AN: I was so happy with this chapter, mainly because I was able to write Bruno in the last section of it. This chapter is also the longest so far, though I know for a fact the next one will probably be twice this long, if not longer XD Anyways, I hope you like it and are looking forward to the next chapter as much as I am. Let me know what you think and, as always, thanks for reading :)

Disclaimer: Disney still owns Encanto.


Mirabel stood in front of Casita, holding the basket that had been shoved into her hands as the children dispersed back to the village from whence they'd come. It hurt, she couldn't deny that it did. The way Dolores simply ratted her out to the town kids after she'd tried so hard to avoid the conversation made her feel as if her opinions didn't matter. Then, as if to rub salt in the wound, Señor Ortiz just had to mention how much of a let down the last gift ceremony had been... the last being hers, of course. Why couldn't she just be normal? Well, normal by her family's standards. Why couldn't she have been given a gift and room like the others? Was there something wrong with her? She just wanted to be a part of the amazing Madrigals... to be part of the family! Instead, she was forced to stay in the shadows, watching them shine as she languished in the dark.

Deciding she'd moped enough, Mira made her way through the house with the basket until she reached the kitchen, of course, not before she'd had a run-in with her eldest sister. Placing the basket down, she tried not to be annoyed at her parent's words of encouragement. It's not their fault they couldn't understand what she was going through. Her mamá had a gift and, even though her papá didn't, it was still different. He knew from the start that he'd never have one where she'd grown up with the knowledge that she would one day get a gift that would show how special she was. Needless to say, her fifth birthday was the worst day of her life. Not only had she not gotten a gift but her abuela had turned cold and distant. From that day on, she'd been unable to do anything right in the older woman's eyes. Gone were the smiles and fond words, replaced instead, with frowns and frustration.

'I never did anything to deserve this.' The fifteen-year-old thought to herself as she headed towards the nursery (she refused to call it her room), she'd left some of her homemade decorations there and had to grab them before she could get started setting up. 'All I ever wanted was to fit in... is that too much to ask?'

Taking a moment to herself, Mirabel sat on her bed and thought back on everything that had happened in her life. She didn't hate her family, far from it, she loved them all so much. Sometimes, it just felt like she didn't belong here. Maybe that's why she'd always been so intrigued by her Tio Bruno. She couldn't really remember him, she'd been too young when he disappeared, though she vaguely recalled that he'd played with her and Camilo when everyone else was too busy. That was all Mira remembered of the man. He'd left the day after her door ceremony and, because of that, she couldn't help but feel it was partially her fault. A few weeks later the grown-ups had started refusing to speak of him, as if her tio had become some sort of ghost story, so she was never able to learn anything else about her estranged uncle. Mirabel wondered if he'd ever felt as alone as she did now. She knew how the townspeople reacted whenever his name was brought up in the past... fear, uncertainty, and sometimes even anger filling their eyes as they turned away from her childish questions. Maybe that's why he left, because no one took the time to understand him. The teenager couldn't help but feel he might have been a kindred spirit.

"I wish I could have gotten to know you, tio." She whispered, knowing there was no one there to hear her confession. "I wonder if you would be disappointed in me like the rest of our familia. Hmm, maybe not, I get the feeling you could understand what it's like to be the black sheep."

She paused, collapsing backwards on the mattress, her hair falling like a halo around her head as she took a few soothing breaths, ignoring the way her eyes watered.

"I... I just want to help my family. They're all amazing and they shine so brightly, it feels like I'm being left behind, like if I don't do something soon I'll simply fade away." She admitted, voice pained as she continued speaking to the empty room. "Would anyone notice if I was gone? Would they even care? I just don't know anymore."

Pushing herself up, Mirabel rose to her feet and gathered the decorations she'd come to retrieve. She then made her way from the room to start setting them up. It wasn't until later, after another confrontation with Abuela, that she returned and saw the note waiting for her attached to the nursery door.

You don't need a gift to shine, your light is already brighter than the sun.

Tears filled her eyes, rolling down her cheeks in waves as she clutched the paper to her chest, sobbing. Here was someone who saw her. Someone who thought she was just as special as the rest of her family. Knowing there was someone out there who believed in her caused a ray of hope to bloom in her heart. She could show her familia that she was still a Madrigal, even if she didn't have a gift, and she could shine just as brightly as they do. Mirabel knew it wouldn't be easy. She knew that it would take time and patience. Then again, she'd been patient for the last ten years, what's a little longer after all that time?

"I can do this... for you, for the family... but mostly for me," Mira murmured, eyes closed and a gentle smile forming on her lips. "Thank you for believing in me, escritor misterioso, I can never thank you enough."

'I hope one day I can say that to your face.' She thought to herself, wiping the tears from her cheeks before opening the door... she had a little boy to calm down.

