AN: This chapter does contain some more steamy scenes and references to some adult themes (such as lovemaking, death, rape and murder) but does not include in-depth descriptions. It does include a summary of the first seven chapters of GroundFox Day, though, and that is a T-rated story.

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January 23rd, 1821/ Day 1

The tribe had lived on its land for many generations. The tribe had been bigger once, but strange diseases came and killed many. Now only forty-eight were left in total, most of them women and children.

It was not nomadic, as the other tribes of their nation were. Instead, it was well hidden in a valley, protected by the surrounding hills and the canyon beyond them, rich in everything they needed to live. From fish to deer and an abundance of small animals, fruits, acorns, nuts and all the medicinal plants, as well as a supply of fresh water that had never run dry, their land gave them all they needed.

They had once lived in contact with the other tribes, but that all changed many generations earlier. After the white man came to the territory, with their brown-robed men, their army and their settlers, called them Gabrielenos and claimed most of the land for themselves. That was when the elders of their tribe realized that contact with the new arrivals meant that the life they had always known would end. So they decided to keep mostly away from the newcomers, even cut their ancient ties with the other tribes, and rely solely on themselves and on the land they were given.

They sometimes traded with the white man, when they needed tools and blankets. But they never shared the location of their tribe. It only existed on a deed one of their elders had received from the settlers, and which, while they still kept it, they disrespected it, for the land was nobody else's to give away, not even to them.

Loo-Soo had served as their medicine woman since her gift was discovered in her early childhood. Her mother had once seen her talk to the spirits and, from that day on, her tribe obeyed the messages she brought them, and trusted her to use her gifts to help them. The ancient ones didn't always talk to her, though, and they only answered when they were in the mood to do so. They were moody the spirits, and very easily insulted.

That morning, the old medicine woman watched the sun come up on the new day, then smiled as the people of her tribe went about their business. The women tended to the children, then each to her daily shores. The men prepared to go fishing, and the children ran around and played their games.

Then came the end. Their end. The end of everything she had ever known.

The white men charged in on horses, aiming first at the men and the women. Then they dismounted, took out their swords and killed everyone left alive, even the babies. By the time it was over, barely ten minutes after they appeared from behind the hills, only Loo-Soo was still alive.

They surrounded the old woman and she kneeled next to her eternal fire and started talking to the spirits, chanting in a strange language only she and her ancestors knew. When she eventually stopped, the sky was black, the assailants were gone, and before her proudly stood a black fox.

ZZZ

The day had started like any other Tuesday. It was warm, despite it being January – but, then, January in Southern California never was exactly very cold – and the sun was shining. His son had woken up before him, as he had been doing the past three weeks or so, and they had a pleasant conversation during breakfast.

After Diego and Felipe had left for the pueblo, Don Alejandro updated his records, counted the money in his safe, compared his calculation with his most recent bank statements, recorded the price on the newly-acquired cattle which he had previously omitted to do, remembered why 10,000 pesos were missing for his account at the Bank of Los Angeles, silently cursed Ynez Risendo when he remembered what she had done and how he had almost lost Diego because of that despicable woman, then put down the ledgers and poured himself a glass of brandy.

An hour later, he rode to inspect one of the corrals, then had lunch alone, in his office, since his son and grandson had stayed in the pueblo. By the time he heard them as they returned for siesta, he was back in his quarters and didn't even exit it, certain they would have dinner together later, thus enough time to talk.

He was still taking his afternoon nap when the lancer came. Everything was a blur afterwards: the ride to the pueblo with Felipe and the lancer, the carnage, Victoria's lifeless body, the reveal and Diego's death, seconds after his arrival.

Now, as the night fell, his entire household was in mourning. The pueblo was in mourning. Even Alcalde De Soto was in mourning.

After that day, in which he lost his sergeant, several of his citizens, including the taverness, yet, somehow, most upsetting of all, Diego, who turned out to be Zorro, De Soto locked himself in his office and drank away the pain, unable to clearly pinpoint its origin.

It was a really bad day for everyone, but Don Alejandro couldn't think of anyone else's pain, but his own. His son, the one he had once called a coward, turned out to be the pueblo's fearless hero. He knew now. He knew that the son he had known was only half of the real man. But it hardly mattered since he was never to meet that real son he had had.

