A/N: This one takes place right before Pepa's Second Daughter, mainly writing this because I'm working on an outline for a full-length story for it. Any ways, enjoy.

The Proposal

Dolores watched as the whole family sat down quickly as Abuela shooed them all to the table, wanting to get the morning announcements over with. So did Dolores, she really needed to talk to Mariano about what he bought at the jewelry store the other day.

"Family," Alma called out, walking over to the head of the table, "We are all grateful for Antonio's most wonderful new..." she started to sit down only to gasp as a couple of coatis jumped off it, "Gift," she finished.

"I asked them to warm up your seat for you," Antonio explained helpfully. He really was super cute, Mama and Papa better talk to him about being careful about what he uses his gift for before he becomes a slave to the community like Tia and her side of the family.

"Thank you, Tonito, I'm sure today we'll find a way to put your blessings to good use," Abuela continued.

Dolores heard her entire side of her family roll their eyes, as if they will allow that to happen.

"We must never take our miracle for granted," Abuela continued obviously unaware of her one daughter's side of the family's opinion of the matter, so today we will work twice as hard."

Someone snorted, Dolores thought that it might have been Mirabel, or Camilo, not that she could blame them, how can Tia and her side of the family work twice as hard when they are already working themselves to the bones each day anyway. That was why they had Mirabel in the first place because Julieta couldn't keep up with the demands of her gift and take care of all three of her girls.

"First, an announcement," Abuela announced, causing Mirabel to stiffen, freezing in her seat between her and Camilo. The poor girl, she was worried that Abuela would kick her out of Casita now that it had been confirmed that she was the one at fault for her failed gift ceremony.

"I've spoken to the Guzman's about Mariano's proposal to Isabela," Abuela announced, moving around the table to caress Isabela's face. Isabela, for the most part, didn't reveal anything on her face, but her heart rate increased a bunch as there was a murmur of confusion from Dolores's own parents, followed by a cloud that was quickly shooed away.

Senora Guzman must have told Abuela that Mariano had bought a ring and was planning on proposing, unaware that the matriarch of the Madrigal family was unaware of Mariano's break-up with Isabela two years ago, or the fact that he had been dating Dolores for the past eighteen months. Abuela had assumed that she had been talking about Isabela. It was going to be bad when Mariano proposed to Dolores instead.

"Dolores, do we have a date," Abuela asked as Dolores tipped her head to the side.

"Tonight," she announced, listening to Mariano talk to his mother, from the sounds of it, he didn't realize the misunderstanding either, "He wants five babies." Okay so he didn't actually said that, but it was so fun to watch Isabela sprout flowers like that. Even if they both knew that he wasn't going to propose to Isabela.

…

Isabela quickly pinned Dolores against the wall as soon as everyone had left the table, "You need to fix this," she hissed, "Abuela can't find out that Mariano dumped me!"

Dolores shrugged, "That sounds like a you problem," she admitted.

"Well, Abuela isn't going to like it when he proposes to you instead. She'll accuse you of stealing my boyfriend."

Dolores cocked an eyebrow at her, "The fact of the matter is, Isabela, I didn't steal your boyfriend, he hadn't been your boyfriend for six months when we got together, you know that."

"Yeah, but Abuela doesn't," Isabela admitted, "And who is she going to believe, you or me?"

"It doesn't really matter," Dolores confessed, "I mean we're leaving the Encanto next week. I've put up with Abuela for twenty-one years, I can handle being on her bad side for a week. Worse comes to worse, I'll just leave early," Dolores shrugged, "I need to go, I promised Mami that I'll help her pack for Tonito. Good luck with Abuela."

…

Alma frowned, today had promised to be a good day, but so far it hadn't. She had taken Antonio out with her into town, but nobody wanted his help with anything. In fact the donkey farmer had even yelled at him to leave his donkey alone when he had tried to help gather the loose animals.

She had also spotted Luisa sitting under a tree with a book, not helping like she was suppose to be. Her answer had threatened her.

"The town feels like we've all been working too hard, and decided to give us all the day off," Luisa had explained, "They won't let me help with anything, unless it's just to sit and talk. Heck, Senora Garcia gave me this book to read and told me to enjoy the day off, so that's what I'm doing. I mean, you don't say no to the villagers, right Abuela?"

Alma had immediately went to find Julieta, who was at her stand, but there was no line today, in fact everyone seemed to be skirting the stand at a wide berth, like it was going to burn them or something. She watched as some children ran towards it, probably to get a free snack only for their parents to grab them, shook their heads and… shoot Julieta a dirty look. What was going on?

After Julieta she found Isabela, sitting alone on the fountain as she stared at her friends who all had their backs turned to her.

Isabela had perked up when she had saw her, and had hurried to her side. Well at least this day off gave her time to talk to Isabela about her wedding. Isabela kept trying to say something, but it wasn't like she knew what she was talking about, after all she's never planned a wedding before.

