry. I never let her go higher than I can reach her." He assured her with a grin.

"She's also my daughter! And I used to fall from trees all the time when I was a child!" Victoria told him as they were both watching, with some angst as Elena climbed the second-lowest branch in the tree. "It's actually, how Diego and I first met. He was competing with my brothers, climbing the old fig tree in the Mission's garden, and I decided to join the competition. I was just a couple of years older than Elena is now and I managed to injure my leg falling down. Diego heard me scream in pain and forgot all about the race, climbed down, took me in his arms and rushed me home to my parents. He even told them that it had been him who convinced me to climb the tree, just so that I wouldn't get scolded…"

As she was recounting the incident to Felipe, Elena got on another branch and easily pulled herself to the one higher. Felipe saw that she was already too high, so he started climbing after her, while her mother was staring in disbelief as the toddler seemed to have transformed into a cat, easily climbing higher and higher, her brother hardly keeping up with her.

"Elena, that is enough! You need to come down now!" He admonished her, clearly concerned.

The little girl looked back at him and seeing how worried he was, she obeyed, climbing down with the same easiness with which she had climbed up, until, mounted on a branch, Felipe reached her and pulled her into his arms, in a tight embrace. Holding onto her, he carefully climbed back down.

"I am sorry…You were right." He said as he passed his sister to Victoria. "I shouldn't have let her... She usually only climbs one branch."

"That's alright, Felipe." Victoria stated as she put her down, letting her return to running around the courtyard. "I guess it's as you said…she is her father's daughter after all…"

"How come you didn't marry Don Pablo?" He asked her while they were watching the child. "Or anyone else, for that matter?"

"I couldn't. I just couldn't imagine being married to anyone else but Diego. Accepting another man meant, at least in my mind, betraying him. I didn't even care he was with Isabel...Or at least, I thought he was…I just couldn't be unfaithful to him. And I didn't want for Elena to be raised by another man. I always hoped he would want her, despite everything I did…"

"You don't hate him, then?"

"Hate him? How could I hate him? He is the only man I have ever truly loved."

"He said you cried after…after the two of you conceived Elena…"

"He told you? He really can't keep anything secret from you, can he? Well…Yes, I cried! Of course, I cried! He was marrying another woman and I was about to lose him forever."

"So…it was not because he hurt you?"

"Hurt me? He never hurt me! Is that what he thought? He saw me sobbing and…That's why he left like that?" Felipe nodded. "Not because he didn't want to see me ever again?" Felipe shook his head as 'no'.

"He wanted to be with you. He thought he can never love someone as much as he loved you."

"He did? Does he still think that?"

"No. He loves another now, even more." Felipe answered and seeing the disappointment on her face he smiled and continued. "Elena."

Victoria's disappointment was replaced by a broad grin.

"I can live with that." She said. "She is quite a competition for any woman."

"Impossible to beat!" He confirmed.

"And you? How do you feel about me, Felipe? I know you have no regard for me anymore…I know you wanted Diego to be with Isabel…"

"When you rejected him, you rejected both of us. You broke my heart, too, Victoria. But the only thing I have ever wanted was for him to be happy…happy and safe. And I was wrong about Isabel. He does love her, in his own way, as he loves Miguel and his family, but she was never meant for him as he was never meant for her."

"Does that mean that we…"

"Victoria?" Isabel Azuela asked in surprise at seeing the taverness when coming into the courtyard, holding Alejandrito's hand. The boy let go as soon as he saw Elena, and ran towards her, the cloth swords in his hand, challenging her to a duel.

"Isa!" The woman replied with a smile.

"Have you been crying, my dear?" The Commander's wife asked as she warmly embraced her.

"Just happy tears." She stated.

"What…What brings you to Monterey?"

"My daughter."

"Your…daughter?" Isabel asked incredulously. "I didn't know you had a daughter! How old is she? Did you bring her with you?"

"Two years and a half and no…not exactly bring her as much as found her." Victoria stated, indicating Isabel to look towards Elena.

"You don't mean…" Glancing towards Felipe, who confirmed with a nod and a broad smile, she continued "Elena is your daughter?"

"She is…I thought I lost her but she was just with her father…" Victoria stated.

"Father? You…you mean Diego? She's his daughter? Yours and his?"

Victoria looked at her and nodded, smiling as broadly as Felipe.

Isabel grabbed Felipe's arm to avoid falling, as pregnancy plus shocking news proved to be no match for gravity and, as soon as the effects of the initial surprise passed, she asked the two of them to keep an eye on the children, and rushed towards her husband's office, just as Don Alejandro, having finished his conversation with Diego, was climbing down the stairs.

