The next day, the failed engagement dinner was the talk of the town. It was the second time that the Madrigals failed to arrange a new marriage. They all knew that it was Bruno who they were talking about and the townspeople had seen the clairvoyant enter the cursed house more than once without giving a second thought.

Bruno left his house at sunrise, got a few arepas and dashed to Faustine's home. He knew she would be up by this time. He gently knocked on the door and she opened.

- Bruno~

- corazón. Buenos días. I brought breakfast. - he said all bubbly.

- I love it! But aren't you supposed to eat with your family?

- yeah… but I want to tell mamá about us. So I came to invite you for the next meal.

- are you sure?

- corazón… I want to be with you…

- Bruno… I don't know exactly what happened, but you don't need to be on bad terms with your family because of me.

- corazón…. I don't need, but, for you and the children, I want. I am a 50 year old man. I believe I can choose what I want to do…

As Faustine was finishing getting ready. The weather completely changed. The clear skies gathered dark clouds, bringing with them heavy rain.

- I'm not hiding, Dolores. Well… I am now. Because of the rain. I'm just out on a morning walk. - Bruno said to no one, but making the rain ease a little bit.

Bruno signed Faustine to be silent and she agreed in slight surprise. The woman walked to the clairvoyant, holding him in a hug. The man held her back, as tightly she was holding him, with a gentle smile on his face. After a little while, Bruno released his girlfriend, attentively observing her.

- I had a lot to do in the town… but because of the rain, do you want to stay in?

- of course, corazón.

- Would you like to have lunch with me and my family later?

- absolutely. - Faustine said with a smile. - What did you bring for breakfast?

- some arepas.

- great! I'll go set the table.

For the morning, while waiting for the rain to stop and ate breakfast, Bruno and Faustine chatted happily, blushing occasionally. She was talking about herself, to prepare him to see who she truly was in the future, in hopes that he would accept her more easily, or at least having more chances that he did. Bruno was simply happy to be with his girlfriend… not that it was the right thing to call her yet, he had to, still, take her on dates, to kiss her one more time, before he could say that they were going steady.

They were sitting on the couch, he was relaxed and she was hugging her knees. He could hear the sound of her voice, even though words had lost meaning for quite a while now. Her slender fingers gently straightened her skirt from time to time. Her eyes met his, her contagious smile made him smile as she told her story away.

- Bruno? - She called him. - Bruno.

- Yes, corazón? - He blacked back into reality.

- Is everything ok? Do you want to go back to your family? Are you worried?

- No, corazón. I was just thinking that I am very happy that you let me kiss you last night.

- You can kiss me again, if you want. - She offered him, with a provocative smile. - I thought that we made it clear that we didn't have to ask. Do you want me to ask you?

- No! - He said, a little too eager. - I mean. I am, truly, just happy.

- You are too cute, Bruno. How am I going to resist you?

The couple kissed. She had her hands close to his thighs, which made his heart beat faster. His hand pulled her from the back of her neck, to feel the sweet touch of her skin on his. She touched his short beard with the tip of her fingers, gently tracing his jawline. They slowly moved away, breaking the kiss, looking into each other's eyes.

- Knock knock knock, knock on wood. - Bruno smiled shily.

- Why are you nervous?

- I'm still not used to all of this… When I think about it I just feel very lucky to share this with you.

- Me too, Bruno. - She held his hand. - Do you want to take me to your family another day?

- No! I want to do this…. It is just… if things don't go well.. Do you think I could stay a day or two.

- Absolutely. As long as you need. - She smiled. - Do you need to prepare first?

- Prepared or not, mamá will make a scene out of it. - He got up. - Knock knock knock, knock on wood. - He tried to soothe himself.

Faustine rested her hand on his shoulder to support him. They left the house just a little before the rest of the townspeople decided to go out as well. Both scurried to the house, before anyone saw them before his family did. The woman could see how nervous he was, Bruno was fidgety and jumpy, knocking on wood almost every second.

- Bruno… - She called, making him turn to her. - Maybe it is best if I just go. We-

- I agree. - Said Alma. - We have an engagement to do. - Her voice was dry as a desert.

