AN: This is my third post-series-finale story and the idea for it was inspiread by both the movie "Groundhog Day" and "Stargate SG-1" episode "Window of opportunity."
It is rated T for (some) violence and the mentioning of some adult themes - nothing exactly graphic, however, and should be OK to read by older children/ young teens (who already know, at least at a conceptual level, about death, injuries, lovemaking and rape - or you can just skip some parts of some of the chapters).
Having said that, I would also mention that it is part of "Of Men and Legends" written to unite the initial seven stories of the series in one story and add several new ones. However, the four chapters in "Of Legends and Men" dedicated to the events in 'GroundFox Day' are not meant to be a reiteration of it as much as a gap-filler, so only read that part instead if you find this too long and boring :P - although that is by no means how I would describe it.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of the NWZ pantheon. I do own the OCs in this story and the ideas for the plot. I do not make any money from it, write and publish just for fun, but I do not authorize the partial or complete reproduction of the story without my express consent. The use of the OCs can be granted after slight negotiation.
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January 23rd, 1821 – Day 1
The first ray of sun hit his face like a punch. Diego woke up instantly, after an entire night of sleeping comfortably in his bed. With no bandits to chase and no wrongdoings by the Alcalde in almost a month, it seemed as if he was finally granted a chance to have a normal life. The kind of life that allows for one to go to sleep at a decent hour, wake up rested, sometime before noon, go about the day doing whatever one wants, consider a way to marry the woman one loves and, eventually, return to sleep again, in a comfortable bed, at a reasonable hour. The good times were finally there for him and he felt that soon he would be able to "retire" as Zorro and end the entire masquerade. Not that he wouldn't miss being Zorro…But Zorro had always been a means to an end and, if his mission was truly finished, Diego saw no reason to go on living a double life. The only problem was that his real personality was more like Zorro than Diego and the idea of keeping up the pretense, thus giving up his true self, was quite unbearable. On the other hand, he also knew that suddenly turning into the unmasked version of Zorro would only land him on the gallows.
"Trapped by the illusion I've created!" He murmured, as he woke up that morning, as if trying to conclude a strange dream.
Slowly, he got off his bed, checked what time it was, noticing it was barely six in the morning, put on one of his blue suits, a white shirt and a blue vest and headed for the kitchen to ask Maria for his breakfast to be served in the patio.
He drank his coffee and ate an omelet while reading one of the new books he had bought during his most recent visit to San Pedro. By the time his father and Felipe joined him, he had already read about half the book and finished his meal.
"Good morning, Diego!" His father greeted, still surprised to see his son up so early in the morning, despite it being a scene that tended to repeat itself for over three weeks.
"Good morning, Father!" Diego replied. "Do you, by any chance, know if Felipe is up, yet?"
"Felipe? Yes, I saw him heading towards the library. What is it with you two and your fascination for that room, Diego? If I didn't know better, I could swear the boy is actually your son!"
"He is my son, Father. I have adopted him." Diego reminded Don Alejandro, trying to switch the topic of the conversation away from the room where the access to the cave was located.
"It is not what I meant, Diego, but I do see your point. After all, you did raise the young man." Don Alejandro agreed.
"We both did, Father!" Diego replied and, noticing Felipe entering the courtyard, he poured him a cup of coffee. "Good morning, Felipe! Did you sleep well?" He asked.
Felipe signaled that he had had a nightmare, but he was ready for a new day.
"Is that one of your new books, Diego?" His father decided to let curiosity get the best of him.
"Yes" He answered. "Prometheus Unbound, by Shelly. It makes for an interesting read."
"It certainly has an interesting title." Don Alejandro remarked. "I saw you bought over 30 new books on your visit to the port yesterday. I must say, I was actually expecting you to stay up reading them for at least one month, but I am certainly glad to see you decided to do your reading in the morning."
"You never know, Father. I might just return to my old habits one of these days." Diego replied with a grin.
As Don Alejandro and Felipe were eating their breakfasts, the conversation lingered for a while on the topic of books, then re-focused on issues regarding work at the ranch. Around 9 am, Don Alejandro headed for his office, decided to catch up with some of the accounting, while the younger De la Vegas headed for Los Angeles to do some much-needed work for the next edition of The Guardian. Truth was that, since he had been gone the entire previous day, Diego was already missing Victoria, thus, working on the newspaper was but an perfect excuse to go to the pueblo. Felipe, in turn, went along because he was interested in the latest gossip people in the tavern would share around him, oblivious to the fact that he was able to hear them.
