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Chapter Text

Pepa shrieked as she was dragged into a room by Casita. Felix followed moments later. She found Julieta and Agustin already there, her hermana groaning as she sprawled over her husband. Clearly, they’d collided.

Luckily for her, Felix caught her before they could meet the same fate.

Her mamá was ushered in moments later followed by a bewildered Isabela and Dolores.

“Casita?!” mamá demanded angrily. “What are you doing?”

Pepa wanted to know as well. This day was already hard enough as it was. She didn’t need the house’s antics on top of that.

A year.

A year since she’d last seen her hijo, since he’d-

She sucked in a sharp breath, trying to will away the cloud. She’d been on a hair trigger all day, wavering between holing up in her room or joining Felix and the others at the cemetery later.

She knew herself though.

She wouldn’t be able to bring herself to visit his grave. She just couldn’t. She was barely keeping herself together as it was. She could hardly even summon a smile for her hija and husband.

Camilo should have been here, happy and safe. He should have been able to celebrate his ninth birthday the week before.

But he didn’t get that and it wasn’t fair.

Felix wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close as the others clambered to their feet.

“What’s going on?” Julieta asked.

Before anyone else could say anything, the wall just… opened, and a figure in a green ruana was tossed into the room.

Pepa’s breathing hitched as she stared at him. Bruno froze as he found himself staring back. She could see his eyes fill with panic but she couldn’t really register that.

He was back. He was home. He was here.

She tore across the room, beating Julieta by seconds as they both crashed into their hermano to squeeze him in a tight hug.

“Bruno, you’re here!” Julieta gasped.

“You’re home,” Pepa sobbed.

Bruno was flailing and everyone was talking at once, but Pepa found herself smiling for the first time in months.

He'd been gone for four years but he was home now.

She wasn't letting go of him again.

…she couldn't bear to lose anyone else.

"Tio?" Isabela breathed, eyes wide. The fifteen-year-old had missed her Tio dearly. So did Dolores but she tended to withdraw in her grief over him leaving.

It took them months to draw her out of her shell when Camilo…

She shook her head again as they helped Bruno to stand.

"You're home," Pepa whispered again, not even caring about the tears running down her face or her drizzling cloud.

Bruno looked away in the face of their obvious joy.

"Lo siento," he mumbled. "I-I had to leave. I didn't want to."

Pepa hugged him again. They could get the story later. For now, she just wanted to enjoy having her hermano in her arms again.

Their mamá clearly didn’t know how to react, staring at him like she was seeing a ghost.

They’d known that she’d thought he was dead. That was why she’d put the rule of ‘Don’t talk about Bruno’ in place.

She didn’t want to remember. And she didn’t want to deal with her hijas’ grief either.

After all, she’d tried to do the same to Camilo.

Pepa had to forcefully prevent her cloud from thundering at that thought. She still hadn’t forgiven her for that. For trying to erase the memory of her sweet little boy.

Camilo deserved better than that.

…So had Bruno.

Isabela came careening into Bruno when Pepa stepped back a bit and almost sent the poor man toppling over again.

She expected Dolores to be close behind, but her hija was standing by a table, staring down at something.

“Mija?” she asked in concern.

That concern doubled when Dolores looked up and they saw tears in her eyes.

“Dolores?” Felix asked, stepping towards her.

She reached down and picked up a book with shaking hands.

“Mamá, papá, it’s… it’s Cami,” her voice broke and Pepa felt like she’d been doused in ice water.

“What?” she whispered.

She rushed over to her hija and Dolores hesitantly handed the book over.

The air rushed out of Pepa’s lungs as she stared down at the cover.

It was Camilo, smiling cheekily as he danced in his ruana. The picture was taken just before his disappearance and he looked so happy. She thought it was from his eighth birthday if she was remembering correctly.

Only a week before he…

She swallowed hard as her hands shook and tears burned her eyes. Felix inhaled sharply as he stepped up next to her, looking down at the book.

Why was it here? Why did it have a photo of Camilo?

What was going on?

Felix gently took the book from her as her vision blurred and she let out a quiet sob. He pulled her close and she tucked her face into his shoulder, trying to get a handle on her grief.

"Casita?" Felix asked, a shake to his voice. "What's going on?"

The tiles in the room rippled, nudging them towards the couches.

"Casita, we don't have time for this," her mamá scolded.

Pepa didn't agree. She could spend hours staring at that picture. She would when she got herself under control.

Felix led her to sit down, murmuring soothingly to her. She could tell that he was shaken as well.

They had photos of Camilo of course. Ones they looked at almost every day.

But this wasn't one of them.

They hadn't taken that photo.

Wiping her eyes, Pepa pulled back from her husband with a frown. She knew every single photo they had of her baby, and this one wasn't among them.

She pulled the book closer to look at it again despite how much it hurt to see.

Camilo was smiling brightly, not looking directly at the camera.

If there was one.

Seeing his ruana in one piece made her fight tears again but she continued to study the picture.

"Felix…"

"I know," he murmured. "This isn't one of the photos we have."

"What do you mean?" Julieta asked in confusion.

Everyone had sat down by now. Dolores was on Pepa's other side, hugging herself. Julieta, Agustin and Isabela were together. Bruno was fidgeting in his seat and their mamá was in the armchair.

"We never took this picture," Felix explained as Pepa ran a finger over the photo.

There wasn't a title on the book and it looked completely normal aside from the photo.

What was going on?

Hesitantly, with a dread she didn't understand weighing her heart down, Pepa opened the book.

There was a short passage on the first page.

"Your Fate can change, his can improve. Take this chance to prevent more suffering," she read quietly. "This is your future."

"Our future?" Isabela asked in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Casita wants us to read this," Dolores whispered.

"Why is Camilo on the cover?" Pepa breathed. 

She didn't understand this.

"What about Luisa and Mirabel?" Julieta asked in concern.

"Casita will take care of them," Agustin assured. 

They knew that was true. Their house always took care of the niños. 

Pepa stared down at the book, not knowing what to do. Her hermana placed her hand on the pages, drawing her attention.

"I'll start?" She offered gently.

Pepa swallowed and reluctantly let go of the book, letting her hermana take it. She stared at the photo as Julieta settled herself in to read.

"Chapter One. Rico."

Chapter Text

“Gloria lovingly tucked the ten-year-old into bed, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Goodnight Rico," she whispered to the sleepy boy.

"Night mami," he mumbled in return, eyes drifting shut.

She smiled down at him. He was such a good niño. So sweet. She adored him.

She brushed her fingers through his soft, straight black hair before turning out the light and leaving his bedroom.”

Pepa curled more into Felix’s hold, heart aching at the words. Ten. This boy was so close to Camilo’s age. It still hurt that she would never tuck him in again. 

Felix held her tighter and she knew he was thinking the same. 

“Who’s Gloria?” Isabela asked in confusion.

The adults shrugged in answer before Julieta continued.

“She was such a lucky woman. She had a wonderful son, an amazing husband and a lovely house tucked away from the noise of the village in the jungle of the Encanto.

Mateo smiled at her when she walked into the room.”

“Wait, Mateo?” Felix asked. “I know him.”

Julieta nodded slowly. “Me too. He always talks for a bit when he comes to get food. He mentions his wife sometimes but I’ve never seen her in the village.”

“I’ve seen her before, but not for years,” Agustin admitted. “She withdrew for some reason. Mateo said she was sick.”

They were all confused over why they were reading a book about this family they barely knew.

“"He fall asleep alright?"

She nodded happily. "Poor boy was exhausted. It was a busy day for Rico. Birthdays always are."”

Pepa flinched. Camilo’s ninth birthday was still a raw wound. It had rained all day and she hadn’t left her room, starting on a ruana to try and distract herself.

They were supposed to give Camilo a new one when he turned ten…

“"Can you believe he's ten already?" Mateo sighed.

She felt herself tear up a little. She couldn't. He would always be her baby boy no matter how old he got.

"Let's get to bed," Mateo suggested. "It was a busy day for us too."

Gloria followed after him easily enough. He was right and she was tired. But the day had been worth it. Seeing how happy Rico was at the surprise party had warmed her heart.

Yes. She was a very lucky woman. She could practically call her life perfect.”

“Why are we reading this Casita?” Felix asked in a tired voice.

He might be comforting Pepa, but she knew he was hurting just as much as she was. Camilo might have been a mamá’s boy, but he and Felix were still close. Camilo had idolised his papá.

Their house waved her tiles impatiently at them and Felix sighed before gesturing for Julieta to continue.

“The moment the door clicked shut and the heavy lock fell into place, the little boy in the basement bed snapped his eyes open again, none of that previous sleepiness visible.

He waited a beat to make sure the door wasn't going to open again before letting out a shaky sigh.”

Everyone sat up and took notice now.

“That doesn’t sound right…” Bruno muttered, speaking for the first time since this started.

“Basement? Locks on the door?” Pepa said, a flicker of anger.

She could never understand parents that mistreated their niños. They were a gift, how did others not understand how precious they were?

“Juli?” Bruno asked in concern, drawing their attention to Julieta.

Pepa frowned. Her hermana was pale and her hands were shaking as she stared down at the page.

“Julieta?” their mamá asked in concern.

Pepa had never seen her look like this before.

Julieta opened and closed her mouth speechlessly for a moment before shaking her head. She lifted the book a bit higher and continued reading in a wavering voice.

And Pepa’s world screeched to a halt.

“Camilo dropped the shift he'd been forced to hold all day, vision dimming briefly at the sheer relief he felt at finally letting it go.”

“What?” Felix asked weakly.

The room was spinning as Julieta’s words rang in Pepa’s ears.

“Cami?” Dolores asked in a shaky voice.

“I-I don’t know,” Julieta said. “That’s-the book-”

“Keep reading,” Pepa’s voice cracked and she had to close her eyes against tears.

Julieta’s voice was still shaky as she did as asked.

“His entire body ached and he felt exhausted down to his very bones.

That was the longest they'd made him hold up the shift in a while. The longest they forced him to keep up the act without a break in ages.”

Pepa couldn’t breathe. What was going on? What was going on?

“Even though he was so tired he could drop right off to sleep immediately, Camilo forced himself to sit up and stay awake.

Night time was often the only time he could actually be himself again. 

The only time he didn't have to act like the couple's dead hijo…”

The book slipped from Julieta’s numb fingers, landing cover up. The photo of Camilo was all Pepa could look at.

“The book said the future,” Dolores said in a small voice.

“Does that mean-is he…?” Isabela asked, tone almost frantic.

“Casita?” Julieta asked, tone begging. “Is this real?”

The house’s tiles flipped excitedly.

That was a yes.

Camilo was alive. Alive and locked up in a basement somewhere in the jungle. Hurt and scared and they hadn’t known.

How couldn’t they know? These people had him for a year.

“We need to- we need to find him,” her voice cracked as she fought sobs.

Felix was already rising to his feet but the door stayed locked.

“Casita!” he said in frustration.

Their house only responded by tossing the book back into Julieta’s lap.

“We can’t sit here reading while he’s out there! Getting hurt!” Pepa shouted, cloud thundering above her. “We need to get him!”

“The book said to change our fate. To change his fate,” Bruno spoke up timidly. “To prevent more suffering.”

Felix’s shoulders slumped in defeat and Pepa sobbed.

“We can’t leave until we’ve read it,” He whispered.

In answer, the door vanished in front of him and Pepa let out an anguished scream.

“She must have a reason,” Agustin said shakily. “There must be a reason she wants us to read it before going to get him.”

“That bastard smiled at me in the village, like nothing was wrong,” Felix snarled, anger in every line of his body.

“He always said the food was for his sick wife or… his hijo was clumsy he said,” Julieta said faintly.

Pepa felt cold and she struggled to breathe. They hurt her baby. They took him. They kept him from her.

“Mamá?” Dolores asked, voice scared.

Pepa took a shaky breath before tugging her hija into a hug. Felix came to sit heavily next to her again, covering his face.

“Read,” Pepa said, voice hoarse from the grief and fury she was feeling. “The faster we get through it, the faster we can go and save him.”

Julieta nodded numbly as she picked up the book again.

“Camilo sniffled quietly in the dark, wiping at his face as he started to cry. It had been Rico's tenth birthday today and despair held his heart in a vice grip.

They took him when he was eight. And he knew that he was the same age as Rico so that meant… they'd had him for two years by now.”

“Two years,” Pepa covered her mouth and Dolores curled closer. 

“It takes place a year from now,” Bruno whispered.

Two years. Two years with these people.

Her baby was ten in the story. She would have missed two of his birthdays. She refused to. She refused to miss another. One was bad enough.

“He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them as he started crying properly. It didn't matter if he wasn't quiet. He'd learned the hard way that they'd made the basement completely soundproof. He could scream himself hoarse and they wouldn't hear it.

Dolores wouldn't hear it.”

Dolores let out a choked sob and Pepa murmured soothingly to her hija. She’d always blamed herself for not hearing what happened. They’d tried their best to make her understand that it wasn’t her fault. But she wouldn’t listen.

“It was planned,” Felix said in a pained voice. “They were prepared. They had a soundproofed basement ready.”

Pepa felt bile rise in her throat. They’d actively planned to steal her hijo away? How could they? Why would they? The book said their hijo had died. How could they inflict the pain of losing a child onto another parent?

“He missed his family so much.”

Julieta’s voice cracked and she had to take a deep breath before continuing.

“Struggling through the sobs, he forced out the words he tried to say as much as he could, whenever it was safe to.

"I'm Camilo Madrigal. Mi mami and papi are Pepa and Felix Madrigal. I've got a hermana named Dolores. I've got primas and a Tia and Tios and an Abuela. I'm not Rico."”

Pepa’s heart just broke and she hid her face in Dolores’ curls. She could feel her hija shaking with silent sobs in her arms. Felix pulled them both close in an attempt to comfort them.

But nothing would work. Nothing except having her baby back in her arms and safe. Nothing would be right until he was away from these people. Monsters that kept him a prisoner and made him cry.

“He repeated it over and over until the words got lost in the sobs again. He lifted a hand to twist into his hair, the springy curls so different from Rico's short, straight strands. He couldn't see the colour in the dark, but he could feel the texture. He was terrified of realising one day that he couldn't remember how to get back to his natural form. That he'd get stuck in Rico's body.”

“Dios mio,” Felix whispered, voice so pained she knew he was close to tears himself.

Camilo had loved his Gift. To have it used against him like this, to make him afraid of losing himself in a shift…

She hated these people. She hated them.

“So this time in the dark when he knew neither of the adults would come bursting in until morning was the only safe time he had to be himself again.

If he didn't act like Rico, then Gloria would have a meltdown and throw a tantrum.

And if he upset her… Mateo got angry.

He shivered a bit at the memories of what happened the few times he messed up and upset Gloria.”

The cloud above Pepa grew and thundered, lightning flickering. For once her mamá didn’t even comment, pale and staring at the book in horrified shock.

Pepa felt the irrational urge to lash out at her, to scream about how she’d tried to erase Camilo, which would have played right into their hands no doubt.

Instead, she held Dolores closer and breathed deeply.

“The first time was when he refused to call her mami. Mateo had terrified him into taking on Rico's form and warned him about behaving. But he hadn't been able to call the woman his mami. She wasn't his mami. And he'd been scared and wanted his real mami.”

“Cami,” Pepa sobbed. 

She hadn’t been there for him when he needed her.

Dolores was clinging so tightly to her dress that Pepa thought it might tear. She didn’t care. If it gave her hija an anchor and comfort, she didn’t care if it ripped outright.

“Mateo had dragged him away from a screaming Gloria and punished him, leaving deep welts on his back from a belt.”

Felix snarled out a curse while Pepa swore to herself that this man would know the pain of a lightning strike.

“Camilo learned very quickly to do whatever it took to keep Mateo happy. And keeping Gloria happy was the best way to do that.

So he played the role. He kept up the shift. He called them mami and papi. He kept up a smile and only cried when he was alone.”

He must have been so scared. Pepa wanted to scream at Casita, to bring down a hurricane until the house let them out.

But she knew there had to be a reason for this. Casita had loved Camilo just as much as they did after all. She’d been all but lifeless for weeks when they lost him.

No…

When he was taken from them. Stolen away by people who’d hurt and terrified him.

“He'd stopped trying to escape when Mateo beat him so badly that the man was forced to get his Tia’s food or risk Camilo dying from his injuries.”

Julieta choked, tears shining in her eyes. Fear held Pepa’s heart in a vice grip. 

This bastard had hurt her hijo so badly he’d almost died? How close had it been? 

Nausea churned in her stomach as she wondered how often it had happened.

“His sobs dwindled down to sniffles again and he stared into the darkness of the basement. He was always locked in here if he wasn't with Gloria. And the house was always locked up tight. He hadn't been outside since Mateo had grabbed him from the village.

From the rare glimpses he got out of the window, he could see they were deep in the jungle.

Where no one would find them.”

“I know the area where they live,” Agustin said. “It’s close to the mountains to the west. No one visits that area. Mateo doesn’t really have friends in the village.”

Pepa nodded tightly. When they were done here, they were taking Camilo back.

And she was going to make those people hurt,

“He wondered if his family was still looking for him? Mateo had said they weren't. He said he made sure they weren't.”

Felix’s breathing hitched, no doubt remembering Camilo’s bloodied and torn ruana.

They’d made it so that everyone thought their boy was dead. How sick were they?

“Camilo was pretty sure whatever he did had to do with his ruana. The man had taken it soon after first knocking him out and leaving him in the basement the first time.

He missed his ruana. He hated the clothes they forced on him.

He missed Casita and how she always played with him.

He missed his family.

…He missed his mami.”

Pepa bit back a keen. She longed to just whisk him away already. To make him feel safe again. Her baby, her little camaleón, their sol.

It was long past time he came home.

“He rubbed his face, wiping the tears away before taking a deep breath to calm down. Hesitantly, he reached under his shirt to feel his ribs. He grimaced at how prominent his bones were now.”

Felix let out a pained noise. No no no. His Gift came with a downside. Didn’t they account for that? A different fear stole Pepa's breath.

“His captors fed him regularly, enough for any normal kid.

But his constant use of his Gift meant that it wasn't enough. He knew that he was slowly starving. It didn't show when he was shifted into Rico, but he could tell. He was so tired lately. And always hungry.

He blinked away tears.

He didn't want to die.”

It was Dolores who let out the frightened, agonised whimper. Camilo was afraid of dying. He was starving away in the hands of these monsters.

Ten years old and he was scared of dying.

“We’re a year ahead,” Felix whispered. “We can stop it before it ever gets that bad.”

Pepa gave him a tight nod, Dolores still buried in her side. She glanced around the room briefly. Bruno looked like he was moments from throwing up. Agustin and Julieta were pale and shaking. Her mamá still looked like she was in shock.

And Isabela looked near murderous, hands clenched in her lap.

They were going to make these people pay.

“A cheerful knock woke Camilo up and he hurriedly shifted, gritting his teeth against the ache it caused in his body.”

It frightened Pepa that his Gift was hurting him. How bad was his physical state if he was at the point that using his Gift was actively painful to him?

And this woman didn’t care. She was cheerfully continuing in her delusional fantasy that Camilo was Rico. That Camilo wasn’t suffering every moment he held the shift up.

Part of her also dreaded the reason behind his quick wakeup. Camilo had never been a morning person, sometimes needing to be dragged out of bed.

His quick reaction suggested it was a learned behaviour.

A survival instinct.

“"Good morning Rico!" Gloria greeted happily.

Camilo forced a smile for the crazy lady.

"Morning mami." The word tasted sour on his tongue. He hated calling her that.

She came close and dropped a kiss into his hair, Camilo forcing himself to stay still and not flinch away.”

Pepa’s cloud thundered again and she all but hissed. That bitch was touching her baby and she was going to break her hands for it. She might break her face while she was at it. Camilo was uncomfortable but he had to force himself to behave or he’d get hurt.

“"Come on. It's breakfast time. Your papá had to run to the village to buy some things today, so it's just you and me."

Camilo made sure the fake smile was fixed in place as he nodded and followed her up the stairs.

"I've made your favourite!" She chirped.

Rico's favourite, Camilo corrected in his head. But he was starving and he needed all the food he could get. And he needed to keep her happy. If Mateo came back to an unhappy wife… he shuddered at the thought.”

“I’m going to kill Mateo,” Felix growled and Pepa wouldn’t even argue.

“Gloria’s mine,” she snarled.

No one in the room tried to talk them out of it. Not even her mamá who always gave the townspeople the benefit of the doubt. Kind of hard to do when reading about what they’d done from Camilo’s point of view.

She briefly wondered if that was one of the reasons they had to do this. To make it clear without a shadow of a doubt that these people were to blame for everything.

Her mamá was good at denial after all.

“Camilo sat quietly at the table, nodding along to whatever Gloria said.

He briefly glanced out the window longingly. It was a cloudy day. He'd heard them complain about the lack of sunny days lately.

He didn't like to hear that his mami was sad so often. He wished his family could be happy. Even if he wasn't there with them.”

Pepa’s heart broke all over again. Her sweet hijo only wanted them to be happy. Even if he was in such a terrible situation. He just wanted them to be happy regardless.

“Mijo,” Felix whispered.

“Gloria kept talking, telling him about all the things they'd do when Mateo got home.

Camilo let his gaze drift over the room as he half-listened and hummed at the appropriate moments.”

Pepa wanted nothing more than to claw that woman’s eyes out. All happy while Camilo was in pain.

“He suddenly froze as his eyes caught on something and his mouth went dry.

The keys.”

Everyone sat up straighter and Dolores extracted herself from Pepa’s arms to lean forward as she listened intently.

“The keys to the front door were lying on the table. Mateo was never that careless, but apparently Gloria had relaxed enough to leave them lying around.

Camilo felt his heart start to beat faster as he darted a glance back at the woman. She was still talking happily, oblivious to his realisation.

Was it a test?

Or did she make a mistake?”

Pepa clutched at Felix’s hand tightly, heart in her throat.

“His mind raced as he automatically continued eating. If he could get outside and find someone, anyone, then he could get home.

If he could get out he could call for Dolores…”

Her hija covered her mouth, tears in her eyes. Even now, Camilo still had faith that his hermana would hear him.

“His hands were shaking as he thought of going home. He was terrified of the punishment he'd receive if he got caught but… it was worth it, wasn't it?

The chance to get out of here, to get home to his actual family.

The risk was worth it right?

... It was.”

Pepa was terrified for her hijo. If he got caught then they’d just hurt him even more. She could hardly believe he could even try after being hurt so badly for it before.

Then again, Camilo had never been the type to give up easily.

“He swallowed hard and looked up at Gloria again.

"Can I have some juice?" He asked. He'd spent two years keeping up this act. He could do this.

Gloria smiled at him. "Of course Rico "

She got up and headed into the pantry to get the juice and Camilo just moved.

He jumped up and slammed the pantry door closed, jamming a chair against it so it couldn't open.”

“Come on,” Felix whispered and Pepa just wanted to smile at Camilo’s resourcefulness. 

She was too terrified for him to though.

“Then, ignoring her shouts of surprise and protest, he scrambled to get the keys.

His hands were shaking badly as he grabbed them and struggled to unlock the door.

"Rico! This isn't funny!" Gloria shouted and Camilo flinched. He was in so much trouble if she caught him. If Mateo caught him.

This had to work. It just had to.

He could have cried from relief when the key opened the lock and he shoved the door open, practically falling outside.”

Pepa couldn’t breathe. After two years he was escaping? All on his own too. And this book was giving them the chance to free him a year early.

She still hated every second that passed. Another second he remained in their hands. She wondered if his first escape attempt had happened already. How badly had he been hurt in his first year with them?

“For a moment, he froze. He was outside. Actually outside of that prison. His breathing hitched as he stared up at the cloudy sky.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Gloria shrieked in anger again and he took off. He just picked a random direction and ran. He didn't know where he was in the Encanto. He didn't know where the village or Casita was.

But he knew he had to get away from this house and these people.

Anywhere was better than here.”

“He got out,” Isabela whispered, staring at her mamá as Julieta kept reading, grip tight on the book.

“He ran and hoped and begged anyone listening that Mateo wouldn't find him first.

And for the first time since the first few months he'd been trapped, hope dwindling when his calls produced nothing, he opened his mouth and screamed desperately for his hermana. 

"Dolores!"”

Dolores had silent tears streaming down her cheeks. He still called for her even when it hadn’t worked before. He’d still called when he needed help.

Did she hear him this time? She desperately hoped that she did.

Agustin gently took the book from his shaken wife and turned to the next chapter.

“Chapter Two. Dolores.”

Chapter Text

Dolores twisted her hands in her skirt, gaze locked on her Tio as he read. She was terrified and hopeful. Did Camilo get away?

“Dolores stopped dead, shopping bag slipping through her suddenly numb fingers as the scream echoed in her ears.

That wasn't possible.”

Her breathing hitched. She heard him. She heard him.

“"Dolores?" Her papá turned to look at her with a frown. "Are you okay?"

"I heard-" her breathing hitched as another desperate call sounded. And she knew that voice. She'd memorised it from the moment he could talk.

"Dolores?" Her papá asked again, looking concerned.

"He-he needs help. We have to go," she stuttered. She couldn't make herself say his name. Not yet. Not until she was certain.”

Dolores still had tears streaming down her cheeks but she couldn’t look away from the book. Couldn’t look away from the picture of her hermanito on the cover.

She heard him. 

She desperately hoped they got to him before his kidnappers did.

“She had to be certain because if it wasn't… her heart would break all over again.

Dolores started running, her papá letting out a surprised noise before following after her.

If this wasn't real, if she was imagining this, she wasn't sure if she could handle it.”

She wouldn’t. She knew that. If it had turned out to be someone else it would have broken her all over again.

She knew that even after two years, the grief and guilt wouldn’t have numbed at all. It was still as sharp as the day she’d seen his bloodied ruana and the grief-stricken expressions on her parents’ faces.

“She still remembered when he went missing. When they couldn't find him.

When she couldn't hear him.

She'd been sick so she'd stayed inside her room all day. By the time she came out, Camilo was nowhere to be found.”

It was still no excuse. She should have heard him. She should have been there for him. And she wasn’t.

And then he was gone.

“They'd searched everywhere for him, scoured the entire Encanto. But they hadn't found him.

What they did find, what shattered her heart and destroyed her mamá, was Camilo's ruana stained with blood and ripped up, deep in the jungle.

The animals got him, everyone said. It was hard to argue with that evidence. Camilo never took his ruana off. He adored it.

He wouldn't take it off for any reason.”

She swallowed hard as she realised how much it would have hurt Camilo when that man took his ruana and never returned it. Her mamá made a pained sound that told Dolores that she’d realised the same thing.

They’d had to fight with Camilo to take his ruana to wash it. And he’d sulk nearby until he got it back.

“The family mourned him after that, the ruana all they’d been able to find of him. A new rule had been put into place, forbidding them from going into the jungle alone.

It rained for a month straight after the search was called off. Her mamá had never recovered from the loss. She and Camilo had had a special bond and losing him had destroyed her in a way only her papa could understand.

Most days, her mamá struggled to manage a smile for them.”

Pepa closed her eyes, remembering the staggering grief she’d felt right after it had happened. It hadn’t dulled at all since then. She’d just grown better at handling it.

“Dolores herself had spent hours listening to the Encanto, hoping that somehow, she'd hear him and be able to bring him home.

And then her mamá would smile and her papá would laugh again.

But she never heard him. She never caught the sound of that cheerful laugh or his distinctive voice.

The lack of it made the Encanto seem so much more quiet.”

Dolores always thought that the Encanto sounded sadder without Camilo brightening it up. He was so loud and larger than life. Without him, there was a piece missing from their home.

“Her mamá only gained some life back when they found out she was pregnant. Antonio's birth had put some light back into her eyes but she wasn't the same as before.”

Pepa’s eyes flew open while Felix gaped.

“Eh?” she asked as Dolores turned to look at her in surprise. 

They all looked down at her stomach.

A year passed between now and then. And if the baby was already born by the time Camilo escaped… then that meant…

“You’re pregnant?” Bruno blurted out.

“I am?!” Pepa shrieked. “I’m forty-five!”

They were all stunned by this revelation, Pepa resting a hand on her stomach in shock.

“Dolores doubted she ever would be unless Camilo returned by some miracle.

And now… now they might get that miracle because that sounded like her hermano.

And he sounded desperate and scared.”

They all sobered at the words. Camilo must have been terrified as he ran through the jungle, lost and afraid of Mateo finding him.

What if he did? What if Dolores and Felix didn’t get there in time?

“Please. Please let this be the miracle she'd prayed for for two years.

She stopped briefly to get her bearings, panting hard. They were already deep into the jungle and she listened carefully, trying to quiet her own breathing.

She didn't hear any more calls but there was harsh breathing now and quiet whimpers. The sounds tugged at her heart as she followed them.”

Dolores bit back a whimper of her own. She’d always hated hearing Camilo cry. She couldn’t imagine hearing him when he was so scared.

“Her papá stayed behind her, not wanting to break her concentration.

Finally, they drew close to the sounds and Dolores' heart was in her throat. Whoever it was had started crying, quiet little noises that they were clearly trying to muffle.”

Pepa’s cloud rumbled again. She couldn’t get the image of her baby lost in the forest and crying, muffling the sound out of fear, out of her head. She wished he was already safe and in her arms.

“She slowly crept closer until she found them hidden between the large roots of a tree. 

He was only about ten at most, a small boy with straight black hair and blue eyes. He was curled as far as he could into the tree and was covering his mouth to muffle the sound of his sobs.”

Pepa’s heart dropped and Felix inhaled sharply. He was still shifted, even while running. How conditioned was he to keep that appearance up?

“Dolores felt her heart dropping at the sight of the stranger but then she registered what she was hearing. She could hear the boy's heartbeat as clear as day from here and… she knew that heartbeat.

She knew it.”

Dolores could imagine it right now, remembering the steady sound that always led her to her hermano no matter his shift.

“Her breathing caught in her throat as she stared at him. He hadn't noticed them yet and her papá didn't know why she was hesitating. Why she hadn't moved forward to comfort the upset child.

Because he couldn't hear.

But what if she was wrong and just imagining it?

And what if…

What if she wasn't wrong?

Dolores took a shaky step forward, heart thundering in her chest.

Please…

"Camilo?" She breathed.”

Dolores felt like she couldn’t breathe, staring at her Tio. She found him?

“Her papá inhaled sharply behind her while the boy's head snapped up.

Blue eyes stared at her in shock and recognition and her knees went weak as more tears welled up and ran down his cheeks.

"Dolores," he sobbed. 

And she knew.”

Dolores let out a sob and let her mamá pull her close again. She found him. She found him. She found him.

She didn’t fail him again.

“She stumbled forward and dropped to her knees in front of him, reaching out with a shaking hand to cup his cheek.

The shift dropped right in front of her, the unfamiliar black-haired boy disappearing and being replaced by her hermano. Her hermanito who had been missing for two years, who they thought was dead.

"Cami," she gasped, taking in the curly, brown hair and hazel-green eyes she'd missed so much.”

She wished it was true right this minute. She wished her hermanito was in front of her, safe and alive.

She wouldn’t be able to believe it until she saw him with her own eyes.

“Her heart ached at the too-gaunt look to his face, at the way his clothes hung off his frame and wild fear shone in his eyes.

"Cami," she sobbed his name this time and pulled him close in a hug. He was so thin in her hold that she was afraid he'd break if she hugged him too hard.”

Thunder rumbled above them at the description of how starved he was. Pepa already wanted to give him all of his favourite foods and shield him from all the horrors he’d experienced.

“He only curled closer and clung to her dress tightly enough that she heard the material tear. She didn't care though. Because Camilo was here. He was alive.

"You heard me," he whispered.”

Dolores couldn’t hold back the whimper this time.

“"I've been listening every day," she promised. "I never stopped."

He let out another sob and burrowed closer, body shaking.

She'd almost forgotten that her papá was there, so caught up in Camilo being here, breathing in her arms.

She was reminded though, when she heard an unsteady step behind her. She looked over her shoulder to meet her papá's wide eyes. He was pale and looked shaky as he stared at them.”

Felix couldn’t even imagine how he’d felt in that moment. Finding his hijo alive and so hurt. So scared.

“Dolores summoned up a watery smile for him as she held her too-thin hermano tight.

"He's alive papá," she whispered. 

Camilo jerked a little at the words and peered around her to look at their papá. 

She could hear his breathing hitch.

"Papi," his voice broke on the word and Dolores' heart broke all over again at the pain and hope in that single word.”

Felix’s heart broke and he covered his face. He wished Camilo was here. He wanted to hear his hijo say that again, wanted to see him breathing again.

He wanted to punch Mateo for trying to steal that title from him.

That bastard would never be Camilo’s papi.

“Their papá made a wounded sound before stumbling forward and falling to his knees beside them. He reached out and cupped Camilo's cheeks, cradling his face as he frantically studied his features.

"Cami," he whispered. "Mijo." He wiped away Camilo's tears with his thumbs. "It's really you."

Camilo sniffled. "I wanna go home papi," he pleaded.”

Those words sent another pain through all their hearts. Two years away from home and in a place where he just got hurt all the time.

Felix swore he’d bring Camilo home. No matter what it took.

“And that's when it hit her. Camilo was here. Alive.

Terrified and on the verge of starvation.

What had happened to him?

And more importantly…

Dolores stared down at her hermano.

Who did this to him?”

Felix froze when he realised. Without the book, they wouldn’t have known who did this. Who took Camilo away.

Did… did those bastards get away with it? Escape when Camilo ran?

He clenched his hands.

He refused to let that happen. Those two were going down.

Isabela took the book next, trying to hide the shake in her hands.

“Chapter Three. Felix.”

Chapter Text

“Felix couldn't believe his eyes as he stared down at his hijo. Camilo looked terrible, gaunt and pale.

And terrified.

He could feel his boy shaking against his hand as he cupped his cheek.

But he was alive. Living and breathing right in front of Felix.”

He still wished Casita would let them out so that they could go and get Camilo. He knew that his hijo survived another year but he didn’t want those people to have him for another second. 

What was in this book that was more important than getting Camilo away from those monsters as soon as possible?

“He still vividly remembered finding his hijo's bloody and ruined ruana. It was something that made regular appearances in his nightmares.”

He flinched at that. He’d never felt more like a failure of a father than when he was holding Camilo’s ruana, knowing that his hijo was never coming home again.

“"Mijo," he whispered brokenly.

He'd grieved Camilo. Grieved his hijo when all this time…

He tensed a little, taking in the situation properly.

Camilo was scared. Pleading, practically begging to go home.

They had no idea what had happened to him in the last two years but it couldn't have been good considering his current state. Camilo had always been slender but now he looked practically skeletal.”

Pepa growled at the description of her baby. She’d make them suffer for this.

“Felix moved his hand to run his fingers through his hijo's too-long, curly hair and Camilo leaned into the contact.

He'd find out what happened later. For now, he needed to focus on getting Camilo safe and where those who hurt him couldn't ever touch him again.

"It's okay," he promised. "We're going home mijo, we're taking you home."

Camilo went boneless with relief and let out another sob.”

Isabela’s voice wavered. They all hated the idea of Camilo crying. Their bright, happy boy shouldn’t be crying.

“We will bring him home,” Felix murmured to Pepa.

She gave him a sharp nod. That wasn’t a question. And they’d destroy that couple while they were at it.

“Dolores reluctantly released her hug so that Felix could pick Camilo up.

He was so light… Felix could feel his boy's bones through his clothes.

Camilo's hands came up to grip tightly to his shirt while he twisted to bury his face in Felix's shoulder. The way Camilo practically tried to disappear into his hold just made Felix's heart ache even more.”

Pepa held Dolores even closer, eyes falling on the photo on the book’s cover again. They’d make him smile like that again. She swore that to herself.

“He made sure his hijo was secure before standing up again. Dolores quickly followed him. She paused though, and turned her head, a small frown on her lips.

"Mija?" Felix asked.

"Someone's screaming and shouting. I can't quite make out what they're saying but they sound angry. I didn't think anyone lived out here."”

Dolores’ eyes widened. She was hearing Mateo, wasn’t she? When he discovered that Camilo was missing.

Everyone was tense as they looked at Isabela.

“Felix was stopped from saying anything by a soft, frightened whimper escaping Camilo.”

Pepa tried to breathe through her anger. She couldn’t stop her mind from conjuring up images of Camilo afraid and crying. It was painful enough that she wanted to break down sobbing again.

“"Cami?" He asked gently, trying to shift the boy so that he'd be more comfortable. 

Camilo was tense now though and curled closely to Felix's chest. The ten-year-old peered up at him with terror and Felix felt his heart drop.

"It's him," he whispered. "He's going to look for me. I don't want to go back! I don't want to be Rico again!" He'd started crying again, shaking growing worse in Felix's arms.”

“Cami…” Isabela whispered as she paused her reading. She couldn’t imagine her sweet, happy and sometimes annoying primo so terrified.

She hated the idea.

“"Cami, mijo," Felix held him closer, hoping that it would help ground his hijo. "Look at me Cami."

Frightened eyes met his again and Felix tried to convey as much determination and sincerity as he could.

"Camilo. No one is ever taking you away from me again. I swear on my life."”

Never again, Felix promised himself. When they got Camilo back, they wouldn’t let anyone take him again, never let anyone hurt him again.

“Camilo stared up at him for a moment before he nodded slightly. The fear was still there but the panic seemed to have receded again.

Felix would find out who hurt Camilo later. He'd find out what his hijo meant by 'being Rico' again later. And he'd make whoever took his hijo pay when he got his hands on them. 

But Camilo was infinitely more important than any of that. So he started walking back to Casita with Dolores close by his side. She reached out to rest a hand on her hermano's leg in silent comfort, and probably to help her believe this miracle as well.