"Victoria, my dear, I believe it is time for us to go." He told her.

"Go? Go where?"

"Home, of course!" Don Alejandro informed her.

"Home? To Los Angeles?"

Don Alejandro approved with a nod.

"But…what about Diego?" She asked him.

"Diego is the Governor, my dear…he can't just abandon his duties!"

Felipe witnessed the discussion with concern and directed himself, at a brisk pace, towards his father's office, only to be stopped by Don Alejandro.

"It's no use son! He already made up his mind." Don Alejandro told him with a wicked smile and a subtle wink.

Felipe looked at him and then glanced up the stairs towards the office.

"He should, at least, say goodbye to Elena." He told his grandfather.

"You are right. Why don't you take her to him?" The old don agreed.

Felipe called on the girl who came running, picked her up in his arms and took her upstairs under her mother's confused gaze.

"I still have her…" She uttered gratefully, yet with some impossible-to-disguise sadness in her voice as her hope of also getting back with Diego seemed to fade.

"Don Alejandro?" Miguel asked as he came to the courtyard, accompanied by his wife. "Is it true? She's his daughter?"

"Imhm." The don replied. "Elena is my granddaughter, Comandante."

"Dios! That's…That's amazing!"

"I do believe you can, indeed, say that. We would have lost her had she not gotten to Diego in time."

"What is her name?" Miguel questioned.

"Elena..."

"Elena is the name Diego gave her. I was wondering about her real name."

"Diego also called her Elena?" Victoria asked as Don Alejandro added that to the long list of coincidences he was pondering on in his mind.

ZZZ

"Goodbye, my darling!" Diego said, kissing his daughter on the forehead and embracing her tightly. "Don't forget what we discussed!"

"I not foget!" She confirmed.

As they parted, Felipe took Elena by the hand and led her downstairs towards the courtyard, where her mother and grandfather were waiting for her.

When she got there, she let go of her brother and went to say goodbye to Alejandrito, whom she kissed on the cheek, then to Isabel and Miguel, who were at a loss to understand why Diego would just let her go, considering how much he cared for the child even before finding out she was his real daughter, and then tightly embraced Felipe, who raised her into his arms again and held her tight for a whole minute. When he put her back down, Elena offered her right hand to her mother and her left to her grandfather and they turned to exit the Palace.

Victoria glanced up, towards Diego's office and, not seeing him in the hallway, she didn't feel she had the courage to go say goodbye to him, so she just left, her eyes again in tears.

"Please, Victoria. No more tears. We have Elena. We need to go now." Don Alejandro encouraged her.

"Miguel!" Felipe said just as Don Alejandro and Victoria were exiting the courtyard. "Father requested for them to be taken to Los Angeles in his stagecoach and for eight of your men to accompany them for protection."

"Of course. I'll go talk to my men." Miguel stated and hurried towards the Presidium, while Don Alejandro exited the Palace.

Felipe went after his grandfather to inform him he needed to wait a few more minutes, until the coach and the soldiers were ready.

Outside, just beyond the gates, Don Alejandro's men were waiting and Juan almost fell from his horse at seeing them coming out with a healthy-looking Elena.

"Madre de Dios!" He uttered, making the sign of the cross at seeing the child. "It's a miracle!"

ZZZ

Making the trip by stagecoach prolonged their journey by four days, but it was a much safer and more comfortable trip for Victoria and her daughter. As they stepped out of the coach in front of the hacienda, where some of the servants had already gathered to welcome them, Anita let out a scream and hurried to embrace Elena, as everyone else sighed, looking at the child in complete awe.

"She's alright!" Anita confirmed as she embraced the girl, raising her up into her arms and to her chest, taking a few moments to listen to her heartbeat, just to confirm she was really there, really in her arms, really alive. "How?" She asked Victoria the question on everyone's mind.

"Diego. He found her and nursed her back to health." Don Alejandro stated.

ZZZ

"Drinks for everyone! On me!" Don Alejandro ordered at entering the tavern, soon after he had arrived with his daughter-in-law and his granddaughter back to Los Angeles.

Pilar looked at him wondering if he had finally gone mad, while none of the patrons said a thing, thinking the same.

"Are you alright, Don Alejandro?" Lieutenant Mendoza asked, standing up from one of the tables and heading towards the old don.

"Never better, Lieutenant Mendoza!" He answered causing the good man to look at him even with more concern. "My granddaughter is alive and well, my son was the one who saved his daughter, he and Victoria are still married, my grandson is a remarkable young man, everyone's forgiven my ill-conceived actions and all is finally right with the world! All, except their name. We'll need to do something about that!"

