All the kids are in Miguel's room getting ready for bed. But the energy tonight is sad instead of excitement. Every time they see Miguel he is looking down at the photo of his parents in his hands.

Another knock happens at the door as Miguel puts the picture back in the drawer. The person coming in is Abuelo Bruno along with his tías and Tíos.

Bruno: "Are you okay?" (pulls the light switch on)

Miguel sighs, "Come in, Grandpa."

Bruno: "I take it you don't wanna hear the story about how your parents saved the entire country of Sri Lanka from fire ants, do you?" Miguel just has a blank look. "No," he asked as he walks up to Miguel's bed.

Then General Posada enters, "How about the time when they were acrobats in the circus and the big top burned down and...?" he asked, then looks at their faces. "You don't wanna. I guess I'm plumb out of good stories."

Luna: "Tell us the real story."

Layla: "We wanna know what happened to Miguel's mommy and Papi."

Grandpapí: "Oh, dear. Mmm. Are you sure?" (To Miguel)

Miguel: "Yes... I'm sure."

Ignácio: "All right, then. Here goes. Your father was a scientist, you know, and he was a doctor, too."


~Flashback~

The scene flashes to a place called San Lorenzo.

Angie narrates, "One day, we were hiking with our expedition, looking for a rare, tropical plant that could cure a terrible disease. But then..."


(Back to the present)

Grandpapí: "...Dr. Iron Claw, with his evil plot to overtake the entire world..."

Luna and Raúl exasperated, "Grandpa," speaking for all the kids annoyed at his interruption.

Grandpapí realizes, "Oh Yeah, I told you that one. That's right. You wanted the truth. Oh. Well,"

Chico takes over, "Anyway..."


~Flashback. Back to the story~

Chico narrates, "...we were on an expedition and..."

Javier points at a cloud, "Look at that cloud. It's just like a sailboat, a schooner."

Eduardo shakes his head, "50 miles into the jungle and he's looking at schooners in the clouds. My friend, you are a true romantic."

Javier stops at his feet, "Romantic?"

Eduardo continues walking "The ladies must be crazy for you," he said, making Angie and Ignácio giggle.

Javier chortles, "Are you kidding? I'll never find a girl who'll put up with me wandering all over the planet."

Then a voice is heard, "Oh, look at that cloud" Javier walks to a ledge and sees a young woman with white hair, "Isn't it beautiful? It's like a sailboat, a clipper."

Javier talks from above. "It's more of a schooner."

Blanca turns her head to see Javier smiling at her. Suddenly, his hiking stick makes him slip on some pebbles and fall off the ledge where he stops. Blanca approaches him.

"Yeah, if you couldn't tell a schooner from a clipper ship" She helps him up.

Javier looks into her eyes and is lovestruck, "Hola."

Blanca looks at her hand on his and looks at his face, "Hello."

Angie and Ignácio smile down. Eduardo watches from above and walks off with the others, "Ay-ay-ay"

Javier and Blanca walk off to a temple.

Joaquín chimes in, "They were so much alike, your mom and dad. I never saw anything like It."

After walking around a temple, seeing a waterfall, and a view of the whole jungle from above, Javier and Blanca wave goodbye to each other, but Javier's hiking stick slips on pebbles that makes him almost slip off the ledge, which also makes Blanca giggle and Javier grin. Blanca waves at Javier. The scene changes to the group going around a mountain. All of sudden, some big rocks are falling off and Javier notices a group member and his mule are stuck, and the bigger rocks are about to fall on Eduardo. So the mule kicks off the rocks and Javier runs up to his friend.

"EDUARDO!!!" Javier pushes him out of the way.

The next thing we knew Javier was on a sleeping pad and had a few bruises on his face and body and a sling on his arm.

"You can relax, the cavalry's here," she said and uses a wet cloth on his face.

"You always hang around on mountainsides?"

"You sure you landed on your shoulder?"

"As opposed to my heart?"

Blanca smiles at him and Eduardo walks off with a grunt and a shrug after being saved by his friend.

Grandpapi narrates, "They all managed to get down to a safe place before dark."

Javier and Blanca have a good talk by the tent and the campfire while Ignácio plays the guitar by a temple. He watches them talk and laugh. Javier puts his hand on Blanca's, which makes both of them smile and kiss each other on the lips.

Acacia narrates, "They were meant for each other, Miguelito."

(Fade back to the present)

Angie holding Gabi and Jacob, "We traveled around the world together."

