It went as predicted, after some playing around and making a fool out of the Alcade did Zorro ride off… And Victoria really felt like slapping him for being such a fool! She had seen that bullet brushing him. He hadn't needed to show up like this at this time, this had just been foolish!
Finally Zorro rode off with the lancers chasing him, Victoria though remained calm and just kept on handing out the food, all she had to do was to wait.
And sure enough! Around an hour after while the lancers were still riding around like idiots did Diego pop up like nothing had happened.
In fact he was just standing there looking a few posts that had been put into the ground and would become the corners of a new house. It didn't seem like he was doing to much though, in fact Diego looked rather drowsy and was almost swaying on his feed as he stood there with crossed arms.
Well no wonder, the man had been sick last week and was already out riding and showing off and Victoria huffed as she walked over the Diego throwing her dark heir behind her shoulder. "Afternoon Don Diego." she said.
That made Diego blink as he had been woken from his daze and he shook his head, then turned his head and finally saw her. "Vi-Victoria?" he asked sounding rather surprised. "I mean, good afternoon. Can I help you?" he asked sounding pretty confused.
"Well now you're asking." Victoria exhaled deeply. "I need to head back to the tavern, and I need someone to help me re-load my wagon."
"Ah yes! Of course!" Diego exclaimed taking a step without even thinking.
Victoria lifted an eyebrow as she saw Diego head directly for the wagon without any hesitation what so ever and bowed down to pick up an barrel with surprising ease. Of course the barrel was empty now but still.
Seemed like Diego had been so eager to help he had forgotten any pretenses about being a weakling.
Perhaps he felt guilty after all over the way he had treated her. Victoria couldn't help but smile mischievously. Good.
And so she stepped behind Diego looking at him quickly jumping from crate to barrel, clearly extremely eager to get it all into place and finally Victoria walked over to the clay pitcher pouring up a glass of water before she turned back to Diego whom was now rather red faced due to the sudden physical activity.
"Remember to drink." Victoria asked offering Diego the water.
"Ah, gracias." Diego smiled thankfully accepting the water and drank.
Victoria glanced at his arm, at the place she knew a bullet had brushed him and then she laid a hand on his arm, on that exact spot. Immediately she could feel Diego tense from the pain, almost dropping the water glass. Yet he didn't say anything and instead kept drinking until the glass was empty.
For that time, Victoria didn't let go at all instead she innocently looked at Diego. "That sure was lucky Zorro showed up huh?" she questioned.
"Oh, si." Diego nodded. "The Alcade just wanted to make trouble it seems."
"You don't say." Victoria exhaled adding pressure with her hand on Diegos wound and felt the man tense, yet he still didn't say anything. "Still I was so scared! Zorro is becoming so reckless these days!" she complained now leaning on Diego's arm. "Don't you agree Diego?" she asked.
"Hmm." Diego responded, it sounded like he barely got the sound over his lips and Victoria looked up now seeing how Diego was biting together, his entire face was red and it looked like he was just about to scream out in pain any second yet he didn't.
Victoria smirked. "Oh Diego, you're always so understanding." she said giving his arm a final squish and saw Diegos eyes widen before finally she let go and as she did Diego gasped for air as if he had just been released from some torture device. Innocently did Victoria look at him. "Are you okay Diego?" she asked.
"Si." Diego swallowed clearly trying not to grab his sore arm. "I… I'm fine!" he assured.
"Well that's good, then you can load the rest of the crates." Victoria smiled pointing at the crates that had just to be put on the wagon and Diegos smile faltered. "That is of course, if it's not to much of a bother." she said in her most innocent voice sending Diego her larges doe eyes.
"Of course not!" Diego exclaimed. "I can do it! It's no problem!"
"Are you sure?" Victoria asked.
"Yes! It's fine!" Diego exclaimed and went to work, though clearly his arm was troubling him a great deal, though finally the work was done and Diego looked exhausted.
Victoria though only felt a little bit bad about it.
