I've had some requests about the second time Pepa's eyes glowed. Which, luckily, just happened to be the next chapter I'd worked on. This also the longest chapter I've written so far.

So buckle up everyone. We're riding the angst train today.

Enjoy~

Thump.

At the noise, Pepa began to wake. The voice in the back of her mind told her she should just stay awake. If it were early enough she could help Julieta prepare breakfast. If her sister actually let her. They'd learned from an early age that Julieta was the only triplet gifted with the ability to cook. While Pepa's attempts were nowhere near as bad as Bruno's, they still weren't the best. Félix seemed to be the only one who actually enjoyed her cooking.

But Félix liked everything she did.

At the thought of her husband, she pushed the nagging voice to the back of her mind. Deciding to ignore it. She had other ideas on how she wanted to spend this morning. Shifting closer to the middle of the bed, she tried to find her sleeping husband. Yet, when she reached out, she was only greeted with air. Patting around, she furrowed her brows. Félix's side of the bed was empty. And cool. Which only meant that he'd been gone a while.

Thump.

Letting out a groan, she rolled over in the large bed. Tiredly, she opened her eyes, trying to find the source of the noise. Her green eyes fell on the hunched over form of her husband. A yellow backpack sat on their dresser. She raised an eyebrow. "Félix?"

"Buenos Dias, amor." The shorter man said as he gave her a sheepish grin. He shoved something into the backpack quickly.

"What time is it?" Pepa asked as she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

"Early."

Pepa crossed her arms and stared at the man. "You know I hate mornings."

"Ay, but today is a special morning." He practically sang.

Scanning her memory, she tried to think of the date. It wasn't their anniversary. Or either of their birthdays. Nothing of importance came to her mind. "A special morning?"

"Sí. I have big plans for us today." She resisted the urge to groan again. She loved him, she really did.

But it was far too early for her husband's antics.

Throwing the blanket to the side, she moved so her feet sat flat on the floor. She was already awake. It was clear that her original plans, to cuddle up against Félix, weren't going to happen. So, she might as well get a head start on her day.

Pepa watched with a smug grin as glanced back over to her husband. Félix's eyes were glued to the hemline of the nightshirt she wore. Deciding on some payback for waking her, she stood and stretched. Dark brown eyes followed as the hemline lifted, just far enough to tease. "Mi sol, you know I'd love to. But I have to water the fields today. And, I have to meet Juli afterwards so we can go check on her dress."

Julieta and Agustín's wedding was swiftly approaching. While they nearly had everything ready, there were still a few minor details that needed worked out. The most important being the tailoring of the dress. The sisters had dropped it off earlier in the week to make some small, last-minute alterations.

"The fields can be watered any day." Félix reasoned as he tried to regain his composure. Waiting until her back was turned, he closed the distance between them, wrapping one arm around her stomach. With the other, he used his fingers to trace the length of her shoulders. Two could play the teasing game. And he knew all the ways to make his wife melt. "And I've already spoken to Julieta. The dress won't be ready until tomorrow. We'll be back before dinner."

Turning around to face him, she put both of her hands on his chest. She could feel his hands resting against the center of her back, keeping her from backing away. "If we get in trouble, I'm blaming you."

His signature grin returned, knowing he'd won.

"I'm not worried. Your mother loves me."

"Where are we going?"

They'd been walking for nearly an hour. Pepa didn't mind the walk at all. However, somewhere along the way Félix blindfolded her. He held her hand, leading her along with the utmost care. He'd pointed out every branch, stone, and bump. She'd lost count of how many times he stopped, just to make sure she didn't trip or stumble.

"We're almost there, I promise." He chuckled at her impatience. He stopped, shifting her hand closer to him as he put a hand on her waist. "Careful, there's a step down."

They traveled a few more minutes before Félix stopped again. This time, Pepa could feel him move behind her. Reaching up for the blindfold, he started to undo it.

"Tuh-da!" Pepa opened her eyes, taking in the site before her. A small white sanded beach lay ahead of them. Two rocky cliffs stood on either side of the secluded beach. The clear teal color of the water was accented by the white foam of the waves. "I know you've never been to the sea. So, I figured today would be a good day to do it."

"Félix, it's beautiful. But there isn't a sea in the Encanto."

