Happy Sunday, all! I've been waiting so long to post this chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this. Diego and Olivia are growing closer and closer together each day...

Enjoy!

Linny

Chapter Thirty-One

She wasn't focusing. She could have disarmed him at least a half dozen times in their last bout, but she had missed her opening each time. While he was disarming her for the seventh time, he could see how frustrated she was becoming.

"Your heart doesn't seem to be in it today." He was concerned for her. That was why he had brought her out to the canyon again. She had been with them for nearly a week and he could tell that her being cooped up in the house was putting her on edge. He'd thought a nice afternoon of practice might help her get her mind off of things, but that didn't seem to be the case.

She bent down to pick up her rapier from where it had landed and tucked it under her arm. With a huff, she removed her gloves and reached for the nearby canteen. "Perhaps you are just better than you originally thought." She was teasing, but he could tell that it wasn't sincere. She was trying to deflect from the real issue.

"While I am quite skilled, you had enough of an opening that last time to do serious damage. Something is on your mind."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Everything is on my mind."

And he didn't blame her for that, but he wasn't willing to allow it to consume her. "Why don't we rest for a bit?" He motioned over toward the horses where they were grazing. He hopped up onto a large craggy rock and perched himself on the top. She didn't immediately join him which made him pat the spot beside him in invitation.

She didn't say a word in response, but she did toss her sword and gloves in a heap at the base of the rock and climb up to join him.

"I know this is all very difficult for you. To learn that the man you have been hunting for years is the same man to have killed your parents must be overwhelming."

"Honestly? It's mostly just frustrating. You have no idea what I would like to do to that man. He deserves so much worse than being handed over to my government and given a swift death. He has caused so much pain not just to me but to plenty of others. He deserves to feel all of that pain that he has inflicted upon others. I want to be the person who does that to him."

"But that isn't who you are," Diego reminded her.

She looked like she wanted to argue with him and he could imagine what she would say. They barely knew each other and he couldn't possibly know the person she was deep down inside. But, she didn't. She merely shook her head and said: "No. That is not who I am."

"He will get what is coming to him, Olivia. Justice may not come in the way you want it to, but it will still be justice."

"You are very optimistic."

"Is that a compliment or a complaint?" he joked.

"Just an observation. And perhaps I'm a bit envious. How do you not let your worries consume you?"

"Thankfully, I do not have to let it all fall on just my shoulders. I know that if I do allow it to take over me, then I have Bernardo and my father to help me find myself again."

"I'm not usually so full of apprehension. Emily helps me stay centered, usually. But, when she isn't able to reel me back in, I have Sam and Will to fall back on." Her expression turned slightly melancholy as she thought of her brothers.

Diego didn't want her to fall even deeper into the depression she was carving out for herself. "Well, I know I am neither one of them, but you can fall back on me if you would like." He had been trying for days to get her to open up to him, and it looked like his words were finally getting through to her.

"There is just so much that I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"Why not start with the Chameleon? Not Allende, but the man you knew only as the Chameleon. What led you here of all places in search of him? What is he hoping to accomplish? Why did he choose Los Angeles as his latest base of operations? Whatever you can tell me."

She nodded as she took stock of each one of his questions. He knew she didn't owe him any answers to any of those questions, but he would need to know a bit of it if they were going to finally be on the same page. It looked like she was feeling the same.

"Very well." She drank from the canteen again and passed it over to him to take a drink. "Three months ago, an attempt was made on President Monroe's life. He is a good man and has done many things to improve our country. But, no matter how great a man is, there will always be opposition. There is a group that is led by The Chameleon and others like him that don't approve of the President's actions. They don't want a free world. They want to be obeyed. They want power over everything.

"During the Revolution, they tried to assassinate General Washington and the men who followed his beliefs of freedom. Papa told me stories of his father who had fought beside those men and defended our future.

"The numbers of this oppositional group are smaller these days; thanks to the efforts of my father and my grandfather. But, they were never truly defeated."

"I don't remember hearing of an assassination attempt. Surely, something like that would have made the papers."

She shook her head. "You wouldn't have. It was quietly thwarted by the Marshals, though he did sustain an injury from the attack. It was nothing more than a bullet graze and he had decided that giving press to these terrorists was just what they would want. The need to instill fear into the public is what drives them."

