AN: Yes I... Kind of couldn't stop myself from writing a second chapter. And this one just isn't humourus. I suppose some of you know the feeling, you just have things thing in your head and you kind of have to.
I mean, you can't leave Alejandro out of this! Alejandro needs a bit of resolution to. I always feel sorry for Alejandro, so THERE, happy ending for everyone even if this second chapter isn't humourus at all. I also hope this will be a slightly different version of how these conversations usually goes in other fics. Enjoy :)
It probably shouldn't be to big a surprise that it was quite late evening before Diego returned to the Hacienda.
It probably wasn't to prober for the newly engaged to be alone together, but Alejandro was prepared to let it slide. From what he could tell the two young ones had a lot to talk about, and to be quite honest. Alejandro had a lot of things to sort through in his own mind as well.
Diego and Victoria? Alejandro amused shook his head, who would have thought. The two had always been very close, almost like brother and sister even in childhood.
Suddenly Alejandro was reminded of how other people had commented on what a cute couple Diego and Victoria would make.
Of course back then Diego had been fourteen and Victoria only twelve, and the two had been both horrified and disgusted by the mere suggestion. Alejandro chuckled amused as he shook his head by the memory playing in his mind and he settled down in a arm chair in the library in front of the fireplace with a glass of celebratory wine.
Just the one glass though, he wanted to take the time to celebrate with his son ones Diego had the time. There was so much he wanted to ask Diego right at this moment.
Just at that moment Alejandro finally heard footsteps from the entrance, it could only be his son. "Diego!" Alejandro called up and the foot steps turned and approached the library.
"Father." Diego responded as he appeared in the door.
"Son, I know this has been a very long day for you and i'll imagine you're very tired. But do you think you could indulge your old father and share a glass of wine with him?" Alejandro asked lifting his own wine glass.
Diego blinked as he looked at the glass then he smiled a soft smile. "Of course father." he stated as he stepped in and found an empty glass for himself and filled it up, but only half way.
Alejandro frowned as he studied Diegos face, he had exspected Diego to be shining like the sun but the lad looked strangely melancholic and thoughtful.
"You've been gone for quite a while." Alejandro commented.
"Yes I apologies." Diego nodded. "I decided to help a bit at the tavern. Victoria needed to check up on some wares, on how much she had left now the things from Santa Paula has gone to waste. And well, I also helped her close down the tavern this evening." he admitted. "Victoria and I… We had a lot to talk about."
"I can imagine." Alejandro nodded though he still frowned slightly at Diegos melancholic look as Diego looked down at his half filled wine glass he had yet to take a drink from "You're not regretting your actions are you?" he then asked in a frown.
"What? No!" Diego exclaimed. "And before you ask, yes the wedding is still on!" he proclaimed. "Both Victoria and I are serious!"
"Then why the long face?" Alejandro asked. "You said you love her."
"I do father, you have no idea." Diego stated. "And it's not her, it's… Something else." he admitted biting his lip.
At that Alejandro lifted an eyebrow. "You just got engaged to the woman you claim to love and have loved for four years. What can possible overshadow that?" he asked.
Diego smirked amused as he finally sat down, holding the wine glass between his hands. "It's… Hard to explain." he admitted. "But I assure you I am happy, and Victoria asks if a autumn wedding would suite us. She thinks if we wait till after the harvest people can relax more and the two of us can have a bit of time to ourselves afterwards."
"An autumn wedding sounds wonderful Diego." Alejandro assured. "This is all coming so quick, it's really happening isn't it?" he asked.
"As long as I uphold Victorias demands." Diego smirked amused.
"Demands?" Alejandro asked. "Victoria have given you demands?"
"Well, she's given me three." Diego admitted biting her lip.
"Oh, I see." Alejandro blinked. "Well, knowing Victoria those demands can't be unreasonable."
"No, not at all." Diego shook his head. "And it has nothing to do with power or money or anything, it's things I have to do."