"We're right on the other side." Félix assured. None of the Madrigals ever left the Encanto. He figured it had something to do with their mother, but he never pushed the issue. In all honesty, none of the inhabitants really had a reason to leave. The Encanto gave them everything they needed to survive. Anything it couldn't provide could be found from various traveling merchants that visited certain times of the year. "There's a route that the traveling merchants take. There was one that showed me this place, when I was younger. They won't be back for another couple of weeks. So, it's just us."

"Oh really?"

"Really."

Pepa grinned as she walked closer to the water's edge. She couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Closing her eyes, she listened to the calming sound of the waves hitting the beach. Turning back around, she looked back to her husband.

Félix had their temporary setup almost completely ready. A large sheet was spread out, it's deep red a vivid contrast from the white sand. The yellow backpack laid off to the side. The basket of food that they brought sat in the middle. Brushing his hands clean, he walked over to Pepa. Pulling her into another hug, he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Do you want to take a swim with me?"

"I could stay here forever." Pepa muttered as she buried her face into the crook of Félix's neck. The two laid on the blanket. Félix lay on his back, with Pepa curled up against him. One arm supported his head, while the other held her close. His fingers drifted, drawing soothing circles on the bare skin of her back between her white bathing suit.

He agreed with her whole-heartedly. Though, it didn't matter where they were. As long as he could be with her, he'd be happy. Letting out a dramatic sigh, he looked up at the clear sky above them. "Alas, I think your mother would kill me if we didn't return."

Tilting her head up to face him, she raised an amused eyebrow. "I thought you were her favorite."

Félix laughed. "I still stand by my statement."

Neither of them made an attempt to move. Both were aware of the sun slowly starting it's decent.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For this." Pepa gestured to the area around them. "For everything you do for me. I really don't know what I would do without you."

Félix cupped her cheek. His heart melted as she leaned into it. "You'll never have to worry about that, mi diosa."

Pepa shuddered at the nickname. Félix called her many names. 'Mi nube', 'amor', 'mi vida'. But 'mi diosa' was by far her favorite. He'd only use it when they were alone. Just the two of them. His secrete name for her. His goddess.

The things it did to her.

The sound of voices pulled her from her thoughts. Perking up, she looked around, trying to see who the voices belonged to. "I thought you said no one came here?"

Félix sat up, untangling the two of them. Pepa searched the bag for her clothes. Félix, who hadn't bothered to put his away, plucked his shirt off of the ground and pulled it over his head. The merchants weren't due back for another three weeks. As far as he knew, they were the only ones who even knew about the passage into the Encanto. "They don't."

"Then who could they be?" Pepa muttered, adjusting her yellow dress.

Félix shrugged as the climbed back up from the cove. "Maybe your mother sent out a search party."

Pepa threw her hand out, halting her husband's movement. "No, they're not from the Encanto."

Due to their mother being the unspoken head of the Encanto, the triplets were familiar with everyone who lived within it. They might not know their names, but they knew their faces. The group of men were definitely not anyone she recognized. She counted five men. They were dressed in various cut off tops with shorts. They each wore a black cloth tied around a part of their bodies.

Each of them had a weapon. The red flags sounded in Pepa's mind. She'd heard the stories from some of the travelers. Stories about how there were men that searched for a way into her home. A way for them to harness the miracle for themselves. And from the way these men were dressed, she knew they weren't merchants.

They were raiders.

One of them men locked eyes with her. Raising his machete, he pointed at the pair. "Over there!"

"Run!" Félix flew into action first, grabbing Pepa's hand he took off in a sprint. She easily kept up with him. Panic filled his mind. What were they going to do? How were they going to get out of this? They were outnumbered.

He slowed his pace. If he could create a distraction, she could make a run for it. They were so close to the entrance back home. He could buy her enough time. The Encanto would protect her, keeping the men from getting to her.

As if reading his mind, Pepa turned to look at him.

"Félix?"

"Go!"

"Not without you." Pepa slid to a stop. She wouldn't leave him, especially to fend off five men. If she could focus, she could use her powers to help him. She could-

"Pepa!" Félix called out as he watched her crumble to the ground. More men came out from the bushes, surrounding her. He felt the butt of the machete against his head, before the world faded.

"Oh, my head." Félix groaned as he tried to rub the growing pain in his head away. "What the?" He could feel the rope that bound his hands to the tree behind his back. Memories came flooding back. The men chasing them. His wife crumpling to the ground. Opening his eyes, he looked around frantically trying to find the redhead.

