So, um...hi?

How's the Coco fandom been doing? xD

I had to re-read this whole story again to remember what I wrote, and I can't believe I wrote all of this...how are the chapters so long?! I also had to watch Coco again to refresh my memory because I haven't seen it in a while. Funny, considering this story's title...anyway, I was finally inspired to write a new chapter thanks to some recent reviews I've been getting that let me know people out there are still reading this story. Thank you so much for your encouragement. It really helped! I told myself to just post a chapter even if it might not be as long as the others, so I'm sorry that this one is a bit shorter...but at least I got it up!

Also sorry that it's kind of rusty because I'm so out of touch with this movie and the characters now it's not even funny, lol

Please remember that reviews and kudos (if you're on ao3 as well) are always appreciated and motivate me to keep writing. Hopefully the next update won't take so long :)

xxxx

No. No way is he going to the doctor's for an X-ray thingy, or whatever Dr. Mendez had called it. He can't go to the hospital; it would be too risky, just as Miguel had warned his parents.

Héctor does his best to try and stop the overwhelming guilt from consuming him, but it's difficult.

Miguel had already warned him about straying too far from home, but he hadn't listened. He'd given into his need to go for a stupid walk and then he'd run into Dr. Mendez, who just so happened to be the one that found human-Dante, just as Miguel had warned could happen.

How do things work like that? He can't help but feel amazed and guilty at the same time.

"Papá says I have to go back to school tomorrow," Miguel says regretfully as he sits next to Dante himself at the end of the guest bed, Héctor already snuggled into the sheets.

He doesn't suspect at all that his grandfather had gone out for a walk again that night, making it all the better. He doesn't need to know that he'd run into Dr. Mendez, and that she's the one looking for Dante. The kid already has enough on his plate.

School? Oh...right. Miguel still has to go to school—of course he does. A small stab of anxiety strikes him at the thought of being without his grandson for the first time since arriving in the Land of the Living, but school is important and he knows that Miguel has to go. As Héctor had told him once before, he doesn't want him to miss out on any education just because of him.

"Hey, it's okay. I'll be fine," he says, willing himself to believe the words as they come out...though it feels more like forcing, and Miguel can probably tell.

"Are you sure?" his grandson asks, not really believing Héctor's words himself.

"I'll just help make shoes, play a little guitar or something," he murmurs in response, almost to himself. He's not really looking forward to spending the day by himself but then again, it's not like he'll really be alone. He has Dante and his family.

Miguel feels bad that Héctor has to stay cooped up, but the both of them know it's for the best. Still, he can't help but also be a little suspicious and wary about what the former skeleton might try and do while he's gone. What if he hurts himself again like he had done climbing the stairs to the attic, or he has to chase Dante to the cemetery and wears himself out again?

Héctor can see the boy isn't so convinced, so he gives him a small grin to show that he'll be alright, even if he feels like he might not be without Miguel.

"If it makes you feel any better, Dante will keep an eye on me."

Hearing his name, Dante peeks an eye open. His invisible tail wiggles in excitement but then his head plops back onto his pillow, out like a light. Rolling over onto his back, his arms and legs move in the air as if he's running.

"I'm...not sure that makes me feel any better," Miguel says, though he can't help but laugh softly at the dog-boy's silly actions.

So far, so good. Dante hasn't even tried to sneak out again yet! Against all odds, the dog-turned-human (or is it really the other way around?) seems to understand how important it is to stay with his current family, and Héctor can't help but feel a little proud. Dr. Mendez isn't going to be finding him anytime soon, much to his relief.

Miguel takes Héctor's guitar into his hands, strumming the strings aimlessly.

"Too bad we don't need that fake song anymore," Héctor decides to say. They don't really need it any longer since the truth has been out for a while now.

"I still want to try and write it. It'd be so awesome if I could make someone fall asleep like a lullaby!"

Héctor nods in agreement, smiling at the thought of Miguel coming up with a new song. He still loves the song that he played before everything went wrong on Día de los Muertos with all of his heart.

"Remember Me worked quite well with Coco. She'd be out before I knew it," Héctor encourages brightly, but suddenly Miguel changes the subject.