Later that night, as Antonio held tight to her hand, Mirabel felt a calmness overtake her. The words from the note repeated in her head, giving her the strength to walk her cousin to his door even as whispered words erupted around them. It didn't matter what they thought anymore, she had someone who believed in her and that was more than enough.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

If only that calm feeling could have lasted the rest of the night. Sadly, nothing good lasts forever. Something she was reminded of when her familia left her out of what was supposed to be a family photo. It's not that they'd done it on purpose, at least, she hoped they hadn't. It was just easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment. That's what she tried to tell herself as the world seemed to slow around her.

"I'm fine. I am perfectly fine." She tried to reassure herself but, deep down, Mirabel knew she was lying.

No one paid any attention to the poor girl as she began to crumble under the heartache, they were too focused on the rest of the Madrigals to bother noticing. Her breathes came in ragged gasps as she attempted to contain her emotions but it was all for naught. The dam burst and she couldn't hide her feelings any longer.

"I'm not fine." She admitted to herself, fists balled tightly at her sides as she repeated her previous words, and still, no one noticed. "I'm not fine..."

Mirabel stared at her family and couldn't help but think of all the things she couldn't do. She couldn't lift heavy things or make flowers grow. She couldn't heal people or command the weather. She couldn't even support her family the way her Pa and Tio Félix could. It was times like these that she felt utterly defeated by her situation.

Rushing from the room, Mirabel made her way to the roof with Casita's help. She always found it easier to think when she could stare at the endless expanse of sky. The view served as a reminder of how small they all were in the grand scheme of things and helped soothe her frayed nerves enough so the dark-haired teen could think more rationally. If they'd only give her a chance to prove herself, just one chance, that's all she needed. She would show her familia what she could do, that she wasn't in the way. She could sew, embroider... anything involving a needle and thread were skills she took pride in. Still, barely anyone noticed. They hadn't even commented on the designs she'd lovingly stitched into her clothes to represent her various family members.

Sighing, Mira made her way back down to the courtyard, ignoring the fireworks exploding in the background. After that, everything seemed to happen too fast. Suddenly, the house was cracking! The doors flickering! Something was happening to the magic and all she knew was that she had to warn the others. The teenager rushed to her cousin's room, ignoring the cut on her hand as panic coursed through her veins. Calling out for Abuela, she managed to gain her grandmother's attention and led the group back to the courtyard. Of course, when they made it to the scene of the strange occurrence, there was no sign that anything had ever happened.

Cowering under her abuela's glare, Mirabel felt as if fate was mocking her. Now everyone thought she was making things up simply to ruin the celebration. She would never do that! Not to Antonio... not to any of her family members. Did they think so lowly of her as to believe that? The fifteen-year-old couldn't understand what she'd done to make them think she was capable of such a thing? Hadn't she done everything in her power to show them that she was part of the family whether or not she'd been given a gift? Why do these things always happen to her?

Escaping back to the nursery as soon as her mother's food had taken effect, Mirabel was ready to collapse on her bed and leave this horrible night far behind. At least, that was the plan until she noticed the paper resting unobtrusively on her bedside stand. She read it through multiple times, realizing that, for the first time, her feelings were validated by someone who wasn't herself.

It's okay to 'not be fine'.

That knowledge allowed her heart to lighten a bit, her thoughts no longer quite as heavy as they'd been. She knew in her heart that whoever left the note was right and it's okay to be hurt by everything that happened. Hiding the pain had never helped Mirabel in the past, she knew that. Maybe it was time to let the familia know how badly she'd been hurt by them pushing her aside.

-XXX-XXX-XXX-

The last twenty-four hours had been the most hectic of her life! Mirabel still couldn't believe everything that had happened in such a short period. Even though the miracle had died no one was hurt, Bruno had been reunited with the familia, and they had all decided to sit down as a group and talk things through. It was a good start. That would have to wait, however, until they had some free time where they wouldn't be disturbed by the villagers or working on clearing the rubble.

Even so, with all the good things that had come from the incident, Mirabel still felt it was her fault. If she had only tried harder maybe she could have saved their home, their miracle. The loss of Casita weighed heavily on her mind. Their house hadn't just been a place to live, it had been a member of the family and she felt the loss like a piece of her heart had been torn from her chest. She should have done more. Mirabel wasn't sure she'd ever be able to forgive herself.

"Hey, kid, you doing okay?" Bruno asked, startling her as she hadn't noticed his approach.

"I'm fine, why do you ask?" She questioned, attempting to paste on a smile for her tio's benefit.

She knew how nervous he's been since being forced from the walls and that he's been having trouble adjusting. It's only been a day, it was to be expected. She knew he wouldn't magically be okay in such a short time. Besides, after interacting with Bruno for a while, she was beginning to think that some of his eccentricities weren't caused by his self-imposed isolation and rather it's simply how he is. Not that she minded, in the short while they'd known each other, Bruno had become one of her closest friends. Snapping out of her thoughts, she watched fondly as her tio awkwardly rubbed his arm with one hand.

"Well, um... to be honest, you look a little upset." He finally spoke, a worried frown on his face as he continued. "Do you, maybe, want to talk about it? I'm always willing to listen, mi sobrina, so if something's on your mind... you can tell me."

