Feliz Dia de los Muertos! I hope you like this story. I wanted to write some Manolo/Maria fluff and so I did. This takes place before the story starts. I hope you like it!

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"Manolo! Manolo Manolo!" Maria whispered as loudly as she could, tapping on the window, before her.

"Maria, I think we should just let Manolo be, it's hard to get over the loss of someone you love." Joaquin stated. Quietly, he added, "We all know that. He just needs time to be alone."

"No, he needs his amigo, right by his side!" the girl countered.

"That's right, chica!"

"You tell 'em girl!"

"Si!"

The boy looked down at the tower of mariachis beneath him, helping him lift his best friend up to the window. He continued to glace towards the door on the wall, "Maria, if you keep this up then…"

"What is going on out here?!" a loud angry male voice called out. All of the sudden, the tower of people, started to teeter and totter until it tumbled. Joaquin lost his grip on Maria's legs as he fell towards the pile of men below, landing in an upside down hat held out by Pepe at the right time. The quartet spotted the man charging towards them like a bull. Quickly they dashed away. However, Maria felt herself being caught by the hand, she looked up to see Manolo, hanging over his window, both his hands wrapped her own.

"Manolo!"

The boy barely smiled at the girl as tried to pull her up. Slowly the Sanchez was able to get his friend enough that she could grab the window ledge and sit on it. Maria could see the bed, the chair and desk, the posters of all the bull fighters in her friend's family. It definitely looked like his room, yet something seemed…different. She noticed her friend on his bed. A little hop got her on her feet and another one got her next to her friend. Placing a hand on her friend's shoulder, she asked, "How are you doing?"

"Better than I was yesterday…hopefully I'll be better tomorrow." Her amigo sighed.

"Better enough to go to school tomorrow?" Maria asked.

The chico let out a sad smile. "Sorry…not yet...I just can't…"

"Darn!" the girl flopped down on the mattress, then quickly sat up. "Come on, Manolo! You can't stay in your room forever! I only miss your…"

"Mi hijo? I'm coming in."

"Es mi papa! Quick! Hide!" the boy whispered.

The girl quickly swung herself from underneath, sliding right into the wall, letting out a loud "ouch!"

Carlos Sanchez burst into the room. "Are you alright?"

Manolo, "Yeah…I just bumped my toe Papa…"

"I see…" the man sighed and sat down by his son. The boy's eyes bounced from the man to the mattress. "Manolo, I know you miss your mama, yet you can't mourn for her forever. She wouldn't want you to be like this…"

"But I miss Mama…so much…" the child admitted with a few sniffles.

"As do I, mi hijo, as do I." Carlos confessed letting out a heave of his own. He wrapped his large arms and his son, giving him a tight hug. Manolo's small arms wrapped around his father's shoulders, they couldn't touch, but the grip was just as strong. "Get some rest, Manalo. I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning."

"Okay…" the boy responded.

After a small kiss on the forehead, the father started to leave the room, yet a small bum and a loud "Ow!" caused him to turn around, "Manolo?" He turned around to see his son, getting out of bed, one foot on the floor.

"I… slipped a bit." The son stated.

The man sighed, "Be careful my son, you might end up breaking your neck before the night is over."

"I will." The boy responded.

The moment the door closed, the boy crouched on the floor, "Are okay Maria?"

"I found it!" the voice under the bed exclaimed.

Manolo responded, "What…found what…Maria keep your voice down!"

Maria answered, "What was missing! This!"

Something red started to slide out of the bed, until it revealed itself to be a guitar, now out in the open. The young girl crawled out, a bit of dust in her hair. She started to shake it off. She then lay next to the bed, her arm then reached underneath the mattress.

"And this! And these!"

The hand retrieved some posters with men, most having some sort of instrument in their hands, musical notes dancing around them. There were also some sheets with lines, several dots scattered throughout.

"It isn't Manolo's room if this stuff isn't in here." Maria commented when she sat up. Picking up the guitar and offered to her friend, "Here."

Manolo sadly stared at the guitar, then turned away, gently pushed it away. "Mara, por favor, put it back, put it all back."

"What?!" The Posada niña cried. Her friend shushed her so she continued, a softer volume but same intense tone. "You love your guitar! You love music! Why put it away?"