That night was wonderful! It was the first night in forever where Victoria got decent sleep! Her heart was beating loudly, her lips were tipped upwards in a smile and her mind was filled with pictures of Diego, riding around on a great horse.
Helping her out as a strong and stable presence, holding her in his arms. Dependable, always there for her Diego!
Diego and Zorro melted into one and it made perfect sense. And he loved her! And she loved him! It was a dream coming true.
Still… Diego had still to pay his due. Oh he was going to pay!
To Victorias delight, both Diego and Alejandro was at the tavern the next morning, Diego seemed rather nervous as Victoria approached them Alejandro how-ever looked happy.
"Victoria!" Alejandro beamed. "You look fantastic, are you finally feeling better?"
"Oh yes, much better!" Victoria beamed. "And i'm sure it's because you allowed me to stay at your hacienda to relax. Gracias Don Alejandro! I am in your debt."
"Oh think nothing about it, it was my pleasure to have you there!" Alejandro assured in a smile. "You're welcome when ever you wish, I hope you know that."
"I do. Thank you Alejandro!" Victoria beamed. "And Diego, how is your illness treating you?" she asked.
"Well erhm." Diego blushed as he looked away. "A lot better, gracias."
"Oh that's good, with your weak health that could have turned ugly." Victoria pointed out.
That made Diego gape. "My weak health?!" he asked astounded. "My health is fine!"
"Really?" Victoria asked in a blink. "But you become ill so often!" she pointed out and Diego gaped.
"You do spend a lot of days in bed son." Alejandro confirmed as he picked up a glass of orange juice.
Diego just sat there with open mouth, clearly he tried to think of something but couldn't come up with anything so he ended up closing his mouth and avert his eyes.
"And you seem so weak." Victoria sighed deeply. "Are you sure your health is fine?" she asked.
At that Diego's cheeks burned deep red and he still didn't look up. Instead he seemed to crumble together, as if he wanted to crawl into his seat and disappear.
"Of course Diego is not weak!" Alejandro snapped. "He's a De La Vega he just… have other priorities sometimes." he commented sending Diego a sharp glance.
And true enough, Diego looked like someone whom deeply wished he could just disappear from the spot. This was indeed delicious.
"Oh well, I suppose not everyone can be Zorro." Victoria exhaled deeply. "Diego is contributing in his own way."
"Indeed he is! He did a great job with that dam!" Alejandro beamed proudly. "And he's helped a lot of the re-construction! You ought to be proud of that son!"
"Heh." Diego smiled a very strained and very weak smile.
"Keep going in that direction and you'll be just fine son." Alejandro blinked happily.
Victoria smiled warmly, it was nice to see Alejandro being proud of Diego, those instances could be rare ones in a while.
It's not that Alejandro didn't want to be proud of Diego, he loved Diego with all his heart and more than anything Alejandro wished to be proud of him.
Diego just made it pretty difficult, with all his seemingly fooling around and disappearing. Alejandro didn't know Diego was Zorro… That much was obvious.
Suddenly Victoria felt very sad for the old Don. He had every reason to be proud of his son and yet he didn't even know.
"Do you want your coffee refilled? she then offered. "It's on the house."
"Victoria that's okay. We are more than capable of paying." Diego injected.
"I know, that's not what it's about." Victoria replied.
Alejandro smiled understandable. "Gracias Victoria, we would like that." he said.
And Victoria smiled warmly. "Just a minute." before she turned around heading into the kitchen.
Alejandro was smiling warmly as he looked after her. "It sure is nice to see Victoria is doing so much better."
"Yes it is." Diego blinked astounded. "She seems… different."
"She seems in control again." Alejandro smirked amused.
"Ah, yes." Diego realized. "That's good. Well, it's good that what-ever bothered her has been resolved."
"You don't know what was wrong before?" Alejandro asked.
"No." Diego admitted. "So I have no idea what changed now either." then he frowned, Diego was happy for Victoria, he was happy she seemed so well now. Yet he also felt slightly scared, yet he didn't know why.
AN: And this dear children, is what you call passive aggresive behaviour, be afraid. Be very afraid.