They had come a long way from the day when Diego had passed the cantina full of anger and spying the drunk trying to sell a familiar necklace for a glass of whiskey. It seemed fate had weaved its strings and brought their two lost souls together.

Alejando was a good student, doing everything Diego asked of him and more. Diego knew that the thirst for revenge was the main drive behind his focus. But Diego could see the look in his eyes that he imagined that all Father's saw in the eyes of their sons, the look of a son trying to make their Father proud. Diego knew that he probably had the same look in his own eyes when he looked up to his own Father, Alejando de la Vega.

It caused a strange feeling in Diego, he always imagined getting that look from his Elena as she grew up, but his chance of being a Father had been stolen long ago. But he often caught these looks from Alejando. From what little the boy had said of his past, Diego knew that it had been only he and his brother for a long time. But apart of the boy was desperate to please him, to impress him.

Even stealing that horse had been nothing but an effort to impress him in a way. Any black horse would have worked, but he chose his old horse so that he could be just like the Zorro of his childhood, his hero. A man that Diego had left behind so long ago the night his world had collapsed, losing both his wife and daughter.

His Elena, looked so much like her Mother, the same eyes and the same spirit he could see shining through her eyes. Listening to her talk that morning as he took care of Tornado, was a balm to his soul. Knowing that she was so much like her Mother, like himself, and that Montero had corrupted her to his world view. He knew that he wasn't the only one to notice the spirit inside her, Alejando had seen it.

Diego had seen it in the way they danced with each other, though they had just meet Alejando was already falling for Elena. Diego had once danced with Esperanza like that. His dear Esperanza, the portrait had brought so many memories back. It was good to see her face, even though it did not belong in Rafael Montero's house, the man responsible for her death. And after twenty years he would finally be getting his revenge.

Even though Diego had once been skeptical on Alejando, he now felt nothing but pride at the man who had taken his mantel. In the months they had worked together, Alejando had truly become like a son to Diego. The son he never had a chance to have.

Diego was still a Don, and the land he had inherited from his Father still belonged to him. If he did not survive his encounter with Montero he would make sure that Alejando was taken care of. He carefully wrote his Will naming his son Alejando de la Vega as his heir. If Alejando wanted any chance of supporting Elena he would have to have land, a title, and a name so that no one could contest his right to marry her.

Diego also wrote a letter to Alejando explaining everything and placing it where he could find it easily. Diego hoped that he would have chance to explain everything in person but in his bones he had a feeling he would not survive to see the next sunrise.

The sound of hooves echoed in the cavern marking the return of Alejando from his first true mission of Zorro, which meant he had succeeded in finding the map to the mine. Diego sighed as he stood, up joints cracking. He would listen to the son of his heart's first adventure but then he would have to leave to extract his revenge. And then maybe He and Esperanza would both finally be at peace

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