- ¡No! I won't marry Maria, mamá! - Bruno said, just in time to see Maria and his mother enter the house. - Faustine is the woman that I choose.

Maria, Her mother and all Madrigals gathered around to see what was happening at the patio. They saw Bruno holding Faustine's hand, and challenging his mother once more. Maria had a stern face, watching the entire scene unfold, completely offended by it. Alma was angry, hands curled into tight fists, watching her son with the last woman she wanted to see on earth.

- Brunito, you don't know what you are doing. She is an extranjera and a stranger, no one knows her.

- I know her. I do not know Maria, just like she doesn't know me.

- Nonsense. You can just sit and get to know each other.

- ¡No, mamá! I won't marry Maria. My vision showed if I marry Maria, both of us would be miserable!

- You had a vision? - Both Alma and Faustine asked.

Bruno curled into himself. He didn't want to mention the vision. He walked to Maria, who looked at him from head to toe. Alma saw the mother hold her daughter and try to push her to talk to the clairvoyant. She stopped right in front of him, thinking twice before landing her hand into Bruno's outstretched one. He held her hand between his, gently tapping it before looking at his mother again.

- In my vision, I saw Maria and I getting married, she had this exact expression on her face. You and the townspeople were satisfied with this outcome. Even though I love my family and my city, I… - He sighed. - I cannot think of living like this. And I cannot force someone else to live like this. - He said, making Maria's expression soften and Alma's more stern.

- If it isn't Maria, we will find another proper suitor. - ALma said.

- My vision had another outcome. - Bruno announced, making Mirabell decide to grab the green slate to help him. - I would walk to Maria, but choose another person instead.

- Bruno! Never! I forbid you-!

- It is true, Abuela! - Mirabel said, from the top of the stairs. I was with Tíowhen he had the vision. - She quickly went down the stairs to show her the vision.

Alma analized the green glass in her hands. She wanted her son to go along with what she had planned, but it hurt her. It hurt to see her son with such a sad expression. On the other side of the vision, he was smiling brightly, like she never had seen.

Bruno whispered a low "I'm sorry" to Maria and let go of her hands before going to Faustine. He held the archeologist protective, until his mother had made her decision. Alma saw Faustine hold Bruno back, tightly and gently pushing away from his eye a rogue curl. He smiled at the woman, holding her hand to his chest.

- I don't like it. - Alma said.

- But mamá-!

- ¡Abuela! - Mirabel tried to intervene again, just to be signed by Alma to all to be silent.

- I do not like it. But I will allow it. No mother likes to see their children suffering. - She said. Making Bruno hold Faustine and smile just like in his vision.

Bruno happily kissed Faustine, making Alma mumble before smiling softly to the sight of her son being happy. The matriarch apologized to her friend and her daughter before they left the house. The new formed couple walked to the kitchen with the rest of the family only to listen to the enormous list of rules to Faustine and Bruno, that everyone knew that no one would follow if they found themselves in the same situation.

A few days later, word had spread around town. A few of the townspeople were relieved that the marriage wouldn't happen. Even if it was in good manners, most knew that the pairing would never work. Others were displeased with the outcome, speaking ill and questioning how a forastera could interfere into town's business so much. However, the second group, still feared Bruno more than anything and every time he appeared to talk to Faustine or overheard their conversation, they would leave the scene.

Faustine, despite being in a new relationship and wanting to spend most of her time with Bruno, was working on her research and a way to contact her brother again. There was something bugging her, something wasn't feeling right…. Could it be that her brother truly tried to kill her? She spent days and nights re-planing her trip that led her to Encanto, nothing made sense, but it was all on her brother's name. Deciding to take the day off of her puzzle, one morging, she was about to leave the house to work when she saw Bruno leaning against her drawer frame.

- Bruno?

- Camilo, don't confuse Faustine. - Félix said, just walking past the house.

- I am Bruno, graciosa. Don't listen to him

- Graciosa?

- Camilo… - a second Bruno, slightly taller than the first one stood beside the door.

- heh… worth a shot, changing back to his own self.

- It was a good one. - Faustine giggled, walking behind Camilo and holding hands with Bruno.

