Author's notes: I thought I'd focus on what Hector is up to, while I try to figure out how to write Miguel's investigation from last chapter. Someone once told me that they wanted a Coco fanfic that focused on other Rivera couples besides Imelda/Hector. Well, this chapter contains a special love duet for Julio and Coco! Yay for Julio/Coco fluff!

For singing, bold lyrics = Julio,br /

italic lyrics = Coco,br /

Bold and italic lyrics = Coco/Julio,br /

bold, and underline lyrics = boys,br /

underline lyrics = girls

In the Land of the Dead, Hector woke up from his slumber, early. He had been sleeping in a guest bedroom across from Imelda's bedroom. He felt it was fair that his wife should have her own bed back. He would have like to sleep in the same bed as her but a century without her had robbed their intimacy. Maybe one day when they will share a bed again.

So after getting dressed and eating breakfast, Hector was about to leave when suddenly, someone greeted him.

"Hola Papa Hector!"

The musico was so surprised that he jumped and yelped. He turned around and sighed when it was his daughter-in-law.

"Oh Hola Rosita," he sighed.

"Lo siento for scaring you," Rosita spoke gently, touching his arm. "I just wanted to know where you are going."

"Well, I thought I'd go shopping today," Hector smiled. "Would you like to come along?"

"Oh I would but I cannot because Mama Imelda need some to open the shop," Rosita responded sympathetically. "But Julio and Victoria can accompany with you!"

Hector looked a bit unsure. He wasn't sure if his granddaughter would want to be with him after what happened yesterday. Why couldn't he make shoe patterns as easily as he could? But he smiled a bit at the mention of his son in law.
'At least I don't have to put up with the twins!' he thought, feeling relieved.

"Si, why not?"

"Thanks for letting us accompany you on is shopping trip," Victoria smiled properly.

"Your welcome, Victoria!" Hector replied. The two men and one woman left the house a while after waving goodbye to Rosita. Now the three were on their way to the shopping mall.

"Now, that I am here with you, I am going to teach you how to be a proper grandfather!" Victoria added.

"A proper grandfather?" Hector asked confused.

"Si, you want to be part of this family, don't you?"

"Of course!"

"Then we better get started on the lessons!"
The forty-something year old woman pulled out a long piece of paper out of her pocket. It was so long that it made the mens' glass eyes also pop out of their sockets. "Now I have written up a list of the lessons that we will cover. Each lesson has a short term goal to help you achieve your long term goal, which is becoming a good patriarch. Some short term goals will focus on family bonding, others on defending the family from danger. There also some exercises on-"

"Victoria dear, let us not overload your abuelito with homework," Julio firmly advised. "He just met us and he needs to adapt to his new home."

"I don't mind a little homework," Hector assured them. "I want to learn all that there is to being a patriarch!" He did a little skip.

"What are we buying today?" Julio asked, trying to keep up with Hector and his daughter. They walk faster than he did!

"A brand new sewing machine," Hector answered. "I feel bad for breaking Imelda's old one so, I thought I'd make it up to her."

"Aw, how sweet!" Julio smiled big.

"It is just the right thing to do!" Hector quickly mentioned. He was thankful he couldn't blush anymore.

"It is," Victoria smirking. "It will mean so much to her."

The family arrived at the shopping mall. There were many shoppers buzzing around. All purchases came from the Land of the Living when the living humans didn't want them anymore. So they all went to the Land of the Dead. Other places were cafes or restaurants where skeletons could go inside and eat.

"I hope we can find a fabric store in here," Hector murmured, noticing how enormous the mall looked.

"I know a shop that sells sewing machines here," Victoria replied. She glanced around and spotted a store with a sign reading, 'JoAnn's.' "Right there!"

"Perfecto!" Hector smiled, snapping his bony fingers.

They walked in the store and browsed around for a sewing machine. They were not alone. JoAnn's was crowded of shoppers.

One of them was a skeleton teenage girl, who spotted our lanky musician. She came up to him with awe in her eyes. .

"Oh my gosh, are you Hector Rivera?" she gasped.

"Si," Hector smiling sheepishly.

"Oh my gosh, you and the La Llorna woman were amazing!"

"Gracias!"

"Was she your girlfriend?" A teenaged boy with glasses, piped up.

"No, she is my wife."

Just then, a big crowd gathered around Hector and his family, like rabbits. They began dumping many questions on their new favorite musician.

"Did you really write "Remember Me?"

"What other songs have you written?"

"Do you have a concert coming up?"

The musico tried to keep up with all the questions but so many people were talking at the same time that he could only hear half of them!

