Title: Dancing on the edge of a dream

Rated : PG - NC-17 in later chapters

Synopsis: Victoria has an eye opening experience during a long awaited Festival.

Misc Notes: This story takes place a few months after the series finale 'A Conspiracy of Blood'

Written: 6/05

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.

A thousand thanks to Amy and Karen for beta'ing!

"What orbit of the planets has put you and me in this place, at this moment? Where time takes a breath, and we dance on the edge of our dreams?" anonymous

Dancing on the edge of a Dream

A change was coming; One that would herald a new era for the pueblo, indeed for the whole territory if the rumors were true. Mexico had become stable after its push from Spain and soon they expected to move into Alta California to claim it in the name of Mexico.

Diego wasn't sure if he supported such a revolution, but if it helped to rid Los Angeles of its corrupt Spain-appointed official, then perhaps he would sit back and do nothing to interfere. He was Spanish by blood and he held a certain loyalty to his homeland. Such a sweeping change had the possibility of benefiting all of the people of Alta California.

If such a revolution were successful, he could hang up the mask of Zorro forever. He could proceed with a life put on hold by the dictatorship of a corrupt alcalde. After five years of living a double life, he was tired. The fight never ended and therefore a life with the woman he loved could never begin.

"Diego?" Alejandro rounded the corner, a large smile upon his weathered face. "I'm on my way into town to help with the decorations, are you coming?"

"Oh, yes, father." Diego stood and dropped the letter onto the table.

Alejandro shook his head, annoyed at his son's obvious distraction. "People have been arriving from all over the territory. I daresay this will be the biggest festival we've had to date!"

"No doubt." Diego followed his father, the letter detailing the change in Mexico forgotten. He mounted Esparanza and followed silently, lost in thought, all the way to the pueblo. Perhaps this festival would be a good time to begin letting a bit more of the façade that was Diego de la Vega slip away. After all, it was only a matter of time before Mexico claimed Alta California. Diego didn't think the King of Spain would have the military strength to keep hold of his overseas interests. Not with a Revolution plaguing his very doorstep.

Victoria was positively bouncing around the tavern when the two men entered. Alejandro was immediately drawn into a conversation with a friend and Diego simply leaned against the bar and watched the woman with amused eyes. It was clear she'd hired some temporary labor to handle all of the business that she anticipated from the festival and Diego secretly hoped that this would give her some free time when it came to the start of the festivities. He'd been letting his well-crafted façade slip more and more around her lately and he wanted to make sure she had the free time for him to continue.

"Diego!" Victoria favored him with a wide smile.

"Have you brought the piano?" He took the glass of juice she offered and took a small sip.

"The vaqueros will be bringing it over later in the day." Her face fell but he patted her hand gently.

"Don't worry, it will be here in time." "I hope so! You play so beautifully."

He wasn't used to such praise and shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I'll play a piece only if you will honor me with a dance this evening."

She didn't miss the twinkle in his eyes and it was her turn to fidget under his intense gaze. "Of course, Diego."

"Excellent." Diego upended his glass of juice and walked out, the task he'd come to the pueblo for forgotten.

A few hours before the start of the festival, Victoria went to her room to change into something more appropriate. Too busy with all of the preparations for the celebration, she hadn't had time to make a dress, and she certainly didn't have the money to buy something. She sighed. Her mother's old green gown would have to do.

"Why the long face, querida?" Victoria gave a start and she shut and locked the door quickly.

"Zorro!" Victoria's eyes danced as she took in his lean, dark-clad form. "Have you come for the festival?"

"Alas, I have not, bonita," He stood and drew her into his arms. When he dropped a gentle kiss to her lips, he could feel the tremble race down her spine, even through the leather gloves that covered his hands. "I wouldn't want my presence to cause undue stress during a time of celebration."

He pulled off a glove and cupped her cheek in his hand. "I'll be there. Just not in the guise to which you are accustomed."

Victoria's eyes lit and at once she knew that he would be attending as his unmasked self. "Then save a dance for me?" She whispered, her eyes pleading.

"Always." He smiled tenderly and kissed her again.

A few minutes passed as they held one another and then he broke their contact with a reluctant sigh. "I've brought you something. I hope you will do me the honor of wearing it tonight."

He placed the large box in Victoria's hands and smiled when her eyes brightened like a little girl's at Christmas. "For me?"

"I'd shower you with gifts if I could, querida." Zorro admitted. "But that will have to wait until this mask is removed forever."

He'd just given her another clue to his true identity and her fears of not being good enough for a caballero's wife came to the forefront of her thoughts once again. He'd been slipping a lot more lately, or - she thought with a hopeful smile - perhaps he was arming her with the necessary information to discover his true identity. She resolved to look carefully at every man who entered the tavern tonight.

