Disclaimer: Not owned by me. Owned by ZPI.

AN: I have been wanting to write this story up for quite some time. I gather a lot of people have also written their versions of it. I hope my version can be enjoyed as well, as adding a little something different to the fandom.

"When Gilberto was about to shoot you, he said he was not only going to shoot you, he was going to shoot…..and he never finished. What was he going to say, Diego?"

Diego took a deep breath as he turned to face his father. "Father, I do have something to tell you, but this is not the right place for that discussion." Diego took a look around the pueblo, taking in the various comings and goings, and ending up on Victoria, who was still watching them from a distance. "Let's talk on the way home, shall we?" With a raise of his descriptive eyebrows, Diego silently asked his father to understand the need for discretion.

Don Alejandro inhaled deeply, and was about to say something, but changed his mind. He let out his breathe slowly and grasped his son by his shoulder. "All right, son, that does sound better to me, I guess. I have waited this long, I can wait a little while longer." With a nod to Diego, Don Alejandro walked towards the tavern.

Diego looked after his father in amazement for a moment, then shook his head at himself. Of course he knows. How could he not know, from what he had seen this afternoon? Diego thought briefly about the events of a few hours ago, when he had discovered a brother he never knew, been threatened by that same brother, and lost the brother all in the same hour. Besides that, being forced to exhibit his hidden talent of sword fighting in front of his father, and basically revealing his secret identity of Zorro, it had been quite the day.

Caught in his own thoughts, Diego failed to keep up with his father, who had met up again with Victoria. Diego took another moment to enjoy how beautiful his secret love looked, the sunlight shining on her raven locks. Sighing, he reminded himself of what he had left to do before he could talk to her again.

"Well, Victoria, I believe we will take our leave for now. Would you be able to join us for supper this evening?" Don Alejandro asked the pretty tavern owner, with a glance at Diego.

Diego gave his father a small smile and a small nod of his head. I think I know what the old fox is up to. Now that he knows my secret, he is going to convince me to tell Victoria tonight. Actually, I think an engagement might just be the thing to turn this day around for me, and my family.

Victoria gave Don Alejandro one of her most beautiful smiles. "Why, thank you, Don Alejandro, I would be honored. Is there anything you would like me to bring?"

"Just your beautiful self, Victoria. We shall see you at seven, then." With a bow to Victoria, Alejandro walked towards the de la Vega carriage. Felipe looked sideways at Diego, a small smile on his face, and followed.

Diego approached Victoria. "Thank you, Victoria, for coming. It will certainly turn this terrible day into a most wonderful time." Gathering her tiny hand in his, Diego raised it to his lips and planted a most gentle kiss on the back of her palm. He held her eyes much like in the way he had done when he had kissed her hand upon his return from Spain.

Victoria did not know how to react. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks at the uncharacteristic move, and felt a shiver down her back. Victoria was not accustomed to Diego being so romantic. It ignited all the feelings she attempted to stifle over the years, going back to when he would pull her hair when they were young, to his return from Spain.

"Well, Senor, how gallant of you. It will be my pleasure to join you and your family tonight." Shaking herself out of the trance the look in Diego's eyes had placed her in, she continued. "Oh, you better join said family, or they might just leave without you."

With a boyish grin, Diego nodded, and took off towards the wagon at a most uncharacteristically happy step Victoria would have almost called it a skip, if it hadn't been coming from a man over six feet tall with amazingly broad shoulders.

As the wagon left the pueblo, Don Alejandro was impatiently holding in his excitement. He was about to find out what he had been wondering about the past few years. Alejandro had occasionally allowed himself to wonder about the inconsistencies in his son's behaviors, in what he would say and then do, or else how his basic character had changed from when he was young. The older don had sometimes wondered what had happened to that young man, of whom he was always worrying about, with his daredevil stunts he often played. Alejandro had sent that young man to Spain, and what had returned was a man who was subdued, refused to wear a sword, and swore off any type of fighting whatsoever.

Why hadn't Alejandro question such a change? He did, at first, but apparently he allowed himself to be fooled by the superb acting of his son. For every questionable occurrence, Diego had a logical answer for, or the following events would make it seem impossible or laughable Diego could be Zorro. Alejandro knew his son was intelligent, but following the events of this afternoon, he was simply amazed at everything Diego had accomplished in the past four years.

Sitting behind Felipe, who was driving the wagon, Alejandro waited for Diego to broach the subject. He caught a glimpse of his son, who was looking at the horizon, with an inscrutable look on his face. Alejandro breathed a characteristic sigh of impatience, and decided he had waited long enough to start the conversation.

"Well, Diego, we are in the middle of nowhere now, no one in sight or earshot, so…will you please answer my question?"

