A/N: So here we are onto the final chapter!

The Calm during the Storm

The storm was going in full force by the time Diego and Ricardo returned to the inn. Ricardo helped Diego hobble into the inn. The scent and heat of the crackling fire welcomed them. Diego and Ricardo both were covered in mud from their encounter with the arroyo and their teeth chattered.

Ah, how Diego wanted to take a hot bath and sleep under the warm bedding tonight!

Father and Esperanza were sitting before the fire, still dressed in their finery. Bernardo was nowhere to be seen. Probably shuttering Phantom up for the night, Diego thought as the two of them rose from their seats. Esperanza's eyes were red and puffy, she had obviously been crying.

Diego moved a little to the side so Esperanza could hug Ricardo.

She ran over to Diego, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. The scent of her rosewater perfume and Romany flowers surrounded him. Diego winced because of his hurt ribs, returned her hug. God…he was so happy to see her again. He thought, kissing the top of her head. "Are you hurt?!" She cried.

"We're fine, just took a bath in the arroyo." Ricardo said.

"You scared me to death." Esperanza said, pulling away from him. Her green eyes furrowed as she looked at Ricardo. "¡Y en cuanto a ti, estúpido! Was this your idea of a sick practical joke?!"

"It was not a practical joke, Esperanza." Ricardo said.

"Don't try convincing me! You nearly got Diego killed last week when you accused him of being a horse thief! You're going to get yourself or somebody else killed if you don't stop these jokes!" Esperanza shouted, shoving Ricardo.

"Can we talk about this later?" Diego asked, tears burning at the corner of his eyes again. God, he needed to sit down. "My foot!" He screamed.

The curandera in Esperanza took over. "Help me get him over to a nearby chair." She ordered Ricardo. They helped him hobble to a nearby chair. "Papa, do you mind fetching my medicinal bag? It's in my room."

"Si, chiquita." Father said, leaving.

"Ricardo, I need you to fetch all the towels and blankets you can find." Esperanza said.

"I'll consider it my punishment for unnecessarily scaring you." Ricardo said.

"So what happened?" Esperanza asked as she helped Diego take off his boot.

"I left to cool down and stumbled into a trap set up by two of Señor Vasquez's workers." Diego said, wincing as she rubbed her fingers over his ankle.

"I know that but how did you hurt your foot?" Esperanza asked.

"It got caught in a rabbit hole in an arroyo…hold on, how did you know about me being captured by Señor Vasquez?" Diego asked.

"The Verde brothers arrived about ten minutes ago. The youngest led Garcia out to find you and Ricardo…you both were gone for well over an hour" Esperanza said. "I'm sorry, Diego."

"For what?" Diego asked.

"Making you upset. If I hadn't danced with Ricardo, you wouldn't have left…" Esperanza said.

That's right…Diego remembered the jealous feelings at seeing Ricardo and Esperanza dance. But his feelings for Anna Maria were still pure.

She was the woman he wanted to be with.

He was about to say something when Father returned with Esperanza's medical bag. "Here you are, chiquita. How does it look?"

"It's a definite sprain." Esperanza said, giving Diego a firm look. "For the next week or so, only reading and music for you…unless you want to damage your foot beyond repair. Is that understood?"

Diego nodded. Hopefully nothing crazy would be happening.

The front door opened. Bernardo ran in, drenched to the skin. His worried face lit up at the sight of Diego. Now he had a chance to thank his friend.

"Esperanza, I need to talk to you and Ricardo both, quietly." Father said firmly. No doubt it was about the dance Ricardo and Esperanza shared.

Diego nodded at Esperanza. She left with Father and Ricardo to a quiet corner. Taking his opportunity, Bernardo ran over, waving his hands wildly. "I'm all right." Diego said in a low voice. "Thanks to you."

Bernardo looked at him, confused. "You mean you weren't the one who threw the rope out to Ricardo and me in the arroyo?" Diego asked.

He shook his head, moved his hands up and down like reins and drew a circle. "You were looking for me around Monterey?" Bernardo nodded.

This was an interesting turn of events. Diego thought. "Then if you weren't the one there, who was?"

Father barked a laugh from the corner. They looked at them. Esperanza was looking a little sheepish and Ricardo was giving her an admiring look. A little sting hit Diego but he remembered Anna Maria's sweet smiling face and how he decided she was the one for him.

Bernardo was giving him that look again. "I've decided to give my blessings to Ricardo and Esperanza's courtship. Besides, I've decided that Anna Maria is the one I want to marry." Diego said. Bernardo looked at him in surprise. "I never get jealous when Anna Maria does things with anyone else. Love doesn't get jealous. If I really loved Esperanza, I would let her do as she pleased and be glad for her."

Bernardo gave him an unsure look. Ricardo nodded before turning to leave. "Diego, about the dance Esperanza and I had earlier…" He said, shuffling his right boot on the back of his left leg.

"Don't worry about it." Diego said, swallowing his feelings. "You have my full blessing to court Esperanza. Just promise me you'll treat her right."

Ricardo scoffed and shook his head. "Do you have any idea how lucky you are to have Esperanza?" He asked.

"She's a wonderful friend and I know she'll make a wonderful wife and mother…" Diego said, hoping Ricardo wasn't trying to rub it in.

"…You don't get it, do you?" Ricardo said, shaking his head. "You better keep her close to you, mi amigo, otherwise you'll lose her and you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

A/N: So this was my response to the Ricardo challenge. I'm sorry if it wasn't very good but it doesn't help when one has two days to write.

How was it?