One moment was all it took to change the lives of a family forever. Just one moment, and a life was taken before it could really begin. Nothing left but a bag, a shopping list, and a sign of a struggle. With no leads, despair sets in. But is all as it seems?

Mirabel Madrigal leaves Casita the night of Antonio's gift ceremony. It has been nearly 8 years since that fateful day, and the family is still feeling her missing presence. Is there something Casita has been hiding in plain sight for a while? Mirabel has a life outside of Encanto, a familia of her own, and she does her best to move on from memories of her old family.

The family hadn't heard from Lin in almost 2 months, since Tenzin had broken up with her. They know she is alive from the newspapers, but she has not returned any of their messages. Kya, Bumi, and Izumi take it upon themselves to check on her, only to find out she had finally taken a week off from work.

Starts near the end of S3. Lin collapses after Suyin saves her from P'Li, with no outward signs of major injury. What is found out when she is seen by a healer changes the course of her life.

Bumi is there to comfort Lin at her lowest hour. They enter into a new territory of balancing friendship with being lovers. The rules: No public appearances, no dates, no flowers, no gifts. No strings attached. Especially no feelings. The problem: They both already have feelings for each other, unbeknownst to the other. Prequel to A New Path but I believe it can be read alone.