Chapter 5

After a few short weeks, the Perez's new home was completed - just in time for the first rainfall of the season.

Alejandro had loaned José the money to rebuild, and he and Diego had overseen construction themselves to make sure nothing was done incorrectly.

Now the family, as well as Victoria and Diego, moved the family's meager belongings into the new house. The women built a fire and started cooking supper while the men quickly carried the last few armloads in, dodging raindrops. Then they attended to the horses, and were thoroughly wet when they at last joined the women.

The baby giggled and cooed as Diego and José dripped water all over the inside of the door.

"Beside the fire, you two! Before you catch a chill!" Malinda ordered and the two men complied without argument.

Victoria stepped aside from where she was cooking and glanced sidelong at the men. Diego, for all his modesty and constant concern for his appearance, didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable standing in the middle of this house in a nearly translucent wet white shirt. His hair was in more disarray than she'd ever seen it, wet and mussed. With a stab of unfamiliar awareness she was forced to admit that her friend was, indeed, a very handsome man.

Diego caught her watching him and she quickly averted her attention back to the nearly finished stew.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Diego's lips as he rubbed his hands together to drive the chill away. Victoria's – was it appreciative? – gaze had driven most of the chill from his body with one look, but water still dripped from his tousled hair.

"Here," Malinda set the baby into her bassinet and took two blankets from a top shelf. Offering one to each man, she ordered, "wrap these around you to keep warm."

"Your fire is quite sufficient, it's burning very hot today," Diego smiled, but took the blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders anyway.

"Oh, that's only because Victoria thought to start it early!"

Diego turned a soft smile on Victoria, who was studiously concentrating on her stew rather than looking at him. "Well, then, we have Victoria to thank for saving us from catching cold." He reached out to lightly touch her sleeve.

When she shifted her eyes toward him, a bit nervously, he thought, she was taken aback by the warmth radiating from the deep, blue pools.

"Thank you," he said softly, his eyes catching hers and holding them for a moment longer than was necessary.

She couldn't remember her response, but the baby's wail drew them apart and Malinda instantly plucked the little one from her bed.

Diego stepped away to peer out the window. "Well, the first good storm of the season is upon us. It doesn't look like it is going to let up any time soon."

José joined Diego at the window and frowned. "I'm sorry, Diego, Victoria, you may not make it home tonight. It wouldn't be safe to go during the storm."

"Definitely not!" Malinda added with a look of concern. "You'll stay here. It may not be as comfortable as your hacienda, but at least it's dry!"

Diego glanced around the small house, noting with a smile that there was no guest room. When he returned his gaze to Malinda, he reassured her, "The accommodations will be fine, don't worry."

"Yes, it will be far more comfortable than, say, a windmill!" Victoria stared pointedly at Diego who simply chuckled and glanced out the window again.

"It sounds like there's a story there." Malinda's curious eyes caught Victoria, who nodded emphatically.

"Oh, yes, indeed."

Diego inwardly sighed as Victoria began the tale of how they'd been forced to take shelter in an abandoned windmill after being caught in a summer storm much like the one raging outside now. Sharing such an enclosed space with the woman he loved had been the hardest night of his life. He had come so very close in revealing his secret to her that night, but fear of her rejection caused him to reconsider at the last moment.

José was saying something about the gossip from that impromptu trip, an enigmatic smile on his face.

Diego blinked, drawing himself out of the memory, and shook his head. "I'm sorry, what was that, José?"

Victoria ladled stew into four bowls while Malinda went into the other room to nurse the baby. They waited until she was done, and then sat down at the small wooden table and began to eat.

"Wonderful as usual, Victoria," Diego complimented Victoria with a customary smile.

"Oh, sí, the señorita here is a most wonderful cook," José agreed with a nod but when his wife frowned at him, he added quickly, "but Malinda is not so bad herself."

"Good save, my friend," Diego winked and buried his attention in his bowl when Malinda shot José another annoyed look.

Victoria hid a smile in her own bowl and dinner passed quickly with much conversation ranging from babies to the alcalde to the newly built house and barn.

Afterwards, Victoria cleared the dishes quickly while Malinda put the baby down to bed. When the new mother returned to her kitchen, the dishes were done and everything was put away.

"Victoria!" Malinda exclaimed, drawing the attention of the men who were again standing at the window admiring the storm. "You didn't have to do all of this work!"

"Oh, give it no thought," Victoria finished drying her hands and smiled warmly, "I'm glad I could help, even if just a little."