Before they could start their activities, Bruno had to run back to his room. His eyes were starting to glow green and he could feel the force of his power starting to engulf him to show what he was supposed to see. Faustine went running after him, both in a hurry to get to the Visions Cave. Safely inside the room, the vision formed with full force, Faustine held Bruno's hand and started to make sense out of the shapes it was showing.

Bruno couldn't understand what he was seeing, but Faustine could. She saw a man talking on the phone, people approaching Encanto and everything getting destroyed and she being killed.

- No! - Faustine said. Looking for more clues. - There!

The other direction she saw, there was the man on the phone again, Faustine leaving encanto and dealing with him. Not sure how, she saw her brother falling after he was shot. For this side, Faustine walked out of the door holding hands with someone. She fell to her knees, looking at the green glass that had formed.

- Querida… - Bruno called, worried about what she could say.

Faustine simply got up and marched back to the house. Bruno gathered a few of his things alongside the green plaque. The archeologist punched her things back into her bag and changed back into her explorer's clothes. Making the rest of the family curious. Bruno started to explain what happened. What his vision had shown, making Faustine punche her things even harder inside the bag.

She would never, ever, let her brother destroy Encanto. Faustine felt it was her duty to save that place that she grew to love so much. Her brother had destroyed too much in her life… He really was the one responsible for the raid. A brother trying to kill his own sister!

- I don't exactly understand what is happening, but Encanto is in danger.

- I should have known that my brother was up to something. I should have! It all makes sense now! All these years!

- what do you mean? - Asked Antonio.

- the raiders, me being chased. My brother insisting on getting people to work on my excavation?! How could I be so dumb?!

- But what are you going to do? - Asked Mirabel

- Bruno's vision gave me two choices. Try to hide and Encanto is destroyed and I get killed or I go, push him out of somewhere and I return and keep Encanto safe. It is a pretty obvious choice for me.

- I'm going with her. - Bruno said.

Everyone stopped on their tracks. Faustine looked at Bruno, holding him tight. She was afraid that something might happen to him. Bruno was calm and showed her the plaque again. On the side that she saved Encanto, Faustine was returning to the town, holding hands with him.

- no… you have to stay… what if you lose your encanto… or you get hurt? I can't take that risk. - she released him, walking towards the river.

- Apparently, I got a haircut. That is why we didn't recognize me at first. - he ran after her, showing the green glass.

- Bruno… I can't possibly ask you something this big. I… I am going to become a murderer… I am going to kill my brother. - she panicked for the first time.

- Brunitto…. It is too dangerous out there. - Alma's voice faltered. - the bad things that you saw, Bruno! You can't go.

- You are not asking, Corazón.- Bruno held her hand. - I am doing it because I want it. - he held his mother's hands. - I know… but I can't let you get hurt, mamá. No one in Encanto can get hurt. - he turned to Faustine. - Let's go.

- Let's go. - She turned to Alma. - I promise that I will bring your son safely back home.

- Bruno! - Alma called.

Bruno and Faustine bolted out of the village, taking a horse and riding it to the edge of Encanto. They got down, sent the horse back and crossed the path between the mountains to the other side. As if they had crossed some kind of barrier, the air grew more humid and thick, the trees were more dense and the sounds were louder.

- How do you feel… Can you still feel your encanto?. - Faustine asked before she watched him look for the answer within himself.

- Yes. I do. - He said confident. - ¡vamonos!

The Archeologist used her skillset to get them as close to civilization as possible. It was a long trip, four days and three nights out in the forest. On the morning of the fourth day, Faustine started to hear the faint sounds of cars and explained to Bruno that he had to trust her and not get too surprised with what he was about to see. Upon his agreement, both walked along the tree line to find a resting place on the road.

There she got them into a taxi, gave the driver an address and went to the destination. Inside the car, Faustine prepared her mask and a bundle of papers inside a crumpled envelope. Arriving at the post office, they paid the driver and bolted inside with Bruno. While they waited for service, she was already filling the papers and putting the envelope with the mask into a protective box and addressing it to the university she worked with. One last thing she did was to set a P.O. Box to receive her future mail, instead of her old home address, paying in advance for quite some time.