Raúl on Grandpapí's lap, "So all that stuff about flying planes and exploring jungles was true?"

"Yep."

Luna asked so certainly, "You didn't make it up?"

"Well, we may have exaggerated some parts. The stuff about the midget circus I mostly made up." he confessed, trying to explain "I was drawing on my own experiences. You wanted a lot of bedtime stories, and I needed a lot of material."

"I guess I understand."

"But they were good people, Miguelito, and they loved each other. That's why they decided to get married and have you," Angie said as she kissed Miguel's cheek.

Mirabel was entranced by the story and asked, "So what happened to them?"

The kids had similar questions and asked at the same time, "Yeah where did they go?"/tell us!"

The adults look at each other. They all know where they are but I guess they never told the kids in detail.

Grandpapí: "Hmm..." Looking back at the kids. "you don't remember, do you? You were still babies,"


Flashback

That day with Miguel, Layla, and Gaby as babies learning to walk. Miguel toddles to his father who has a camera in his hands.

Blanca lets go of his hands to let him walk, "Good boy, Miguel. You can make it," she encourages.

Javier takes a picture "That's my boy" as he reached his arms as Miguel gets closer he picks him up, "You did it!"

Zita chimes in, "One day, our old friend Eduardo came to see us. Seems there was a disease wiping out entire villages in the remotest parts of the country; villages that hadn't seen an outsider since we used to fly in with medicine."

Javier sighs, "Sorry, Eduardo. We have a baby boy now. That part of our lives is over. We can't go with you, my friend," Baby Miguel walks up and grabs the map out of Eduardo's hands.

"But you're my last hope. These villagers may die out forever. My old friends, por favor. I'm begging you," Eduardo pleads. Blanca and Javier look at each other, then look down at Miguel, who almost made a rip on the map and giggles. "For the sake of the children. One last mission, please."


"We were all torn about what to do. We wanted to go and help those people but we couldn't leave you all behind," Acacia said.

"We made as much medicine as we could for them. To send with Eduardo to give to them. Which he agreed to. But Javier and Blanca decided to go in person."

"What for?"

"Blanca was worried about our family. They lived near those villages," explained Chico sighing at the night they left.

"We tried to have them reconsider," Angie said. "At least have one of them stay while one of us went with them. But they were determined."


It was raining that night and a taxi is parked right outside the boarding house.

Blanca, to baby Miguel, "We won't be gone long. I promise." Javier and Blanca are wearing trench coats and fedoras. Blanca gives Miguel a toy plane, "You be a good boy for tu Tías y Tíos, okay?"

"We'll be back next week, little buddy. Then I'll take you to the park." Blanca hugs him, "Mommy loves you so much."

Chico and Zita look worried. As did Javier's siblings. They understand this needs to be done but they're scared, the triplets have never been apart from each other like this before.

Javier hugs him also, "Daddy loves you, Miguel." He hands Baby Miguel to his brother as he and his wife go to the front door.

Baby Miguel in Ignácio's arms waves timidly, "Bye, Mama. Bye, papa," He continues to wave as they leave the boarding house and look at him one last time.

Ignácio narrates, "And so they loaded up their plane and took off for one last time."

Eduardo hands Javier a briefcase, hugs Blanca and shakes Javier's hand. they take off into the sky as Eduardo and others wave to them. While on the biplane, Blanca pulls out the picture of the day Miguel started walking on his own. She and Javier smile at each other as they fly off into the clouds.

(End flashback)


Gaby looked towards Angie, "What happened to them Mami?" Angie solemnly answers, "They never came back. They keep getting delayed and we kept in touch but we haven't heard from them in months."

"What about their plane?" Layla asked.

Zano stated. "It was never found."

"So they could just be lost. And maybe someday, they might come back," Mirabel said trying to keep the faith.

Grandpapí thought on her words, "I suppose that's possible, Mira. It's not even likely, but it is possible."

Miguel lays down, "Thanks for telling me the truth."

Bruno tucks him in, "You're growing up, aren't you,?" After everyone kissed the kids goodnight they leave the room and turns off the lights while the kids go to sleep.


~Miguel's Dream~

In Miguel's dream, a biplane is humming and it flying in the clouds of the sky. The plane happens to be the same one Miguel's parents were on, and now Baby Miguel is flying in the sky trying to catch up to the plane.

Baby Miguel speaks but it's echoing, "Mommy! Daddy!" Baby Miguel is crawling in the hallways of the Boarding House.