Felix still couldn't believe it. The too-light weight in his arms felt like a dream.

He took a moment to just study Camilo who'd rested his head against Felix's shoulder now. His hands were still gripping Felix's shirt in a desperate hold, enough that his knuckles had turned white.”

“Can’t we read this after we already get him back?” Pepa begged. The description of how scared her hijo was hurting too much.

Casita rumbled apologetically and she dropped her face into her hands, shaking slightly.

“Aside from how thin and frightened his hijo was, there were other things that were off.

He was too pale, like he hadn't gotten enough sun recently. His hair was too long and clearly hadn't been cut in a while.

His shirt was purple and his pants were black, both colours Camilo never wore. The clothes were also far too baggy on him, both from his lack of weight and being a size too big.

He couldn't clearly see if there were any injuries on Camilo, but he thought he could see a bruise barely peeking out from under the shirt collar on his shoulder.”

“They didn’t heal him every time,” Julieta realised with horror. “Only when he was too badly hurt. Otherwise, they left him to heal on his own.”
Felix felt sick at that and Pepa had to cover her mouth and swallow down bile.

That single fact spoke of a cruelty even worse than what they’d already heard. There was no reason to leave him to suffer from injuries. 

“It was that suspicion that prompted his question.

"Cami?" He kept his voice gentle as those hazel-green eyes he'd missed so much snapped up to meet his. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Dolores flicked a glance at him before turning her gaze straight ahead again. She may only be sixteen, but after all she'd heard in the village, she knew more than a teenager ever should and had probably guessed what he was worried about.”

Dolores was looking down at her lap, already dreading Camilo’s answer. Pepa closed her eyes, clinging to Felix’s hand like a lifeline.

“If some bastard had abused Camilo for the last two years, had laid a hand on his hijo in violence, he wouldn't hesitate to return that pain a hundredfold.

Camilo took a moment too long to answer, having to actually think about it. Which wasn't a good sign.”

“Cami…” Dolores whispered, not even bothering to wipe her tears away.

“"My shoulder hurts," he whispered into Felix's shirt. "And my stomach. And head. But that was all the time cause of the shift…" he trailed off, turning his face a little more into Felix's shoulder.”

He should never have grown used to a pain like that. Suffering constantly while pretending to be happy for his captors.

“He rubbed the ten-year-old's back soothingly, not wanting to upset him with questions but needing to know if he was in any immediate danger.

"Okay. We'll sort that out at home. Some of your Tia’s food will have you feeling much better nice and quickly," he assured.

"I missed Tia," Camilo's voice was barely audible to him. "And you papi, and Dolores and-and mami. I missed mami. I wanted to come home but they wouldn't let me."”

“We’ll bring you home Cami,” Pepa promised fiercely. “I swear.”
They all did. No matter what it took, they were bringing Camilo home the moment Casita opened that door.

“Felix hushed him when he started to sound on the verge of crying again. He dropped a kiss into Camilo's curly hair.

"We missed you too Cami," he assured. "We missed you so so much. We looked for you for a long time…"

He trailed off. How did he tell his ten-year-old hijo that they'd thought he was dead?”

Pepa shuddered at the reminder. She’d woken up believing that to still be true. They’d all been planning to visit Camilo’s grave for fuck’s sakes.

And all that time…

Did Mateo get a kick out of it? Seeing their grief while knowing exactly where Camilo was?

“"He did something with my ruana, didn't he?" Camilo asked in a small voice. "He took it and never gave it back.”

Felix closed his eyes briefly to try and block out the image of that bloodstained and shredded fabric. His heart had shattered the day he found it deep in the jungle.

He let out a shuddering breath and held Camilo as close to his chest as he could.

"We thought you were dead Cami," Dolores' voice was shaky and cracked on the last word. "We thought you were gone."”

And they’d never recovered from that. None of them. Their family had been missing an important piece and they’d thought they were never getting it back.

Now, they knew better. They’d have him back before sunset.

“Camilo peered up at Felix again and he must have seen the pain in his eyes because he cuddled even closer if that was possible.

He shook his head and his words were rushed and shaky when he spoke next. 

“No, he t-took me and they locked me up where Dolores couldn’t hear. A-and they made me be Rico all the time and said that they were my parents. But I didn’t want that! I wanted to go home to you and mami and everyone else. I don’t wanna be Rico! I wanna be Camilo!””

Pepa couldn’t hold it back anymore and her cloud opened and rained down on them. She couldn’t bring herself to care though.

All her baby wanted was to be himself. How could anyone be so cruel to a niño? Especially since they were a parent themselves.

“Felix murmured soothingly as his words started getting panicky again. But what Camilo was saying made his heart sink. Someone made him pretend to be someone else? Pretend to be this ‘Rico’? Someone kidnapped his hijo to play pretend family?!

They’d forced Camilo into playing the role of their hijo while he and Pepa had been grieving the death of their niño? What kind of sick person did that? Faked the death of a child so that they could steal them away into some twisted fantasy family?”

Felix ran his hands through his hair. He couldn’t understand how anyone could do that. It was so so wrong. And from a person within the Encanto? They were supposed to be safe here.

How could this have happened?

“Felix shook the angry thoughts away and looked down at Camilo again. His boy had buried his face in Felix’s shoulder again and looked like he was trying to hide from the world.

“You’re our Camilo,” he murmured. “And we’re not letting them take you again.”

He didn’t say anything as his shoulder grew wet from Camilo’s silent tears, just rubbed his hijo’s back and picked up the pace a bit.

It was long past time he brought his niño home.”

Pepa was already sick of hearing how often Camilo had cried. She frantically ran her hands over her braid.

She wanted her baby. She wanted him safe and sound in her arms. She wanted those people suffering and far away from him.

Felix silently held his hand out for the book and Isabela handed it over hesitantly.

“Chapter Four. Pepa.”

Chapter Text

“Pepa smiled slightly to herself as she stroked Antonio’s chubby cheek. The little baby had tried to stubbornly stay awake but he’d rapidly fallen asleep when she set him down in his crib.”

Pepa rested her hand on her stomach again, still reeling from the idea of being pregnant.

A little boy. Another hijo.

Felix was also stunned by the idea and looked at his wife before continuing to read.

“She stayed watching over him for a moment before finally making herself step away. Casita would make sure nothing happened to her hijo. She needed to do something other than obsessing over Antonio’s safety.”

Pepa winced. That sounded about right. Everyone had been worried about Mirabel after it happened. But Pepa had been the worst, barely letting Dolores out of her sight for months.

A baby would have been so much worse.

Julieta glanced at her in concern. She was probably thinking the same.

“She knew she was worrying Felix. It was just so hard. 

Dolores was old enough to take care of herself but Antonio was just a baby. He was so vulnerable.

(Like Camilo-)”

Pepa flinched. So vulnerable. So hurt right under their noses.

“She shook her head sharply. They didn’t need a downpour today.

She took a deep breath before forcing herself to walk out the nursery door. Antonio would be fine.

She had other things to do.”

Pepa knew that feeling well. Keep busy, don't let her mind be idle.

Don't let herself feel or else she'd break all over again. Keep moving.

For Dolores and Felix.

And now apparently another baby.

It had still not sunk in for her.

She wondered what he looked like... Did he take more after Felix or her?

"Pepa headed towards her room but hesitated before going in. Like always, she found herself drawn towards Camilo’s door. The wood was as dull as any non-magical door and had been since shortly after her hijo disappeared. It also hadn’t unlocked since then."

They all flinched at that. Seeing the door go dark had sent them into a panic. And now it was nothing more than a reminder of what they'd lost. Isabela and Dolores had been found standing in front of it often. Nowhere near as often as Pepa did though.

It had nearly broken all of them again when Mirabel asked if Camilo was gone like Tio Bruno. There'd been another storm that night.

"She still remembered the absolute panic she’d felt when the glow had died from Camilo’s door. Three years before, the same had happened to her hermano’s door and they still didn’t know what it meant.

(They knew, she just still didn’t want to accept it.)"

Bruno flinched this time.

"Lo siento," he whispered. "I-I didn't mean to make you worry.

Julieta gave him a shaky smile but Pepa couldn't summon one up. She was too strung out, too worried.

Too desperate to reach the end of this book.

"She reached out and rested her hand on the door for a moment, tracing the image on the wood of her smiling hijo."

She knew every inch of that image off by heart by now. And she knew that Felix and Dolores did too. She'd found them in front of the door many times. 

What she wouldn't give to see him smile again.

"She missed him so much that it was almost a physical ache in her chest. There’d been something important missing from her life since Camilo disappeared. And she didn’t think there was any way for that gaping hole in her heart to be filled."

Felix pulled her closer. There was something uniquely painful about her grief being spoken aloud.

Why did they have to do this? Why?

"She reluctantly moved away from the door and back to her room. It was cloudy again inside but at least it wasn’t raining. 

She didn’t know how long that would last though."

Clear skies were a rarity now. And thunder rumbled if anyone dared to complain.

Dolores had been involved in a couple of physical fights because of comments over the last year. She refused to apologise, not even when Abuela told her to.

"Swallowing hard, Pepa moved over to the table in the corner. She ran her fingers over the yellow material resting there, chameleons stitched carefully into the fabric."

Her breathing hitched. She'd finished it? Finished the ruana she'd just started? She honestly hadn't thought she'd be able to.

A few of the family looked at her at the mention of the ruana but she didn't say anything. Only Felix knew she'd started on one.

"She and Felix had wanted to give Camilo his next ruana on his tenth birthday. After completely breaking down on the anniversary of Camilo’s dea- disappearance last year, Pepa had resolved to finish the ruana they’d meant to give him."

Pepa flinched and shied away from everyone's concerned looks. A breakdown had been threatening all day so Pepa wasn't truly surprised. It still wasn't nice to hear that she didn't manage to keep it together in the end.

"Now, days from the next anniversary, Pepa didn’t know how to feel about the piece of clothing.

Undoubtedly, Camilo would have loved it. He’d adored his ruana and it still tore at her heart to think of the fate it had eventually fallen to."

Felix closed his eyes in pain. Finding it was still a painful, raw memory for him. He saw it often in his nightmares. Sometimes his mind conjured up images of what might have happened to Camilo to result in the state of the clothing. He always ended up throwing up in the bathroom those nights.

"Pepa knew Juli hoped that her finishing this would help her find closure, find an acceptance that she hadn’t been able to since this nightmare started.

But all Pepa felt was hollow."

"Pepa…" Julieta whispered but Pepa shook her head.

She couldn't talk about this now. She was hanging on by a thread, clinging to Casita’s promise that this was real.

"Camilo wouldn’t receive the ruana for his tenth birthday. He wouldn’t get a birthday present ever again."

Pepa had to cover her mouth to stifle a sob. He would. They'd make sure he did. They'd give him a late birthday party. They'd spoil him with attention and gifts. They'd fix this mess.

"And the thought of offering the ruana at the grave, a place she still hadn’t been able to make herself visit, made her sick."

Pepa doubled over, nausea churning in her stomach at just the thought.

"Pepa sank into the chair and gathered the material close to her chest, tears brimming in her eyes."

She could imagine it. Holding the ruana tightly, wishing desperately that it was her hijo instead.

"Oh, what she wouldn’t give to be holding her hijo right now instead of an empty piece of clothing. Her breathing hitched as she curled over the ruana and started to cry. She could hear the rain falling around her in her room and it was probably raining outside as well, but she couldn’t bring herself to care."

Dolores pressed impossibly closer as she tried to comfort her mamá. This was so painful to listen to. She'd heard her mamá's pain of course. And her papá's. But hearing the reasons for the tears, the thoughts behind them only brought her own grief-stricken thoughts to the surface.

The rest of the family was just watching them in concern, listening to how close they'd been to breaking again.

"There was still a gaping wound in her heart and she didn’t know how to begin healing it.

“Cami,” she whispered into the material. “Mijo, I wish I could have protected you better. Lo siento. Lo siento.”"

Pepa squeezed her eyes shut.

She'd failed him.

He was here. He was alive. He was suffering.

And she hadn't known.

"It's not your fault," Bruno whispered.

Pepa let out a sob and shook her head.

"Pepi," Felix whispered, voice pained.

"I didn't even know and I've been looking since it happened," Bruno said quietly.

Pepa's head snapped up to look at him and he shifted nervously.

"I know you don't like me doing visions for your niños."

Dolores winced at that. She still regretted her reaction to her own.

"But… but I needed to try. I never saw anything though. I still don't know why."

Pepa wiped her eyes and tried to calm down.

"Gracias," she whispered. "For trying."

It was more than she ever expected after her explosion when Dolores got hers. Bruno hadn't deserved that.

"The words turned to sobs as she clung to the ruana like a lifeline. She hoped Felix didn’t get too worried. He’d gone out with Dolores to do some shopping and she was probably ruining their day."

Dolores wondered if they were finding Camilo at that moment then. They'd been shopping in the story…

"She was an absolute mess.

Pepa was yanked out of her spiralling thoughts when Casita jolted her chair hard enough she almost fell out of it.

“Casita?” she asked, wiping at her face quickly and setting the ruana down. “What is it?”

The house lifted her floorboards rapidly, clearly excited about something as she swung the door open and closed. "

Pepa sat up straight again, listening to Felix read closely now.

"Frowning, Pepa hurriedly wiped her face again and took a few deep breaths. “Clear skies, clear skies,” she muttered to herself as she headed for the door.

Casita ushered her towards the staircase and Pepa let her, still very confused about what had excited the house so much."

Her heart was racing. She wished she was in that moment, about to see him. But she couldn't want that. They had a chance to save him a year early. She had to wait. For him. She could and would do anything for him.

"“Ay Casita, calm down,” she hissed when the house almost sent her tripping down the last few steps. “What is it?”

“Mamá!” 

Her head snapped up to see Dolores rushing up to her, looking a strange mix of upset and excited.

“Dolores? Mija, is something wrong?” she asked worriedly."

Felix smiled faintly. Pepa always pushed aside her own problems when their niños needed her.

"Her hija threw her arms around Pepa and hugged her tightly. “Come see, mamá!” She urged, pulling back and grabbing Pepa’s hand, drawing her towards the sitting room."

Pepa's hands were wound into her dress as she listened, heart pounding.

"Pepa was more than a little confused now since Casita was practically dancing and she hadn’t seen her quiet and calm hija this excited about anything in a very long time.

As they reached the entrance to the sitting room, Julieta came rushing out.

“Soup, we need soup,” she was muttering to herself, wiping rapidly at her eyes which alarmed Pepa. Julieta didn’t often cry and when she did then something was really wrong."

"Or right," Julieta whispered, hand covering her mouth and tears glimmering in her eyes.

"She didn’t get a chance to ask her hermana about what was happening though as Dolores pulled her into the room."

Pepa could hardly breathe.

"The first thing Pepa registered was Felix sitting on the couch. It took her a long moment to process the rest of the scene."

Silent tears trailed down Pepa's cheeks as she imagined it. She wished she could have it now.

"Felix was sitting on the couch, cradling a thin figure who was curled in close to his chest. He was wearing baggy clothes that didn’t fit his frighteningly thin frame at all.

Her breathing hitched when she noticed the mop of brown curls."

Pepa closed her eyes and tried not to fall apart at hearing this.

When the book was finished. Just a little longer. And then they'd get him back and make those monsters pay.

"She started shaking when she heard the soothing whispers that Felix was murmuring to the boy.

Pepa took an unsteady step closer, catching her husband’s attention."

Felix's voice was unsteady as he read now.

"His expression was a complicated mix of emotions. Elation, fury, pain and grief. He still managed to smile at her despite that.

Felix looked down at the boy in his arms and murmured something that made him jerk and twist suddenly."

"I bet I told him that his mami was there," Felix whispered as Pepa leaned against him.

"Hazel-green eyes met her own and Pepa let out a sob."

Pepa covered her face. She missed her baby so much.

"She didn’t remember moving. The next thing she knew, she was kneeling next to the couch, hands framing that gaunt face and staring desperately into familiar eyes.

“Cami,” she sobbed. “Mijo. Mi camaleón.”"

Her baby. Her baby boy who never deserved something like this. Her sol, who should never have been so hurt, so scared.

"Tears were running down his cheeks as he reached out for her with the same desperation she felt.

“Mami,” his voice broke on the word."

A full-on rainstorm was falling on them, but no one commented on it. They were all focused entirely on the book.

"Pepa hugged her hijo tight as the rain fell hard on the Encanto. But she didn’t care. Because her baby boy was safe in her arms again.

Breathing.

Alive.

Camilo was home."

Pepa's arms felt far too empty as she wrapped them around herself and cried.

Chapter Text

Isabela took the book from Felix's hands, the fifteen-year-old looking upset, angry and worried as she watched them.

Pepa was in a state and Dolores wasn't any better, curled in on herself as she tried to get her breathing under control.

"Keep going," Felix croaked.

The sooner the book was finished, the sooner they could get their hijo.

Isabela hesitated for a moment before starting to read.

"Chapter Five. Camilo."

Pepa let out a wounded sound at the name.

"Camilo had run until he couldn’t anymore. Until he was dizzy and stumbling, barely able to put one foot in front of the other. He’d finally stopped, leaning against a tree and sliding down to hopefully hide in the roots.

Anything to stay out of sight of Mateo."

Felix swore to himself that he would make Mateo pay for everything he'd done to Camilo.

"He was scared and lost and desperate to not go back to that hell where he was forced to be someone he wasn’t.

He hadn’t known what to do.

And then they found him."

Dolores looked up, wiping at the tears on her face.

"Hearing Dolores say his name had almost made him pass out in relief. It had been so long since he heard his name from someone else instead of whispering it in the dark alone. He’d barely been able to believe his eyes when he looked up to find his hermana staring at him.

But she was real.

She was there."

She let out another sob. She missed her hermanito so much. She wanted to hear his voice again, hear his heartbeat.

"She’d heard him and come looking despite how long it had been and she’d found him.

And their papi was with her. 

The relief that hit Camilo when he saw his papi was different to when he saw Dolores. Because his papi always kept him safe and scared the nightmares away."

Felix squeezed his eyes shut, remembering nights when a young Camilo would come sneaking into their bed after a nightmare. He'd cuddle close and after some reassurance, he'd fall asleep again.

Felix wished he could have protected Camilo from this nightmare.

"His papi being there meant that he was going to be okay. 

Things finally felt a little less terrifying when he was curled up in his papi’s arms, hands tightly gripping his shirt."

Hearing about it from Camilo's point of view was just as painful. Maybe even more so. The fear that was clear in the words hurt. And his complete faith in them was humbling even as they felt like they'd failed him.

"The trip back seemed to take forever and Camilo was half-convinced the whole way that Mateo was going to jump out of the bushes and rip him away from his family again. He had to keep reminding himself that Dolores would hear the man coming long before he got near them and his papi had promised to never let anyone take him away again."

He wouldn't. No one would touch Camilo again when he got his hijo back.

He'd make sure of it.

"He clung to that promise like a lifeline.

He started crying again when Casita came into view. It had started raining by then and he was worried about his mami. Why was she sad? He hated it when she was sad."

Pepa bit back a hysterical laugh. Of course he was more concerned about the rain than himself. Her sweet little boy...

"His papi whispered reassuringly to him as they got closer to the house.

Was this actually happening? He felt a bit dazed now. He’d had dreams about coming home before but none of them had been like this."

They all flinched at that. At the idea that Camilo had dreamt of being rescued or escaping before. Only to wake up back in that basement. It must have been crushing.

"It had never rained in his dreams.

He tucked his face into his papi’s shirt as they entered Casita who was flipping her tiles like crazy. He wanted to say hi to her, to tell her how much he’d missed her, but he felt so overwhelmed suddenly that he didn’t want to lift his head."

Casita rippled her tiles impatiently. She was just as eager for the book to be read so that her little smiling star could come home.

This was important though. They needed to read it.

"He heard something breaking and a gasp before Tia Julieta’s voice reached him. He couldn’t make out the words through his muddled thoughts though and curled closer to his papi who rubbed his back gently."

Julieta was covering her mouth, imagining how she must have felt when she saw her sobrino. Alive.

How she would feel when they got him back.

"They moved for a bit and then his papi was sitting down and shifting him a little. Camilo let out a panicked whine and clung tighter to him. He didn’t want to let go. He was safe where he was."

Dolores let out a whimper and Felix covered his face. How could Camilo find him safe when he'd failed him so badly?

"“Shh Cami, its okay,” his papi assured. “I’m just trying to make you more comfortable.”

Camilo reluctantly relaxed enough that his papi could shift him a bit, leaning him more on his chest. He immediately curled as close as he could."

Camilo had always been a tactile boy. But it seemed to have ramped up after everything, getting comfort from touch now.

"He faintly heard his Tia say something about soup but he didn’t pay any attention to it. All his concentration was taken up by his papi and finally feeling safe for once."

Isabela's voice cracked on that and she took a moment before continuing.

Her pequeño primo had been so scared for so long. It wasn't right.

"His papi paused for a moment before nudging Camilo lightly.

“Cami,” he murmured softly. “Your mami’s here.”"

Felix managed a smile. He knew he would say that. Camilo adored his mami.

"That got Camilo’s attention immediately. He twisted and sat up quickly enough that his head spun, wide eyes landing on the woman standing a short distance away."

Pepa's breathing hitched in her throat.

This wasn’t Gloria with her dark hair and sickly sweet attitude. With her blue eyes and too-tight holds."

Pepa wanted to snarl at the mention of that woman who tried to steal her place as Camilo's mami.

"This was his mami, with her vibrant red hair and bright green eyes. With her cloud hovering above her and drizzling.

He met her gaze and finally let himself believe it.

He was home."

Pepa held back more sobs by the skin of her teeth.

"We'll bring you home Cami," she whispered.

"She was suddenly in front of him, reaching for him desperately and nicknames spilling from her lips. All of them were his.

Camilo’s, not Rico’s."

Her pequeño sol. Her camaleón. Her Cami. Her baby. 

"“Mami,” he choked out, reaching back for her and melting with relief when she pulled him into a tight hug.

He recognised her perfume and the smell of rain and it only made him cry harder.

"Mami," he sobbed again, tears blurring his vision. All he could really see was yellow but that was fine. Gloria hated yellow."

That woman had no taste whatsoever then. Camilo was her ray of sunshine. What other colour could suit him better than yellow?

"She murmured something soothing to him and he clung to the sound of her voice.

Somehow, his parents moved him so that they were both on the couch and Camilo had been moved more onto his mami's lap. She wrapped her arms around him and rocked a little.

And then she started to sing softly."

She remembered all the times she'd held her close when he was upset, singing a soft lullaby that never failed to calm him.

She hadn't sung it since he disappeared.

"Camilo squeezed his eyes shut and let out a shaky sigh. He loved when his mami sang for him. He'd sometimes hummed the lullaby she sang to him and Dolores to himself at night during the last two years."

Pepa almost lost it again. The mental image of Camilo in a dark basement, starving and scared, and humming her lullaby to himself as the only comfort he had was heartbreaking.

"He felt her start running her fingers through his curls and he melted even further into the touch, burrowing into her dress.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, just listening to her singing, but eventually his papi interrupted. 

"Mi vida, he needs to eat something," he murmured."

Pepa's fingers twitched with the need to feed him already. Her poor hijo, starved out of neglect.

She was going to give him every one of his favourite foods.

"Camilo whined when his mami stopped singing and moved her hand.

"Shhh," she hushed gently. "I'm not going anywhere mijo."

She coaxed his head up so she could look at his face. He blinked away tears and drank in the sight of his mami's face. 

He'd missed her so much…"

Felix pulled Pepa close again as she bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes again.

"She gave him a watery smile, tears staining her own cheeks.

"Can you eat something for me mijo?" She asked."

Felix listened wistfully. Camilo would do just about anything for his mami.

""He moved one hand from her dress to wipe shakily at his face and nodded.

She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his forehead and Camilo leaned into it. He'd felt like crawling out of his skin whenever Gloria did the same thing. But with his mami it just felt comforting."

Pepa actually let out a growl at that. She was going to claw that woman's eyes out. How dare she make her baby feel uncomfortable?!

""Gracias mijo," she whispered.

His parents moved him so that he was sitting sideways and leaning on his mami's chest, but looking out at the room now.

He caught sight of Dolores standing nearby and watching them with tear-filled eyes. She gave him a watery smile which he did his best to return before his Tia moved into his line of sight."

Dolores didn't think she was going to manage a smile until she saw her hermanito safe and sound again. 

"He blinked tiredly up at her as she pressed a bowl into his hands.

"Hola Cami," she murmured, smile just as shaky as Dolores' was. "It's your favourite."

He looked down at it and had to fight tears again.

Because it was his favourite. His favourite. Not Rico's."

Julieta made a pained sound. That shouldn't have been such a huge thing to him. Just having his favourite things being acknowledged should not be such a big thing to be thankful for.

What had these people done to her sobrino?

"A small part of him had been scared that he wouldn't remember what he liked anymore. So it was a relief to smell the soup and realise it was one he loved.

"Gracias," he whispered."

The sound Pepa made could almost be called a keen.

He should never have had to fear that.

"His Tia smiled warmly at him and brushed her hand over his cheek.

Camilo curled into his mami and started on the soup. It didn't take him long to remember just how hungry he was and they had to slow him down a bit when he went too fast.

The whole time his mami gently rubbed his back and his papi kept a hand on his shoulder.

For the first time in a very long time, he felt safe again."

"Casita," Pepa croaked. "Por favor. We can't leave him with them. Why is reading this now so important?"

As if in answer, a photo fluttered out of the book and into Isabela's lap. She picked it up with a frown and gasped.

"What is it!?" Pepa demanded, fear gripping her tight.

Isabela swallowed before handing it over, looking shaken.

The thunder almost deafened Dolores as Pepa stared at the photo.

It was Camilo. She could tell immediately despite the fact that her baby boy was clearly a teenager. Curly brown hair, hazel-green eyes.

Her hijo who looked fifteen at most.

Scared, in pain, as a man held him up by his hair.

"Mateo!" Felix snarled.

And it clicked.

They were reading their future, not only to save Camilo now, but to prevent this from happening years from now.

To stop Mateo from getting his hands on her hijo again. 

Pepa's hands shook as she stared at the photo.

She refused to allow this to happen. Her baby would not be hurt like this again.

They would read this book. And then they would save Camilo.

And he would never know this fear and pain again.

Silently, she held out her hand to Isabela. Her storm cloud had fallen ominously silent as a new determination burned in her. The photo crumpled in her grasp.

She refused to allow this future to happen.

Chapter Text

Pepa's voice didn't shake this time as she started to read.

"Chapter Six. Home."

"Felix caught the bowl as it slipped out of Camilo's hands, the boy dozing off against Pepa.

She gently moved her hijo to be more comfortable in his sleep, brushing his long hair out of his eyes."

She briefly wondered to herself why his hair was so long before realising that they wouldn't have cut it when he wasn't Rico. And Camilo's hair always did grow fast. Getting him to sit still long enough for a haircut had always been difficult. 

She was still in shock as she gazed down at him, tracing those familiar features she'd thought she'd never see again.

"How?" She whispered, brushing her fingers over his too-sharp cheekbones."

Pepa swallowed hard but refused to break down again. They'd get through this book, find out exactly how to make Gloria and Mateo pay as much as possible. And then they'd sweep Camilo away and keep him safe and help him smile again.

"He was so thin. Dangerously so. And she felt the beginnings of anger as she wondered how her baby had ended up in this state in the first place."

The cloud above her echoed that anger.

Hopefully his condition wasn't as bad yet. She glanced up at Julieta who gave her a strained smile.

She'd likely start cooking all of Camilo's favourites the moment they were finished.

""Dolores heard him," Felix murmured while Julieta hovered nearby. She hadn't left, clearly waiting to see if they needed anything else. "He was in the jungle and…"

Pepa looked up to find her husband staring ahead of himself, jaw clenched in clear anger."

Felix stared down at his clenched hands as he listened to his wife read. He'd taken the crumpled photo from her and was staring at it, memorising another reason to punch Mateo as hard as possible.

And not stop at one hit.

Mateo was going to regret ever laying a hand on Camilo.

""He was terrified Pepi. He was hiding from someone he said would try and take him back. Who would make him be someone else."

Pepa frowned in confusion while unconsciously pulling Camilo tighter against her. She wouldn't let anyone take her hijo away from her. Not again."

Never again, she swore to herself. They'd find him and keep him safe. Until he felt comfortable stepping outside Casita again.

But even then, they'd make sure nothing like this happened again.

Camilo would never fear dying again.

"Felix sighed heavily.

"Someone took him Pepi. They faked his death and then they… they made him pretend to be their hijo. He was shifted when we found him.""

That was something else she hoped the book explained. Why his Gift was hurting him and what the consequences of staying shifted for so long would have on him.

If they were warned ahead of time, they could be prepared to help Camilo in any way he needed.

"Pepa's breathing hitched as she processed his words. Someone… took Camilo to act as their hijo? If he was shifted all the time then no wonder he looked half-starved! He couldn't hold a shift for more than an hour before it started to put a strain on him."

Dolores was staring intently at the book, having wiped her cheeks dry. Crying wouldn't help. Now that the initial shock was passed, she needed to find out what she could do to help Camilo when they got him back.

""Do you know who?" She asked, fighting to keep calm. Her baby needed all the rest he could get so she didn't want to wake him up.

To her dismay, Felix shook his head. 

"I wanted to get him somewhere safe first. And he was on the edge of panic after my first question. I didn't want to upset him," he admitted. 

"I heard someone in the jungle but I don't know who it is," Dolores added."

"Did they get away?" Isabela asked in a tight, angry voice. "If we didn't know who did it, did they get away?"

Pepa didn't answer as Julieta covered her mouth in horror.

If they did, then that might be a reason they'd been locked in this room until they finished the book. So that they didn't rush in without all the information.

It didn't mean she liked the delay though.

"She'd inched closer and reached out to tentatively run her fingers through Camilo's hair.

"I could hardly believe it when I heard him…" she whispered.

"We'll get the full story when he's awake and calmer," Felix suggested. "For now, we need to make sure he gets rest and food. And that he knows he's safe.""

Felix nodded absently. Making sure that Camilo was safe was their top priority. And knowing who caused all this already meant they wouldn't need to ask Camilo.

They might not even have to ask about everything else if the book told them about it all. He wouldn't have to relieve it until he was ready to talk.

"Pepa let out a shuddering breath, trying to keep the thunder back as she nodded.

"Why don't you take him to your room?" Julieta suggested gently. "That way he can wake up somewhere familiar. I'll tell everyone when they get home."

"I'll take care of Antonio," Dolores offered before Pepa could protest. "Cami needs you more right now mamá.""

Pepa's reading faltered a little at the reminder of her youngest niño she hadn't even known about.

That baby would grow up in a world where these monsters were already taken care of.

And he'd be born after they got Camilo back. He'd know his hermano from the beginning instead of missing out on time with him.

"The small amount of fight left her and Pepa sighed. Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to bundle her hijo up and keep him safe and close.

With Felix's help, Pepa stood up with Camilo still in her arms. Her heart clenched at how light he was. He desperately needed to gain some weight."

Her cloud rumbled again at the reminder of how starved he was. Hopefully, it wasn't as bad yet so they could spare Camilo that.

""Gracias Juli," she murmured.

Julieta smiled in response. "I'll bring up some more food later."

Pepa gave her a small smile before heading to her room with Felix at her side.

She couldn't help glancing at Camilo's door when they reached the second floor and she bit her lip to find it still dark."

"But he's home!" Isabela blurted out.

"It's not that simple," Julieta told her hija gently. "We'll probably find out the reason soon in the book."

Isabela bit her lip and nodded. She was clearly upset by all this. She hadn't been as close to Camilo but she still cared about him. She'd been as much of a mess as everyone else when he went missing.

"They'd worry about that later.

Felix ushered her into their room, cloudy now instead of raining. She quickly settled herself on the bed with Camilo tucked into her side. He was so tired that he hadn't reacted to being moved at all.

Felix leaned over and pressed a kiss into his hair and then to Pepa's cheek.

"I'll go get him some better clothes," he murmured."

"Get him into the right colours," Dolores whispered.

"Sí,' Felix agreed with a strained smile. "Yellow always suited him best."

Dolores nodded. "He looked ridiculous in orange," she agreed.

That drew a surprised and watery laugh from most of them.

""Pepa nodded before pausing and looking across the room. 

"The ruana," she whispered. "

Pepa's breathing hitched. She was going to finish that ruana as soon as she could so that Camilo had one back.

"Felix followed her gaze and smiled slightly before moving to fetch it for her. Between them, they managed to get him into the ruana without waking him up.

Pepa smiled to see her hijo in it. It made such a difference as it covered that purple shirt. She tucked him back into her side and settled in to watch over him while he slept."

"Camilo hates purple," Isabela murmured softly.

They nodded in agreement. He'd always said that his side of the family had all the best colours. Although he said green was good too.

It used to drive Isabela insane.

"Pepa was startled out of her thoughts as Camilo jerked awake in a panic. She was shocked to see him shift completely before he was even entirely awake."

Pepa bit her lip. He was so conditioned to keep the act up. Even when he was still half asleep.

Despite his Gift hurting him when he used it.

"She didn't recognise the black-haired, blue-eyed boy but this must be the form he'd been forced to take all the time. He looked completely healthy and Pepa's heart ached to know how thin he was under the shift."

Of course they wouldn't like it if Rico looked anything but healthy. That way they could ignore how bad Camilo's state was.

Bastards. They turned a blind eye to his suffering because it was inconvenient for their fantasy.

She gently cupped Camilo's cheeks and coaxed him to look at her, waiting as those wild eyes struggled to focus on her.

"Cami," she soothed. "It's okay. Mi camaleón, mi sol. It's okay. You're safe."

Pepa had to fight back a sob as she spoke those nicknames again. Dolores had never liked nicknames but Camilo loved them.

"He stared at her blankly for a moment before recognition flickered in his eyes.

"Mami?" He whispered."

She took a shaky breath before continuing, forcing her voice to remain steady.

""Sí," she assured. "It's mami. You're safe Cami. Drop the shift. I want to see you mijo. Just you."

He let out a shuddering breath as he shifted back and Pepa caught him when he swayed and collapsed. He was shaking slightly and she rubbed his back soothingly, cuddling him close."

Felix exchanged a worried look with Julieta. They were all getting concerned about the description of what his Gift did to him when he used it.

""Lo siento," he mumbled into her dress and she shushed him.

"You have nothing to apologise for Cami," she told him firmly. "Are you okay?"

She'd noticed that he was paler after reverting the shift.

"...shifting hurts," he mumbled after a moment."

They'd known that already but hearing him admit it still hurt. Bruno rubbed at his face, remembering the migraines he got when he overused his Gift. Was it the same kind of thing? Just worse?

"That really concerned her. His Gift had never hurt him before.

"Okay," Pepa took a deep breath. "How about a bath mijo? A nice, hot bath for your aches?"

He turned his head to blink blearily at her before he nodded slightly. She gave him an encouraging smile and helped him sit up properly."

A sad smile tugged on Pepa's lips. Camilo adored baths, something he'd picked up from her. Nothing was better after a busy day than to soak in a hot bath.

"Before she got up though, she heard his breathing hitch and looked over at him again.

Camilo was staring down at the ruana with wide eyes. He was practically drowning in the fabric but he was meant to grow into it."

Felix glanced down at the photo still in his hand with a frown. Camilo wasn't wearing the ruana in it. Why?

""We always wanted to give you a new one for your tenth birthday," Pepa whispered wistfully, reaching out to tug the material so it sat right again. "I still ended up making it…"

She trailed off.

And instead of laying it on a gravesite, her hijo was wearing it. He was alive and home. 

She still couldn't believe it."

Pepa couldn't believe it now either. And she wouldn't until he was safely in her arms again. She didn't doubt that it was the same for the rest of the family.

"Pepa's smile was wobbly and her eyes were wet when he looked back up at her.

"Oh mijo, you're home," she whispered, pulling him into a hug."

Her voice cracked this time but she refused to break down crying again.

Her baby needed her and she’d be damned if she failed him.

Again.

Thin arms wound around her in return as he hugged her back.

"I missed you mami," he sobbed. "I wanted to come home but they wouldn't let me. They made me call them mami and papi and I hated it."

“Can’t we just throw them off the mountains,” Isabela muttered, gaining a shocked look from her Abuela. She didn’t seem to care for once though, watching her Tia ready intensely.

She pulled back enough to pepper his face with kisses, framing his cheeks again and wiping the tears away with her thumbs.

"No one is ever going to take you away from me again Cami. Never."

Felix nodded firmly in agreement.

Mateo will have to go through him to get to Camilo again.

“He leaned into the contact and closed his eyes, letting out a shaky sigh.

"Come on. Let's get you into the bath," she coaxed. "Your papá found some clothes that you can wear."

She helped him out of the bed, catching him when he stumbled.”

Julieta was half listening as she tried to figure out the best food for helping Camilo recover as quickly as possible while still letting him enjoy it. Thankfully, he wasn't a picky eater.

“When Camilo slipped his hand timidly into hers, she swore to herself that she'd make whoever hurt him pay for this. Her hijo should never be nervous about reaching out for comfort.

First though, she was going to focus on trying to dim that fear that still lingered in Camilo's eyes.”

Pepa clenched her jaw for a moment, letting out a breath and letting Dolores tug the book from her hold.

She was afraid, she realised. That when they found him that fear would be there in his eyes. He’d been with those people for a year. They could have done so much damage to her baby in that time.

Not just physically.

“Chapter Seven,” Dolores murmured. “Ruanas.”

Chapter Text

“Camilo rubbed the soft material of the yellow ruana between his fingers in awe. It wasn't the same as the one he'd had before. That one had been simpler in design. 