…

Finally the time for the dinner had came. She immediately sat Senora Guzman next to her with Mariano and Isabela on her other side. After all they needed to talk about the wedding plans.

Pepa entered the room and Senora Guzman stood up, "I'm so glad that we're able to do this now," Senora Guzman confessed, "Instead of waiting for after the move."

"Move, what move?" Alma demanded.

"I've been given a job offer, outside Encanto," Mariano explained, "Mama and I are leaving first thing tomorrow. I want to get the Apartment I'm renting set up before I start work on Monday. It's a nice Apartment, three bedrooms, it's part of the same apartment complex that Bruno is living in."

"Bruno," Julieta gasped.

"We don't talk about Bruno!" Alma snapped.

"Yeah," Camilo added, "Bruno is very NABA."

"I'll have to admit that I'll miss Encanto," Senora Guzman continued as if Julieta and the other's hadn't said anything, "But my health, Mariano doesn't want me living alone."

"Wait," Agustin said slowly, as if he was only now realizing what was being said, "Are you saying that you plan to take mi hija out of Encanto?"

"No," Mariano insisted, "I have no intention to take either of your hijas with me."

"Then," it was Julieta who spoke up, unaware of Isabela sinking lower into her chair, "How are you going to live outside the Encanto, marry Isabela, and not take her with you."

"I have no intentions once so ever of marrying Isabela, or Luisa for that matter. Although on Luisa's part it is merely because we don't know each other that well."

"If you aren't here to propose to Isabela, then why are you here?" Alma asked. Senora Guzman had told her last night that Mariano had bought a ring and was planning to pop the question, yet now he claims he wasn't planning on marrying her. What was the point of proposing if you weren't going to get married.

"Well," Mariano said, looking at Felix, who was seated straight across from him, "Felix, I would like to ask for your daughter's hand in marriage. I love her, and I want her to be a part of my new life outside of Encanto."

Felix nodded, "You have my blessings," he responded.

"What is going on here," Alma demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Well, Mama," Pepa said, a cloud forming over her head, "What's going on here, is Mariano is proposing to my daughter because he is in love with her."

"But how?" Alma demanded as cracks started to splinter and spread through the room, "He's dating Isabela."

"I broke up with Isabela two years ago," Mariano responded, "Things between us weren't going to work out."

"You should have tried harder."

"I'm sorry Senora Madrigal, but I refuse to date anyone who goes out of her way to verbally and physically attack a defenseless child."

"Isabela would never do something like that," Julieta insisted, "You must have saw Camilo pretending to be Isabela. He is a trouble Maker after all."

A low rumbling sound could be heard as a large crack split the wall.

"It couldn't have been Camilo," Mariano insisted, "He was the one trying to stop Isabela from hurting Mirabel with her vines."

Another crack appeared, climbing up to the ceiling.

By now Alma was standing, unaware of the cracking happening behind her. This was not what she had planned, this was not how this dinner was supposed to go. Mariano wasn't supposed to be leaving in the morning, he wasn't supposed to be taking one of her nietas with him, and he was not supposed to be asking the wrong one to marry him.

"You," she said in a low growl, pointing a finger at Dolores, "I don't know how you turned Mariano against Isabela, but you are to end your relationship with him right this second." More cracks, now splitting the family tree in two, only somehow Mirabel was on the wrong side of the tree, with Pepa's family instead of Julieta's. Camilo noticed that and wondered how long Mirabel had been on the correct side of the family tree before any of them noticed.

"Don't you go blaming this on my daughter!" Pepa screeched, thunder rumbling overhead, "She's done nothing wrong."

"She's dating her Prima's boyfriend."

"Oh so not only are you trying to control our lives but that of Mariano's as well!"

"Don't you take that tone of voice on me," Alma announced.

"No, I've had enough of your treatment of my children, I'm tired of them crying themselves to sleep each night because they could never be good enough for you. I'm tired of how you view that stupid candle as more important then the family," Pepa announced, "In case you haven't noticed, Casita is cracking. Why is Casita cracking? Because the family is breaking up! Open up your eyes Mother, You already lost Bruno. I'm leaving next week, and you are working Julieta's side of the family into the ground. I've seen Luisa collapse more than once while doing chores, one of these times she's not going to get back up. What good is your miracle without us? Huh? You better figure that out because it's pretty much all that you have left."

There was silence aside from the cracking that could be heard throughout the house, and the sound of falling debris.

"I don't think it is safe for us to stay here," Mariano insisted, "We should get out before Casita collapses completely."

"I have a really random question," Luisa suddenly spoke up, "What does Camilo mean by NABA?"

"Not approved by Abuela, now move," Felix insisted, urging his sobrina to leave the room.

Outside they watched in alarm as Casita collapsed, until Julieta spoke up, "Wait, where's Mirabel?"