Over the course of the week, the family spent almost all of their time with their newest family members. News had begun to spread of who they were to the Encanto, and the citizens were eager, yet patient, as they waited for their grand introduction the moment they were healed.

The goal of this period of time was simple: Get to know Aletia and Emil, and let the two get to know them. The best way they thought of that was to spend time with them! But they all had jobs they needed to do to keep Encanto going, though it has toned done considerably since the miracle incident. So as much as they would have loved to spend every waking moment doting on them, they had to go with a plan B: "Seven Days Of Madrigal!"

One day will focus on one or a few Madrigals, and they will spend time showing the children what they do, their likes, and asking them theirs. It couples as both bonding time and showing them how everything is from different perspectives. All of this while they safely heal within La Casita. Julieta had warned all of them that while their energy was getting better, it would take a minimum of that time for them to be completely healed.

But her magic could do nothing for their mental scars, only time and an abundance of love and patience could remedy their hearts. The Madrigals were more than willing to supply that, though.

Throughout the dinner and their casual talks after, the family was quick to notice little things about the two. While Emil was a ball of sunshine and energy, conversing easily once his initial fears had been culled, Aletia was quiet. She would rather 'watch' than speak, as if her voice would ruin whatever beautiful moment she was witnessing.

But whenever she did speak, just like before, her voice was like gravity. It pulled on every sense, drawing everything to it. She was neither loud nor forceful. Yet, being as shy as she was, she was reticent. Sometimes, even Dolores had trouble hearing her. But she tried her best to answer questions.

Like now, surrounded by all of the Madrigal women.

"I have a gift for you, Aletia! May I?" Dolores asked.

"A gift?" Aletia hadn't received 'gifts' in so long, the term felt foreign to her. Her Papi had of course showered her with everything he could... but the memory of him left her too sad to cherish those memories just yet. "Um. Yes? Yes, you may?"

Dolores was giddy as she took one of her spare red ribbons out, wrapping it around Aletia's free-flowing hair. Now, her face couldn't be hidden, and the girls marveled at her.

Supple, rich, and dark brown skin framed by deep, wavy black curls. While dull, her eyes were still a wonderful honeyed brown. They weren't gray as normal blindness would have made them, which they accessed must have been because of her gift.

Aletia was a very pretty girl.

"It needs a little something... Oh! I got it! Can I?" Isabela asked as well. Since Aletia wasn't using her gift, she couldn't 'see' what they were doing around her. So, it was only polite to ask when they did something in regard to her. They saw how she reacted when Dolores grabbed her hand when they ate. They didn't want to scare her by doing something suddenly again.

"Um, yes?" Aletia wasn't sure what they were doing, but she could feel good intentions, so she let them do whatever. The blind youth felt how she caressed the red band, magically creating a blue bloom that weaved itself into the fabric.

"There we go. You're beautiful, Leti." Isabela gushed proudly. She was totally going to use Aletia as her dress-up doll. She'd missed that opportunity with her sisters, but now? Now she was going to let loose!

The look her sisters gave her told her they were all in agreement.

'I have plenty of plans for dresses,' Mirabel thought.

'I have plenty of dresses, period,' Isabela thought back.

'Can I help?' Luisa, our darling Luisa, thought nervously, only to receive resounding nods from both of her sisters.

'Of course!' they both mentally replied, causing the strong woman to light up with joy.

'Don't exclude me, cousins. I'm all in.' Dolores could practically hear their thoughts. 'I'd love nothing more than to do her lovely hair.'

Julieta and Pepa were sagely nodding their heads at the mental conversation. Don't think they weren't going to get in on this too.

Aletia could feel their anticipation. It was fueled with delight and glamor, easing her mind as she wondered what they were thinking so intently about. "Um. T-thank you for this. It's a bit odd not having my hair over my eyes."

Covering her eyes had been a way for her to hide. Knowing that she didn't need to anymore, and allowing herself to come out more, was still an odd thing to her. But she knew that becoming comfortable with this type of thing was going to become the norm.

How long had it been?

The smile on her face may have been small, but it was genuine all the same.