They went on horseback and entered the tavern to find Victoria still serving breakfast to her devoted patrons, among which the Alcalde and Sergeant Mendoza.
"Buenos dias, Senores!" She greeted them as they neared the bar.
"Good morning, Victoria!" Diego replied with a big smile, unable to completely disguise the love radiating from his eyes. "I hope you have prepared a lot of lemonade this morning, since it's already almost unbearably hot out there!"
"Pilar is just preparing a new jar, Diego." She answered. "Nice and fresh for my favorite customers!"
"I thought I was your favorite customer, Senorita Escalante." Sergeant Mendoza uttered from a table near the door, which he was sharing with the Alcalde.
"You certainly are my most faithful customer, Sergeant!" She replied with a charming smile. "Don Alejandro is not coming, Diego?" She asked, turning towards her favorite customer.
"No. He is catching up with some bookkeeping this morning." He replied, silently greeting the Alcalde and Mendoza, and heading with Felipe for a table next to theirs.
"You know, Don Diego," De Soto opened the conversation, just as Victoria brought the jar of fresh lemonade and two glasses "I always found that the best morning drink for true men is a nice glass of Port. Don't you agree, Sergeant?"
"Port is very nice, mi Alcalde!" Mendoza answered, more than happy to be consulted, and feeling certain he had the correct answer.
"To each his own, Alcalde!" Diego answered, unwilling to set himself up for another derogatory remark from his former colleague.
"That is true." Accepted De Soto. "After all, men do come in all shapes and sizes. You know, Diego, I am sure some fencing lessons from Sergeant Mendoza might go a long way to getting you started in the right direction and, since I am feeling rather generous, I might even throw in some lessons with myself. I understand you would be highly outclassed, but I will do my best to go easy on you! What do you say?"
"Oh, I appreciate the offer, Ignacio." Diego replied."The truth is I had no idea you were a master swordsman, since Zorro seems to always have so little trouble defeating you!"
"I try to be generous and you insist on spoiling my day by mentioning that... that... arch being, Diego!" De Soto replied, frustrated his plan of humiliating Diego had backfired. "Come on, Sergeant! We have work to do! Unlike others, we cannot afford to waste our time when there is an entire pueblo counting on us to defend it!"
"Have a good day, senores!" Diego wished them as they exited the tavern, before turning to smile at a grinning Felipe.
About an hour later, no longer able to find a good reason to prolong their stay in the tavern, Diego and Felipe left, directing themselves to the office of The Guardian, but returned for lunch a few hours later, before heading to the hacienda. Once there, Diego decided to visit Victoria as Zorro during the siesta. If not for any other reason, at least to remind her he loved her and, with some luck, steal a few kisses while at it.
He rode into town early, just as lunchtime was ending and, at approaching Los Angeles, he started hearing the distinct noise of gunshots and screams. He cautiously left Tornado on the outskirts of the pueblo and climbed on the roofs leading to the cuartel in an attempt to assess the situation. As he got there, he met a terrible sight: eight masked bandits had attacked the tavern and were now making their way out, taking Victoria and four of her customers as hostages, shouting for the lancers to stay away.
He was considering his options when one of De Soto's new men accidentally pressed the trigger and shot one of the armed men. The bandit received a mortal gun wound to his head but, dropping his pistol, it misfired right into Victoria's heart, killing her instantly. At that point, as Zorro was frenetically jumping from the roof, all caution forgotten, heading for Victoria's lifeless body, a carnage ensued, with the bandits shooting some of the other hostages, some of the lancers and ending up being shot themselves.
When it was all over and silence fell over the pueblo like sudden deafness, Zorro found himself holding the woman he loved, tears in his eyes and a bullet somewhere inside his chest. He didn't feel the bullet, though, and wouldn't have even realized it was there, had he not started feeling the distinct taste of blood in his mouth. Breathing was becoming hard, as well.
Mendoza and three of the lancers, as well as two of the other hostages were lying on the ground, eyes open, blood spilling out of their bodies. Two more hostages and several other lancers were wounded but still alive, screaming for help.
When the initial shock passed, De Soto and five of the remaining lancers surrounded the masked man, guns pointed at him. With nothing to lose, he kissed Victoria on her forehead and gathered his forces to stand up.
