Metztli cried uncontrollably as Esteban held her tightly. The sight of Victoriano crying, cradling, and calling out to him was a painful sight.  

Bishop Juan slowly arrived at the grieving group. He said nothing; his eyes were locked on Victoriano and his son. The Bishop made the sign of the cross before father and son. "May god have mercy upon his soul. May god grant him the peace that he chose for himself."

Metztli listened to what Bishop Juan said; she calmed down. "What are you doing?" she asked in a raspy voice.

"Praying for his soul to be at peace. What he did is a sin in the eyes of god. I pray that he spares this poor boy's soul."

"Sin in the eyes of your god? Why should Guillermo want the forgiveness of your god that allowed all this suffering to begin with? You are the devils of this world," Metztli said with a dry and raspy voice. 

She couldn't scream; there was no strength left. 

There was no point in screaming anymore. 

There was nothing to gain.

Bishop Juan didn't respond; he didn't look bothered. All he felt was sympathy for Victoriano, whom he once called a brother. The Bishop knew that Victoriano wasn't perfect; he was a man who loved a woman and his children. 

The Bishop also couldn't fault Guillermo for making his decision. 

The Bishop knew that Victoriano was filled with grief, and nothing would console him; he didn't want his once fellow brother to be executed. He then looked at Metztli and Esteban. "It would be best if you two left. You two are fortunate to be given such mercy."

"I will not leave! I-"

"Young one. It would not be wise to argue. The Governor gave you and this man your freedom to leave. If you continue to stay, you will be hated by your people. Toypurina will also be hated since they will believe it is her fault that they lost the rebellion. She will surely be executed."

"No, she won't."

Esteban knew that it would be a matter of time until Metztli tried to argue with the Governor. It was something he could not allow, especially since they were given mercy. "Metztli, we have to go."

 "What? You expect us to leave Victoriano and the others? I have much fault in this!"

"Listen to your husband, young one. You will not be as fortunate since the situation at hand is more dire. No mercy given; the Governor will also have to take Padre Fermin's wishes into account. Your words will no longer be enough." Bishop Juan then gently patted Metztli's head. "Leave and live your life. Learn from this. Please be reassured that I will ask for mercy for Victoriano. I believe that the Governor will be understanding since he paid the ultimate price." Metztli was about to speak, but the Bishop interrupted, "Victoriano would want this for you. Do you wish for his and Guillermo's sacrifice to be in vain?"

The question broke Metztli into a thousand pieces. 

If she stayed to fight for Victoriano and Toypurina, she would make the situation worse. Her pleas would go unheard, especially since many lives were lost. Though many participated in the rebellion due to injustices that the Tongva suffered. Padre Fermin would also ensure that Toypurina paid for her part in the rebellion. 

Bishop Juan's assurance made her question his sincerity, but he was the only one who showed sympathy. Something was telling her to trust him. However, there was one thing she needed to know. "What about Federico? He is part of the reason why all this happened! I never knew about this rebellion and lied that something was planned! I-"

"Federico will pay for his part on this. I know that my fellow brothers and the Governor will finally see what Federico truly is. Where is he?"

"He is over there, Bishop. He is unconscious."

"Very well. Esteban, take some men to bring in Federico. He has much to answer for."

Esteban nodded as he held onto Metztli again and motioned for her to leave the site. She struggled to stay with Victoriano, but he hadn't looked up to see or speak with her.

He was distraught and in shock.

Bishop Juan stayed beside Victoriano; he looked at Metztli, reassuring her that he would keep his word. She was motioned away, but her eyes never left Victoriano and Guillermo. 

Metztli knew the entire truth.

The true history of the Mission.

The history of her family.

*BUMP* *BUMP*

"Agghh!" Metztli fell to the ground, clenching her chest tightly. 

"Metztli, what's wrong!?" Esteban knelt beside her, concerned.

"M-My heart! It hurts!" *BUMP* *BUMP* "It feels as if I'm having a heart attack!"

"Metztli..."

"Huh?" Metztli heard someone call her name. "Who called me?"

Esteban became concerned. "No one called you. Are you alright? I should take you to the infirmary.

Suddenly, a pistol shot echoed, surprising everyone. 

The Governor and the Bishop violently trembled and saw someone they didn't expect. 

"Federico!" Bishop Samuel yelled in horror.

Federico stood on the far end of the Mission, his face bloodied and bruised. A deranged smile plastered on his lips. "Well, what a beautiful sight: bodies of dead savages and Soldados. Pity there aren't any Padres." He then noticed Victoriano still holding onto his dead son. "Ah, the father loses the son. The sweet sight of vengeance, Victoriano."

Victoriano slowly looked up; his face was tear-stricken.

Governor Pedro looked at Padre Federico, and he wanted to command him to put the weapon down. Looking closely at his eyes, they were dead. It was dangerous to try to talk Federico out of what he wanted to do. 

Bishop Samuel walked forward as he pointed at Federico. "You traitor! After all we have given you! The mercy that was bestowed upon you! You-" The Bishop didn't finish his statement as Federico shot him in the head, killing him instantly. 

"Brother!" Padre Fermin knelt beside Bishop Samuel, who lay on the ground with a bullet in his head. 

The Governor was in shock and went to Padre Fermin, seeing Bishop Samuel dead. "He's completely mad."

Federico looked at Metztli.

Everything and everyone else around him didn't matter. He knew that he wouldn't escape alive. It didn't matter, not anymore. Federico didn't live the life he didn't want to live. Many of the choices were his own. What wasn't the fact that he fell for a woman who didn't want him. There were times when he wondered whether things would have been different if he hadn't joined the priesthood.

