Broken Descent (Bruno Mars)

The Only Fan

Once the fall leg of the tour finished, Bruno got a very exciting phone call. Bruno put Charlotte in her car seat and turned around to face her after hopping into the driver's seat.

"Charlotte Daddy's going to be a cartoon in a movie," Bruno gasped.

"Oooo!" Charlotte cooed.

Bruno wouldn't usually take Charlotte to business meetings like this, but because it was a kid's movie he thought it'd be perfect. When they got there, Bruno got a briefing while they gave Charlotte some drawings and pictures that were collected for the movie. She joined him in the studio where he'd be recording his voice over with Phil.

Charlotte kept giggling from a few feet away looking at the pictures as well as Bruno and Phil having fun together.

"Charlotte you need to be quiet, okay? Daddy needs to concentrate," Bruno smiled.

Phil smiled too, putting his finger up to his lips. Charlotte mimicked him. Soon after, Bruno and Phil took a short break, wanting to change the song that Bruno's character, Roberto, would later sing. They hung out with Charlotte while they worked it out. In the meantime, the director of the movie came by to check in.

"Hey...Bruno," the director said, holding a box. "This is just a little gift for Charlotte...as gratitude for accepting this job."

Phil laughed a little when he left. "Daddy works hard and Charlotte gets the gift. That's funny."

Bruno shook his head a little bit. "Naw it's okay. If she's happy, I'm happy."

Bruno helped Charlotte open the box.

"Whoa," Charlotte said, seeing it a second before Bruno.

"Aww..." Bruno said. "It's another blue birdie...a lot nicer than the one I gave you..."

"Look...it's Roberto," Phil said.

Bruno started reciting some of the lines he'd been saying before. He made some bird noises as he held the bird in his hand; it made Charlotte smile. She held the bird in her arms, tightly.

Within the next fifteen minutes, Bruno and Phil had the song together. The crew was impressed by how quickly they wrote it. The movie's producers loved it and allowed Bruno to sing it for the movie. It only took him one take to nail the song "Welcome Back." Once it was finished, Bruno heard clapping from behind him. It was Charlotte.

"Thank you," Bruno winked at her. "To my number one fan..."

"Alright," the director said. "You guys were great. Tomorrow should be the last day and then after that we'll keep in touch about promotion. We'll also send both of you a copy of the finished product."

Later that night, Charlotte held Roberto tight in her arms after a bath. Bruno threw her clothes down the laundry shoot and came back. He gave her a kiss good night and turned off the light.

"Wait Daddy," Charlotte said.

Bruno returned to her bedside, yawning after such a long day. "What is it?"

"Sing me a song."

"Sweetheart I already sang to you tonight."

Roberto's song!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"You like that song, huh?" Bruno said, caressing the side of her face with his hand.

Charlotte slowly nodded. Bruno sang "Welcome Back" to her. When he finished, she asked him to sing it again. Bruno sighed as he looked at her smiling face in the moonlight. As he sang to her, she slowly nodded off to sleep.

The next day, at the movie studio, the director came by to discuss the final details.

"Charlotte," he said. "I need to take Roberto for a little while. I have a surprise for you."

"Yeah sure," Bruno said, standing up.

"Not you, Bruno," the director laughed.

"Is your name Roberto?" Phil asked.

"Kind of," Bruno snickered.

By the end of the day, Bruno and Phil were completely finished. They were just waiting for them to give Charlotte Roberto back. When they did, everyone looked confused, especially Charlotte. He looked the same.

"Give him a squeeze," the director said.

When Charlotte squeezed Roberto, he started to sing. It wasn't just any voice; it was her dad's, singing "Welcome Back." She jumped up and down and giggled.

"Aww...that's great," Bruno said.

The following night proceeded similarly to the night before. Bruno sang to Charlotte and left to turn the light off.

"Welcome...back," she whined a little.

"Charlotte you just have to give Roberto a squeeze, remember?"

"But I want you to sing it...for me...now," she whined again.

Bruno grinned widely and returned to her side. "Okay."

Charlotte struggled to stay awake for the whole song, even though it was very short. Bruno watched her for a few more minutes that quickly turned into many more minutes. She started moaning and fidgeting. She had goosebumps and chattering teeth, but she wasn't cold.

"Aww..." Bruno muttered. Her nightmares had been coming back again. He cuddled close to her, with most of his body hanging off the bed. He put his arm around her; it covered and protected most of her. "You're okay, Peanut."

Bruno intended to wait for her restless sleep to stop, but instead fell asleep until morning.

Earlier the next year, the studio contacted Bruno, informing him that Rio 2 was finished. They sent Bruno a copy before it was released to theaters. It came a few weeks after her third birthday. Phil and Urbana brought Zadeh over too, to watch the movie too. They'd be leaving once again to tour in a few days.

The adults watched the kids from afar in the kitchen.

"Wow," Phil sighed. "Where's the time going?"

"Yeah," Bruno agreed. "I know."

"That little baby," Phil whispered. "That baby girl is now three years old."

Bruno grinned, remembering the day he found her, not that he ever forgot.

Phil poured himself another drink. "You want one?"

Bruno shook his head.

"You're really not drinking at all anymore, huh?"

"Nope...I can't do it...ya know...I'm good. I'm really good. I don't need it. I used to think I did but even when we've gone out after shows I've been...fine."

"I think your fans miss your drunk Instagram videos..." Phil said.

The movie had just gotten to the part with Bruno and Phil. Charlotte and Zadeh were laughing hysterically at the scene.

"Well stuff like that hurts the only fan that truly matters to me," Bruno said, signaling over to her.