Authors note:
Honestly some of your comments make me crack up! Keep em coming. And to answer one of the comments yes my goal was to write a soul crushing, cry invoking fic. I've enjoyed writing this fic but I feel it is time to finish it up, else it will be unnecessarily drawn out. If I do end up wanting to write something else I most likely will write another Encanto fic instead of adding onto this one. I've truly enjoyed writing this, It's hot of the press so there could be some beauty mistakes lingering but i will come back to edit that later (just needed to get this chapter out). I hope you guys enjoy it, Let me know what you think!
Casita was rebuild by the town a few days after it came down but it was never quit the same. In fact there was one thing that was very peculiar, there was now an extra door on the first level. A door that no one could open, no matter how hard they tried. Not even Luisa, with all her strength could pry it open.
Throughout the years few people dared to touch the door which seemed to be a sore spot for the entire family. It's location very blatantly pointing towards a member of the family that was taken from this world too soon.
Casita was just as magical as before but to the family it looked like a ghost of its former self, an ember which had once burned brightly and now simply sizzled dimly. Though through the eyes of the following generations it was no less magical than it had been before the tragedy. Perhaps it was in the eyes of the beholder. Perhaps the previous generations perceived Casita as less magical because the whole world dimmed a little when tragedy once more found the family Madrigal.
Leroy looked around casita wondering what the door was for and why Casita hadn't decorated it like all the other doors.
Cousin Isabella would decorate the door every morning with her newest creations.
His mother would talk to it so quietly that not even he could pick up what she was saying.
He would spot his cousin Luisa holding the doorknob as if to will it open, she never pulled on it though knowing it wouldn't yield to her anyways.
His uncle Camilo mostly avoids the door or well Casita in general.
His great aunt and uncle always leave the same thing before the door: a pot of fresh honey and a plate of whatever the family had eaten that evening.
His great uncle Bruno spends most of time at that door, sometimes he talks to it other times he simply sits near it.
His great abuela leaves a candle at the door every night whispering the same sentence every time. ''May this candle light your way back to us, for I would like to relight your candle even if it doused mine.''
His tio Antonio explained it a while ago to the oldest kids in the nursery. That door belonged to their cousin Mirabel. He explained that she was born with a gift that no one could see, not even Casita could see it. Mirabel was born to unite the family and in the end she did.
His uncle Antonio got very sad while telling them about Mirabel. He told them that she died protecting the family, the Encanto, the entire town. He told them a heroic tale of her life and sacrifice.
''But if Casita made the door disappear then where did cousin Mirabel sleep?'' Salomé asked tilting her head in confusion.
Leroy looked at his younger cousin and then back at his uncle, pondering on the question.
''She slept here, in the nursery.'' Antonio answered.
''Yeah, we all do when we're little but she means when cousin Mirabel got big. Where did she sleep then?'' Leroy clarifies. His little brother Emilio nodding along in agreement.
Antonio looks around the room with a slight smile on his face, reminiscing about the past. God had it already been 10 years?
''Mirabel slept here in the nursery and I later joined her, she never got her own room like I said.''
Uncle Antonio said that Casita had tried to save cousin Mirabel but failed to do so. He thinks that Casita build the door after cousin Mirabel had died because Casita didn't understand that Mirabel would never return, that she was now a star in the sky.
''Everyone still misses her so to feel closer to her some of us will visit her door to say hello.''
Leroy felt a little jittery hearing the entire story. What if he didn't get a gift? Would he have to stay in the nursery forever? Would he have to die for the magic then? Would he have to become a star in the sky too?
Salomé is running around helping her mother decorate, or well trying to. She isn't much help with arranging the flowers since she is colorblind. Her mama says it doesn't matter but she knows it does, it's Leroy's gift day after all.
So instead she goes over to help her Tia Luisa. Tia Luisa is super strong but she isn't allowed to lift a lot now, so her abuela Julieta has appointed her as tia Luisa's big helper. Only natural as she is the second oldest of the nursery.
''No tia, I can carry that! Abuela says you can't carry heavy stuff and abuela is the boss so!..'' Salomé bossily exclaims as her tia tries to pick up a very, extremely heavy basket filled with flower peddles.
Throwing her hands in the air Luisa looks at Julieta with pursed lips, ''Mom isn't this a little much? The doctor said I couldn't carry heavy things, not that I couldn't carry anything.''
Julieta just shrugs smiling at her daughter with mirth in her eyes,''The big helper is the boss, and she has spoken.''