"Dios," Victoria whispered as she pulled the dress from the box. "It's - it's beautiful."

"It pales beside your beauty, Victoria." He again drew her into his arms, sighing at the feel of her slim body pressed against his. It was getting harder and harder to part from her, another reason he had resolved to show her more of his true self in the last few weeks. "Please wear it for me?"

She noticed the change in his voice and a pang of recognition flashed through her mind. But every single coherent thought was driven out as he kissed her so deeply she needed to lean against his chest to keep from collapsing.

"I shall see you later, querida," he whispered, pressing a lingering kiss to her cheek before disappearing out her window.

A few hours later, Diego, Alejandro and Felipe arrived in a carriage drawn by two of Alejandro's magnificent Andalusians. The plaza was filled with people, young and old. Poor and wealthy alike stood side by side as they watched the alcalde step onto the make-shift platform.

"I shall make this short." DeSoto grinned.

"What a shock," Diego muttered and his father agreed.

Noting the anxious looks of the people surrounding him, DeSoto announced. "Let the festivities begin!"

Loud cheers echoed through the plaza and music sprang up in every corner. Children danced to familiar tunes and young and old began to play traditional games while the adults made their way into the bustling tavern.

The de la Vega piano sat upon the makeshift stage as did a myriad of other instruments that would be used throughout the evening.

Diego's breath caught when he saw Victoria. She looked splendid in the lovely gown Zorro had delivered to her earlier in the evening. The fabric hugged her curves in all the right places and the multi-layered colorful skirts flounced around her legs as she walked. Diego didn't think she had ever looked more beautiful.

Alejandro noticed his son's stare and chuckled himself. If he thought his son's appraisal of Victoria unbecoming, he said nothing. "She does look lovely this evening, doesn't she?" He had to nudge his son to receive a response.

"Indeed, Father."

The two men made their way to the bar where Alejandro ordered a bottle of vintage wine. When he poured two glasses, Diego waved a long-fingered hand. "I don't think-"

"Moderation, Diego. Drink tonight. I'll see to it that you don't overdo it." Alejandro winked and Diego all of a sudden found himself very uncomfortable beneath his father's playful grin. He surmised that he and his father clearly had a different point of view over what would constitute overdoing it.

"All right. One glass." Diego took a tentative sip and swirled it around his tongue before swallowing.

"Good, isn't it?" Alejandro grinned widely.

"Yes." Surprisingly, it was. "Where is it from?" Diego took another sip of the sweet wine.

"I had Victoria order it special from Monterey."

"And it's been very popular this evening, too!" Victoria sashayed up to them and gave Diego an odd, but appreciative look. Even Alejandro had to stifle a chuckle as his son shifted under the intense stare. Diego did look good tonight, Alejandro had to admit.

"You look handsome tonight, Diego," Victoria smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek. "Have a young lady you're hoping to impress tonight?"

"I only wish," Alejandro muttered and stalked off to shake the hand of a friend nearby.

Diego rolled his eyes and Victoria chuckled. Oddly, Victoria couldn't take her eyes off him. He'd chosen a tailcoat for tonight and she hadn't seen him wear one of those since his return from Spain. It made him look years younger and it truly fit his long, lean body very well. The striking color, a bit darker blue that she was used to seeing him wear, was complimented by a delicately embroidered shirt and a silk cravat. It wasn't often anymore that an occasion called for such formal attire, but Victoria was secretly happy that the men had thought of the little festival as such.

Victoria coughed when she realized she'd been caught in her appraisal of him. The small smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth unnerved her and she stepped back. How had she gotten so close to him, anyway?

"Ah, the band has started!" they heard Alejandro say. They watched as he searched the crowd, his eyes settling on a particular lady Diego knew he'd spent the better part of the year courting. When they disappeared onto the dance floor, Diego turned his gaze once again to Victoria. She was playing hostess tonight, rather than doing all of the work herself. Diego was tempted to pay the help himself as thanks for relieving her of her duties for the evening.

He took her hand suddenly, giving in to a long denied longing. If he noticed her suddenly tense at his unusual forwardness, he gave no indication. "Let's dance!"

"Oh, Diego. My customers-"

He grinned wickedly and she found herself unnerved yet again. "You are playing hostess this evening. You need not work so hard." He glanced around the room, noticing the crowd was well taken care of.

She knew he was right. Suddenly, she had a complete change of heart and she turned bright, beaming eyes on him. "Yes! Let's dance!"

He blinked and stared down at her. "Victoria-."

"You promised me a dance." She pouted prettily and at that moment he knew there was nothing she requested that he wouldn't give.

A bubble of laughter escaped her lips as she noticed his choice of drink for the evening. "I see it's going to be an evening of change for us all tonight," she commented with a pointed look at his glass.