Baby Miguel keeps calling "Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!" Suddenly, one of the doors opens up with a light and it appears to be Chico wearing a blue robe.

"Hey, whatcha doing out of bed, Lito?" Chico asked as he picks him up.

Baby Miguel answers sadly, "I'm s-- I'm scared. I can't find my mommy and daddy."

Chico with Miguel in his arms tries to assure him, "Oh, now don't cry, poor little fella. Hey, how about I tell you a warm, mythical bedtime story tonight?" Takes him upstairs to the room while he talks, "Did I ever tell you about the time your mom and dad worked for a circus in Peking?" Puts him in his crib and tucks him in.

"No. Tell me the story."

Chico: "Oh-ho, why, they're natural-born acrobats, your mom, and dad. They can walk a high wire just like strolling down the sidewalk," As Chico talks, Baby Miguel looks at the crib mobile that he fantasizes about his parents as acrobats were told by his tío, Javier is tightrope walking while Blanca is on his back juggling discs.

"Comes from years of crossing rope bridges in Mozambique. That's a country in Africa, you know."

Now Baby Miguel is in a red leotard while carefully crossing on the wire but loses his balance while his parents look back at him in shock. He falls off the rope and his parents keep watching when his mother drops and lets go of the discs as he is about to fall to the ground. All of a sudden, the fantasy was over as Baby Miguel was going to fall to the end of the staircases until Maria catches him in the air with her hands.

Maria with a red cowboy hat on. "Say, Tex, what's a cowpoke like you doing without his horse?" She puts the hat on Miguel, "Climb on back Ol' Pete." he does so, "Say "Giddyup."

Baby Miguel does so, "Giddy-up." Maria gives him a horse-like ride.

The scene cuts to a horse field where Miguel is wearing cowboy attire and riding on a real horse that bounces him up and down like an actual bull. Along with Layla and Gabriela jumping fences. Then it shows the same four-year-old Miguel inside a plane wearing a flight suit and goggles.

Chico in his imagination, "Attaboy, Miguel! That's the right stuff! He-he-he!"

It is shown that his Tíos are in another plane with Chico wearing headphones and Zita wearing goggles and piloting the plane. Same with Angie and Mateo. Bruno and the rest of the Madrigals.

Ignácio in another plane with Acacia.

"Off we go into the wild blue yonder!" The planes fly into the clouds.


The next morning, Miguel wakes up from his dream. "Did you have the same dream I had?" he asked the other kids who also woke up. Luna nodded her head.


In the kitchen. Maria is stirring food while in her karate Gi and Manolo is having oatmeal while chewing loudly and grunting.

Zano examines his spoon, "This oatmeal is runny, ma."

"That's because it's miso soup. We need warrior strength on the field of battle today, Anjin-san," she says to Manolo.

Manolo groans "Cariña, I think we better forget about the Parents' Tournament. We talked to them last night and-"

The kids walk into the kitchen "Morning, mamá. Morning, Papí."

"Oh-ooh, Hi, kids. I didn't hear you coming. Sleep well?"

"Sort of. We had an interesting dream."

"You're still thinking of that story we told you about your parents?" Angie said to Miguel.

"Yeah, I am."

MANOLO wipes his mouth with a napkin, "Well then, uh, got any ideas what you'd like to do today? Go fishing maybe or down to the aquarium?"

"Ehh, I was thinking maybe we can go back to the Parents' Tournament."

Maria gives Manolo a bright smile at the thought. "Really? But I thought..."

"Yeah. But we talked and decided not to let others' ignorance affect us."

Everyone brightens up with a smile.

"Then it's time to man the battle stations!" Maria stands on top of the table, "We'll fight them in the trenches! We'll fight 'em on the beaches. We'll give 'em heck, Harry!" The table breaks and Maria lands on Manolo's lap.

"That's right, we're a team!"


Outside the boarding house as everyone packed the cars and start their engines.

"Nothing can stop us!"


~Park~

Everyone is gathered in the tournament as Chico once again announces. "Welcome back, parents, and kids, to our final day of Parents' Tournament Weekend." The crowd cheers.

The wheelbarrow race comes first, with all the kids holding a wheel and axle in their hands as their parents hold them up by their legs behind them. Gerald's father goes faster but trips on a hole in the grass, making him lose his glasses and turn around making everyone slip except for Phoebe and her mother who make it to the finish line. Next comes the relay race, in which one parent would carry their kid on their shoulders and hand them off to their partner like a baton.

