Warning: Mildly Sexual Near The End.

Sleeping became hard for Héctor after that fateful send over at the bridge, but luckily, the skeletons never needed sleep. So despite weeks of restless nights, he was never tired, especially when he got to spend time with his familia. Imelda insisted he rest until his occasionally shimmering disappear, but he wanted to learn how to make shoes, because he is a Rivera, and a Rivera is a shoemaker. Through and through. So during the break, Julio would sit next to him on the couch, and taught him the diseño sketches of wingtips.

One night, Héctor sat on the stairs at the porch of the house. Staring out at the city, remembering his last moment with Ernesto before he turned to dust. There were no words exchanged between them, which made sense… what was there to say? Everything was clear. They know… and still Héctor wants to believe that Ernesto isn't much of a chorizo as he knows. He wants to believe that deep down his best friend had a good heart, and in that last moment he faded into dust, he wasn't a ruthless, selfish murderer.

Héctor turned toward the door at the sound of opening. Rosita, and the twin joined him at the stair.

"¿Estás bien? Papá Héctor" Rosita asked.

"Yeah, just remembering old times." Héctor chuckled ruefully.

"Good! Cause you'll need to see-"

"This!" Filipe finished, and opened the album.

It's Coco, and Julio's wedding photo. Héctor moved closer to the album, a tear slid down from his eye at the sight of the bride's smile. The next page was Victoria's birth, and then Elena's. Héctor chuckled at Victoria's photo as Rosita smirked.

"I made that costume myself." Rosita declared with pride at Victoria's piñata costume.

"Never imagined that Victoria was actually a mentecata back when she was little." Héctor smiled at the 10 years old girl in the photo.

He wondered why Imelda never joined any photo, not even in the shop establishment photo where Coco, Julio, Rosita, Victoria, and Elena were in there as Óscar, and Filipe holding a shoe sign at the back.

Then he got to shed some tears along with his daughter at his grandchildren's graduation. Héctor traced some silver lines in one of Coco's braids, he noticed there's another graduate shyly looking at them from behind.

"Do you guys know him?" Héctor pointed at the boy, and the family burst into laughter.

"Turn the next page." Óscar suggested.

Héctor flipped the page, and found the answer immediately. That boy was Franco, Elena's husband. Héctor smiled at the couple, and then finally reached for the last page.

"Is that…"

"Si" Óscar replied.

"That's her." Filipe added.

"And Berto." Rosita pointed at the baby on the old woman's lap.

Héctor looked at the old woman in the only coloured photo. Cradling a chubby baby in her arms with her eyes closed as she laid back in her rocking chair. The silver streaks on the left side of her hair matched her big rounded glasses as it contrasted her black hair.

"She had lived," He smiled sadly, "By living here, my bones got brittle, and weak." He closed the album, "But I never get the chance to have wrinkles, need glasses, grow white hair, or even experience back pain.".

"Well, you know when you age your nose, and ears grow much larger as well. You didn't need any help with that."

4 of them quickly snapped their head toward the door where the matriarch stood with Julio next to her.

"I grew short." Julio pouted exaggeratedly as the family struggled to hold their laugh.

"It's still nice!" Héctor insisted, "I'm too tall! Losing a few inches would be nice."

"Don't you dare!" Imelda snapped, and the family burst into laughter.

They had a cheerful dinner, and as everyone was parting ways toward their rooms, Imelda reached toward Héctor's hand before he reached the door of the guest room.

"You have 2 flashes today." Imelda stated practically, "It will be easier if you are in my room in case you need help with the meds.".

Héctor nodded excitedly, and followed her toward the master bedroom. He knew it was for the health purpose only, and she would obviously have him in the armchair, or maybe a spare bed, but milagrosamente! she opened her bed blanket, and told him to get in!

There was no physical contact, no snuggling, or even 'Buenas Noches.' after the lights were off, but he knows they are healing. I'm in love with you… Héctor whispered after he was sure she was in deep sleep. He knows she does care about him on some level even though he wasn't sure what kind of love she had for him at this moment, but he will accept it no matter what. She had taken him home, the twins still made him laugh exactly like when they were all alive, Rosita was very sweet to him, Victoria was always there for him when he needed her, and Julio was finally letting him in… and that was way more than what he could ask for.

~ Mamá Coco's Room, The Land of The Living.

Miguel played the final riff on his guitar, and then finished the song along with Rosa, and Abel. The trio turned toward their raisin elder in the wheelchair.

"Wow! Never knew that violin, and accordion could put someone to sleep." Miguel chuckled gently at the snoring woman.

"Hey! It's your song we were playing" Rosa protest.

"The song is amazing, dear." Mamá Coco smiled, "You were wearing a luchador mask as you climbed on my bed, and then jumped into a pile of pillows".