The Sanchez niño sighed, still looking away. "My father says it's time for me to start my bull-fighting training. The boy then stood up, with a deepened voice and several gestures, he stated, "Music is not a profession fit for Sanchez bullfighter!"

The girl giggled, "Great impression!" After a sigh, she added, "But you can't give up music! You love music. Your mother loved your music, didn't she?" At that moment, she covered her mouth with her hands and let out a small "Lo siento."

The boy turned towards her friend and placed a hand on her shoulder. Giving her a small, yet sad smile, he stated, "It's okay Maria. Just go now please. Your father is going to ground you again." Slowly pushing the other musical stuff back under the bed, Manolo gave them a one last, longing look before hiding them again.

Maria watched her amigo, her heart practically breaking at the sight. She gripped the bridge of the guitar. After sliding around the pile of papers, Maria leaned over, her head resting on Manolo's back and her wrapped around him, putting the guitar right in front of the lad.

"Please," Maria begged. "Manolo, don't hide from us anymore. Everyone's afraid…I'm afraid…that you'll leave us… Me, Joaquin, the Rodríguez brothers, your great-grandmother, and your father-we don't want you to go anywhere except anywhere we are. I know you miss your mother…but there are people who are missing you right now." The girl gently pulled the shoulder of her friend so she could see his face and carefully put the instrument into her friend's hands. "Please play, if not for you, then play for me, play for Joaquin, play for the Rodríguez brothers, play for your great-grandmother, play for your father, even play for your mother if you have to."

The boy looked at the guitar in his hands and a smile started to spread across his face…

A soft gentle melody filled the Sanchez house, filling the ears of the older members of the family.

"There he goes again," Carlos growled. "Why does he have to keep playing that thing?"

Grandma Sanchez sighed, "He's just relieving stress, every Sanchez has their own way. I knit. When your great-grandfather was alive, whenever he got angry, he would sing at the top of his lungs. Sometimes he would shatter vases or glass because he held out so long. And your father, Luis, oh there was a hot head, any time he got mad he would punch just about anyone or anything. Did get him in trouble once when he punched the lights out of one guy and all his buddies tried to get back at him. Took him till dawn to get them all though. You like to snack," the woman motioned towards the small pile of sweets next to the man, including the half-bitten one in his hand. Chuckling at the man's blush, the elderly woman continued, "Your wife Carmen used to prune her flowers, even if they didn't need it, and your son plays a few notes. A little playing couldn't hurt right, mi nieto?"

The man sighed, "I guess you are right, abeula."

"Aren't I always?" she smirked.

After the last string stopped shaking, Manolo sighed in relief. Like the weight of the world seemed to off his heart.

"I knew that would cheer you up," Maria smiled.

"Gracias Maria, this is best I've felt in a long time." The lad said gratefully.

"So are you good enough to go to school again?" she asked, leaning in with a hopeful grin on her face.

"Maybe…" the boy then sighed, "Then again maybe not…"

The girl flopped down on the floor, muttering a "Darn!"

"Maria! Maria! A voice called.

The girl shot up, "Shoot! Joaquin is waiting for me! Got to go!" She hugged Manolo, who at first surprised quickly returned the embrace. "Take care! I hope to see you soon!" The lass then dashed towards the window, yelled a "Joaquin, catch me!" then jumped.

The lad then dashed over to the window, sticking his neck to try to spot his friends. He saw the two of them, Maria on top of a Joaquin lying on the ground and the Rodríguez brothers next to them. Relief filled his heart which ignited his imagination. He once more got onto the bed and started to play his guitar, more lively notes now flowing from the strings.

Joaquin couldn't believe himself, leaving a girl behind like that! What would his father say!? Dashing through the dark lanes, the boy slid to a stop in front of a familiar window.

"Maria! Maria!" The boy called as loudly as he could, fearing Manolo's father arriving again. The boy sighed when he saw his friend in the window only to make a face of sheer terror when she yelled "Joaquin catch me!" then jumped. The boy scurried around, arms and eyes wide, trying to get aligned with the girl. Fate smiled-or rather smirked- for she landed right on of him, her bottom on his back.

"Gracias Joaquin! You are my hero!" She cheered. Maria then got of her friend, lifted him up and hugged him.