This one had more elaborate patterns along with intricately embroidered chameleons along the border.

It was beautiful.”

Pepa was definitely going to finish that ruana as soon as possible. 

Dolores just wondered if her mamá would let her help with it. 

“His papi had found clothes for him that were similar to what he used to wear and he was relieved to see the white and brown.

He hated all the clothes they'd put him in before.

Rico's clothes.

But Rico had never had a ruana.”

Felix was running through ideas of where to get him well-fitting clothes as quickly as possible. All in his colours of course.

He felt sick at the idea of Camilo in purple with all this information. That was one of the first things they were changing.

“His hands fidgeted with the material as he sat at his mami's dressing table. He wanted nothing more than to tug the ruana on, but he also really wanted the haircut his mami had offered.

He didn't want to get hair all over the ruana so he was waiting until after.

His mami smiled at him in the mirror before starting on his hair.”

Felix gave a sad smile. “He’s actually sitting still for it?” he said quietly.

Pepa returned the small smile. Getting Camilo to sit still for anything had been next to impossible.

“He knew it was too long and too messy after not being able to take care of it for two years.

They'd only brushed and cut Rico's hair after all.”

Everyone was angry about that. They wouldn’t even give him that? Curly hair was a nightmare if not taken care of properly.

“His mami was gentle and patient as she started working through the knots and snipping it back to a better length.

"We'll get some food after this okay Camilo?" She offered. "I'm sure your Tia has been making lots of arepas for you."

Camilo's mouth watered at the thought. His Tia's arepas were his favourite food and he hadn't had them in two years.”

Julieta was going to make so many arepas that Camilo was never going to run out. Her poor little sobrino. She could remember all the times he’d sneak into the kitchen to try and steal one before dinner.

She’d missed that over the last year.

“After a moment, his mami started humming and Camilo felt himself relax.

He stared at himself in the mirror, watching his mami work.

He hadn't seen himself in ages. He barely recognised the boy in the reflection.”

Pepa inhaled sharply at the words and Dolores closed her eyes for a moment before continuing to read.

“He was too pale and thin, and there was a haunted look to his eyes.

Camilo got the uncomfortable sensation of feeling detached from his reflection. Was that really him?

An image of Rico popped into his mind and he had to force himself not to shake his head to get rid of it.

That wasn't him. That had never been him.

He was Camilo.

Not Rico. Not Rico.”

Hearing how bad his mental state was, how unsure he was about his own identity made Felix feel sick. He was Camilo. Their little Cami who loved to make people laugh.

They’d make sure he remembered who he was.

“Camilo startled a little when his mami's hand landed on his shoulder and his gaze snapped to her in the mirror. Worried green eyes were studying him.

"Are you okay mijo?" She asked gently.

Camilo swallowed hard and dropped his gaze to the ruana again.

He remembered when Mateo had taken his old one. That memory cropped up in his nightmares sometimes.”

Felix winced. Finding the ruana showed up in his memories too.

Then it felt like he was dunked in ice water. Were they going to learn about a memory of Camilo’s? 

“Camilo still felt sick and fuzzy, having woken up in an unfamiliar room. He was scared and calling for Dolores hadn't done anything.”

Dolores’ voice caught before she forced herself to continue reading.

“He didn't know what to do and all he wanted was to go home.

His head snapped up when the door opened and Camilo cowered away as a big man with brown hair came in, closing the door behind him.”

“Mateo,” someone muttered. Everyone was watching Dolores read intensely now. It sounded like this was right after Camilo had been kidnapped.

“"Give me that ruana," he ordered.”

Felix grit his teeth. It was. This was when Mateo took his boy’s ruana to fake his death. Camilo must have been terrified.

“The eight-year-old whimpered and clutched the material tight as he shook his head. It had been a present from his parents! He didn't want to give it to a stranger.”

“Oh baby,” Pepa whispered.

He’d always treasured anything they’d given him. But that ruana was special to him. 

“The man hadn't liked that he said no.”

Felix’s eyes widened. No. Please no. He pulled Pepa closer as she stared at the book, pale.

“He stalked forward and grabbed Camilo's arm, jerking it up and dragging him to his feet.

The punch caught him off guard, snapping his head back and making him see stars.”

Pepa let out a cry and Felix felt a fury he’d never known before.

That bastard.

That sick bastard had punched his hijo.  

He’d had him for only a few hours probably and he’d already hurt him.

“He'd never been punched before. Or even smacked. The pain that exploded across his cheek left him dazed and limp enough that the man could yank his ruana off easily.”

Pepa was shaking against him but from the cloud rumbling above them, Felix knew it was with rage and not tears.

His wife was pissed.

“He tossed Camilo aside after that, inspecting the material while the boy tried to process what just happened.

He slowly brought a hand to his cheek and hissed when the contact stung.”

Pepa growled, thunder louder this time.

“"Don't say no to me again boy," the man warned before he turned and left the basement, slamming the door closed behind him.

Camilo huddled on the floor, feeling vulnerable and cold without his ruana.

That was the first time he cried after being taken.”

Dolores had to close her eyes for a moment before she could continue. How many times had those monsters made her hermanito cry?

“"Cami!"

Camilo snapped out of the memory to find that his mami had stopped cutting his hair to pull him into a hug, rocking him as she called his name.

He was shaking and his face was wet with tears again.

"Mami," he croaked. "Wh-what did he do with my ruana?"”

Felix looked down at the floor, trying to keep his breathing even. He’d spent so long staring at that bloodied material that he couldn’t remember what it looked like before.

"His heart dropped when he got a glimpse of his mami's face in the mirror. Her eyes were filled with so much pain.

"Mami?"

She let out a shaky breath before picking him up and sitting on the chair with him on her lap. He cuddled into the hold happily, soaking up the affection."

Pepa's fingers twitched with the urge to hold him and she buried them in her skirt to fight it.

""He-he wanted us to think you were gone mijo," she explained. "Your papi was looking everywhere for you. None of us were going to stop looking. So he… he made it look like-"

She broke off and covered her mouth with a shaking hand, squeezing her eyes shut against tears."

How could anyone be so cruel? Not only taking him from them, but also making them think he was dead. Making them grieve and cover an empty grave.

"Camilo hated to see his mami so upset.

And this was all their fault. They did this. They made his mami sad and scared and he hated them for it."

"Of course that's his main problem," Julieta said, voice wavering. "He made a beeline for you when you were upset."

"Camilo threw his arms around her neck and burrowed closer. Her breathing hitched but her hold on him tightened. It didn't feel smothering like Gloria's. 

It felt safe."

She was going to hug him and never let go. He'd be her little koala.

She was still going to punch Gloria for forcing that affection on him.

Pepa was going to punch that woman for many things.

""They made it look like an animal attacked you Cami," his mami whispered. "Your ruana was shredded and ripped and covered in-in blood."

She shuddered just remembering it. 

Camilo was horrified to hear about what Mateo did to his ruana, but the pain in his mami's voice was even worse.

"I'm okay mami," he whispered. "Papi and Dolores found me.""

Dolores' voice wavered again but she kept reading. Get through the book and get her hermano back.

"She let out a sob, burying her face in his hair.

"Lo siento Cami," she sobbed. "We didn't find you sooner. We didn't stop it from ever happening.""

That guilt was echoed in everyone in the family. They hadn't stopped this. How could Mateo have taken an eight-year-old from under everyone's noses?

"Camilo was shaking his head before she even finished speaking.

"No mami! They were smart. It's not your fault. They're bad people."

He felt her press a kiss into his hair.

"Mi sol, I'm so glad you're home," she whispered.

"Me too mami," he sighed, sinking into the safe embrace."

"Soon," Felix whispered, Dolores nodding imperceptibly along with him.

They'd get him back soon. With all the knowledge they needed to keep him safe.

"He absently fiddled with the ruana again as his mami started humming.

"Gracias," he whispered. "For the ruana." For not forgetting about him."

Pepa covered her mouth, cloud rumbling as she shot a venomous glare at her mamá. She'd never forget her baby. No matter what anyone said.

"It meant so much to him that they hadn't forgotten.

"I'm so glad you were here to get it Cami," she murmured. 

Every time they said his name it made relief bubble up in his chest. 

His name. His name."

They'd say it again and again. All his nicknames and variations of his name. They'd make sure that he never answered to Rico again.

"Eventually, his mami pulled back again and smiled down at him. Her eyes were still shiny with tears but she seemed calmer.

"Why don't we finish with your hair so you can put on your new ruana hmm?"

Camilo smiled shakily and nodded."

Pepa fondly remembered previous haircuts. Camilo complaining but eventually sitting still and having way too many suggestions for his hair than a young boy should. He was very particular about his curls.

And when his hair was done and his ruana had settled over his shoulders, he felt more like Camilo again than he had in a while."

That ruana was definitely getting finished as soon as possible.

"His mami rested her hands on his shoulders and it was a grounding pressure rather than making him feel trapped.

"What do you think?" She asked gently.

Camilo stared at the boy in the mirror. He was still too thin and pale. But that was hidden a little under the ruana. His hair was back to how he liked it instead of being too long.

He let out a shaky breath.

"I feel like me.""

Isabela's breathing caught on a sob.

Her sweet, annoying pequeño primo should have never doubted that for one moment.

Bruno ended up with the book this time and started reading anxiously. No one was willing to wait too long. They needed to get through this as soon as possible.

"Chapter Eight. Antonio."

Everyone perked up now.

Chapter Text

Bruno did NOT like having everyone's attention on him as they waited to hear more about the future Madrigal baby. So he pretended they weren't there and that he was reading to his rats instead. 

…

He wouldn't tell Pepa that he imagined her as a rat.

"Felix paused when he stepped into his room and just stared at the scene with a wide smile.

Camilo was curled up in Pepa's arms while she sang softly to him, fingers running through his shorter hair.

He looked so much better in the ruana and Felix took a moment to memorise the image to hopefully replace that terrible day he found his hijo's ruana in the jungle."

Felix tried to imagine it, seeing Camilo safe and sound in Pepa's arms. Wearing a whole, clean ruana.

"Looks like a flashback," Bruno murmured timidly and Felix braced himself.

He could guess what it would be.

"The bright colour was what caught his attention and Felix reached out with shaking hands to pick up the familiar fabric.

Red stained the yellow and it was ripped almost beyond recognition. 

But he'd seen his hijo in it often enough to recognise it immediately."

Felix covered his face as Pepa pressed into his side. He'd never been as devastated in his life than he was at that moment.

"His legs went weak and he collapsed to his knees. He didn't even notice as the others tried to talk to him.

He couldn't take his eyes off the destroyed ruana in his hands.

It couldn't be. His boy couldn't be-"

And he wasn't. Felix had to hold onto that as he couldn't stop seeing that bloody ruana in his mind.

"The trip back to Casita was blurred in his mind and all he could hear was his own pounding heartbeat.

It was Pepa's scream that snapped him out of it. She stood in Casita’s doorway and stared at the material in heartbreak and grief.

The storm hit moments later but all Felix could focus on was the boy missing from their home.

The boy who wouldn't be coming back."

Dolores remembered that scream. It haunted her nightmares.

It was the moment her mamá broke.

"Are you okay?" Julieta interrupted gently.

They must look like a mess. It was one thing to imagine what Camilo had gone through. But it was another entirely to vividly remember something like this. They couldn't stop seeing it and Pepa fought against another breakdown.

"Oh…"

They looked up at Bruno when he spoke to find him looking down at a photo that must have fallen out of the book again.

No, she couldn't see her baby being hurt. Not again, not when she was helpless to do anything for the moment.

Bruno picked it up and looked surprised for a moment before smiling softly.

Pepas' breath caught when he looked up at her and held out the picture.

She took it with a shaking hand and her entire world narrowed in on that photo.

It was of Camilo, curled up next to her as she smiled softly down at him. It must have been the moment just described, Camilo wearing his new ruana and his hair in its usual style and length. They couldn't really see his face since he was burrowed as close to her as possible, only his mop of hair really visible.

But it was her hijo. Safe. Alive. Close enough that she had an arm curled protectively around his shoulders as she held him close.

Felix leaned in close as he studied the picture just as avidly.

Seeing it was a reprieve from all the horrible things they'd had to imagine and remember.

"Cami," she breathed, holding the photo close as Dolores stared at it avidly.

"Gracias," Pepa whispered to whoever or whatever was doing this.

Seeing proof that her baby was okay at some point, it eased something in her heart.

The three settled somewhat, the photo clutched in Pepa's hand where they could all see it.

Felix stared at it like he could burn the bloodstained ruana out of his memory.

It wasn't as good as having Camilo home. But it was something.

"Felix shook himself out of the memory. Now wasn't the time to dwell on the horrors of the past.

Camilo needed them now. 

"Cami," he called, catching both of their attention. "Thought you might be hungry."

He held up the tray in his hands that carried a pile of arepas.

Camilo visibly perked up at the sight of the food. It was normally adorable, but knowing how close to starvation his boy was, it only made Felix angry."

"Ay that boy and arepas," Julieta's voice cracked on the word, covering her mouth and fighting back tears.

"He sat down on the bed next to them and put the tray next to Camilo.

"You feeling better Cami?" He asked, reaching out to ruffle his hair.

He looked better, that was for sure.

Camilo grinned up at him, the smile less shaky and unsure than before. “Mami made me a ruana.”"

A weak laugh escaped Felix. Of course Camilo focused on that. It was from his mamá.

"Felix wasn’t even surprised that that was what Camilo had focused on. He shared a special bond with Pepa and he’d adored his ruana. Getting a new one from her after his kidnapper took his last one? It would mean a lot to him."

They glanced back down at the photo to stare at the clothing again.

"Ay I want it finished already," Pepa sighed.

They shouldn't have been surprised when the in-progress ruana fell from the ceiling with her materials.

No one commented and decided to not address it as Pepa started working on it again, Dolores shyly asking to help.

Felix smiled at the eager agreement that got from Pepa. A ruana from his mamá would be special to Camilo.

But made by both Pepa and Dolores? That would make it better.

"“She poured a lot of love into that,” Felix agreed as he watched Camilo fiddle with the material. “You look better in yellow.”"

"Purple isn't his colour," Isabela muttered.

"The comment surprised Camilo enough that he let out a short laugh. The sound was practically music to Felix’s ears and Pepa beamed at them both."

Pepa was going to start crying when she heard him laugh for the first time. She just knew it.

"Their hijo only needed a little bit of prompting before he was reaching for the food. He let out a happy little hum when he bit into the arepa and Felix hoped he’d be able to eat a fair amount without getting sick."

That sobered everyone. There were going to be many challenges to overcome for Camilo. Starvation would have affected his appetite and how much he could safely eat. They'd have to go slow to get him back to his normal amount.

"He looked up when the door opened and Dolores slipped in. She must have heard that they were all together and come to join them.

She’d always adored Camilo and Felix knew that she partially blamed herself for him going missing. Since she hadn’t heard him."

"Oh mija," Pepa sighed while Dolores looked away. "It was never your fault."

"I didn't hear," she whispered.

"You can't hear everything," Felix told her gently.

"I should have heard this. Then it wouldn't have happened."

"They probably timed it," Bruno said timidly. "Everyone knows when you're down with a headache because Pepa doesn't thunder and gets angry at any loud noises. So they timed it and probably knocked him out before getting him into the sound-proofed room as quickly as possible. They would never have spoken about it either. Just in case. It's not your fault Dolores."

She bit her lip while Pepa took her hand. "You can't hear everything mija. Please don't blame yourself. Camilo wouldn't want that. Blame the people who took him."

After a moment, Dolores nodded slightly. It wouldn't fix everything but at least she was listening.

"They hadn’t been able to convince her that she wasn’t at fault. She’d been sick and suffering from a severe migraine that day. She couldn’t blame herself for staying in her room and the kidnapper taking advantage of that."

Several 'you see?' looks were sent Dolores' way.

"She hesitated at the door for a moment but couldn’t stay away for too long. She hurried over to join them on the bed, reaching out to brush her fingers through Camilo’s hair.

“You’re looking better,” she murmured with a smile. 

Camilo returned the smile and while it wasn’t his old, beaming grin, it was something better than the anxious expressions he’d shown so far."

They honestly didn't know how Camilo could still smile like that. How he could smile at all.

Their little camaleón was such a strong little boy. Those people hadn't broken him.

"Dolores wasn’t prepared when Camilo suddenly moved forward to hug her but she recovered quickly and wrapped her arms around him in return.

“Missed you Dolores,” he whispered."

Dolores closed her eyes at the words, fighting tears.

"Dolores sniffled and held him tighter. “I’m so glad you’re home Milo,” she breathed. She’d always been the only one to call him that.

After a moment, the siblings pulled apart again so that Camilo could continue eating, leaning against Pepa’s side.

Dolores turned to Felix as Pepa continued to coax Camilo to eat slowly so that he wouldn’t make himself sick.

“Papá,” she murmured softly. “I wanted to bring Antonio to meet Cami.”"

"Oh," Pepa realised. "He wouldn't have met him."

"Does he even know Antonio exists?" Felix asked worriedly.

They desperately hoped that Camilo didn't feel like they'd tried to replace him.

"Felix stared at her for a moment before he processed what she was saying.

Camilo… Camilo had never met Antonio. He might not even know he had a hermano yet. 

Felix hadn’t even thought of that.

For a moment he wondered if it would be a bad idea to spring such a surprise on him. But he shook that thought away.

Camilo deserved to know and he refused to keep secrets from his hijo."

"Never really a good thing to do," Agustin admitted. "They always find out somehow."

"Sometimes from a book that tells the future," Isabela deadpanned.

"“I think that’s a good idea,” he agreed and Dolores gave him an excited smile before standing and hurrying from the room again.

Camilo watched her go in confusion, not looking thrilled that she was leaving already."

Pepa cooed. Camilo had always been a clingy boy. He liked when his family was around. People leaving the room when he was a baby usually resulted in crying.

"“She’s coming right back Cami,” Felix assured him. “She’s just gone to fetch someone we think you should meet.”

Pepa let out a gasp as she realised what he was talking about and her eyes pricked with tears as she no doubt thought about their hijos actually meeting.

They’d been facing a future where Antonio would never know his hermano, only hear stories of him. But now… now he’d have both his siblings with him as he grew."

Pepa swallowed hard at the thought that her third niño might have never known Camilo. That he might have only heard stories about their bundle of sunshine.

"Camilo looked up at them in confusion before looking to the door as it opened again.

Dolores was smiling as she carried a bundle into the room."

Everyone leaned forward anxiously, wondering about his reaction.

Dolores was smiling though. She was already sure of how it would go.

"The ten-year-old cocked his head in confusion until Antonio made a curious noise, reaching a tiny hand out of the blanket to grasp for the clouds floating up by the ceiling.

Then Camilo realised and his eyes widened. He dropped the arepa he’d been eating and leaned as far forward as he could without moving from Pepa’s side."

"He actually let go of his arepa," Agustin joked and there was some weak laughter.

"“Cami,” Pepa murmured softly as Dolores came to sit with them again. “Meet your hermano, Antonio.”

Curious eyes looked up at Camilo as the boy stared in shock. Felix was worried for a moment that Camilo might get upset, that he might feel like they’d tried to replace him.

But then his hijo tentatively reached out to the baby and Antonio grabbed onto his fingers, smiling up at the boy.

“I’ve got a hermanito?” Camilo asked in awe."

They all relaxed and Dolores smiled. "He always wanted a hermanito," she whispered remembering a conversation she had with him a long time ago when he'd asked if he could wish for one on his birthday.

"“Sí,” Pepa whispered, wiping at her eyes. Felix felt the urge to cry himself as he watched something he’d thought was impossible. “Your hermanito. He’s just a few months old.”"

And Camilo would be home and safe already when Antonio was born. Camilo would know about him from the beginning. 

"Camilo was watching the baby in awe.

And then he smiled. 

Felix’s breath caught at the sight of the genuinely happy expression.

“Hola Antonio,” he whispered while the baby kept a grip on his fingers. “I’m Camilo.”

Finally, Felix’s family felt whole again."

Everyone had smiles on their faces at that. It sounded like such a sweet moment.

Pepa couldn't wait to see her two boys together like that, resting her hand on her stomach again.

She couldn't wait to have Camilo home. To see him smile again.

Chapter Text

Julieta took the book to read next. “Chapter Nine. Never Again.”

Pepa focused on the ruana in her lap, listening intently. Having something to do while the book was read was actually helping her and she hoped it was helping Dolores too. Felix was a warm presence at her side and he was doing a lot to keep her grounded.

Bruno looked like an anxious mess as he listened and she could understand. He’d adored all his sobrinos but Camilo had been special as he’d latched onto Bruno’s storytelling. From an early age, Camilo had been mimicking his stories.

He’d been devastated when Bruno disappeared.

Pepa swallowed hard. They still needed to find out the truth about that but that was for later. Priorities.

Julieta had that look in her eyes that told Pepa she was figuring out the best foods and ways to help Camilo recover when they got him home. Agustin was focused on comforting Isabela who seemed torn between tears and anger.

She didn’t look at her mamá, still too angry after everything.

And she’d barely said a damn thing. She hadn’t even apologised for what she tried! Even after finding out that Camilo wasn’t gone. She grit her teeth and continued with the ruana.

It had to be perfect for her baby.

“Camilo leaned against his mami's side, peering down at the baby in her arms. Antonio had already fallen asleep again but he couldn’t stop staring.

He had a hermanito.”

There were some soft smiles at the clear awe Camilo was feeling. The lack of jealousy was relieving.

“Mateo had mentioned that his mami had had a baby and he’d been cruel about it. He’d tried to make it sound like they were just trying to replace him after he went missing.”

Thunder rumbled and Pepa looked up sharply. That bastard. Did he get joy out of hurting Camilo? What was wrong with him?! Camilo was just a little boy! They’d already taken him from his family and home and yet Mateo still wanted him to suffer even more.

“But Camilo had been fascinated by the idea of a hermano. And he’d hoped that the new baby would make his mami smile more and rain less.”

“Oh Cami,” Julieta whispered and Pepa closed her eyes for a moment. He just wanted them to be happy.

“He never liked it when it rained,” Isabela whispered.

They’d often seen him sitting at the windows when it rained while Pepa was at the fields. He refused to move until she got home. And then he’d do whatever he could to cheer her up again.

“He hadn’t thought about it much though since Mateo lied a lot and he was drunk when he told Camilo about it.

He hadn’t wanted to get his hopes up.

But here he was. Actually seeing his hermanito.

It was amazing.”

“He really wanted a hermano hey?” Agustin asked with a small smile. 

Dolores nodded. “He wanted a little sibling. It didn’t really matter if it was a girl or a boy. But he really wanted a hermanito more.”

“He'd got halfway through the plate of arepas before he started to feel sick, forcing him to stop. He was still hungry, his body just wasn't used to eating so much anymore.

Mateo and Gloria had been strict on never having seconds, no matter how hungry he was. And they got irritated if he asked.”

Felix scowled. Regardless of his metabolism and everything else, why get irritated when a child was still hungry? They’d playfully stopped Camilo from eating too much but that was because they knew he’d eat until he got sick if he wasn’t careful. They monitored what he ate carefully. If he really was still hungry though, they’d never stop him from taking seconds.

“Looks like a flashback,” Julieta murmured and they braced themselves. The flashbacks had been pretty brutal so far.

“Camilo stared down at the empty plate while his stomach continued to cramp painfully. He could feel the strain from holding the shift in the deep ache in his muscles and all he wanted to do was sleep.”

Isabela bit at her nail anxiously while Bruno leaned his head back, fingers tapping rapidly on his knee. He understood the physical toll a Gift could take. He wished Camilo hadn’t had to feel it.

“As Gloria took the plate away, Camilo timidly asked if he could have some more.

It was like a switch was flipped.

Gloria spun around and slapped him across the face, yelling about how he shouldn't be greedy and ungrateful for what they gave him, and that she wouldn't raise a pig of a son.”

Pepa lurched forward, Dolores saving the ruana from falling while Felix stopped her from surging to her feet. Her cloud still rumbled and spat lightning.

“That bitch!” she snarled.

The shock of everything was slowly wearing away and the anger was starting to take over more. Gloria hit her baby, shouted at him and insulted him. 

Pepa would make sure she regretted every moment she’d hurt Camilo.

“Camilo cowered away from her, tears stinging his eyes. He didn't want to look at Mateo because he'd just upset Gloria. 

So Mateo was going to be mad.”

Felix grit his teeth, pulling his wife back next to him.

“We’ll get them mi amor. I swear we will.”

Pepa was vibrating with anger next to him.

“Gloria slapped him again before grabbing his wrist and dragging him towards the basement, muttering about how Rico never asked for seconds, how he had a small appetite.

Camilo wanted to scream that he wasn't Rico. That he needed more than they gave him or he was going to starve. But he knew that wouldn't work. It would just make her angrier.”

Isabela twisted her hands into her skirt. How could they expect Camilo to just become exactly like Rico? How could they hurt him when he made such a small mistake?

“He was still surprised when she threw him through the door, sending him tumbling down the stairs. She was more unstable than he'd realised today. He was going to have bruises from that fall.”

Felix had to stop Pepa from standing again. Reacting now would only delay finishing the book. No matter how angry they were.

Julieta’s voice shook a little as she continued. She’d always hated when anyone got hurt. But it was worse when it was her family.

Camilo had always been prone to injuries because of his energetic and reckless nature. But this was someone hurting him on purpose. It wasn’t a skinned knee or a nasty bruise.

This was abuse.

“Camilo froze when he heard heavy footsteps behind him as the door closed.

He looked up and let out a sob as he saw Mateo coming down the stairs with a belt in his hand.”

Felix could barely hear what was being said through the roaring in his ears. Mateo was a dead man walking.

Dolores was staring down at her shaking hands again while Isabela looked sick. Their parents had never even considered doing something like that. 

Dolores narrowed her eyes suddenly. They were awfully quick to hurt Camilo despite making him take their hijo’s place…

“"Cami," his papi said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He blinked rapidly, trying to shake the memory and realising he was shaking. His mami was running one hand through his hair while holding Antonio in her other arm. His papi was rubbing his back and he let out a shaky breath as he focused on the contact, letting it ground him.

"You okay Cami?" Dolores asked in concern.”

No, he really wasn’t. But they’d make sure he was one day.

“Camilo gave a small nod. "Memory," he mumbled, rubbing at his eyes which burned with tears. He leaned into his papi’s touch as it chased away the phantom pain from the remembered beating. He'd hated the belt. Mateo would swing it over and over and over until Camilo was a whimpering, bleeding mess. And then he'd leave him for hours like that before coming back to treat the wounds.”

Julieta choked on her own words as she read them. He just left Camilo like that? How could anyone be that cruel? What if his injuries got infected? What if he lost too much blood?

So many things could have gone wrong.

Pepa was taking deep breaths as she tried to calm down, but it was a losing battle. Instead, she looked back at the photo, trying to calm down with the promise that it would be reality. She would have him safe and unhurt as soon as possible. And no one would ever lay a hand on him again.

“"Cami," his papi called gently and Camilo looked up at him. He looked worried. "Mijo, the people who took you… do you know their names?"

Camilo swallowed and looked down at his shaking hands.

"They can't get you here mijo," his mami murmured. "They are never getting near you again."

He cuddled closer into her side and hid his face. He shouldn't be so scared of telling them. He should have told them right in the beginning. 

But the words got stuck in his throat.

He swallowed hard, twisting his hands into his new ruana. 

He didn't want those people near his family.”

Isabela covered her face, vines crawling over her chair. Even now his focus was still on the family. On not wanting those insane people near them when he was the one most hurt.

Her stupid, annoying, impossibly sweet primo. Couldn’t he put himself first for once?

Dolores numbly continued working with her mamá, listening but trying not to react too much. She could break down after Camilo was home. Then she could cry and scream and lose her mind. For now though, she had to listen and sew.

“"G-Gloria," he whispered. "And Mateo Pérez."

His mami's hold tightened on him and he burrowed closer.

"Okay. Gracias Cami," his papi murmured. "Those people will never touch you again."”

“Never,” Felix whispered. It was more of a vow than anything else. “Never again.”

“Camilo sniffled. "I'm scared of them," he confessed in a whisper. "They-they hurt me. When I wasn't good enough. When I made a mistake. When… when I wasn't enough like Rico."

He felt his papi shift closer so that he was nestled between his parents.

"Cami, everything they told you is wrong," he told Camilo seriously and he peered up at his papi. "Those people are wrong. They're terrible and they should never have made you do that."

Camilo sniffled again. "I just want to be me."”

The quiet plea was heartbreaking.

Agustin covered his face with one hand. It was so painful to hear this. But they were getting a look into Camilo’s head without having to cause him distress with too many questions.

As painful as reading this book was, the information inside was invaluable.

“"And that's all you need to be," his mami told him firmly. "Just be you Cami. Our camaleón. Mijo, you're perfect the way you are. Never, ever change."

Camilo let out a shuddering sigh and relaxed a bit. He'd needed to hear that for the last two years.”

“I’ll tell you as many times as you need to hear it Cami,” Pepa whispered so quietly that only Dolores heard it.

If that was what Camilo needed, she’d follow her mamá’s example and tell her hermano that over and over again.

“"Do you want to sleep a bit?" His mami asked gently.

He nodded against her. He felt so tired all the time.

There was some shuffling as Antonio was passed to someone else before his mami pulled him closer and let him snuggle against her.

She started singing and Camilo let himself drift off again.

He felt loved and safe for the first time in two years.”

Pepa still wished fiercely that Camilo was already in her arms, safe and being showered with love and affection. But she reluctantly admitted that Casita was right in making them read this before they went to rescue him. They’d be prepared for the two bastards that did this. They’d be prepared for anything Camilo might need them to do.

She stared at the material in her hands.

And they’d be prepared to offer all the comfort he needed.

“"Felix?" Pepa asked when she was sure Camilo was deeply asleep.

Dolores had taken Antonio back to the nursery so it was just them for the moment.

"That bastard," Felix hissed, an anger Pepa rarely saw burning in his eyes.

Felix was the happy, cheerful one. The one that wasn't constantly swept up in his emotions.

But right now, he was furious.”

“Of course I’m furious,” Felix huffed. “They hurt my boy.”

“"I saw Mateo Pérez today," Felix hissed. "In town when I was shopping with Dolores. The bastard smiled at me. When all this time…"

He clenched his hands into fists, staring down at Camilo. He looked so much more peaceful in sleep, that fear and anxiety gone for the moment.

Pepa clamped down on her anger as she processed what he said.

The bastard who took her baby, had been able to look her husband in the eye and smile like he hadn't shattered their hearts?”

The anger at that rolled around the room, everyone bristling at the audacity of the man. The entire family had been a mess afterwards. Pepa had barely left her room for weeks. Dolores had practically been a zombie, gaze distant as she constantly listened out for her hermanito. Felix had dropped into depression for a good while before he dragged himself out of it to help his wife and hija.

Isabela had gone through an angry phase, lashing out at people for no apparent reason and not even listening to Abuela when she scolded her for it. Julieta had shut herself in the kitchen while Agustin tried to keep their family from imploding.

Luisa had cried for days while Mirabel had only looked at them with innocent eyes and asked when Camilo was coming home, not understanding what had happened.

Abuela had tried to sweep it all under the rug again which had brought Pepa storming out of her room with a hurricane on her heels.

The entire village mourned with them. And yet this bastard could still smile at them.

“How dare he?!

What kind of monster was he?

She watched Felix get up, determination in his eyes.

"They won't touch him again," he vowed.

Pepa nodded sharply and looked back down at her hijo as Felix left the room.

She'd make sure Camilo felt safe and happy again. She wouldn't let those people ruin the rest of his life.

She refused to.”

Pepa ran her fingers over the ruana, smiling slightly as Dolores tentatively held up some orange thread.

Her cloud had fallen silent again, dark as night but still and quiet.

Everyone knew what that meant though. 

It was the calm before the storm. And it was going to be headed straight for the Pérez couple.

It would be the biggest storm of her life.

Chapter Text

Isabela read next, visibly composing herself before starting. “Chapter Ten. Family.”

“Camilo came awake in a panic again, shifting automatically. It had been beaten into him that he had to be Rico before he was even fully awake since Gloria sometimes arrived before he woke up. He'd learned to be a light sleeper, coming awake at the sound of footsteps and the door.”

Pepa forced herself not to react, although she didn’t doubt that there were at least storm clouds in the Encanto. She’d just bottle it up inside so that she could unleash every bit of it on these two bastards.

“Because, if he wasn't shifted when she arrived… then he was in for a world of pain.”

Isabela’s voice faltered for a moment before she continued on. None of them liked hearing about this and it never got easier, no matter how often it was mentioned.

Julieta covered her face. Camilo had always been a little bit of a crybaby when it came to getting hurt. With his reckless behaviour, he ended up with a skinned knee more often than not. And that always resulted in tears that his parents or hermana usually needed to stop. He recovered from it quickly enough, returning to running around madly afterwards. 

Thinking about that crying boy being put through this. Without getting any kind of comfort? It made her sick and she gratefully accepted Agustin’s support.

“He gritted his teeth against the ache that spread through his body but his attention was caught when warm hands cupped his cheeks and tilted his head up.

He blinked rapidly.

Red hair. 

Green eyes.

Mami.”

Felix quirked a smile. Nothing caught Camilo’s attention faster than seeing his mamá. No matter how he was feeling or what he was doing.

“The memories came flooding back and he sagged in relief as he shifted back again.

"You're okay mijo," she soothed, gently pulling him close in a hug. "You're safe. Those people aren't here."

It took a few minutes of whispering before his shaking stopped again.

"Lo siento," he mumbled.”

Dolores made a quiet, pained noise. He shouldn’t feel the need to apologise for that. It wasn’t his fault in any way.

“"Don't apologise mijo," she scolded lightly. "You've been through something terrible. It'll take time to recover."

She brushed her hand through his hair and he let out a shaky sigh.

"She hated it if she saw me when I wasn't shifted," he whispered. "And he got mad if I upset her."”

Isabela had to take a breath before she could continue. It wasn’t right. It just wasn’t right. Camilo had lived in fear and pain almost constantly for a whole year. Two in the book.

It wasn’t right.

The plants that had grown up her chair writhed.

“His mami pressed a kiss to his hair and he melted into the hug, just enjoying the safety and warmth.

They both looked up when Casita rattled the bed a little to get their attention.

"Casita?" His mami asked in confusion but then the door burst open.”

“Ah, the chaos arrived,” Felix realised with a chuckle.

“"Cami!"

Camilo sat up a little straighter just in time to get pounced on by his prima.

"Mira," he choked out as he returned her tight, desperate hug.

Mirabel let out a sob, just repeating his name over and over.”

Julieta didn’t even try to stop the tears as she heard the reunion between her hija and Camilo. Those two adored each other and Mirabel had been devastated when Camilo disappeared.

“Isabela and Luisa came running in after her, wide-eyed and on the verge of tears themselves. Isabela covered her mouth while Luisa started crying.

"Camilo," Isabela whispered. She moved closer to the bed, never taking her gaze off of him.

"Isa," he reached out with one hand while keeping the other wrapped around Mirabel.”

Isabela’s voice was shaking and she wanted to cry. She hadn’t thought about the book showing when she saw him again. She suddenly got an idea of what her Tia, Tio and prima had been feeling. She wanted to drag Camilo into a hug and never let go and being unable to do that hurt.

“His oldest prima shakily took his hand as tears started to run down her cheeks.

"Cami," she breathed. "You're alive. You're home."

He let out a sob as his primas crawled onto the bed with them and all three of them wrapped him in a hug.”

Julieta let out a quiet sob. She hadn’t realised how much she wanted that. Her hijas cuddling with her sobrino. All of them together. She’d missed seeing Camilo hanging off of them so much. Isabela’s annoyed expression as he tugged on her dress. Luisa’s amusement as he scrambled all over her. Mirabel’s refusal to let go of him most days.

She wanted to see that again so badly it hurt.

“He wasn't sure how long they sat there before he heard his Tia's voice.

"Mijas, you need to let Cami eat."

He looked up as they all reluctantly let go of him to find both Tia Julieta and Tio Agustin watching them. His Tio was staring like he couldn't believe it and his Tia had a plate of empanadas.

"You're so thin," Isabela whispered, gently squeezing his hand.”

Isabela swallowed hard. She just knew they were all going to be sneaking him his favourite foods for a long time.

“They rearranged themselves so that the girls could stay close while Camilo could eat next to his mami. He was already starving again. The automatic shift hadn't helped at all.

Mirabel was wiping at her eyes as she tried to calm down while Isabela and Luisa stared disbelievingly at him.

It made him a little nervous and uncomfortable.”

They all grimaced a bit. Camilo loved attention but after two years of having the wrong kind, they could understand how he would be nervous to have it now. And of course, they wouldn’t know that since they hadn’t seen inside his head in the book.

Now they knew. And they'd navigate around it so he wasn't uncomfortable.

“"Where were you?" Luisa asked, the fourteen-year-old clearly confused.

Camilo ducked his head, biting his lip. His mami tugged him a little closer into her side.

"Some selfish people took him," she explained, rubbing Camilo's arm comfortingly. "But our Cami managed to get away."

Mirabel looked up in confusion while Isabela and Luisa stiffened.”

Julieta was abruptly grateful that Casita hadn’t brought Luisa and Mirabel as well. They were too young for this. She was already a bit dubious about Isabela and Dolores being here.

Reading this would have devastated her youngest hijas though.

“"Someone took Cami?" She asked.

"Who?" Isabela asked, voice darker than Camilo had ever heard.

"Your Tio Felix is dealing with them," his mami assured and Camilo jolted in surprise. That was why his papi wasn't there?

Isabela huffed and settled back.”

“I want to help,” Isabela suddenly said, looking up at Felix.

He frowned and opened his mouth but she beat him to it.

