Downfall

Disclaimer: This story was written solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe on any copyrights held by Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.

Chapter 1

"Where is Diego?" Victoria asked Alejandro when she approached his table to take his order.

Alejandro made a face. "As you can see, he is not here. I found a note today that he had to leave for the northern estates on urgent business. Urgent business? I don't know what he is doing there that can be so urgent to leave everything behind. He is wasting his time with his useless experiments instead of staying at home and helping me with the hacienda. He should get married and have a family instead!" Alejandro talked himself into a rage.

"Diego won't come today?" Victoria asked, disappointed. "He wanted to drive with me to the Indian settlement and help me deliver the contributions from the citizens. Do you know when he will be back?"

"How should I know, Victoria?" Alejandro said, angrily. "Whenever he goes to the northern estates, he always stays there for some time to work on his experiments, or whatever he does there. So, don't expect him to be back soon!"

"Yes, I know," Victoria bit her lip. "Please, ask Diego to come here when he returns."

Z Z Z

The next week Victoria met Alejandro only twice when he came for lunch to the tavern. When she asked about Diego, he only grew angry that he had been away for so long, and taken Felipe with him, knowing the boy had been looking foward to attending the bull auction in Santa Barbara with Alejandro.

Both were unaware of the fact that Diego wasn't wasting his time on experiments, but fighting for his life as a fever was threatening to overcome him. Felipe had completely forgotten the auction he had wanted to attend with Alejandro while he was sitting at Diego's bedside, praying for him to live.

Z Z Z

A week later Diego still hadn't returned, and Victoria waited each day for him to come to her tavern.

"Two tamales for Mendoza and one carne asada for Don Alejandro," Pilar brought the order into the kitchen.

"Don Alejandro is here?" Victoria asked, pleased, as she made the dishes ready to be served.

"Yes, he is," Pilar replied, "but no, before you ask again, Don Diego did not accompany him."

Victoria looked surprised at her helper. "Why do you say that?"

"Because every time Don Alejandro came into the tavern during the last two weeks, you have been asking for Don Diego. It looks like you're missing him a great deal."

"Well, he's my friend," Victoria replied, "I like talking to him."

"If he is only a friend why can't you be without him?" Pilar questioned her. "Every time someone enters the tavern, you are disappointed that it's not Diego. You're making his favorite dishes as though they might somehow tempt him to arrive at the tavern door. I think it's good Diego has been gone for a while. Now you realize how much he means to you!"

"Yes, Diego means a lot to me, but I'm in love with Zorro." Victoria replied.

"That's no excuse for the way you treat him, always comparing him to Zorro," Pilar chided her. "I can understand why Diego might stay away, seeing the way you and his father treat him."

Taking the dishes to serve the guests, Pilar left her in the kitchen.

As the days drew on, Victoria had to admit reluctantly that she loved Diego and that she missed him more with every day that passed. Why hadn't he returned? Was Pilar right? Had she hurt him so much that he'd rather stay away? Had she lost him just when she had realized her feelings for him? The thought made her feel sick.

She needed to talk to Diego and sort out her feelings for him. How could she love Diego when she loved Zorro too? She wished that Zorro would come to see her in the evening, as he had done so often in the recent weeks since they were engaged. As neither came to see her, she felt more and more lonely.