Juan Rodriges sighed and looked at his wife in despair. "What should we do, Maria?" he said helpless.

She didn't answer because she had no answer to his desperate question. No solution for their poverty. The baby began to cry, and she crooned and cradled the little human in her arms. Charlotte stopped crying but was still crabby. Obviously, she felt the bad mood of her mother.

All was a mess, the worst case. First the high taxes from DeSoto, second the illness of his animals and third the robbery of the bandits two days ago. There was no money left for them, all was gone. Both were faced with ruin. The outlaws had been caught the next day, but that didn't help. All their money was gone. The bandits spent the money on gambling, alcohol and favors of some fancy ladies.

Evertyhing was gone; all their hard work had been in vain. They would end up a poor couple who depended upon the favor of wealthy men.

At that moment he heard someone knocking at the door. Who was it, now, early in the evening?

Husband and wife looked at each other in fear. That wasn't good. Not one of their friends would knock as loud as that stranger behind the door.

Yes, their friends. Of course, they had friends, the Rodriges were a nice and friendly couple, always willing to help. And today, they needed help themselves. But nobody could help them. The only thing was to get money, but all their friends were poor. Nobody had any money left to help Juan and Maria.

Did the soldier come back? Would the terror never end?

Again, someone knocked at the door. "Senor Rodriges, I know you and your family are at home. Please open. Do not worry. I won't harm you or do evil to you". The voice was dark and strong.

Juan heard that voice before but couldn't say where. He was still scared and didn't dare to stay silent. He watched at his wife. Anxiously, she still tried to keep the Baby silent. He answered uncertainly: "Who… are you?"

"Zorro! ... Please open, Senor!"

"Zorro" repeated the man without breath. Maria stared at her husband and whispered the name also. Neither knew what to say. Could it be Zorro? Were they lucky at last?

"Rodriges?" asked the hero.

Finally, Juan was able to react and moved to the door. He opened it determined.

There he was. The famous masked figure dressed in black was standing in front of him, giving him an encouraging smile. "May I come in?"

"Of, course, Zorro!" Juan took a step backwards and let the man in.

Zorro was very present, he had a high profile as he entered the little room. Maria was both – scared and impressed as she looked at him. Both, she and Juan, weren't often at the pueblo. They had seen him, the famous fighter, only a few times.

Zorro reached his right hand for Charlotte and stroked her tousled hair. Not typical for a baby, but the very young girl has a lot of hair. The mother stared at him without moving. She was confused about what was happening.

The baby liked it and calmed down. Or perhaps it just felt the relief and hope of her mother.

"How is she, Maria? Is she still crying so much?"

"Yes, Zorro". She was stunned. The legend asked such a question? That was strange – he was a hero. And now he seemed to be so much human and asked about crying babies?

Juan stood beside them and was also surprised. What was going on?

Zorro's hand reached for a bag at his belt. Carefully, he freed it and threw it into Maria's right hand. "Here, that will help her flatulence. Take two big spoons and douse it with boiling water. Wait five Minutes. This is enough for one day. Give it to your Baby after eating. The herbs in the bag should be enough for two weeks. If the tea can help I will bring you more".

The only thing the woman could do was nod. She was still confused about the strange situation.

The masked man looked at her husband and declared: "I'm glad to help you with Charlotte. But as you might know that is not the only reason I have come to you."

The man agreed. "I am curious".

"Please listen to me. Don Alejandro de la Vega was shot. His family needs help and so I talked to Diego. He wants to offer a job working at the hacienda for several week. You'll be paid for every hour you're there. I promise you, the payment will be very good".

"At the hacienda? At the 'De la Vegas'?" whispered Maria reverently. Juan only smiled, not knowing what to say. To work for these caballeros was a privilege. Everybody knew they paid their servants good wages and treated them with respect. Everyone working there was happy to be able to.

"Senor Zorro, I don't know what to say! To work at the Vegas. How have you managed that?" spluttered the man with joy.