Alejandro looked at Diego. Was Victoria in the process of whipping Diego into shape? Well, he supposed that was a positive in a way.
Diego frowned thoughtfully as he held a hand to his chin.
"Is it these demands that has you worried Diego?" Alejandro asked.
"Well, one of them." Diego then admitted. "But I have to do it, Victoria is right. It's the right thing to do."
Confused Alejandro looked at Diego, awaiting the explanation.
It was true indeed, Victoria had given Diego three demands. Three very specific demands, and she had made them very clear after Diego had helped closing down the tavern and had now taken a seat sitting on one of the tables facing Victoria in the dim light of just a few candles.
"No more lies Diego! You can't lie to me anymore!" Victoria had stated.
That had been demand number one.
"I do expect you to court me as yourself before the wedding. I want to spend time with the real you before our marriage."
That was demand number two, and so far Diego had nodded in understanding, her demands were indeed quite reasonable. Then came the third demand, and that was the demand that made Diego halt.
"You have to tell your father. He has to know that you're Zorro. This is not right Diego."
At that Diegos mouth had dropped open and he looked at Victoria.
"Don't look at me like that Diego." Victoria demanded. "Don Alejandro has to know!"
"Victoria." Diego then tried. "Do you even understand what.."
"I'm serious Diego!" Victoria cut him off. "I'm not going to lie to the man who was there for me when my father was taken away, whom supported me when my mother passed away. Whom kept an eye on me and helped me with the tavern while there was no one else around! The man whom was always there when I needed him and never asked for anything in return."
Stunned Diego looked at Victoria then glanced down. "You care a lot about my father huh?" he asked.
Victoria swallowed. "Diego, when you were in Spain. I was all alone, and he was too. But we managed by looking out for each other. I barely even had any time to learn to know my real father, so I suppose in a way, inside of my mind. Alejandro is my father too." she admitted. "For as long as I can remember, he always acted like one never wavering in his support of me. I could always count on him, and I wanted to make him proud. He believed I could run the tavern, so it gave me the courage I needed. I owe him so much Diego."
Diego bit his lip then turned his head.
"Diego." Victoria exhaled as she stepped closer to him. "I love you, but I am telling you. If you don't tell your father before the wedding i'm not going to show up, you'll be left by the alter."
That seemed to make Diego whince.
"And i'm going to keep bothering until you tell, so the longer you keep quiet the harder it's going to get." Victoria informed.
Diego exhaled deeply as he leaned his head backwards. "I know you're right, I know it's time I just told already. But I don't know how." he admitted. "And how do you think he'll react? You think he'll be proud? Angry? Do you think he'll hate me? He'll be right to." he muttered looking down.
"Well, speaking from experience." Victoria commented as she stood in front of him. "I did get angry, heck I still am angry. But more than that i'm relieved." she stated and Diego looked up, looking at Victoria with questioning eyes.
And Victoria sighed deeply as she sat down beside Diego, leaning her head on his shoulders. "You know, the thing that really got to me. It's not really the fact that Zorro is you, as much as the fact that you're Zorro."
Diego blinked confused. "I'm not sure I follow." he admitted.
Victoria exhaled. "It's hard to explain." she then admitted. "Diego… if you only knew how it was. Standing on the other side seeing you and just not knowing what to make of you. I always cared about you, I wanted to love you but you never seemed reliable." she stated. "When I needed you the most you were gone, and that really hurt." Victoria swallowed in a broken voice, then even had to wipe away a tear. "When I thought I could depend on you and you were just gone, that hurt more than anything. It hurt to realise I couldn't even trust my best friend. Of course now I realize you did come, you just put on a mask first, so you were indeed there. And now I feel guilty for not even realizing it."
"Victoria." Diego breathed.