"You've helped so much, I don't think we will ever be able to repay you, or the de la Vegas, for everything you've done."

"It's not necessary, I'm happy to help," Victoria assured her as the women moved over to the window to see just what had caught the rapt attention of the men.

"Look at the wind over there," Diego pointed to a location far away that the others had to squint to see. "See how it circles up from the ground? I wouldn't be surprised if this storm spawns a tornado or two."

Victoria's dark eyes, which had followed Diego's hand, snapped toward Diego at his mention of a twister. She stood next to him beside the window and suddenly felt very small next to his tall form. She always knew he was tall but for some reason, tonight, he seemed excessively so.

"Oh, I hope not!" Malinda's eyes widened in fear at the mere thought. "We just got the house rebuilt!"

"Oh, they're rare enough," Diego assured with a small smile. But as he looked out the window, Victoria could see his eyes light at the prospect of seeing such a rare natural phenomenon. "The Los Angeles landscape isn't very conducive to spawning tornadoes thankfully or we would have fewer people living here than we already do."

Victoria swallowed hard and stared at Diego. He continued speaking, animatedly, about how the weather patterns and terrain affect how well a tornado spawns and how long it lasts, but Victoria was lost in the excited tone in his voice, the brightness in his eyes as he explained a science he obviously knew very well. More and more lately, she had noticed Diego become excited about a multitude of topics. Something had drawn him out of his quiet, studious shell, and she was grateful for whatever that something had been.

" – right Victoria?"

All eyes were watching her curiously and she shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I'm sorry. What – what was that?"

Diego regarded her with a curious look and Malinda placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"See, you've frightened Victoria over all this talk of tornadoes!"

Victoria shook her head, forcing herself to answer. "Oh no, they are beautiful," she corrected and then after a moment's reflection, added, "from a distance."

José went to stoke the fire in the fire pit and it crackled loudly as a particular piece of wood splintered and erupted in flames.

Malinda left to fetch a few more blankets and items that could be used for bedding, leaving Diego and Victoria standing alone beside the window.

Diego's eyes swept across her face for a long moment before he averted them and glanced back out the window.

"Diego?"

"Hmm?" he didn't turn his head, he was watching the rain and the wind outside with a curious, excited eye.

"How do you know so much about the weather?" Victoria winced. The question sounded foolish to her ears but to her surprise, he answered after only a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Oh, from my studies, I suppose," Diego answered with a smile. "It's something science has a very difficult time explaining so naturally, I'm interested in discovering some explanation."

His response sounded logical to her ears but she wasn't very knowledgeable about the sciences, either.

After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "And tornados?"

Diego turned, excited that she seemed so eager to have such a conversation. Their ease with one another bespoke a close, deep friendship. It had changed somewhat, become stronger, after the fire. "Well, a tornado is –" he trailed off when he noticed her favoring him with a peculiar, scrutinizing look. He swallowed convulsively, wondering what had suddenly changed between them. She had never looked at him this way before.

"What's wrong?" Victoria asked when he didn't continue.

"Ah, nothing," Diego turned from her, suddenly nervous, and moved toward the blankets Malinda had set out for them to use as bedding.

Victoria shook her head. Something had caused him to hesitate, but she wanted him to continue. Something nagged at the back of her mind, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Malinda is going to feed the baby and go to bed." José slipped through the curtain separating the main room from the bedroom. "Victoria, you can go in whenever you're ready. I'll sleep on the floor out here."

Victoria tilted her head toward José and out of the corner of her eye caught an amused smile cross Diego's lips. Why, she was perfectly capable of being alone in the room with Diego! She wasn't tired and she wanted to speak with Diego anyway!

"I'll be perfectly fine out here, thank you, José."

José's eyebrow rose and he glanced questioningly at Diego, who was busying himself with spreading out the blankets.

Diego shrugged, swallowing the smile that threatened to spread across his face. "Whatever the lady wants, José. I've learned not to argue with Victoria."

"Well, all right then," José wondered briefly how they were so comfortable around one another but dismissed it, deeming it none of his business. He had a sneaking suspicion there was more to their relationship than mere friendship. But, it was none of his concern. They were adults.

"I'll head to bed then so that we can get an early start. There will probably be a nice flooded mess to clean in the morning."

Diego looked up from his blankets and straw-filled pillows. "Yes, we can go check out the riverbed as well. See if the rain has dislodged anything from the mine."

A wide smile spread across José's face. "Oh! Sí, that's a great idea!"

