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It took almost a week to get into the very center of the rubble that once was casita, but slowly but surely the madrigal's began to find bits and pieces of their belongings. Alma had almost collapsed in a fit of tears when her Pedro's photo was found in one piece and gently placed in front of her, the triplets weren't much better.
When they got into what used to be the kitchen, Bruno was much more eager to help, much to the familia's confusion. Their confusion turned to concern when Julieta and Pepa found the wall where the family had been painted onto, there seemed to be a room that no one, not even Alma had known about behind it.
It wasn't until most of the rubble had been removed from a strangely large piece of regularly used wood, that Pepa let out a strangled gasp as she backs away from it. Yet never takes her eyes off of it, as she blindly reaches out for her hermanito y Hermana for comfort and reassurance that Bruno was in fact still behind her talking to their Mama. Juli and her Mama were quick to get to her, with Bruno bringing up the rear as he figures out what it was she must have found.
As one, Juli, Alma and Pepa kneel down around the dusty piece of wood. All of them, dispite the cracks and dust, were able to see 'bruno' painted on what seemed to resemble the plate he once had before he disappeared after Mirabel's ceremony. Alma closes her eyes as her daughter's slowly look around the spot they have found themselves in, Julieta's eyes landing on the faded orange chair she remembers being in the living area of the house, she remembers how it used to be their favourite thing to sit in and snuggle with their Mama before they got their gifts and they couldn't sleep.
Pepa could see something that she thinks used to resemble a rat maze, which makes her tear up as she remembers doing and making things like that with Bruno in their free time before their gifts took over their lives "this- this is where you were?" She whispers, feeling horrified that he thought he had to do this in order to protect Mirabel "all this time?" Juli asks, her voice sounding just as heartbroken as her Herman's.
Bruno, who had wandered into the space when his Mama grabbed onto the closest bit of wall in order to steady herself from her growing shock and horror, nods quietly "my gift was hurting the family and I love my family, you know?" He says, causing Alma's breath to hitch as Julieta and Pepa stare at him in devastation "it- it's fine! I'm back now!" He continues, even as his Mama staggers over to him and pulls him in for one of the tightest hugs he's ever received, his hermama's joining not long after "I'm so sorry, Brunito, I was too blind to see what was happening to our familia" his Mama whispers into his hair.
The four of them stay clinging to each other until the rest of the family come and find them. Which is when Pepa and Julieta are hit with even more devestation, when Dolores guiltily tells them she knew he was in the walls the entire time, but no one had believed her and Mirabel had been the one to find him the night before Casita fell and encouraged him to find out what her vision meant. Antonio shyly told them how he had come to meet his estranged tio, which somehow clears the air and some how makes the fact that Bruno had been living in the walls for 10 years all the more worse.
When Casita is fully rebuilt and Mirabel some how manages to bring the magic back, Bruno finds a brand new hand painted plate waiting for him as well as that faded orange chair restored back to its former glory, sitting in pride of place in the new reading corner of his room.