"So, what happened afterward? I still don't understand how Los Angeles became involved."

"The Shadow joined the Marshals in the hunt for those men. A small group of them had been rounded up to face trial. They were all given the same opportunity to renounce this group as a way of avoiding the noose. Only one man was willing to talk. He gave us an address, which we investigated. The place had been cleaned out before we got there and anything important had been destroyed beyond recognition.

"We did find one clue, though. It was a letter to The Chameleon from someone in their circle. It had said something about a change of scenery and mentioned Los Angeles. It had been thrown in the fireplace but hadn't completely burned. Still, it was very damaged and didn't have many legible details. All we had to go on was Los Angeles."

"And here you are three months later."

She nodded. "Here I am."

Diego took it all in. The Chameleon was part of this group of dictators that wanted power. "And you never knew that The Chameleon and Allende—whoever he is—were the same person?"

"No. We knew they were part of the same group, but no one had seen The Chameleon in person before. At least, that was what we had originally believed. Although thinking back on it, it does make a lot of sense."

She didn't seem as on edge anymore. If anything, she seemed more reflective. "Thank you for telling me this, Olivia."

She smiled softly at him. "Thank you for listening."

He picked up her hand which had been resting on her lap and gave it a tender squeeze. "Anytime."

The evening was cool, a pleasant break from the daily, sticky heat of the California sun. Diego had always found these nights idyllic ever since he was a boy. He could remember sitting outside his bedroom and reading; just enjoying the refreshing reprieve. As an adult, he found that he enjoyed it even more. He still found it comforting to read by, but now he found the silence of such a cool night just as refreshing.

While his nights as Zorro were thrilling and adventurous, he longed for more nights like this one. It was an evening in which he could sit and gathers his thoughts.

And there was a great deal to think about. Who had killed Borromeo? El Camaleón and Allende being the same person. His plans for Los Angeles. The fact that Olivia could identify him and him wanting her dead because of it.

She thought he wasn't worried. Good. He wanted her to think that. But, he was very worried. El Camaleón was a serious threat to his home. But, allowing these fears to consume him wouldn't do him any good. He needed to remain vigilant in the wake of such dangers.

But, he was pleased that he'd been able to help her ease her mind. Even if it helped only slightly. Hopefully, this night would be as much of a reprieve for her as it was for him.

He grabbed the book he'd been reading over the last few evenings from his bedside table and sat on the windowsill just outside of his bedroom. The lamp blazing in the window provided enough light for him to read by. Despite the heavy weight on his shoulders, he allowed himself to relax and just enjoy the peace.

He was only a few pages into his current chapter when he heard noises coming from the patio below. Afraid that Allende had decided that tonight was the night to carry out his plans, he jumped to his feet and hurried to the railing.

He heaved out a sigh of relief when he saw that it was only Olivia as she settled down at the patio table with a glass of wine and her sketchbook. This was the first time he had seen that since she arrived at the hacienda.

She was alone. Ever since their surprise visit from Doña Dorotea, Emily had been spending most of her days in the pueblo, keeping an ever-vigilant eye on things there. She had probably already retired for the evening—though it was barely past nine—which left her mistress to her own devices.

Diego watched Olivia for a moment as she brought out a blank piece of parchment and her drawing pencil. She sharpened the pencil with a small knife as she stared at the page. When she was done, she pressed the pencil to the paper and did nothing.

She gazed out at the night sky and continued to sit there as if her will to draw had just vanished. She sighed heavily and took a sip of her wine. Perhaps their talk in the canyon hadn't done enough to ease her stress as he had originally believed.

Diego hadn't realized that his feet had been moving again until he was at the top of the stairs. She didn't look like she was eager for company, yet his body just wouldn't behave. He was halfway down to the patio before he gave it to whatever energy was moving him and went the rest of the way.

She glanced at him as he crossed over the stone tiles. "It's late. I thought you might be asleep."

He shook his head. "I like to sit outside and read on nights like this. Besides, Zorro usually does ride at night. Staying up late is kind of a habit." He motioned to the blank page in front of her. "What are you working on?" Now that he was closer, he noticed that the amount of paper in the portfolio was much less than the last time he'd been privileged to look at it. She must have sent her drawings along to her brothers like she'd planned.

