Story in a nutshell: Isabel and Francisco talk about Esteban after what they learned.

Authors Note: I wanted to publish my last anniversary fic first but thought to write this upon the recent movie and a fellow writer's here fic (thanks royal detective, I hope you like this!). Kind of to wrap my mind around what happened without going to a whole extra long story about Elena dropping into a parallel dimension type of thing. Plus I really wanted to get into some of Isa's thoughts. If you are not an Esteban fan, please turn back now because I'm on Francisco's side. I also wrote this all in one setting so let me know if there's any grammar mistakes!

Enjoy!

It was still dark out when Francisco woke up. Kissing his wife's cheek, he scurried over to the music room for his guitar and headed toward the gardens. It was peaceful to be able to watch the rising sun and watch everything wake up for their day. Like it was a new beginning.

In the wake of what happened with his grandson and being on the opposite side of his wife and granddaughter, he thought it best to keep a distance. Sort of at least. As long as he didn't bring up Esteban then there were no issues. Sighing he found a good spot to watch the sunrise and strummed his guitar adjusting the strings when necessary. The song took him back to a time when things weren't as complicated as they already were.

"Abuelo what are you doing up?" asked a new voice.

Turning around he saw his youngest granddaughter watching him cautiously. Isabel already dressed and ready for her day as he checked his pocket watch. It was just a little after seven.

"I wanted some time to practice my guitar and to think."

"Oh," she said holding an invention in her hand. "I wanted to get a lot of this done before Elena woke up. Her new dress has been driving me crazy lately since that happened."

"Ahh yes, I get it," he said gesturing for her to come and sit next to her.

She made her way over and tucked pencil behind her ear. Her work bag on her shoulder before sitting down next to her elder. It was quiet as she could see the butterflies waking up in the bushes nearby. It was slightly chilly as she ignored the weather. It would feel warm soon enough.

Quiet enveloped them before she turned to Francisco.

"Are you thinking about Esteban?" she asked not sure how to ask it any other way.

Francisco just nodded it was not hard to guess what was on his mind this early in the morning. He strummed his guitar lightly making Isabel a little confused. She took a breath as they could hear the guards in the guard house across the lawn.

"I heard… Well… Why did you forgive Esteban? Aren't you angry at him?" she asked trying to piece together his thought process.

"Oh mija, I am angry at him but I'm not letting that drive my emotions. Anger does eventually go away though. Now as for forgiveness, it's because of multiple reasons. He's changed and has done good things despite what he's done. Take our portrait for example, Shuriki could have easily damaged it or a number of things that would have killed us. Esteban was the one that kept her from doing it. Do you remember the first day you saw the port? You said that it had grown so much. That wasn't the way it was before, and Esteban was the one that made it grow. Yes, he had done a very bad thing, but he tried to fix it as best as he could by himself, because we know Shuriki wasn't doing good stuff. If he wasn't remorseful for his actions, then we would have come back to a crumbling country. Your cousin is no heartless monster he loves us. It has been so long, at some point you just forgive and forget. I love Esteban and Elena reminded me that we just need to have an open heart, like in her song."

Isabel looked down at her shoes trying to piece things together. Okay, that made sense somewhat, yet something itched in the back of her mind. "Why do it at all though? He says that he felt unloved and unwanted. We couldn't have made him feel that way, could we?"

That was where Francisco had to sit back and think of his own actions. Thinking back of how he handled things. Raising a son was not the same as raising two daughters. Especially when he realized just how sensitive that Esteban really was. He was never the same since his parents had passed being so close to them. He and Luisa weren't his parents, they were his grandparents and they could only do the best they could. Still wasn't Esteban as he could only hope that perhaps he had a plan.

"Well perhaps," he said as Isabel's eyes grew wide and a bit horrified. "What I mean to say it's not you or me exactly. Take Victor for example. He used to always call Esteban the second best. One time I even remember him saying that Elena would kick him out of the country one day after a bad fight. What I'm trying to say is that a bunch of little things can escalate to one big thing."

She remembered the one time she did push Esteban away from helping her once. That probably made him feel bad when he had other things going on. Isabel sighed and picked up her invention looking at the revolving gears. It was like a bunch of parts made one machine.

"I don't know if I can forgive him though," she said in a small voice. "I mean I want to but…"

"You don't have to if you don't want to mijita," said Francisco wrapping her into a hug. "I just wanted to help you understand why I am, and we don't have to agree. It's good that we have differences and can talk about them."

Biting her bottom lip Isabel smiled at her abuelo. "I get it though at least a little; why Esteban might have felt that way. I remember Elena always getting more attention than him, which could have hurt. Why do you think he never told us why he did it? If he told us sooner rather than the way we learned, things could have gone better for him wouldn't it?"

Francisco tried to figure that one out himself and sat his guitar to the side, touching a hand to his head. "I don't think we'll ever know; your sister might not understand even if I told her my reasons."

"She's always been… Passionate," said Isabel cracking a smile thinking of her sisters' emotional outbursts. Maybe it was a good thing her dress changed colors depending on her emotions now. It would keep her more aware how she was feeling and keep her cool a lot more. She loved her sister, but she was prone to making rash decisions. Perhaps a lighter sentence for Esteban was in order.

"That she is," said Francisco grinning and ruffled the top of her hair lovingly. "Who knows? Maybe she'll regret it one day but it's not now."

Isabel turned and watched the sunrise. "I do miss Esteban though. He'd help me understand some of the books I read. We liked to sneak abuela's treats late at night."

He raised an eyebrow at her and narrowed his eyes. "Oh, so that's where those went." Francisco teased the young princess as she blushed before laughing.

"Oops?"

"Oops indeed," he said nodding his head laughing along with her. "Next time you do it bring me one."

"Okay, I'll remember that especially if I ever get caught by her."

Now they dissolved to laughs nearly doubling over. Warmth started to overtake them as they looked up over at the sunrise. The sky light pink and slowly turning golden as the final flecks of stars that reminded her of white diamonds melted away. The rich blue inching to envelope the entire sky stretching outward. It was really a beautiful sunrise as they watched the sun rise over the horizon. The sky filled with shades of magenta, amber, and rose radiating hope in the pair.

"Where do you think Esteban is?" asked Isabel softly forgetting the invention she had sitting on the ground. Her eyes never leaving the rising sun keeping her entranced.

Francisco just let a small smile grace his face, taking her hand. "I don't know but I hope he's eating and safe. If you want me to be completely honest, I hope he's making a plan to betray Ash and return to us." May his family in spirit help guide him back to them, he thought in the back of his mind.

A glint sparkled in Isabel's eye thinking about his honestly. "I hope he is too and he's getting sleep. I think I'm open to forgiving him."

"I'm glad your open to it. Now speaking of food, we should go and get breakfast, we don't want your abuela to worry."

Grabbing their guitars and inventions they stood up intending to return inside the castle. Together they returned inside to wash up before eating. Francisco felt his spirits lift hoping that he was right to keep faith in his grandson. It was a new day with plenty of promise.