Summary:

Bruno and Gabriela meet again.

-o-o-

Written in Bruno's POV.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

We come back down moments later when we notice the stars in the night sky. I don't say anything as we make our way to Señora Guzmán's place. Even with the botched proposal, they were still kind enough to let us stay for however long we need.

"Bruno?" Pepa says as we pass a familiar road. "Don't hate me for this, but I have an idea."

"What?" I ask cautiously when she leads us in another direction. "What idea?"

Realization hits Julieta like a ton of bricks, but I remain clueless. "This is crazy, Pepa! Your worst yet!"

"What? What's going on?" My eyes dart between my sisters. "What's a crazy idea?"

"It'll work." Pepa insists. "We're both here, I doubt they'll do anything to Brunito."

"Who's going to do something to me?" I panic. I have a bad feeling about this.

Julieta sighs. "If this fails, you owe Bruno an apology, you understand, Pepita?"

"Sé que sé. If what my mija says is true, then we might get the answers we've been looking for if Bruno himself shows up at their door."

I yelp when they drag me along. "Wait! Wait! Where are we going now?" Their grip on me is tight and my anxiety kicks in. "Mamá might be looking for us. Not to mention, your esposos and niños?" I try to deter them from hatching whatever plan Pepa has thought up. A moment later we stop in front of someone's house. Julieta knocks on the door.

"Quit squirming, Bruno," Pepa hisses at me as the door opens.

"¿Qué? Julieta Madrigal?"

I hate being right. This is worse than bad.

"Buenos noches, Señor Mauricio," Julieta begins, an awkward smile on her face. "Um…we just came by and…"

Pepa unceremoniously pushes me forward. All I can hear is nervous thump in my ears when I come face to face with Gabriela's family. Señor Mauricio stares at me. Que carajo. My sisters brought me to La Casa Álvarez.

I barely have enough time to react before a fist comes flying toward my face.

"Bruno!" My sisters scream in shock when the Señor hits me. I fall to the ground, blinking up at his furious expression.

I deserved that.

"You have some nerve showing up here!" He yells. "I thought I didn't hear it right, but apparently the rumors were true!"

He comes rushing to strike again before someone holds him back.

"Papá, why are you…"

Julián comes into view. His eyes grow wide when he sees me.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you'd show your face." Señor Mauricio spat, fighting back against his son's grip. "I warned you you'd answer to me if you did anything to my daughter!"

I say nothing.

"Señor, por favor, if you could just let my brother explain…" Julieta tries to pacify the tension, but he ignores her. I raise a hand to stop my sisters from intervening. "Don't speak for me, Julieta. Stay back."

There's no avoiding the wrath I've incurred for my past mistakes, except taking it with grace. I endure the harsh words thrown my way. "My family has been nothing but good to you Madrigals, but you…you, demonio," The Señor points a finger at me, seething. "Are not welcome here! You ruined my mija's life!"

"Papá, stop it! I'll handle this." Julián placates his father. "Lucía? Amor," He calls out into the house. "Can you bring Pá in? We have an…unexpected visitor."

Lucía suddenly appears by the doorway with a little jittery boy behind her. "Ay, what is going on, Julián? I'm in the middle of helping Juan…cho…" She blinks. "Oh. Um."

The little boy peeks from behind his mother, mouth agape. "Mamá, ¿no es ese Bruno? Mirabel's Tío!"

My sisters exchange surprised looks as Julián's mijo continues. "I told you he's back! Abuelo didn't believe me when I said I saw him this morning!"

"Juancho Álvarez!" His mother hisses. "Not a word. We'll talk about this later." Lucía holds on to the Señor's arm and gently leads him back into the house. "Let's go, Pá. It's okay, Julián will take care of it..."

Señor Mauricio glares at me but follows after her.

"You too, Weecho," Julián sternly chides, not breaking his eye contact in my direction. "Go follow your mother into the house. And close the door, please."

The boy tries to argue, but he quickly scurries inside when his Papá shoots him a look. The door closes behind him, leaving me, my sisters, and Julián alone.

"I told you this is a terrible idea," Julieta whispers angrily at Pepa as they try to help me up. Julián stuns my sisters by offering his hand out. I watch him warily but take it and stand on shaky feet. "Lo siento mucho, you two." He apologizes. "We weren't expecting visitors at this time. What are you doing here?"