Later, sometime in the night, when the tears stopped for a few moments, Don Alejandro kneeled. At the same time, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, a padre, a doctor, an alcalde, the remaining lancers and all those who had known and loved the people who had lost their lives that fateful day, kneeled as well. Despite the distance between them, they prayed in unison, with the same Grace-inspired words, for God to perform a miracle.

And someone listened.

ZZZ

January 23rd, 1821/ Day 10

It was seven in the morning and Diego was all dressed up and pacing the floor in the corridor before his father's bedroom. He finally decided to leave a note, rather than wait any longer.

Returning to his room, he simply wrote: "Dear Father, please take Felipe and meet me at the chapel's back entrance at 8:00 am. Diego" then placed it in a sealed envelope and instructed Maria to give it to his father as soon as he woke up or, at 7:30 at the latest, and made his way towards the pueblo.

He entered the tavern and headed straight for Victoria.

"Buenos dias, Diego!" She greeted him as he neared the bar.

"Hola, Victoria!" He replied, looking around the almost-empty tavern. "May I talk to you in private?"

She stared at him with some surprise but nodded. "Shall we go to the kitchen?"

"Outside might be better." He stated, already turning on his heel and heading towards the door.

Victoria shrugged, looked at Pilar, then followed him to the plaza and, from there, to the alley leading towards the back of the tavern.

"We could have taken the kitchen exit if you wanted to come here." She pointed out, curious at his behavior.

"I know. I take it rather often." Diego stated. "Look… I don't want to postpone this more than is necessary, so here it comes: I am Zorro. We have been engaged for over a year now, ever since I took you to the cave and gave you my mother's ring, and I would very much like to marry you today. Right now… Or, at eight, to be more precise… when my father and Felipe get here to serve as witnesses."

Victoria's jaw literally dropped as she was staring at him dumbfounded. "You're Zorro?" She asked when she regained her voice, a few silent minutes later. "Bu… But you can't be Zorro! You're Diego!"

"Yes. And I am also Zorro. It's not like you thought the man spent all his time in a mask, is it? And I know you love me, too… Don't ask how, but I do. Perhaps I will tell you later, on our honeymoon."

"On our honeymoon?"

"Yes. In Santa Paula. I will be taking you there after the wedding ceremony."

"You will?"

"Victoria… I know this is shocking. Which is why I came so early. Last time, we were late and Padre Benitez didn't like that! He didn't say anything, but I know him rather well."

"Last time? W… Who did you try to marry last time?" She asked nervously.

"You. I would only marry you… Trust me, I didn't lose my mind, although I had also thought I had for a while. It's just a very long and complicated story, which I will tell you after we get married. All you really need to know right now is that I love you with all my heart, and that I am the man you promised to marry, despite having made you drink that awful cactus tea; the one in whose arms you ran after you refused to wed Juan; the one whom you kissed in the courtyard that evening after you took a bullet to save me. I told you then that you should have a family and, perhaps, consider marrying Diego – sorry for the subterfuge, but it's not like I'd want you to marry anyone else."

"You're rambling!" She pointed out.

"Yes... It's just that I really want you to marry me."

"You really are Zorro, aren't you?"

"I am."

"Why are you telling me now?"

"Because, right now… I can. With no consequences, for some reason. As I said, it's hard to explain, but I will, anyway. On our way to Santa Barbara, I will tell you everything!"

"We can really get married. Now? And you won't be in danger?"

"Yes… and no. I would never marry you if that would put us at risk! You must know that. But it must still be a secret, lest De Soto finds out and tries to stop us."

"Of course!" She answered, rolling her eyes as if he didn't need to point out something that obvious, then returned to stare at him. "Alright, Diego! I'll go change, and I'll meet you in church at… eight?"

"Yes. I'll go talk to the padre!" He agreed and was gone in seconds.

Victoria watched him go, then went to her room, changed to her best dress, packed a small bag of clothes, informed Pilar she'd be away for a few days but the De la Vegas would help if needed, then took her horse, left the pueblo and doubled-back to the church, arriving just in time.

ZZZ

Explaining the situation to his father was not easy. On the contrary. But the ceremony took place without anyone else accidentally finding out. After they returned to the hacienda, and his father and Felipe promised not to head into town that day, Diego left with Victoria, by carriage, to Santa Paula.

"Alright, Diego!" She decided as soon as they were on their way. "Will you tell me what's going on?"

"Yes. But, first, you must promise you will listen before deciding I've lost my mind. What I have to tell you… I still can't wrap my mind around it, and I'm the only one who seems to remember!"