''Ma-'' Luisa says trying to catch up with her all of a sudden very speedy mother only to get blocked by a very small Isabela ahem Salomé.
''No running.'' She says in her very stern abuela voice, at least she hopes it sounds like abuela's stern voice.
''Now it's time for you and my baby cousin to have a rest.'' pulling her very pregnant tia along to a hang mat she says, ''You stay here, I will get you some milk and cookies.''
''How could I say no to my favorite niece?'' Luisa says, finally admitting defeat as her opponent skips towards the kitchen clearly on a mission.
Isabela looks at her tio Bruno with worried eyes, he is acting distant and it scares her. The last time he avoided the family like that was right before her husband got ill and died in the weeks following.
She walks towards him without anything in mind. She knows he saw something, she also knows he finds it extremely difficult to share his visions and at the same time struggles to wrestle with them all by himself.
Shifty eyes and a shaky frame follow her every move.
Instead of asking anything she simply hugs him, ''It's going to be okay Bruno, no matter what you saw. It's all going to be fine, we'll make sure of it.''
She feels his shoulders sag in relief, it must've been a bad one.
Camilo sits in the nursery, rocking his sweet daughter. When he first saw her eyes he almost couldn't look at her.
Her eyes struck fear into his entire being. He felt immense love when he looked at them but also intense terror as he was reminded time and time again that these were eyes that could easily be turned dull and lifeless.
After all, it had happened once before.
But as he looked into those mesmerizing brown eyes now all he felt was love and optimisms for the future. A future where everyone was valued and felt it. A future where the people never forgot the mistakes and pain of the past, but instead of passing them on to the next generation they had taken the time to heal themselves and each other.
A future where his daughter could grow and thrive without ever fearing that she wasn't enough, thinking that a candle was worth more than her own life.
He would be lying if he said that he never wondered if he could've done something different back then. But after his daughter was born he stopped doing that too, Mirabel would want him to focus on the future instead of lingering in the past.
Julieta, Agustin, Pepa and Felix stand at the dark brown door not saying a word. Today would be the first gift ceremony without Mirabel. Tears have already been shed behind closed doors.
Heaving a shaky breath Julieta speaks. ''I miss you so much my sweet, and I know that you know but I still want to say it. We love you and always will.''
Holding his wife's hand Agustin lets a single tear roll across his check. It had been a long and difficult road but they had learned to live without their little butterfly, though he swears he can feel her presence sometimes. Though that is probably just wishful thinking.
Pepa says nothing as she walks back into her own room, no one stops her. Once she closes the door she lets the storm clouds envelope the room, rain drenching her as Felix enters.
''Oh mi vida..'' Felix holds his wife as she lets the tears fall. His wife had always been sensitive when it comes to emotions, she feels everything very deeply.
Today would be very taxing on her as all the different emotions rush over her. Anxiousness, happiness, stress, sadness, fear, and so much more.
Today was the day.
His gift ceremony was today.
He had never been so nervous for anything else in her life. Not when he broke great abuela's favorite teacup, not when he and abuelo Felix lost Emilio in the town square and abeula Pepa had found him before them, not even when he didn't get to see mama for 2 days because she was in 'labor' whatever that meant.
No he had never been so nervous in his life, Leroy thinks to himself as he hides under his bed in the nursery. If I stay here then I can just try again next year right? When I am bigger and braver?
A present suddenly dangles near the bed. He is smart enough not to take the bait, though it looked very well wrapped and he does like gifts…
''This present is set to destruct in 3…2…'' Antonio smiles as the gift is pulled out of his hand. Déjà vu hitting him hard.
Crawling under the bed he looks at his nephew Leroy. ''What's up big guy?''
''I…'' Swallowing deeply he wonders if he should tell uncle Antonio or if he should just run towards great uncle Bruno, he knows the best hiding spots after all.
''It's okay buddy, I get it. I was also very nervous about the gift ceremony and I actually hid under this exact bed.'' Antonio admits a little emotional.
''Really?''
''Oh yeah, and you know what? Even if I hadn't gotten a gift I still would've been gifted.'' Antonio says, only 16 but wise beyond his years.
''How so?'' Leroy responds frowning.
''I, just like you will forever be a Madrigal and that is magical in itself. A family like this doesn't need magic to be gifted.'' Antonio responds.
''Like abuelo Felix?''
