AN: thank you everyone for your kind comments 3 It's great to see the fandom - and the love for such an old show! - are still very much alive! Here comes the second chapter!

Diego slowly came to his senses. This time he was on a bed, there was progress. His side was still awfully painful, but he was feeling a little better. The dizziness was gone. He opened his eyes. It took him a moment to identify the room he was in – the guest room in his father's hacienda. Judging from the sun casting through the window's shutters, the morning was already quite advanced.

He looked down. He was still in his black clothes. He sighed at the view of his ruined black shirt, holed and full of dry blood. He liked that shirt, it was made of an exceptional and light fabric. He wasn't sure how he would be able to find one like this in Los Angeles. He pulled it up to examine his wound but, to his surprise, he was all properly bandaged up. He thought it best not to touch anything.

Someone had also taken off his boots, gloves, cape and hat. They were all neatly set on a small table by the window. His mask, however, was still on his face. Somehow, he had managed to be rescued by his father, and yet to keep his secret safe.

In a chair placed strategically between the bed and the door, his faithful Bernardo was sleeping, in a rather uncomfortable position.

"Bernardo!" he called in a whisper.

The servant stirred and opened his eyes. Seeing his master awake, he beamed, a large smile of relief illuminating his face. He relaxed back in the chair.

Diego smiled. "Buenos Dias, Bernardo."

Bernardo pointed at Diego's midsection, an interrogative look across his face.

"I'm fine," Diego said. "I mean, it hurts, but whoever patched me up did a good job."

Bernardo tilted his head, flashing a satisfied smile.

Diego frowned, unsure how to interpret this. Bernardo rolled his eyes and made a series of gestures.

"You… grabbed? Retrieved?" Diego tried to follow. "You retrieved the bullet? And you sew me? You sew me up, and bandaged me."

Bernardo nodded, still smiling.

"You patched me up," Diego repeated, with disbelief. "How do you even know… And how come you never told me?"

Bernardo shrugged, then he mimed shooting a gun at Diego and raised his index.

"That's the first time I get shot," Diego translated. "Fair enough. Hopefully the last. It's rather unpleasant. Well, thank you, Bernardo," he said, gesturing a salute. "I am extremely grateful of his unexpected talent of yours. And now, I need to get out of here."

Bernardo shook his head and pointed at the bed.

"I can't stay here," Diego protested. "Not in those clothes. It's too dangerous, for everyone here. I can't be found wearing this outfit." Bernardo tilted his head, conceding the point. "I just need to reach my room and dress back as Diego. I'll find a reason to stay in bed and rest for the day."

He sat up and pointed at his belongings on the table. As Bernardo helped him dressed back as Zorro, Diego explained the plan. "I just need to reach the cupboard in the sala before anyone sees me. I'll go through the secret passage and will reemerge from my room as Diego."

Bernardo made a contrite face.

"What?" Diego asked, watching Bernardo sign. "My father… went into my room? That's annoying. He was looking for me? To help… me? What? Oh. I see. He was looking for Diego to help him with Zorro."

Diego sighed. No doubt his father was disappointed not to find him. But there wasn't much he could do about it now. More complicated was the fact that he would have to come up with a good reason not to be in his room this morning. He'd have to figure it later. Right now, he needed to get out of here, preferentially unnoticed. He cautiously got up, testing his strength and balance. He was feeling a bit weak, still, but at least he was able to stand on his two feet.

Bernardo cracked the door opened and passed a head outside the room. No one was in sight and he signaled Diego it was safe.

Diego put a hand on his servant's shoulder for support and they exited the room as discreetly as possible, careful not to make any sound, not letting any wood board crack, any door creak. They had successfully reached the sala and Diego had his hand on the cupboard when the door from the patio opened. They turned at once and found themselves face to face with Alejandro.

"Señor Zorro, it's good to see you awake," he said with a smile. "But you really shouldn't be up so soon."

Zorro straightened and made a formal bow toward his father. "Señor de la Vega," he said, forcing himself to look composed and confident. "I must thank you for your hospitality, and I am forever in your debts for saving my life. But I'm afraid I have to go. As I said, it would be quite dangerous for you if I were found in your house."

As if answering his fears, they heard the unmistakable sound of horse hooves coming from the road. Lancers were coming.

"Surround the hacienda," they heard Montero ordering his soldiers. "We don't want anyone to be able to leave unnoticed."

If Zorro was losing the little colors he had previously regained, Alejandro on the contrary started boiling immediatly.

"Oh, this man," he growled. "How dare he treat me like a criminal, marching in with his lancers like that?"

He turned to Zorro. "Go, I'll stop him."

"Señor," the bandit said, his voice surprisingly authoritative. "Comandante Montero is not a man you want to cross."

"I'm not afraid of him!" Alejandro retorted defiantly, unsheathing his sword.

Zorro's heart missed a beat. Of course his father wasn't afraid of the Comandante, and yet, he should be. Montero was an excellent swordsman, but most of all, a ruthless ruler. He wouldn't let any provocation go unpunished.

"Put that away immediately," Zorro said urgently. "You can't engage with Montero."

Remaining standing was starting to tire him and he had to shift his weight from one feet to the other, which Alejandro didn't fail to notice.

"Señor Zorro, you can barely stand on your feet, what do you expect to do?"

That was a damn good question.

"I don't know, but I will certainly not let you get arrested for me."

Knowing Montero, he wouldn't just arrest Alejandro de la Vega. He'd happily hang him. Zorro couldn't let that happen.

"You defend everyone," Alejandro argued. "Someone's gotta defend you."

Zorro shook his head. "No one will get hurt in my name."

He was growing more and more desperate, and they were running out of time. Why did his father had to be so stubborn in his heroism?

There was a loud knock on the entrance gate. "De la Vega, it's Comandante Montero, please let us in."

Alejandro growled. He turned back to Zorro. "I'll buy you some time, do your disappearing act."

Zorro frustratingly shook his head. What was the point of this whole masquerade if his father was ready to race head-on into danger, for an outlaw he didn't even know.

Alejandro walked to the sala's door, sword firmly in his hand.

"Father, don't!" Diego said desperately.

It blurted out before he could weight the consequences of his words, but at least it did stop Alejandro. The don slowly turned back to face him, visibly confused. He lowered his weapon and looked at the bandit as if he had never seen him before. By his side, Diego could feel Bernardo had suddenly tensed, clearly not expecting such a turn of events.

The cat was out of the bag, now. There was no turning back. Heart anxiously pounding, Diego reached for the knot of his mask at the back of his head and pulled. The mask slowly fell from his face. He took a deep breath and forced himself to look at his father.

Alejandro looked like he had just been struck by lighting.

"Diego? How..."

But they had no time. Montero was pounding on the door.

"Father," Diego said, as gently as he could, given the urgency of the situation. "There's little time. Please, trust me. And put that damn sword away."

Alejandro reluctantly put his weapon back in its sheath. "Do – Do you have a plan?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Diego nodded, doing his best to look confident and reassuring. "Go, open the gate, but do not let him into the sala. Keep them into the patio for five minutes. Do what you do best, make a scandal. But," he pointed at Alejandro's sword. "Do not use that thing. Don't let him think you could be dangerous. Don't give him a reason to arrest you."

"What are you going to do?"

Diego flashed a smile. "Give him a show of my own." Then he turned serious again. "It'll be alright, Father, I promise. I just need five minutes."

He could see Alejandro wasn't completely convinced but they had no time. The Comandante was threatening to take the gate down. Alejandro rushed outside and Diego hoped with all his heart that he would keep a head cool enough despite the situation.

To be continued...