"You don't need to use it." He assured De Soto glancing at the gun in his hand. "I am quite sure that I am already dying, Ignacio." He added, lifting his right hand to his chest and watching the blood tainting his glove. "My father and Felipe don't know anything." He made sure to point out. "I always thought it was too dangerous a secret to share with anyone! Could you please send for them? I don't think I have much time left." He added, as the Alcalde watched him in confusion.
After he said that, Zorro lifted his right hand and took off his mask and his hat in one move, letting them fall to the ground, then followed their trajectory, as his feet were no longer strong enough to support him. He fell down next to Victoria, as Ignacio de Soto and the lancers were all watching in shock, unable to comprehend what was happening.
The plaza was filling with people, curious and disturbed at the scene before them, yet the Alcalde was unable to take his eyes off his nemesis.
"Diego?" He eventually asked in total disbelief.
Diego did not hear him, his eyes focused only on Victoria, breathing with difficulty, a strip of blood now dripping from his mouth.
"Send for the De la Vegas!" De Soto asked a lancer. "Bring them, now! And someone call Doctor Hernandez!" He continued to order, his voice shaking.
"Should we also bring Padre Benitez?" One of the lancers asked.
"He's not dying, Corporal!" He answered, completely in denial. "Bring the doctor!"
Doctor Hernandez arrived there ten minutes later and kneeled down to examine Diego.
"There's nothing I can do, son!" He uttered grief-stricken, after checking his chest wound, confused at the smile he received from his patient instead of a reply.
"You...you will just let him die?" De Soto questioned.
"It is out of my hands, Alcalde." The doctor answered him. "The bullet perforated his lung and he has already lost too much blood. I am not even sure how he is still alive."
De Soto took a deep breath, pondering on what he was supposed to do, unable to decide how to feel about both the reveal and Zorro's impending death. Diego's impending death. He silently corrected himself.
"Hold on, Diego!" He eventually decided to say, encouraging his former archenemy. "They are bringing your father and Felipe! Hold on till they get here!"
The lancer dispatched to return with the De la Vegas did not have the heart to tell the old don everything that had happened in the pueblo. He just mentioned that his son had been injured and that they needed to follow him right then, since there was no time to lose.
They arrived at the plaza less than half an hour after Zorro had been shot. The crowd gathered there parted the moment they dismounted their horses, giving way towards the brutal scene ahead.
By that time, Padre Benitez was finishing administering the last rites to the pueblo's hero, and, for a split second, Don Alejandro felt relieved it was not his son lying there, close to death, but Zorro. He felt sorry for him and his heart broke at seeing Victoria's lifeless body next to his, but he was also relieved since his son was no Zorro.
The moment lasted until he saw Felipe sprinting towards the man in black, kneeling by his side, taking his left hand in his, and resting his head on the man's chest, sobbing. He made his way cautiously, almost afraid to look at Zorro's face and praying it was not that of his son.
Then, reality struck and he fell on both knees at Diego's feet.
"What is this? Dios, what is this?" He asked, grief-stricken. "Son, you are not Zorro! You...You cannot be Zorro, and you cannot be dying, Diego! Please, son, do not die! Don't die, Diego!" He pleaded.
"I'm sorry, Father!" Diego murmured, barely audible, at looking at him. "Take care…of…each other!" He added, his left hand trying to squeeze that of his adopted son, seconds before a cough access devoured all his remaining energy, leaving him motionless, his eyes void.
The sound that came out of Don Alejandro at seeing his only son dead, the very last sound that reverberated through Diego's ears as his mind crumbled into eternal darkness, completely silenced the entire plaza, as if it was somehow capable of freezing time itself. The people stood still for minutes without end, Don Alejandro and Felipe sobbing, De Soto sitting on the ground, still not fully capable to digest the events, and the rest of the spectators rooted to the place where they were standing, unable and unwilling to disturb the men who were mourning.
ZZZ
January 23rd, 1821/ Day 2
The first ray of sun hit his face like a punch. Diego woke up instantly, after an entire night of sleeping comfortably in his bed. With no bandits to chase and no wrongdoings by the Alcalde in almost a month, it seemed as if he was finally granted a chance to have a normal life. The kind of life that allows...
"That was a… vivid nightmare!" He murmured, checking his chest in search of an invisible wound, wondering if he was really still alive. Thank God it wasn't real! I must have fallen asleep at siesta and was probably more tired than I had thought. He told himself.
To be continued …