“I can make sure they can’t get away,” she insisted, vines coiling more around her chair. “I want to help.”

He looked to Julieta and Agustin who were more than uncomfortable with the idea. But seeing the slightly desperate look in Isabela’s eyes, they gave in.

“If you listen to everything your Tio and Tia say,” Julieta sighed.

“I’m going too,” Dolores murmured. 

There wasn’t anything to argue there. There was no way they were getting her to stay in Casita while they went to get Camilo.

“Camilo ate as much as he could and he noticed Isabela frown in concern at the food still left on the plate. But then his Tia was calling his primas and he felt guilty for the relief he felt.

He loved them but he was feeling overwhelmed and just wanted to cuddle with his mami.

They reluctantly left, giving him hugs as they went.

"Everyone missed you so much," his mami whispered.”

“We really did,” Isabela whispered shakily. 

There’d been a gaping hole in their family since he disappeared and nothing had made it better.

It only made the wound of Tio Bruno leaving even worse. She glanced at her Tio to find him looking as anxious as ever. She wasn’t sure he’d even looked at Abuela once during this whole thing.

“She pulled Camilo closer so that his head was tucked under her chin.

"I missed mi familia," he assured her quietly. "I tried to escape before but…"

He shuddered at the memory and clung tighter to her dress as she soothed him.

"How did you get away?" She asked gently.

Camilo let out a shaky sigh. "Mateo was out shopping. And Gloria got careless. She left the keys to the front door out so… I tricked her into going into the pantry and trapped her inside. Then I just- I just ran. I didn't know where I was so I just started running in any direction. I was so scared I'd run into Mateo."”

“My clever camaleón,” Pepa whispered. She was so proud of him for getting out on his own. Even though he was scared and starving, he still got away from them despite all their precautions.

He still got away long enough for Dolores and Felix to find him.

This time they were fetching him right from the house.

“She hushed him when he choked on a sob.

"My clever hijo," she whispered. "I'm so proud of you mi sol. You were so brave."

Her words eased some of the negative feelings in his heart, thoughts about how he'd just given in to what those people wanted.”

“But he was just surviving,” Isabela protested. “He didn’t give in. There wasn’t another option.”

“We’ll make sure he understands that,” Felix assured her.

“"Cami," his mami spoke like she knew what he was thinking, tilting his head up to look at her. "You did so well. You tried your best to keep yourself safe, to remember who you are. And then you escaped when you had the chance. You came home to us mijo. I'm so proud of you."

He gave her a shaky smile and nuzzled into her hand.

"I knew they weren't mi familia. They could never be my parents. Mi papi and mi mami are the best."”

Pepa and Felix couldn’t help but smile at that and Julieta chuckled. That was a boy who would never be shy about how much he adored his parents. He’d shout it to the world if he needed to. 

“She smiled warmly at him and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"Mi clever camaleón," she praised.

Camilo snuggled closer to her and hummed softly when she started running her fingers through his hair again.

He felt warm and safe again, that basement feeling far away. His papi was looking for the people who took him and his mami was here, keeping him safe and telling him that he did well.”

“You did Cami,” she whispered. “You did so well. Just hold on a little longer. We’ll deal with everything this time.”

Dolores glanced at her before going back to the ruana. She was frustrated that no matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn’t hear past this room. Casita had soundproofed it.

It was annoying even if she understood why Casita did it.

“He was just on the edge of drifting off when the door opened and his mami stiffened.

Camilo was confused and felt a flicker of fear until she spoke.

"Mamá," Camilo had never heard his mami sound so cold to his Abuela.”

Pepa stiffened up next to Felix and everyone in the room tensed.

“He peered out of her arms to see her staring at him in shock while his mami tightened her hold.

Why did his mami sound so angry?”

“I fucking wonder why?” Pepa snarled, looking at Abuela for the first time in a while.

It infuriated her that her mamá looked as composed as ever as she listened to all of this.

Bruno covered his face as he sank into his seat. Julieta pursed her lips, fingers tapping on the armrest as she watched her hermana.

Felix didn’t even bother to calm his wife down. He was still as pissed as she was. Dolores didn’t even look up, gaze locked on the ruana as she weaved strands of orange through the yellow.

Emotions were so high in the room that it was no surprise an explosion was coming.

Chapter Text

 “Pepa,” Abuela started but Pepa held up her hand.

“No,” she said sharply. “As much as I want to shout at you again, it would take time. And I’m not leaving Camilo with these people a second longer. We can continue this later. We will continue this later.”

Her tone was final and even Abuela knew there was no changing Pepa’s mind when it came to her niños.

Agustin tentatively took the book as the tension in the room went up a notch.

“Pepa watched her mamá, lips pursed into a thin line as the woman stared at Camilo in disbelief.

She wasn't ready for this. She needed to stay calm for Camilo, he didn't need her thundering right now.

But she could already feel her cloud forming above her for the first time since she'd held her hijo again.”

Pepa ground her teeth together. Of course her mamá managed to draw a cloud out of her while she was over the moon to have her hijo back.

“It’s, uh, a flashback,” Agustin said nervously.

Pepa could guess what it was about. She honestly wasn’t sure if she could control herself while listening to it again.

“"What did you say?"

Pepa's question was like a crack of thunder in the silent room.

Felix was shaking beside her, beyond furious. He was so angry he was speechless.”

Pepa remembered this all vividly and she couldn’t help but turn furious eyes on her mamá again. Her fury over this hadn’t dimmed at all over the year. And apparently, it hadn’t over two years either.

“"Pepa-"

"No mamá," she snapped and her cloud rumbled. "No. Tell me that again. Tell me that you are banning any mention of mi hijo, your nieto, in this house, this Encanto. Tell me that you want me to forget about Camilo like he means nothing to you!"”

“What?” Isabela asked weakly. 

Dolores had heard the conversation considering the cold shoulder she’d given her Abuela since then. And Julieta and Agustin had been present. But Isabela hadn’t known. They wouldn’t tell her and her hermanas what their Abuela had tried to do.

“Isabela-”

“You tried to pull another ‘we don’t talk about’?!” Isabela demanded, anger suddenly colouring her voice and her vines sprouting thorns. “We already did that once but Cami was just a kid!”

“Isabela-”

“Why do you keep trying to forget members of the family?!” she shouted

Bruno hadn’t looked away from his hands during the entire exchange.

“Why do you keep trying to take members of the family away?!” Isabela demanded. “Isn’t it enough that we already lost them? You keep wanting to erase them completely. You won’t even let us keep our memories!”

Julieta and Agustin tried to calm her down but her glare was firmly fixed on Abuela as she seethed.

“Isa,” Bruno said quietly.

“No!” she shouted again. “She tried to take Cami away like she took you away!” the anger abruptly left and she curled in on herself as she let out a sob.

Agustin was quick to pull her into a hug, soothing his eldest as she cried.

Julieta took the book silently, a sharp look shot at Abuela preventing her from continuing the argument. As Pepa said, they didn’t have time.

Later. They'd save it for later when her sobrino was safely home again.

“"Pepa, your cloud-"

"No!" She shouted. "I know I have a fucking cloud! Because you're telling me that we're supposed to just forget about Camilo!"

"Talking about him upsets you-"

"Of course it fucking upsets me! He's mi hijo! And I lost him! I'm grieving mamá! I'm human! I can't just turn my emotions off like you want me to!"

There were tears streaming down her cheeks now and the rain fell hard outside.”

Felix pulled Pepa closer as her hands shook hard enough she had let go of the ruana. She was still so angry about that confrontation. She didn’t know if she could forgive her mamá for what she tried to do.

“"It's for the best-"

Lightning struck the courtyard and Pepa glared at her mamá in fury.

"It is not better!" She spat. "I'm not like you! I can't just forget mi hijo!"”

Bruno sucked in a sharp breath at that. He’d technically been present for the conversation, not that they knew. But it was as much of a gut punch now as it was then.

Even Isabela looked shocked at the words.

“She heard Julieta gasp but she didn't look away from her angry mamá. It was a low blow but in Pepa's opinion, it was fucking true.

"You might have been able to forget about Bruno. You might have banned your hijo's name. But my heart is shattered, not stone. Don't you dare try and erase Camilo like you did Bruno."

She spun on her heel and stormed out of the room with Felix close behind her.”

There was a long moment of silence as everyone tried to recover from the brutal nature of that flashback.

“I still stand by everything I said,” Pepa said coldly, meeting her mamá’s eyes. “And even if Camilo had- had died. What you wanted to do was wrong. And I would never have let you do it. I shouldn’t have let you do it to Bruno in the first place.”

She looked at her hermano guiltily and he summoned up a smile for her.

“It’s not your fault Pepa. It’s different when it’s about your niño.”

“I still should have disagreed instead of just going along with it.”

He just shook his head though and gestured for Julieta to continue.

“Pepa hadn't spoken to her mamá since then. And definitely never about Camilo. She'd watched her in disapproval when Pepa had her bad days but she didn't comment again. And she didn't try and ban Camilo's name again.

Pepa had hated it when she banned mentions of Bruno. But he'd been an adult when he disappeared.

When he left.

And with how he'd been treated, she couldn't blame him.”

Bruno’s eyes widened in shock and he darted a glance at Pepa. He hadn’t known she felt that way. He’d been convinced that she most definitely did blame him for leaving, regardless of the reasons.

Which really, definitely should not come out during this. Nope, they shouldn't be mentioned at all because there was no reason for them to be. All secrets were perfectly safe.

...

He still had a bad feeling…

“But Camilo was eight when he disappeared. There was no choice in the matter. They'd thought he was dead.

He deserved better than to be erased from memory.”

“No one deserves that,” Isabela whispered.

“So now she stared down the woman who had wanted to forbid any mention of her hijo to limit rainy days. Her hijo who was tucked securely into her arms again by a miracle she would forever be thankful for.

"Camilo," her mamá said weakly and Pepa tightened her hold on him slightly.

Pepa wasn't ready to forgive her for trying to make her forget about her baby boy.”

“I never will be,” Pepa hissed, fury still clear in every line of her body. “That was a step too far over the line.”

Her mamá didn’t say anything and it only pushed Pepa’s anger even higher.

Did she even care?! Did she not have enough love left in her after looking after the Encanto to focus on what she almost did to Camilo?

“Forbidding talk of her hermano was one thing. She had no right to try the same with her hijo.

Camilo looked up at her in concern and she realised that her cloud had grown again and was darker than before.

"Pepa, your cloud-"

Pepa's limited patience snapped.”

“Seriously?!” Pepa snarled. “The fucking cloud?!”

“"Is that seriously your priority right now?!" She hissed, lightning flickering in her cloud. She placed a hand on the back of Camilo's head and tucked him under her chin so he wouldn't have to see the murderous glare she was shooting at her mamá. 

"Pepa, I just wanted to see Camilo," she sighed.

Like Pepa was being completely irrational.”

Felix shot a glare at Abuela this time as he struggled to keep his wife seated again. He’d always hated how Alma made Pepa’s anger seem immature and childish when she was completely in the right to be upset.

But Pepa would never compromise when it came to their niños.

“It made her blood boil.

"Well, you've seen him. You can leave now."

"I need to know what happened."

"Felix can tell you," Pepa's tone was short and clipped. It was only Camilo's weight in her arms that kept her from screaming at her mamá.”

Which had been a fairly common occurrence when Pepa had to be around her too much. But she knew that she would try and bite it back for Camilo’s sake. He always hated it when she was upset or angry. Even as a toddler, he’d stumble over and hang on her dress until she picked him up and he could try and cheer her up.

Rainbows usually replaced the clouds pretty quickly. Even as he grew older.

“The older woman's lips pursed and Pepa met her disapproving stare head on.

Eventually, her mamá sighed and turned to leave the room. The door shut quietly behind her and Pepa let out a shuddering breath as she tried to calm down again.

"Mami?" Camilo sounded so confused that it snapped her out of it. "What's going on?"”

Pepa’s blood turned to ice. How the hell were they supposed to tell him that his Abuela had tried to make everyone forget about him?

“Pepa grimaced and dropped an apologetic kiss into his hair.

"Lo siento Cami. Your Abuela and I are fighting at the moment."

For the last two years to be exact…

Camilo was quiet for a beat.

"Is it cause she didn't want people to talk about me?" He asked in a small voice. "Mateo… he told me she made that a rule…"”

It felt like the air was sucked out of the room.

That bastard.

And suddenly Pepa hated her mamá even more for giving Mateo even more ammunition to use against her hijo.

She frantically ran her hands over her braid as she struggled to catch her breath.

Dolores was staring blankly ahead, lips parted in horror. Felix had gone still as a statue to keep from leaping out of his chair. Bruno had buried his face in his hands, remembering the pain he’d felt when his mamá did it to him.

Julieta looked moments from crying and Agustin didn’t seem to know whether he should be comforting his wife or hija right now.

Isabela extracted herself from his hold and glared at her Abuela with red eyes.

“Are you happy? You made their job easier.”

The fury and disdain in her voice was shocking to hear, but made Pepa vindictively happy.

“I never-”

“You caused this. You gave Mateo something else to hurt Cami with. You did that,” Isabela continued relentlessly. “You shouldn’t be allowed near him when we get him home. You don’t deserve Camilo.”

Pepa was so damn proud of her sobrina that it almost hurt.

“Keep going,” she forced out. 

They couldn’t stop. As much as they’d like a moment to process or cry or scream. Or all of them. They didn’t have time.

“Pepa stopped breathing for a moment, the pain in her heart at his words leaving her frozen.

And then a storm crashed down outside and she coaxed his head up to face her again.

"Cami. Your papá and I would never let her do that. Never. She… she did want to make that rule. But we refused to let her. Okay? I would never let anyone forget about you. I would never forget you. You're mi camaleón, mi sweet hijo and I love you to pieces. Never let anyone tell you otherwise okay?"”

Pepa closed her eyes, swearing to herself to tell him that over and over as many times as he needed to hear it. Her sweet baby. Why him? Camilo was the last person to deserve something like this.

No one deserved this.

“Her heart ached at the tears glimmering in his eyes and she wanted to scream at her mamá and fucking castrate Mateo for telling Camilo about that entire mess.”

“Now there’s an idea,” she muttered and Felix made an agreeing hum.

“But her hijo gave her a shaky smile and nodded at her words.

"I knew he was lying. Cause I've got the best mami and papi."”

That simple statement knocked the breath from her lungs all over again. Oh Camilo… her clever little boy.

“She hugged him tight for that and peppered his face with kisses until he was giggling. By the time she stopped, her cloud had vanished again and the storm had dwindled and disappeared outside as well.”

“Always clears up the weather,” Dolores smiled slightly. 

“He’s my little sunshine,” Pepa murmured.

And what was the sky without sunshine? Dreary, dark and cold. 

The clouds had been dogging her footsteps all year.

“She cuddled him close and sang to him again since he was looking tired again. He would need a lot of rest to recover from what he’d been through. Julieta’s food could heal a lot, but not exhaustion and starvation.”

Julieta felt a pang in her heart at that. She wished her food could heal that. Could heal all the pain Camilo had been through.

But it was limited to physical injuries and even then there were limits.

“When her hijo slipped back into sleep, Pepa just watched him for a moment. She would never be able to understand how someone had been able to hurt him. How they’d looked at her niño and seen a tool more than a person.

But she wouldn’t let it happen again. 

Regardless of what her mamá or the village said, she’d been lucky enough to get her hijo back after thinking he was dead. She wouldn’t let anyone use him again, no matter who it was.”

Pepa’s eyes darkened along with her cloud. She suddenly knew where this was heading. 

“After all of this, she couldn’t imagine that Camilo would want to use his Gift for a while. Considering it seemed to hurt him when he had shifted the two times he’d woken up, she wouldn’t want him to use his Gift until it had recovered from the strain put on it anyway.

The village would just have to deal with it.”

“Over my dead body will he be forced to use his Gift for anyone ever again,” she snarled.

“Hell no,” Felix agreed. “If he doesn’t want to ever use it again, then he doesn’t need to.”

“Seriously mamá, don’t,” Bruno suddenly spoke up and they glanced at her to find she looked about to argue. “Just don’t,” Bruno continued. “We can’t afford to waste time on an argument and that will start one.”

They were all surprised by the sharp note in his voice but then again, Bruno adored his sobrinos.

When it came down to his anxiety and the safety of his sobrino? Bruno could overcome a lot for Camilo.

Chapter Text

Bruno got the book again. Pepa's side was too wound up to read again and Julieta's side was trying to avoid a breakdown.

He didn’t even want to think about his mamá reading. He just knew she'd be perfectly calm and composed, which would rile Pepa up even more.

He understood that his mamá had needed to learn such control.

But she’d never learned to drop it with the family. Personally, he thought that was a major difference between the two Almas. The one in the book was composed when she needed to be. But she wasn't afraid to open up to her family while his mamá put all her energy into keeping up a strong mask for the village.

He opened the book, that had really blown all the family's secrets out of the water, to read.

"Chapter Twelve. Basement."

He hated the way the colour drained from Pepa's face.

"Felix gathered some of his friends and asked around town about the Pérez couple.

Apparently, Mateo was seen in the village semi-regularly but Gloria hadn't been seen since the death of her hijo five years ago.

When he was asked about why he was looking for them, his friends paled at the news, shocked."

Of course they'd be shocked. They'd been some of the most desperate volunteers when they were searching for Camilo. They'd been there when Felix found the ruana. They'd been the ones trying to help the family afterwards.

They'd seen the damage done to Felix's family firsthand.

"They quickly figured out where the couple had been living and hurried to the isolated house in the jungle.

When they arrived, the place was abandoned."

Felix cursed along with, surprisingly, Isabela. Pepa held a storm back by the skin of her teeth.

They got away.

That wouldn't happen here.

"Felix cursed to himself as they started searching the place. It was clear that they'd left in a hurry, grabbing clothes and food before rushing who knew where."

"Probably as soon as they realised Camilo escaped," Isabela murmured.

"But where could they go?" Agustin asked.

Where wouldn't Dolores hear them if she went looking?

"Outside the Encanto," she realised softly. "They left the Encanto to hide."

"The house looked normal, it was hard to imagine anything terrible happening here. Hard to imagine his hijo was kept prisoner here."

Felix took a deep breath. They would have wanted to keep up the illusion of being normal. Of course they tried to keep the house looking normal. That way they could pretend that what they were doing wasn't wrong.

"There were some oddities though.

The windows were all securely shut and the backdoor was locked several times over.

And the place was covered in pictures of the family, all of them including Rico.

Felix's stomach rolled as he studied a photo of 'Rico'. It had to be Camilo since the boy was clearly older than five."

Bile rose in the back of Pepa's throat. She'd never considered that they took photos. Forcing her boy to smile through the pain of the shift so they could decorate with pictures of their dead hijo.

And Camilo had to see those photos every day.

""Hey Felix," Diego called, pulling his attention away from the photo. "I've found something."

Felix moved over to find him standing in front of the door to the basement. His stomach dropped at the sheer amount of locks on the door."

Thunder rumbled and Pepa took a deep breath, nails digging in to her palms. Locking him up like an animal.

"His friends were silent as he opened it and slowly headed down the stairs.

In the basement, he found what was clearly a child's room, done up in purple. There were photos everywhere on the walls of the family, copies of the ones upstairs."

Were they trying to rub it in his face?!

"Was this where his hijo was trapped for the last two years?"

Dolores kept her gaze on her hands, working on the ruana. Was the basement a bedroom they prepared for Camilo? Or was it already there?

"Felix looked around the room, at the prison that had been Camilo's home for the entire time he'd been kidnapped.

Something caught his eye and he kicked the rug on the floor aside."

They both dreaded what they were going to hear and needed to find out desperately.

"Bile rose in his throat at the dark stain on the floor. He moved the rug completely to reveal the old blood stain and Felix almost dropped to his knees."

Bruno had to take a moment to swallow as they all reacted to that. Pepa's thundercloud rapidly turned to one on the edge of raining. Dolores closed her eyes against tears while Felix wanted to beg Casita to let them go again. 

Julieta and Agustin looked sick while Isabela seemed torn between horror and anger.

Even Abuela had reacted at last, expression twisting with horror.

"Looking around he could see more, fainter stains all around the room."

"Dios mio…" Julieta whispered.

"Even down the stairs and on the bedsheets."

Dolores covered her mouth, shaking violently.

""Fuck…" Diego whispered, sounding sick himself.

Feeling more urgency now, Felix started moving the furniture, needing to see if there was anything else hidden from sight.

What he found broke his heart. "

What could he possibly find that was worse than the bloodstains?

"Words had been scratched into the wall behind the bed with something sharp. "

Bruno closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. 

Pepa's hands were shaking.

"The first two were carefully etched into the wall.

Camilo Madrigal"

A pained sound left Pepa as tears pricked her eyes.

No…

Oh Camilo…

"The next ones progressively grew more and more messy and desperate.

I'm Camilo

Camilo

Camilo

Not Rico

Not Rico

Not Rico"

Bruno's voice broke as he read. Pepa let out a quiet sob, covering her face. She fought the breakdown but what could she do against the news that her baby was that terrified of forgetting who he was? He'd scratched his name and the truth into the wall where it wouldn’t be seen, repeating it to himself so that he didn’t get lost in the shift, in the act.

Bruno surprisingly kept reading. His voice was shaking but he was trying to get through the chapter as quickly as possible so that hopefully, they only had one breakdown instead of multiple.

One big one would take less time than many smaller ones.

“Felix had to take a steadying breath as he traced the letters, thinking about how alone and scared his hijo must have been.

He'd been stolen away from everything he knew and had strangers demanding he be someone else.

For two years.”

“One,” Felix croaked. “It’ll be one.”

Still too long. A year too long. Months too long. Days too long.

These people should have never got their hands on him.

““He looked back at the blood stains marking the floor.

And when he made a mistake or defied them, he was hurt.

How many times did those bastards lay a hand on his hijo?

Felix closed his eyes in pain.

How many times did Camilo cry down here?”

How often did it happen while they were going about their lives? How often was he being hurt and they were oblivious to it?

It felt like they’d all failed, like the room being described was a slap in the face with all those failures.

They’d do better. They’d keep him safe.

“A hand rested on his shoulder and Felix looked up to find Diego looking shaken.

"Is he okay?" He asked worriedly, gaze darting between the stains and the marks on the wall.

Felix swallowed hard.

"I don't know," he admitted. "He's scared. And near starved from the constant shifting."”

Felix realised with a jolt that his friends had been just as affected. They’d all loved his niños. And they’d tried so hard to find him, several of them continuing the search even after they found the ruana.

He needed to let them know as soon as Camilo was safe again.

“"Dios mio," his friend whispered. "How could anyone do something like this? Mateo… Mateo went to the fucking funeral."”

Isabela doubled over, arms wrapped around her stomach. They all felt queasy. How could anyone be that cruel? Revelling in the pain he caused both the family and Camilo himself.

“He covered his mouth, looking sick.

Felix took a deep breath and stood up from where he'd been kneeling next to the etching.

He looked around at the room. In theory, it would have everything a child could want.

A bed, toys and clothes.

But Felix knew his hijo.”

“That doesn’t make a niño’s room,” Pepa whispered. 

It took so much more and the love that was poured into it was what made it a home.

“He'd never liked purple and would hate his room being that colour as well as the bed and the clothes. The toys would have bored his boy within minutes. He'd always preferred playing outside with Mirabel. He had one stuffed toy he was attached to and that was about it.”

Dolores twitched slightly at the mention of the toy. She’d always been smug that the one toy Camilo had adored the most was one she gave him.

She hadn’t seen it since her hermano’s room locked up tight.

“There weren't enough blankets in the room either. When he got upset, Camilo liked to hide in a nest of blankets and pillows.”

There were a few weak smiles around the room. They all remembered coming across one of those little nests at some point. They weren’t limited to just his room. Sometimes Dolores would find it on her bed, or Pepa and Felix would find him in their room. The corner of the kitchen, the nursery, there were multiple places he’d dragged blankets and pillows to so he could hide and wait for whoever he wanted comfort from. It hadn’t just been limited to his parents and Dolores. He’d often gone to Bruno, not caring about the sand he got on his blankets. Or Julieta who soothed him when his mami was out.

It hurt to think that his favourite comfort method had been ripped away from him.

“This room had not been created with Camilo in mind.

It had been made for Rico.”

Dolores pursed her lips and tapped her fingers against her leg, finally being noticed by her parents. They frowned a bit at her expression but didn’t ask yet.

“Felix scowled to himself. He would fix that first thing when he got back. They'd surround Camilo with things that he genuinely loved, not things that were forced on him to pretend to like.”

Almost everyone nodded at that. They’d give him all the blankets and pillows and arepas he could want until he felt safe and loved again.

“"We'll keep looking for clues on where they might have gone," Diego offered. "You go spend time with him. It's… it's a miracle he got away," he grimaced, no doubt thinking of all the locks upstairs.

"Gracias," Felix thanked him gratefully before hurrying up the stairs.”

“He’s always been a good friend,” Pepa sighed.

Diego had done a lot for them in the last year, trying to help them grieve while he was grieving himself.

“The rest of the group were all looking ill as they found more things. There was a bottle of chloroform out on the table along with a large first aid kit.”

Julieta’s eyes narrowed. Chloroform? Was that how they got Camilo in the first place?

“Felix stopped dead when he saw someone pull a whip out of a cupboard.”

It felt like the air rushed out of the room and they couldn’t breathe for a moment. A whip?!

Pepa’s cloud rumbled, turning darker again.

“I’m going to kill them,” she snarled, eyes flashing. “I’m going to fucking kill them.”

It was telling that no one scolded her.

“This time he wasn't able to stop it and he threw up outside the house in the bushes.

He needed to see his hijo.

Felix practically ran back to Casita, haunted by what he'd seen.”

Felix rubbed his face. He was scared to see that basement room in reality, but at the same time he was grateful for the warning. He wouldn’t get distracted when they went to save Camilo.

“Before heading up to his room though, he gathered as many blankets as he could find.”

A smile quirked Pepa’s lips at that. Felix was always looking out for their niños.

“He hesitated at his door again. There was one other thing he wanted to get.

He set the blankets down next to the door and walked over to Camilo's still-dull door.”

Everyone perked up now, leaning forward with bated breath. They’d wondered for ages why the door was locked while Bruno’s wasn’t.

“"Casita, please let me in," he whispered. "I need to get something for him."

There was a beat of silence before the lock clicked for the first time in two years.

He took a deep breath before pulling the door open.”

Dolores bit her lip, staring at Bruno anxiously as he read. It hurt to see that dark door every day. She wanted to see it glow with life again.

“He'd always wondered why Casita had locked the door. Bruno's door was dark but it was still open and anyone could go inside.

But Camilo's door had locked tight.

Now he was getting that answer.”

Pepa reached out to grip Felix’s hand, bracing herself. It couldn’t be good.

“He remembered how vibrant Camilo's room had always been, ever-changing according to his mood.

According to how he was feeling.”

Agustin inhaled sharply as they started to get an idea of where this was going.

“The walls were a dark blue now and the room was icy cold. Frost covered all the furniture and the mirrors had multiplied since he last saw them, most of them cracked.

Felix didn't know what that meant about Camilo’s state of mind but he could bet that it wasn't good.”

Pepa was shaking at the description. Camilo’s room had always been so bright and alive. Those people had snuffed out so much of the light in her baby. Turned his room cold and dark with cracked mirrors reflecting his struggle to maintain his own identity.

Mateo and Gloria were dead. They just didn’t know it yet.

“He shivered and quickly grabbed what he came for. The door swung shut behind him and quietly locked again.

Felix rested a hand on the wood for a moment before heading back to his room.

Pepa looked up when he entered and her eyes widened when she saw what he was carrying.”

Felix could guess what it was. What he thought Camilo might want to help gain more comfort. He hoped it worked, that it helped his hijo.

“"Casita let me into his room to fetch it," he explained quietly since Camilo was asleep again.

He set the chameleon plushie on the bed and wiped the frost off it as best he could.

"I thought he'd like something familiar."”

A shaky smile curled Dolores’ lips as she glanced at her papá. She hoped the toy helped her hermano feel even a little bit safer.

“Pepa teared up at the sight of the toy. It had been a gift from Dolores on Camilo's sixth birthday and he'd adored it. He'd slept with it every night before…

"I found the house," Felix told her, sitting heavily on the bed. "Those bastards made a run for it."

Pepa hissed in fury at the thought of them getting away but she kept her cloud from thundering through sheer willpower.

"I spread the word so if anyone sees them, they'll get caught," he assured.

Diego and the others would continue with passing on the news. By morning, the entire town should know.”

They wouldn’t need to do that this time. Because they weren’t going to let those bastards get away. The town would only hear the news of Camilo being alive after his rescue. They wouldn’t need to go searching for the monsters that did it.

It would only be good news that they’d spread.

“"Pepa I-" his voice broke and he stared down at his hands. "I can't understand how anyone could do that to him."

Pepa pulled Camilo closer to herself and their hijo just cuddled even closer in his sleep.

"Tell me," she ordered, a slight shake in her voice.

So he did.

And it poured with rain again.”

Pepa was near certain it was pouring with rain outside already. She might be flooding the town even.

She couldn’t help it though. This book was breaking her heart more and more. But she understood why now.

They were going to know exactly how to help Camilo now. They were going to know what he needed and what happened without him having to struggle with telling them anything. Those monsters were going to be caught and that photo of a teenage Camilo with Mateo would never happen.

“Give,” she ordered, holding out her hand to her hermano.

He wisely didn’t argue as he handed over the book.

“Chapter Thirteen. Nightmares.”

Pepa took a deep breath before taking the plunge.

Chapter Text

"Camilo kept scrubbing no matter how much his back burned and his arms shook."

Pepa's voice broke and she just knew that this chapter might break her.

She couldn't let that happen though. Not until Camilo was safely home. 

She could not break down yet. 

Later.

Gloria got upset if she saw blood in Rico's room so Mateo made him clean it up if he made a mess during his punishments."

She could practically hear Felix grinding his teeth next to her.

If he made a mess?! Bleeding from what that bastard did to him?!

Thunder rolled again.

"He'd messed up big this time.

Gloria had been going on and on about something that happened when Rico was small and Camilo had no clue what she was talking about."

Of course he didn't! Isabela's nails dug into her palms.

He wasn't Rico!

How could he possibly know about the boy's life? How could they expect the impossible from him?

How could they do this to an eight-year-old?

"When he didn't react the way she expected, she started getting angry and shouted at him, demanding to know why he didn't remember such an important event."

The cloud darkened above Pepa as she read, her fury visible for everyone to see. Even Julieta and Bruno hadn't seen her this angry before.

"Camilo was feeling exhausted and hungry and he was still scared out of his mind, so he'd snapped.

He'd snapped and shouted that he wasn't Rico, he'd never be Rico.

He was Camilo.

He was Camilo! 

Why couldn't they let him be Camilo?"

Her voice broke again and she closed her eyes for a moment before she continued reading.

"He'd dropped the shift in the middle of his breakdown, almost sobbing with relief as the strain on his body eased."

That couldn't have gone over well and everyone listened with dread.

"And then she'd been on him, hands wrapped around his throat and squeezing."

Pepa's voice was growing frantic as she read. She knew he survived but in this moment she feared for her hijo's life.

"He'd frantically grabbed at her hands but she hadn't let go, screaming in his face that he couldn't take Rico from her.

Just before he passed out from lack of air, Mateo hauled her off of him and dragged her into their bedroom."

They couldn't even feel relief over Camilo being saved since they just knew Mateo was going to only hurt him more for upsetting Gloria.

"When he came back, Camilo was still trying to get his breath back. The man’s expression had been grim.

And the whip had been in his hand."

The scene was horrific to imagine. Camilo staring up at the man in fear after being strangled to near-unconsciousness.

"Camilo didn't remember much after that. He knew he'd begged. He was terrified of the whip. It was worse than the belt.

But Mateo hadn't listened, dragging him down into the basement and just lashing at his back, over and over again until Camilo was lying in a pool of blood."

Pepa's hands were shaking so hard she could barely read but she shook her head when Felix offered to take it.

They all startled when Isabela frantically reached for a convenient trash can and threw up. Dolores didn't seem far behind honestly, her complexion pale.

"He'd left then, for a few hours, before coming back and cleaning and dressing his wounds. Camilo had been silent the entire time."

"He left him like that for hours?" Julieta asked shakily.

The chance of infection or complication was so dangerously high. Why leave Camilo in even more pain?

""Now clean up this mess Rico," he'd ordered before slamming the door."

Agustin dropped his head into his hands. The more they heard, the more they realised how sick these two people were.

How were they only discovering it now? They'd lived in the Encanto from the start…

"So Camilo did. Scrubbing at the blood stains on the floor and hoping that Gloria wouldn't notice them."

There was something uniquely horrifying at the idea of a child having to clean up their own blood like that.

"His arms were shaking. His back burned and his neck ached.

He wanted his parents so badly. He wanted his papi. He wanted his mami."

"We're coming soon Cami," Felix promised quietly, hand on Pepa's back as her voice wavered again.

"He wished he never got this Gift."

Abuela gasped at that. No one had ever wished to be rid of their Gift before.

At least as far as she knew… she glanced at Bruno who still wasn't looking at her, understanding in his eyes as he listened.

But wishing didn't do anything. So he kept scrubbing.

But the blood wouldn't go away. Was the stain growing?"

Everyone frowned a little before realising. The chapter was called 'Nightmares'. Possibly a mix of memories and nightmares?

"No no no. He needed to clean it. If he didn't clean it then they'd be mad and he'd be punished again."

The sheer desperation in the words just plain hurt to hear. A child should never be that terrified.

"He didn't want to hurt anymore. He needed to clean-

The door slammed open and before he could even register it, Gloria was there, choking him again and demanding he give Rico back."

It must be a memory exaggerated in the nightmare.

That didn't make it hurt any less.

Even sleep wasn't an escape for him. The trauma just followed him.

"His back burned.

He couldn't breathe.

Please stop please stop.

He reached for his magic in a panic and-"

Bruno's eyes widened. Using their magic when panicked rarely ended well. 

"Camilo woke to the pain of a rushed shift tearing through his body."

"What?" Dolores whispered.

Bruno sighed. "If the magic's rushed, it can backfire sometimes."

Pepa bit her lip. She knew how that felt, having felt her own lightning a few times.

"He choked on a scream as his magic backfired, too unfocused to do a proper shift.

His ears were ringing and his eyes burned while his skin felt too tight and itchy.

No no no. He needed to get the shift right because if he didn't they'd be mad and he'd get punished again and-

"Cami!""

There was a sigh of relief as someone interrupted his frantic thoughts. The guilt and worry was only growing in their hearts.

"The voice cut through his panic and he blinked rapidly as his head was tilted up gently by two hands. Everything was blurry, his shift had messed up his eyesight pretty badly. It was the first thing to go weird during a screwed-up shift he'd found."

"His eyesight?" Isabela asked in horror.

It must be even more terrifying to lose that, no matter if it was temporary.

"But he could recognise the blur of red hair and that wasn't Gloria's voice. He could recognise his mami's voice anywhere."

A strained smile pulled at Pepa's lips. Her sweet boy…

"He was still shivering from fear though, the memory turned nightmare too fresh in his mind. He couldn't make himself let go of the shift even though it was unfocused and wrong and it hurt-"

They'd have to be prepared for this. If he already knew so much about it, then it was something he'd gone through before. If it happened again they'd need to be able to help.

""Mijo," his mami spoke so gently it made him want to cry. "Mi camaleón, I need you to let go of the shift. It’s okay, you're safe. Mamá and papá won't let anyone hurt you."

"Never again," Felix breathed.

It felt like they were repeating themselves by now, but he hoped that if they kept saying it then it would be true.

"His papi gently placed a hand on his back and started rubbing it, helping get rid of the phantom echoes of pain from the whipping.

"Por favor mijo," she pleaded. "We can see it's hurting you. I want to see your curly brown hair and those pretty hazel-green eyes. And the freckles right over here," she traced a finger over his cheeks and nose and it helped ground him for a moment."

Oh she missed those eyes, glinting mischievously half the time. The freckles she poked and counted while he giggled and swatted at her hand.

She missed him so badly.

""You're not Rico, you're our hijo, our Camilo," his papi added.

With a shaky breath, Camilo released the shift and collapsed when the strain vanished from his body.

His mami pulled him close and cuddled him, whispering soothingly to him.

"Are you okay mijo?" His papi asked in concern.

"Shift wasn't focused," he mumbled. "It-it backfired and it hurts when that happens.""

That was a bit of an understatement. It sounded like he'd been in agony.

"He felt his mami running her fingers through his hair and tilted his head into the touch.

The ringing in his ears was fading and his skin only felt vaguely itchy now.

But his eyesight was still all blurry.

"I can't see," he admitted.

"What?" His papi asked in alarm."

Felix could just imagine his alarm and panic at hearing that without context after seeing Camilo in such a state.

"Camilo rubbed at his burning eyes until one of his parents gently pulled his hands away to look at them.

"When I shift wrong, it makes my eyes go weird. They burn and I can't see for a few hours. Everything's blurry.""

Everyone was a bit upset to hear how long it took for his eyesight to return to normal. Hadn't he suffered enough already?

"He knew it was his mami in front of him from the colour of her hair but he couldn't even make out her eyes.

It made him upset. He'd missed them for so long and now he couldn't see them…"

Pepa closed her eyes briefly again. He so badly wanted comfort. Just comfort and to feel safe. Just to see them so that he knew he was safe...

""Okay," his papi said soothingly while his mami was fussing over him. "We just wait it out?"

Camilo nodded miserably. "Nothing except time fixed it."

"Like Bruno's migraines," his mami whispered.

Camilo jolted a little. He never heard his mami talk about Tio Bruno."

