It was nighttime in the city of Avalor. Inside the palace, Esteban was sleeping in his bed, snoring lightly, looking peaceful, until a faint piercing scream could be heard. Esteban sat up and had heard another scream. It sounded like...Isabel. Esteban quickly jumped out of his bed and ran out of his room and down the hallway and over to Isabel's bedroom door.

When he leaned against the door to listen for another scream, all became quiet. Did he imagine it? Esteban was about to leave but then he heard Isabel sobbing quietly. Concerned, Esteban slowly opened the door and he looked inside the bedroom.

It was dark so Esteban lit a candle and then he made his way over to Isabel's bed. When he moved the candle over to see Isabel, he found her sitting up in bed with tears running down her face and looking around worriedly.

"Isabel?"

Isabel turned and saw Esteban but she still seemed scared. Esteban sat on the bed and gently touched Isabel's arm but she moved it away, eyes wide.

"Isabel. It's me. It's me, my dear."

Isabel looked closely and was finally able to see Esteban's face through the barely lit room and then tears filled her eyes and she held out her arms.

"Esteban. Primo. I had a nightmare." Isabel said, sniffling.

Esteban became concerned but then he let Isabel move over to him so that she could hug him. Once she found herself in her cousin's arms, she hugged him tight and began crying. Esteban rubbed small circles around Isabel's back to calm her down.

"I'd never been so afraid before." Isabel whimpered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Esteban asked, continuing to hug his youngest cousin.

"No." Isabel said, shaking her head.

"Alright. We don't have to talk about it. I will go into the kitchen and get you some water to calm your nerves." Esteban said, gently prying Isabel's arms off.

"NO!"" Isabel screamed, eyes wide.

Isabel clutched back onto Esteban and sobbed louder to the point where Esteban was worried that Isabel was going to lose control of her breathing because she was panting fearfully.

"Don't leave! Don't leave!" Isabel cried in a pleading tone.

Esteban became concerned. Whatever nightmare Isabel had endured, it must've been awful if she was this upset and afraid. She was calming down until he told her he was going to get her water. Why?

"Don't leave, primo. Stay."

Esteban gazed down at Isabel crying and clutching onto his shirt while the tears poured down her face. Esteban's eyes had softened then he put his arms back around Isabel and then he placed her onto his lap and held onto her tight and protectively.

"Shh, shh. Shh, shh. Estas bien. Estoy aqui. No te dejare. Estas seguro. Te tengo. No llores, mi hermoso amor." Esteban murmured softly.

Isabel's sobs had soon reduced to sniffling and hiccups until her breathing had become steady and she relaxed in Esteban's arms and hugged him back.

"Do you want me to give you some water now?" Esteban asked.

Isabel shook her head and whimpered. Esteban returned to his task of holding onto her and doing what he could till she had calmed down completely.

"You know...Talking about something will make you feel better." Esteban said, continuing to rock back and forth, hugging Isabel.

"I'm afraid you will think it's silly." Isabel said, looking down, eyes reddened.

Esteban smiled fatherly and then he tilted up Isabel's chin gently so that she could face him.

"Indulge me, my dear."

Isabel nodded and then sighed and then Esteban carefully let her off his lap and onto the bed but let her remain close to him in case she needed another hug or wanted to be back in his lap. Isabel sighed and turned to Esteban and wiped her eyes.

"I had a nightmare that...Shuriki returned."

Esteban gazed at Isabel in both horror but understanding. It was no wonder Isabel had screamed and began crying if it was a nightmare that involved the wicked sorceress who tried to invade Avalor.

"Then what happened?" Esteban asked softly.

"Well...Nothing too scary at first. She had come into the ballroom where I think we were celebrating my 14th birthday. Elena and Abuela and Abuelo managed to escape. But..Then it was only you and me and she managed to trap us."

Esteban also found himself becoming tense. It was as if he was part of the nightmare and he could imagine how frightened Isabel was. Isabel's eyes began filling with tears then Esteban gently laid a hand on her shoulder.

"What did she do next?"

Isabel looked at Esteban then she sobbed and hugged Esteban and instinctively, Esteban embraced her back while she cried. Isabel clutched back onto Esteban's shirt and pressed her face against his chest, hot tears pouring down her face.

"SHE KIILED YOU! SHE KILLED YOU, PRIMO!"

Esteban's face dawned in realization. She wasn't afraid because of Shuriki, she was afraid because of what happened to him. That had to be traumatizing to her. To watch her cousin die in front of her eyes and not be able to stop it from happening.

"Isa..."

Isabel sobbed and Esteban pulled her back into his lap and gently shushed her. Isabel only hugged Esteban tighter and tighter but Esteban didn't mind. Whatever it would take to calm Isabel down, he'd endure it.

"She killed you, primo! She killed you and I let her! I wasn't brave to fight back! You died because of me! I lost you like I lost Mami and Papi! I just got you back, primo and you were taken from us again!"

Esteban sighed. A part of him had a feeling the reason why Isabel even had the nightmare. She was scared that something bad would happen to him and she and the family would lose him like when he had been exiled. No one ever did bother to question how Isabel deeply felt about all this.

"Isabel. It's alright. It's alright, baby. I won't leave our family again. I won't leave you again. Nothing is going to separate us. Everything is fine now. You do not have to worry, prima. I won't leave your side. That was one thing I had regretted the most. The moment I was exiled, I lost our family. Only you and Abuelo saw the good in me but it was unfortunately not enough." Esteban said sadly, shrugging.

Isabel shook her head and hugged Esteban and looked up at him, smiling.

"I know what you had done was very, very awful Esteban but I think Elena and Abuela were wrong. You had changed. You were always enough. You were still my cousin."

Esteban's own eyes filled with tears but his heart was swelled with love. He didn't know what he had done to deserve such a forgiving cousin who was more like a daughter to him. Esteban hugged Isabel and then he cupped her face with his hands and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, prima."

Isabel nodded but then she yawned and her eyes began to close. It appeared all of her crying had tired her out. Esteban chuckled and then he placed Isabel onto the bed and had covered her up while she laid her head on her pillow.

"You get some sleep while it's dark, corazon." Esteban said, gently squeezing Isabel's hand.

"Okay. I love you, primo." Isabel mumbled sleepily.

"I love you too, Isabel."

Esteban kissed Isabel's forehead again and then watched as her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Esteban slowly got off the bed and then he left Isabel's bedroom and closed the door.

Esteban returned back to his own bedroom but then he gazed at the small portrait of his own parents. Esteban wiped away a few tears from his eyes and then he saw baby Isabel being held by his mother.

"Do not worry Mama, Papa, she will always be loved and protected. She's always safe. I love you both." Esteban whispered.