"Think of how your father must feel, if that is how I felt how about him?" Victoria asked. "He loves you Diego, he wants to be proud of you. More than anything. But when it really matters, when he needs you. You're not there, how can he even begin to understand why that happens?" she asked. "For so long, it's like there's been a wall between us. Between me and my friend Diego, he's so kind and it seems like he only has the best of intentions, but then when it's matter he's gone. And after the fact… It seems like he didn't even care at all after-all. Like he couldn't give less of a damn." Victoria squinted her eyes. "We all knew you could do better, we wanted you to be the great man we knew you could be. But you didn't even care!" she suddenly swallowed in a broken voice. "It felt like we were never able to count on you at all, Zorro though was there. You could always count on him." she sniffed. "And it was so easy to get angry at you, because well, I think deep inside we all knew you were better than that, that you could do better than that." then she exhaled deeply. "Now everything makes sense."
Diego looked at Victoria, it was hard to read his emotions but he looked very thoughtful and even a little hurt.
"Diego, your father don't hate you, he loves you." Victoria then said. "He just knows that you're capable of better. Like I know you are, like I always knew you were. You have to tell him, this is not fair to him. And I wont stand by and see you both be hurt any further by this."
And Diego exhaled deeply. "I suppose you're right. No wait, I don't suppose I know you're right. I can't marry you without letting father know what is really going on. I just… I don't know how to tell him." he admitted. "I never imagined that this Zorro charade would go on for this long, at the beginning it almost seemed like a joke. Fool you for a week or two then admit it, haha I got you, i'm actually quite capable with a sword." he rolled his eyes. "What a laugh that would have been. I really didn't think any of this through at all when I began." he then fully admitted in a deep sigh. "And now i'm stuck. I guess I can't really blame anyone but myself."
"No you kind of brought this on yourself." Victoria commented and Diego looked at her with a pretty sullen glance. "Hey." Victoria smiled taking his hand and turned to him so they now sat facing each other. "Did I ever tell you why I feel in love with Zorro?" she asked.
Diego blinked. "He's a brave dashing hero?" he asked. "Also very handsome." he commented lifting a hand.
"No you idiot!" Victoria chuckled amused as she pushed Diego slightly backwards in a playful manner. "You really think I am that shallow? That superficial that i'll only fall in love with a person because he's dashing?" she asked. "All though admittedly Zorro is quite dashing." she smirked amused. "And very handsome indeed." she commented with a glint in her eye and Diego as well smiled amused then Victoria caught his eye. "No Diego, it's because Zorro is the kindest man I have ever met." she said reaching up a hand touching his cheek. "Zorro is the kind of person, unable to watch injustice taking place and not doing anything about it. When he sees innocent people get hurt his heart is bleeding and it is outright impossible for him to stand by. He's an idiot like that." Victoria smirked amused. "Neither does Zorro hold any grudge, he's the kind of man whom acknowledges that sergeant Mendoza is just doing his job, and then will still call him a friend. Zorro is different from the Alcade, because he wouldn't hurt or kill his enemy, only if he had no other choice and even then it is not a decision he would take lightly and the hurt would hunt him. Because Zorro value life so much. Zorro never asks for glory or recognition for himself, he's not like that. The only reason why he does what he do, is because he is unable not to, his kind heart wont allow it. And I want to be able to support him, if I can lend him just a little of my strength and stand by him. That'll be enough."
Stunned Diego looked at Victoria, his mouth hanging slightly open.
"I know why you did what you did." Victoria said. "Your kind heart wont allow anyone else to be hurt by your actions. But Diego, it's enough now. You're not protecting anyone anymore by keeping this up, you're only hurting yourself and us by an extension. I love you so much. Please." she asked. "Tell him, don't let this secrecy hurt you anymore."
And Diego closed his eyes as he took in her words, he lifted his hand and put it over Victorias tht held his cheek and he took in a breath. "I love you so much." he breathed. "I don't think any man on earth have loved a woman more than how I love you right now this moment." he stated.
Victoria smiled as she leaned over and then brushed her lips across Diegos and he breathed deeply. "No more regrets Diego. Tell him, then let's get married."