Would they have met?

Would Metztli accept him?

Would he have been loved?

Federico would never know the answers to his questions. It wouldn't matter; Metztli would never be his.

She would be no one's in his eyes. 

He motioned the pistol towards her. Her eyes filled with fear and shock. "If I cannot have you, then no one will." Federico fired the pistol, and when he did, a couple of Soldados gathered their rifles, motioned them toward him, and fired. 

Bullets struck Federico throughout his body; one shot him in the throat. Federico's sight blurred, and he couldn't see if he had killed Metztli. He fell to the ground, dead.

Metztli covered her eyes and ears, but she felt no pain, nothing. She wasn't struck. Opening her eyes, she saw Esteban standing before her. "Esteban?"

Victoriano watched everything that transpired, and he widened his eyes. "Oh god..."

Esteban stood before Metztli; pain coursed throughout his chest. The bullet took a hit. Looking down on his chest, he saw his blood flowing down from his wound. He felt as if his heart was going to explode.

"Esteban!?"

Metztli's voice sounded so far away, even though it was near. He slowly turned around and looked down at his wife, who wept. Esteban didn't like to see her crying. "Metztli, you-" He fell to the ground as he felt his body losing strength; his breathing was becoming difficult. 

"Esteban! No! No!" Metztli immediately went to Esteban as she covered his bullet wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "HELP!" she screamed.

Victoriano went by her side and helped her to try to stop the bleeding. He was still mourning and in shock over his son's death, but he tried to stop another death from happening. When looking at Esteban's wound, Victoriano knew that the bullet had penetrated deep into Esteban's chest. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Metztli...I..."

"Victoriano! Grandfather! Please help! Help! Help!"

"I am so sorry. I can't...I can't do anything...I couldn't even save my son...my boy. Mitena...Valentina...what would I tell them?"

Metztli's lower lip trembled as she tried the best she could to stop the bleeding. "Esteban, please stay awake! We need to leave! Why!? Why!? I shouldn't have done this! I should have left as you told me! Esteban, why!?"

Esteban coughed up blood. "Because I love you...Please remember me...never forget me...us...."

"No, don't say that! You-!"

"Metztli!" yelled a voice.

*BUMP BUMP BUMP*

"Aggghhhh!" Metztli clenched her chest. "My heart! It hurts!" Then, her eyesight suddenly became blurry. "What's happening to me!?" She hugged Esteban with all her might, but the sight of him became blurry. Her ear was on his chest; his heartbeat was gone.

Esteban was dead. 

"Esteban...Valentina...Guillermo...."

"Metztli...!?"

Everything became dark. Metztli closed her eyes until...

"METZTLI!"

"GAH!" Metztli opened her eyes and saw someone she didn't expect. "C-Carlos!?"

Carlos sighed in relief. "¡Gracias a Dios! ¡Te estuve buscando por todas partes! (Thank god! I was looking all over for you!)"

"Wh-What!?" Metztli immediately sat up as she looked around her environment. She was inside the prison. She then looked at her clothes. It was the same clothes she wore before she went to the past. "¿Dónde...? (Where?)"

"Estuviste fuera un par de horas. Tu madre llamó a la oficina de la Misión porque no habías vuelto a casa. No contestabas el teléfono (You were gone for a couple of hours. Your mother called the Mission's office about you since you hadn't gone home. You weren't answering your phone)." Carlos touched Metztli's head. "Parece que tuviste una mala caída. ¿Por qué estabas aquí abajo? Sabes que no tenemos permitido- (Looks like you had a nasty fall. Why were you down here? You know that we are not allowed to-)."

"I'm back...!?" Metztli slowly stood up and noticed that the prison was different from the past. She looked around, and before Carlos could speak, she ran out of the prison. "Esteban!? Victoriano!?" Metztli ran out of the prison and then to the outside. 

Outside, the Mission was in good condition. "What...? How...?" She slowly walked to the Mission's center, and there was no one in sight. It was late afternoon. "I came back..."

"¡Metztli, espera! ¡Olvidaste tu bolso y tu teléfono! (Metztli, wait! You forgot your bag and phone!)" Carlos ran after her with her belongings. Metztli grabbed her belongings; everything was inside. 

Metztli then remembered her phone and the picture she took of Victoriano and Mitena. Searching her photos, there was nothing in them. 

Not a single one.

"I don't understand. Why?"

Carlos became concerned for Metztli's health since he found her unconscious. "Deberías llamar a tu mamá. Estaba muy preocupada. Tienes que ir al médico porque te caíste muy mal (You should call your Mom. She was very worried. You need to go to the doctor since you took a nasty fall)." Metztli didn't answer or look at him; she was in a confused state. He didn't want to make it worse. "Oh, también encontré esto. Esto te pertenece, ¿verdad? (Oh, I also found this. This belongs to you, right?)"

Metztli looked at what Carlos was holding; it was her rosary. She slowly took it and looked at it. Tears formed realizing that she had returned to her modern time. Realization hit her that if she still existed in her time, then her ancestors survived. She never knew what happened to Victoriano and Mitena. There was a possibility that Bishop Juan kept his word.

However, Esteban was killed.

Valentina died in childbirth, Guillermo took his life, and her people still became slaves.

Metztli fell to her knees while holding the rosary.

Carlos knelt beside her, concerned. "¿Metztli?"

Metztli squeezed onto the rosary and cried.