"Everybody calm down!" Victoria shouted.

"One question at a time!" Julio bellowed.

They saw how overwhelming this was for Hector. When the crowd finally quieted down, the Riveras sighed in relief.

"Okay, my abuelito is on a personal shopping trip and he can only answer one question for the day," Victoria explained. "Raise your hand for a question and I will pick one lucky fan!" She pointed to one teen boy with black spiky hair and dressed in blue. "Yes, chico?"

"When is your next concert?"

Other fans smiled and shouted "Si, cuando?"

Hector thought of a date.

"February 14th 2018!"

The new fans moaned.

"Yo se, yo se," the musico chuckled. "But this will give me enough time to write new songs and rehearse! And I think everybody deserves a wonderful concert, don't you think?"

The fandom smiled and nodded.

"Bueno!"

"Oh I cannot believe I promised everyone a concert!" Hector groaned. "What am I going to do!"

He and the family had bought the gift for Imelda and bought lunch. They were sitting down on a bench, munching on their sandwiches. Except our musician who was too worried to eat.

"Any idea what songs you plan to write for your concert?" Julio inquired his father-in-law.

"No," Hector shrugged. "Not even the slightest!"

"What are you blabbering about?" Victoria questioned, rolling her eyes. "You have done this before."

"I haven't performed for people in ages!"

"What about the time you played La Llorna for Mama Imelda?" his granddaughter recalled.

"Or the time you performed with Miguel at the Plaza?" Julio added.

"Oye, I only did that to help Miguel win a contest!" Hector explained. "And with Imelda, it was to help her overcome her stage fright!"

"Well, I am sure this time you will have an easier time performing onstage," the short male shoemaker assured him. "Third time's the charm, they always say!"

The musico smiled a little. It was nice to hear someone comforting him-even if thoughts of the concert were still swirling in his head.

"Let's change the subject and focus on our lessons!" Victoria suggested, pulling out her long list out. She adjusted her glasses before reading her paper.

Hector looked grateful at her idea.

"What is the first lesson?"

"Today's lesson is about family bonding," the woman instructed. "Pick one family member and ask him or her a question about themselves. First, think of something you both have in common with, and then, ask."

Hector nodded and thought of what they could discuss. He liked to get to know Julio and thought of something they could have in common. But what? Then he remembered that they both knew his daughter. "So, Julio how did you meet Coco?"

Julio smiled really big at this question.

"Oh, I met her at the Plaza in Santa Cecilia!"

"The plaza?"

"Si, Papa Hector, I was just selling flowers in the plaza when I saw this beautiful woman with braids, dancing!" The short man gave a long romantic sigh as he remembered Coco's smile and laughter. "I have never seen anyone dance so gracefully and so lovely before! Now, I was a very shy boy. I was not good at talking to girls except Rosita."

"Any guy would be too shy to talk to their beu," Hector smirked. "So how did you manage to court her?"

"Well, first, we started off as friends," Julio continued. "I worked up a nerve and asked her to dance. I was surprised she said yes because she has turned every other guy down! We shared one dance but before I could ask for another dance, she had to leave quickly, so I put her a flower in her hair."

"A flower in her hair?"

"Si, to show that I thought she was a very pretty girl who deserved a very pretty flower! Even though we kept meeting each other up at the plaza and dance, I was still too shy to ask to court her!"

"Eventually, you asked her, so how did it happen?"

"One day I saw some guy talking to Coco and I got jealous-so jealous that I realized I need to make a move quickly!"

Flashback

"Hola Coco, would you like to court me?" A very handsome boy bowed before the teenaged girl.

Coco wanted to say no because she would rather dance with someone else. But she didn't want to be rude. What was she supposed to do?

"Lo siento Antonio, she is courting me!" A familiar voice shouted. Coco turned around and her eyes widened. It was Julio! He came up and put his arm around her, gripping her tight.

Internally, the girl sighed with relief.

The other boy looked embarrassed and quickly scrammed off.

A mariachi band began playing a song. The boy took Coco's hands and began to dance with her.

"May I have this dance, my lady?"

"Why of course, mi hombre!"

Their feet started tapping to the beat of the mariachi music.

"Thanks for saving me," Coco blushed. "Although I like the idea of us courting."

"That is why I am here, to ask if I can court you!" Julio stuttered. "May I court you?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask," Coco laughed, happily. "What finally motivated you? I have been waiting for you to make a move for months!"

"You have?" The boy blushed.

"Si, why do you think I came here to the plaza every day other than to dance?" the girl flirted.