And Diego nodded. "Yes, you're right." he breathed. "I will. I promise." he stated.
Diego had gone through their entire conversation in his mind, but in reality only a second had passed and Alejandro looked wondering at Diego and Diego sighed deeply as he looked down. "Father." he began but then halted.
Alejandro looked at him. "Yes son." he inquired.
"Look, I know that I erh.. erhm." Diego swallowed. "I know that i've been very unreliable, when you needed me to be there. I wasn't there. You asked me to come home from Spain so I could be there, and then I wasn't really there at all was I?" he asked.
At that Alejandro took in a sharp breath and then looked away.
"Father?" Diego asked.
And Alejandro closed his eyes. "What would you have me say Diego?" he asked. "If I deny it i'll be lying, and I don't like to lie. least of all to you. That's not how you treat someone with respect."
Diego bit together, it was clear Alejandro didn't even want to say these words. He had no wish to say he was disappointed in Diego, yet he was.
"Was that one of Victorias demands?" Alejandro asked. "That you become more reliable? If that is so, there are more reasons than one to celebrate. You're finally waking up." he stated as his body tensed, his hand on the arm chair tightened and Diego could se how he bit together.
Diego though didn't say anything, but observed how Alejandro was battling with his own frustrations, finally though exhaustion seemed to win and Alejandro slunk back in the chair as he took in a deep breath, clearly trying to calm his nervese. "i'm sorry son, this is supposed to be a happy occasion. Please forget what I said." he asked.
"No father." Diego shook his head. "Because you're right. You've always been right."
At that Alejandro looked up at Diego with questioning eyes and Diego shook his head then glanced away, his hands fumbled with the glass and finally he took a drink though it more seemed like a way to avoid conversation than to actually enjoy it.
For some time they sat there in silence, a really awkward silence then finally Diego cleared his throat.
"Look, erhm." Diego tried. "I know that I... I've been a dissapointment to you. And you are right to be angry with me, and dissapointed."
"Oh Diego." Alejandro exhaled deeply. "That's not." he halted then glanced down. "Sometimes I just have to question if you even realise what is going on around you." he commented. "I'm old Diego, some day i'll be gone. It'll be up to you to run this ranch, to take care of the land, there'll be no one to protect you. And I know you can do it, i've seen you be both strong, determined, passionate and wise. And I know you're smart, even if I don't understand many of these things myself. But then... Then what happens Diego?!" he asked looking up. "What happens to you? I see you're capable but then you turn around and run away, why?" he asked desperately. "Diego! Son!" he exclaimed. "I love you, but I don't understand." he stated his eyes looking searching almost begging for an answer. "A young man whom was strong and secure left for Spain. Who's this other one who came back? I just don't understand it!" he stated. "Diego."
Diego swallowed, he could feel a lump caught in his throat. Suddenly this was a lot harder than he exspected it to be. The emotion in Alejandros eyes were raw, he was confused, desperate but more than all of that his expression was genuinely felt with care, love and worry.
"Father I..." Diego swallowed. "Victorisa demand she... She demanded that I stop lying to you. I lied, i'm sorry."
"Lying?" Alejandro asked in deep confusion. "You lied? About what?"
"Well for one thing that I was in love with Victoria." Diego admitted as he bit his lip.
"Well yes, but I think that's quite forgivable." Alejandro commented.
"There's more." Diego said.
Alejandro halted, then he took in a breath. "How much more?"
"Much more." Diego admitted and Alejandro seemed to grow a little pale, but also determined to hear Diego through, then Diego exhaled deeply and began. "Remember when I went to the university. You had specifically arranged it so I got fencing lessons from Sir Edmund Kendell. I told you I had dodged out of those fencings lessons because I felt they took away from my studies. That's not true, I took the fencing lessons you had arranged for and then he kept me on the team. I was his star pupil in fact, and I got a few gold medals to show for it if you're interested."