He sucked in a breath as his eyes fell on her. She sat a few feet away from him, tied up in a similar position. Her eyes were closed, but Félix could see her chest rising and falling with every breath. He let out the breath he'd been holding. He could see the men, seven of them now, sitting at a camp not too far from them.

He could hear the men talking. Staying quiet, he listened to them. They spoke of the Encanto, or more specifically, the three with gifts. Their plan was simple, use their newly captured prisoners to force their way into the Encanto. Once they did, they would ambush the triplets and take them hostage, using their gifts however they sought fit.

Félix's panic returned as he listened to their plan. They wanted the Madrigals. They wanted his wife. Gently, he started calling out to her. He needed to wake her up. They needed to get out of here. "Pepa?"

It took a couple tries, but eventually she started to wake. She winced as she opened her eyes. "What hit me?"

"You don't want to know." He sighed. He checked her over, trying to find any sort of injury. The only thing he could see was a faint red line that trailed down her neck. A cut due to the blow she took to her head, he was sure. "Are you okay?"

"Other than a headache, I'm fine. Are you okay? What's happening?"

"I'm okay. I think we've been captured." He explained. "They're looking for a way into the Encanto."

"What?!" Félix winced as she practically yelled. His eyes widened as the small cloud started to appear above her head.

"Amor, please. You need to stay calm. They can't know what you can do." Pepa seemed to understand his worry. Taking a deep breath, she muttered her 'clear skies' mantra. Thankfully, it worked. The small cloud faded away. Félix let out a relieved sigh.

The snapping of a twig caught his attention. Félix cursed to himself as he watched the men approach. The tallest one stood in the center, with three men on each side of him. Two of them moved ahead of the group. Each of them went to one of their captives. Félix watched as one of the men sliced through the rope that held Pepa's bounds to the tree. He heard a snap from behind him, and felt the man lift him to his feet.

"We don't need both of them." The man to the right tried to reason as they came to a stop in front of the pair. "Keeping them both around would be a waste."

"Both of them could have information about what we need." The man to left snapped.

The man in center didn't say anything. Félix figured he had to be the leader. His dark eyes glanced back and forth between Pepa and Félix. He couldn't read minds, but it seemed like he was weighing the options of his men. Waving his hand in the air, he gave his order. "Kill the man."

Her eyes widened as she watched the man get closer and closer to her husband. Punching him in the stomach, Félix collapsed to the ground. Raising his blade into the air, he prepared to bring it down, right onto Félix.

Pepa couldn't breathe. She had to do something. Anything. If she didn't, she was going to lose Félix. Tears started to stream down her face. They were going to kill the love of her life.

We have the power to stop them.

Taking a breath, she calmed herself. The voice in her head was right. She was a Madrigal. And she wouldn't let them hurt him. No matter what.

"No!"

Thunder shook the ground as the wind came alive at her unspoken command. Rushing around her, it threw the man that held her back into a tree. He slumped against it, unconscious. With a wave of her hand, a gust of wind rushed past Félix, knocking both men to the ground.

"I won't let you hurt him."

Félix looked at her in shock. Her eyes were liquid gold. He'd called her his goddess many of times, but now, he was certain of it. Pepa hovered slightly above the ground. He watched in amazement as lighting danced around her right arm. Wind swirled around her left. Dark clouds rolled in, blocking out the sky. A mixture of hail and rain fell from above.

"She's one of them! Get her!" Two of the men launched themselves at Pepa. Machetes poised and ready to strike. With another flick of her wrist, the men were thrown back. They skid to a stop just in front of their leader.

The leader stepped up, ready to challenge the raging woman. He snatched a crossbow from one of the men. He pointed it at the redhead. Pressing the trigger, the bolt shot ahead. Without hesitation, the wind pattern changed and the bolt flew past Pepa. The man's eyes widened. "Stop her!"

"Stay back!"

Félix didn't know how long the battle raged. Was it five minutes? An hour? He watched as his wife took each and every one of the men down. Lightning danced from both her fingertips and sky alike. Striking the ground around the men. Félix flinched as one of the men's blades made contact with her side. She let out a hiss, and the man was blasted back. One of arrows managed to catch the side of her face, leaving a thin red line. But Pepa paid no mind to her wounds, instead she brought forth more elements.

