Title: Aftershock
Rated : PG-13
Synopsis: Victoria is comforted after a series of earthquakes shake the Los Angeles pueblo.
Misc Notes: This story takes place after the series finale 'A Conspiracy of Blood'
Written: 8/05
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.
Aftershock
Victoria exhaled heavily as she stacked the dishes beneath the counter. Everything was washed, everything was clean, everything was prepared for tomorrow.
She should be tired. It had been an exhausting day, but she found herself frightfully wide awake. After all, it wasn't every day that the very ground beneath your feet shook so hard you could barely stand.
In the pre-dawn morning it had come. Rolling across the landscape like the thunderous hooves of a thousand horses. The earth shook so violently that she was thrown from her bed. In the taproom below, she could hear glasses strike the floor and shatter.
As quickly as it had come, it ended, leaving incredible destruction in its wake. Whole buildings had collapsed, precious items had been thrown from the walls, people had been injured and a few had even died.
The Los Angeles pueblo looked like it had poorly weathered a deadly and destructive revolution.
"Are you all right?" Diego asked softly from behind her.
Victoria swallowed hard, trying to hide her nervousness. "I will be fine." Truth be told, she was not fine. She wanted to be held and comforted. Just once, she wanted to feel loved and protected. Wanted to be the first person Zorro thought about this time instead of the countless others who no doubt needed his help.
But he had not come.
Only Diego had come.
Diego raised his hands to her shoulders and squeezed gently, trying to offer as much comfort as she would allow.
From the moment he was certain all was well at home, Diego had been at Victoria's side. He knew she was more frightened than she was admitting, even though the strong-willed woman hid it well.
The earth had continued to rumble throughout the day, causing even further damage as structures already weakened by the first strongest shake, collapsed beneath yet another.
Disturbed by the destructive circumstances that had driven her into his arms now, Diego couldn't help but feel delighted at her willingness to take comfort from him. When he turned her around and embraced her wordlessly, she leaned against him weakly, taking the comfort that he so graciously offered.
A small measure of guilt had washed over him as he spent the entire day with Victoria instead of riding as Zorro. No doubt he could have helped a great many people. But today, he allowed himself a small reprieve. It was time Victoria became his priority. He loved and wanted to protect the people of the pueblo but Victoria was his life and refused to be anywhere else today.
If she wished it were Zorro who held her now, she gave no clear indication. But as quickly as her moment of weakness appeared, it vanished, and she embarrassingly extricated herself from Diego's gentle embrace.
"Thank you, Diego," Victoria said nervously, suddenly very conscious of their proximity in the deserted tavern. It was rare that Diego touched her, and she was very self conscious about how good, how right it felt to let him to so now.
"Why don't you go upstairs and try to get some sleep," Diego suggested gently.
"I should." Victoria said with a heavy sigh and glanced toward the second level of the tavern with a certain measure of nervousness.
Impulsively, he rested a gentle hand on her arm, drawing her gaze from the stairs. "I won't leave tonight. If you need something during the night, please wake me."
Victoria smiled gratefully at her friend and shook her head. "Thank you, Diego. I'll be fine."
He watched her ascend the stairs and disappear into her room before slipping out the kitchen door. His longing to hold her, comfort her, was too great. If she would not permit Diego to watch over her in the night, she would undoubtedly accept comfort in the form of the masked man she loved so deeply.
Victoria was lying on her back, wide awake and staring at the ceiling, when she heard the familiar tap on her window.
Her eyes lit as she pushed herself to her feet and unlatched the surprisingly unbroken glass.
"Zorro!" She launched herself into his arms the moment he climbed through her window and drew himself to his full height.
"Ah, Querida," Zorro murmured into her hair as his arms tightly encircled her shoulders.
Victoria inhaled deeply of the wonderfully masculine scent, her cheek resting against his solid chest. She closed her eyes and allowed his strong, comforting embrace to chip away at the layers of tension that had built over the course of the day.
Zorro tilted her head and pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner."
"It's all right," Victoria sighed, tilting her head so that his lips brushed hers. "You have other obligations."
"Not tonight." His arms tightened around her. "You are my priority tonight." His eyes brightened as he dropped a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "For the remainder of the night, I am all yours."
Victoria inhaled sharply, her disbelieving gaze searching his in the darkness of the room. Was he saying – ? Only the moonlight shone through the window, casting eerie shadows against the walls.
"Really?" she breathed, unable to believe that he would stay the entire night with her. Their visits had always been so quick. A kiss of the hand, of the cheek, or a rare brush of the lips and he was gone.
He released her only long enough to pull the black gloves from his hands before returning one hand to her waist. The other trailed slowly down her cheek before lifting her chin to meet his loving gaze.
Zorro nodded with a wide smile that reached his eyes.
"You will –" Victoria cast a quick look at her bed. "You will stay with me – hold me, all night?"
Zorro swallowed nervously. The prospect of spending the entire night holding her in his arms was so tempting, heat rushed through his blood at the mere thought. He had just thought to watch over her as she slept, not sleep with her in his arms.
She was watching him with hopeful eyes and as much as he wanted to tell her that such a night could not be spent until they were properly wed, he found himself unable to say the words.
He, as Diego, had spent the entire day with her and despite the brave front she had displayed throughout the day, it had vanished as night fell.
She was scared and he was duty bound as a man and as her beloved to see that she was properly cared for. A slight nod of the head committed him to a night of incredible frustration and wonderful pleasure.
TBC