Pepa opens her mouth to say something, but Julián shakes his head. "Not you or Julieta, Pepa. I'm talking about you." He raises an eyebrow at me. "What are you doing here, Bruno?"

"I…I don't know," I wince. That was quite a hit. "Pepa and Julieta just dragged me here, and I…"

Another fist flies towards my face, this time, from Julián. Some things never change. I dodge and it avoids my cheek, but it still clips me on the shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Pepa screeches. "Leave my poor hermanito alone!" She rushes to help me but Julieta blocks her. "Wait, Pepa. Just let them sort it out."

"How can you not know why you're here?" Julián growls at me. He manages to land another blow, this time on my gut. I fall back, but a new fire emerges from me. "You're telling me that you have no intention at all to show your face around here, if not for los amigas de mi hermana? We heard the news of your return a few days ago!"

Instinct takes over when Julián tries to strike again. I quickly step aside and slug him. He doubles over. "I was trying to prepare myself for something like this!" I stutter. "I know I deserved your father's fury. I expected it. He warned me when Gabriela and I first started dating!"

We begin fighting, mano y mano. Julián is a whole lot younger than I am, but I don't back down.

"Then if you knew that would happen, why the hell did you even leave my sister alone in the first place, ¿tu gilipollas?"

"I didn't want to, but I had no choice!"

"And you got her pregnant, too!"

"That...that one was on me. I didn't even know she was!"

"She was so heartbroken when she lost the both of you!"

"I know! You don't have to tell me. I regret it every single day. I regret leaving your sister, but I had to do it for my family!"

Our respective fists connect to the other's face and we fall with a thud. I stare up at the night sky. Everything hurts, but I feel relieved like another big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. "No amount of apologies would take the time I lost back," I pant. "It won't bring the dead back to life either. But…I want to make it right. For your sister."

"You haven't changed one bit, amigo." Julián flinches as he rubs his jaw. "Still awkward as hell, I see."

"I could say the same for yourself. Still a child, handling a conflict through fights, though I expected more...rage."

"Eh. As you said, you deserve every single hit. I made my peace long ago. If you came back a few years earlier, you'd get more than a beating." He laughs. "But I'm glad you're here, Bruno. Welcome home."

"It doesn't feel like much of a welcome, but thanks," I grimace as my sisters help the both of us up this time. "I'm exhausted."

"Same here, but you look a whole lot different from when I last saw you. For a moment I thought you'd fall."

"I'm pretty sure it's the other way around. I'm not any weaker."

"Okay, you two," Pepa frowns. "That's it? You both beat each other up and everything is okay? It sounds like this isn't the first time this happened, either…"

"It's a guy thing, Pepa." Julián offers and she sticks her tongue out at him. "Sometimes you resolve things with your fists. It's pretty primitive, I know."

"Backwards even," She sulks. "You look like shit, Brunito."

"...I don't have magical food to help you two." Julieta deadpans. "You're on your own."

"I feel more like shit, but I think I'll be okay," I groan. I clap Julián's shoulder. "I have a big favor to ask of you, Julián."

"What is it, amigo?"

I swallow the lump in my throat. Pepa's right. If anything, they'll talk if I'm the one looking for answers. "I want to see her again. I need to. Please, tell me where she is."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

I leave La Casa Guzmán bright and early the following morning, leaving a note for the family that I would be back later in the day.

My mind is flashing many different thoughts and memories as I weave through the forest brush and knock on tree trunks as I pass by. Twenty years ago I left my tower feeling a vision of my future in my pocket. Who knew that vision was fate?

I'm terrified, but at the same time, I'm hopeful.

"Dolores is spot on. I'm amazed she hasn't found her yet. Gabriela has indeed been hiding." Julián said to us last night when I asked him about her whereabouts. "Where in Encanto though, I don't know. She doesn't say where she's going to be, really."

"Wait, so you've seen her all these years?" Pepa fumed. "Why didn't you tell any of us?"

"Hey, it wasn't my decision to make," Julián countered. "I respect my sister's decision not wanting to be found. She asked the same from you."

Pepa was taken aback. "So you knew about her last note? To our family?"

"She tells me everything."

"Then how has she been out of sight all this time?"

"Some magic, maybe?"

My sisters and I exchanged glances. "Magic?"