She stared at the page for another second before laying it down on the table in frustration. "Nothing. My muse seems to be escaping me this evening."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He motioned to the vacant chair opposite her, silently asking if she would mind if he could join her.

She waved her acceptance to him. "You are already doing it. Thank you again for today in the canyon."

"Thank you for letting me in," he rebounded. He knew it couldn't have been easy for her to allow him in.

She threw her drawing pencil onto the table as well and leaned back in her chair. She crossed her arms over her chest in frustration. "This would all be so much easier if I was not under house arrest."

"I thought you had made peace with that."

"I said that I would do what I must, but I never said that I'd made peace with it. I don't do well in confinement."

Diego chuckled at her agitation. Yes, she had every reason to be upset about that. It couldn't be easy for her to just sit back and let others take the reins when she'd been so engrossed in it all since the very beginning. So all she could do is sit there and vent her frustrations. "Do you find it so unpleasant here?"

She was surprised by his question. "Oh, Diego, forgive me. I didn't mean it like that. I was only teasing. Of course, you and your father have been very kind to welcome me into your home and a great weight has been lifted off of my shoulders now that you know the truth. But, as a man of action, you have to understand my frustration at being relegated to the sidelines like I'm completely helpless."

"I don't believe that anyone thinks the word 'helpless' when they look at you. I certainly don't."

Their playful banter had reached the point that Diego was no longer teasing. Their eyes met briefly and he could feel that familiar heat brewing inside of him once again. He was the one who decided to look away first, this time. Clearing his throat, he looked at her again, but now that heat was kept in check.

"So, what will you do? When all of this is over and The Chameleon is in custody?"

She didn't have to think twice about her answer. "He will be handed over to the Marshals so he can be transported back to Virginia." She picked up her drawing pencil again and squeezed it tight enough that it almost broke in her grip. "He needs to stand trial for his crimes." She was saying it more to convince herself, he knew. And she was still struggling with that conclusion.

"And then, I suppose that you'll return home? Your life's mission will finally be complete and there will be nothing more for you here." As much as he hated to say those words, he'd done so to get her to think. He knew she hadn't thought that far ahead. She'd been so focused on her goal of finding the man who had killed her mother that the future can been of no concern to her. He understood. It was a scenario he had found himself in a time or two.

She seemed to ponder his words, momentarily, and it was like a realization had washed over her. "Yes, I suppose so. Hmm..."

"What will you do then?"

"I don't know. I've devoted most of my life to capturing him that I didn't even consider what would come after."

"Perhaps you will meet a nice gentleman. Have a family?" He had to convince himself that he was only giving her the suggestion and that there was no other inclination to his words.

"That sounds lovely." She traded the pencil for her glass of wine and took a drink. "You know, Diego, under different circumstances..." she trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind. It's silly."

He understood what she'd been trying to say. If things were different, she might have been able to see a future with him. It was a lovely dream.

"Yes, but, under different circumstances, you may not have ever come to California," he reminded her.

She nodded, solemnly. "That is true."

"And I am glad that we did meet, Olivia. And I am glad that you consider me a friend."

Was that regret that he saw pass over her features? He wondered why.

"I apologize if my emotions have seemed all over the place. I admit that the last few weeks have been quite trying, but your company has made things much easier." She reached out to him and squeezed his hand. A jolt of energy passed through them.

Their hands shifted until his were cradling hers. Her hand seemed so small in his own, yet he could feel its strength. There was no way he could ever think of her as helpless. She was the strongest woman he knew.

Their eyes met as his thumb lightly drew circles over her flesh. She gave a shiver in response.

There was no need to speak. Neither had any words that could make this moment any better. They just sat there, enjoying each other's company; captured in a bubble that belonged only to the two of them.

The gentle strumming of a guitar permeated that bubble, bursting it. Puzzled, they turned their attention to the top of the stairs. There, Bernardo stood, playing a delightful Spanish tune.

Olivia looked to Diego, a single eyebrow raised with curiosity. "Did you put him up to this?"

