Disclaimer: I can only dream I own The Incredibles and/or Pixar, but I can say I own Andrew, bwahahahahahaha *cough cough*
Warning: This is an eventual Mirlet (Violet Parr and Mirage), meaning this is yuri. Don't like don't read, if you do read then don't flame about not knowing because you've been warned.
Tired from the exhausting events of the day before, and sore from sleeping on the couch, Violet woke up and took a long hot shower. She could've slept in the guest room, but she really didn't feel like a guest, she was more of a babysitter: an uninvited, unpaid babysitter.
Slightly more awake, Violet headed into Andrew's room and poked the young boy in the side-causing him to produce a somewhat loud groan before she turned on the lights and pulled the covers off him.
"Get up, it's six forty-five and you need to get ready for school," She said in a sleepy voice before heading out to make breakfast for the two of them, shuffling down the short hallway as Andrew got up and made his way for the door.
With a yawn, he sat at the island in the kitchen and silently watched Violet as she poured him some cereal with milk and a glass of orange juice with a small apple on the side. She didn't know what he usually ate for breakfast, but he didn't mind, it was a fun change. The two sat across from each other eating corn flakes and sugarcoated goodness, munching on apples and sipping orange juice.
Already pretty much finished with the bathroom, Violet only needed to brush her teeth-luckily her emergency clothing in the trunk had a tooth brush and hair brush in a bag above it. Originally, Violet had left the clothes in the back incase of severe weather in the winter. But once her friends started asking for her to stay over night at the last minute, she'd made sure to leave a spare tooth-brush and hair brush back there along with some other things she might need. Brushing her hair and teeth didn't take long, and soon Andrew was in the bathroom.
While he was busy getting dressed and taking care of hygiene, Violet was making sure the house was straightened up, which wasn't hard to do since she hadn't moved things around much, and making sure she'd packed everything before making Andrew and herself a lunch. She grabbed a loaf of potato bread from the fridge and what looked like left over chicken salad, inspecting both she made three lunches. One for her, one for Andy and one for Mia so she could relax a bit when she returned home. Violet wondered then why there weren't any pictures hanging around, then she remembered that the Mia and Andy had just moved to town and that there were still a few boxes left to be unpacked.
As Violet stood packing Andy's lunch bag with the sandwich, an apple, a refillable water bottle, and a fruit bar: she suddenly realized why it was everyone thought she was Mia's girlfriend. It made sense, she thought of Andy as a son, almost, and she treated him like one. To anyone who didn't know it probably did look like she was his second mother, or a pedophile-she preferred them thinking the previous to the later.
When Andy next came out into the kitchen, he was almost ready for school, he just needed to pack his backpack.
"Hey Andy," Violet said from over the counter as she pulled the card for his mother out of his bag and put his lunch into it, "Your mother will probably be coming home today, and we have some extra time-what do you say? Should we do something special for her?"
"Sure!" The six year old cried excitedly despite being emotionally exhausted.
"What does she like?" Violet asked as she put the boy up on the counter, "We've made her a card, and a lunch...what else do you think she'd like?"
"Flowers? Or-Or groceries," Andy said, slightly unsure as Violet checked the time: it wasn't even seven fifteen, time went slowly went children didn't procrastinate and dawdle.
"We've got time, and we're in luck, the grocery list is right here," Violet replied with a smirk, if anything they could do the shopping and she could drop him off at school-her first class wouldn't be coming in until eleven, just before lunch, since it was thursday.
The two headed out to the car, and on the way there Violet could tell there was something bothering Andrew. There were many things bothering her as well, but like him, she was unwilling to speak first.
Her new revelation didn't help, in fact it complicated things ever more. Why was he like a son to her? Was it because he was shy? No. It wasn't that and she was relatively sure. Thinking it over on the short drive to the local grocery store, she came to the conclusion that it was because she felt she knew him and understood him. It was a crazy thought but it was all she could find to justify in a few minutes.
Parking so close to the curb that her front tire was on it, Violet got out of the car. She looked over the list, thankfully it was short. She opened the door for Andrew and the two of them headed into the store.
West View Hospital
Mia looked over at James, she admitted that having an irresponsible waiter as her son's guardian wasn't such a good idea-but she hadn't trusted anyone else when Andrew was born and was debating on if she should make her secretary her son's legal guardian. Mia knew that if James picked her up and drove her home that Andrew would probably be in school, and she hadn't expected him to come with the older man. She also hadn't expected James to show up at four past eight-before school started-without Andrew in sight.