"This is Encanto, isn't it? There are some things we can't explain. The Madrigal miracle may be lost, but it doesn't mean there isn't any other magic besides yours. I mean, my sister has a gift."

"But…wasn't she born with it?" Julieta asked. "We didn't know someone from outside the Encanto could have one. Pepa and I were surprised when she told us about it back then. Gabriela said that she had one for as long as she could remember."

"She was born with one, yes." Julián shrugged as he turned to open the door to his home. "What I mean is, there's something else. Let's just say…divine intervention. But…I recall, in the rare times I do encounter her, mentioning that if Bruno ever returns, he'll know where she'll be."

"Wait? Me? How…how would I know?" I choked. "I barely even know where to begin."

Julián smirked. "Oh, you'll know, amigo. Fate has such a weird way of bringing people together. I'm pretty sure you know what I mean, with you being able to see the future then."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. "Just one request…" He continued before he bade us farewell. "When you find her…can you…tell her that her family misses her very much? Tell her that our door is always open and we're waiting. Please, bring her home, Bruno."

My heart is in my throat by the time I reach the place. The secret hideaway remains the same as I remember, where we first met by chance. I see no one there, but I hear something faint. Someone singing.

"The hideaway." I breathed when I realized hours later what Julián meant. "Of course."

"What are you talking about, Tío Bruno?" Dolores blinked at me as she helped me clean up after dinner. "What hideaway?"

"It would make sense. You were never supposed to find her, Dolores," My eyes lit up when I knew what it meant. "None of you were. That's why Julián knew it had to be me."

"I don't understand…?"

I squeezed my sobrina's shoulders, leaving her confused at my reaction. "I know where she is."

I feel something strange as I make my way toward the water. The familiar twinge of magic is in the air, but it's different from what I once had, somehow. My eyes see nothing but my heart believes in another.

She's here. I know it. The trees sway gently in the wind, and I finally see her. She is sitting by the water, singing softly to herself. She doesn't notice me as I approach slowly. Her voice is still as bewitching as I remember.

Ya no estás más a mi lado, corazón

En el alma, solo tengo soledad

Y si ya no puedo verte

¿Por qué Dios me hizo quererte?

Para hacerme sufrir más

Siempre fuiste la razón de mi existir

Adorarte, para mí, fue religión

Y, en tus besos, yo encontraba

El calor que me brindaba

El amor y la pasión

Es la historia de un amor como no hay otro igual

Que me hizo comprender todo el bien, todo el mal

Que le dio luz a mi vida

Apagándola, después

¡Ay, qué vida tan oscura!

Sin tu amor, yo viviré

Es la historia de un amor

I accidentally step on a twig and the snap echoes throughout. She turns to look behind her, looking for the source of the noise and our eyes meet. Her mouth opens in surprise and she blinks. Once. Twice.

Mi amor, mi cielo, luz de mis ojos. Gabriela.

We stare at each other.

And it's like the first time all over again.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Glossary of terms (in order of appearance in-text):
Sé que sé - I know, I know
No es ese - Isn't that
Abuelo - Grandfather
Los amigas de mi hermana - My sister's friends
Mano y mano - Hand and hand (in this context: hand to hand combat. They're beating each other up.)
Tu gilipollas - You a**hole

The following are the lyrics of Historia de un amor by Eydie Gormé and Trío Los Panchos
Ya no estás más a mi lado, corazón - You are no longer by my side, sweetheart
En el alma, solo tengo soledad - I have only loneliness in my soul
Y si ya no puedo verte - And if I can't see you anymore
¿Por qué Dios me hizo quererte? - Why did God make me love you?
Para hacerme sufrir más - To make me suffer more
Siempre fuiste la razón de mi existir - You were always the reason for my existence
Adorarte, para mí, fue religión - Adoring you for me was religion
Y, en tus besos, yo encontraba - And in your kisses I found
El calor que me brindaba - The warmth that you gave me
El amor y la pasión - The love and the passion
Es la historia de un amor como no hay otro igual - It is the story of a love, as there is no other like it
Que me hizo comprender todo el bien, todo el mal - That made me understand all the good, all the bad
Que le dio luz a mi vida - That gave light to my life
Apagándola, después - After turning it off
¡Ay, qué vida tan oscura! - Oh, what a dark night
Sin tu amor, yo viviré - I will live without your love
Es la historia de un amor - It is the story of a love