Blankly Alejandro looked at Diego. "What?" he asked in a dumbfounded voice.
"I quite enjoyed those fencing lessons actually. Can't sit inside studying all day you know." Diego commented.
Alejandro blinked then he shook his head. "Diego, why would you even lie about that?" he asked. "That doesn't make any sense. Are you playing me for a fool?" he asked.
"I'm quite serious." Diego then said in a more stern voice and Alejandro looked up. "Also."
"There's more?!" Alejandro exclaimed.
"Yes, quite a bit." Diego admitted.
Alejandro sat there with slight open mouth as he blinked.
"Okay a lot." Diego then admited and Alejandros mouth snapped close. "I hope you have no plans for tomorrow morning, this could take a while." Diego then ended.
Alejandro blinked then he looked at the glass in his hand, then up at Diego.
"Perhaps you want something stronger than that, you might need it." Diego commented hinting at the wine glass.
"If you're planning to spring more surprises on me, I would like to be at my full senses." Alejandro stated putting the almost empty glass of wine on the table. "How bad could it be?" he asked trying to smile at Diego, but his smile faltered by Diegos serious look back at him and it looked like Alejandro was starting to second guess his demand for answers.
Diego exhaled deeply as he closed his eyes, then opened as he began to talk in a calm and patient voice. "Father, I kept a large portion of my life a secret from you. And for that i'm truly sorry. You needed me beside you and I wasn't there when you needed me to be, I was not reliable when you desperately needed someone to be reliable. The truth is." at that Diego closed his eyes. "When-ever I went away, I was not out doing scientific studies at all. I was off trying to fight on my own. I spend a lot of days in bed, claiming I had a cold when really it was a sprained rib or something else like that. I must have looked like a terrible embarrisment in your eyes."
"Diego." Alejandro looked at him. "I don't understand, what are you trying to tell me?" he asked.
"Today, at the windmill. Zorro never showed up, well in a way but not in the traditional way." Diego admitted. "We really were caught, and we really were surrounded by armed bandits. They were about to kill Victoria and i could not allow them to do that, so I got up and I fought them."
"Fought them?" Alejandro asked. "Didn't you say they were armed, how could you.." he asked.
At that Diego reached into his pocket, and from it he found a black piece of satin then he held it up and stretched it out between his two hands revealing two eyeholes. "Father. Do you recognise this?" he asked holding up the black mask.
"That's Zorro's mask." Alejandro commented as he looked at Diego whom held it over his face, then his sparkling blue eyes became visible through the eyeholes and Alejandros eyes widened. Then suddenly he stood up nearly knocking down the chair. "No!" he stated. "Diego this is to much! I'm not falling for that!" he stated.
"Father." Diego tried in a patient voice.
"Zorro? No!" Alejandro stated. "You're not Zorro! Not my son! It's to dangerous!" he stated. "I see, you had your fun Diego. I hope it amused you! But i'm not having any of this!" he stated.
"Father." Diego tried again in a more stern voice.
But Alejandro turned around and headed towards the door. "You shouldn't lie to your father!" he exclaimed as suddenly, a big *swush* sounded, an object was thrown across the room and a big knife planted itself right in the door frame next to Alejandro, burried to its handle. Wide-eyed Alejandro looked at the silver dagger in the door frame, then wide-eyed he turned around to see Diego whom had stood up, and stood in a position that indicated he had been the one just throwing it, gasping for air as his face looked slightly red.
Then slowly Alejandro turned back to the dagger and reached up a hand trying to pull it out, but it was stuck to tight. He had to use both hands, but finally pulled it out. For a moment Alejandro stood with the dagger in his hands, he recognised the emblem, the Toledo steel. Matching Zorros sword, then he looked up and back at Diego whom stood there.