With the box taken by the post office crew. It was time to face her brother. She withdrew some money and started walking down the street. People around them looked at the two, curious about the way they were dressed, especially Bruno.

Both were so used to Encanto's fashion that she forgot how important it was in the modern world. Faustine couldn't draw too much attention to them, she had to do something! Quickly she turned a block and entered the shopping mall. There she bought some new clothes for both of them and took Bruno to the hair salon.

They were getting too much attention and needed to blend in better if she was going to kill her brother. The resolution made her shake head to toe. It wasn't possible to deny that she was scared, almost to a point to regret it. However, that was the best option. To sacrifice one or two people would be the right thing to do, instead of risking the lives of people in Encanto.

She went to meet with her brother. She had to know his side of the story, give him a change to convince her that she was wrong. Checking into a different hotel than his, she left Bruno in the room, before meeting with her brother.

When she was at the meeting room that she had asked him to meet, he came into the room as if he had seen a ghost. He couldn't believe his eyes.

- Sorella….

- Lorenzo.

- Mia sorella! Ero preoccupato da morire per te! - He tried to sound natural, but the intense sweating gave him away.

- Really, Lorenzo?

- Of course! I had no news of you for months! Did you find anything of value?

- Scusami?! I disappear for months and that is what you ask me first?!

- that's your job? Isn't it?

- mi stai prendendo in giro in questo momento?! Lorenzo!

- Look, Faustine. I really need you to tell me you found something. I had put a lot of money in your fancy trip to go back empty-handed. If you take any longer… I was about to call the life insurance company to -

- What have you done?! Who are you?! Do you owe money to someone? Is that all this is about?

- That's none of your business. It seems you can't even do your job properly.

- This is unbelievable… do not ever talk to me again.

- that will very easy, mia sorella, if one of us can't talk. And I will have plenty to tell other people.

- You are disgusting, Lorenzo. I honestly hope you…. That all you have done goes back to you.

Faustine left the hotel, jumping into the next cab she saw free. She walked around town before going back to Bruno. She took his hand and went out to the shopping mall, fuming in rage, in hopes that Bruno could help her calm down. During their walk she saw the hair salon and remembered what Bruno said about his vision. Faustine explained to him what was about to happen in the hair salon, before she went across the hall to buy a few empanadas.

She used this last opportunity to take care of herself as well. She hoped that it would be the last of civilization she would see for quite some time. She wasn't still over the conversation with her brother. Rage still drove her to places so she sent him to change into the new clothes she had bought while waiting for him. He came back looking like another man, so much so that even the hairdressers stopped to look.

Black jeans, green and purple pinstripe shirt and, surprisingly, his own sandals, made him a gorgeous modern version of himself.

- Bruno… - She said breathlessly.

- what do you think?

- Dio mio! sei davvero il mio ragazzo?! sei assolutamente sbalorditivo!

- corazón… I didn't understand a word you said. - Bruno smiled.

- you look beautiful! But not enough time! We have to… go….-

Faustine stopped on her tracks. She saw the leader of the raiders that tried to kill her. He had a Evil grin on his face and waited for her to walk out. She sat at a table, close to where she had bought the empanadas, so she could keep an eye on Bruno.

- give me the mask. We can finish this quietly. I will even give you a head star.

- how much my brother offered?

- Give me the mask. - he said harshly.

- I don't have it.

- this is the last time I am going to ask for it nicely. - he forcefully held her arm against the table.

- as I said, thanks to you I don't have it.

- listen sweetheart, your brother owns me money, if you don't give me the mask, both of you will pay.

- I was right…. So brother owes you money. I'll pay you double if you kill him for me.

- conditions?

- I want proof he is dead. To be shown on the news. You can make it look like it was a debt collection. No names said. No identities revealed. A clean quick clean job. No complications for me or you.

- Half now, half three days after his death appears on TV.

- Done. I love good family dynamics. - the Raider made his evil note.

Faustine gave the money to the man, inside a shopping bag to not raise any suspicion and both went separate ways. She tried to go back to Bruno as cheerful as possible, trying to hide the growing panic and horror inside of her.