The boy seemed stunned. Did he hear her right? He was her hero? If he wasn't in her arms, he'd probably be clicking his heels. Yet before he could return the embrace, Joaquin felt himself lifted into the air and then settled. He looked to find himself of Pepe Rodríguez while he found Maria on his brother, Pancho .

"So how is he doing?" The bearded brother asked.

"I think he'll be okay." Maria stated.

"So is he going to come out?" The clean shaved brother questioned.

The lass answered, "I think so."

The brunette boy asked, "Did he say that he was?"

"Well no…but I know that he will. Just trust me." The lass answered.

"The last time I ended up in this guy's hat" the boy pointed a thumb towards Pepe.

"Hey don't blame me, Pablo's the one who knocked us over!"

"Hey! I was pushed!" the shortest mariachi proclaimed.

"By what?" Joaquin asked.

"I don't know, it was so dark I couldn't see!" Pablo's declared

"Yeah, sure, you probably got scared by a cat!" the cat declared.

"Oh a chicken!" the girl added, some chicken bawks accompanied her comment.

The group started off towards their homes. On a not too distant roof, a figure with large butterfly wings had watched the entire scene from the tower rise to its crumble to it parts assembling again. With a small giggle, the being seem to burst into black better flies the swarm flying off into the night.

As the sun started to rise, Maria teetered and tottered from her toes to heels and back again. Occasionally, she would glance down the road. A hand touched her shoulder. With a shriek, she jumped and used her hand to smack. It succeeded, rewarded with an "Ow!" At the familiar voice, the pig-tailed girl turned to see Joaquin rubbing his chin. She gave him a "Sorry!"

"It's okay." Joaquin stated. "So he hasn't come yet?"

"Nope."

He placed his hand on her shoulder again, "I'm sure he'll come out soon. Just give him time. Now come on, we'll be late for school."

They started, the duo going rather slowly despite being in a rush.

"Maria! Joaquin! Wait up!"

The two kids turned around to see Manolo dashing towards them.

"Manolo!" They both cheered. Speeding towards him, the amigos glomped onto the boy. The three faces pressed against each other, a little wet from tears.

"Joaquin are you…crying?"

"N, no just *sniff* Maria got some dust in my eyes." The brunette stated as he rubbed his eye.

Maria snuggled closer her friend, "I thought you weren't coming….I…I…"

Manolo rubbed the top of the girl's head, "Thank you Maria. For everything."

"No problem," she sniffed and rubbed her nose.

"Come on, are we going to stand here crying or are gonna get to school?"

"Let's go!"

"Vamos!"

As the three children ran off, a young girl-around the same as them- with dark hair ending at her ankles, wide brown eyes, and a dark heart-shaped mark underneath her left eye. She wore a simple white t-shirt and a long purple skirt, watched the trio. With a confident smile and her arms crossed, she boasted, "I told you he'd be fine."

Although she was alone to anyone on the street, when the girl turned, she saw an almost transparent women next to her. She was an older, beautiful woman-with short brown hair with a streak of white in her bangs. She wore a black dress, heavily decorated with colorful patterns.

"I was worried…he's such a sweet boy…" the woman responded

"Don't worry Señora, he's got good friends with him, all he needed was a little…push." The girl started to twirl one of her dark curls, avoiding eye contact.

The woman gave her a knowing eye. "Did you really have to push Pablo?

"Well what was I supposed to do?" the girl asked as she shrugged. "Your husband was going to scare them off! I had to do something or else they all would have run off!" The noirette rubbed her hands together, "Enough of that," and then stuck out a hand towards the woman. "Now come on!"

"What?"

"I told you, Carmen, I'm supposed and now I'm going to take you to see those you loved and lost in life. Now come on! They've been waiting for you for a long time."

At first Carmen's hand was held back by its twin, worried eyes bounced away from the girl.

In a softer tone, the girl added, "Don't worry. I'll be right next to you the whole time and won't say goodbye until you're back with your loved ones." She leaned over on tip-toes, her hand now right in front of hers.

The woman smiled and gently placed her hand into the child's whose responded by clutching it tightly. At that moment, the girl completely burst into black butterflies. The adult, frightened let out a shriek until they started to surround her, sometimes gently touching her cheeks, hands, or hair. When the swarm dispersed, not a soul- well none dead or immortal-was on the street.

Hello again! I hope that you liked it! And about that OC I had at the end…You'll see more of her soon!