AN: I wanted to hold back on writing a fic for Encanto for a while until the hype died down but since it immediately landed itself on my top ten it seems I can only wait a little over a week between seeing it and writing for it. I hope you enjoy.

I know that this fic doesn't hold "truth" but hey, isn't that the point of fanfiction.

Follow The Butterflies

Chapter One

– The New Hallway

"So, you'll come see my tonight?" Dolores asked Mariano as they felt like nobody was watching them. Dolores always felt more secure in this house than anyone else because of her ability to hear everything and her not so known ability of being selectively able to zone in on the noises which she wanted to hear.

"I will. I'll sing for you and then -" Mariano said before he was interrupted by her kissing him. Mirabel shook her head with a light chuckle as she saw this. Fortunately with the finalization of their casita four months ago, things seemed a lot better for them. There was more understanding and she enjoyed the way that Tio Bruno had been welcomed back and blended in with the family especially spending a lot of time with her, Julieta, and Pepa. Both sisters were very happy to have their brother back.

Mirabel was about to turn towards the new nursery when she saw the casita drop two planks of wood in an X shape which prevented her from going in there. "Casita, what is this about?" Mirabel sighed as she looked up at the ceiling where the wood had dropped from. She felt the house nudge her down the stairs and rolled her eyes.

It had come to the family's knowledge that Mirabel connected most with the house and the two had conversations which the house didn't have with others That was why the magic had come as soon as she had placed the doorknob. She didn't have a room in this home because the whole house was hers, well spiritually linked with her anyway.

As she reached the bottom of the steps, she saw Antonio and Camilo staring off in a direction of the house which she hadn't seen before, there was a corridor and at the end a glowing door. Had the house just created itself another room. She drew her attention there and then felt Antonio grab her hand.

"It has your picture and your name," he whispered to her as Camilo ran off to grab other nearby family members. Antonio walked with Mirabel to the door which showed her inside of the casita and then the casita was positioned in the village. She felt the house nudge her in that direction. "Did you make this for me?" she asked as she placed a hand on the wall of the house and the door banged itself excitedly. "Okay. Okay. Casita," she said before seeing her mother, father, Bruno, and her abuela all gather around.

"Open it," Antonio whispered to his cousin and Mirabel laughed.

"Okay. Okay." She nodded as she went over and felt the power of the magic behind the door. She opened it before noticing it was a hallway with three doors unlike everyone else's. She opened one door and saw that it was a small kitchen and pantry, very basic. She walked to the next door and opened it to find that it was a bedroom with a normal bed but her favorite colors everywhere and high quality furniture, there was also a view on the village. She walked to the third door and when she opened it she stepped back. There were all types of tools for housework and house repair. She looked around and then walked back out to the new hallway where there was an empty space, was there supposed to be something in that space as well?

"It's…pretty normal, isn't it?" Agustin asked before shaking his head. "I mean, normal is good, it's separated from the main house a bit so it's like a refuge. A nice little place to hide away."

"It's not as big as everyone else's room," Camilo said as he returned with Isabela and Luisa.

"Don't tell me that they've set you up with the life of a handyman. Don't worry, we'll have to get to the bottom of it. I'm not going to let you just work for the rest of your life," Isabela said as they all started to walk down the hallway and out of the new area of the house.

Mirabel sighed as she let her hand rest on the wall. "I don't understand, Casita," she said softly. "I don't understand why you made this for me. What is it supposed to mean?"

"I guess you get to choose your own meaning in here, kid," Bruno said as they were the only two left in that section of the house. "It's got to mean something though. Maybe it's still growing."

"Maybe," Mirabel sighed as she followed her tio out.

1.2

That afternoon as Mirabel returned to her new bedroom to look it over, she tightened as she looked up at the casita and saw the flickering of the light, it was a steady glow like the beating of a heart but it still terrified her. Was this new version of the casita going to break and crack? Was there something she had been missing from the premonition. She heard a calming and yet exhausted voice and backed herself against the wall facing where the empty and now glowing wall was.

Your gift is awakening and…

Mirabel shivered as she looked for where the voice was coming from. It appeared to be coming from the walls and whilst she had communicated with the house before, it had always been without words. This was a man's voice. Confident, strong, but not commanding, pleasing.

I apologize. I didn't mean to scare you. After all of these years it's nice to have a voice again. Thank you. My spirit is linked with this land and that's why I am able to move this house and gift this family. I did not mean to scare you.

"Casita?" Mirabel asked as she saw a door appear opposite her, it was a picture of the house inside of the image of a person instead of the opposite way round. "You've been…a male all of this time? Who -"

I've felt honored to be recognized as part of this family. I don't mean to scare you. I've been trapped on this land for just over fifty years, no trapped is the wrong word. I enjoy being here even if this house is my only communication to you. I'm honored to be here.

