Katherine sank against the black silk, and sighed. Zorro removed his hat and mask, and handed them to his father.

"Look at me, Katherine," Diego murmured.

She glanced at his face, and gasped.

"I was so certain you were dead. That shot…he was standing so close when he fired."

Diego silently removed the pendant she had given him. The silver had been bent and disfigured. She reached out and touched it.

"This caught the shot? How likely was that?"

"I have no idea about the odds, I'm only thankful for the act of providence."

"Are you hurt at all?"

"I was winded by the impact, but apparently, no blood, no injury."

"How?"

"I slipped away to the passage and changed into a spare costume. Zorro had the advantage of surprise and reputation that I needed," Diego said.

His eyes went to the scratch on her throat and he soon had a handkerchief out to dab the blood away.

"I can't sleep here. Ever." Katherine shivered.

"We will have the mess cleared up," Alejandro said softly. "You can't allow the man to influence you forever."

"We will go to Senor Triez," Diego said, glancing at his father. "I am sure he will understand the situation and give us some rooms."

"Diego, I don't want you to leave me…" Katherine said, uncertainly.

"Of course not," Diego reassured her. "My father understands a man's duty to his wife."

Alejandro started to say something, and stopped. "Indeed, Diego."

Zzz

"I'll leave you to bathe and change," Diego said, handing his wife the borrowed nightdress.

"Please, Diego, can you stay?" Katherine murmured.

"I can catch up on my reading." Diego grabbed a book from the bookshelf next to the bed.

"Can you stay?"

"If you wish…"

Diego opened the book, and tried to ignore the sounds of his wife entering the bath water. After such a horrific experience the last thing she needed was an amorous husband. Unfortunately he had chosen a completely dry and uninspiring tome about geology.

"I think I remember what happened that night."

"Yes?" Diego answered.

"It was Edward. He drugged me. That's why I don't remember clearly. Sebastian must have been his."

"I claimed Sebastian as mine. He is mine, legally and ethically."

"Biologically he was Edward's."

"Not Robert's?"

"No."

Diego heard the hurt in her voice, and wished he hadn't spoken at all.

"Since I know what happened now…"

"Katherine?"

"I suppose we could...you could…I mean…"

"You want me to be your husband in every sense of the word?" Diego said, losing all interest in the book in his hands.

"Not tonight, of course…but we could…I am so unsure, so nervous about this."

"Do you love me?" Diego asked softly.

"Do you love me…?"

"Yes," Diego said, half surprising himself. "I can't really believe it, but I love you."

"I have loved you since you saved me from the river. It's changed, somehow," Katherine said.

"I suppose I have loved you that long as well, and it has changed. Definitely changed."

Katherine laughed, and sobbed and laughed some more.

"Katherine?" Diego was wondering if he should fetch some smelling salts, but she was calming down all by herself.

"I…was just thinking, Diego. I could have gotten you killed several times tonight. Are you sure you love me?"

Diego smiled. "Victoria inspired Zorro, and I had several near death experiences helping her as well."

"You, sir, are too attracted to dangerous women."

"Quite possibly," he murmured. He turned his head slightly to study the wall, as he heard the water move again. Katherine was obviously leaving the bath. Wrapping herself in the thick towel. Possibly changing into the nightdress.

"Diego," she began. "I need some help with this. It has ties."

He glanced at her, meeting her eyes. She was dressed in a short sleeved nightdress, which seemed to skim her curves perfectly.

"At the back of the neck," she said.

She could have easily managed them herself, he realised. Approaching her, he smiled, and gently kissed her, pulling her towards him to deepen the kiss.

"I love you," she sighed, as he released her. With agile fingers he tied the nightdress ties, remembering that she was exhausted and traumatised. Not tonight, he reminded himself. But soon.

Zzz

Diego stroked her back, as he did every night. She sighed and rolled to face him.

"Just hold me close, Diego."

He wrapped a strong arm around her comfortingly. "You are so warm and so soft, Katherine."

"Just keep me safe. I was a fool to ever leave you, even for a moment."

He kissed her hair, and remembered the irritation and annoyance he had felt. It had covered a cold hard feeling of fear. Fear of losing her to Edward…the man had been insane but determined to have his own way.

"I really doubted your marksmanship, Katherine. Your skill with a pistol is incredible."

The shudder from his wife was enough to tell him it wasn't the time to discuss the night's experiences just yet.

"People are always underestimating me."

"I will never underestimate you again," he assured her.

Zzz

Several months later, Alejandro made his way through the hacienda slightly irritated. He had searched everywhere for his son, to no avail. He'd even ventured to knock and enter the empty bedroom. His son was not sleeping in. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Katherine either all morning.

"Diego! Where are you? Diego!"

"We really need to get up, Katherine," Diego said, trying to ease out of his wife's arms. "My Father needs me for something. It's a wonder that he hasn't thought to look in the cave yet. He knows where it is and how to get in."

"Let him rant for a little while. I thought we were making some progress," she answered softly, reaching out to draw him back down towards her.

Diego chuckled slightly. "I thought the cave was the most unlikely place for us to be together."

"It has an air of danger about it."

"More than an air, Katherine. This is Zorro's domain."

"Was…It was Zorro's domain."

"We have discussed it before, my love."

"I have something to tell you, Diego."

"It will have to wait. I feel the urge to kiss you again," he murmured.

When he let her catch her breath, she smiled mysteriously enough to make him pause.

"I'm pregnant."

Diego rolled away from her abruptly. "And we are lying on a cold stone floor…" He said, staring at her with concern. "In a cold, dank, dusty cave."

"We have several blankets and a mountain of pillows to cushion us…and we have done this a few times now. No harm has come to either of us…any of us…"

"Are you sure? Are you really pregnant?"

"Why would I lie?"

"No, I am not questioning your honesty, Katherine. Just your certainty."

"I asked the doctor yesterday…"

"You knew yesterday, and yet we did so many things….things I wouldn't have done with you or encouraged at all if I knew."

"Yes," Katherine said softly, reaching for her white blouse and brown skirt, with a mischievous twinkle in her green eyes.

"Well," Diego said, folding his arms and frowning.

"If you expect me to change to suit the role of ideal mother, I think you are gravely mistaken," Katherine said, slipping her clothes over her shift.

"And I said I would never underestimate you again," he said, running a hand through his hair. "Well, my father will be pleased."

"And you? Are you pleased?" Katherine asked, her voice losing the air of teasing, and becoming serious.

"Immeasurably pleased," he said as he caught her in his arms, and kissed her hair. "What do you want? A boy? A girl?"

"I would have thought a boy would please everyone the most," Katherine said, sighing as her husband stroked her back gently.

"You'd be surprised. The de la Vegas haven't had a daughter for several generations," he said with a smile. "Although a boy is always good for the inheritance. Either way we will all be pleased."

"Blast it! Where is the boy?" Diego turned to glance towards the door mechanism. "Diego!"

"Well, maybe we can let him wander about yelling for a little while more," Diego said, drawing her towards him for a thorough kiss. "I'd like to enjoy being the only one to know of this for the rest of the day, before you are whisked away by well-meaning friends and relatives….well the two relatives we have…"

She darted away from him, throwing his white shirt at him. He caught it and shrugged into it. Katherine helped him with the buttons.

"Since your father is bound to look in the cave eventually." She murmured. "Let's not shock him too much…"