Looking around, Félix tried to find something, anything, to free himself. He needed to help Pepa. A reflection caught his eye as yet another bolt of lightning struck the ground. One of the men's machete's lay on the ground, not far from him. Struggling as best he could, he inched his way to the fallen blade. It took him some time, but he managed to reach it. Rolling over onto his back, he tried to grasp it. Finally, he felt it. Rolling back over, he cut himself loose. He turned his attention back towards the battle, ready to fight.

But the winner was already decided.

All the men were scattered along the ground, groaning in pain. Pepa floated towards them.

"Get out of here and never return." Thunder echoed throughout the area. A final warning. The leader growled, but picked his men up.

Félix watched as they retreated, weapons long forgotten. Turning back to Pepa, his heart fluttered. She'd done it. She'd defeated all the men and saved not only them both, but the whole Encanto. "You did it!"

"Pepi?" Time slowed for him. He watched as he eyes faded back to emerald, before rolling into the back of her head. The winds that kept her in the air, and the thunderstorm she'd created, disappeared from sight. Far too quickly for Félix's liking. Scampering to his feet, he made his way to his collapsed wife. "Pepa!"

"No. No! Amor, can you hear me?" The woman in his arms showed no sign of hearing him. Félix looked her over. He could see various cuts that littered her arms and face. The gash on her side was the most concerning. He ripped the bottom of his shirt, before tying it around her.

"F-Félix?"

He wanted to cry. She was awake. "Sí, it's me. I have you."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He said gently as he brushed a stray piece of ginger hair out of her face. "Everything's going to be fine. We're going to get you home. I'm sure Julieta won't mind making you your favorite tonight." He tried to joke, to lighten the mood. Everything would be fine. He'd get her back to her sister.

She'd be okay.

Pepa gave him a tired smirk. It only lasted a moment, before her face turned into a more serious one. "Can you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Tell them I love them."

"I can't do that, amor." He wanted to sound confident, but his voice failed him. It cracked, just like his heart had. Taking a breath, he blinked back the tears that swam in his vision. "You can tell them yourself."

"You were the best thing in my life." She lifted a hand to his face. He covered her hand with his own, holding it tightly. She gave him a weak smile. Her eyes fluttered closed as she breathed her next words. "Te amo, mi sol."

"Pepa? Pepa!" Félix tried to shake her awake, but Pepa didn't respond. Her arm fell out of his grip. Shaking his head, he pressed his forehead to her own. He let the tears stream down his face. "Please. Please, don't leave me."

"Félix?! Pepa?!"

"Where are you?!"

"Bruno! Over there!"

In the back of his mind, he recognized the voices. He should yell. Hell, he should scream to get their attention. But his body refused to move. He sat frozen as he held onto his wife.

Three horses came into view. Bruno rode one while Julieta and her fiancé rode the others. Julieta wasted no time, leaping off of the horse. She sucked in a breath as she looked at the condition her little sister and brother-in-law. Félix just held onto Pepa with an unfocused glazed look in his eyes. Reaching out, she put a hand to her head. "Hey, cariño. Can you hear me? Pepa? Pepita, I need you to open your eyes. Please."

Breaking off a piece of an empanada, she opened her sister's mouth and placed the small piece inside. They watched in silence. They hoped and prayed that the wounds would heal.

But nothing happened.

"Juli..." Agustín said sadly as he approached from behind. Putting a hand on her shoulder, he knelt down beside her. He knew how the healer's gift worked. It didn't matter the amount that someone ate, even the smallest bite would heal all wounds.

"No! S-she has to eat more!" Julieta yelled as she struggled against her fiancé. Getting out of his grasp, she ran to the saddle bag of the horse. Digging around, she tried to find something... Anything that could bring her sister back.

"Julieta stop!" Agustín shouted. Julieta collapsed to the ground, sobs wracking her body. The sharply dressed man just pulled her to him. He held onto her as she desperately clung to him. "I'm so sorry. But, she's gone."

"This isn't how it's supposed to happen."

"Bruno..."

"No! This isn't fair!" Bruno shouted. He began pacing, running a hand through his long hair. He'd seen the vision in time. He'd seen the men attacking his sister. He was given the vision so he could prevent this ending. That was the sole purpose of him having them. They were to protect his family. Balling his hand into a fist, he punched the tree beside him. "What's the point of having these God damned visions if I can't save my sister!"

"I'm sorry." Agustín watched helplessly as his family fell apart of him in front of his eyes.

"H-how am I supposed to tell Mamá?" Julieta choked out.