"You know, Papa Héctor, Christmas is coming soon! It's fun to help decorate. So I won't be in school much longer before the holidays, actually," he adds, eyes lighting up at the thought of missing more school.

Héctor can't help but let out a little chuckle. His grandson is all too eager to miss school whether it's because of being sick, their 'family emegergency' or the holidays; maybe he should have a talk with him about that.

But then it hits him, and his chuckle fades.

Christmas. He'd almost forgotten about that; Christmas is soon. Normally it would send a bubble of excitement through him, but at the thought of spending Christmas without Imelda and Coco...

Miguel goes on about how fun the holiday is in the Land of the Living and what he should expect. It's been so long since he celebrated in the living world with his family, some traditions are bound to be a little different. Miguel's favorite is opening gifts on Nochebuena, and Héctor attempts not to give himself a headache just trying to think of what he should give Miguel. It's actually a pretty easy answer when it comes to his grandson, but he has a more important matter to think about right now. Maybe not more important than Miguel, but equally as important.

His family...

It would have been his first Christmas in the Land of the Dead with them after spending so many alone on the streets. Sometimes he would celebrate in Shantytown, but his friends would always know he wasn't in the mood.

"Papa Héctor?" Miguel asks uncertainly.

"It sounds like fun, I can't wait," he gets out in the most convincing tone he can muster. Miguel himself doesn't seem entirely convinced, but thankfully he drops the subject and says goodnight; he does have school in the morning, so he'll have to get up early.

It takes Héctor hours to really fall asleep, but at least he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night like he used to all the time when he first arrived.

xxxx

Dante is missing from his spot at the end of the bed in the morning. Héctor's heart does a strange skip, but a loud commotion from the bathroom instantly clears up where he might have gone. Miguel already left for school, so it's just him and the rest of the family now.

"Dante!" Luisa's surprised voice shouts.

Héctor has just enough time to get up from bed when a small blur barrels into the room and stops in place on all fours.

He has no time at all to react before Dante shakes himself and water sprays all over him. Suds still mostly cover his tiny body everywhere and he yips at a bubble floating over his head, reaching a 'paw' upwards to pop it, and Héctor puts two and two together. Luisa must have wanted to give Dante a bath since he's been running on all fours in the dirt lately. Luisa herself comes into the room to apologize and take him back to the bathtub, Dante squirming and whining in her arms the whole way, looking back at him with a desperate expression that clearly says help me!

Well, it's a good start to his first day without Miguel, and even better when Enrique finally offers to start teaching him how to make shoes during the day; he can only hope that he doesn't do anything careless that will really send him to the hospital.

Except Enrique has him start on a much easier part of the job to get used to the workshop so he doesn't have to worry: cleaning and boxing up the shoes so they're nice and ready for customers. He figures it's for the best. The awkwardness of not drinking the tequila the night before even fades away, though he still wants to try and do something to make up for it. He just isn't sure what yet.

Enrique and Berto don't even try to bring it up. Miguel's parents have already done so much for him and he just wants to give back, but he figures that helping in the workshop is a good place to start.

Somehow, he's not at all surprised that he's landed a job similar to shining shoes like Miguel had done in the plaza, for now. Berto takes care of actually giving the shoes to the customers so there's no risk of Héctor being seen or recognized by anyone. He can only marvel at how many shoes are stuck to the ceiling.

"How did they all get up there like that?" he asks in amazement and curiosity. Mostly amazement. He's never seen shoes stuck to a ceiling like this before.

"Miguel," he thinks he can hear Franco mutter under his breath in response. "That boy has surprised my grandson far too many times to count. All of us far too many times to count."

Héctor can only wonder what Miguel had done to make his cousin and the others so surprised that he tossed the poor shoes upward so many times.

While cleaning and boxing, Héctor finds his mind drifting to what kind of results his blood test will bring, which is strange.

They haven't heard a word about it, even though Dr. Mendez had told him he would find out soon. Enrique even seems to have forgotten that he'd had his blood taken at all.