"Awe, you're so cute!" Dolores gushed. How could she hide such a lovely face beneath those bangs? A crime! And Aletia wearing one of her precious red ribbons only added to her thoughts.

Her hair was not there to hide her embarrassment. "I am?"

"YES." They all said resolutely.

"Thank you..." It had been a long time since she'd felt this content. She didn't have to worry about her brother, able to feel that he was enjoying himself with his newest best friend Antonio. She could hear him giggling as he rode on Parce's back, the big cat a gentle giant as he trotted safely around the room.

They continued to talk about casual things. They complimented her hair, gave their jealousies about her amazing figure despite her short size, and gushed endlessly about her wonderful eyes. They could see the shock when they did, and it prompted them to compliment her more.

It was an understatement that Aletia was cute. She was just as adorable as her brother. Gorgeous and mature in a way that both made them proud and sad in equal droves. She should have been able to grow up in childish wonder as children her age should have, but life dealt her a bad hand.

Their thoughts drifted to the elated youngest prancing around the room. It still haunted them, his fear-stricken cries after he first woke up. They knew that Emil was lucky that his sister was so wonderful. If not, they couldn't stomach the thought of what would have happened to him out there.

It made them more determined to give her that freedom. This was Encanto, and they were the Madrigals. If there was any place or anyone that could, it was them, and it was here.

For now, though, they had to start simply. First, introduce the family to them, and from there? They'd see when they got there.

.

-Aletia's POV-

.

"Abuela?"

"Mariposita..."

"Abuela, what's wrong...?"

"Juliet, stay awake, okay?" My mother said firmly, frantically, "I'm taking care of the wound just... just don't sleep. Stay strong for me!" She was a nurse, hoping to one day open a clinic in town.

Abuela didn't seem to register her voice, only mine as it quivered. "Abuela... you're disappearing. Why is it hard to see you...?"

"Don't cry, Leti..."

"What's happening, Abuela...?" I didn't know that I was crying until my voice hiccuped.

I could feel her warm hands becoming colder as they embraced mine. Her once vibrant light full of playful, loving colors was fading, bleeding onto the floor we found her on. While we were away in the town, the first darkness befell our house.

They wanted something from Abuela, I could 'see' it. The traces of struggle and defiance from my grandmother were strong and steadfast. Even as they hurt her, she did not give in to whatever they wanted.

Something about their power.

Something that Abuela refused to give them.

Something too precious to give up, even if her life had been forfeit.

Papi was the first to make it home, drenched in anger and sadness as he drove them away with his power. Lions and dragons were created from his furious light, running the darkness away. His music had been a screeching, ominous melody.

"What is this? Abuela...? Abuela, where are you going?" She was vanishing before my 'eyes'. It was like she'd been a mirage, a fantasy, and I was being woken from a blissful dream by ice-cold waters.

"They've come. They've found us. You have to leave. It's not safe."

"Who found us? I can't leave you! I won't! If we're leaving, then you're coming with us!" I grasped her hands with all of my strength, able to feel her even as my 'eyes' could no longer register that her hands were even there.

"Follow the light, Aletia. There, in that place, no one will hurt you..." I realized then, at the very back of my mind, what my grandmother refused to let go of.

Me.

They had been after me.

"Follow... the light..."

"Juliet? Juliet! Enrique...!"

"I'm trying... I'm trying, but...!" Even with the healing powers that my father's songs could produce, none of his light entered Abuela. "Mama... Mama, please...!"

My father dropped to the ground, his guitar forgotten as he wept with Mami.

"Emil hasn't gotten to meet you yet, Mama... Please... Just a little longer..."

"Papi...?" I couldn't register when my father held me. When he cried and told me not to look. When my mother comforted him as she too shed endless tears.

"Where is Abuela...? She was just here. Her light was just here. Where did she go, Papi?"

I couldn't 'see' her anymore. Everything was dimmer for the very first time in my life.

Abuela... was gone.

And I kept losing my precious lights, the stars that lit my night sky.

I lost Mami not long after.

Then, I lost Papi.