"Get a good night's sleep then," Diego said as he spread one blanket over the low straw mattress that had been pulled into the front room. "We'll get up at first light and investigate."

Victoria heard José speaking with Diego but their words blurred as her eyebrows rose and knitted together. Diego? Get up early? Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him, that nagging feeling once again scratching at the fringes of her mind.

As José disappeared behind the curtain again, Diego patted the straw bed beside him.

Victoria glanced over at him, an incredulous look on her face that he must have misinterpreted as something else because he blushed furiously, which caused a bubble of laughter to slip from her lips.

"Victoria, take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor." Diego said, moving a good distance away and spreading out the other blanket.

Victoria glanced around and grinned when her eyes settled on the table at the other end of the room. "Nothing to put between us this time."

"I'm sure I could find something if you wish," she heard Diego say. His back was to her and she wondered at the unusual – was it disappointed? – tone.

"That's not necessary, Diego," Victoria assured as she lay down on the narrow bed, wondering to where his excessive modesty had disappeared. He had been all too quick to place a barrier between them that night in the windmill. But then, there hadn't been two other people asleep in the next room either. Maybe he felt more comfortable this time. "You are the last person I would expect to take advantage of this situation."

A small smile crept across his face. If she only knew. "All right, then. Sleep well, Victoria."

When he lay down with his back to her, she scowled. Just like that night in the windmill, she wasn't ready to sleep. She leaned up on her arm and faced him. "Diego?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not tired, will you talk with me?"

Talking was the last thing he wanted to do right about now.

"I wouldn't want to wake –"

"We can whisper."

Now that they were alone, it was harder to hide the longing in his eyes and the desire in his voice. With a heavy sigh, he rolled over, and found himself far closer to her than he had anticipated. He shuffled back a bit and smiled warily at her. "What would you like to talk about?"

Her eyes were bright, full of mischief. "You."

Diego nearly choked. "Uh, me?"

"Yes."

Diego searched her face carefully. She'd been acting a bit odd ever since they took shelter from the storm inside the house. He wasn't sure why and, by the way she was looking at him now, he wasn't sure he wanted to know either. Women were mysterious creatures.

He swallowed and forced his voice to remain steady. This constant nervousness around her when they were alone in situations like this had to stop "Well, what do you want to know?"

Victoria had a few questions, and so steeled herself to ask the first one. "How is it that you –" She lost her nerve and continued on a different vein, " – that you are so good with children yet have none of your own?"

Diego's gaze dropped away and she could detect a hint of something - was it regret? - in his eyes before they were hidden from view.

"Uh well –" he began after a few moments of silence. "I suppose I haven't yet met the right woman." At that, he shifted his gaze to look straight at her, unnerving her for a moment. But before she could comment, he grinned wryly. "Since to have children requires a wife."

"Well," Victoria leapt at this, wondering why his answers to these questions were so important to her, "you're very attractive, Diego." She'd wondered over the last few weeks, why she had not noticed it sooner. "You could have any woman in the pueblo that you want."

He lowered his head and for a moment she thought her compliment had embarrassed him.

"Except one."

If she hadn't been sitting so close to him, she may not have heard it at all. But when her eyes met his, they showed no sign that he'd spoken. Had she imagined he'd said it?

He shrugged but she pressed on, determined to drag some kind of confession out of her friend. He was hiding something, she knew it.

"None sophisticated or beautiful enough in Los Angeles for such a well educated man?"

"Victoria –"

"What?" Victoria smiled innocently, "I'm just trying to understand a bit about the mystery that is Diego de la Vega."

Diego grinned wryly. "There's no mystery about me, Victoria. I'm quite –" He stopped as he searched for the right word.

"Uncomplicated?"

Diego shook his head and muttered softly, "You have no idea."

"Well, I'd like to." Victoria scooted closer to him, intrigued by his reaction to her questions.

Diego suddenly turned the tables on her and looked up suddenly, catching her offguard, "And why is the lovely Señorita Escalante, Zorro's fair maiden, so concerned with my life, hmm?"

Victoria's eyes glazed at the mention of her masked love and Diego instantly regretted the mention of him. But she recovered quickly with an answer that both shocked and unnerved him, "because you are my best friend and I want to see you happy."

Diego sighed and looked away from those beautiful, imploring dark eyes. "Perhaps I will be someday."

