Chapter 3

Three more days went by and now it was only Diego who remained in the de la Vega hacienda due to injuries sustained by the attack on the pueblo. Another had passed away and the last had been allowed to return home just this morning.

The alcalde had not been by to inquire as to Diego's health, and for this, Alejandro was grateful. He feared the man was simply waiting for Diego to get well before arresting him and making a public spectacle of his execution for the masked man's supposed crimes. There was no doubt the alcalde would be getting his information on the health of his son from someone, regardless of how Alejandro tried to keep the information flow at a minimum.

Between running the ranch and sitting by his son's bedside, Alejandro looked terrible. He'd aged tremendously in the last week and the carefully constructed control around his temper was slipping more and more each day.

Diego's fever came and went but color had returned, at least in part, to his cheeks. The entire household held out continual hope that the young man would recover from his injury.

The padre visited frequently, helping Victoria talk through her anger at discovering the man she loved was actually her best friend. They talked at length about love and devotion and Victoria was grateful for the calm friar's presence. He gave her hope that Diego would live through this.

Once again alone in the room, Victoria trailed her fingers down his smooth cheek and gently pressed her lips to his. She buried her face in the pillow beside Diego's head unable to stop the tears. "Is this what you felt like when I was lying here?" She sobbed against his neck. "Powerless to help the one you love?" She didn't receive an answer but she didn't expect to.

She remembered cryptic words said during a time that she only now, truly understood.

If you die, Victoria, Zorro will die with you.

"You were telling me even then. I was too blinded by the mask to even notice." Victoria trembled, her breath coming in huge gasps as the tears began to flow in rapid streams down her cheeks. "Oh, Diego. Please don't die. You can't leave me alone in this world. You can't leave me." She desperately pressed her lips to his cheek, pleading with the unconscious man. She held his hand tightly as she cried herself to sleep.

The dark haze floating through his mind lifted slowly, permitting light to seek admittance. He tried to speak, tried to move, but even the mere thought caused such shooting pain throughout his body that he simply lay there, immobile, willing his eyes to open.

After a few moments, he tried again, each time more successful than the last. When, at last his eyes slid open, it was dark and he could smell the fresh scent of a familiar rose.

Zorro!

Panic rose in his eyes and his body involuntarily tensed, waking the sleeping woman whose head was pillowed on his arm. He blinked when she raised a sleepy head and regarded him with a wide-eyed gasp.

"Diego!" Victoria cried and he winced at the shrill tone. "Gracias a dios!" She embraced him carefully and pressed her lips to his in a quick gesture of affection. "We've been so worried!" She held his hand and pressed it to her lips.

"Victoria?" His throat was dry and her name came out as a hoarse whisper. "What - what - " he coughed. "Happened?"

Victoria brushed a lock of hair off his forehead and regarded him with a tender gaze. "You don't remember?"

Diego searched her eyes, her face, trying desperately to remember what had happened. His eyes flashed when he remembered pulling her out of the way of a pistol but -

He gasped as remembrance flooded his mind. Zorro had been shot! But he couldn't remember anything other than hitting the tavern floor.

"I - I. " Diego stammered.

"Shh," Victoria placed a finger on his lips. "Don't waste your energy talking right now." She closed her eyes and silently thanked God for his life. When she opened them again, she smiled warmly and rested a small hand against his cheek. "You will have ample opportunity for explanations. I have more questions than I can count…and so does your father."

Diego blinked rapidly. Trying to force his brain into more than a few groggy, sluggish thoughts. She knew. His secret was out? How - why, was he still alive?

Alejandro and Felipe nearly broke down the door at hearing Victoria's voice in the middle of the night.

"Diego. Son!" Alejandro sank into a chair opposite Victoria and gripped his son's other hand. "Dios! We've been so worried!"

Felipe disappeared and returned quickly with a glass of water. Alejandro helped his son to take a few cautious sips before he sank weakly back into the bed.

"Rest, Diego." Victoria trailed her hand down his jaw and cupped his cheek. "We'll be here when you wake."

Diego nodded weakly and complied, his mind not quite able to comprehend what had happened. He was tired, exhausted and he allowed Victoria's sweet, soothing voice to lull him back into a contented slumber.

"You have a lot of explaining to do." Alejandro tried to sound stern but his voice shook with emotion. His son was awake!

"I . . . imagine that I do," Diego said slowly, risking a nervous glance at Victoria. She simply smiled and clutched his hand, an unusual warmness shining in her bright eyes.

He wanted to ask her how she felt about her masked man turning out to be only her friend Diego but the doctor appeared and shoo'd them all out of his bedroom.

"Are they very angry?" Diego finally asked after a few minutes of silence. He winced as the doctor cleaned his wound.

"It's been over a week, Diego," Hernandez carefully checked Diego's side. "The anger dissipated long ago. Replaced by concern and a lot of deep affection."

A visible sigh of relief crossed Diego's face and the doctor chuckled. "I wouldn't count on emerging from this little incident unscathed, however."

Diego's face fell.

"The señorita . . ."

"I expect to witness first hand that fiery temper I love so much."

Hernandez tried to hide a smile as he bent to apply some medicated salve to the wound. "Yes, well, do the rest of us a favor and let us vacate the hacienda first, hmm?"

Diego gaped at him.

"That explosion is not something I wish to see at any time."

Diego chuckled and silence fell for a few moments until the doctor was finished. He glanced up at Diego and the injured man held his eyes with a firm stare. "Why am I not in the alcalde's jail."

The doctor's eyes fell. "I don't know. No one knows. The alcalde hasn't come near the hacienda since you were shot."

Diego nodded slowly as Alejandro and Victoria returned, Felipe in toe, grinning happily.

"He's doing well. Bed rest until he feels strong enough to stand." Hernandez turned to Alejandro. "And baby steps as he begins to walk. He'll be quite weak for a while."

Diego bristled at the thought of being confined to bed. He shifted uncomfortably and then winced as pain shot through his side. His sharp intake of breath earned him a disapproving look from Victoria.

"Don't worry, doctor," Victoria shot a coy look toward Diego. "I won't let him out of that bed until he's good and ready. He's in good hands."

"Of that, I have no doubt." The doctor grinned as he stepped out the door.

Diego turned sheepish eyes on the woman he loved while Alejandro settled into a nearby chair. He leaned forward regarding his son with an expectant grin.

Diego swallowed nervously, glancing from his father back to Victoria before turning pleading eyes on Felipe - who simply smiled knowingly and stepped back.

He heaved a heavy sigh. "Where would you like me to begin?"

TBC

Only one more chapter to go…. :)