Miguel reached his hand for his other arm as he shrunk shyly at his primo, and prima's laugh, but he smiles eventually. His song brings back Mamá Coco's memory!

"Well, I hope she remembers you guys!" Miguel mocked his laughing cousins.

"Of course I do! Abel shot dozens of shoes into the ceiling!" Rosa fell to the ground with laughter after the boys stood silently embarrassed.

"You're definitely next." Abel commented on his hermana.

"Yes, Mijos, Benny, and Manny painted her face with a sharpie once when she was sleeping."

Rosa pouted, and then glared at her primo, and hermano's grins. The children put their instruments away, and then give Mamá Coco a goodnight hug, but she stopped Miguel before he left.

"Can you get the others for me? Please?" Her voice was weak, Miguel looked at his great-grandmother with concern, and then placed his hand on top of hers.

Elena, Franco, Gloria, Erique, Luisa, Berto, and Carmen entered Mamá Coco's room after Miguel's call.

"Is everything alright, Mamá?" Elena asked panicky, and knelt in front of her mother.

"I'm good mija, you're a natural carer before you even learn how to walk."

Elena smiled, and looked at Miguel, "She's remembering a lot of stuff." Miguel replied.

"Acércate, Franco." Mamá Coco called, "You are still a chicken." she reached for his hand, and brought it to Elena, "But you took good care of my Mija. And you are still the most family man exactly like my Papá." Mamá Coco said to Enrique, and then reached for Luisa's big rounded belly, "The baby will never feel cold, you knit the best rebozo.".

Mamá Coco turned toward Gloria who stood in heavy makeup.

"Your maquillaje had gotten so much better than the first time you stole Elena's lipstick.".

Gloria's mascara was running with tears, "I got the best teacher."

"You had a corny humor, Roberto." The chubby man chuckled nervously, "You're lucky you got someone who clicked with you." Mamá Coco smiled weakly at Carmen, "You remind me a lot of Julio.".

"I'm glad you remember, Mamá." Elena sniffed, "I'm glad you are you again.".

"I'm ready for what's next, Mija."

The adults gathered close to hold the oldest Rivera, and Mamá Coco smiled at Miguel who stood by the door, nodding to her with tears.

~ Shantytown, The Land of The Dead.

Victoria dusted the large hammock, and then laid down with her husband after she put her glasses away. Beds never survive molds in Shantytown, that's why the first thing she learned when she moved here was 'The Forgotten don't care about owning any possessions, because they never make it through the floods.'.

"What are you thinking, Mi amor?" Récono asked.

"I'm thinking about the first time I came here, when I met Papá Héctor, Chicharrón, and you." Victoria snuggled him, "I am so much happier since then, and now I'm seeing that happen to abuelita too ever since Día de los Muertos." she smiled, "She sings, and danced again just like how Mamá, and Papá Héctor told me."

She is always respecting Mamá Imelda just like everyone in her familia, but maybe because they share the same streak of hiding emotion, or maybe she got a chance to live with only Mamá Imelda for almost 2 décadas until Óscar, and Filipe joined them, she understood her abuelita more as a person. She had never seen Héctor by her abuelita's side, or even experienced love in life, but after seeing that face, the fear of feeling something, Victoria understood immediately what's going on...

"She is falling in love with him again… she will give musicians a chance again." Victoria's eyes were bright when he propped herself up over him, "I will introduce you to them as my esposo, I promise.".

"Are you sure about this?" the yellowed skeleton asked, "They still know nothing about me, shouldn't we take this slow first?".

She understood why he asked that, she could already hear her abuelita's voice asking her to 'take it slow' in her head… But she doesn't wanna waste anymore time. She had never made any impulse decision, not even when she got herself in the Land of The Dead. She's always loved her family, even sometimes she felt like no one would actually accept her… They loved the composed, smart, and logical woman she made herself be, not this básica being.

But Récono, her husband understands her when the things were bad, and even faith in her, he's willing to work through the dark times with her without pushing, but with understanding. He is one of the best things that ever happened to her in her afterlife, and she wanted to give him her last name, so he could finally have a familia.

"I've been your wife for 2 decades, mi amor. I'm a grown woman, if they truly love me, they will respect my decision to take you in.".

"Gracias, mi amor." he smiled, and reached his hand up to her hair, brushing it away from her face..

Victoria leaned down, and kissed him. Embracing the intimately tender but warm feeling that shared between them. Their back wall was opened right toward the water, but she wouldn't care, and she's not afraid to let the world know that she loves him. If the world decides to hurt her tomorrow, she knows she can be vulnerable without being alone.

Thanks 'WhatTimeIsItInTokyo' for giving me this quote! "Well, you know when you age your nose, and ears grow much larger as well. You didn't need any help with that.". I discussed this chapter on discord, and was helped by so many amazing artists! This chapter I dedicate it to WhatTimeIsItInTokyo, and papergardener!