"Yes, well-" he set the glass down and led her onto the dance floor. "Father asked me to try it. And I found it surprisingly good."

"The vintage from Monterey?" They began to dance, a lively, traditional dance that required very little concentration. Everyone knew the steps. They'd been learned from childhood.

"Yes." He looked down at her, his eyes tender. "Being the wine connoisseur that he is, my father wanted to try the new vintage from the north."

"Well, it's very popular with the caballeros this evening!" Victoria's curls bounced around her shoulders and Diego had to concentrate to keep from holding her too closely.

When the dance ended, they were out of breath and he led her to the bar and poured her a cool glass of water. Her eyes sparkled when she noticed the obvious role reversal.

"Now Diego-"

"Oh, come, Victoria, and enjoy your evening off for a change." His eyes twinkled but before she could respond, she was drawn into another dance.

Alejandro slid up to his son and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "You two looked good out there."

Diego stared at his father.

"You should ask her to dance a bit later." He dropped a freshly filled glass of wine into his son's hand and disappeared into the crowd.

Diego sighed and took another sip as Felipe rounded the corner with a glass of juice. The boy's eyes widened when he saw Diego drinking wine. He signed slowly, asking why the change.

"Oh, father thought I'd enjoy a bit of a change tonight," Diego tilted the glass. "It is rather good."

Felipe's eyes narrowed and he pointed very obviously over at Victoria who was laughing as she danced with another single caballero.

"Don't start, Felipe," Diego's voice dropped, and the warning tone clearly indicated that he need not continue his line of questioning. Anyone who may have overheard them would have thought the voice belonged to Zorro instead of the docile caballero, Diego.

Felipe grinned knowingly and slid out of the way of the long arm that reached out to playfully swat at his shoulder.

Diego hadn't realized that he was now on his second glass of the sweet wine and he leaned against the bar until one of his father's friends appeared beside him, a young lady on his arm.

He knew instantly what the man wanted and he bowed politely over the young lady's hand as he led her out onto the dance floor.

Several hours later, Alejandro watched the younger generation still happily dancing along to the music and he clasped a friend on the shoulder. "Ah, to have the energy of youth again!"

Don Esteban laughed and nodded. "Well that young lady looks quite content in Diego's arms tonight." Alejandro's old friend winked and Alejandro nodded.

"Well, they've all looked quite happy in his arms tonight." Alejandro grinned conspiratorially. "I gave him a few glasses of a new vintage from Monterey to help. . . .eh, shall we say, get rid of his nerves?"

Esteban laughed heartily and took another sip of his own wine. "You didn't!"

"Diego is too serious for his own good sometimes." Alejandro confessed. "He just needed a little extra push to be able to let go of some of his inhibitions and have a good time."

"Hoping for a match tonight, are you?"

Alejandro shook his head and sighed. "I raised my son too well, I think. He's been nothing but the perfect gentleman all evening. I haven't seen the slightest spark of interest in any of the women he's danced with."

"Well, he and Señorita Escalante have danced several times this evening and they look quite splendid together, if I do say so myself."

Alejandro glanced at his son, who was currently dancing yet again with Victoria. He shrugged, knowing the lovely tavern owner was completely and totally in love with Zorro. His son didn't have a chance with her, even if he did show some interest.

When the dance ended, Diego didn't get a break before another young lady's hand had been offered by a very willing guardian. The purpose of the festival may have been to usher in springtime love, but the forwardness of those trying to get Diego's attention was wearing very thin.

"I think I've made him dance with every single woman in the pueblo tonight, Esteban." Alejandro watched his son dance, disappointed that the man didn't look like he was enjoying himself. "But I can't really blame him for waiting for the right woman. I loved my wife so deeply that I can't imagine forcing my son into a loveless marriage."

"Well don't let him wait too long." Esteban grinned. "Men our age need the security grandchildren provide!"

Alejandro chuckled, remembering his son's reaction every time he broached the uncomfortable subject. "I bring the subject up every now and then but I can see how grating it is on him."

Conversation lulled as they watched the couples dance. When the music ended, Esteban noted how quickly Diego made for the entrance.

People came and went all evening, moving from the dancing inside the tavern to the continuing party outside of it. Diego leaned against one of the tavern supports before noticing a slim figure he knew all too well, leaning against the tavern wall.

"Victoria?"

"Diego!" She looked as if she'd been caught and he hid a small smile knowing she was probably searching the face of every man who walked in the door, trying to figure out just which one was Zorro.

"I didn't mean to startle you. It's certainly far cooler out here this evening."

Victoria released a long, deep sigh. "Yes, it is getting warm in there!"

"Would you care to dance again later?"

Victoria snickered, eyes dancing. His father's attempts at finding him a suitable woman to court had not been lost on her. "Want to dance with someone safe, hmm?"