"Yes, Father, I am sure you already suspect what Gilberto was going to say before the Alcalde shot him." Pausing, Diego took a deep breath. He knew it was time for the truth, but it did not remove his nervousness. "Gilberto was going to say he would also kill… Zorro. Yes, Father, I am Zorro."

Alejandro was flooded with varying emotions, which surprised him. He had thought he would be satisfied having his suspicions confirmed. However, he was somewhat deflated, which was strange. Perhaps it was because of the increased fear for his son's life he would now have. Perhaps it was anger because he had not been allowed into the secret earlier. Perhaps it was frustration for being so easily misled by his son's actions. The onslaught of emotions did indeed astound him and made him momentarily speechless.

Diego looked at his father, who was now looking at the horizon. Swallowing, Diego asked, "So, Father, what do you think?" Diego was taken aback by his father's uncharacteristic silence. He had a pretty good idea of all the forthcoming questions. He just did not know what reaction would be first. He hoped it was not anger.

"You know, Diego, I love you. I have always loved you, from the mischievous young boy you were, to the studious young man who returned from Spain. I have tried to be understanding when your actions were not what I wanted from you, and I do apologize." Turning to give Diego an angry look, Alejandro stated through gritted teeth. "How could you let me believe you were such a man, when it was so totally opposite of your true character? Not to mention putting yourself in danger! How could you do that to me?"

There it was, the famous de la Vega anger, Diego thought. "Father, I wanted to keep you safe, and your ignorance of my abilities did just that."

"Did Victoria know? Does Felipe? And if so, why them and not me?"

"Victoria does not know yet. But Felipe has been there since the beginning. He actually helped me create the whole Zorro thing, the costume, the cave, everything."

"The cave?"

"Yes, the old hideaway from Indians Grandfather built."

"Oh, I did forget about the tunnel. I thought it was unusable."

"Well, I had to sure up some of the ceiling, but it has served Zorro well for the past four years."

Alejandro gave a deep sigh, and forcibly brought himself back to the discussion at hand.

"So, to get back to the main discussion, you did not think it necessary to inform me of your nocturnal activities."

"Father, like I said, I did not wish to include you because of the danger. Not to mention the fact it was traitorous to the King. Your relative."

"And you bore the blunt of my disdain all these years as well."

"I must admit, it was one of the more difficult things of this endeavor. Your opinion of me is the most important thing to me, and I have had to sacrifice it for the sake of the pueblo."

Turning to face his son, Alejandro's face took on a most serious expression. "I may have just realized the amount of sacrifice you have had to undergo these years."

Shrugging his shoulders, Diego suddenly did not know what to say. Looking down at his hands in his lap, he said, "I do not regret doing all I have done. However, it has not been easy."

"I apologize for all the times I did not make it any easier." Alejandro was silent, and then said, "But if I had known…."

"Father!"

"I know, I am sorry. We have a lot more to talk over, but for the moment, I would like to address a certain senorita."

"I wondered how long it would take you to bring up Victoria."

"Another bone of contention, son. I have not always approved of Zorro's behavior towards Victoria…."

"Father, we have not…I mean, I have been the utmost gentleman with her…" At Alejandro's look of raised eyebrow, Diego stammered. He looked sheepish, and said, "It has been a very long four years." Alejandro continued to look at his son in stony silence. "Father, I may not have been very successful at avoiding some scandalous behavior, but we have not….did not…."

Taking pity on his son, Alejandro said, "At least there is that. However, I do believe you need to correct this situation as soon as possible."

"I thought you would say that, especially since you have invited Victoria to supper tonight."

"I guess that is why you are the Fox, then, huh? Cannot get anything pass you." Alejandro said, a small smile on his face.

Diego sighed. "Considering how everything has gone today and over the past two weeks, I think it is time Diego moves on in his life." Diego swallowed deeply. "So I will tell her tonight."

Alejandro was taken aback by the sudden change in his son's complexion. How could the man who faced bandits and armed soldiers on a daily basis be afraid of one petite senorita? But we are talking about Victoria, aren't we?

"Good for you, Son." Alejandro decided to make his son sweat for a while and not say anything more.

They spent the rest of the ride in silence. As he followed the other two men into the hacienda, Felipe gave Diego a little punch on the shoulder.

Diego looked at the younger man in annoyance. "What?"

Felipe smiled with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. He signed, "I am proud of you."

Diego rolled his eyes. "I hope you are right. If I survive this night and Victoria's temper, we will have a wedding to plan."

Felipe smiled broadly and walked faster to catch up to Alejandro. Diego walked slowly behind them, taking in the beauty of the afternoon sun, and tried to quell the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

All of his dreams came down to how this evening would go.

AN: A little short, but I have been holding this for a while, and I needed a little pick-me-up. So I will share this, even if it probably needs more work. Sigh. Hope you enjoy reading it and I will be adding to this soon.