Chapter 9:

Victoria was happy to be in Los Angeles again. She was grateful for one thing though, it was thanks to this adventure that she could start her life with the man she loved. There was a moment that she thought that she would be missing all of this. For once she had feared that Zorro would be too late. She should have known better though.

She watched in silence how Diego and his father talked about the ranch and the new mares. She knew Diego was smart, she just didn't know how smart he really was. She loved seeing him the way he was now, free to be who he really was in the company of the people who were dear to him.

Don Alejandro had waited until coffee was served before he started his questions, "Victoria, dear, what happened to you?"

Victoria sighed, "It all started when Don Domingo walked into the tavern. He flirted a bit but I didn't think much of it though. He isn't the only one who tries. For me, he was a customer like another. He even defended me against one of the Alcaldes many plans to capture Zorro. I was happy with his help at that moment. Zorro saved the day like he always does." Victoria smiled towards Diego, she could do it here as long as his father or Felipe were the only one in the room.

"He even told me that he wanted to visit a friend, he didn't want to tell me who at the time but it isn't my business to be curious about something like that so I didn't ask more about it. He wanted me to leave Los Angeles behind as his wife, he even blackmailed me that he knew who Zorro was and he was going to tell everyone who he was if I didn't leave with him. I didn't believe him at the time, in my eyes nobody knew who Zorro was, when I think about it now that was a stupid move but he wasn't the first to try and marry me that way. He left the day after and I didn't give him a second thought. Luckily the day passed without the need for Zorro, knowing now that Zorro wasn't available. I was closing up the tavern and the next thing I knew I woke up on the back of a horse." Victoria sighed thinking back at the past week.

"That's when I heard a famous sound, a famous neighing. I recognized Toronado immediately. I first thought that Zorro was near not knowing that Toronado had freedom. I startled a little though when Toronado's head appeared but I knew that if I was able to let Toronado deliver a note that Zorro would be able to find me. I still didn't know that he was out of town." Victoria sighed deeply, it was clear that she had a hard time telling the story though. The tears rolled over her cheek while thinking about how close she came to lose everything she worked for or every person she cared for.

"I kept hoping that Zorro would come until it was time to answer the question. That moment I almost lost hope." Victoria cried. Diego stood up and walked towards the woman he loved so much, not caring what his father would say.

He crouched down next to her, "Victoria, I will always find my way back to you. Wait here, my love." Diego stood up and walked towards his room. He wasn't going to lose her again if she agreed she would be seen as a future dona and that was going to keep her safe. He took the ring out of a cabinet in his room, a ring that belonged to his mother.

He walked to the dining room again. He crouched down next to the chair that was taken by the love of his life and took her hands in his. He took a deep sigh, looked at their joined hands before he looked into her eyes. "My sweet, sweet Victoria, I almost lost you and I don't want to lose you again. The days that you were missing were the hardest in my entire life, especially when I couldn't find you. Mi querida, my love. I don't want to wait until my battle as Zorro is over, I want to start my life with you soon. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?"

Victoria nodded speechlessly before whispering, "Yes, Diego, I want to be your wife."

Diego smiled widely while he placed the ring around her finger. Victoria looked at the beautiful emerald stone before looking at Diego and wrapping her arms around his neck. Diego wrapped his arms around Victoria's small waist.

"That calls for a celebration, wine for us all." Don Alejandro said cheerfully. He stood up and walked towards the kitchen, "MARIA?" It could be heard through the whole hacienda, followed by, "A BOTTLE OF WINE! WE HAVE SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE, DIEGO IS GOING TO BE MARRIED!"

The evening was filled with stories that nobody knew, things that Diego had been through but also times Zorro came close to death not only physically but he even mentioned the times he wanted to stop being Zorro, especially when Victoria was dying after she took the bullet for him.

A few hours later, Don Alejandro was already gone to bed, Diego for that matter couldn't sleep. He was leaning against the wall in the little yard where Victoria had kissed him for the very first time.

If there was a moment in his life he couldn't forget it was that time. The fear of losing his Victoria by a bullet wound, a bullet that was clearly meant for him. He was so deep in thoughts that he didn't hear Victoria coming outside.

"Diego?" Victoria asked softly when she saw a figure leaning against the wall. He wasn't wearing his black clothes so he didn't blend into the shadows.

Diego shook his head to clear his mind and watched beside him, "hi mi querida, hard time sleeping?"

Victoria smiled a bit, "I could ask you the same thing."

Diego chuckled with a sad tone, "Telling these stories opened some old wounds that I thought had healed."

"You still have a hard time when I took that bullet haven't you?" Victoria asked curiously while she walked closer to him.

Diego sighed deeply, he looked straight forward to nothing in particular, "I can't seem to go past it, even knowing that you are still alive."

"What I said back then still counts, Diego. Especially knowing that it's you. I would gladly take that bullet again and again. Not only because I love you so much, maybe even more now than I did back then but also for the people of this pueblo. You are their only hope, Diego." Victoria smiled placing her hand on his chest.

Diego shook his head, he didn't look at her, "I don't know if there will be a Zorro without you, Victoria."

The black-haired tavern owner placed her hand on his cheek, which Diego gladly leaned into, "I want you to promise me no matter what happens Diego, Zorro can't give up. The people need you. Don't worry though I am not planning on dying anytime soon." Victoria looked up to him, "There is more isn't it?"

Diego sighed again and leaned his forehead against hers, "This is the second time I nearly lost you, not by death but still out of my reach. I just don't know which one is more devastating."

"You don't have to think about that anymore because now I am engaged to a wonderful man." Victoria smiled before something dawned her, "This is where we had our first kiss. I wished I had listened more closely back then. Maybe we could have had a family by now."

"Well, it took a few years but you listened to my advice." Diego chuckled before he reached down and kissed her. The kiss lasted until both of them needed to come up for air.

"I am so happy, Diego." Victoria placed her head against his strong chest, her arms wrapped around his waist. Diego placed his arms around her shoulders and let his chin rest on the top of her head, "Me too, querida, me too."

In Spain, a dark-haired man was pacing in his room. His brother should have been home by now. His gut was telling him that something was wrong.

"Don Esteban?" The don looked up to the sound of the woman who had entered his library.

"What is it, Esperanza?" The don asked with a cold tone.

"There is a letter for you, patron. It's a letter from Los Angeles." the woman said, her head bowed down.

The don took the letter, "Thank you, Esperanza." He said while eagerly opening the letter. It was a letter from his friend, Pablo.

"Don Esteban,

I have to let you know that your brother won't be coming home to Spain. Something happened to him. Someone hit him in the head with a candle holder, I can't tell you moreover this letter but he lost his memory. I want to ask you to travel to Los Angeles immediately.

Your friend, Pablo."

That was all the letter said. Don Esteban crushed the letter in his hand. The person who did this to his brother was going to pay for it. Nobody messed with the Mariano family.

"Esperanza! Pack my suitcase I am traveling to Los Angeles with the next ship!" He said yelled throughout the hacienda.

The boat would be leaving in a few days.

TBC