And eventually, Emil too, would—

"NO!" I jolted awake, my eyes frantically searching the room. Where was I? What was this? After a moment, I found Emil resting peacefully beside me. I could feel his steady heartbeat as his vibrant light danced with joy and tranquility. He was having a pleasant dream, full of wonder without a shadow in sight.

I could hear the music gently strumming within the walls as the wee hours of the night continued. Worry drummed through every note, calming me enough to remember that I was in the nursery, as I hadn't wanted to be away from Emil.

I had made it to Encanto. I followed the light, and I made it where no one would hurt us anymore. Emil was safely with me, healed from every wound and content in a wondrous, childish dream. I found family, they were beautiful, bright, lovely people with powers like mine.

I was safe.

We were safe.

I'm glad I was able to shield him from the darkness, enough for him to still be able to dream and rest like this once safety came.

"Leti... look at the pretty flowers..." He murmured, smiling in his sleep, "Pretty like Leti..."

As much as his presence assured me that everything was okay now, I could not return to sleep, and even if I did, they would be nothing short of horrible. Casita attempted to calm my nerves with its positivity, upbeat, soft rhythms dancing in the room. I could see her light tell stories, trying to distract me from my thoughts.

But they hadn't just been mere thoughts.

That wasn't a nightmare. They were too vivid, just like the tears that continued to silently fall.

No, it was memories.

"Please..." My focus was on the wonderful child sleeping beside me. My eyes began to glow as I watched him rest. I brushed his brown hair away from his face, watching as his smile widened and he snuggled closer to my hand.

Mi Luz, my Emil.

In this room, it was quiet except for my humming. It was not our usual song, but a silent somber tune created from the melancholy in my heart. Surrounded by the lights of my new family now, it was difficult to imagine that at one point, it had only been us.

Within that terrifying darkness, Emil was my only star.

My only hope.

My only light.

"Por favor, Mi Luz..."

I wouldn't be able to take it if he disappeared like the others. As they ran for months on end, that was my single, most desperate wish.

"Please..."

And so, as I had since that day, I sang my prayer, my wish, and my nightmare, a soliloquy into the lonely, quiet night...

.

I made music for this! You can listen to it here: /ZMymGdheHOE

.

Mi Luz, my star, my hope,
My only escape...
From my darkened world

I remembered waking that night to Emil's frightened signal. I remembered Papi racing to that blackened house with his guitar strumming, creating waves that burst the locked door open. His lions and dragons had weakened due to his lost love, his grief, and his fear. But even so, he strummed without pause, valiantly pushing the darkness away as he got to us.

But each strum, without that abundant light to feast on, took parts of his light instead.

He was disappearing.

Please don't fade away

Emil had been tied down in that horrible room, wailing for us to get him out of the house with colorful walls.

Can't take another night
Praying you will stay
Por favor, por favor, Mi Luz.

I remembered feeling their morbid glee as if a mouse had wandered into a cat's trap.

El Vacío, empty light,

They grabbed me. They hurt me. All of the scars Julieta made disappear were their fault.

Please do not come closer

They demanded I use my witch-like powers to find them riches. They demanded I slave away for them, threatening to take away everything I held dear to me if I didn't.

But Papi was stronger than them. He strummed his guitar and his magic.

Lit the night, heard their cries
Dios mio, por favor...

It didn't matter if that was the very last time he'd do so.

I smelled blood beyond that door

They'd planned for that though, using my father as the fuse through his magic.

And then fire blazed...
They laughed as we...

After that, the world was akin to hell.

"Run away, please be safe,"
Last thing Papi told us
Watched his life fade to gray
Left with only me and you,
But what if you fade away, too?
Por favor, Mi Luz...

Mi Luz...

Por Favor, Mi Luz...

And every night since... I sang this song.

A shuttering sigh escaped me, a last whisper into the night as I held Emil closer. Morning would banish my doubt away. In the morning, there was assurance that my nightmares would not follow me. But until then, as I had since that day, I would hold my brother in my arms, singing my wish to every star in that sky to not make my Emil one of them.

Don't take him away from me.

Please...

"Don't leave me too..."

Just like the rest, who became like the stars I could not see.