"Remember what?"

"Just promise! Just say you won't jump out of this carriage as your instinct might tell you to, and that you'll try to believe that I'm telling you the truth."

"Of course I won't jump out of a moving carriage, Diego! And, of course, I won't believe you're mad, no matter how crazy your story might seem to be!" She assured him, yet soon regretted her words.

"Alright. Here it is." He uttered, looking straight ahead in order to avoid eye-contact with his wife. "Victoria, we are stuck in a time loop. Or, at least, it's what I call it. I don't really understand what exactly is going on. Perhaps we are all dead. That is also a possibility. Whatever the case, this day, 23rd of January 1821 has been re-starting, over and over again, for more than a week now. Every time I wake up it's the same day, and I'm the only one who seems to have realized that. The only one who remembers what had happened on all the other times we have lived through it. No one else. Just me. And I don't know how, or why, but I do know that, no matter what I do, it still ends up to be a horrible day for Los Angeles. Well... I did manage to save everyone at one point, but it was useless. The day started again, anyway. Right now, though, I've had enough. If I am to relive the same day, I've decided I'll take the opportunity to do the one thing I want most in the world: marry you. In fact, I have already married you three times before today."

When he finished, he turned his head towards his wife, waiting expectantly for her reply.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, fully realizing why he had made her promise she wouldn't simply conclude that he'd gone mad – which, obviously, he had - then resolved to keep her mind open, and trust that God had not decided to finally give her the man she had, for so long, waited for, just to take away his sanity.

"What happened the previous times this day repeated itself?" She inquired, not really expecting, but hoping his words would make sense and convince her he was still the man she knew and loved. Both of them.

"I can tell you, but it may shock you."

"More than the fact that my best friend is also the masked outlaw I love, or that he's reliving the same day over and over again?"

"Well… based on the reaction you had the last time I had told you…"

"Just tell me, Diego!"

"The first time… the real 23rd of January, started like any other day. However, during lunch, the tavern was attacked. You and four other people were taken hostages and… you were killed. Accidentally shot in the head. I was also killed, shot in the lung, and died next to you, about half an hour later. Ignacio was quite shocked when I took off the mask and asked him to get my father and Felipe so that I might say goodbye to them.

"The next morning, though, I woke up in my bed, and I thought it had all been nothing but a nightmare. Then my morning went on almost exactly as in said nightmare, and I realized it was something more. So, I tricked you into going to the hacienda, so that you'd be away from danger when the bandits were due to attack, but it all ended up in disaster, anyway. They took five hostages, and executed them as they left the pueblo. Felipe was one of them. So, in retaliation, I… as Zorro, tracked them down and killed them all. You and Father were in the cave when I got back. I think I had forgotten to close the hidden panel behind me. It's behind the fireplace in the library, by the way. The cave, I mean. De Soto also came in with Mendoza, and arrested me. The third time, I stopped the first attack but that proved to be an even worse mistake. The bandits had more accomplices and they destroyed the armory as they got them out. They killed some of lancers, the Alcalde, and then attacked the hacienda while I was in the pueblo. Felipe was alright that time, but they raped you and shot Father. He died in my arms an hour later. The fourth time, I tried to help the lancers prevent the jailbreak, but got shot and died instead. The fifth time I warned De Soto, but did nothing except for taking you, Felipe and Father to the cave, where we were all safe while they attacked the hacienda. Mendoza died that time. The sixth time, I told my father everything and we managed to come up with a plan to prevent both attacks. However, when the day started again, he pointed out that, when things are out of one's control, one must accept them as such and just make lemonade out of lemons. So, I decided to marry you, instead. Which is what I've been doing every day since." He recounted. "Oh.. and just so that you might believe me, when I first… well… the second time I took you to the cave – the first time you were in too bad a condition after what those men did to you – you told me something on the line of you being in love with Zorro for he is passionate and brave and can do no wrong in your eyes, and love Diego because, despite his clumsiness, he is good, compassionate and has always stood up for you. Because he has been your rock, friend and family. You also said that you have often imagined Zorro's face, and many times hoped it would resemble Diego's, but never dared dream that Zorro was your Diego."

"That last part is true…" Victoria acknowledged, pensively. "I saw you die, Diego? And I was raped? And killed? And you remember all this?"

"Yes. And it's not like I wouldn't wish to forget… at least, some of the things I remember. But it's not how this works, I guess."