Everyone, including Bruno, looked to Pepa in surprise but she kept her gaze on the pages and kept reading. 

"He was pulled out of his thoughts when his papi spoke again.

"Well, we'll be right here until you're feeling better, okay Cami?"

Camilo gave a small smile to his papi.

"Until then, I've got a surprise for you."

The ten-year-old cocked his head curiously. A surprise?"

Isabela smiled slightly as she guessed what it was. She hoped it made him feel better.

"Something soft was pressed into his hands and Camilo frowned a little as he ran his hands over it. When he realised what it was, he let out a quiet gasp.

"Lola!" He whispered, hugging the plush chameleon to his chest. "It's Lola!""

Dolores squeaked quietly before smiling a little at his clearly happy reaction. She was so glad it cheered him up.

"Dolores had never liked nicknames for herself, so he'd named his plush toy after her instead."

Her cheeks heated up at that. It was something that had surprised her but also melted her heart when he told her the toy's name.

""Sí," his papi said and Camilo could hear the smile in his voice. "And a pile of blankets that you and Lola can make into a blanket fort when you're feeling a little better.""

They were all taking mental notes and trying to remember where the spare blankets in Casita were.

They'd get new ones if they had to.

"He gently took Camilo's hand and moved it to a pile of blankets. Camilo hummed happily at how soft they felt, pulling one closer and burying his face in the material.

"Gracias papi," he whispered.

"Anytime Cami," his papi leaned down and pressed a kiss into his hair. "Anything for you.""

Quite literally anything. At this point, the family would do anything and everything it took to make Camilo smile again.

"Camilo smiled happily to himself. These were his parents. The people who could calm him down no matter what and made him feel safe.

No one could ever replace them."

The words left tears sparkling in Pepa's eyes and a soft smile curling her lips.

No matter what happened, he would always be her hijo. Her pequeño camaleón. 

No one would ever change that.

Chapter Text

Felix took the book from his wife gently and started reading the next chapter. As much as they all wanted a breather, it wasn't possible with Camilo's safety hanging in the balance.

"Chapter Fourteen. A New Day."

They all hoped it would be a better chapter.

"By the time morning came around, Camilo's eyes had returned to normal and he'd managed to get some more sleep than before."

There were some sighs of relief that his eyesight returned without any further problems. 

They had to wonder if that had already happened to Camilo or was something that would happen in the second year.

“This time, when they gently coaxed him awake, he didn't panic and immediately shift.

Pepa took that as a good sign, showering her hijo in love and affection, and making him laugh.”

Pepa bit her lip hard enough that it bled. She wanted to have him in her arms so badly that it hurt. She’d give anything to have him home and safe.

She just had to trust that Casita knew what she was doing. It looked like they were almost halfway through the book at least.

“The sound was like music to her ears and if it wasn't so important to get Camilo eating regularly again, she'd cuddle with him all day in the blanket fort Felix had helped him build the night before.”

Pained smiles flitted across the family’s faces. They’d build him a thousand forts if it would help.

“Seeing him cuddled up in a nest of blankets and pillows with Lola secure in his arms had been enough to bring tears to her eyes.

She still could hardly believe that her baby was home. She'd been so afraid to go to sleep. What if she did and woke up only to find out that it had all been a dream?

That would break her.”

Pepa’s breathing hitched. While this was a horrifying experience, if it turned out to be some messed-up dream, it would break her.

As much as it hurt, this had to be real.

Camilo had to be alive.

“Eventually, Felix had convinced her to join him and Camilo in the fort and waking up to find her hijo's peaceful sleeping face right there helped calm her initial panic.

"How are you feeling mijo?" She asked as they got ready for the day. "Are your eyes better?"

He nodded before briefly disappearing under his ruana as he tugged it over his head. He'd changed clothes again, keeping to the familiar colours of yellow and brown.”

Both Pepa and Dolores looked down at the ruana they were working on. They’d made a surprising amount of progress. But they’d also had a lot of incentive so… maybe not so surprising.

“He looked better at least. Less like he was about to collapse if the wind blew wrong.

His ruana hid most of how thin he was except for his face and he held his chameleon plush close to his chest.”

They were definitely getting that toy. It didn’t matter how. They were getting it out of Camilo’s room for him.

“That had been a brilliant move on Felix’s part. The toy meant a lot to Camilo and he hadn't had it for two years. The comfort it brought him was worth learning about the state of her baby's room.

She hoped they could fix that soon.”

Pepa shuddered as she remember the description of Camilo’s room. Was it already as bad as that? Or did it deteriorate more over two years?

“"Are you ready?" Felix asked gently. "You don't have to go if you don't want to. We can have breakfast up here and Dolores will join us in a heartbeat."

Camilo shook his head though. "I want to eat with mi familia," he mumbled into the top of the plush's head.”

The rest of the family smiled softly at that. They’d understand if he’d chosen to hide in his parents’ room but it warmed them to know that he wanted to be around all of them.

“Pepa smiled gently at him and walked over to wrap her arm around his shoulders.

"And they will be thrilled to see you there," she reassured.”

“We will,” Isabela whispered. 

The empty seat at dinner had hurt to see all year. Casita had kept pulling the chair up no matter what they said.

Now they knew why. Had she been trying to tell them the truth?

“He leaned into her side and smiled up at her. His smiles were still a little dim but they were more frequent at least.

Felix moved to stand on Camilo's other side and ruffled his hair.

"Let's get some breakfast hmm?" He suggested.

They walked out of the room together and Pepa felt like she was walking on air.

Casita flipped her tiles at their feet and Camilo smiled a little.

"Hola Casita. I missed you," he murmured.”

Casita rippled her tiles and they knew she missed him as well. Maybe that was why she kept pushing them to read? So that they’d get out as soon as possible?

“Their house shuffled her roof tiles happily and Pepa knew without a doubt that if anyone tried to touch Camilo right now, Casita would physically throw them out a second-story window.”

The solid thump of several more tiles told them that their house would gladly follow through on that threat.

She’d never let anyone touch Camilo when he was home.

“As they moved towards the stairs which Casita helpfully shifted towards them,  Camilo stumbled to a stop.

They looked down at him in concern before following his shocked gaze.

Pepa swallowed hard as she looked at the dark door.”

“Oh,” Pepa whispered. 

It must be so disconcerting to see his own door dark like that. It disturbed all of them to see both Camilo’s and Bruno’s dark doors. What was it like to see that happen to your own?

She couldn’t imagine it.

“"It went dark right after you went missing," Felix told him quietly. "Locked up too. Casita only opened it last night so that I could get Lola."

Camilo looked shaken by the sight so Pepa nudged him.

"Just gives me an excuse to cuddle with you more," she told him in a whisper and was relieved when he smiled a bit in response.

He glanced at the door one more time before they headed down the stairs.

“Why won’t it glow again?” Isabela asked in frustration.

“We’ll probably find out as we go,” Dolores sighed, gaze on the ruana.

They could tell that she wanted the answer too. They all did.

Everyone glanced at Bruno, but he wouldn’t look at them. No one wanted to push right now though.

Bruno was just upset that Camilo had to experience the dread he had when his own door turned dark.

“The kitchen was noisy as usual, already bustling with activity.

Camilo leaned a little further into Pepa's side as they got closer but he didn't hesitate so they walked in.

Dolores was immediately there, smiling at the sight of the chameleon toy before she tugged Camilo into a hug. He returned it happily while Julieta came over with Antonio.

"Gracias," Pepa told her hermana gratefully as she accepted her youngest.”

Pepa absently touched her stomach again. It was going to take a while for that whole thing to really sink in.

It would be a nice surprise for Camilo when they got him back though. From his reaction in the book, he’d be excited at the news.

“When she looked back at her niños, she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Camilo was already craning his head to try and see his hermanito.

He was too adorable.”

That drew genuine smiles from them all and it reminded Felix of Dolores when Camilo was first born. She’d been so curious, always trying to get a look at her hermanito.

“Felix shooed them all to the table where Camilo sat next to Pepa with Dolores on his other side.

Felix sat next to their hija and Pepa couldn't blame him for wanting to keep their niños between them.

It would likely be a long time before she felt comfortable letting him out of her sight. Even though she knew that wasn’t possible.

It terrified her to think about being far from him after she eventually got him back though.

“Camilo was still trying to peer at Antonio so Pepa shifted a bit to let him get a better look.

She was doing her best to ignore her mamá for the moment. She didn't want to lose her temper again.”

Pepa pursed her lips. Her mamá had stayed silent for the most part which had helped. She wondered what she thought about everything though. Whether she felt guilty for what she tried to do.

She honestly didn’t know and kept her eyes away in case she saw something she didn’t like.

But she had to feel something right? Camilo was her nieto.

She had to feel something…

“Isabela, Luisa and Mirabel greeted Camilo with beaming smiles that he did his best to return before focusing on Antonio again.

"Morning Antonio," he whispered to the curious baby.

Antonio waved his arms at Camilo with a wide grin. It was enough to draw a proper smile from Camilo again.”

“Something tells me we’re going to struggle to get Cami to leave the nursery in a year,” Felix chuckled.

Pepa’s lips twitched. It definitely looked like it.

It almost took her breath away when she realised that they were already thinking about things a year from now, including Camilo in the future again.

“Julieta quickly got everyone seated and eating and Pepa didn't miss how she'd prepared Camilo's favourite breakfast.”

Pepa shot her kind hermana a grateful smile. She was always trying to help in away way she could.

“Her hijo was quick to tuck into the food and Pepa couldn't be happier.

Her family was together and eating at the same table again.”

Pepa’s heart panged at that as she glanced at Bruno who was looking at the ground.

They weren’t all together. They were still missing a piece of the puzzle.

If there was one other positive to all this, at least she’d seen her hermano again. Hopefully, they could convince him to come home from wherever he’d been.

For the first time, she wondered how Casita had even got a hold of him, frowning to herself in confusion.

“A quiet part of her mind pointed out that Bruno wasn't there so it wasn't the whole family.

She didn't want to ruin Camilo's first family breakfast back though, so she pushed that thought aside.

"Everyone's back together," Dolores murmured.”

Dolores’ eyes widened as her hands stilled in their work on the ruana.

“Oh no,” she breathed, getting a few strange looks.

“Dolores?” Felix asked and they were confused and alarmed at the way she wilted under their looks.

“Pepa glanced at her to find her staring intensely at the family tree. A little odd but it had been a hectic time lately. Dolores was still just sixteen so it was understandable if she acted a little oddly after all of that.”

Bruno inhaled sharply as he picked up where this was going, paling drastically. Pepa was going to kill him.

“"Sí," she murmured, heart heavy in her chest as she thought of Bruno.

She couldn't help but wonder if he would have seen the danger coming if he'd stayed.

She couldn't help but wonder if they would have blamed him for any vision he did have.

She'd never know.

And it was her own fault.”

Pepa looked at her hermano in guilt and was confused to see him looking panicked. What was going on with her hermano and hija?

Dolores squeaked again. “Lo siento,” she said weakly. “He asked me not to tell.”

“Behind the kitchen wall, a man in a tattered ruana covered his mouth to muffle his relieved sobs at the sight of his sobrino.

Alive.

Camilo was alive.”

There was a long beat of silence as they all processed that and Bruno felt like a trapped animal. Casita definitely wasn’t letting him out of the room after all.

“Bruno Madrigal!” he flinched at Pepa’s outburst. “You were in the fucking walls?!”

This was how he died.

Chapter Text

“Pepa!”

“Get your ass here you stupid, idiotic rat man!”

“It’s really not that bad-”

“Bruno Madrigal, you stay in that seat if you don’t want me to smack you.”

“Juli?!”

“I’m going to kill you and then I’ll bring you back to kill you again!”

“Pepi, mii amor, none of us have the power over life and death. You can’t kill him.”

“I can get damn close!”

It was chaos in the room, Dolores hiding behind Felix who was trying his best to calm his wife down. Agustin was quite literally holding Julieta back while Alma stared at her hijo in stunned horror.

In the walls? He’d lived in the walls for four years?

Why? What made him go that far?

…how often had he heard her demand that no one talk about him?

She covered her mouth and looked away as Pepa reached Bruno.

She grabbed him by the ruana and dragged him half out of the chair. The wind was whipping around the room and it looked like Bruno might actually get struck by lightning before Isabela threw out her hand and dragged the triplets away from each other, vines firmly holding them back.

“Isabela!” Julieta yelled.

“You can’t kill Tio!” she yelped. “We just got him back!”

“Why’d he leave in the first place?!” Pepa demanded. “Why’d he sit in the walls and watch us grieve for him, doing nothing?! I lost mi hermano and then mi hijo and he was there the whole time!”

She sounded on the edge of tears and the weather in the room wavered between fury and despair.

“Pepa…” Bruno whispered. “I didn’t- I couldn’t come back.”

“Why not?!” she demanded.

He squeezed his eyes shut. “I just couldn’t! I hated seeing you all hurt but I couldn’t come back!”

“Why not?!” Julieta asked, voice angry and agonised as she fought against the vines as hard as her hermana.

“Because I had a vision and mamá couldn’t find out about it!” his voice broke and he buried his head in his hands.

“What do you mean?” Julieta asked as Pepa faltered.

Alma frowned as well. What could he mean? Why would he keep a vision from her?

The room was quiet for a beat and Isabela hesitantly retracted her vines since Pepa and Julieta didn’t seem like they were trying to strangle their hermano anymore.

“What do you mean?” Julieta repeated, moving closer while Pepa stayed back.

She had a bad history when it came to Bruno’s visions. Her reactions had been too much in hindsight and she doubted he’d be willing to answer if it was her.

She’d made too many mistakes…

Julieta knelt down in front of her hermano who was still hunched in on himself, hiding his face.

“Brunito?” she asked gently. “What do you mean?”

“No one can know,” he said frantically. “Always been bad luck but I can’t let this one- this one was too much. It can do so much damage.”

“Bruno,” she rested a hand on his knee and her heart ached when he flinched. 

“We need to get through the book,” he said weakly. “We don’t have time for this.”

Pepa felt her anxiety crash back down as she looked towards the book again. They needed to finish reading it so they could go save Camilo.

But this was about why Bruno had left. Why he’d gone into the walls to avoid talking about a prophecy.

She was torn and she didn’t know what to do.

“Why’d you go into the walls?” Julieta asked when it became clear that Bruno wouldn’t say a word about the vision.

He was quiet for a moment before speaking. “I couldn’t stay but I didn’t want to… leave. I didn’t want to never see you again.”

Pepa’s heart broke again. It had happened far too many times since entering this room.

“Okay,” Julieta’s voice shook. “We won’t push. You know what to do about your visions better than we do. Just.. just promise me Bruno. When this is over, don’t go back into hiding. Stay with us. Por favor. You can forget that vision ever happened. We won’t ask. Just… stay.”

He looked up at them and they could all see how her pleas pained him. 

“I- Juli, if anyone found out about the vision… it could break our family.”

Alma gasped at that but Pepa finally moved forward.

“Bruno,” she said, voice soft. “Our family broke when you left. We need you home. I don’t care about some vision. I’ve made mistakes when it comes to them many times in the past, but they were never more important to me than you.”

She knelt next to Julieta, taking his hands in hers.

“Por favor, stay. We need you. And the niños need you. Don’t let some vision take you away from us.”

She quirked a smile as she stared at wide, watery green eyes.

“It would make Camilo’s day to come home to his favourite Tio waiting for him.”

Bruno bit his lip.

“If anyone tries to make you tell them about the vision, I’ll deal with them,” she added, knowing who he was most worried about.

Her theory was confirmed when Bruno’s gaze darted over her shoulder and back. She refused to lose Bruno after getting him back though. She had her hermano home and her hijo would be home soon.

She couldn’t lose him again.

She squeezed his hands and maintained eye contact, relief filling her when he squeezed back and gave a small nod.

“Okay…” he whispered.

They both pulled him off his chair and into a hug on the floor.

Pepa swore to be a better hermana, to remember that Bruno needed her support as well. She’d do better this time.

Bruno buried his face in Julieta’s shoulder while Pepa hummed softly. They were wasting time, they needed to finish the book so they could get Camilo. They shouldn't be focused on him.

He felt so guilty for the relief he was feeling at their words and promise. He wasn’t the important one here. His Curse of a Gift and that damn prophecy weren’t even relevant until Mirabel was older.

As long as mamá never found out about it… as long as they could make sure that never happened… maybe he could stay.

He’d missed them all so much… watching his sobrinos grow up through cracks in the wall had been torture. 

Hearing Camilo and Mirabel cry for him in the beginning had broken his heart completely.

He wanted nothing more than to come home…

He took a deep breath.

"If it's revealed in this book," he whispered. "If you find out... please don't let it change anything... don't let it hurt anyone."

"I promise," Pepa swore. "I won't let our family fracture over a vision again. Never again."

He let out a shuddering breath. He desperately wanted to believe her.

He wanted to stop letting that vision destroy his life.

Chapter Text

Unsurprisingly, the triplets ended up on a couch together. Both Julieta and Pepa wouldn’t let go of Bruno as Dolores started reading.

“Chapter Fifteen. Sibling Bonding.” 

The title made her smile a little. 

“Camilo was sprawled over Dolores’ lap as they sat talking in her room. Their parents were out dealing with the search for the Pérez couple and informing the village about what had happened. They didn’t want to overwhelm Camilo who had no interest in leaving Casita yet, so after breakfast, Dolores had swept him off to her room for some sibling bonding. She’d missed her hermano so she was eager to spend some time with him. And he didn’t seem upset at the idea, cuddling close and looking around her room in interest, no doubt looking at the subtle differences.”

Dolores’ heart ached. She wished they could just speed through this, could already be at the point that they could go and save Camilo. She wanted to see his smile and hold him close again. She missed the time they’d just spend hours together when their family was busy. He was such a cuddle bug he usually squirmed his way into her arms within ten minutes.

“Dolores started brushing through his hair carefully with a hairbrush. It had been something they did when they both wanted some quiet time, away from the craziness of the family.

Camilo let out a happy hum and leaned up into the contact like a cat. Dolores smiled down at him. He looked so much better than the terrified little boy she’d found in the jungle.

He was relaxed and happily cuddled into the ruana their mamá had made. He hadn’t panicked when separated from their parents, which only made her heart warm since that meant he trusted her.

She would make sure that trust wasn’t misplaced and that he felt safe until everyone was back.”

Her papá tugged her into his side and she knew he wanted to tell her that Camilo would always trust her. But she still carried that fear that he would blame her for not hearing it in the beginning. If she’d been listening, it wouldn’t have happened.

““Hey Dolores?” he spoke up quietly, fiddling with his plushie.

She hummed to show she was listening.

“Did I… miss a lot?” he asked carefully. “When I was… gone?””

Isabela bit her lip. It must be jarring to come back after two years. It wouldn’t seem like much changed to them but he would notice. Whether it was just a picture or new decorations, it would be weird for him.

“Her hand stilled for a moment before she continued brushing.

“Well, we missed you. Obviously,” she said. She wouldn’t deny her hermanito news of what happened while he’d been kidnapped.

Even if those were dark days in the family.

“Mamá had a big fight with Abuela and it thunderstormed for days. They’re still not really talking.””

Pepa shot a glare at her mamá who was still infuriatingly hard to read.

Bruno just thought their mamá was probably still in shock over everything. Both over him appearing and it turning out he was in the walls this whole time, and about Camilo being alive and held captive by the villagers she was always putting first.

He hoped it would be a wake-up call for her to put the family first…

“Dolores wasn't really talking to their Abuela either. She'd never been angrier over anything she'd heard than she had that day.

Trying to forbid them from talking about her hermano?

She was glad that her mamá had refused to accept that nonsense as well.”

Dolores’ grip tightened on the book but she kept reading, voice steady and calm. Now wasn’t the time to get upset again.

“"Isabela's getting better at her Gift every day. She can make so many more flowers at once now. Luisa's named all the donkeys and she talks to them when she fetches them a lot."

Some of those one-sided conversations had been heartbreaking as Luisa blamed herself for not being there to protect Camilo. Despite them not even knowing when it happened.”

Julieta’s eyes widened while Isabela jolted in her seat. 

“Luisa’s blaming herself?!” they demanded, Agustin looking devastated at the revelation.

Dolores shifted uncomfortably. “I tried talking to her, but she wouldn’t listen. She keeps insisting that she’s fine.

Julieta ran her hand down her face. She needed to talk with her hija after this.

“Dolores smoothed a hand down Camilo's back to remind herself that he was here, alive and breathing and safe.

"Mirabel is getting better at her sewing. She's making a dress for herself now. There's so much detail on it. You should see it later."”

So she kept up with that hobby? It was nice to know she was sticking with it. For a long time after Camilo disappeared, Mirabel hadn’t really been doing much of anything.

“She smiled softly to herself, thinking of the little chameleon nestled among the other images that represented the family on Mirabel's new dress.”

Pepa closed her eyes against the tears. Her sobrina was such a sweet girl. 

“Camilo would like it.

"Tia Julieta and Tio Agustin had to explain a lot to people that they're not having another kid. Antonio gave the village Madrigal baby fever."”

“Oh no,” Julieta groaned. She hadn’t thought about that. She and Agustin were happy with their hijas and weren’t interested in having another baby. But the village went wild with every pregnancy announcement.

Of course they were going to hope she would have another.

“Dolores still couldn't believe why everyone was so confused. Her mamá and Tia didn't have to do everything together.

"Tell me about him?" Camilo asked shyly.

Dolores smiled slightly. He was clearly fascinated by his hermano.”

That reminder made them all smile. They looked forward to Camilo’s reaction to learning about his future hermano. He’d get to know Antonio from the moment he was born this time.

“"Well, he was a surprise," Dolores told him. "Mamá and papá were shocked when they found out."”

“That’s an understatement,” Pepa muttered.

“"Really?" He asked in surprise.

Dolores hummed. "Sí. They weren't trying for another baby. But Antonio happened and he's just the sweetest little thing. He made mamá smile again."

"I'm glad," Camilo murmured. "I could hear the rain when I was upstairs. I didn't like it when mami was sad."”

Both Julieta and Bruno reached to grab Pepa’s hands as she bit her lip and closed her eyes. The clouds hiding the ceiling told them just how much that had affected her.

The image of Camilo listening to the rain while those people forced him to be someone else, and wishing that she would feel better… He deserved better than he got.

“Dolores' heart just melted. Again, she wondered how anyone could hurt her hermano. He was such a sweet kid who just wanted to make people smile.

"Hey Dolores?" Camilo spoke again. "Do you think Tio Bruno’s okay?"”

Bruno jolted at the mention of his name and he stared at the book in bewilderment. That came out of nowhere.

“Her attention snapped down to him in surprise to find him peering up at her nervously.

"I know we're not supposed to talk about him, but I sometimes had a lot of time to think. And I started to wonder… what if someone took Tio like they did me?"”

That knocked the breath out of Bruno’s lungs. Camilo was worried about him?! After everything that happened…

In a way, he could understand since he’d also just disappeared. He felt guilty that Camilo had sat there and worried over him while in that terrible situation. 

“Her heart clenched at the worry in his voice.

"Cami," she nudged him until he rolled over and looked up at her properly. "First off,  no matter the rules, you can talk to about me anything. Even Tio Bruno."

She waited until he nodded before continuing.

"And second… what do you remember of Tio Bruno?"”

Bruno looked away, well aware that both Camilo and Mirabel probably didn’t remember much of him as the years had passed by. They’d both been very young.

“He bit his lip. "I remember that he used to put shows on for us. And he played with us a lot. And he was kind of weird but the villagers were scared of him," he paused for a moment. "And mami gets sad when people mention him."”

Pepa rested her head on her hermano’s shoulder. Sad was an understatement. It ripped at her heart to remember that she’d helped drive him away.

“Dolores nodded. Camilo had only been five when their Tio left after all.

"Well, people treated Tio very badly," she explained. "Tio wasn't happy. Even the family wasn't very nice to him. Everyone blamed him for the bad visions he had. And eventually, Tio believed them. He thought it was his fault and I think he didn't want to hurt the family anymore. So he left."”

Everyone stared at Dolores, a little stunned at the simple and accurate summary of what happened.

Put that way… it really wasn’t a surprise that Bruno had left. Even taking a horrific vision out of the mix.

“Camilo frowned. "He didn't get taken?"

Dolores shook her head, running her fingers through his curls soothingly. 

"No. I heard him leave. He was sad when he left but no one forced him to."”

The adults were all starting to feel a different horror settle in their chests. Dolores had been eleven.

Eleven.

And she’d heard her Tio leave, hide in the walls, and hadn’t said anything because she knew that he had valid reasons for hiding.

Dolores shouldn’t have had to face things like that when she was still a child…

“Camilo stared up at her with wide eyes.

"You heard him leave?"

She nodded. "I couldn't sleep that night." She'd been worried about Mirabel and ended up going to get a glass of water when she heard him.

He'd been whispering to Casita, pleading with her to help him.”

Bruno flinched. He hadn’t realised Dolores was out of her room. She shouldn’t have had to listen to him, the broken begging to find a solution to his mess of a situation. 

“His words had broken her heart and frozen her in place instead of running for her mamá. 

"Oh…" Camilo was silent for a beat. "I'm glad no one took him. But I wish he'd stayed. I miss him."”

That simple statement broke Bruno’s heart more than anything and reminded him of hearing the little boy crying when they’d told him that his Tio wasn’t coming home.

“Dolores looked down at him thoughtfully, fingers playing with his curls now.

"I can show you something if you want? But you've got to promise to keep it a secret. Just between us."”

Bruno’s eyes widened. She wasn’t…

He shot a look at Dolores to find her own eyes wide as she read.

“Camilo looked intrigued, a spark of curiosity back in his eyes.

"No one else knows?"

She shook her head. "Only us two."

"I promise," he agreed eagerly. She was glad he still trusted her enough to not even ask any questions.

She pulled him up into a hug and kissed his cheek before climbing off the bed. She held out a hand to her hermanito and he took it without hesitation, excitement in his eyes.

She hoped this brought a smile to someone else's face today as well.”

She was. She was going to do this and it was going to show exactly what it was like in the walls and Bruno might actually die instead of just surviving a very emotional argument.

Either that or his hermanas were going to force feed him and lock him in the bathroom to bath for half a day.

And then they’d bury him under blankets and pillows…

Chapter Text

Julieta took the book next, giving Bruno suspicious looks as he internally panicked.

“Chapter Sixteen. Tio.”

Bruno let out a pathetic whine.

“Camilo watched Dolores curiously as she pulled him along. She seemed really excited about this and he was curious over what the secret was.

When they reached a big portrait on the wall, she looked back at him with a secretive smile before pulling on the frame.

Camilo let out a soft gasp of surprise when a hole in the wall was revealed.

Was that always there?”

“Behind a painting? That’s cliche,” Pepa huffed. She was still clinging to her hermano though, thinking of him literally hiding right under their noses.

In the walls.

In the fucking walls.

“His hermana helped him through the hole before taking his hand again and leading him through the passages.

"We're inside the walls?" He asked Dolores in a whisper.

"Sí," she answered just as quietly. "Don't worry. It's safe. I've been back here a few times."”

Heads snapped in Dolores’ direction and she ducked her head in embarrassment. Even Bruno hadn’t known she’d been in the walls.

“I had to get the food to his room somehow,” she mumbled.

“Oh…” Bruno whispered. He’d thought that was the rats stealing food again.

Pepa felt her heart ache. Her hija had been doing her best to help her Tio. That pressure should never have fallen on her shoulders.

“Camilo thought it was silly that she had to reassure him like that. She'd never take him somewhere dangerous.”

That made a few of them coo. Camilo was adorable and Dolores smiled a little at the clear trust.

“They reached what looked like a giant hole, but Dolores hopped into it and showed that the dust just made it look really deep.

She helped him back up the other side and they continued going.

Finally, they arrived at a door.”

Pepa held her breath as Julieta seemed to brace herself as well.

“Dolores looked down at Camilo and gave him a mischievous grin before knocking on the door.

There was a surprised yelp from the other side and Camilo cocked his head. Someone was in the walls?”

“Your idiot Tio,” Pepa muttered, getting an offended yelp from Bruno.

“"I'm coming in," Dolores called, opening the door and not waiting to be let in.”

“...she’s definitely your hija,” Bruno said to Pepa who snorted.

“Camilo stared as he followed her.

There was a figure in a ratty green ruana trying to right himself, having fallen off an old armchair and gotten tangled up in a threadbare blanket.”

Bruno wheezed when Pepa tightened her hold on him. And there it was. Overprotective mode activated in both his hermanas.

But please not the blanket burrito.

Anything but the blanket burrito.

“But that was…

"Tio Bruno?" Camilo asked in shock.

The man froze and stared at him in equal disbelief.

"Dolores," he said, sounding panicky.

Camilo didn't hesitate any longer. His voice brought back so many memories. He'd sat in the dark in that basement thinking back on all the stories he could remember to keep himself busy, and his Tio always told the best stories. He'd firmly embedded them in his mind with how often he went over those memories.”

Bruno made an incoherent, pained sound. Camilo had done that? His stories had given him some kind of comfort during that terrible time?

Camilo remembered those stories?

He had to swallow to keep back the mess of emotions he was feeling while Pepa hugged him tighter.

“Cami…” she whispered.

Bruno couldn’t imagine the agony she was going through right now.

“It had made him miss his Tio even more. But he'd remembered some things that he'd forgotten. Apparently not talking about someone meant that it was pretty easy to start forgetting about them when you were little.”

Pepa shot a glare at her mamá at that. They should never have stopped talking about Bruno. No matter how much it hurt, the younger members of the family deserved to know about him. They shouldn’t have started forgetting like that.

“The ten-year-old threw himself forward at the man and hugged him tightly.

"He was worried that someone took you like they took him," Dolores explained quietly.

"Oh. Oh Cami no," Tio Bruno carefully wrapped his arms around him.

Camilo buried his face in the man's ruana.”

Bruno looked down, twisting his hands into his ruana. He hadn’t thought Camilo would have such a positive reaction to seeing him again. It made his heart ache.

“"I'm fine Cami," he reassured. "I promise. Mi sobrino, I'm fine."

Camilo noticed that his hands were shaky as his Tio held him.

The man let out a shuddering breath.

"I'm so glad you're okay Cami," he whispered.”

Bruno closed his eyes. He couldn’t imagine how he would have felt, finding out about Camilo being alive while he was still in the walls.

Finding out here had been a shock already, but he’d had his hermanas with him.

Finding out alone? It made him shudder to think of processing the truth of what happened to his sobrino when he was by himself.

“"Dolores found me," Camilo told him, voice muffled by his ruana.

"Your hermana is very good at that," his Tio agreed.”

Dolores smiled slightly. She never wanted to lose either of them again.

Once she got Camilo back, she wasn’t letting him out of her sight.

Or hearing range. Either worked.

“Camilo pulled back enough to look up at his Tio. Now that the initial joy at finding him was fading, he was confused.

"Why are you in the walls Tio?"

The man grimaced and shot a vaguely annoyed look at Dolores who just raised an eyebrow in response.”

“Oh that’s Pepa’s look,” Felix chuckled while Bruno grimaced. 

Dolores just smirked. Of course she picked things up from her mamá. And she was proud of it.

“"Cami," he sighed when Camilo kept staring at him. "I wasn't helping the family. I was only hurting it. But I couldn't just… leave. I love all of you too much. So Casita made this space between the walls for me. So I can watch you all grow up but stay out of the way and not cause problems."”

Pepa made a pained sound while Julieta looked up from the book with agony in her eyes.

“Bruno…” she whispered and he ducked his head. He didn’t want to see the pain on their faces.

He’d only been telling the truth…

When it seemed like his hermanas were going to push to talk about it, he shook his head.

“Not now,” he mumbled. “We don’t have time now.”

They reluctantly subsided. But he knew they weren’t going to forget.

He dreaded that future conversation.

“Camilo was even more confused by that but Dolores did say that people didn't treat him very well. Was it about that?

He was distracted from his thoughts when his Tio reached up to cup his cheeks and tilted his face up.

His eyes were watery like his mami's got when she was emotional.

"I'm so glad you're okay Cami," he whispered. "I couldn't … I couldn't see you. In my visions. I tried and then your papá came home with your ruana and I thought… I was too late."”

Pepa choked on a sob as she pulled her hermano closer. He’d been looking, even after everything. When he didn’t even want to have visions anymore.

He’d still looked for Camilo.

She knew that her hermano adored all his sobrinos. It must have devastated him to hear what had happened.

And he’d gone through it alone.

“Camilo leaned into his touch with a hum.

"It's not your fault Tio."

He didn't look like he believed Camilo so the boy hugged him again.

His Tio sighed and dropped a kiss into his curly hair.

"I'm glad you're home Cami."

"Me too. And I'm glad you're still here Tio."

He tightened his hug on Camilo a little at those words.”

And in that moment, Bruno knew that he couldn’t leave again. It didn’t matter what happened next, he’d never be able to leave knowing that Camilo wanted him to stay, that he’d missed him while kidnapped and been so happy to see him again.

Bruno couldn’t hurt his sobrino like that.

“"Are you going to keep hiding?" Camilo asked after a moment.

His Tio sighed. "Sí, it's better if I do."”

Pepa made a noise that could have been a whimper or a growl. Or a combination of the two. Bruno wasn’t sure. And he wasn’t looking to see her expression either.

“Camilo pouted a bit. "Can I come visit you?" He asked hopefully.

His Tio hesitated and looked at Dolores.

"He's good at being sneaky," she pointed out. "He's our camaleón. Our Cami."

Camilo grinned at her, feeling warm as always when they said his name.”

It still hurt that he was so happy just to hear his own name. His own nicknames.

He was going to get sick of hearing it when he got home. They weren’t going to shut up.

“Tio Bruno sighed. "Alright. As long as you're careful."

"We'll bring food," Dolores added. "You're not eating enough again Tio."

Now that she mentioned it, his Tio did feel pretty thin under the ruana.”

Bruno was not surprised in the least when Pepa promptly dragged his ruana up to get at his shirt.

“Pepa!” he yelped, vision obscured by the material she shoved into his face as she checked his current state of health.

Which wasn’t… great…

“Do you even eat?!” she shrieked.

“Not enough,” Dolores snitched on him remorselessly.

“Casita,” Julieta’s voice was stern and when Bruno finally got his ruana righted again, he found food dropping onto a nearby table.

“Eat,” Julieta ordered with that especially scary glint in her eyes.

Bruno wasn’t an idiot. He grabbed the nearest piece of food and shoved it into his mouth.

“"You gotta eat Tio," he said worriedly as the man opened his mouth to argue. "Being hungry all the time feels awful."”

And that was just another arrow through all their hearts. Pepa was muttering curses under her breath while blinking back tears and they all had to take a few deep breaths before Julieta continued.

“His Tio just seemed to deflate at his words and reached up to cup his cheek again, rubbing his thumb over his cheekbone.

"We'll get better together with that hmm?" He suggested gently and Camilo grinned up at him.

"Deal!" He agreed.”

“I think that works out well here too,” Pepa said lightly, giving Bruno a glare that dared him to argue.

Again, he wasn’t actually an idiot, so he just kept eating.

“Dolores smiled at them. "How about I go get some arepas while you catch up hmm?" She offered, already heading to the door.

"Wha-hey!" Tio called but she was already gone.”

“Menace,” Bruno muttered.

Dolores just smiled back at him.

“Camilo didn't mind though. Tio Bruno was safe too.”

Okay, this book wasn’t done breaking his heart yet. Bruno had to blink back tears at that simple statement.

“He made himself comfortable in his lap and looked up at him.

"Will you tell me a story?"”

Pepa leaned her head against Bruno’s shoulder, feeling wistful. Camilo had always adored Bruno’s stories. He’d follow his Tio around for ages until he gave in. Not that he actually had any problem with spending time with any of his sobrinos.

She looked forward to seeing Camilo and Bruno together again.

“His Tio let out another sigh but he was smiling slightly.

"Okay sobrino. What kind of story do you want?"

"Tell me about the queen who controlled the weather and stopped the dragon," he said immediately. It was his favourite.”

Pepa turned her head to look at her hermano with an unimpressed expression.

“It’s his favourite!” he defended himself. “And I made you a queen.”

She huffed and shook her head, a smile quirking her lips.

“I am surprised he remembered it though,” Bruno admitted.

“His Tio looked surprised for a moment.

"You remember that?"

Camilo nodded, leaning against the man's chest. "I was alone a lot. So I remembered your stories so I didn't get bored. They made me feel better."”

Bruno leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. Ay Camilo…

“His Tio swallowed hard. "I'm glad they could help Cami," he whispered.

"You tell the best stories Tio."

He hugged Camilo again before settling back and starting the story.

Camilo listened closely, happy to have his weird Tio back. He'd missed him.”

“So you can’t leave,” Pepa said a little sharply.

“Wasn’t planning to,” Bruno gave her a slight smile.

He couldn’t after that. And besides… he wanted to be able to hug his sobrino again and tell him stories. He wanted to see Camilo’s face light up as he listened.

He couldn’t wait until they were done.

Chapter Text

Felix took the book next, smiling a little as Pepa clung to Bruno.

Camilo got his clingy habits from somewhere after all.

"Chapter Seventeen. Door."

They all tensed at that. The dark doors were still something that made them anxious. They didn't understand them.

"Camilo and Dolores snuck back to her room when she heard the family returning."

"How did I not know how sneaky my hija was?" Felix asked with a mock glare at Dolores who pointedly looked away.

"She was quite happy that she'd managed to get both of them to eat a decent amount of arepas and Camilo seemed happier after seeing Tio Bruno. Their Tio seemed better as well."

Pepa shoved another arepa in Bruno's face at the reminder of his terrible eating habits over the last few years.