"Father, please listen." Diego asked. "When I came home from spain, the Alcade threatened to kill both you and Victoria. You asked me not to interfere, not to come and break you out. So I didn't, I made this imaginary figure I called Zorro do it." he stated. "Then the rest seemed pretty natural. If Diego De La Vega was caught resisting the Alcade, both he and his father could suffer severe consequences. They could loose everything. But Zorro? A man with no family name nor any earthly things he owns beside his trusty stallion and his toledo blade. He could do what-ever he wanted." he stated then he swallowed. "What-ever Diego did could be a danger to his family. But being Zorro it... I can't even really explain it." he admitted. "Zorro can act above the law in a way Diego can't, I know it's not right. People shouldn't act above the law, but I didn't know what else to do. Worst of all I actually enjoyed it." he admitted. "Putting on the mask, and you can do what-ever you feel is neccesary. Consequences first comes later... Like the day after when I had to make up another lie to convince you." he swallowed. "Like drinking a bottle of wine and have all the freedom and fun one night, then the punishment comes the day after." he admitted having to dry an eye that had become a little wet.
Alejandro gaped as he looked at Diego, then his eyes widened as realisation seemed to dawn on him and he lifted his hands holding them over his mouth in shock. "Oh god." he gasped. "Diego... Oh god."
"Father?" Diego asked and Alejandro closed his eyes as he stumbled forward, then finally found his chair again and sat down as he leaned forward, covering his face with his hands.
"Diego." Alejandro swallowed. "My son, it all makes sense. It makes sense." he stated and tears fell from his eyes down on the floor.
"FATHER!" Diego exclaimed as he stood up and rushed to Alejandro then sat down on his knees. "Are you okay? Father I… I didn't mean." he tried. "I'm sorry! I...I."
Alejandro smiled a little amused as he looked up, though tears were running from his eyes in a steady stream. "My son finally made it home from Spain. The real one." he commented slightly amused though he had to swallow. "You're here Diego." he said in a broken voice. "Oh god, what have you gotten yourself into?" he asked. "That's a dangerous game you're playing!"
"I know, i'm not taking it lightly I promise." Diego assured. "And I wouldn't do it if I didn't think it was neccesary I just.." he tried. "I'm not asking you to understand."
"No, I get it." Alejandro admitted. "I admit it, it had occured to me that if I had been younger. I would have liked to do such a thing to. When I married Elena, I was in the military. I was off fighting a battle while you were being born. A battle where I could easily have died. I hardly think I am the one to lecture other people about life and death situations." he admitted wiping his face with the back of his hand. "Back then, I felt like it was my duty to fight. I felt like that if I didn't I would have failed my country. Pride can be an odd thing." he reflected then he turned back to Diego. "But it's never what I wanted for you, I had hoped you would never have to fight like that."
"I'm afraid that's out of your hands father." Diego exhaled deeply.
"I know, you've done this regardless of what I said. And you wont be stopping now." Alejandro exhaled deeply. "Just promise, that you'll always do what you can to stay alive. And when you marry Victoria, always look after her. She'as as precious to me as you are."
"Of course I will." Diego said. "Thank you father."
"No thank you son." Alejandro replied. "this honestly feels like the first time I even got to talk to you since the day you left for Spain." he said then leaned back his head in the chair as he groaned. "Don't lie to me again." he then demanded. "If you lie, there will be consequences. Also, you have a lot more explaning to do than that young man. And you're not going anywhere before I get some answers."
Diego smirked amused. "It's pretty obvious you and Victoria spend a lot of time together." he then admitted as he shook his head.
"And we'll spend a lot more time together it seems." Alejandro commented in a light smile.
"Yeas." Diego nodded. "You will, I promise you." he stated as he smiled, even his eyes glistening with slight amusement.
The next day would be a different matter, feelings would catch up with both Diego, Victoria and Alejandro.
Three individuals with a great temper. They were sure to become a very content family indeed. Perhaps the one person whom would be the happiest about this arrangement was the local pottery craftsman as he was going to replace a lot of broken pots and vases.