She hesitated, not sure if she should share her problems with the man. He already had so much on his plate, it felt wrong to add to it. Still, she needed someone who could understand her concerns and she knew he would be able to. They were the black sheep, the family weirdos, if there was anyone who could relate to her it would be him. Taking a deep breath, the teenager decided to share what was troubling her.

"I know things are getting better. Abuela's promised to change her ways, the familia are finally beginning to communicate, and even some of the townspeople have apologized for the way they treated us." She began, moving to lean against a nearby wall, watching the people go by with tired eyes. "But I can't help but feel as if I didn't try hard enough. If I'd only talked things through with Abuela instead of yelling at her... would the miracle still have died?"

Bruno was silent for a while, merely staring at her as they hid away in their little corner of the courtyard. Mira began to feel slightly self-conscious, averting her gaze from his searching eyes. A few moments later, the young girl felt a hand ruffle her hair and she brought her startled gaze back to her tio's face. He was smiling sadly, face set in a gentle expression that tugged at her heartstrings. She didn't know why but tears began to form and she found herself moving forward without thought, wrapping her arms around the older being's slender frame in a desperate embrace. Bruno held her as she cried, carefully carding his hand through her curly hair.

"Shh, sobrina, it's okay." He murmured, placing a tender kiss on her head. "Everything will be fine, you'll see. None of what happened was your fault. The miracle couldn't be sustained when our familia was breaking. You did everything right. We're all here, safe and healing... and it's all thanks to you, Mirabel."

The fifteen-year-old sobbed slightly, breath hitching as she comprehended the man's words. He continued to hold her, offering the comfort she so badly needed.

"Without you, I would never have been reunited with mi hermanas and the rest of la familia." The seer continued, pushing the girl back slightly so she was forced to meet his eyes once more. "Mira, I owe you so much. You gave me back the thing I've missed most and I will tell you this as many times as it takes for you to believe it. Mirabel, you are the real gift. You don't need magic, cariño, you are perfect just the way you are."

As he said those words, he brought a hand up to wipe the tears from her face, smiling proudly. Bruno's words nestled in her heart, healing something deep within her that had been hurting for the last ten years. She had longed to hear words such as those for so long, ones that showed she wasn't broken, flawed, or defective, and it meant the world to her. Tio Bruno, someone who was still dealing with troubles of his own, had cared enough about her to help in her time of need, to simply be there for her when she needed it most... and that is something she would never forget. Taking a step back, Mirabel wiped the last of the tears from her face and smiled brightly at the man.

"Thank you, tio." She said, voice conveying everything she was unable to put into words. "You're the best!"

The older man blushed in embarrassment, offering her a shy smile as he shuffled his feet. She chuckled, shaking her head fondly before rushing off to help the rest of her family. There was still so much to be done and the teen knew that it would take all of them working together to even make a dent in the cleanup. Not offering a single complaint, Mirabel began picking through the rubble once more, gasping when she noticed a large piece of wood peeking out from beneath a broken section of wall. With shaking hands, she reached forward, grunting with effort. The stone wall was heavy, she couldn't lift it alone. Calling out to her sisters who were working nearby, they rushed over.

"Wait, is that..." Luisa gasped, trailing off as the pair caught sight of what had Mirabel in such a frenzy.

"It is," Isabella confirmed, eyes awestruck as she took in the sight. "I thought it was lost."

"We have to get it out, see if it can be saved," Mirabel replied, moving some smaller pieces of rubble away from the fallen wall.

"Let's do this." Her hermanas agreed, eyes showing the determination they all felt.

Soon enough, their inspiration board was revealed. The back was covered in scratches and a few chips could be seen in the wood. Carefully flipping it over, the girls were delighted to find that most of the notes were intact and completely legible. Sure, there were a few that had gotten torn, crumpled, or covered in dirt, but the majority had miraculously survived. It seemed as if the wall had acted as protection from the worst of the damage. The trio quickly shared their discovery with the remainder of their familia, causing spirits to rise as they all took a moment to reread some of the notes. It served as a reminder that even after everything that had occurred nothing was lost that couldn't be replaced.

That night, as they were packing away the tools in preparation for heading to their assigned sleeping arrangements, Mirabel noticed a piece of paper lying beside where they'd propped up their inspiration board. At first, the young girl figured it had simply come loose and fallen to the ground. It wouldn't have been a surprise after all that had happened. That thought was dispelled, however, when she realized the words were ones she didn't recognize. Paying more attention to what was written, Mira realized the new note was meant for her, lips curling into a smile as she observed the messy writing.

Make your own miracle.

It would appear their escritor misterioso had also escaped unharmed. Perhaps they hadn't been in the house when Casita fell. Either way, it was good to know that their unknown friend was all right. The words they'd written were much appreciated as well. Between Bruno and the person leaving the notes, Mirabel felt the guilt melt away. She had done everything she could. There was nothing else she could have done to prevent what had happened and she would be fine. More importantly, her family would be fine. La familia Madrigal were all still here, together, and they would build their new foundation stronger so their family would never crumble again.


AN: Thanks so much for reading, hope you enjoyed :)