"He'd taken Camilo's disappearance really badly, prompting Dolores to go into the walls often to make sure he was okay."

Bruno's expression did a complicated twist. How many times had she snuck into the walls to make sure he was okay? And he'd never known?

His sobrina was such a sweet girl.

"She really hoped he'd start getting better, even if it was so that Camilo wouldn't worry.

Before they reached her room, Camilo slowed and she turned to find him staring at his dark door."

Pepa bit her lip anxiously. She didn't understand why the door wouldn't light up. What did it mean?

""Why's it still dark?" He asked in a small voice."

It still hurt to hear how scared and unsure he was. Camilo had always been a pretty confident boy, so this was another glaring sign of the trauma he'd been through.

"Dolores sighed and turned fully to face him.

"We don't know," she admitted. "Tio's door is also dark."

Bruno glanced guiltily at his hermanas. He hadn't meant to scare them. Even he wasn't sure what it really meant for the door to go dark. It had shocked him when he saw the light go out as he left. But he hadn't thought about what the family might think.

"Camilo bit his lip and stared at the door.

"Can I?" He pointed at it and Dolores' heart ached.

He shouldn't feel the need to ask permission like that."

Felix had to take a breath. Feeling like he needed to ask permission to touch his own door?

He had a feeling that Camilo's road to recovery was going to be long and difficult. But they'd be there with him the whole way.

""Of course Cami, it's your door," she told him gently.

Together, they moved over to his room. Dolores had found herself here many times, staring at the dark wood. Wishing that it would light up and prove that her hermano was alive."

Dolores flinched. She'd stood there more times than she could count. On nights she couldn't sleep. Walking past and unable to help stopping to stare at it. Thinking she caught a flicker of light out of the corner of her eye, only to be disappointed when she looked.

“And now he was standing right next to her and yet the door was still dark.

She didn't understand it. But she had a feeling that it had to do with how hurt her hermanito had been.”

And he’d been so very hurt… they’d heard how bad it was. And what his room now looked like.

“Camilo leaned into her side as he stared at his door, clearly disturbed by the sight.

He tentatively reached out, fingers hovering just before the wood.

"I'm scared," he whispered.”

Which broke their hearts all over again. They were going to be gathering up the pieces by the time this was over.

“Dolores wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to do anything. Mamá and papá probably don't want you to leave their room yet. You're always welcome in mine. And Mira would jump at the chance to share with her mellizo again. But no matter what, it's still your room," she hesitated a moment, not sure about saying the next bit. "I think… that Casita is trying to protect you. Your room always showed your moods more than anyone else's except mamá's. You've been scared and hurt for a long time. I think Casita is worried about how seeing your room will make you feel."”

Pepa smiled at her hija. She was such a smart and kind girl. And Pepa knew she’d do her very best to help Camilo when they got him back.

“Her hermano bit his lip.

"I don't want them to take my room from me," he said, tears welling up in his eyes.”

Isabela made a wounded noise at that. Their rooms were special to them. Their place that matched them and their magic. Losing that would feel awful.

“"And they won't," Dolores promised. "Because you're home and safe. And you'll recover. Because mi hermano is strong and clever and brave. And they didn't break you."”

“Never,” Pepa whispered. Those people had hurt Camilo. But he’d escaped on his own. He’d come home and he’d been able to smile and laugh again. Those people hadn’t broken him.

“Camilo stared up at her with wide eyes before a flicker of light caught their attention. It was faint, but for a brief second, the door glowed again.”

There were sharp intakes of breath around the room and Dolores leaned forward anxiously. These were all things that would let them help Camilo when he was home. So they needed to learn everything they could.

“Camilo watched it for a moment before swallowing hard and leaning forward, letting his fingers make contact with the door.

A warm, gentle glow spread out from where he touched and Dolores smiled as the door lit up again.”

Pepa covered her mouth and closed her eyes against the tears. Camilo’s door could still glow. That right there was proof that her baby could heal from this. It didn’t matter if he chose to never use his magic or step into his room again.

One day, he was going to be okay.

“"See? Your room is here, waiting for you. When you're ready, it'll be here."

He pulled his hand back and the glow faded, but it didn't seem to be as ominous now. And Camilo was smiling a little.

"Gracias," he murmured softly.

"Anytime," she assured him, dropping a kiss into his hair.”

The darkness of his door didn’t seem as terrifying now. Because they’d learned it could change. That his door could light up again one day. It wasn’t permanent.

“They headed back to her room and she heard the family entering Casita just before she closed her door.

It sounded like they were still in the middle of a discussion so she coaxed Camilo into taking a nap.

That was where her mamá found them. Camilo was fast asleep with his head in her lap while she played absently with his curls.”

Pepa let her head drop forward. She wished she could see that again. Camilo curled up with Dolores, head in her lap as he slept. It was one of the best ways to calm him down when he got too excitable during the day. A nap usually settled him.

“She smiled at her mamá when she stopped in the doorway.

"He ate some more but he got tired. So I convinced him to take a nap," she explained softly.

Her mamá returned her smile but it was watery. She quietly moved over to sit on the bed with them.

"I never thought I'd see this again," she whispered shakily.

Dolores swallowed the lump in her throat.

She'd thought the same until she heard her hermano's voice. Had it really just been yesterday?”

Felix had to take a moment to just breathe. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. It had barely even been a day?

“It felt like so much had happened already.

"What are we going to do?" She asked after a beat of silence. She hadn't heard everything since she'd been in her room for a lot of it. But she'd heard enough to know that those bastards seemed to have snuck out of the Encanto entirely.”

Pepa tensed and thunder rumbled through the room. Those monsters got away? She knew it was likely but it still infuriated her to hear it. Knowing those people were still out there would have driven their paranoia and worry up. And it must have been terrifying for Camilo to know they were still free.

“So they were still a threat to her hermano.

Her mamá pursed her lips.

"We keep him safe. We won't leave him alone and we'll help him recover from what they did."

Dolores wasn't happy that the couple seemed to have gotten away but there wasn't anything they could do about that right now.

She'd listen though. In case they ever came back.

She wouldn't let them near Camilo again.”

Dolores nodded sharply to herself. She was never letting them close to him again. She was never letting someone hurt him like that again.

“"Everyone in the village knows to keep an eye out for them," her mamá added.

She reached out and gently threaded her fingers through Camilo's hair as well. He let out a quiet, happy hum and pressed up into the contact.”

“Just like a cat,” Felix said wistfully. It was a joke they made often.

Pepa gave him a weak smile.

“"I should have heard him," Dolores found herself whispering into the quiet a moment later. "Before he escaped. I should have heard him."”

Dolores winced and wrapped her arms around herself as her mamá moved to sit next to her again and pulled her into a hug, whispering reassurances to her. Nothing would make her believe that she hadn’t failed her hermano though.

She should have heard him.

“"No mija," her mamá shook her head. "You were sick when he was taken. You can't blame yourself for that day. And then after… your papá said that the room they kept him in was soundproofed. They wouldn't even hear anything upstairs when the door was closed. Even you can't hear through that."”

And it was sickening all over again to learn how much thought and preparation they put into everything before taking him.

“Dolores kept her gaze on Camilo. She still felt like she'd failed him. What if she'd been in her room when he escaped? What if she hadn't heard him then and that bastard had found him in the jungle?”

Dolores trembled at the thought. It was terrifying to imagine that monster finding Camilo before he could get home. It could have gone so very wrong. What would they have done to him if they’d caught him again?

“She didn't want to think of what would have happened to her hermano.

"Dolores," her mamá reached out to squeeze her hand. "You found him. When we thought he was gone. You found him. He's safe because of you."”

Dolores closed her eyes and Pepa pressed a kiss into her hair, still holding her close. 

“"He shouldn't have been taken in the first place," she whispered.

"No. He shouldn't have. But that's on those people. Not you."

Dolores let out a shaky breath and closed her eyes.

She wished she could believe that.”

Felix looked up at his hija with pained eyes, but before he could say anything, something fluttered out of the book. Heart pounding, he bent down to pick up the photo and smiled at what he found.

He passed it over to his wife and hija quickly and Pepa choked on a sob.

It was the scene the book had just described. Camilo curled up with Dolores as she played with his curls. He looked so peaceful in that moment, wrapped up in the ruana with a small smile on his face.

Pepa drank in the image, memorising everything about it.

“He feels safe with you mija,” Felix told Dolores gently as she stared at the picture. “That’s what’s important.”

Her breathing hitched and Pepa held her close as they continued to stare at the photo and Camilo’s peaceful face.

Those people had definitely not broken him. Or he would never have been able to trust like that again. And they were determined he’d feel that peace a year earlier than he had here. 

And Pepa was getting a punch in on one of those monsters, no matter what it took.

Chapter Text

Agustin took the book next and they hope that things got better from here.

“Chapter Eighteen. Start of Recovery.”

There were some relieved sighs at the title.

“The start of the recovery was bumpy. They'd known it wasn't going to be smooth sailing but that didn't make it any easier to see Camilo struggle.”

It didn’t make it any easier to hear about him struggle either. But they were determined to learn everything they could to make it easier on him when he came home.

“His panicked shifts when he woke up from sleep happened most days with whoever was nearby needing to calm him down and coax him out of the shift.”

Of course, it wouldn’t just stop now that he was safe, but it still hurt that he was going to suffer from that for who knew how long.

“He still struggled to eat larger amounts of food so they compromised by giving him more snacks throughout the day alongside his meals.”

Julieta nodded absently to herself, reminding herself of the best recipes that wouldn’t be too much for his recovering system to handle but that he’d still enjoy.

“The most glaring effect of the last two years on the ten-year-old though, was his fear.”

They all flinched at that.

“Camilo carried a constant fear around with him now and he was jumpy. He lost himself in bad memories easily which only made it worse. 

And he was constantly asking for permission and freaking out over messing anything up.

The family spent a lot of time reassuring him that everything was okay, that he didn't need to be afraid anymore.

But two years of learning to be afraid wasn't easy to forget.”

Pepa had to take a deep breath to calm the wind that had picked up in the room as she focused on the ruana Dolores was still helping her with. They’d help him through it all. It didn’t matter what problems they faced. They would be there for him throughout it all.

“"It's okay Cami," Pepa soothed as Camilo struggled to get his breathing back under control. 

He'd dropped his plate and immediately fell into a panic attack while the family watched in shock and horror.”

Dolores made a pained sound. Something so small and he completely panicked over it. She hoped her parents made those people suffer when they caught them.

“Pepa had jumped to her feet and crouched down to calm her hijo, moving carefully so she didn’t scare him.

“Cami, mi camaleón, you’re safe. It’s okay mijo,” she soothed, slowly reaching forward to cup his cheek. 

He blinked rapidly, struggling to focus on her as he hyperventilated.

“Mami?” he choked out.”

Pepa closed her eyes briefly. Oh, this hurt so much. But she was making careful note of everything that seemed to help. As much as hearing this tore at her heart, she’d listen to it a thousand times over if it let her help her baby.

“She took that as her cue to tug him close and hold him in a gentle hug. Camilo let out a shuddering breath as he clung to her dress, burrowing closer.

“Lo siento,” he whispered as his breathing eased.”

“Cami no,” Isabela whispered.

He shouldn’t feel like he had to apologise for that.

““It’s not your fault Cami,” she reassured. She rubbed his back and pressed a kiss to his hair. 

She would do her damn best to make sure that her baby didn’t blame himself for anything that had happened.”

Pepa nodded sharply to herself. Yes, she would do everything in her power to ensure that Camilo didn’t put the blame anywhere but where it was deserved.

“It looks like a flashback’s next,” Agustin said softly and they braced themselves for whatever they’d hear.

“Camilo bit back a whimper as the woman brushed through his hair roughly. She was annoyed today and he was afraid of setting her off. So he stayed quiet even as she brushed his hair with too much force.”

Pepa couldn’t hold back a rumble of thunder at that. Even when Camilo was doing everything they wanted, that woman still ended up hurting him.

“His scalp burned by the end and his shoulder throbbed where she’d been digging her nails in as she held him still.”

Pepa was going to get a punch in. She didn’t care how. She was going to punch that woman in the face.

““There, all better,” she said sweetly.

“Gracias mami,” he forced out, pasting a smile on his face.

She kissed his cheek and Camilo’s stomach rolled.

“Good boy Rico.””

Dolores scowled. If she had her way, Camilo would never hear that name again.

“Camilo was dozing on his mami’s lap as she ran her fingers gently through his hair. 

“You are like a cat,” his papi teased him gently and Camilo let out a vague hum, pressing up into his mami’s touch a bit.”

The change to a pleasant scene relaxed them a little and Felix had to smile. His hijo was very much like a cat. And when he was getting affection like this, he was very unlikely to move.

“He’d always loved having his hair played with. It was soothing and felt nice and was one of the fastest ways to put him to sleep.”

Pepa smiled sadly to herself. Even when he’d been very small, playing with those curls had never failed to calm him. She’d always thought it was adorable.

““Want to nap mijo?” his mami asked gently.

He gave another vague hum and heard his papi move. A few moments later, a blanket settled over him and Camilo cuddled into it as his mami kept playing with his hair.

She started humming a moment later and all the bad memories felt so far away as he drifted off to sleep.”

It was a small moment but it gave them hope for his recovery. The sheer difference between the flashback and this scene was like night and day, but they were glad Gloria hadn’t managed to ruin something Camilo enjoyed.

Especially since all of them loved tugging on a curl or running their fingers through his hair when he went past.

“Another flashback,” Agustin said quietly.

“Camilo had been running around helping people all morning so he wasn’t surprised when a man stopped him and asked for his help. The eight-year-old grinned and nodded eagerly and the man smiled, leading him away from the busy marketplace where he’d just helped someone set up their stall.”

They all stiffened. Eight? Was this… was this when he was kidnapped? In the middle of a busy day, in the middle of the village?

No one had even noticed him walk away to help someone else?

They’d asked so many people if they’d seen him that day and the villagers had only remembered the moments he’d been helping them.

They hadn’t even noticed Camilo as he followed someone away from the activity.

Not a single person…

“Camilo followed him down an alley, looking around curiously as he caught his breath from the last shift.”

Pepa covered her mouth. Her baby had always been trusting. All of them had. Who would ever want to hurt them in the Encanto after all? It was supposed to be safe…

“He was so distracted that he didn’t notice when the man dropped behind him until a strong arm wrapped around his waist and something that smelt bad was pressed against his face.”

Felix clenched his hands, trying to imagine how his hijo must have felt in that moment. His sweet boy who had never deserved this.

“Camilo panicked, struggling in the hold but he was quickly becoming weaker. His head grew fuzzier with every inhale of that bad smell and eventually, he went limp in the man’s hold.

“You’ll help my wife. You don’t have a choice,” he muttered as darkness covered Camilo’s vision.”

Pepa gave a wordless snarl at that.

“He managed a weak whimper and call for Dolores before he fell unconscious.”

Dolores let out a soft whimper and then a sob. He’d called for her. He’d called for her and she hadn’t heard him.

Pepa quickly pulled her hija into a hug. “Mija, it wasn’t your fault. They timed it remember? It’s not your fault.”

Dolores couldn’t believe that though. Her hermanito had called for her. And she hadn’t heard him…

“Camilo clung to his papi’s hand as they walked through the village. He’d been back for a couple of weeks and had asked if he could come help with the shopping. He was nervous about leaving Casita but he didn’t want to hide forever.”

Pepa kept Dolores in a hug, heart aching at the pain her baby girl was feeling. But she also felt so proud of Camilo for being brave enough to leave the safety of Casita.

Even if she felt like an anxious mess at just the thought. Especially with those people still out there.

“Having his papi there helped although he kept looking around anxiously for Mateo. His papi squeezed his hand reassuringly and Camilo gave him a weak smile.”

Felix didn’t think he was going to be able to let Camilo out of his sight for a long time. Not after everything he’d learned and the potential condition his hijo was going to be in when they found him.

“The villages stopped and looked at him a lot, either whispering or waving to him with smiles. As they walked, Camilo relaxed a bit. His papi was there so he was safe. And Mateo wouldn’t try anything with so many people around.

He was safe.”

It was humbling that Camilo still found him safe after he’d failed him the first time around. Felix wouldn’t let anything hurt his hijo again. He’d prove himself worthy of the unconditional trust Camilo had in him.

“Camilo was drawn out of his thoughts when a man stopped them.”

Several members of the family frowned a little.

““Hola Felix,” he greeted with a smile. “It’s good to see you again Camilo.”

His papi nodded in greeting and Camilo waved shyly.

“I was wondering if you could help me with something quickly Camilo,” the man continued and it felt like ice flooded his veins. “We need another José to hang up a banner.””

Noises of outrage flew around the room. Did that man really want Camilo to get right back to shifting and helping like nothing had happened? When he knew nothing about what had happened?! How dare he?!

Pepa was seething over the fear he’d caused Camilo in that moment.

“It felt like Camilo couldn’t breathe and for a moment, he saw Mateo instead of the villager. What if he took Camilo away like Mateo did? What if he wanted him to pretend to be someone else like Gloria wanted?”

“Give me a name,” Pepa hissed.

If anyone tried to get Camilo to go on like nothing had happened, they were going to discover just how painful a lightning bolt could be.

“He didn’t want to be anyone else. He just got to be Camilo again! He-”

Their hearts ached at the panicked words. He was supposed to be safe! Why would the villager think this was okay?

““No.”

The word startled Camilo out of his panic and he looked up at his papi to find him glaring at the man who looked just as surprised as he felt.”

Like hell Felix would let anyone use Camilo like that after everything. Hell, he wouldn’t even want Camilo to let go of his hand at that point. Of course he would put a stop to it.

““Camilo and I are here to shop,” his papi said firmly.

“It won’t take long-” the man started complaining.

“No,” his papi said again. “Camilo is still recovering from everything that happened and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t start demanding that he make your life easier when he just barely got home two weeks ago. Use a ladder.””

Isabela smirked. Her Tio sure put that jerk in his place. Now that she thought about it, why didn’t the villager just do that from the start instead of asking Camilo to shift into someone tall? Was he just that lazy?

“The man flushed with embarrassment.

“Either leave now, or Pepa will hear about this and she won’t be nearly as nice as I was.””

Pepa smirked at that. Her husband had always been the nice one out of the two of them.

“That got the man to run and his papi huffed. He picked Camilo up and he happily burrowed into the hold, cuddling close to his papi.

“If you don’t want to use your Gift, you don’t have to,” he murmured softly to Camilo. “I promise Cami. I won’t let anyone force you to.””

“None of us will,” Julieta agreed quietly. 

Bruno shot a glance at his mamá, worried that he’d see a disapproving expression on her face. Instead, she was looking disturbed.

He hoped it was over how quickly the villagers jumped at the chance to use Camilo’s Gift when he’d just got back home.

“Camilo felt some tension ease out of him and he relaxed in his papi’s arms.

He was right. He was always safe with his papi.”

Felix would make sure Camilo always felt safe with him. If he never wanted to use his Gift again, that was his right. And anyone that tried to argue would need to go through Felix.

“Pepa stared down at her sweet hijo, cuddled between her and Felix. Her little camaleón was so strong, able to smile despite what he’d gone through. He was getting better every day, making more progress in overcoming his trauma. There were bad days and setbacks of course. But Camilo never let them get to him.”

That made them smile. As long as there was progress, then things would be alright in the end. And Camilo was going to be okay. 

They’d make sure of it.

““I’m so proud of you mijo,” she whispered, brushing her hand over his cheek.

Camilo smiled a little in his sleep and leaned into the touch.

They’d be okay. And they’d make sure Camilo was okay.

They were Madrigals and this wouldn’t beat them.”

Of course it wouldn’t.

They felt a rush of optimism at that. There might be difficult days ahead, but they’d overcome them. As a family.

Those people wouldn’t break any member of their family.

And Camilo was a fighter. He’d proven that when he escaped on his own. He wasn’t giving up and neither would they.

They were halfway into the book.

They could do this.

Chapter Text

"Chapter Nineteen," Julieta read. "Mirrors."

They all looked at each other in concern at that title.

"Camilo bit his lip as he listened to the argument between his parents and Abuela."

Pepa immediately scowled. Great. What now?

"She wanted him to start helping the village again, to start using his Gift again."

There was a clap of thunder while Pepa refused to look up at her mamá and Felix bit back any comments he wanted to say. After everything, she still wanted to make Camilo work? To do the thing he'd been traumatised by?

"But he just couldn't. The idea of purposefully changing into anyone else made him feel sick, that fear of losing himself still strong."

Dolores whimpered a bit. Camilo had adored his Gift. To now be terrified of it to that degree? It hurt to hear. It wasn’t fair that something he’d taken so much joy from was ruined for him.

“It still hurt when he panic-shifted after waking up as well. He hated the ache it left him with.”

Isabela closed her eyes. How long would it hurt him? Was whatever damage had been done permanent?

“He backed up from the door as the argument got more heated, thunder echoing in the sky.

He didn't want to be anyone else. He just wanted to be Camilo again.”

“That’s all you need to be baby,” Pepa whispered. “We just want you back home. Back as yourself.”

“He turned quickly and walked up the stairs, trying to get Abuela’s words out of his head. 

"For the good of the Encanto."”

Pepa growled at that. If she heard that used as an excuse to make her hijo work again, there would be a hurricane.

“Why did helping people mean he had to stop being himself? It wasn't fair.”

“Mijo…” Felix murmured. Had he felt like that before? When everyone wanted him to shift into someone else to help them?

“He stopped in front of his door, staring at the carving. He remembered being so happy over his Gift. He'd loved it. It had been fun to use.

Now it scared him. It hurt and made him feel like people didn't want Camilo. They wanted everyone but Camilo.”

Isabela blinked back tears. They wanted him. They wanted Camilo back. She wanted her primo back.

“He wiped at his eyes, surprised to find them burning with tears.”

Pepa let out a pained noise. She hated when he cried.

“Reaching out, he touched the door and watched the soft golden glow spread over the wood again.

A part of him whispered that he didn't want it to glow because that meant he was all better, didn't it? That meant he had to go back to being the happy Camilo that changed into anyone and everyone to help with anything.”

“No Cami,” Agustin whispered. “It’s okay to be hurt.”

There were so many things they were going to need to keep an eye out for, things that Camilo might not know how to put into words.

“He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice as the lock quietly clicked, the door opening slightly.”

They all looked alarmed. After learning what it looked like, they didn’t want Camilo to have something else to worry over.

“Heart in his throat, Camilo pushed it open.

The first thing he registered was how cold it was. His room had never been this cold before, but as he stepped inside his breath fogged in front of him.

The second thing that hit him was the colours. Everything was blue or black, far from the warm colours he remembered. He anxiously gripped his ruana, the yellow fabric a spot of sunshine in the dark room.

And then he saw the mirrors.”

Julieta swallowed hard before she continued reading. They were all worried. Alma was frowning in concern as well. It was different to hear from Camilo’s perspective. It left no room for misunderstandings.

Or denial…

“Camilo stared at them in shock. There had been a couple of mirrors in his room before, so he could practice his shifting and imitations.

And there had been that one special mirror that always showed him no matter what shift he was in. 

But this… there were so many mirrors. All cracked and covered in frost.

The sight made something fearful twist in his chest.”

Dolores twisted her hands into the ruana they were working on. Her hermanito was scared. Was currently scared because he was still in the hands of those people. She took a few deep breaths.

Maybe they’d let her punch Gloria too?

“Carefully, feeling like he was stepping into somewhere dangerous, he walked closer. The frost cracked under his feet and he shrank into his ruana, feeling the warmth leeching out of him.

When he reached the mirrors, he tentatively let his fingers trace over the cracks, the surface ice-cold under his skin.

He slowly approached the full-length mirror near the bed, feeling more fear than he had in a while.”

They all had a really bad feeling about this.

“This mirror had been his favourite because it always showed him. No shift ever fooled it.

A big crack ran down the middle of the surface and Camilo reached out with a shaking hand to wipe the frost away.

He froze, eyes widening at the sight.”

They leaned forward anxiously. Was it good? Was it bad?

“He hurriedly wiped away more of the frost with a shaking hand, feeling tears burn his eyes again.”

It was bad, wasn’t it?

“One moment the cracked mirror showed him, thin and pale. The next… it showed Rico.”

There were sharp gasps around the room and Pepa covered her mouth with a shaking hand. Oh her baby. Oh no that… that wasn’t good. It really didn’t mean good things for his mental state.

“Camilo felt sick as he watched the image blur between one image and the other.

"No no no," he whispered faintly to himself, slowly sinking to the floor.

He looked terrified in the reflection until it switched to Rico again.

He was smiling. He was always smiling.

That's what Gloria said. Her smiling baby boy.”

Pepa wanted to scream. He was safe and away from that bitch but she still had a hold on Camilo. It wasn’t fair. Why did he have to keep suffering like this?

“Camilo couldn't tear his eyes away, even as tears ran down his cheeks.

This mirror was supposed to show the real him.

Him.

Why… why was it showing Rico? He wasn't Rico. He wasn't!”

“Why is it showing Rico?” Isabela asked weakly.

“They really hurt him Isa,” Julieta explained gently. “He had to spend two years pretending to be someone else or he’d get hurt. That… that’s not good for a person. Especially someone so young.”

Isabela looked about to cry while Dolores already was, wiping frantically at her eyes.

“In the mirror, Rico just smiled back at him.”

That was creepy. But also unnatural. Dolores thought there was something really off about everything she’d heard about Rico. Maybe it was just because it was all from Camilo’s perspective?

“Camilo frantically reached up to make sure his hair was right, he was still in his ruana, still himself.

But he couldn't look away from the mirror. They'd wanted to make him into a replacement for Rico. 

Was it working? Was Camilo fading away and would Rico take his place one day?”

“Oh baby no,” Pepa whispered. “No, that won’t happen. We won’t let that happen.”

“Camilo let out a sob and curled in on himself as the room seemed to get colder.

Before his thoughts could spiral anymore, he heard the door open again.

"Cami?"”

It was a relief that someone was there to comfort him and stop his panic. He shouldn’t have to go through this alone. 

…he shouldn’t have to go through this, period.

“Camilo choked on a sob, lifting his head to look at her. She looked so worried and she was looking at him. Not at Rico. She never wanted him to be anyone but himself.

"Mami," his voice broke and she rushed over to him, pulling him into a tight hug.”

Of course she only wanted him. Her baby boy, her ray of sunshine, her pequeño sol. She just wanted her Cami back.

It didn’t matter if he never used his Gift again.

She just wanted to see his smile again, hear him laughing in Casita. She wanted to hold her hijo again and reassure him that he would always be enough as just Camilo. That that was all she wanted.

She didn’t need the magic. She just needed her little boy back.

“He latched onto her dress, feeling like she was the only thing keeping him from drowning.

"The mirror mami," he whispered in a shaky voice.

He knew she saw it when she inhaled sharply and he closed his eyes and let out another sob.”

Pepa couldn’t imagine the fear or panic she would be feeling, seeing that mirror switching between her hijo and a stranger. It must be terrifying.

“"Mijo," she murmured. "Cami, mi sol," she coaxed his head up.

When he moved to look back at the mirror, she held his chin in place with gentle fingers.

"Camilo Madrigal. You are mi hijo, mi camaleón, my precious boy. You've been hurt. So so badly. And it left scars. It's going to take a while to heal from those and until then, we are going to help you remember how loved you are. For you."”

Every hour of every day. They'd make sure he knew how loved he was every second he was with them.

“He choked on another sob, staring up at his mami's determined green eyes.

"They scared you and hurt you." Her voice was soft and gentle. "And you did your best to survive. You are not Rico. But a part of you still feels in danger so you're ready to act like it. And no matter what happens Cami, we would never let you disappear. We'll always find you and bring you back."”

Felix wouldn’t stop until they had him back if something did happen again. He wouldn't accept losing Camilo to his Gift. He’d put that damn candle out himself if he had to. And he knew Pepa would help him without a second’s hesitation.

There were more important things than magic.

“He sniffled as she kissed his forehead and let her pull him back into the hug.

By the time he looked back at the mirror, it had frosted over again and he didn't feel the urge to wipe it clean again.

He felt cold and miserable. This wasn't his room. It didn't feel safe like his parents' room. It didn't feel cosy like Dolores' room.”

Dolores closed her eyes, pained. Those people had taken his room from him. Through fear and hurting him, they’d taken his safe place away from him.

“"Can we go mami?" He whispered. "I don't… I don't want to be here."”

That just broke their hearts. Camilo had been so excited about his room, enjoying the shifting nature of the furniture and colours.

But that was gone now. And his room was cold and dead instead.

“He didn't want to be in this cold room with its cracked and broken mirrors. He didn't want the reminder of how broken he was.”

Pepa let out a sob. He wasn’t broken. No no baby, no he’s just hurt. So hurt but not broken. It was devastating that he thought that.

“He felt her press a kiss into his hair and stood up when she coaxed him to.

His mami wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led him out of the room and into the warmth of Casita.

He glanced back as the door closed, the glow absent again.

He didn't think he was going back in there any time soon.”

Julieta leaned back and let out a shaking sigh. That had been painful to read. Her sweet little sobrino was not in a good headspace and she honestly didn’t know how to help him. Maybe there were some books in the library they could check?

There had to be something they could do instead of being stuck comforting him after nightmares and breakdowns instead.

There had to be something.

Wasn’t there a therapist in town?

Chapter Text

Felix took the book, and a deep breath, before he started reading.

“Chapter Twenty. It’ll Get Better.”

They almost sagged with relief. Please. They needed a good chapter. They needed good news.

“As much as Camilo loved staying with his parents, feeling safer with them than anywhere else, he knew that he couldn’t stay in their room forever.”

Pepa pouted. Why not?

“He was terrified of having to return to his room though.

He didn’t know how to explain that to anyone until he found himself visiting Tio Bruno again, Dolores covering for him so his parents didn’t get worried.”

Dolores looked away at the clear evidence that she was helping her hermano be sneaky while Bruno startled at the idea of Camilo willingly going to visit him again.

And dreading being in the spotlight.

“His Tio had given him a sad smile when he admitted how much his room scared him.

“I know that feeling,” he sighed. He continued when Camilo looked at him curiously. “I loved my room in the beginning. It was quiet and peaceful, and most importantly, safe. But then I started doing more visions for people, always in my vision cave. And people got more and more upset with them. I started to dread giving visions and my room started to grow taller, more stairs between me and everyone else until I was so far away from everyone that no one visited unless they really wanted a vision.” He was quiet for a moment. “I started to fear my room. And I hated my Gift. Because how was it a Gift if it made me so miserable?””

Both Pepa and Julieta looked at their hermano in pain while Alma looked stunned. They’d never heard it outright said like that, although Pepa and Julieta had certainly suspected.

Bruno refused to look at any of them. Mostly because he didn’t want to see their expressions at the truth being stated so plainly.

“Camilo bit his lip, his Tio’s words echoing how he felt so well that it almost hurt.”

Pepa let out a shuddering breath. They’d hurt Camilo so badly… Far more than physically. They’d ruined so many things for him. His love of his Gift, his sense of identity, his room and his feeling of safety.

She desperately hoped things weren’t as bad yet… that they could spare Camilo of some of this pain.

““I hate my Gift,” he whispered. “It hurts now and I’m scared that I won’t be able to change back if I use it. My Gift is the reason they took me. If I didn’t have it, none of that would have happened.””

They all flinched at it being stated so bluntly. Because it was true. If it wasn’t for the magic, Camilo would have never been targeted by these cruel and insane people.

“His Tio got out of his chair and knelt in front of Camilo. The ten-year-old only realised he was crying when the man reached out to wipe his cheeks gently.

“My Gift took me away from my family and made my room scary,” he hiccuped. “I don’t want it anymore. The village wants me to use it again. Abuela wants me to use it again. But I want it to go away.””

Alma flinched at the raw pain and fear in his words. He really was afraid of his Gift now. 

Enough that he wanted it gone. He didn’t want the magic at all anymore.

Would that change as Camilo got older? Or was it permanent now? Would he ever be able to look at his Gift in a positive way again?

" He started crying when his Tio pulled him into a hug, clinging to the green ruana.

“It’s okay to feel like that Cami,” he murmured. “It’s okay. Your parents won’t let anyone force you to use your Gift, you know that. They won’t care if you never use it again.”"

"Of course we won't," Felix whispered while Pepa looked at her hermano gratefully for helping her hijo.

"He held Camilo until his sobs trailed off into sniffles.

“I’m scared of when I have to go back to my room,” he said miserably. “It’s cold and scary and the mirrors… aren’t right .”"

They wished they could do something about that. But they had no control over the rooms. It reacted to its owner. 

And Camilo was like his mamá in how his room reacted to his state of mind. It wasn't a place a niño could live in. Not in that state.

" His Tio rubbed his back soothingly but before he could say anything, the door swung open.

“Come stay with me.”

They both looked over to where Dolores stood in the doorway."

Dolores perked up to listen closely.

"“What?” Camilo asked in confusion, wiping at his eyes quickly. He knew his hermana got sad when he cried."

She whimpered a bit at that. He shouldn't be worried about her…

" “Come stay with me,” she repeated, coming closer and kneeling down next to them on the floor. “My silly hermano, just come share a room with me.”"

"Oh…" she whispered. That… that could work. Then he wouldn't be alone and she could wake him from nightmares. Her room was big enough and he'd always liked the coziness, hiding in there when upset.

"Camilo blinked up at her as she cupped his face gently. He hadn’t thought of that.

“We’ll put another bed in the room and use the bookshelves to make a division. My room is big enough and I’ll be there to wake you up if you have nightmares.”"

Pepa smiled proudly at hearing how her hija was willing to do anything to help her hermano. Many teenage girls would hate the idea of sharing with their hermanito. But Dolores didn't even hesitate to offer.

"“Your room’s supposed to be where you don’t have to hear anything,” he argued weakly."

Dolores already knew where this was going. 

"Dolores gave him a sad smile.

“Cami, I haven’t closed my door properly since you came home. I can’t sleep without hearing your heartbeat.”"

The Encanto had felt so empty without the sound of Camilo's voice. Without his heartbeat.

And the whole time he was still there, hidden away from even her ears.

"He stared at her, stunned.

“So?” she prompted.

He looked up at his Tio who gave him an encouraging smile before looking back at Dolores.

“Okay,” he murmured, leaning into her touch."

Dolores looked at her parents who smiled and nodded. It was a good plan. They'd keep Camilo with them until he felt ready to stay with her.

That way he wouldn't have to worry about his room at all. He'd have another option from the start.

"Her smile was a bit happier now as she kissed his forehead and messed up his hair. He complained as his curls flopped in his eyes and Tio Bruno laughed.

Camilo thought that maybe… just maybe he would be okay…"

They smiled at that. It was a good sign that Camilo was sounding more positive.

"Their papi hadn’t even hesitated when Dolores told him about her idea, Camilo clinging to her hand. He moved one of the spare beds into her room and they rearranged the furniture to give them both some privacy."

Felix was already thinking of ways to arrange everything for maximum space and privacy.

"Then his parents spent twenty minutes making sure that he knew he was always welcome with them if he couldn’t sleep or had a bad nightmare. It made his chest feel warm."

Pepa smiled softly. He would always be welcome. All of her niños were.

"Mirabel pouted a bit that he wasn’t going to room with her but Camilo felt safer with his hermana."

"Fair. Mirabel would probably pounce on him regularly," Isabela joked weakly and the others let out huffs of laughter.

"Nothing could sneak up on Dolores."

Dolores smiled a bit more at the clear trust Camilo still had in her.

She wouldn't let him down.

"He was nervous the first night though, clutching Lola close as his mami tucked him in. She sat on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers through his hair with a soft smile.

“I’m so proud of you Cami. You’re being so brave,” she murmured."

He really was. It was a big thing for him to be taking this step. On his own too.

"He leaned up into the contact, giving her a small smile.

“If you need us, you’re always welcome,” she reminded him and he nodded.

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. His papi came over to say goodnight as well."

They wistfully thought of all the times that they'd tucked their hijo in before, wishing him goodnight. He'd often begged for a story before they left and Felix had had fun coming up with all sorts of weird stories to make him smile.

"He was already drifting off to sleep when his mami finally moved away reluctantly.

“He’ll be okay,” his papi murmured.

“I know. It was just… nice, to have him there when I woke up.”

“We’ll see him in the morning.”"

It wasn't the same though… as much as Pepa knew he needed to take this step, she still wanted her baby right there when she woke up. In sight and safe between her and Felix.

"Their voices faded as they moved away. Just before he fell asleep, he felt a light touch brush over his cheek.

“Sleep well hermano,” Dolores whispered.

He fell asleep with a smile on his face."

Dolores smiled softly to herself. She could still make him smile.

"He woke up with a nightmare that night. And the following nights as well. Crying and panicking as he shifted into Rico, thinking that he needed to keep up the act."

They winced as they always did at the mention of him scared or in pain.

"Dolores was always there though, calming him down and soothing him back to sleep after he let go of the shift. He woke up cuddled in her arms in the morning more often than not."

Her hands twitched. She wished he was already here so she could cuddle him close and hear his heartbeat again.

"He felt safe and he felt loved.

He thought maybe this was what healing felt like."

Their smiles were brighter and more hopeful now. This was good right?

" Camilo was sitting in front of her mirror when Dolores walked in. She paused at the confused expression on her hermano’s face.

“Cami?” she asked.

It had been two months since he came home and he was leaps and bounds better than he’d been when he first moved into her room. The nightmares weren’t coming every night now and he didn’t have as many panic attacks as before."

Pepa let out a shaky sigh of relief. He was getting better.

"Camilo looked back at her, looking torn between confusion and thoughtfulness.

“What’s wrong?”

“I wanted to see… if shifting still hurt,” he admitted."

That had them all tensing up again as they stared anxiously at the book.