"Hey, how are you doing?" He asked, fidgeting as she glared at him.
"James Perry Sheryl, where is my son?" She asked him in a dangerous voice, Andrew was after all her son, and the only real family she had left.
"Relax. I sent him home with your girlfriend," James replied as Mia stared at him in horror.
"I don't have a girlfriend James!" Mia exclaimed as she sat up abruptly and was greeted with a lot of pain shooting through her head.
"Art teacher, whatever, he seemed comfortable with her and it seemed like a good idea at the time," James stated as he pushed Mia down by her shoulders.
"You sent my son home with a total stranger!" Mia shouted in response, before whispering, "Usually I wouldn't mind if he went home with a teacher, but she's not even twenty-she doesn't even have a license to teach."
"So why is she teaching art then?" James asked, before shaking it off, "Mia the point is that she can get him to school, she knows how to take care of kids, he's comfortable around her, and if the school hired her without a proper education then she must be good!"
"YOU SENT MY SON HOME WITH A STRANGER!" Mia repeated as she sat back up and started to stand up, feeling dizzy as she did so.
"I still don't see what I did wrong," James replied with a shrug before receiving a slap, which sent him flying, from Mia.
Reg Residence.
"Remind me again why I am doing this?" Violet asked herself as she arranged flowers, "I don't know Mia Reg... wait... Mia Reg?"
She finished arranging the flowers in a vase and looked at the time, it was eight-thirty school had already started. Violet happily shrugged her shoulders, dropping Andy off had turned out a good decision even though she didn't know where to put the groceries. Before she could forget, she flipped over the grocery list and wrote out 'Mia Reg' on it in big, clear letters. Something about the name seemed odd, off, and familiar.
Violet ran out to her car, easily able to carry the three bags of groceries by herself. Setting them down on the counter, she began to pull things out and put the easiest things away first.
Fruit went in the fridge, except for bananas a few oranges and a few apples. The bananas went on a fruit rack below which sat odd little metal holders in which one could fit three apples and three oranges in perfectly. Moving on to meat, Violet put the lunch-meat in the fridge along with some ground beef-the beef she put up on the middle-shelf next to the eggs which she put in next.
There was pasta which needed to be put away too, and she saw a container which had pasta written on the side. Opening the package, she put the pasta in and closed the container. From there everything was pretty easy and she finished up quickly, heading back to Mia's name.
Violet began to rewrite it, rearranging the letters. Eventually she 'R' where the 'a' was, and switched the 'e' and 'g' to come up with Mirage. It didn't surprise her, well it slightly did but not by much. Andrew did, after all, have his mothers hair and smile. It made somewhat sense, not that she had much time to think, Andrew was about six. Mia being Mirage explained a lot, things such as why Violet felt she knew the boy all along. But Violet didn't have much time to think about it as a shaky Mirage burst through the door and saw her standing in the hall.
"Shit," Mirage blurted before crumpling into James' shoulder, neither he or Violet were very surprised by this.
XxX
When Mirage came around, she found herself laying on her couch with a bag of ice nearby. The smell of coffee drew nearer, sitting up, the older woman found herself joined by an Incredible and in possession of a cup of coffee.
"Mirage," The younger woman breathed, somewhat shocked by the turn of events.
"If you turn me in to the police, then what will happen to Andy?" Mirage blurted, the aroma of coffee reaching her nose.
"Why would I turn you in? You haven't done anything wrong!" Violet said as she looked at the other woman.
"I helped Syndrome kill supers," Mirage replied, before moving forward and feeling pain in her leg, concern flashing on her face, "Where's Andy?"
"Relax, Andy's at school," Violet replied as she gently pushed the other woman back a little, feeling her awkward meter go up ten points, "You didn't do anything wrong."
"I did," Mirage replied insistently as she leaned away from the super.
"You didn't," Violet retorted, leaning in slightly.
"I did," Mirage insisted, as she leaned back toward the super-her competitive streak showing itself.
"You didn't," Violet stated as she realized what was happening and blushed before scooting away, she looked down into her cup of coffee, "You didn't know what Buddy was doing, everyone at The Agency knows that," Violet said, looking up and seeing Mirage's eyes flick down at the sound of Syndrome's name, "You helped us escape, and if we hadn't there's no telling what would've happened. It's obvious you feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault... and... and... You've been a great mother to your son."