It's been a lot longer than soon, but he's grateful for the way time seems to pass faster while he finally has something to do.

xxxx

The sun setting, Héctor takes it upon himself to check on Socorro when he suddenly begins to hear her cries. He's not sure where Luisa has gone, but she can't be too far. Even so, he can't help but follow his paternal instict and sit in a chair next to the crib, his guitar in hand that he'd been playing. He stopped immediately upon hearing the baby cry.

"Shhh," he whispers gently. "Shhh, it's okay. I'm here." Rocking the crib a little back and forth gently as possible, Socorro's cries seem to lessen as she notices that Héctor is in the room with her. Glancing up at him with big, round eyes, she smiles and laughs.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" he asks with a grin, though it fades soon after appearing as he remembers asking the same thing on Día de los Muertos before everything had gone wrong. To distract himself, he starts to play a simple yet calming melody to help try and relax his nerves, also remembering that Miguel still wants to try writing his own lullaby like Remember Me. Deep down, he wants to play it for Socorro...but for some reason, it just doesn't feel right to not play it for his own daughter.

She might not be Coco, but...

"You know, you share the same name as my daughter," Héctor lets her know quietly with a small, sad smile. Socorro reaches her hands up towards him and he can't help but smile wider, the sadness melting away. "Don't worry. I'm alright."

He is. He might be apart from his family in the Land of the Living, but he'll always cherish small and precious moments like these that he never would have gotten the chance to experience if he hadn't come back to life. Letting out a soft sigh, he closes his eyes and continues to play.

He can help Miguel come up with lyrics later. For now, he's content with just playing a brand new, gentle melody until Socorro falls into a deep sleep and himself along with her, guitar still gripped tightly in his hands. It's suddenly not so hard to believe that he might have really fallen asleep to a lullaby during the holiday in the cemetery, just as he had lied to Dr. Mendez.

A little while later, Luisa smiles at the sight of Héctor sleeping in the chair next to Socorro, a sure sign that he'd been playing a lullaby for her to help her sleep. With Socorro's eyes gently closed and the sound of her calm breathing, it's still working and Luisa is grateful. Carefully, she takes his guitar so he can rest more comfortably and sets it next to him so he'll easily be able to find it once he wakes up.

Miguel is disappointed that he'd fallen asleep already when he returns home from school, but allows him to get all the rest he can. He's just glad that Héctor (nor Dante, for that matter) haven't gotten in any trouble while he was gone. Reluctantly, he goes to his room to do his homework.

Smiling again, Luisa leaves the room and returns with a blanket for Papa Héctor, pulling it over him so he stays nice and warm.

She can ask him about helping with her idea for presents for Nochebuena, later.

xxxx

"How have you been doing?" Tía Chelo asks Imelda as she and Coco sit next to an outside table by the water.

Imelda doesn't know why, but she had felt the need to explain to explain to Héctor's 'other' family in Shantytown what had happened. It's not a place she would ever consider coming to on her own, but for Héctor...she'll be glad to at least try and explain so his second family won't worry. Christmas is also coming soon, and she needs a distraction from the thought of being alone without her husband on such a special holiday. She had something special planned just for him, and now she'll never get to go through with it. Not until next year, at least. If the 'curse' wears off and he's able to come back home, that is.

She shakes her head lightly enough so Tía Chelo doesn't see. Shantytown offers some peace and quiet away from all of the nosy skeletons and reporters that want to know more about what happened to Héctor and that just won't leave them alone, which is a bit ironic given that Shantytown itself can be just as loud, but the residents are far more respectful.

Coco had insisted to come with her, and she couldn't refuse. Despite her age when she passed, Coco made it into Shantytown without much trouble at all. Imelda would have never allowed her daughter in such a place at first, but she has to remind herself that Coco is far beyond an adult who can make her own choices. They both need to get away from the skeletons who just won't stop pestering them about Héctor.

"It's been...difficult," Imelda admits, Coco leaning on her shoulder a bit for comfort. It's true, after all. It's been hard on all of them, especially her daughter...she just got her Papá back, and then just as soon he was taken away in the most unexpected kind of circumstance. Especially with Christmas so close...Shantytown is even more colorful than the rest of the Land of the Dead combined, makeshift green and red lights hanging everywhere and adding a beautiful glow to the water around them.