"I know that you're sentient. I know that I have the strongest bond to you but the candle, how could you provide us with another candle when that is -" Mirabel moved towards the door with the image on it and grabbed the handle. As she opened it, she saw that there was a trail of leaves and instead of walls it looked like space, something other than the space that she knew but unreal as if in one of Bruno's visions.

She looked up and saw a translucent figure sitting on a rock that was glowing in blues and purples. She pulled back as she saw the ghost look at her and she recognized his face immediately but was too speechless to make any sound.

The man turned to her and gave her a puzzled look. "You can see me?" he asked her as she nodded. She looked him over. He looked just like his portrait apart from the thick scarf around his neck.

"A-Abuelo P-edro," she asked and he nodded with a smile. "You've been in this house all of this time?" she asked and he sighed before shaking his head.

"No, nieta, I've been this house all of this time," he responded and Mirabel stared at him still trying to overcome this shock. It did make sense though. The house had always protected them, it had given them their gifts. There had to be something more about the land. "Again, I am sorry that I scared you."

"You've been protecting everyone since…since you -"

"Since I chose to leave my home with my children and my beautiful wife," he smiled before looking at his hands. "You have been the first one to understand me, nieta. As much as I've wanted to give, it always felt so lonely until you were able to connect with me." He laughed softly, "I wonder what your abuela would think if she saw me like this, much more of an object than a man."

"She wouldn't care about how you're here, she would just be happy that you're here. I'm happy that I finally was able to meet you," Mirabel said as she reached out to him but her hand slid through. She looked down. "Did you want me to bring her?" she asked and Pedro looked up at her.

"If it's not asking too much. I can see her, how beautiful and powerful and strong she's become but she's never truly known I'm here. It's been so long though. I hate to admit it for a man of my age," he laughed softly, "but I'm a little scared what she might think when she sees me."

"I wouldn't worry about that at all," Mirabel smiled. "I'll be right back."

1.3

Alma sighed as she followed her granddaughter. "Mirabel, I am glad that you have a gift. I am happy that you are able to connect with the house more than anyone in the family. I am thankful that you and I are being open minded but it's hard to believe that this house, our casita, is possessed by a helpful spirit. I don't understand the magic but I am grateful to our home and to our family."

"I finally know what is behind the magic though," Mirabel urged her grandmother as she took her hand and walked her to the room. "The spirit of the house. The spirit that has been watching you and protecting you. It's his spirit."

"Whose spirit?" Alma asked as Mirabel opened the door and Alma stared around in shock and fear at the feeling of the lack of gravity and the supernatural powers.

"I brought her," Mirabel said before trying to take a step into the room but Alma refused to follow.

"I don't know who you're talking to but I refuse to take another step without a slow and proper explanation." Mirabel sighed but reached for her abuela's hand.

"I promise, they don't want to harm us. They are protecting us. Hasn't this casita always protected us?" Mirabel urged before she found the entire room to go white and blank. She heard a slight shift in the energy of the house and hoped that the magic wasn't waning but she did see a man standing there with a slightly more solid body,

"I am so sorry for scaring you," the spirit said to her and as they stood in the stillness, she could see the blood that covered the scarf around his neck. So, he had been beheaded as the stories said. "This is the first time I have had a pro-"

Mirabel watched her grandmother rush to the spirit before pulling back and she looked down fiddling with her hands in embarrassment. Mirabel watched as Pedro let his fingers run through Alma's cheek and she reached up and into the spirit as she closed her eyes.

"I am sorry for scaring you," Pedro repeated. "I have never had a form before or a voice. I've never existed as a human spirit before. I would have come to see you much earlier if it had been possible but I have always been here. Unseen but wanting to help our family, wanting to help you and our triplets. Maybe I shouldn't have -"

"I am so happy that you have been here and so sorry that I didn't know until now," she said with eyes that were pleading with him not to leave. "It's just that now I am….I am so old. I don't look like I did when you last kissed me. I couldn't keep myself young."

"What are you talking about?" he asked her as he tilted his head. "I have marveled at how beautiful you are. How could I think differently? They say that time can age a woman gracefully and she will never look anything but beautiful to the man who loves her."

"I am so sorry," Alma said with shaky hands. "I didn't know. I didn't know you were our casita. I didn't realize that you were still protecting us, all of us." She touched where his ghostly cheek was and smiled to him. "I should have expected your goodness and how connected you were to me. You are the person who really saved everyone and I…I just want to be with you after my life has ended, if you let me."

Pedro faltered slightly, "I am connected to this land, I cannot leave it."

"I'm a stubborn woman, my love. I can't see anything better for me than being joined to this land with you for always. Will my touches actually meet you at that time."

"They will, my love," he smiled glad that she accepted him. "They will."

End of Chapter One

Thank you for reading