The outlaw grinned with a crooked smile. "That wasn't really difficult, Rodriges. Usually people cooperate if I visit them. Only our alcalde is an exception. Diego agreed at once. Besides my recommendation I think he heard of you and knows you are very competent, and he needs help at the moment."

"How long will my husband work there? Will he sleep there at night, too?" asked Maria with relief and with fear. Her voice showed she was also overstrained with the baby sometimes - to be alone the whole day and she was afraid of feeling lonely, too.

"Don't worry, Senora, por favor. He will accommodate you. Diego and you, Juan, you will talk unhurriedly about your working times. Don't worry about that."

"Thank you, Zorro" she told lucky.

"He asks you to come to him on Monday, after siesta. And till then…"

This time he grabbed in his trouser pocket and fetched another little bag, throwing to Juan. The farmer caught it skillfully.

"The money in that bag will help you to replace your animals and other things you lost till you get money from him."

Juan starred at the little pouch. "I don't know what to say, how I can thank you" he said in a rough voice, almost not being able to speak. He was deeply moved.

"If you want to thank me, use it wisely, so the alcalde won't get suspicious. I would be very sorry to lose such a very good man, you, for Los Angeles."

The woman looked at the black rider, with tears in her eyes. "You are a very good man, too" she whispered.

Their visitor smiled. His thank you for the compliment was a light nodding before he continued: "Please be careful. DeSoto would be truly angry if he knew I gave you the money. If someone asks, just say, it is an advance from Diego Vega. The best would be no one pays attention."

"I will do it as you say, Zorro"

"Well. My work here is done…"

The man with the mask raised his hand for goodbye. He was beside the door already. "Everything is going to be all right. Adios!" Before someone could answer, he opened the door quickly and disappeared.

"How could he know? He knew everything, even our troubles with Charlotte" she asked admiring. The baby had fallen asleep.

Helpless, Juan shrugged his shoulders. "No one knows that, my love. That is him. Nothing happens without his knowing."

She didn't answer. The couple was standing side by side. Together they starred at the door the hero

disappeared. It took a while till they was able to continue their work, again.

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While the couple puzzled about the masked man, Zorro was already on his way home. Toronado, his faithful horse had waited outside with patience. Now Diego was riding back to his cave and the dark night protected them like so many nights before. He rode home and thought about the last hours.

He had decided to visit Juan and his wife as Zorro, not as Diego.

The first time could talk about such things with his father, not only with Felipe. A quite new experience. The preference of Don Alejandro had been Diego. Oh, the son was sure his father would always vote for Diego in such things, because he didn't want him to get in danger if it was possible. To disguise as the legend was always a risk.

The young Vega had decided to ride as Zorro.

'Zorro' has ordered 'Diego' to hire Juan and 'Zorro' had determined him to give good wages to Juan. To obey the wishes of the hero, the young Vega needn't justify himself. The first weeks the young Vega wanted to give Juan more money than usually.

Second, it wasn't clever if a member of the Vega' family would give credits or money. Soon the whole pueblo would know that, and a lot of people would come to bet for social services. No matter if they were poor or not. And the Vegas couldn't save the whole pueblo. Even if Juan hadn't talked about it, Diego's accommodation could be revealed.

But Zorro was standing above all. If 'he' had decided to do so, 'Diego' had to act under his orders.

The young Vega himself had collected und dried the herbage for the tea. He exercised due care in it because he didn't want to harm the baby. Not every herb was suitable, and he had read several books about medicine till he was really sure what he could use. At last he had found a composition to the best of his knowledge.

His father agreed with his decision. He was glad Diego had found a good way to help Rodriges without getting too obviously.

And now, Zorro was on his way back.

He didn't have much time. He had to get ready soon because he wanted to be ready on his time to meet Victoria as Don Diego.

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Victoria loved to serve her guests, even if there were many visitors. Pilar was a great help.