"I didn't think a girl like you would notice a guy like me," Julio shyly admitted. "You are a shoemaker's daughter who is strong, confident, and beautiful and I am just a timid ranch boy. But then when I saw Jose flirting with you, I realized that I just couldn't let someone steal you away from me!" he grumbled, at the last part.

"Julio, were you jealous?" Coc smirked. In a short amount of time that the Rivera girl knew her crush, she was afraid he wouldn't be returning her feelings. But now there seemed to be hope for her.

"Maybe…," he blushed. Then he broke out into a song.

I wasn't jealous before we met
Now every man that I see is a potential threat
And I'm possessive, it isn't nice
You've heard me saying that smoking was my only vice
But now it isn't true
Now everything is new
And all I've learned
Has overturned
I beg of you

He gave Coco a twirl and a dip. When he pulled her back up, his girlfriend smiled flirtatiously as she caressed his face and slowly moved her hands down to his waist. Coco began to vocalize.

Don't go wasting your emotion

Lay all your love on me

It was like shooting a sitting duck

A little small talk, a smile and baby I was stuck
I still don't know what you've done with me
A grown-up woman should never fall so easily
I feel a kind of fear
When I don't have you near
Unsatisfied
I skip my pride
I beg you dear

Before Julio could plant a kiss on her lips, the girl moved away, giggling. She gestured him to come and get her and the boy chased her. He grabbed her by putting his arm around her waist, causing her to gasp happily. Next, he took her other hand and twirled her out before spinning her back into his arms.

Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me
Don't go sharing your devotion
Lay all your love on me

One of the boys grabbed Julio by his shoulders and pried him off from Coco. She looked horrified at seeing her lover being taken away from her.

"Oye, what the heck was that for?" He yelled.

"You always dance with the shoemaker's daughter!" said one guy, named Jose. "Now her scary mother is not here, it is my turn!" He gave a happy smile to Coco who did not look amused at all. "Hola chica, how about you ditch this guy and come with me?"

"No way Jose!" Coco snapped at him. "I chose Julio, and even if my mother were here, I want to dance with him forever and ever until death!"

"But Coco-"

"Now Jose…," Coco reprimanded him.

I've had a few little love affairs
They didn't last very long and they've been pretty scarce

Growing up, boys were too afraid to approach her because they feared her mother. Some of the boys who did take an interest in Coco, always tried to take advantage of her due to her beauty. The girl took Julio's hands and placed them on her waist. Then, the teenager put her hands on his shoulders and proceeded dancing. Her future husband couldn't look happier than ever!

I used to think that was sensible
It makes the truth even more incomprehensible

'Cause everything is new
And everything is you
And all I've learned
Has overturned
What can I do?

The young couple danced further away into the center of the plaza. The boys looked crestfallen. It shouldn't be a surprise to them that Coco would turn them down. But aside from her mother, they didn't think Julio would be thier obstacle. Just then, a group of girls showed up to dance. When Jose and the gang saw then, they fixed their hair and made their way to the new women.

Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me
Don't go sharing your devotion
Lay all your love on me

The girls gladly accepted the boys' dance offers and tapped their feet to the beat.

Don't go wasting your emotion
Lay all your love on me
Don't go sharing your devotion
Lay all your love on me

END FLASHBACK

Julio, was still singing the chorus. He was so lost in his memories of him and his living wife that he almost didn't hear his father-in-law and daughter calling him.

"Julio, Julio, Julio!"

"Papa! Papa! Papa!"

When Victoria grabbed him by the shoulders, that was when Julio snapped out of his daydreaming.

"Whoops, lo siento!" He chuckled nervously.

"That's fine," Hector laughed. "Now I know you a bit more than I did, I am relieved that my daughter was smart to pick you as her husband!"

Both Julio and Victoria blushed and beamed.

They didn't realize that other skeletons have been staring at them, until one man shouted.

"Hey, it's Hector Rivera, the one who actually wrote Ernesto De La Cruz's songs!"

The crowd went wild, which caught the Riveras' attention. Thier eyes widened as they saw people heading toward them. Just like the other fans at JoAnn's, the people were so thrilled to find the real musician here! The one who was responsible for writing 'Remember Me!'

"Chamacos, vadamos!" Hector hissed to his family.

"Good idea!" They quickly nodded.

Picking up their gift, they fled from the bench and ran as fast they could!

The fans followed them, wanting their autographs or talk to Hector.

"How do we lose them?" Hector asked, in a panicky voice.

"Follow me, I know how to get home the other way!" Victoria commanded. She led the boys to a different route. The sooner they could get away from a bunch of crazy fans, the better!