If, before, people thought Don Alejandro might have lost his mind, now they were convinced.

"Why is everybody staring at me like that?" Don Alejandro asked when he noticed the concern clear on their faces.

"Don Alejandro…perhaps you'd better sit down…" Mendoza encouraged him. "You had a long journey…"

"I am not tired, Lieutenant! I came back by official stagecoach! I don't remember ever traveling so comfortably in my life! Now…Pilar, what's holding you, my dear? I believe I requested some drinks!"

"Si, Don Alejandro!" She replied, hurriedly taking out some wine and glasses, trying to avoid aggravating the old don.

The people in the tavern took the free drinks offered by Pilar with some reluctance, not really feeling like celebrating as they were convinced that Don Alejandro's granddaughter was dead and nothing was right with his world, or his head. The tavern just went silent, as if expecting something and, at that very moment, a carriage was heard stopping outside and Anita came in, holding Elena by her hand. Everyone's eyes widened at seeing the child, and, unable to speak, they just glanced, in confusion, between each other, as if to confirm that what they were seeing was real.

Don Alejandro's face lightened with a wicked grin, at witnessing the awe-induced paralysis Elena's entrance caused.

Mendoza glanced at him, then back at the child, and hurried to take her into his arms.

"It's all real, then? Everything you said?" He asked Don Alejandro.

"You doubted I was telling the truth? I'll have you know, Lieutenant, that I would not lie about such matters!" The haciendado stated, faking a rise in his temper.

"But…But if Don Diego and Senorita Victoria are still married…what about his other family?" Mendoza asked.

"There is no other family! Just a string of misunderstandings. He never married, but thought she did, she never married, but we both thought he did, and he had no idea Elena even existed! The Isabel and Alejandrito you saw in Monterey are Miguel Azuela's family! He is Diego's Commander of the Guards!"

"So they are still married? And he really saved her?"

"He did, Mendoza! Diego and Miguel found her and he cured her. He was in the process of adopting Elena, believing she was an orphan, when we arrived there. He had no idea he was trying to adopt his own daughter!"

"Madre de Dios!" The Lieutenant and several other people listening uttered, at the same time.

"It actually gets more incredible than that, even! As it turns out, the men who rescued Victoria and Juan by taking them to the Mission were hired by my son to go after me to Mexico City!"

Nobody said another word as they were all also trying to process the unexpected developments.

"So…As I said! Drinks are on me!" Don Alejandro stated and everyone suddenly cheered up, raising a glass to the good health of the De la Vegas.

"Salud!" The patrons said as they drank the glass and the tavern filled with the noise of laughter, questions, wonder and joy.

ZZZ

Victoria was left almost alone in the hacienda when Don Alejandro, Anita, and Elena left to go to the Pueblo, her father-in-law insisting he needed the girl to go with him since, otherwise, nobody would believe she was alive and would probably think him mad if he told them so. He also had another reason to leave, but that was for her to find out later.

Wondering what to do, she decided to go to the cave and read again some of Diego's journals, specifically, the passages talking about her, just to remember he had loved her once, even if he could still not forgive her. She, thus, pressed the hidden lever and stepped through the sliding door, making her way towards the main room of the cave. Just as she was descending the few stairs, though, she heard a neigh coming from the room and she suddenly found herself looking at Tornado, as he was quietly munching on some hay, looking back at her from his stall.

"My father informed me you have been reading my journals!" Diego faked admonishing from behind his desk.

"What…How did you get here?" She asked him, as soon as she recovered from her initial surprise.

"By Tornado. I left five days after you!"

"And what are you doing here? You haven't really come just because you are upset about the journals, have you?"

"Not exactly…" He confessed teasingly. "It's just that I decided it was high time we stopped parting without, at least, saying goodbye."

"You came all this way because I didn't say goodbye?"

"Well…You did, eventually, come to Mexico City when I didn't…It was the least I could do. Although, frankly, I'd rather not say goodbye to you, ever again. At least, not unless you want me to…"

"Want you to…? Of course, I don't want you to ever say goodbye either, Diego!" Victoria stated, as tears were, once more, filling her eyes.

"That is rather convenient…" He uttered with a sly grin on his face "...since, as it turns out, we are still married, so we seem to be stuck with one another."

"We are…"

"The Annulment is not valid…which makes you still my wife…"

"And we consummated the marriage, so you cannot request another Annulment…"

"Something like that, yes…"

"So you cannot leave me…" She stated, also smiling wickedly at him, taking a few steps towards the desk.

