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3 months later...

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Two couples knelt in church, taking their vows. One young, the other older, but still young.

Alejandro smiled from the pews. His son was finally getting married. He still could not believe that his son, his son Diego, was the masked bandit that had helped him so many times. His proud smile would not leave his face.

Mendoza sat next to the proud father and beamed with his own pride. Mendoza was no longer a sergeant; he was now the Alcalde, promoted by Mara herself. He had sworn to run the pueblo the way that Zorro had always wanted it to be. Fair and justly. He had lifted the bounty off of Zorro's head, giving him the chance to be married without fear.

The two couples were too absorbed in each other to care what the old priest was saying in Spanish. Diego slid his hand behind his bride's back and cupped her waist. Felipe, who was not so daring, slipped his hand between the folds of Mara's white dress and found her hand. He grasped it with his own and ran his thumb up and down it, making his bride shiver with delight.

The priest's droning stopped and everyone cheered as Diego took Victoria's veil off and kissed her. Felipe lifted Mara's veil over his own head and kissed her under it. Everyone cheered as the couples left the church and walked to the tavern in the dark of the night.

Diego helped Victoria onto Toronado and then got up behind her. He saluted Felipe with a grin.

"Adios, Amigo!" And with that, he and Victoria sped off to the De La Vega hacienda for their honeymoon.

Mara gripped the key to Victoria's tavern, Victoria's present to Mara. It was hers and Felipe's for the night.

Felipe took the key from her and with a grin, took both of her hands and led her inside the tavern. He went back to the door and locked it, then put the bolt across it.

Mara laughed at his silly behavior, and even sillier grin. "Felipe, you are so romantic," she said between giggles. Felipe looked indignant (he was faking, of course) and pumped his chest with his hands. Mara tried to stop laughing and stood up straight. "Oh, excuse me if you were just trying to be manly about locking the door." Felipe grinned and walked over to her. He signed for a second and Mara watched him. "I'm not what I seem?" He nodded. "Well," she said as she put her arms around his neck. "Neither are you, Mr. De La Vega." She kissed him. "You are the most talkative person I know." He grinned and kissed her back.

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"Felipe! Mara!" Victoria's voice rang through her tavern the next morning. Diego leaned over the counter.

"They're over here, my love." Victoria leaned over the counter as well to see Felipe and Mara asleep behind it. Felipe was on his back; Mara was resting half on top of him with one leg overlapping one of Felipe's, one hand rested on his chest and one of Felipe's arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her to him. Victoria laughed at them, making sure not to wake them. "I'll go make some breakfast." Diego stayed bent over the counter. Felipe opened his eyes and looked up at Diego. He winked and with a grin closed his eyes again.

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Victoria moved in with Diego, while Felipe and Mara moved into the tavern to run it for her. The town was now peaceful with the new Alcalde Mendoza, so Diego could rest in peace and raise a family with Victoria. Mara used her family's fortune to make the town bigger and build new homes for the farmers. All the years of helping Zorro made Felipe an excellent businessman and gained him respect among the caballeros. Mara and Felipe grew their own family, making Alejandro not only a grandfather, but a great-grandfather as well.

Every once in a while, a lone robber or greedy trickster will come into their pueblo, but they know how to deal with them. Diego still misses his black mask and the joy he used to bring when he wore it, and Victoria is still reminding him that he brings the same joy being only Diego. Habits die hard, I guess.

Felipe's pure love for Mara has kept her by his side no matter what they have faced, and her love for him has given him the hope he needed to bring his voice back. He doesn't speak much, if at all. He talks the most to Mara, who still says that he's the most talkative person she knows.

Mendoza met a beautiful widow with five sons and they got married. He says that all five will be in the royal guard someday.

Don't feel sad that the story is over, my friend. There will always be a place at Victoria's tavern for you to hang your hat.

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Waaaaaaaaah! It's over!