Diego could only laugh as his hands went up in defense. "I took no part in this, I assure you." He only wished he had thought of it, but Bernardo had been taking care of his duties in the secret room, making certain that Zorro would be ready for his next ride. There hadn't been a chance for him to plan this.

She didn't seem to believe him but said no more about it as she sat and listened.

While Diego was wishing that he had planned it, he could strangle Bernardo for choosing that exact moment to begin playing. The moment between them had been shattered because of him. They were so rare and far between, Diego didn't know when he would experience it again

Still, Olivia looked so serene as she continued to sit there. She'd shut her eyes and allowed the music to wash over her. For once, she looked at peace.

He figured he could take a chance to enjoy the evening even more. Getting up from his seat, he stepped over toward her. "It would be an honor if you would dance with me, Olivia."

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. His heart skipped a beat at what he briefly saw there. Longing. Wanting. And something else he couldn't place. "The last time we danced seems like a lifetime ago."

Not since they went on the picnic together. That was when she'd tripped over the root when he'd leaned in to kiss her. He smiled at that brief memory of holding her, his lips moving ever so closely. "It has been far too long," he agreed.

She smiled sweetly at him and allowed him to help her to her feet. He swept her into his arms, one hand settled assuredly at her waist while the other folded gently over her own. She placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch soft and warm.

First, Bernardo played a song that moved them all over the patio. It was fast-paced and vibrant. They were both light on their feet as Diego let her around the entire vacant space. The last time they had danced, she'd been clumsy and unsure, but now she moved smoothly and with such grace. He couldn't believe how intricate her original deception had been. She'd played the innocent klutz to perfection.

They circled around the large willow tree in the center of the patio and he twirled her around until she threw her head back and laughed with the purest delight he had ever seen on her face. The sound was so refreshing after the last few days. Like the tinkling of bells.

"I so enjoy it when you smile," he told her once the tune had ended and they were given a moment to rest. He had only seen brief glimpses of her smile recently and it had sorely been missed.

"Thank you for taking my mind off of my troubles."

"I only wish I could do more to help you, but just know that I will always be here when you need me." Bernardo had begun to play a slow ballad, which gave Diego the chance to hold her closer. His heart soared when she allowed it.

"You have done more than enough for me. I can't lay all of my problems on your shoulders." Guilt showed in her eyes briefly.

"But, I want you to. You can't carry this burden alone." She had already been on her own for so long. If she wasn't careful, it could destroy her and Diego didn't think he could live with that.

She reached up to cup his cheek. He couldn't resist leaning into her touch. "You are a good man, Diego de la Vega. Far better than a woman like me deserves."

He wished that she would stop pushing him away. She told him that they were friends, but friends helped one another. They cared for each other. "You deserve every happiness in the world," he told her softly. He wasn't even certain if they were even still dancing, yet Bernardo continued to play.

She frowned and began to shake her head, but he urged her to stop.

"I could show you every single day if that is what you needed." It wasn't a declaration of love, but merely a promise of what could be if only she allowed herself to be cared for.

"Diego..." His name escaped her in a pained whisper. She shut her eyes and winced as if she was in physical pain.

"Right. Friends." He'd already said it once, but he was really beginning to hate that word. Still, he had to respect her wishes. He patted the back of the hand that still cupped his cheek, intending to remove it. He didn't think she even realized that it was still there. It was as if her body was fighting against her mind. He grasped her delicate hand and brought it to his lips.

"Good friends," she corrected.

"As good of friends as a man and woman could be," he added, though now his own body was fighting against his words. He could feel himself moving closer to her. He knew he should stop himself, but he saw that she was moving toward him as well.

"The best of friends," she whispered, her gaze drawn to his lips.

"Olivia..." he whispered her name in kind as he paused nearly a breath away from her. He was completely under her spell. She had bewitched him as no other woman had before.

Yet, her words belayed what she truly desired. Did he dare take the last step?

"Yes..." her response answered his silent question.

He couldn't be certain which one of them closed the gap between them. All he knew was the thrilling sensation of his mouth pressed against hers. Her lips were soft and supple, her kiss giving him everything and taking what she needed in return.

He found himself lost in the moment. Time stood still as he held her in his arms. This was perfect. It was peaceful. It was as if the missing piece of himself was finally settling into place.