"She came closer, concerned. She knew the last few times he’d panic-shifted, it hadn’t really hurt as much as it used to according to Camilo. But she was still worried."

That was good to hear at least. That it didn't hurt as much. Maybe it wasn't permanent.

"“And?”

“It doesn’t but…” He trailed off.

“Cami?”"

Pepa bit her lip. What went wrong now?

"“I can’t shift into anyone but Rico…” he whispered, looking back at the mirror. “I’ve tried everyone. You, Mira, Isa, Luisa, mami, papi… everyone. But I can’t. Every time I try… It’s always Rico…”"

There were gasps around the room. Isabela covered her mouth in horror.

That must be terrifying for Camilo to realise.

"She picked up on the scared note in his voice and quickly moved to sit next to him, tugging him into a hug.

“I don’t want my Gift,” he whispered as he turned into the hug. “But I’m still upset that they took something else from me.”"

Bruno swallowed hard. He could understand that. They might not want their Gifts, but losing it because of someone else? That would hurt.

"Dolores closed her eyes and held him closer.

She’d never hated someone like she hated the people who had taken and hurt her hermano so much. She didn’t doubt that his inability to shift into someone else was a mental block. But it still wasn’t fair."

Julieta nodded thoughtfully. It probably was a mental block. She didn't know how they could help him though.

Maybe it would just take time?

"Camilo wouldn’t use his Gift again. Not if he could help it. Not if all he would see is Rico.

She couldn’t imagine the loss he was feeling over that.

It wasn’t fair.

None of this was fair."

Dolores clenched her hands and looked down. It wasn't. Camilo never deserved anything like this.

It wasn't right and it wasn't fair.

"But she’d make sure he felt loved. Even if he never used his Gift again.

He was far more important than some magic ability after all."

Pepa nodded firmly. Yes, he was. The magic would always come second when it came to her niños' health. If he didn't want to shift, no one could make him. And she'd love him just as much. Nothing could change that.

"And she’d make sure the rest of the Encanto didn’t make him think otherwise."

Felix smiled proudly. His hija was so much like her mamá sometimes.

"She had enough blackmail on the village to keep them in line if she needed to. Anything for her hermanito."

Everyone looked at Dolores in shock at that and she ducked her head.

"It's for emergencies," she muttered.

Pepa snorted and gestured for them to keep reading.

"Anything to make him smile more."

"Anything…" Dolores whispered.

"“It’ll be alright Cami,” she whispered. “Maybe not now. Or tomorrow. Or next week or month. But one day, it’ll be okay.”

He curled further into the hug and Dolores swore to protect him, no matter what."

And she would. She would keep her hermanito safe. She'd listen to this book and learn all she could to help Camilo.

He was going to be safe this time.

Chapter Text

Felix handed Bruno the book and he hesitantly started reading. He was still nervous about it all going wrong again.

“Chapter Twenty-One. Five Years Later.”

Everyone was shocked at the sudden timeskip. Five years?

“He’d be fifteen…” Pepa murmured, eyes flicking to the photo showing Mateo hurting an older Camilo. He could be fifteen in the picture…

Felix took her hand and pulled her close, both of them worried over where the story was heading now.

For the first time, they wondered if there even was a happy ending to this all.

“Camilo grumbled and pulled the pillow over his head as Mirabel knocked cheerfully on the door. He whined when he heard Dolores chuckle.”

That got some weak smiles despite their new worries. Camilo had never really been a morning person. It gave them some hope that he seemed to have returned to that after a few years of safety. Felix had many fond memories of dragging his hijo out of bed. Sometimes even carrying him to breakfast himself to prevent Camilo from going back to sleep.

"“Come on hermano. Time for breakfast.”

“Evil morning people,” he groaned, turning his head to glare blearily at his hermana."

Dolores smiled a bit at the words. She'd been called that a few times in the past by her hermanito.

"She was smiling at him as she leaned around one of the bookcases that separated their sides of the room."

So he was still staying with her then? It must help him then. 

"She was already fully dressed and looking as put together as ever.

He pulled the blanket over his head and heard Dolores stifle a laugh. Moments later, she tugged down the blanket and poked him in the side, drawing a startled yelp from him.

“Come on,” she repeated with a smirk. “Breakfast time.”"

There were some soft chuckles. Camilo had been notoriously ticklish.

"He pouted at her as he sat up, yawning and watching her to make sure she didn’t try and go for his vulnerable sides.

Evil hermanas… taking advantage of ticklish spots."

Dolores bit her lip to hide a smile. Tickling him was just fun and she knew he liked it more than he let on.

"With a few more nudges, Camilo was up and getting ready. After dressing and brushing his teeth, it was just his hair he had left to tackle.

He sat on his bed, fighting it with a brush. Worst part of the morning, hands down. Besides waking up of course."

The joys of curly hair.

It was nice to hear this though. It was normal. Clearly a routine and Camilo didn't seem to be struggling at all. There wasn't a mention of nightmares or him getting stuck in memories yet.

"And even five years after everything had happened, he still avoided mirrors. The one in the bathroom had been taken down and the only one here was on Dolores’ side of the room. So he had to brush his hair blind."

There were some grimaces at that. Definitely not a fun task.

"“Need some help?” her voice broke through his thoughts and he handed over the brush.

It was practically their morning routine by now. Dolores hummed as she carefully brushed through his brown curls and Camilo enjoyed the peaceful moment before they joined the chaos of the family."

Dolores already loved the idea of sharing a room with Camilo. Having him right there where she could help him? It seemed perfect.

"When she was done, she pressed a kiss to his cheek which he ducked away from and wiped off his cheek with exaggerated disgust."

There was some more soft laughter. He really did seem better.

"She smiled fondly and set aside the brush before they both headed for the door.

Camilo was out first, rushing out in a whirlwind of energy now that he was properly awake. Casita caught him with her railing and nudged him along to the stairs, flattening them so he could slide down. Dolores followed at a more sedate pace."

Pepa's heart ached at the description. Camilo was such an energetic boy. And it sounded so good to hear that he returned to that happiness in the future.

That he had the confidence to run around like that again.

"Entering the kitchen, he said good morning to everyone and ducked around the people carrying dishes to the table. His mamá smiled at him and brushed the back of her hand over his cheek. HIs papá clapped him on the shoulder lightly as he passed to slip into his seat next to Antonio."

"Oh yeah," Isabela sounded surprised. "He'd be five now, wouldn't he?"

They looked at each other. His Gift Ceremony maybe? If it was five years…

"“Morning hermano!” the soon-to-be five-year-old chirped excitedly."

Julieta nodded to herself. Gift Ceremony then.

"Camilo grinned back. “Hey Toñito. You excited for tonight?”"

Pepa rested her hand on her stomach. That baby she'd only found out about was five?

It was hard to believe.

"The little boy nodded eagerly and Camilo pushed down a flicker of unease. He couldn’t help that Antonio’s approaching Gift Ceremony reminded him of his own. He tried thinking of his Gift as little as possible these days."

It hurt to hear that he was still so anxious about his Gift but he did seem better in general. And they'd take any improvement over that frightened little boy they'd read about.

"But Antonio was probably going to get the best kind of Gift. He deserved it after all. He was the sweetest kid Camilo had ever met."

Felix smiled softly while Pepa cooed. They'd always known that Camilo would make a great hermano.

"Dolores slid into her chair next to him and Antonio leaned forward to greet her as well. He looked like he was going to vibrate out of his skin with excitement. The sight was enough to make Camilo’s anxiety fade for now."

Dolores smiled slightly. It was already clear that Camilo adored his hermanito. She wondered what Antonio was like?

"Dolores nudged his knee under the table, shooting him an enquiring look. His heart had probably sped up a bit with his brief bout of anxiety. He shook his head slightly, nudging her knee back to reassure her."

The adults smiled. Dolores was such a good hermana to Camilo. It was clear she was very aware of him at all times.

"Breakfast wasn’t anything out of the ordinary and before he knew it, they were getting ready to head down to the village.

Camilo still helped out with the rest of them, he just never used his Gift to do it. A few villagers had tried to push in the beginning, but after a few storms and Dolores saying something that seemed to scare the crap out of them, they stopped. Abuela had also dropped it, although he still caught her disappointed looks sometimes.

He tried not to let it bother him."

Pepa thundered again. Her baby put the effort into helping people after everything but they just wanted his Gift. Despite his clear fear of it.

And her mamá…

Pepa refused to let anyone make Camilo upset over not wanting to use his Gift. He had every right to make that decision.

""While everyone was out doing their things though, he usually babysat the kids from the village. He told them stories and his Tio Bruno had given him tips on keeping them engaged for multiple stories so they didn’t get bored."

Bruno couldn't help smiling a bit at that. He'd always known that Camilo was dramatic and enjoyed telling stories. It was nice to hear that he found a way to use those skills in the village.

And to hear that he'd helped him… taught him…

Maybe… they could still do that?

"Sometimes, one of the older kids would ask why he didn’t shift while telling the stories anymore, but he was quick to deflect those questions. Most of the kids didn’t remember the three years he did use his Gift when telling stories though. For the most part, they enjoyed the tales he told until their parents came to pick them up."

At least he wasn't freaking out or panicking at the question. That had to be a good sign.

"The day passed in a busy blur, Mirabel coming through at some point, keeping a bunch of her own kids busy with a song."

There was some soft laughter at that. Mirabel was a bundle of happiness and it was good to hear that that didn't change.

Isabela smiled to herself. Mirabel just loved to sing.

"By the time Camilo returned to Casita, they were well on their way into decorating. Dolores appeared out of nowhere by his side, a slight frown pulling at her lips. He was used to her just popping up like that. She wasn’t very far from him usually unless he was with one of their parents."

Pepa couldn't imagine Camilo being out of her sight right now. So she could definitely understand why Dolores would stick close to him.

"He understood why they were all anxious about him being too far away. They never did find Mateo and Gloria, and Camilo still had nightmares about them grabbing him from the village again."

Thunder crashed.

They never caught the bastards? Camilo had to live five years knowing the people who hurt him were still free?

Pepa's fingers twitched.

"“What’s wrong?” he asked, shaking away the darker thoughts.

“The not-special-special,” she said dryly."

Everyone blinked in confusion. What?

"Camilo scowled in annoyance. That guy was so oblivious in how cruel that was to Mirabel."

Julieta sat bolt upright. "Wait what?!"

Agustin looked just as upset over hearing that someone was being cruel to Mirabel.

Isabela's eyes were narrowed as she glared at the book.

"His prima was just as special as anyone else in the family."

"Of course she is!" Isabela blurted out. "Do the villagers think she isn't?"

Dolores hummed and squeaked when the sound made everyone look at her. She shifted nervously.

"They say stuff about her not having a Gift a lot," she mumbled.

The family looked outraged at that. They had another thing to deal with now.

No one treated their mariposa badly.

"“Mamá’s stressing,” Dolores suddenly said before Camilo formed a revenge plan on the jerk."

Pepa winced, guessing what 'stressing' looked like.

"Camilo looked up to spot the mini windstorm and hurriedly moved over that way to see his papá trying to calm his mamá down. Her anxiety over Antonio’s Gift ceremony had shot sky high with Abuela’s pressure on it not going like Mirabel’s did. And he also knew they were worried about Antonio’s Gift catching someone’s attention in a bad way.

Like Camilo’s did."

There was so much to unpack there. Not go like Mirabel’s did? Isabela was frowning at the wording. It didn’t sound right. Why was Abuela even thinking of that? Why did it sound like Mirabel was being blamed for what happened on her fifth birthday?

Meanwhile, Pepa and Felix were struck with the very real fear that their second hijo would suffer the same fate as Camilo if he got a ‘useful’ Gift. Because of the nature of Dolores’ Gift, she was nearly impossible to sneak up on. But a five-year-old? He’d be so vulnerable. Just like Camilo was…

"Before he could move forward to help, Isabela intervened. 

Camilo frowned slightly to himself, recognising the ‘perfect Isabela’ act she had in place. Abuela had put a lot more pressure on her lately, especially with the engagement."

Isabela made a strangled noise. "Engagement?!"

"But that's wonderful!" Abuela said happily.

Isabela didn't say anything, looking shocked still. And not exactly… happy.

Julieta and Agustin looked at each other worriedly.

"To who?" Bruno wondered.

"Which was a mess all its own. Dolores couldn’t hide anything from him when they shared a room and he’d comforted his crying hermana the night the match-up had been announced. She’d insisted on not interfering though so he hadn’t said anything. As much as he wanted to."

"What?!" Pepa and Felix shouted while Isabela looked like she'd been struck.

"Oh no…" Bruno said quietly.

Dolores looked down. "My prophecy…" she whispered, already sounding resigned.

Isabela made a pained noise, shaking her head.  "No, I won't do that to you."

Dolores flinched. "You're in love Isa-"

"We don't know that! And it wouldn't be worth hurting you! Making you cry!" Isabela's voice cracked and Dolores flinched again.

She didn't say anything though and still looked resigned while Bruno looked guilty.

Pepa met Julieta's gaze. They were returning to this later. 

Also, who was the fiancé?

"He also saw the mini argument that sprang up between Isabela and Mirabel when they bumped into each other in the crowd. He wasn’t sure when their relationship had soured so badly, but the pair could barely stay in the same room without getting into a fight lately."

"What?" Isabela whispered, sounding heartbroken.

She hurt her prima like that and then fought with her hermana?

"I don't want this future…" she whispered.

"Sighing, he slipped through the crowd to join his parents.

His mamá’s expression lit up when she saw him like it always did and he let her pull him into a hug. He could tell that she needed it.

“It’ll be okay mamá,” he murmured.

She let out a shaky breath and pressed a kiss to his hair."

Pepa clenched her hands. No matter how often they read it, it didn't make the longing to do the same lessen at all.

"“It doesn’t matter if Antonio doesn’t get a Gift. We’ll still love him,” he reminded her."

Their expressions softened. He hadn't let Mirabel's lack of a Gift change how he treated her either.

"She hugged him tighter at that and his papá let out a chuckle. 

“When did you get so wise mijo?” he asked fondly.

“Dolores had that philosophy phase,” he answered dryly. “And I was stuck in the room with her and her musings.”"

That got some weak laughter and a smile from Dolores. She hoped she got that experience. Getting to help her hermanito like that.

"He caught his hermana’s mild glare across the room and smirked while his papá laughed.

Camilo considered it a success when his parents were both smiling again."

He was definitely sounding better and it made them relax a bit. While a lot of what they were hearing was concerning, at least he seemed better.

"Camilo smiled widely when Antonio came into sight in his fancy white clothes. His mamá was drizzling and even his papá sounded choked up. Dolores looked on the brink of tears too."

Pepa's cloud darkened and she rested her hand on her stomach. She hadn't even met this baby yet… hearing about him getting his Gift already… it made her sad.

"They all hugged him and Camilo whispered to him before pulling back.

“Doesn’t matter what happens, you’re still mi hermanito,” he reminded.

Antonio relaxed a little and smiled nervously up at him. Camilo waved back as he followed the rest of the family out into the courtyard."

Dolores smiled. Her hermano really was sweet. 

"He wasn’t really surprised when he saw Mirabel walk Antonio up to his door. She was close to him in a different way than he or Dolores were. He was glad Antonio had her and those whispering about it could put a sock in it as far as he was concerned."

They all looked at each other in concern. Why would it be a big thing if Mirabel walked Antonio to his door?

It had happened before. Pepa had walked Camilo to his. And Agustin had walked Luisa. They were five. If they needed that extra support, of course they got it.

"When the door started blazing gold though, Camilo’s breath caught in his throat. Dolores tugged him close into her side, hiding the way he was shaking slightly. He could see his own door out of the corner of his eye, still dark and dull. He hadn’t been in there since he was ten."

Felix wished he could take that fear away. It wasn't right that seeing this should make him scared. He was glad Dolores was keeping an eye (or ear he supposed) on him.

"Dolores held him close as his stomach twisted with unease and all the worries he’d kept back came rushing out.

What if someone wanted Antonio for his Gift?

What if they took him?

What if they hurt him?

What if he started to hate his Gift like Camilo did? Like Tio Bruno did?"

They flinched a bit at that reminder. Both Camilo and Bruno had every right to hate their Gift after everything. It still hurt to hear though.

"What if-

“Deep breaths Cami,” Dolores whispered into his hair and he drew in a shaky breath. 

She rubbed his arm as he got his anxiety and panic back under control."

Dolores kept her gaze down as she worked on the ruana. She was relieved to know that she could help Camilo like this and resolved to always be there when he needed it.

"He jumped in shock just like everyone else when the animals all surged in though."

"What?" Isabela asked in confusion.

The animals?

"Camilo looked up at the door properly now to see the carving and a small smile pulled at his lips.

Animals huh?

Fit Antonio really well."

They weren't getting a lot of information but it had something to do with actual animals rushing into the house apparently. They were all curious.

"He likes animals?" Felix mused with a soft smile.

It was still strange to learn about their niño who hadn't even been born yet.

"And if he was going to be hanging around on a jaguar, then Camilo didn’t really need to worry about anyone trying to hurt him.

Parce was a pretty good deterrent."

"Wait, jaguar?" Pepa choked out while everyone else stared ahead blankly.

Well, that was unexpected. 

Chapter Text

Bruno silently handed the book over to Felix. His head was still spinning. A five-year-old on a jaguar… Great…

Felix started to read after clearing his throat. “Chapter Twenty-Two. Falling Apart.”

“That’s not ominous sounding at all,” Pepa muttered sarcastically.

"Camilo didn’t know what to do."

That sounded even worse. They all exchanged worried looks.

"Things seemed to have gone downhill since Antonio’s Gift Ceremony. Since Mirabel had run in shouting about cracks in Casita, she’d been acting weird. She’d practically stalked Dolores trying to get his hermana to tell her something before rushing off again."

Dolores frowned to herself. If Mirabel wanted something, why didn't she just tell her?

"Then suddenly Luisa was losing her Gift, door flickering in a way that sent fear through the family."

"What?" Abuela whispered in shock while Julieta and Agustin looked alarmed.

Isabela bit her lip in worry for both her hermanas now. Luisa was losing her Gift?

"Dolores was looking worried and quietly admitted to hearing cracks in the walls when he asked her about it. He wasn’t an idiot. He’d been seeing those growing cracks every time he visited Tio Bruno."

Bruno grimaced. He'd seen the cracks already growing over the last few years. He'd hoped they'd stop at some point.

"And then the engagement dinner… 

What a mess."

Isabela just wanted to know who she was apparently engaged to! Who Dolores was in love with…

"Dolores was good at keeping secrets, but not ones that she thought might hurt the family. She’d ended up telling him about the prophecy in a panicked whisper and he’d choked on his food in shock. Before he could think it through properly, Dolores already looking guilty for telling him, he whispered it to his papá who told his mamá.

There was a storm in moments and everything collapsed like dominoes."

They all grimaced. Felix couldn't keep a secret from Pepa to save his life…

What prophecy were they talking about though?

They glanced at Bruno who was frozen with clear horror in his eyes. That wasn’t a good sign… They didn’t ask though. He looked like a spooked rabbit right now.

“Camilo bit his lip as he stared at the green tablet that slid down the table to rest in front of Abuela before freezing in fear. Dolores was covering her ears in pain as the cracks appeared all around the room. His mamá’s storm was out of control and so were Isabela’s plants.”

Alma clutched her locket fearfully as she listened with wide eyes. This sounded like a nightmare.

“And Camilo could feel his magic, bubbling up in his chest. It wanted out. It wanted to shift.

And that terrified Camilo. He hadn’t shifted in years, even the panic-shifts from when he first got home had died away.”

Pepa covered her mouth, her concerns over what was happening flying out of the window as she heard how frightened her hijo was. 

This all sounded like very important information, but she just wanted to reach the end of the book now. She wanted her baby home and safe where she could cuddle him and assure him that nothing would ever hurt him again.

“Frozen in place, he shoved the magic down frantically, biting his lip so hard it bled at the sharp pain in his chest from the action. That never happened before.”

Dolores was chewing her lip, a habit she shared with her hermanito. His magic was hurting him? Again?

“He doubled over and even in the chaos, his parents noticed.

“Cami?” his papá asked in concern, hand on his back.

“Don’t wanna shift,” he whimpered. 

He didn’t want to be Rico again… The smiling boy still haunted his nightmares.”

Felix gritted his teeth. His hijo was still so affected by everything. They’d taken so much more than just two years from him…

“His papá cursed and pulled him into a hug.

“Deep breaths Cami, deep breaths,” he murmured.

Camilo followed his instructions, copying his breathing as he tucked in close to his papá’s chest.

By the time the painful pressure in his chest faded and he could focus on the room again, it was empty except for his side of the family.

His mamá was on his other side, fingers running through his hair. Dolores stood close, looking worried and guilty all at once.”

Dolores dropped her gaze. It sounded like this was her fault, for blurting out some secret that wasn’t hers to tell.

Sometimes she hated her Gift. It was very much a love-hate relationship for her.

“Antonio was leaning over from his papá’s other side, looking very concerned. They’d never given him details of what happened when Camilo was younger. He knew that some terrible people had stolen him away for two years and had hurt him, which was why he never used his Gift and why he got scared sometimes, but no details.”

It wouldn’t make sense to frighten a little boy with that story. Telling him the basics let him know why his hermano was hurt but didn’t scare him with the details. Which were Camilo’s to tell if he ever chose to anyway.

“Camilo hated to make his hermanito so worried though.

“I’m okay,” he mumbled, sitting up slowly. “I just… shoved it down too hard I think. Like it hurts when it backlashes.”

His mamá pursed her lips unhappily, like she always did when he tried to wave off his well-being. He wilted under the look and sighed.

“I’ll be okay,” he amended.”

Felix managed a weak smile. He could imagine it vividly. Pepa’s expression and how Camilo caved in moments. It happened a lot in the past when they thought he might be sick or upset about anything. Camilo never lasted long under that look from his mamá.

“He lifted his head and looked to the doorway when he heard raised voices. “What-?”

Dolores’ lips twisted unhappily. “Abuela wants us to find Mirabel.””

“Mira’s missing?” Julieta asked in worry. She didn’t like anything she was hearing.

She liked the implied tone of Dolores’ voice even less.

“His parents looked at each other at the reminder of the prophecy.

“What does it mean?” his mamá murmured, the wind picking up again.”

What prophecy is this?” Alma asked quietly, looking to Bruno who had cowered back into the armchair, pulling his hood over his head. He was frantically tapping at the armrest and muttering to himself. Dolores was watching him in concern as she listened to whatever he was saying. She didn’t volunteer any information though.

“Camilo picked at the edge of his ruana.

“Does it matter?” he asked quietly.”

That made everyone in the room pause and frown. It sounded pretty serious from what they were hearing. Why wouldn’t the prophecy matter?

Bruno had fallen silent as he listened now.

“They all looked back at him and he shrugged.

“She’s still Mirabel. Does it matter if she’s the reason the house falls or the candle dies? She’s still family. We know she wouldn’t do it on purpose.””

There was so much to unpack in that statement.

Bruno flinched violently, letting them all know that they’d finally found out the contents of the prophecy. 

“The candle dying?” Alma croaked in horror.

Isabela drew in a deep breath while everyone looked at each other fearfully.

“He’s right,” she whispered, getting their attention. She clenched her hands in her skirt as she looked down. “Mira would never hurt our family on purpose. Something… there’s something else going on.” She lifted her eyes to look straight at her Abuela with red-rimmed eyes. “And since when is the magic more important than our family?”

Alma froze under her pleading, angry gaze and Bruno let out a quiet scoff. 

“It always was,” he said bitterly. “Why do you think I left? I couldn’t… I couldn’t let Mira grow up being treated the way I was…”

A downpour started in the room while Julieta all but threw herself at Bruno, holding him in a desperate hug as she sobbed.

He left to protect Mirabel. He left because he didn’t believe that anyone could see past a bad prophecy.

“Bad luck Bruno,” he choked out and Isabela let out a sob as well, jumping up to join her mamá in hugging him.

Pepa clutched Dolores close while Felix covered his face. Agustin was staring blankly ahead as he tried to process everything.

Bruno left. In an attempt to protect Mirabel. And judging from the reactions they were reading, he was fully justified.

Except for Camilo, who candidly asked why it mattered in the first place. Who pointed out the obvious that she was still their family. So nothing else should matter.

If it wasn’t malicious, why should it ever matter more than Mirabel did?

Alma remained silent in the face of the emotion in the room.

Felix shakily continued reading while Julieta and Isabela both continued to hug the life out of Bruno, who looked broken as he listened to the result of his prophecy. It reminded Dolores of his expression after he'd given her that disastrous one years ago.

“His papá let out a huff of laughter after a moment of silence as the wind died down completely. His mamá was smiling fondly.

“Good point,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “We’ll figure that out later. Dolores, is Mirabel alright?””

Isabela’s eyes unfocused for a moment as she stared ahead. “Why didn’t we ask Dolores from the start?” she wondered.

Dolores shrugged. People forgot the obvious answer sometimes. And she just didn’t feel like reminding them if she didn’t want to help in the first place. And after all that, she would never want to point the angry people in the direction of her prima when it was her fault to begin with.

If she’d just kept her stupid mouth shut…

““Dolores tilted her head for a moment. “Sí, she’s just hiding and upset for the moment.”

She looked guilty again and Camilo reached out for her hand which she gave without hesitation.”

Dios but Dolores thought that Camilo was far too forgiving to offer comfort to her in that moment.

““Right, let us know if that changes, alright mija?” their mamá said. “For now, let’s go get some tea and calm down alright?”

They all nodded in agreement and Camilo glanced at Dolores as they left the room, apparently having avoided the argument that happened between the rest of the family.

Dolores tilted her head subtly to the walls.

Oh…

Looks like his prima was meeting their Tio then.”

Bruno made a choked noise. Mirabel was what? How would she have even found him?

“Camilo dodged out of the way of his mamá’s lightning when he heard the thump from the walls. Just what was Mirabel doing in there?!”

Pepa’s heart turned to ice. She almost hurt her baby? Dolores wrapped her arms around her mamá. 

“It’s not your fault when you get startled mamá,” she whispered.

Pepa couldn’t find it in herself to agree with her hija. She hated when her Gift resulted in harm coming to her family.

“Dolores’ expression didn’t give anything away although she was squeaking a lot, which concerned everyone. He wondered what Mirabel and their Tio would talk about, wondered what the prophecy meant.”

Dolores flushed. Her squeaks always gave her away…

“Despite his dislike for his Gift, he didn’t want to lose Casita. He loved their house. And his family loved their Gifts.

He didn’t want them to lose their magic.

But he didn’t want to lose Mirabel either…

Camilo was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice when Antonio snuck away.”

They frowned to themselves. Why was Antonio sneaking away like that? It made them feel anxious at the thought of a vulnerable five-year-old being out of their sight and Pepa rested her hand on her stomach nervously.

“As the cracks grew and Casita started to fall apart, Camilo felt his mamá grab him, pulling him backwards. His papá grabbed Antonio while Dolores yelled for Mirabel and Isabela to get out of there.”

Their hearts dropped as horror spread through the room. Casita was falling? What had happened?! What pushed it all too far?

“The entire place was coming down and Camilo felt helpless to do anything to help.

As the dust settled after the collapse, he leaned into his mamá’s hold, staring at the rubble with wide eyes. His chest felt strangely empty, his Gift entirely out of his reach for the first time since he got it ten years ago.

He’d hated it for seven years.

He was surprised by how empty he felt without it.”

Everyone with Gifts reached up to rub at their chests anxiously. It was nearly impossible to imagine living without their magic. Regardless of their complicated feelings over them.

“And how little difference it’s absence made to the mess of his self-identity in his head.”

Pepa let out a whimper. Oh, she just wanted to hug him and shield him from the world and everything that would hurt him.

““Mijo?” he looked up at the sound of his mamá’s shaky voice. “Are you okay?”

He opened his mouth to reassure her, but said something else instead.

“I don’t know.”

He felt lost all over again.”

Felix stared at the book as he finished the chapter, feeling empty. Everything seemed to be going wrong again. Was this the reason Casita was making them read it all?

Was this future avoidable?

He glanced up at Bruno who looked broken and defeated.

Was it possible to change their fate?

Chapter Text

Agustin took the book gently from Felix and cleared his throat to start reading. Maybe they’d get some good news now?

“Chapter Twenty-Three. Adjusting.”

“Camilo sat on the edge of the roof of the church. Things were… weird. He was still trying to wrap his head around them.

The Gifts were all gone and Camilo still wasn’t feeling the relief he thought he would with his gone.”

Felix tapped his fingers on the couch anxiously. It was never that easy. Camilo’s Gift wasn’t the root cause of the problem, but it was the easiest thing for him to blame.

“Casita was gone and that hurt. She’d been a part of the family after all.”

The tiles rippled around them as everyone flinched, Casita trying to comfort them. Losing Casita was a massive blow. She’d been there through their entire lives.

Camilo was right. She was part of the family. The idea of losing her hurt.

“Tio Bruno was back. And Dolores and Camilo had had to guiltily tell the family that they’d been visiting him for years. Thankfully, their parents hadn’t gotten upset after Dolores explained that he’d been helping Camilo with his kidnapping for ages now, talking him through a lot of difficult subjects.”

Pepa gave her hermano a weak smile. She would forever be thankful for that. She hoped he’d be willing to help Camilo the same way now too. Just outside of the walls.

“Mirabel felt guilty about the house collapsing and the candle dying.

Dolores felt guilty over telling everyone about the prophecy. So did Camilo.”

Dolores flinched, looking down as she smoothed the ruana over her lap. It was almost finished.

“Mariano and Isabela weren’t getting married and Isabela was going… a little crazy with not being the ‘perfect’ Madrigal woman anymore.”

Isabela blinked. And then blinked again while Dolores shrank back into the couch.

“Mariano?!” Isabela shrieked, voice going up enough that Dolores covered her ears.

Everyone looked at the quiet girl who pointedly didn’t look up.

“Dolores?” Pepa asked softly and her hija kept her gaze glued to the ruana.

“But he’s such a sap!” Isabela whimpered, covering her face. 

“He’s sweet,” Dolores argued weakly.

Isabela looked up at her with pained eyes. “I won’t marry him,” she said firmly. “I don’t- I’m not even attracted to him! I won’t marry him.”

“And no one will force you to,” Julieta added quietly, reaching out to calm her frazzled hija.

Pepa pulled Dolores close in a hug and murmured so softly that no one else could hear. “We’ll figure this out mija,” she promised. “You don’t have to hide this from us. You’re just as important as anyone else in the family.”

Dolores twisted to burrow closer into the hug, shaking in that way that let Pepa know she was close to tears.

How much pain had her hija been carrying around since receiving that prophecy?

She looked up to find that Bruno was watching them with devastated eyes.

How much had he blamed himself for this? 

Pepa closed her eyes. They had so much to fix…

“She scared him a little at the moment.

Luisa was still a little depressed and Tio Bruno was trying to help her understand that it wasn’t her Gift or her ability to help that made her special or worth loving.”

Agustin made a wounded noise. Did his princess really think that about herself? Had they failed her that badly?

“And Abuela was looking as lost as he felt. But she was making an effort to change after everyone explained their problems after keeping it bottled up for years.”

Pepa let out a harsh scoff as she held her hija tighter. She couldn’t believe that. Not when her mamá was the least likely person to listen to any of them.

“Camilo sighed. It had been a rollercoaster the last couple of weeks. He looked up at where the house was being rebuilt. He longed to go home but that wasn’t available to them at the moment.

And they’d never be able to return to the home they’d known all their lives. It wouldn’t be Casita. It wouldn’t be Dolores’ warm and safe room where the outside world couldn’t get to him.”

Dolores made a quiet, pained sound but didn’t move from her mamá’s arms.

“Hell, he didn’t know how many of their possessions they’d find. They were still digging them out of the rubble.

He rested his head on his knees for a few minutes, only lifting it when someone sat next to him.

Luisa gave him a shaky smile and he returned it as best as he could.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

He closed his eyes for a moment, letting out a breath.

“No,” he admitted.

“Me neither,” she sighed.”

They all flinched at the blunt honesty between the two. Both the middle children in their families, Felix realised. After Antonio was born…

““At least we’ve still got our family,” he murmured.

“Yeah,” she agreed.

They both sat there for a while, staring up at the stars, Camilo leaning against his prima’s side.

They’d figure this out. Somehow.”

Of course they would. Pepa sat up a little straighter. Like hell they were going to let this break them. They’d keep going, no matter what life threw at them.

She tucked Dolores closer.

Nothing could break them like Camilo’s disappearance did. Coming back from this would be easy in comparison to surviving that loss.

“Everyone was working on the rebuliding of Casita and Mirabel was put in charge of making sure no one overworked themselves.”

“Well that sounds terrifying,” Isabela said dryly. 

Mirabel took any job she got very seriously. And she was very difficult to argue with.

“Which was how Camilo ended up walking off with Antonio in his arms, grumbling to himself.

He’d skipped one lunch break and he was banned from the building site for the rest of the day. Rude.”

That drew some laughter. Mirabel wouldn’t let him get away with that.

““What are we going to do?” Antonio asked curiously.

“How about we go play?” Camilo suggested, not willing to take his bad mood out on his hermanito.”

They smiled softly at the interaction between the two. It was clear in everything Camilo did that he adored Antonio.

“Let’s play in the jungle!” Antonio said excitedly, squirming down and running for the trees.”

Their smiles dropped immediately. The jungle? No one was allowed in the jungle to play. 

Then again, Antonio wasn’t fully aware of why that was a rule. And he’d probably been playing in there with his animals after getting his Gift.

“Camilo’s stomach dropped. He hadn’t really spent much time in the jungle in ages. And especially not without his parents or Dolores.”

Pepa bit her lip. She was getting a very bad feeling about this, gaze flicking over to where the photo of Manuel hurting an older Camilo was turned facedown.

““Antonio!” he called, running after his hermanito.

“Come on Camilo! Let’s go climb trees!”

He followed the kid further into the jungle until he stopped at the base of a large tree.

“Mira and I climb this one all the time!” he said proudly.”

Did they grow more lax with that rule as time passed?

““That’s great Antonio,” Camilo was panting a little from keeping up with his hermanito. Damn, but the kid was fast when he wanted to be. “But how about we stick closer to the village?”

Antonio looked at him in confusion while Camilo looked around anxiously.

“Why?”

“I’m not really a fan of the jungle Toñito,” he admitted, reaching up to anxiously rub at his arm under his ruana.”

Felix unconsciously drew Pepa and Dolores closer to him. He was getting really worried about where this was going.

“His hermanito must have picked up on his rising anxiety because his smile dropped.

“Cami?” he took a step closer to Camilo. "Are you okay?"

Camilo closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. But a startled scream made them snap open again.”

They all jerked in their seats, staring at Agustin with wide eyes as he paled.

“Read,” Pepa pleaded. She needed to know.

“Camilo froze when he looked up at the man who must have been hiding in the nearby bushes.”

“No…” Isabela whispered shakily.

“It seemed like the last five years hadn't been kind to him since there was grey in his hair and his face had more stress lines than before. Not to mention the unkempt beard.

But Camilo would recognise him anywhere. He still haunted his nightmares.

Mateo Pérez. 

And he had Antonio.”

The wind picked up in the room as Pepa started panicking. That man was near her baby again and had her second hijo in his grip too.

This couldn’t be happening. Not again. 

““No…” Camilo choked out, staring in horror as Antonio squirmed in the man’s hold.

“Been a while, Rico. You’ve been a bad boy,” Mateo smiled, a mad glint to his eyes.”

“He’s not Rico,” Dolores whimpered. “Just leave him alone.”

Agustin’s voice was shaking as he continued.

“Camilo wanted nothing more than to run, to get away from the source of all his trauma and nightmares, but he couldn’t. Not while this madman had his hermanito.”

Pepa let out a pained noise. Camilo would never leave his hermano in the hands of the person who hurt him.

They could all see where this was going.

““Let him go,” he tried to sound firm but it came out more pleading than he liked.

Mateo only smiled wider and Camilo’s breathing hitched as he pulled a knife into sight, holding it to Antonio’s throat.”

Snow fell around them as Pepa let out a strangled cry. He was five! He was even younger than Camilo had been!

The entire family listened fearfully as Agustin forced himself to continue.

““Don’t hurt him!” Camilo cried out, any attempt to not show his fear out the window now.

“As long as you do what you’re told Rico, the kid will be fine.””

Dolores closed her eyes in pain. She knew what was going to happen next. She knew her hermano.

“Antonio stared at Camilo with wide, frightened eyes and he knew that he couldn’t let anything happen to his hermanito. No matter what.

He nodded weakly.”

Pepa let out a sob, barely even noticing the wind whipping the snow around them.

““Ruana off,” the man sneered at the piece of clothing and Camilo’s heart clenched as he pulled the yellow fabric over his head. He threw it in the direction Mateo gestured, heart pounding.”

Dolores was holding the nearly finished ruana to her chest, heart pounding in her ears. They couldn’t lose him again. Those people couldn’t take him again. Please, let someone stop this.

“He stood still as the man came closer, staring at where the knife was still pressed to Antonio’s throat, a trickle of blood running down his skin.”

Felix growled. Mateo was a dead man.

““Be a good boy Rico,” the man said and Camilo had to fight the urge to throw up.

Before he could react, Mateo lashed out, hitting Camilo over the head with the hilt of the knife.”

Pepa let out a panicked cry, lurching forward like she could stop it from happening.

“He crumpled with a cry of pain, hearing Antonio call out in panic.

“Time to come home Rico,” Mateo said as Camilo lost consciousness.”

“No no, por favor,” Pepa pleaded as Felix held her close to his chest. “Not again, not again.”

It was all happening again. Just a repeat of the worst moment of their lives.

They were losing him again.