Diego chuckled but his eyes remained serious. "Not at all. I would simply rather dance with the most beautiful woman in the pueblo if she would have me."

Victoria blinked at his words. She was grateful for the darkness so he wouldn't see the flush that crept along her neck and cheeks at his compliment. When she looked down, he was holding her hand and he smiled so handsomely that her heart somersaulted.

"Well, then. Of course I will." She hoped he didn't hear the trembling in her voice.

"Then I will await your return." He pressed a gentle kiss to her palm before walking back into the tavern.

Victoria stood there for a few more moments, her mind frantically trying to process her best friend's odd behavior. She finally shook her head and attributed it to the generous amounts of wine his father had been supplying him with all evening.

She sought Diego when she went back into the tavern and found him with his father, sipping yet another glass of wine. She chuckled, wondering how much wine his body could take before he started to feel the effects. When she noticed the band had prepared to start, she hurried over to her friend, cutting off yet another young woman and her father who had sought Diego's hand in a dance.

"You promised me this dance, Señor." Victoria smiled prettily at Alejandro and Esteban as she laced her arm through Diego's and pulled him away. Alejandro just barely grabbed his son's wine glass as the couple disappeared into the crowd.

"Yes, indeed, they have grown quite close tonight."

Alejandro nodded and made a quick decision, hoping that he'd be able to interject before the band began playing in earnest. He rushed around the crowd and whispered to the band, who immediately set down their instruments and stepped off the stage. The elder de la Vega sat himself at the piano and began to play a slow, smooth waltz.

Diego smiled down at Victoria as they began the dance. "Well, apparently my father felt the urge to play this evening."

"Oh, this is wonderful." Victoria cooed, grateful for a slow dance.

"The intimacy of the dance or the dancer?" Diego asked quietly, inclining his head to hear her answer.

She blinked. He was being quite charming tonight. The wine was obviously having some sort of effect. But , he didn't act intoxicated. No wonder every man with a marriageable daughter in the pueblo had stalked him this evening.

"You are a very good dancer, Diego." Victoria admitted, lowering her eyes. Why was she so uncomfortable all of a sudden?

"As are you, Que - Victoria." He whispered and winced at the mistake he'd almost made. Calling her Querida would be a certain revelation that he wasn't sure he was completely ready for.

A shudder rushed through her and she noticed his voice drop as he whispered. No one needed to hear their conversation. The waltz ended far too soon and as he bowed over her hand, she was reminded of another who had done the very same thing earlier in the evening.

He led her off the dance floor and smiled sweetly at her. "Thank you for the dance, Victoria."

She thought she had seen a flicker of sadness in his eyes but before she could respond, he had turned from her and walked outside. It took her a few moments to steel herself to go after him. Something was bothering him, and she was determined to find out what it was.

With all of the revelers still outside, she found it more difficult than she would have liked to locate him. She finally found him leaning against the side of the tavern, lost in thought. The moonlight struck his lean frame and she marveled at the body revealed before her eyes. He'd long ago removed the formal jacket he'd arrived in and was simply clad in a beautifully embroidered white silk shirt. Which, Victoria surmised, in the moonlight, left nothing about the handsome caballero's torso to the imagination. How could someone like Diego be so well built?

Before she had the chance to examine him further, he looked over at her and smiled. "I needed some fresh air."

She reached a hand out to touch his arm and was struck with another pang of recognition as he turned those soul-searching blue eyes on her. She knew they were blue, even in the moonlight. She'd seen Diego's eyes every day for years. She sucked in a sharp breath. Why had she never noticed they were the same color as Zorro's?

"Is something wrong?" She managed to squeak out before her voice failed her. She had to be wrong about this. Diego couldn't be -

"Yes. No." He shook his head He knew the wine was finally affecting him and he was finding it difficult to control the emotions rushing through his body. With every dance, he wanted to kiss her right then and there and tell her he loved her. "I don't know."

Zorro said he'd be here tonight, without the mask. He said he'd save her a dance. She'd danced with a lot of different men tonight and, astonishingly, Diego was the only one who she could even -. No, it simply wasn't possible. She'd danced with Diego several times tonight. But that waltz; the romantic music and the solid, secure gasp of the dancer had pulled at her heart.

When he looked at her again, she gasped at the desire simmering in his eyes. She found herself rooted in place, unable to move as his eyes searched hers.

"You can tell-"

Before she could finish, he reached his hand to trail his fingers down her cheek, just like another had done so many times before. Familiarity nagged the back of her mind, but the thought was driven out of her head when he pressed his lips to hers in a gentle, sweet kiss. She whimpered into his mouth but did nothing to stop him as his hand slid into her hair and his lips moved teasingly across hers.

TBC