Today the woman was quite reflexive. The whole day she had been thinking about so many things happened the last days. Exactly, since Diego had left her, she speculated about him. About him, her old friend Diego. She had known him for years. And because of that, she was so confused.

That Diego, she had spoken with, was another man. A strong-willed and brave person. Not that unworldly scientific scholar.

She was disordered. Trying to find a solution for his strange behavior. Unfortunately, without success.

It wasn't the first time, she thought. There had been several moments Diego acted strange. Only from time to time.

The night at the old windmill and the events before. That day and night she met another young Vega she used to know.

But that "another young Vega" was rare. So, she had blamed him, not being brave like the great idol of the pueblo, the dashing Zorro. She did it because she hoped to pull him out of his phlegm, to appeal to his honor. He could be brave if he had to be. She knew that because of the few times he showed a kind of courage – powerfulness and determination like the boy he was so long ago. But on heaven's sake, why only if he had no choice? Did he only have bravery when he was in danger, didn't he?

He had changed because people changed during their life. Nothing lasted for ever. Diego didn't want to be a hero, didn't want to be bold caballero, only as a last resource. He loved his science and his books too much for changing himself.

And he was successful ins using his methods. His newspaper, for example. Zorro was a magnificent swordsman, unbeaten in his fencing skills and no week without bringing bandits in the jail. Real bandits. He was doing DeSotos' and the solder's work, but nothing had changed. The alcalde was still there and to catch Zorro was his obsession. DeSoto was acting unjust to provoke the appearance of the masked rider and wanted to catch him in a trap. It was a kind of tragedy, the existence of the hero kept Ignacio being cruel and iniquitous. A never-ending cat-and-mouse-game between two men not having anything in common.

She loved him so much, but she also doubted for their future. So easy for him to be killed. Zorro was playing with the soldier, almost having fun with them. But he hadn't killed anybody, and he still tried to avoid that. Unfortunately, the alcalde didn't have these scruples.

What will be 'after' DeSoto? She loved Zorro so much, didn't sleep well in the nights. She was full of sorrows about him – full of fears knowing he was riding through the night and playing his role as the popular hero.

Would her love like to live in a peaceful world, at all? Yes, she was sure, no problem for Diego, but maybe for Zorro.

This was not the only thing. She didn't know much about him. Yes, their hearts had the same heartbeat – she felt it the first time they had met. He hadn't been a stranger, so familiar to her. This was enough, wasn't it?

After all – he had promised her, soon they would be together. She shouldn't have theses doubts and be stronger, believing their love.

Why was it so hard for her to hear to pretend a split of with the hero in public? It was only an act. She had lied many times to protect Zorro against the alcalde in the past.

Again, her mind came back to Diego. Beside Zorro he was her second support in that world- without him, she would have become desperate of the whole situation. He was her friend she could count on, and sometimes he also gave her a shoulder to lean on and cry if the fear grew in her heart. Beside Zorro he was the only one she trusted enough to open herself and talked about her desires and desperations. He was the only one she could ask about his opinion about the faked fight between her and Zorro. And the only one who would suggest practicing that drama.

She smiled and remembered the moment Diego called her "Querida." A warm feeling, full of joy came to her.

Victoria was a woman with a lot of temperament. And this temperament brought her a new idea. Why not provoking Diego a little bit at the next time during their rehearsal? It should be possible to challenge and irritate him.

She wanted to provoke him in the hope he would become stronger. At least to weak up a little of the old Diego he used to be when he was young. And there was a piece left of the courage man, she was sure about it. Whatever had happened, the reason he changed so completely, there was still hope. To get back the brave man, caring for the other people of the pueblo.

'Diego, I don't know what happened to you. But I will find out. And I will help you, you will be the same as you were before you left. Someone scared you, I am sure, but time goes by and can heal you. You used to be there for me – now it is my turn.', she thought.

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A/N:

Only the first part is beta read, sorry for that.

The next chapters Diego will be a little out of himself – he shows emotions and is acting on impulse. This isn't the Diego we know from the serial. But there is reason for his strange behavior,