"Someday?" Victoria repeated. Did that mean he wasn't happy now? A sudden thought occurred to her, remnant of a conversation they'd had when his former fiancé had been in the pueblo. His confession earlier had not been the entire truth. He had found the right woman. She was just – "You're still in love with the woman who is in love with another."

"Yes," Diego answered softly, his voice quiet, sad.

Victoria trembled. She had never heard such sadness in her friend's voice. He was her best friend. She wanted him to be happy. The dejected tone made her want to take him in her arms and assure him that he would have a happy future. But that would be very improper, given their current sleeping arrangement. She would have to settle for words, "If you love her so deeply, then court her, regardless of this other man. Force her to choose!"

The reaction Victoria received was not one she had been expecting.

Diego looked up at her, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Ah, if it were only so simple, Doña Corazon."

The mention of the pen name she used for her articles in the Los Angeles Guardian gave her a new thought. "I can help you!" Victoria excitedly scooted closer to him, completely missing the pained look that crossed his handsome face.

"Uh, no, Victoria, I don't think that's a –"

"It's an excellent idea and you know it!" Victoria's eyes lit with excitement. "So, who is she? Tell me all about her. And who is this rival? Perhaps I can suggest some ways to –"

"I'm not comfortable with this, Victoria; I'm sorry."

Her smile faded. "But – why?"

"I need to work this out on my own," he admitted slowly.

"Does your father know? If you won't accept help from me, what about him?"

Diego laughed at the suggestion. "The man who, at every available opportunity, mentions how he would like to live to see his grandchildren? No, Victoria, he is not the proper person to ask for assistance in this matter."

Victoria giggled at that but reached forward and covered his hand with her own, a solemn look on her face. "Well, you need help from someone! I can't stand to see you like –"

Diego's eyes caught hers and she lowered her gaze in embarrassment. Her hand still covered his and he unconsciously curled his fingers around hers, giving them a grateful squeeze. "Thank you, Victoria," he said quietly, "your concern is touching."

The raw emotion reflected in his eyes drew her to him like a magnet and she found herself unable to look away.

Silence fell between them for a long moment before Diego broke through it with a quiet, "Victoria." His voice was barely audible over the pounding of the rain on the rooftop.

Victoria had to suppress a shudder at the familiar sound. If she closed her eyes, she could almost hear Zorro's voice. But how could that be possible? Was she just wishing she were lying here with Zorro now instead of Diego? She could no longer deny that her friend was a very handsome man. Perhaps this realization had changed something between them. She could not bring herself to pull away from his magnetic gaze and this was causing her thoughts to jumble and confuse the two men she truly cared for most in this world.

Victoria chided herself. Diego was her friend. She had no romantic feelings towards him! But – there were times, however few, when she thought he might have feelings for her. Try as she might, she couldn't suppress the thrill she felt when she thought her friend might be more enamored of her than he expressed. But she couldn't encourage such feelings. He would only end up hurt in the end, when she married Zorro.

When she didn't answer, Diego sat up, concerned that something was truly bothering her. He didn't want anything between them – well, he mused sadly, anything more than the secrets he already kept. "Victoria?" he repeated again, this time concern spilling into his voice.

His concerned tone broke through her confused mind. She shook her head. "Its nothing, Diego," Victoria said softly and trembled so violently that he could feel it reverberate through their hands. "I must just be worried about the storm."

"All right," Diego said, watching her carefully for a few moments longer than he really should have. He had a sneaking suspicion that there was something else that was bothering her and as much as he wanted to pour his heart out to her, the same fear of her painful rejection arrested his tongue.

He released her hand and rolled over, wishing with all his heart that he could take her in his arms and profess his love.

Sleep wouldn't come easy for either of them as the emotional storm raging within the house rivaled the one that raged outside its walls.

TBC

Thethirdtroll - you can find the whole series on ebay relatively cheep. You can always find Conspiracy of Blood and The Legend Begins on as well. One more chapter after this one. Thanks for the continual feedback. It's very encouraging, you know! Even if you call me evil for ending chapters the way I do :)

CW - Yes. Yes, she is. She's intelligent. Why she never figured it out on the show just makes me mad when I think about it! But, never fear, Victoria will figure it out . . . or she'll think she has. . .

Uhm. What - Ahh, a person of so little words….laugh…well, here's another chapter. Enjoy.

Aurelia30 - Yes, you would think she'd make the connection. Alejandro doesn't know everything, and won't for a while. Victoria on the other hand, has a few more clues to file away for examination later. She'll think she's figured him out, but then, in the light of day, things will seem different.

Only one more chapter to go.