MANOLO waiting, "Steady as she goes. You can do it, Maria!"

Bob elbows Manolo out of the way, "Put some hustle in it, Miriam, come on!"

Miriam sweats while picking up the pace, "I'm doing the best I can, B."

"Don't let that old bag and the runt beat you," Miriam stops him by making him fall back, but he gets back up on his feet. "It's Best-Parent Day, not Screw-Everything-Up Day, Miriam," he criticized, Miriam not liking what she heard, "I beg your pardon!"

Big Bob frustrated, "Just get the kid on my back," grabs Helga and runs but is stopped by Chico who blew the whistle.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Pataki, but dropping your daughter disqualifies you from this competition"

"What are you telling me for? Miriam's the one who dropped her."

(becoming angry ) "I'm sorry, Mr. Pataki, but those are the rules. Now excuse me, I have to leave," Chico said before he ended up killing that burro.


The next part of the tournament.

Chico announces on a megaphone, "For the ultimate challenge, we have the triathlon where the contestants must pass their batons to their teammates in a series of grueling events ending in the balance beam gelatin joust" While the crowd cheers and whistles, Manolo glances at Maria who shrugs at that name, "I made that up. The first teams up are Helga's and-"

Bob points to Manolo, "The oldest living Mesoamerican!"

"Ha! A lot you know. I'm the third oldest!" (thumbs over his shoulder at Grandpapí) "He's the oldest."

"On your marks, get set, go!"

Neck and neck, Luna and Helga pedal their cycles toward Miriam and Manolo, they skid to a halt as Helga's mother and Luna's Father grab their batons and begin their ascent.

Raúl and Jorge are cheering on their fathers' shoulders, "Go, Abuelo! go, go!"

Manolo and Miriam make it to the stop, but he slips as the crowd, including Gerald and Luna, look on with surprised gasps. All of a sudden, Manolo gets right back up as he and Miriam grab the zip lines and slide across the wire toward their spouses awaiting them atop the balance beam. Luckily, Bob and Maria get their batons.

Maria taunts, "This gelatin mold's got your name on it, Pataki!"

"Give me your best shot, grams. I'll let you have one for free."

"I don't need your charity!"

Then they both start swinging at and hitting with their batons and each of them evades, ducks, and swings.

"Float like a butterfly." hits Big Bob with a strike "Sting like a bee, I always say"

Bob had enough of Maria, "Okay. No more mister nice guy!" he said, as he starts hitting Maria but gets blocked by every move.

Maria: "Careful, I only have one hip and it's in my other pants."

Big Bob finally makes his move by hitting her in the face and making her fall off the balance beam, but luckily, she is hanging on with her legs still on the beam while upside down.

Big Bob making victory signs "She's down. It's all over, people"

"Wait! Luna's mother hasn't fallen off. She's still in the game unless her body touches the gelatin dessert"

Helga hatches an idea "Wait! I'll check, Mr. Iglesias" walks over to Maria and whispers to her "Go for my dad's ankles. They're already loaded down to the max." walks back to Chico in a relieved tone "What do ya know she's still in the clear."

Maria pushes herself back up and jumps back on the beam. "Whoopsie-daisy!" the crowd cheers.

Big Bob to the recovered Maria, "Back for more, are ya? Go ahead. Make my day!" They start swinging and hitting again and Maria who took Helga's advice, hits one of Big Bob's ankles, making him kneel.

Maria pretends she hears something, "Hold it! Did I hear a beeper go off?"

Big Bob looks at his right pocket, "Huh?" Maria hits his other ankle making Big Bob go splat on the gelatin. She jumps off the balance beam and lands on the ground with the crowd applauding and cheering. Manolo and Luna run up to Maria hugging her and Manolo kisses her with victory.

Chico: "Now I've totaled up the scores from both days. The winners with the highest combined score are Phoebe, Reba, and Kyo Heyerdahl."

Phoebe and her father bow with their hands together to each other, and Reba hugs Phoebe from behind.

Luna claps her hands, "Hey, Phoebe!" gives her a thumbs up and Phoebe does the same for Luna.


Miguel's Room/Dream

That night, Miguel is sleeping peacefully in bed. He wakes up as the sky turns morning, goes up on the roof, and sees his parents' biplane. Miguel gets in the pilot seat, puts on goggles, a scarf, and uses the plane to fly into the clouds.