"Everyone still wants to know how it happened, why it happened, and...we just can't explain it. Being stuck on the other side after sunrise has different consequences for everyone, just as the clerk told us. There isn't anything we can do."

Tía Chelo nods sympathetically. "Well, we appreciate you coming all the way here to tell us personally. We're all really worried about him."

Coco gives a faint smile. It's nice to know that they aren't the only ones worried about Héctor. Genuinely worried.

"It's the least we could do after you..." Imelda trails off, unable to finish.

After you took him in when I tossed him out, she thinks to herself in almost more guilt than she can handle.

This is where Héctor had stayed all those years and now that she's seen it...

"It was really no trouble at all, although he might have been," Tía Chelo says with a laugh. "But don't worry, we still love him and that will never change."

"We all love our cousin Héctor," a skeleton sitting close by at another table chimes in. "He deserves a second chance."

Second chance. How long will this second chance last?

"I'm sorry, we really should be getting back. We don't want to leave everyone else to deal with...all of it on their own," Imelda says, starting to get up. Coco grips her hand gently.

"Anytime you need to get away from it all, feel free to come back," Tía Chelo says invitingly, "we always have a place for the Riveras."

Coco smiles again and despite herself, so does Imelda. She'll have to invite the others here one day so they can meet everyone that Héctor had known throughout the years. That is...if everyone he knew is still here. While being in Shantytown provided some relief from the meddling skeletons who wanted nothing more than to know how her husband had come back to life, there's a heavy weight that presses down on them to warn that they have a time limit...

Imelda shakes the thought away. "Thank you—"

"No...no!" someone suddenly shouts so loudly it causes them to look up sharply. Imelda catches sight of two skeletons walking close by towards a shack, one holding onto the other. "I can feel him...he's so close, yet so far. Just out of reach..."

The skeleton holding her up smiles apologetically.

"She's been hallucinating near her end; I think she sees someone she once knew in life. I've heard rumors of that happening when the Final Death approaches, but I've never seen it with my own eyes. It's so sad."

Imelda manages to catch her before she falls from the other skeleton's grip.

"I'll help take her inside," she offers, nodding towards the shack in front of them. The skeleton nods gratefully, and they both bring her inside to rest her on a hammock. Before she can tell Coco to wait outside, her daughter follows her in without question. Imelda curses inwardly to herself; Coco doesn't need to see this...but all she wants to do is help.

"I see him," the skeleton close to the Final Death whispers so quietly that it's hard to hear. "His hand was in mine, but then it wasn't and he was gone. I-we couldn't find him the rest of the night...it was all ruined!"

"Who do you see?" Imelda asks gently. "Who's gone?"

She doesn't exactly answer, her dim eyes far away and unseeing the real skeletons in front of her.

"They hate me," she wails in despair, trembling all over in the hammock. "They hate me because I lost him, and now..." she shakes her head frantically. "But he's still out there. I know it, I can feel it..."

Who hates her? All because she lost someone important to them? Who's still out there?

Orange glows surge up and down her body, and she gasps painfully.

Imelda can only stare on in deep sympathy. It had been just like this for Héctor—the orange glowing spasms that overtook his body in the most painful way possible. She closes her eyes, recalling the way he'd said Coco's name near his end. Perhaps it's the same for this woman who seems to be remembering a close loved one—hoping against all hope that whoever she remembers is also remembering her.

"She's been close to the Final Death for a while now, but it's getting worse," the other skeleton explains sorrowfully as he stares on as well. "We're surprised she's lasted this long. We don't even know if she still has any family left in the living world."

Imelda doesn't doubt it, opening her eyes again no matter how much she doesn't want to see the Final Death happen to anyone again. Miguel and Coco had managed to save Héctor at the last second even though her memory of him was nearly gone. Maybe this woman is remembering who she's saying she lost, and his faint memory of her is keeping her alive...but just barely.

She can only wonder who.