''Exactly, like Abuelo Felix, great tio Agustin, great abuelo Pedro and of course like cousin Mirabel.'' Antonio answers.
Getting out from under the bed they hear a very soft knock.
''You ready baby?'' Dolores asks as quietly as ever, eying both boys carefully. Getting head nods in return as both approach her at the door opening.
Leroy walks towards his papa and little brother. Dolores halts Antonio in the doorway, laying a hand on his shoulder she whispers in his ear.
''She would've been so proud of you'' Smiling at him with glistening eyes she turns and walks to her husband and children.
Antonio stands there for a bit gathering himself as he walks over to the rest of the Madrigals.
Everyone in town has come to see the ceremony, even his great abuelo Emmanuel came even though he gets tired very quickly.
He swallows as he sees the crowd part revealing the path towards the glowing door, his door.
He looks to his parents who nod at him encouragingly, his entire family stands there except for the matriarch of the family; great abuela Alma.
She stands by the door with the magical candle.
He trips a little as he walks up the stairs but thankfully Casita has his back and brings him back into balance within a second.
He holds the candle as instructed and vows to serve the community and strengthen their home. He walks to his door and grabs the doorknob.
But his door doesn't shine like his mother's, it slowly disappears…
He looks around in panic, tears filling his eyes. He doesn't dare look at his great abuela or anyone for that matter.
Before he has anymore time think he hears his father yell out in joy. He turns in shock as he sees everyone cheering and celebrating.
His mother is suddenly beside him hugging him tightly, he's so confused. He didn't get a gift yet everyone is celebrating him.
When his mother releases him from her bear hug she looks him deep in his eyes and whispers softly in a way only his mother can, ''Tu eres el milagro.''
''To our miracle!'' His great abuela announces with joy.
The crowd quiets down though as Leroy just stands there, looking to be in a trance.
The whole town watches with baited breath as Leroy's hand is seemingly held aloft by an unseen entity, leading him towards 'Mirabel Madrigals' door.
Hand on the doorknob Leroy snaps out of the trance, confused he proceeds to turn the doorknob.
The entire town watches as Leroy opens the now glowing door. Shocked silence once again reigns through the courtyard.
Everyone seems to snap out of it and when Leroy enters the room, they follow diligently.
When entering the room they seem to be transported into a valley with a shallow but none the less beautiful river running through it, next to it stands a miniature version of Casita itself. Two butterflies fly around the mini Casita, the magenta and golden butterfly circle the Madrigals a few times.
The golden butterfly lands briefly flutters around all the Madrigals curiously while the magenta butterfly does much the same, she very briefly lands on all the Madrigals. Lingering on the youngest and quietest member, a baby girl with big bright eyes. The baby's father seems just as mesmerized by the purple butterfly as the baby, following it with their eyes as it rejoins the golden one flying back to the mini Casita.
''Wow'' Leroy exclaims, overwhelmed by its beauty.
The entire Madrigal clan is in awe, even more so when they see a part of the room where the bed stands which has one specific sentence on its headboard.
'The truth is: gift or no gift, I'm just as special as the rest of my family'
''A room specially made for children born without a gift…'' Julieta gasps out.
''Isn't that truly a gift?'' Agustin laughs tearfully.
''That's soooo cool! Look mama, it's you!'' Salomé yells from the riverbank, beckoning the family to join her there.
Gathered on the riverbank the Madrigals watch the water in amazement as it shows them not their reflection but instead past events.
They see Agustin and Julieta lying on a bed holding a swaddled baby as Isabella and Luisa run in, peaking over the edge of the bed excitedly, trying to catch a glimpse of their brand new baby sister.
They see the entire family play hide and seek in Casita.
They watch as Isabella, Dolores and Mirabel add salt to Camilo's and Luisa's tea. Serves them right for not inviting them to their tea party.
They see Pepa hugging, comforting Mirabel the night of her gift ceremony.
They see Luisa, Camilo, Isabella, Dolores and Mirabel playing tag which was made incredibly difficult as Camilo shape shifted into whoever suited him at that moment.
They see a lot of wonderful and loving images bringing most of them to tears. The youngest generation not as sad but definitely intrigued by the mystical water and the lady who rules it.
The story of Mirabel Madrigal would be past down for generations. Sometimes earning her new names like the lady of the lake, she sacrificed everything to protect the family.
The warrior who fought in the name of love never once drawing a weapon, yet she found herself dying as bloody as any other warrior.
The protector of the magically non-magical children, a mother to all who needed her.