"It was my fault," Mirage said confidently as she stared Violet Parr in the eye, "I could've found out, I could've stopped him."
"But you didn't know! And when you did, you tried to help! No one blames you Mirage!" Violet replied, noticing again that they were drawing closer, "I don't blame you."
"Then you're a fool," Mirage replied, trying to stand and succeeding despite the pain in her leg, "I'm a horrible person, and an even worse mother."
"Your going to rip your stitches!" Violet exclaimed as she too stood and followed Mirage as she entered the kitchen, the two stopped as James Sheryl came walking down the hall.
"Stop fighting and get a room you two," He said as he rolled up his shirt sleeves and pointed at them in turn, "Violet, honey, it's obvious you've got this crazy thing for Andy and his mom so stop lying to yourself and just kiss her why don't you," then he directed his attention to Mirage, "And you, there is no finer citizen, no finer mother in the city. I would've killed to have a mother as caring as you, so stop your self-loathing and get off your leg or you will rip your stitches and I don't feel like going back to the hospital today," He looked at both of them, "Now I don't know what happened in your past, I don't really care just get over it because I need to get to work, so good day to you both."
James finished with a flamboyant wave over his shoulder as he walked out the front door, a few seconds later they heard a car door slam and the sound of an engine stirring to life.
Violet and Mirage stared at one another. Both were in disbelief.
"I should-I should go," Violet finally said, breaking the icy silence while a blush formed on her face.
"I think that's a good idea," Mirage replied, maintaining a cool outer face while inside she was as shaken as the younger woman was: she'd thought James had already left.
"Um... you don't have a car, and can't really drive as it is, so I'll pick up Andy for you," Violet uttered in a shaky voice as she found her car keys, "I think I have your number, so I can call you if there's a change of plans, and, um, my number is in the phone book under Parr and the school also has it."
The young art teacher bolted as Mirage watched her. She hobbled back over to the couch, taking a seat and stretching her legs out, she inspected her stitches and saw that they were fine. Mirage sat and thought, it was clear there was some tension between her and the younger super.
It was also pretty clear that Violet didn't think she was evil, and somehow that comforted Mirage. The woman fiddled with her fingers, thinking it all over. Violet was safe, she was kind and she knew how to help Andrew where all his other teachers had failed...
Andrew, Syndrome's son. Mirage knew that her not telling him who his father was did upset him, she also knew that moving upset him even more and that she'd already gone through a line of thinking much like this one the day before.
There was no denying it, for whatever reasons, Mirage would stay and she would allow Violet into her life-As a friendly face and perhaps something more. She wasn't above admitting she liked Violet at least a little, the girl had a mature and powerful look about her.
XxX
Violet was distracted. Extremely so. Why was it that everyone thought she was Mia's-or rather-Mirage's lover? Why had James told her to own up to her feelings and kiss Mirage? She wasn't like that, she didn't like women in that way. She trusted Mirage yes, and loved Andy like a son, but she didn't think of Mirage that way. Or did she? She wasn't even sure anymore, and the short trip to school gave her scarce little time to think about it. By the time she'd parked the car, the only conclusion she'd come to was that she would maintain her confusing relationship with Mirage, if only for Andy's sake. Who knew, perhaps they could be friends.
Violet entered the school, checked in at the office and headed directly to her room. She had a few minutes to prepare for her first class of the day and she used those few minutes wisely. Violet's class was well behaved that day, more so then usually; perhaps it was because she had something on her mind. Lunch seemed to arrive earlier then usual, and Violet headed to the teacher's lounge with her head full of thoughts.
"Violet," The music teacher, Emily Calvin, said with a smile, "I didn't see you before school today, is everything okay?"
"Yeah, I just ran into an old acquaintance and spent a bit of time talking," Violet explained, taking a seat beside her friend and pulling out her lunch.
"Old boyfriend? Or just old friend?" Emily asked, her eyes flashing.
"Like I said Em, it was just an old acquaintance," Violet replied nonchalantly, a light blush rising to her cheeks for a fraction of a second.
"Spill Parr. Who is it?" Emily asked, "I'm guessing it's someone I don't know, one of the parents here, or that new guy filling in for Wilkson."
"I already told you, it's nothing-no sparks, I'm not attracted to them," Violet replied as firmly as she could.