Julieta grabbed the book and frantically started reading the next chapter.

“Chapter Twenty-Four. Lost.”

Pepa let out a despairing sob.

Chapter Text

Julieta’s voice was frantic as she read the next chapter.

“Mariano was just about to head back to the building site when a jaguar appeared in his path.”

They all inhaled sharply and listened to every word with concern. They wanted to know about Camilo and Antonio. Why was the story mentioning Mariano suddenly?

“He froze and stared at the animal. Antonio’s Gift was gone so… how much danger was he in right now?

“Hello?” he squeaked.

The animal stared at him for a moment before turning towards the jungle and taking a few steps. It looked back at him expectantly.

“You want me… to follow you?” Mariano asked in confusion.”

Pepa was clinging to Felix tightly as she listened, trying in vain to keep her clouds from snowing. She was completely terrified at the idea of what could have happened to her hijos.

“The jaguar continued walking towards the jungle and Mariano shrugged after a moment.

Might as well.

What harm could it cause?

…except being eaten by a hungry jaguar of course.

Feeling more than a little nervous, Mariano kept walking.”

Dolores was hopeful that this was more than a coincidence. Maybe…

“All those thoughts vanished when he heard muffled crying. He rushed past the jaguar towards the sound to find Antonio, tied up with what looked like Camilo’s ruana and a rag pushed into his mouth. The poor boy was sobbing and Mariano didn’t hesitate to rush over and pull the gag out before working on carefully untying him. Everyone knew how much Camilo loved his ruana and he didn’t want to tear it by accident.”

A small part of Dolores melted at the fact that Mariano cared about that while the rest of her just wanted to cry at the fact that Antonio was okay.

But Camilo was missing.

““Cami!” Antonio cried as soon as he got his breath back. “He took Cami!””

Pepa flinched, hands twisting into Felix’s shirt as her breathing sped up. Her baby was back in the hands of those monsters. How were they going to find him? They could be anywhere!

“Mariano felt ice flood his veins. He still vividly remembered when Camilo went missing. He’d seen how devastated the family had been, how Dolores had walked around looking empty and heartbroken for months.”

Dolores startled badly at the fact that Mariano had… well, had noticed her at all.

“He also knew that the people that had taken him had never been caught, disappearing after Camilo escaped.

He needed to tell the Madrigals.”

They almost held their breath and Isabela felt bad for what she’d said about Mariano. Despite everything they’d heard, he still cared about their family. Regardless of a broken engagement.

“Scooping Antonio into his arms, he hurried towards the building site. Antonio clung to his shirt, still sobbing. When he looked over Mariano’s shoulder though, he whispered in confusion.

“Parce?””

Bruno’s eyes widened. But… their Gifts were gone… the magic was gone…

“Mariano didn’t have time to think about that though. He didn’t know how much of a head start the bastard had on them.

As he came into sight of the house, Dolores spotted him first. She took one look at Antonio and all the blood drained from her face.

Dios mio, he didn’t want to see this family break all over again.”

Dolores covered her mouth to hold back a sob. It would shatter them to lose him again.

Julieta drew in a shaky breath before she continued reading.

“Camilo came awake with a pounding headache as someone slapped him. He whimpered and opened his eyes, confused and dazed.”

Thunder rumbled above them and Pepa let out a hiss. That bastard dared to touch her hijo again.

“When Mateo’s face swam into focus though, the memories came rushing back. Mateo finding them in the jungle and holding Antonio hostage. Making Camilo leave his ruana before hitting him over the head and knocking him out.

Was Antonio okay? Did Mateo hurt him while he was knocked out?”

Felix closed his eyes. Of course Camilo was more concerned about Antonio than himself…

“He didn’t get a chance to ask as Mateo grabbed him by the hair and pulled him upright, making Camilo cry out in pain.

“Don’t make us wait now,” he snapped.”

Bruno felt the blood drain from his face. No… they… they didn’t know?

“Camilo stared at him in dazed confusion until he heard another voice and a vice grip dug into his arm.

“I want my Rico back!” the crazed voice said and Camilo found Gloria glaring at him.”

Thunder rumbled again before the snow fell as they all realised what Bruno already had.

“And he realised with horror that they didn’t know about the magic dying. They didn’t know that their Gifts were gone.”

Isabela curled in on herself, staring at the book in horror.

““I-I can’t,” he tried to say and whimpered at the flash of rage across their faces.

In an instant he was eight years old again, terrified out of his mind as the couple demanded he be someone else.

Only this time, he couldn’t give them what they wanted.”

Pepa was torn between fury and terror. At least in the past giving them what they wanted staved off the worst of the punishments from what she’d understood. But now… Camilo didn’t have his Gift anymore.

“Gloria slapped him, leaving scratches on his face from her too-long nails, before Mateo dropped him to the ground. He barely had time to draw in a breath before Mateo’s boot sank into his stomach.”

Felix was tense as a bowstring. It was agonising to hear about their hijo being hurt, and being helpless to do anything.

He kept having to remind himself that they could change this future. They could make sure the couple never had this second chance.

“Camilo automatically curled up as the beating started, still having the ingrained survival instincts he’d developed from those two years. He let out a breathless cry as he felt a rib break and another kick he was pretty sure fractured a bone in his forearm drew a gasp from him.”

Julieta had to take a few breaths to calm herself. How could anyone be so cruel? How could they hurt him so easily?

“The kicking stopped after what felt like an eternity.

“Are you going to cooperate now?” Mateo asked coldly. “Give us Rico.””

Dolores muffled a sob with her hands, tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Camilo coughed, trying to get his breath back. Breathing hurt and his arm was on fire. His entire torso hurt.

“I can’t,” he tried to tell the man, tears in his eyes. “It’s gone-”

He was cut off as Mateo brought his foot down hard on his shin, the sound of the bone snapping sickeningly loud. Camilo screamed, the new pain overriding everything else. It hurt it hurt it hurt-”

Julieta let out a sob and Pepa felt like the storm inside her was going to rip her apart. He was hurting. Camilo was hurting and they couldn’t help him.

This couldn’t happen in their future. It just couldn’t. They couldn’t let these monsters get their hands on her hijo again.

“Mateo dragged him up by his hair again and Camilo sobbed as it jostled his leg.

“Shift,” he ordered in a dangerous tone.

“Give me back my Rico!” Gloria shouted.

Camilo looked up at Mateo helplessly. “I can’t,” he choked out. “The magic’s gone. My Gift’s gone.””

Thorned vines were writhing around Isabela as she breathed too quickly, eyes wide. Her primo sounded so scared. They’d hurt him so much already. They’d broken his leg. Just because he didn’t give them what they wanted. Couldn’t give them what they wanted.

This was just the beginning. How bad was it going to be?

The family would find him, right?

Right?

“His heart dropped when the man’s expression only darkened. He thought Camilo was lying.

The fifteen-year-old screamed again when Mateo threw him a short distance away. He landed on his stomach, half in water, and looked around as he fought for breath, his leg throbbing with agony.

He could see the massive crack in the mountains of the Encanto not far away, but they were on the wrong side. They were outside the Encanto by a river.”

Alma inhaled sharply. A river? It couldn’t be- not that river.

Hearing about her nieto getting this hurt was already horrific. But…

Please don’t let history repeat itself.

“The couple must have been living outside and then snuck in when the mountain cracked. That’s why they didn’t know about the magic dying.

His thoughts cut off as Mateo grabbed his hair again and dragged him up, arching his back.

“Last chance kid. Shift,” he said lowly.

Camilo stared up at him, pleading with him to listen. “I can’t,” he sobbed.

“Wrong answer.””

Pepa squeezed her eyes shut and let Felix hold her tight. Listening to this was torture.

“Before Camilo could react, Mateo shoved his head underwater. He immediately started to struggle, only to scream as his leg moved. Water rushed down his throat and he scrabbled frantically at the hand in his hair.”

“No no no,” Bruno chanted under his breath, eyes locked on the book. Not his sweet sobrino. Not again.

“Just as suddenly, he was yanked out of the water. He coughed up water and dragged in lungfuls of air.

“Shift.”

Camilo sobbed, this time bracing himself as he was shoved back under the water.”

Dolores was openly sobbing now as snow fell heavily around them. Someone had to save him right? The book couldn't- it all couldn't have been for nothing!

“It happened again, and again, and again. Until Camilo lost count and everything narrowed down to dragging in enough air to survive each time he was pulled out of the water.

“Why are you being so stubborn?!” Mateo demanded at some point, sounding frustrated.

Gloria was screaming about wanting her son back but Camilo couldn’t really focus on that. His head was spinning and his lungs were burning.”

“He can’t,” Isabela whispered, tone near begging. “Just stop. Por favor, stop.”

““I… can’t,” he forced out. “It’s gone. Casita. The candle. The Gifts. They’re all gone,” he sobbed. “Why do you think… Dolores didn’t hear you?””

Dolores made a pained noise. She hadn’t heard him again. When he needed her, she didn’t hear him.

“That made Mateo pause. He met Camilo’s desperate gaze and realisation lit in his eyes.

“The Gifts are gone?” he asked in disbelief.

Camilo sobbed and closed his eyes. “Sí.” 

There was a long moment of silence above him.

“Then you’re useless to me.””

It felt like all the air in the room was sucked out in an instant.

No.

“His eyes snapped open again to find Mateo’s expression unreadable. New fear bloomed in his chest before he was shoved back underwater.

Mateo didn’t pull him out this time.”

Pepa screamed.

Chapter Text

Felix felt numb as he held his wife close as she screamed, a proper snowstorm whipping around the room.

No, it couldn’t… the book wasn’t over. Camilo couldn’t-

The book slipped out of Julieta’s shaking hands and Isabela caught it, almost tearing pages in her haste to read. She scrubbed tears from her eyes as Pepa’s scream trailed off into sobs.

There had to be more.

“Ch-chapter Twenty-Five,” she croaked. “Found.”

That got everyone’s attention and she started reading as the tears kept streaming down her cheeks.

“The weight of Mateo’s hand suddenly left Camilo’s head but he didn’t have the energy to push himself out of the water. Everything was going black and his lungs burned-

Different hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him out of the water. Frantic green eyes filled his vision and a familiar voice was talking.

“Cami, please,” she begged.

Mami?”

Pepa covered her mouth, shaking from head to toe. They were in time? They found him and stopped that monster from-

She could barely even think of what almost happened. She’d almost lost him forever.

“Camilo jerked to the side as he coughed up water, chest heaving and broken rib sending a sharp pain down his side at the movement.”

Dolores huddled in on herself and cried, half from relief and the rest from fear. He was alive. He was breathing. His heart was still beating.

“He dragged in a desperate breath while gentle hands helped roll him over onto his side properly, fingers combing through his wet hair and voice murmuring soothing words to him.

When he wasn’t dragging in air like he was still drowning, Camilo looked up at her. His mamá’s hair was half out of its braid and she looked paler than he’d seen her in a long time and on the edge of tears.”

Pepa couldn’t imagine how she must have felt after seeing Camilo like that. Except terror. Sheer, unbridled terror that they might be too late.

““Mami,” he choked out, tears burning his eyes again.

She pushed his hair out of his face and soothed him. “You’re okay, mamá’s here. You’re okay.””

She was there. They found him. They found him.

“He leaned into the touch but jerked at a familiar scream of rage. His gaze snapped past his mamá to see Gloria glaring hatefully at her. Now that he was paying attention to what was happening past his mamá, he realised his papá was also here. And beating the absolute shit out of Mateo apparently.”

Hell yes. Of course he would beat the shit out of the man who tried to drown his hijo. Felix shuddered at the thought. It had been too close.

““He’s mine!” Gloria shrieked and Camilo flinched.”

Thunderous black clouds replaced the snow as Pepa growled. How dare this bitch…

“His mamá’s eyes hardened and she turned around and stood up, standing between Camilo and Gloria.

“You bitch,” she seethed. “You touched mi hijo. You hurt him and frightened him and I won’t give you a chance to do it again!”

“He’s mine! My Rico!” Gloria shouted again, stepping closer.”

The clouds darkened and Pepa’s eyes flashed. This bitch was never getting close to Camilo again. Pepa would make sure of it.

“Camilo felt afraid for his parents. These two were completely unhinged and not afraid of violence. He didn’t want his family to get hurt.”

Felix closed his eyes in pain. Camilo never focused on himself, always worried about others.

““He is not Rico,” his mamá’s voice was deadly calm now and Camilo got distracted by the strange clouds gathering above them in the sky. “He is Camilo Madrigal. You cannot erase him to replace your hijo.””

“You can’t have him,” Isabela whispered. “He’s ours.”

“Gloria screamed. “Either he’s Rico or he’s dead!” she snarled.”

Pepa lurched forward, electricity skittering over her skin. Felix held her tight, not even flinching away from the sparks and arcs of power covering his wife.

“The lightning bolt caught all of them by surprise except his mamá who only stared at where Gloria lay, groaning, the ground around her blackened.”

“What?” Julieta whispered.

Pepa didn’t care that she wasn’t supposed to have her Gift. She was too busy feeling viciously satisfied that the lightning found its target.

““Gloria!” Mateo called out in horror.

In the next second, Camilo’s papá pushed him away and another lightning bolt hit him.

Camilo stared up at his mamá in awe and confusion. Electricity was skittering across her skin and crackling in her hair.

But how?”

That’s what most of the family wanted to know, glancing at Pepa who was glaring at the book with intense, burning green eyes.

“His papá looked just as confused as he hurried over but his attention was swiftly shifted to Camilo as he knelt down next to him.

“Cami,” he cupped Camilo’s cheek, looking pained. 

Camilo leaned into the touch, still feeling shaky and not quite able to believe that he was safe.”

Felix longed to be able to do the same, to comfort his hijo and hold him close.

““You found me,” he whispered, throat raw from the screaming and drowning.”

Pepa bit back another sob. They’d never stop looking. Never. Not again.

“His papá’s expression twisted into something sad.

“We’ll always find you mijo, we promised didn’t we?”

Camilo nodded, closing his eyes as tears dripped down his cheeks again.

“Antonio?” he asked fearfully.

“He’s okay,” his papá assured. “Mariano found him. He was just scared and worried about you.””

Always focused on others. They wished Camilo would worry about himself first for once.

“Camilo felt the tension rush out of him at that. He turned his head as his mamá knelt down on his other side. She was looking at him with worried eyes now, the electricity gone.

“Cami, mi sol,” she whispered, fingers brushing lightly over the scratches on his cheek. “Can you tell us where you’re hurt?”

That was probably why they hadn’t dragged him into a hug yet, he realised belatedly. They didn’t know how hurt he was.”

That was probably the only thing that could have prevented them from dragging him into their arms.

Already knowing how hurt he was left them feeling sick.

“He drew in a shaky breath. “He hit me on the head to knock me out,” he started, feeling his mamá gently take his hand. He squeezed her hand back. “He-he kicked me. A lot. I think he broke a rib and my arm might be broken,” he shakily lifted his other hand to point at his injured forearm. Now that the shock was wearing off, all the pains were hitting him at once.”

Dolores squeezed her eyes shut. She wished he would have never been hurt like this.

It wasn’t right that her hermanito got hurt again.

“ “Pretty sure my stomach’s bruised,” he mumbled. “And-and my leg… he broke it. That-that one hurt the most.”

His breathing hitched and he closed his eyes, trying to stop more tears. He was fifteen now! He couldn’t keep crying like this.”

"Mijo," Felix breathed. It didn't matter how old he was. He still had the right to cry. 

Felix himself felt on the verge of sobbing after all of this.

"“Cami,” his mamá cooed, coaxing his head towards her and getting him to open his eyes. “It’s alright to cry. You’re hurt and scared. It’s okay.”"

Felix pulled Pepa a little closer as they listened. He could feel her shaking.

"His breathing hitched on a sob and his vision blurred as he leaned into her hand.

They helped him sit up carefully, jostling his leg as little as they could while his papá tore his own shirt to make a sling for his injured arm."

It was still sinking in for them that Camilo was okay. Hurt, but okay. They'd found him in time. 

They found him…

""Camilo leaned against his mamá’s side as she held him close, being careful of his injuries.

Before his papá could move on to stabilising his leg, they all heard movement from the couple."

Pepa let out a growl. "Now what?!" She snarled.

If they were smart, they would have played dead after that lightning strike.

"Camilo tensed, shrinking into his mamá’s arms even further as he stared at them fearfully. Electricity crackled in the air again as she turned to glare at them."

Felix wasn't bothered as the electricity started crackling over his wife's skin again.

"Mateo forced himself up, glaring at them.

“So the brat lied about the magic being gone,” he spat."

Dolores muttered an insult under her breath that had Felix doing a double take. He couldn't blame her though. He wanted to say worse.

"Gloria glared at his mamá hatefully.

His papá scoffed. “You’re behind on the news. The magic is gone, the candle died weeks ago. This is the first sign of any of the Gifts since then.”

He looked at his wife in mild confusion and she huffed."

"Who knows, who cares," Pepa muttered.

Fair. It was hardly the most important thing to focus on.

"“That woman was threatening Camilo again,” she shrugged. “I snapped.”"

Pepa sneered at the mere thought of seeing someone hurting her hijo.

Snapping was an understatement.

"That… didn’t really explain anything.

“I just want my baby back!” Gloria wailed, sobbing into her hands."

Pepa jerked forward in her seat again. Camilo wasn't a convenient replacement!

"The arm around Camilo tightened slightly. “Not at the cost of Camilo,” his mamá snapped."

There were several nods in agreement. Sympathy for her loss didn't extend to understanding what she did. It was horrific.

"“Well said,” an unfamiliar voice said quietly."

Their expressions turned confused. Who had arrived now? Friend or foe?

"They all tensed in surprise and looked in the direction of the small waterfall. Golden butterflies suddenly swarmed the area and out of them stepped a figure that was both familiar and not."

Everyone looked at each other in confusion while Alma practically felt her heart stop.

It couldn't be…

"His mamá gasped, staring in shock as the wind died around them and the lightning vanished.

“Papá?” she whispered."

The triplets jerked in shock.

What?

"Pedro Madrigal smiled at them.

Camilo seriously considered the possibility of him having a concussion."

Dolores and Isabela looked at each other with wide eyes while the adults were stunned into silence.

What was going on?

Isabela kept reading when no one said anything.

"Chapter Twenty-Six. Abuelo." Her voice shook on the title a little.

How was this possible?

Chapter Text

The room was dead silent as Isabela steadied herself before continuing. 

"They all stared in shock at the smiling spirit of Pedro Madrigal."

Alma was gripping her locket tightly, looking like she was about to faint. The triplets didn't look much better.

"“Pepa,” he said fondly, looking at Camilo’s mamá. “You’re fierce and protective. Your magic is a part of you, not dependent on the candle. When you needed it most, of course it would come back to help you protect your hijo. It never left. None of the magic has. It’s just gone dormant to give you all a chance to remember who you are without the Gifts.”"

Pepa's mouth opened and closed soundlessly as they tried to process that. Bruno looked thoughtful while Julieta looked confused.

Alma still looked completely shocked.

"His mamá swallowed hard as he came closer.

“Papá,” she whispered. “It’s really you?”

He crouched down beside them, brushing his fingers over her cheek."

Felix held his wife closer as she reeled in shock. They could never have predicted this happening.

“Sí,” he smiled sadly at her. “You grew into such a beautiful woman Pepa. My fiery hija, always protecting your family. Who else could get power over the weather?”"

Pepa let out a strained whimper at the words.

"He looked up to smile at Camilo’s papá who was staring at the spirit speechlessly.

“Felix, thank you for taking care of mi hija.”"

"Always," Felix murmured, rubbing Pepa's arm soothingly.

"Camilo’s papá swallowed hard and nodded. Then the spirit turned his attention to Camilo."

They all straightened up at the reminder of Camilo.

"“Camilo, mi nieto,” he murmured, expression pained. “I wish I could heal you but I can only do so much.” He reached out and brushed his fingers through Camilo’s hair. He felt like he was flooded with warmth and melted against his mamá, the tension draining out of him as the pain in his body numbed."

Pepa wanted to cry at the kind gesture, taking away some of the pain her baby was in.

"“I can numb the worst of the pain for a while. Long enough for you to get back home and properly treat and wrap his injuries,” he said softly."

Alma closed her eyes. Pedro was always so empathetic, focused on helping those around him. If he could help, he couldn't just sit by and do nothing.

"Camilo felt his hand move to cup his cheek and he opened his eyes, not having realised he’d closed them.

His Abuelo smiled warmly at him.

“I am so proud of you,” he said, making Camilo’s eyes widen."

Pepa covered her mouth with a trembling hand as tears ran down her cheeks.

"“You went through something horrible, something frightening, and you still stayed the boy we all love. You are kind and caring and all you’ve ever wanted to do was make people smile. I couldn’t be prouder of mi nieto.”"

Dolores committed the words to memory so that she could tell them to Camilo one day. Her hermanito deserved to hear them. There was an unfair pressure on him as the first boy of their generation and he looked up to their Abuelo.

"Camilo blinked back tears as he stared at his Abuelo.

“Do you know why you got the Gift of shapeshifting?” he asked gently.

Camilo shook his head. The question had been something he’d often asked himself after he was taken."

They all leaned forward, curious about the answer themselves.

"“Because you love acting and performing. You love telling stories. Shapeshifting was supposed to be a way for you to enhance what you already loved doing. It was never meant for the villagers. It was never meant for anyone but you.”"

Pepa's breathing stuttered.

It wasn't meant for the villagers. It was his.

Their Gifts weren't for the villagers… they were for them. For the family.

"Camilo felt like he couldn’t breathe for a moment. He’d never considered that his Gift wasn’t meant for anyone else except him. That it was meant to make him happy and no one else."

Dolores chewed on her lip. Would this help with Camilo's aversion to his Gift? If her mamá got her Gift back… then everyone would, wouldn't they?

"“I’m so sorry you got hurt because of your Gift,” his Abuelo said softly."

Alma flinched. He said it so bluntly. Camilo had been targeted purely because of his Gift. There was no avoiding it.

"“It’s not your fault they’re crazy,” he managed to say, drawing a chuckle from the spirit."

That drew some wavering smiles from everyone.

"Camilo gave him a shaky smile which dropped when Mateo spoke."

Pepa made an annoyed noise while Felix scowled.

"“Helping us is all he’s good for!”"

"Can he just shut up?" Isabela hissed.

"Camilo flinched and his mamá pulled him closer while his Abuelo’s expression hardened. He stood up again and turned to the couple."

Alma could imagine his exact expression in that moment. Pedro had been a cheerful man, Mirabel being very similar to him in that regard.

But when someone he cared about was hurt… well, Pepa didn't get her temper from Alma.

"“You are nothing but liars and frauds,” he spoke calmly. “I’ve seen everything that happened in the Encanto, not just in Casita.”"

Alma flinched slightly at that reveal. He did?

"The couple seemed to pale for some reason."

That caught their attention and they frowned. What now? What else did they do?"

"Abuelo shook his head with a sigh. “People like you disgust me. I think it’s about time we cleared up some of your lies.”"

The triplets glanced at each other. This was building to some big reveal, wasn't it?

"He turned around and they all followed his gaze to where the golden butterflies were gathering again.

Another figure stepped out, much smaller than Abuelo.

Camilo’s breathing hitched as he found himself staring at the spirit of Rico Pérez."

Shocked noises filled the room as they all startled in shock. But, how? That wasn't possible.

Dolores' eyes were narrowed. She was about to find out if her suspicions were right then.

"“Rico,” Gloria whispered in a broken voice."

Pepa couldn't find it in her to feel sympathy for the woman. Not when she was the reason Pepa felt that aching longing for her own hijo.

Not after she hurt Camilo.

"Rico didn’t look at them as he walked forward. He wasn’t smiling like in the photos Camilo had seen, like in his dreams or in the mirrors. His mouth was pulled down in a frown and his eyes swirled with a mess of emotions. Camilo was startled when he realised the boy was on the verge of crying."

Being reminded that Rico was just a little boy, like Camilo, was a bit jarring. He'd represented something evil thanks to his parents.

"He stopped in front of them, meeting Camilo’s eyes.

“Lo siento,” he whispered. “Lo siento for everything they did. I’m so sorry they hurt you too.”"

Sympathy, she could feel for this boy. 

And then she processed what he said.

They hurt Camilo too. Too.

"Camilo found himself at a loss for words. Rico had been a star of his fears and nightmares for a long time, his anxiety over losing himself in the act he’d been forced to play for two years always lurking at the back of his mind.

But this wasn’t the boy he’d been told about, told to act like.

He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t happy and an obedient hijo. He hadn’t even looked at his parents yet.

He looked… he looked like a kid. A kid who didn’t get to grow up."

Their hearts ached. Rico died when he was five, didn't he? He was so young still.

"He grew up with those people," Dolores whispered. 

It felt like ice water was dumped over them.

They hurt Camilo too.

They did it before.

"“What do you mean? Hurt me too?” he found himself asking."

"Oh no," Julieta whispered while Bruno looked horrified.

Dolores closed her eyes in grief.

They did it before.

"Rico looked down before turning to look at the couple who stared at him with longing expressions.

“Because they hurt me a lot too,” he explained calmly. “I’m sorry they continued doing it to you when they tried to replace me.”"

"That poor boy…" Isabela whispered, pausing in her reading.

They all felt sick.

"Gloria reeled back like she’d been hit.

“No no Rico, baby, mijo, I love you, I’d never hurt you,” she assured him.

The boy met their gazes, hands clenching into fists.

“I died, bleeding out on the floor of my room after you stabbed me with a broken wine bottle and he beat me for bleeding on the carpet.”"

They reeled back in shock at the words and Julieta covered her mouth, looking ill.

No. They…to their own hijo?

Pepa's cloud thundered. How could anyone do that? How could any parent…

And they just continued doing it to Camilo afterwards. While having the gall to claim that they loved Rico.

"Camilo inhaled sharply and his parents gasped. His Abuelo looked away in grief."

He said that he saw everything that happened. He saw it. That's how he knew. Dios mio, he had to watch that...

"Rico glared at the couple.

“You’re trying to say you loved me? When I spent my last moments lying in a pool of my own blood? While you got drunk and had a great time upstairs? You didn’t even know I was dead until you checked two days later.”"

Bile rose in Pepa's throat. It sickened her. He was just a little boy.

Just another of their victims.

A victim that didn't escape. That didn't have a different family to run to. Because they were all he had.

And they killed him.

"Camilo’s mamá covered her mouth with a shaky hand, horrified to hear that they did that to their own hijo. Camilo felt sick himself. Rico wasn’t some ghost haunting him, wasn’t something he should fear taking his place if he wasn’t careful. He was a kid that had suffered at the hands of these people just like he had. 

He’d died at their hands."

Agustin felt like throwing up. These monsters had been doing this for years. And they'd got away with it.

How? How hadn't anyone noticed anything?

If Camilo hadn't escaped… would they have noticed anything? Or would the pair have just been able to continue on with them none the wiser?

"Then they’d just tried to replace him, refusing to admit to what they’d done and doing something just as bad to cover it up.

They were monsters. And they weren’t just monsters to him."

There was no other way to describe those two. They were monsters.

"Rico had never had a way to escape either. He hadn’t had Dolores to call for or parents who would come save him.

Mateo was going to kill Camilo a few minutes ago… just like he’d killed his own hijo."

Felix had to swallow bile. He really had been about to kill Camilo. With no hesitation.

What was wrong with these two?

"Rico shook his head as the couple stayed silent.

“Death was a blessing in the end. Who knows what you would have done to me if I’d survived,” he sighed. Then he turned back to Camilo. “I’m sorry you got dragged into it though. I never wanted anyone else to get hurt.”"

The parents in the room felt the urge to hug the boy. He hadn't deserved this. It wasn't fair.

"“It’s not your fault,” Camilo said quietly, meeting his eyes and not feeling that shiver of fear he’d felt when seeing his image in the mirror in his room."

Dolores bit her lip. Maybe this would help Camilo though?

"That image represented a boy that never existed outside of that couple’s minds. The boy standing in front of him was the real Rico. 

And he wasn’t afraid of him."

They smiled a little at that. They still wished that this second kidnapping would have never happened, but at least something good came out of it.

"“It’s not your fault,” Camilo said again, more firmly this time.

Rico smiled at him, a real smile and not the fake one he'd seen in every photo in that house.

“Gracias Camilo,” he said softly, dissolving into gold magic."

Maybe Rico got some peace from this too. He shouldn't blame himself for what happened.

"Camilo had the feeling they both got the closure they needed from that.

“No!” Gloria shrieked, dropping to her knees. “Rico! Come back!”

Abuelo turned to face the couple. “And now to deal with you two.”"

They all sat up straight now. Pedro was going to deal with those monsters?

What would he do?

Chapter Text

Agustin took the book again since Felix and Pepa were still too wound up to read.

“Chapter Twenty-Seven. Doing It The Hard Way.”

They were all worried over what that meant.

““What can you do?” Mateo sneered. “You couldn’t do anything while I was beating the shit out of your nieto.””

Felix was going to break this man’s face when he got the chance.

“Camilo’s papá growled and tensed next to him. Electricity crackled in the air again as his mamá glared at them.

His Abuelo just stared at them coldly. “I can prevent you from ever entering the Encanto again,” he said calmly.”

Everyone stilled in shock and stared at the book. He could? He could… prevent them from ever getting into the Encanto again?

How?

“Their expressions faltered a bit.

“Never again can you cross this river,” he gestured to the river and the Encanto beyond it.”

Alma covered her mouth, vividly remembering that night and how the raiders were thrown back when they’d tried to get closer to the refugees.

““There is no point where you can go around it to reach this entrance to the Encanto. You cannot climb the mountains, as I’m sure you realised over the last five years. The only entrance you could use is this mountain pass. And you cannot access it without crossing this river. As it is the place I died, I have a lot more influence here.” He gave them a cold smile.”

Everyone was listening with bated breath. He could do that? He had that much influence over the magic? They still flinched when he mentioned his death but they had to smile at the clear love he had for his family. Even those he’d never met.

““You will never touch mi familia again. You will never see them again. You will never see the Encanto again. You will live out here, in a much harsher world, knowing that Camilo is happy and safe with his family. That you cannot do anything about that. You will live with the fact that everyone will know the truth about what happened to Rico. You won’t be buried with your hijo, you will certainly never see him again, even after you die. You will live a miserable life out here while everyone in the Encanto prospers and knows you for the monsters you are. Death would be the easy way out for you. I want you to live, miserable and alone, knowing that my family is happy and safe once more.””

A vicious smile curved Pepa’s lips. She thought it was a fitting punishment. They had to live miserable lives knowing that Camilo was forever out of their reach and safe.

It was satisfying to hear and she wished they’d end up with the same fate here. But she wouldn’t let it get that far again, they’d never get the chance to drag Camilo to that river. They’d never touch him again after they got him back.

“They stared at the water with dawning horror. Mateo’s eyes darted to Camilo but a boom of thunder froze him in place.”

Like hell Pepa would let them near her baby again. The lightning would drop them before they took a full step.

“His Abuelo turned to smile gently at them.

“They will never touch him again,” he promised. “Take him home.””

Pepa rested her hands on the ruana she and Dolores had finished. Home. He was coming home. They were bringing her baby home.

““Gracias papá,” his mamá said with a shaky smile.

“I love you Pepa. Tell Bruno and Julieta that I love them too. And tell them to take a break. Their Gifts will come back when they’re ready for them.””

Julieta covered her mouth, tears sparkling in her eyes while Bruno stared at the book numbly. Like he couldn’t believe the words that had just been read.

“She nodded at him while his papá carefully picked Camilo up. He whimpered a bit when his leg moved, but his Abuelo’s magic was still numbing most of the pain.”

They were angry that he was in pain at all. He’d gone through enough…

“His papá soothed him and turned to go. Camilo leaned against his chest as his mamá walked beside them, her hand holding Camilo’s. He was cold and wet and still in a fair amount of pain.

But they found him. They saved him and Gloria and Mateo couldn’t hurt him again. He could hear them yelling but they couldn’t follow him across the river.”

Dolores hummed softly. Maybe he’d feel a bit safer now? Knowing that they couldn’t get him again?

“The golden butterflies dispersed, flying overhead and Camilo let himself relax.

“Did you get a good hit on him?” his mamá asked casually.

His papá smirked. “I broke his nose and cheekbone.”

“Good.””

Pepa and Felix smirked while Isabela muttered ‘good’ under her breath as well. Julieta didn’t scold her hermana for her more violent tendencies for once.

It was deserved this time.

“Camilo smiled, letting his eyes close. It was really over this time.

There was a warmth in his chest that had been missing for weeks and for the first time in years, he wasn’t afraid of it.”

Their eyes widened. His magic? Was that what he meant? Did he get his magic back during that all?

And he wasn’t afraid of it now?

““Cami!” the cry woke Camilo from the light doze he’d fallen into.

He turned his head to find Antonio racing up to them. He felt a weight leave him at the sight of his hermanito unharmed.

His mamá picked Antonio up so that he could see Camilo who reached out the moment he saw the tears on the boy’s cheeks.”

Their hearts ached for the distressed boy. They might not have met him yet, but they already loved him.

““Hey Toñito,” his throat still felt raw so his voice was a bit raspy. “I’m okay, promise.”

Antonio clung to his hand, crying.

“Lo siento,” he sobbed. “He got you cause of me!””

“Oh sweetheart…” Pepa whispered, resting her hand on her stomach. 

““No no,” Camilo immediately shook his head. “No hermanito. It’s not your fault.”

While they were trying to calm him down, Dolores reached them. She was panting and looked like she’d been crying as well.”

Oh, Dolores knew she must have been in a complete state after her hermano went missing. Again.

It hurt just to think about it.

““Cami,” she whispered, eyes flitting over the obvious injuries. 

He gave her a weak smile before spotting the yellow fabric in her hands. He felt relief flood him at the sight.

“I thought he destroyed it again,” he whispered.

She looked down at the ruana in her hands and her expression softened. She came closer and lay the piece of clothing over him. 

“It’s fine. And you’re going to be fine too,” she said in a shaky voice.”

And with those people stopped from ever getting near him again… he would be. He was going to be okay.

Dolores smoothed down the material of the ruana and sighed. She couldn’t wait until they could give it to him. It was obvious that he loved his ruana.

“He let out a hum and rested his head against his papá’s chest. He was tired but he wasn’t ready to fall asleep just yet.

The rest of the family reached them, all talking at once until Tia Julieta called out sharply, making everyone back up so that she could check on him. Her food might not heal anymore, but she still knew a fair amount about treating injuries.”

Julieta grimaced. And judging from what she knew about his injuries, this was going to be rough.

“She cupped Camilo's cheek gently before looking to his parents.

"It's his head, his ribs and torso, arm and leg," his papá said, voice a little shaky.

His Tia's hands were quick and gentle as she started at his head, finding the painful bump where Mateo hit him. She turned his head to get a better look.

"Just a bump thankfully, no blood," she murmured. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"He knocked me out," Camilo admitted, wincing a little when she pressed lightly on the area around the bump.

"Doesn't look like a concussion. But we'll keep an eye on it."

His parents nodded, expressions worried.”

They all hated that he’d been hurt again at all.

And worried. It had been a harsh reminder of how cruel those people were. And they still had Camilo right now.

What state would they find him in?

Felix eyed the pages left in the book and hoped that they’d reach the end soon.

“She checked the scratches on his cheek, expression tightening with anger.

He couldn't hold back a hiss when she pressed lightly against his ribs.

"Lo siento," she murmured apologetically. "I need to check to make sure it's not serious."

She directed his papá to set him down on a nearby bench.”

Bruno rubbed Julieta’s back, able to guess that she was going to feel guilty for any pain she caused Camilo in treating him. Even if it wasn’t something she could help.

Pepa shot her an understanding look. They were spoiled with Julieta’s food but they knew how rough treatment could get if they didn’t have it.

“Camilo bit back a whimper as his leg was jostled again.

His papá crouched down at his feet while his mamá sat just above his head on the bench with Antonio in her lap, both staying out of the way of Tia Julieta.

She unbuttoned his shirt and thunder rumbled at the sight of the bruising forming on his torso.”

Pepa clenched her hands into fists, clouds rumbling ominously above her.

“Everyone looked up at the sky and then at his mamá in confusion, but she didn't look at them, staring down at Camilo with pained eyes.

Tia Julieta took a deep breath before gently probing his ribs.

Camilo hissed again, fighting the urge to twist away from her fingers.”

Isabela chewed on her lip anxiously. She hoped this was the last time they had to hear about her primo being hurt… 

"Looks like two broken ribs," she said unhappily. She lightly skimmed over his stomach. "And you'll have some nasty bruises here."

Camilo leaned into his mamá's hand when she stroked down his cheek soothingly. He knew the next part was going to suck.”

Julieta looked away from the book, knowing exactly what was next and what she’d have to do. Guilt was already twisting her stomach into knots.

“Tia Julieta moved to kneel by his legs and gently ran her hand over his shin. He couldn't help the violent flinch and choked whimper at the touch.

"Lo siento, lo siento," Tia Julieta murmured. "I need to set the bone so that it can heal properly."”

Bruno tentatively took Julieta’s hand and she squeezed it gratefully.

“Camilo squeezed his eyes shut, stomach twisting as he braced himself. He felt his mamá take his hand, murmuring soothing words to him.

His Tia pressed down on his leg and Camilo screamed before passing out.”

At least he passed out. He wouldn’t have to be awake for the rest. The family still flinched at the pain he was clearly in.

Julieta closed her eyes and prayed that some healing food would be enough for Camilo when they found him. She didn’t want to cause her sobrino more pain than he was probably already in.

Isabela accepted the book from her papá so that he could comfort his wife and took a deep breath.

“Chapter Twenty-Eight. Healing.”