"That is quite a story." She uttered in complete shock. "It's really true?"

"Yes. Please believe me! I would not be telling you all this if it wasn't!"

"So… This is the fourth time we've got married?"

"It is."

"Did we ever… consummated the marriage?"

"We did. I've been making love to you for most of the past three days and I love both that mole of yours and your birthmark."

Victoria turned red at his words and her breathing accelerated.

"If the day starts over again… will you do it again? Marry me? Make love to me?"

"Yes. Is that wrong?"

"No… I… I want that, too, Diego! I want to be yours but… what if this will happen for a long time? What if you get bored with me, before I even have the chance to remember anything even happened between us?"

"Bored with you? There's no chance of that ever happening, my love!"

"You promise?"

"I do. And I always keep my promises. Even if sometimes it may take me a long time to do so."

The next couple of hours of their journey they talked little, until they reached the abandoned windmill.

They exchanged a glance as Diego stopped nearby for a few moments, and smiled at each other.

"You were so proper when we spent the night there! Who would have thought that you were the man I have, for so long, wished to belong to?"

"I did give you a clue the following day. I couldn't help myself."

"Yes! I did think it was odd but then dismissed the idea of you being Zorro because the man you pretended to be couldn't possibly be him!" She chuckled. "I know now that you are, and still find it hard to believe it!"

Diego grinned and was about to get back on their way, when Victoria stopped him.

"Do we have blankets with us?" She asked him, still looking towards the white adobe building.

"We are sitting on them… so, yes." He answered. "What do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking… It's hot enough today, and I have had… certain fantasies… about you, me... and that windmill. I might not be able to remember it… but you will. And you'll tell me all about it when we get married for real. Like… forever… when I'll finally be able to remember it! What do you think?"

"You want to make love in the windmill?"

"Yes." Victoria didn't even blush when she answered. Her mind was already made up, anyway.

Diego did blush a little. "Are you sure? I think it might be a bit uncomfortable." He told her.

"I think…" she told him "that you should guide the horses towards the windmill, then let them rest, make the fire and let me think about comfort."

"As my senora commands me!" Diego answered, and did as asked.

While Victoria was handling the… sleeping arrangements, Diego tied the horses with some long ropes that allowed them to munch on the nearby grass. Finding a couple of buckets, he then filled them up in a nearby stream, and left one for the horses, while the other one he took inside for Victoria and himself to wash in.

By the time he entered the main room, his wife had organized some hay sacks she found there to act as an improvised mattress, covering them with the blankets. She had also lit up some candles left behind by other people who had taken refuge there, and had already changed into her see-through nightgown, covering herself up with a shawl and doing her best to stop her body from trembling at the thought of what was about to happen between her and the man she loved.

Diego glanced at her once and ignored her while making the fire lest his urges would prevent him from performing even that easy task. When turned towards her, Victoria stared into his eyes, expectantly. He took the few steps needed for his chest to touch hers, and lowered his head to kiss her, slowly at first, then more and more passionately, until the clothes they both wore became unbearable. First fell her shawl, then his jacket, closely followed by his shirt, shoes, pants, socks, her nightgown and, eventually, his underwear.

About half an hour later, as Victoria's head rested on Diego's naked chest, she smiled and simply uttered that it had been wonderful.

She did the same the next day after they had first made love, as they were lying in bed in the tavern in Santa Paula; and the next, and many times after those, without ever knowing that Diego was simply becoming better at pleasuring her with every time he made love to her.

Truth be told, the first time it had been a bit awkward, even for him. He had only been with one woman before her, and that was both an accident – since he had been drunk at the time, and the lady in question, a brunette widow, reminded him of Victoria so much that he actually believed it was her he was spending the night with - and a most eye-opening experience – since he woke up the following day, firmly determined to never again drink more than half a glass of wine, if that, and only if absolutely necessary, and to never again bed a woman he was not completely in love with.

So, when he realized the opportunity he had been given, Diego made sure to remember all of Victoria's erogenous zones, what she loved and what she didn't like, how long he needed to last and how he needed to touch her. In fact, after the first ten times they married, he started approaching their lovemaking as a study. He did so in order to become the best lover she might ever want, since he was to be the only one she was ever going to get. Of that, he had no doubt. Thus, after consummating their marriages a few dozen times, he knew her body almost as well as he knew his. That knowledge only improved with time, and Victoria had no reason to ever complain.