"If you say so," The music teacher replied, taking a sip of her tea, "But you gotta admit, the new sub is cute and I heard he's single."
"Emily, shut up," Violet stated, her mood agitated: she'd just gotten over her last boyfriend and the last thing she wanted to do was go into another relationship with some stranger.
Emily didn't reply, instead sipping her tea and eyeing Violet suspiciously. She looked like she wanted to say something when the recess bell rang for the kids, and she had to leave. Violet sat alone eating her lunch silently for the next few minutes until a shaggy looking man took Emily's empty seat across from her.
"I've always wondered why kids give their teacher's apples," The man wondered before biting into the fruit, "And you'd think more of them would give their teachers apples."
"I don't know what you mean- I have a whole drawer full of apples from my students," Violet replied nonchalantly as she finished her lunch.
"Jake Zander," The other teacher said, extending his hand before elaborating, "I'm the new sub for Mr. Wilkson, I'll be filling in for other teachers later on too though."
"Violet Parr," Violet stated, shaking Jake's hand, "I'm subbing for Mrs. Loski."
"So your Violet," Jake said, looking at Violet, his green eyes lingering on hers, "You know the kids really love you, the teachers too apparently... but... is Jack-Jack really your son? I've heard rumors and been curious, I'm sorry if I sound rude."
"Oh no, definitely not. Jack-Jack's my little brother," Violet replied strongly, more then mildly offended and curious herself who had started that rumor.
"Good," Jake replied, drumming the table with his fingers, looking as if he were about to ask something when the bell to start class rang, he blushed a little in a feminine way, "Well it was nice meeting you Miss. Parr."
"Likewise," Violet stated as she headed back to her classroom to do prep work for her next class: which would arrive in the next fifteen minutes.
Her afternoon passed quickly and easily, her classes all well behaved with the occasional student asking for help with their current project. Some of her students even finished their projects early and requested art lessons, or help with their other studies, or a book to read while the rest of the class caught up. Violet found it strange, her students were so calm in her class when compared to the way they behaved with their teachers; she'd always thought it the opposite and was still surprised to find it so. When the final bell rang she went over the room and made sure everything was put away and ready for the next day, a five minute job, then she promptly headed out the door to pick up Jack-Jack and Andrew. Andy, she was surprised to find, was standing outside her classroom next to Jack-Jack with an inquisitive look on his face.
"Jack-Jack this is Andy, Andy this is my brother Jack-Jack: I think you two have already met," Violet said to the two, before further explaining, "Andy will be riding with us for a bit Jack, and I'll be helping out his mom while she's recovering from an accident, so really I'll just be dropping you off at home unless there's a change of plans."
"Okay," The two young boys replied in unison, Jack-Jack sounding slightly more enthusiastic then Andrew.
Violet took their hands and the group walked out to her car where she helped them to buckle up before buckling herself in and heading for Dash's school; where she reiterated herself to Dash before dropping him and Jack-Jack off at home. Knowing her mother would be concerned, Violet exited the car for a moment to talk to Helen.
"Vi your home," Helen said happily when her daughter entered the house.
"Just for a minute or two, I'll be back later," Violet began, "I'll be helping Miss. Reg around her house for a while but I'll probably be back before ten: I just wanted to tell you so you don't get worried."
"Are you sure Vi? What do you know about this Miss. Reg?" Helen asked, concerned, deciding not to continue with her final question until it tumbled from her lips, "You aren't seeing her are you?"
"What? No mom, just no," Violet replied, thinking it impossible, denying the feelings she knew she was hiding dormant.
"Alright then sweetie, just try to be careful," Helen Parr replied, pinching her daughter's cheek lightly before the girl left.
Reg Residence
Mirage tapped her left foot, she was bored and worried. Where was her son? Had something happened? Was Andrew okay? Was Violet okay? She felt useless sitting there, her day had been extremely boring and lax after that first shock in the morning. Her thought train was broken by the sound of the front door being unlocked, she stood shakily and walked toward it. Within a few seconds her son walked into the house, followed by Violet, and saw her. Andrew rushed at his mother who eagerly bent as best she could and held her son close. No matter who his father was, Andrew was still her son, and Violet could see that.
"Mommy I missed you!" Andy exclaimed as he broke their embrace, "Did you-did you see my card?"
"Of course I did Andy, I loved it," Mirage replied, her eyes sparkling, her son was the only reason she bothered living.