Agustín laid his head on top of Julieta's. He ran a hand up and down her back. Telling Alma was going to be the hardest. They all knew that she'd lost her husband. And now, they'd have to tell her she'd lost a daughter too. "We'll tell her together."

Félix ignored them. He felt a light shift in his grip. Looking down, he watched as the cut along Pepa's face knitted itself back together. He blinked a few times as he stared closer. Slowly, the color returned to the redhead's skin.

"Pepi?" He breathed, terrified that if he spoke too loudly the wounds might reappear.

Her face scrunched up as her eyes fluttered open. "Félix?"

"Pepi!" He crushed her to his chest. He buried his face in her hair. "You're alright!"

"Pepa!"

Pepa looked over to the trio of voices. Bruno and Julieta wasted no time, throwing themselves against the pair. Agustín smiled, pulling them all into a hug. "Woah. When'd you three get here?"

"I had a vision!"

"We came to save you."

"I was so worried!"

Pepa wrapped a hand around both of her sibling's shoulders, pulling them together. "Lo siento, hermanos."

Pulling apart, she leaned back against Félix, who kept his arm around her. Julieta kept a hold on one of her hands. Bruno and Agustín each took their own seats, each telling their stories. Félix filled them in on what happened during the battle. Bruno explained how he'd had the vision, and in turn gathered up Julieta and Agustín to help him find them, hoping to stop it before it happened.

Bruno looked to his sister as they all got to their feet. She was leaning heavily against Félix, though he didn't seem to mind. Her wounds were healed, but he could tell she wasn't fully better. After hearing about the fight, he was certain she was exhausted. "I think we should get you home. You still don't look good."

"Thanks a lot." Pepa rolled her eyes at her brother's comment. He really needed to work on his conversation skills. She stood up straight, putting her hands up. "I'm fine. See? All healed."

"You almost died." He deadpanned.

Pepa sighed. She knew full well that she almost died. The last thing she needed was a reminder. "I promise, I'm okay."

"You gave us a good scare there, Pepa." Agustín said as, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Good. Now that you're not dead." Julieta whirled around fixing her gaze on her sister. Her sadness completely evaporated, replaced by anger. Pepa could see that the anger didn't quite reach her eyes. "Are you dumb or something?!"

Pepa blinked as she looked at the eldest. "I'm sorry. What?"

"What in the world would possess you to do something so catastrophically stupid?!"

"Stupid?" Pepa's eyes widened. The small cloud reappeared above her head, showing her annoyance. "I was protecting my family. And the Encanto. They were trying to find a way in!"

The healer through her hands up in the air. "So let them try! The Encanto doesn't let anyone in that it feels is a danger!"

"I'm not going to apologize for what I did. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, if it meant you all were safe." Pepa said firmly, locking her eyes with her sister's. Julieta narrowed her eyes.

"Idiota." Julieta huffed, stomping away from them.

Bruno let out whistle as he watched his oldest sister head over to the horses, her fiancé right on her tail. He rubbed his neck awkwardly. Julieta was normally the calm one, but this whole thing just pushed her a little too far. "I'm sorry, Pep. She's just..."

"It's okay. I get it. I scared her."

"You scared all of us." Félix muttered. He shot a look at his brother-in-law. Bruno took the hint, and went to help Julieta ready the horses. Bringing her hand up to his lips, he kissed her knuckles. "Amor, please don't do that again."

Pepa sighed at the broken tone of his voice. She wanted to promise him that she wouldn't do it. But that would be a lie. And she didn't lie to him. Gently, she brought her hand up to his face. "I can't promise you that, Félix. I will do whatever it takes to protect the people I care about."

Félix closed his eyes. He'd known her answer, but some part of him hoped she'd at least humor him. If she did that though, she wouldn't be his Pepi. "At least promise me you'll always come back to me."

"I promise." Leaning down, she closed the distance between them, capturing his lips with her own. Pepa could feel her exhaustion melt away. In turn Félix's fear disappeared. They were together. They were alright. The need for air pulled them apart, but they didn't move. Closing their eyes they stood still, with their foreheads together, in their own little world.

Until Julieta's voice brought them back to reality.

"Ay! Let's go! You're not getting out of my site for the next six months!"

I really hope I conveyed this as well as I tried to. It's been a hot minute since I've written any sort of actual battle scenes. I didn't want to leave out too many details, but I didn't want it overly done with them. Ya know?