On an unusually hot Saturday of February 1822, after having spent all morning with the vaqueros, building some new enclosures for their ever-growing livestock, the younger De la Vegas headed towards the pueblo. Since Diego was mostly there every other afternoon, helping in the medical office and working for the newspaper, many times Felipe also joining him after finishing his own tasks at the hacienda, they had gotten into the custom of meeting Don Alejandro every day for dinner at the tavern. Diego had the opportunity to see Victoria; his father had the opportunity to tell them about his day, hear about how things at the hacienda were going, and talk to his friends and other citizens, thus making sure to always know the concerns and problems of his people; while Felipe simply liked spending time there with his family.

"Hola, Victoria!" Diego greeted at entering the tavern, having arrived, together with his son, about an hour earlier than usual.

"Buenos dias, Señores!" She replied, a big smile on her face at seeing them. "You look like you could use some coffee!" She added, reading their minds.

"Coffee would be lovely," Diego confirmed.

"Victoria! Victoria!" Her helper exclaimed as she was pouring coffee for Diego and his son. "This just arrived for you!" The woman continued handing her a letter. "The courier who brought it said it was urgent."

The taverness took the letter and opened it, eager to see what was so urgent that it deserved a special courier. A minute later she almost plummeted to the floor, had Diego not caught her just in time.

"What is it?" He asked, concerned with her reaction.

"It's from Ramon." She answered sobbing. "Francisco and his wife... they had an accident! Ramon says they died a month ago. My brother has been dead for a month, and I had no idea! I'll never see him again!"

"Oh, no! I am so sorry, Victoria." He said, grieved by the news as he embraced her. "Francisco was a good and brave man!"

"I never even got the chance to meet his wife," she continued, as tears started pouring down her cheeks and Diego helped her to a bench. "They were… supposed… to visit… about a year ago, but… they had to… postpone it. It's a long journey… from Venezuela… and they didn't want to… travel… with a… newborn." She said, amongst sobs, as many people in the tavern turned their eyes towards her, as the room fell silent. "They left their daughter an orphan... She is not even 3 years old, Diego!" She started sobbing even harder as she said that. "Ramon wants… to bring her here… How do I… raise… a child here,… all by myself?... I am not… even… married!" As soon as she said that, another thought crossed her mind. "What if… what if she… asks me about… about her mother? I never… knew her!... What do I tell… a child… about a mother… I have never met?... I want children one day, Diego,… but, right now,… I have no idea how to… suddenly… become a mother!... And… how do I… raise her… in a tavern?"

There was another thought also crossing her mind at that very moment, but she didn't dare voice it out. What if Zorro would be unable to accept raising a child that wasn't his?

"You were raised here and you turned out"- amazing, he wanted to say –"quite fine" he ended up saying, fighting a sudden urge to propose and convince her to marry him before Ramon got there. If only he didn't lead a double life! If only he didn't have a price on his head! "She will have a good mother in you, Victoria, you have no reason to doubt that!" He tried to offer her some consolation.

Victoria looked at him, tears in her eyes but suddenly calmer.

"Do you really… think so, Diego?" She asked.

"I am quite sure of it!" He confirmed. "Does the letter say when they will be arriving?" Diego asked her.

She looked at him then back at the floor, reaching for the letter, which had fallen from her hand as she almost passed out. Finding it, she continued reading.

"Six weeks!... The journey should last six weeks!" She answered, her sobbing quieting down.

"If the letter was posted a month ago, that means you are to meet your niece in two weeks, Victoria!" Diego pointed out.

"Two weeks!" She whispered as he smiled sadly at her.

"I'm very sorry about Franciso, Victoria. But you should not doubt that you will make the best mother that little girl could ever ask for!" Diego felt he needed to add.

If she could have looked at him with any sort of mental clarity in that very moment, she would have seen love in his eyes, the same she always saw in Zorro's. Victoria, however, didn't even look, just held tighter to him, resting her head on his chest, too lost in her own thoughts. Francisco was dead and the only family she had left was Ramon and the little girl she had never seen before in her life, but who would now grow up as her own daughter.

"What would you say if you'd spend some time at the hacienda with us? You should not be alone right now." Diego asked her, hoping he might have the chance to give her some consolation.

She finally looked at him and smiled sadly, then nodded, grateful she had such good friends as the De la Vegas. A few moments later she started sobbing again, harder than before, and that was how Don Alejandro found her and his son at arriving at the tavern. Diego didn't even have to tell him about his offer. The old don simply sent Felipe to get the carriage and to inform the servants to prepare a guestroom.