"Not in my plans, no…"

"So…You still love me?"

"I never really stopped, Victoria. I don't believe I can."

"Good! Because, I can't stop loving you, either." She told him as he pulled her on his lap and reached to kiss her. "Wait!" she exclaimed as their lips parted. "What about you being Governor? Do we have to move to Monterey?"

"Is that too much of a sacrifice?"

"No…I will follow you to the ends of the Earth, if you want me to. I was just thinking of Don Alejandro…He loves Elena very much."

"I know. And I know this is your home, just as it is mine, my daughter's and Felipe's. So, no...you are not moving to Monterey, since you are already living in the Governor's Palace…At least until I think of a different living solution. You will, however, have to become good friends with Isa and Miguel. They are also moving here."

"I already like them both. So…you will govern from Los Angeles?"

"I will have to, occasionally, go to Monterey but, yes…I will govern from here. I already arranged it after you left."

"And we can finally be together? Like a real married couple?"

"We are a real married couple, my love. And…as a real married husband, I did want to ask where my shirt is…"

"Your shirt?"

"Yes…I distinctively remember having left my black shirt here, on that rack!" He said, pointing towards the hanger near the mirror across the room.

"Oh…that…"

"You didn't destroy it, did you?"

"No…But it was the only one still smelling like you…so I couldn't help it…"

"You couldn't help what?"

"I took it when Don Alejandro and I first came to the cave, after our return from the Capital. I may have used it as a pillowcase ever since…It is still in my…your…our? bedroom…I guess I can finally wash it..."

"Finally wash it?"

"Well…I don't need a shirt smelling like you if I have you, do I?"

Diego grinned. "I hardly believe it still smells like me after four and a half years, Victoria! But…I suppose I can do my best to replace it…although, I'm not sure you'll find me as soft as a pillow."

"Perhaps you should let me be the judge of that, senor." She stated, playfully.

"I am at your services, Senora!" Diego said, as she took his hand and guided him to the cot. "I doubt it will hold both of us, Victoria!" He told her with some concern, as she encouraged him to sit next to her and seductively placed a kiss on his lips. Seeing how eagerly he responded, she deepened the kiss, engaging in a full exploration of his mouth, as his hands started exploring her body, encouraged by her soft moans, reaching under her shirt to feel the soft skin on her back. Not awaiting any more invitation, Victoria started unbuttoning his blouse, her lips parting from his only to focus on his neck and chest. "I am serious! This will not hold!" He repeated, trying to catch his breath, just as Felipe entered the cave and stopped, embarrassed at seeing them on the cot, his shirt half-unbuttoned and hers untucked from her skirt.

"What is it, Felipe?" Diego asked.

"Bandits…Attacking Pelo's hacienda."

"Tell Miguel to send his men. The Governor is busy!" Diego stated, scooping Victoria into his arms and carrying her to their room, where he carefully lay her down on their bed and proceeded to teach her, properly, this time, what making love is all about. Since repetitio mater studiorum est, he made sure to cement the lesson over the next decades, whenever their many children, friends, official and unofficial duties allowed them a little time for themselves, until she was as much of an expert as he was, and they were both too old and grey to do more than sleep in each other's arms.

ZZZ

"Have you ever been to Los Angeles before, Ernesto?" Ruben asked as the two men were riding in their wagon, which was part of the caravan moving Diego's men and possessions to the new, provisory, Californian Capital.

"No…I was, in fact, hoping to remain in Monterey. I had spent most of my life there and thought it was where I would die. But I will follow Don Diego anywhere, so I hardly have a choice." The man said with a sigh.

"You lived in Monterey? You never told me that!"

"I don't really mention it much and I tried my best to stay away from the people who knew me before…"

"Why? What were you doing there?"

"I used to work for the Church until I was let go a few years back. It was right before I came to Mexico City. I went there to escape my shame…"

"Your shame? What are you talking about?"

"I used to be a clerk, Ruben, but one day I made a mistake…mixed up some files. Age, I guess…By the time I found them again, over a year had passed; and when the padre found out, he was furious. It was the former padre, Padre Velasquez, back then. A rotten character he had! He told me some lawyer from Santa Paula had been asking about them and he had a hard time explaining why the case was taking so long to be solved. So he threw me out after decades of service…"

"You were fired just for misplacing some documents? I understand why you follow Don Diego, then. He would never fire you for that."

"No, he wouldn't. I'm already useless to him but he still takes care of me. I was very lucky he found me and took me in. I would have died on the streets, were it not for our master."

Not the end…Can't finish without an epilogue, can I?