Then the platinum blonde noticed that Violet was still there, and her attention was divided neatly.
"Andy, why don't you go do your homework in the kitchen while the grown-ups have a talk?" Mirage suggested, Andrew quickly heading off to do so, standing upright.
For a second Violet and Mirage merely stared at one another, confusion in the eyes of both.
"Thank you for bringing him home," Mirage stated sincerely, breaking the icy and minorly awkward silence between her and Violet.
"It was no trouble really," Violet replied uneasily, wondering why her heart wast beating so fast as well as if it could ever even work between her and Mirage.
"Maybe you don't think so, but few people would've been willing to do that," Mirage replied, her eyes looking older and causing Violet to realize just how much Mirage must have gone through over the years and making her feel even less confident.
"Somethings always bothered me," Violet began, curious, gaining the now spacey Mirage's attention, "Why did you help us off the island?"
"Too many innocents had died," Mirage replied sadly, "And I'd realized that he was insane, beyond insane really, by that point."
"That's not all is it?" Violet insisted, knowing, seeing, that there was more to it then that.
"You have a family, that's why," Mirage responded before hobbling off into the kitchen, she called back at Violet, "You can leave if you want."
"No thank you," Violet replied, processing the information Mirage had just given her, "I don't think I will, I may as well stay around and help you for a while."
"Are you gonna stay for dinner Miss. Teacher?" Andy asked, still not used to calling Violet by her name outside of school.
"If your mother wants me to," Violet said as she entered the room and took a seat next to Andrew at the island, intent on helping him, watching as Mirage stiffened slightly before continuing her own work, "If anything I can help you with your homework."
"Okay," Andy replied somewhat sadly before going back to doing his work while Violet corrected some of his other work; neither noticing when Mirage looked back at them with a mixed expression on her face.
"You know Violet," Mirage began, a few minutes later, gaining the attention of both Violet and Andrew, "You should stay for dinner."
"Thank you Mirage," Violet replied in a shy voice, looking down and smiling to herself, she didn't know why she was acting this way but she felt happy and so she didn't care.
Mirage smiled to herself before going back to making their dinner of pasta and home made sauce and meat balls. She wasn't surprised when Violet headed over to help her prepare the food after helping Andy with his homework. Within a few minutes of work the two fell into an easy chatter.
"Why don't you have any pictures up anyway?" Violet asked, wondering now, knowing that Mirage and Andrew had been moved around a lot and curious.
"Nothing to hang them on yet," Mirage replied nonchalantly, "Besides, all the table top ones and frameless photos are in one of the boxes with the others and I haven't had the time to go through everything yet."
"I could help you," Violet suggested with a smile, "I mean, I know you'll be headed back to work in a few days but until then you won't have anything else to do and I have prep time in the morning..."
"We could," Mirage said, stopping her work while she thought, "There are other things we could do as well-perhaps give you some ideas for your art class by visiting some places in the city?"
"It would be interesting, but is your leg up to it?" Violet asked, concerned that Mirage would end up hurting herself if they did anything which required too much walking or bending or anything really.
"I'll be fine," Mirage replied before the rest of their chatter was drowned out by Andrew's video-games.
After a while of wait and a long conversation, dinner was ready and Mirage set the table while Violet put the portions down on the plates. Dinner was actually quiet except for the little conversation about Andrew's video-game. When it was over, Violet helped Mirage with the dishes while Andrew got ready for bed.
"One last question Mirage," Violet began, drying a plate and putting it away.
"Shoot," Mirage replied, relaxed despite how her day had begun and how the night before had been.
"Why did-or do-people think I'm your girlfriend?" Violet asked, genuinely curious as to the answer and already knowing her own explanation from before she'd known it was Mirage who was Mia Reg.
"After Syndrome... Well. You develop a distaste for most men after the only person who loved you turned out to be completely and totally insane. Besides, women have a more natural power," Mirage replied, taking her time and thinking about it, "As for why they thought you were my girlfriend, you look like my type and were with my son: of course their going to think that about an unknown woman hanging around the son of an openly gay public figure."
"Maybe," Violet replied, "Or maybe they see something we're too afraid to admit."
The two stared at each other in silence for a moment before Violet looked down, a light blush forming on her face while her finger tips went invisible.
"Did-Were you always...?" Violet tried to ask, afraid to meet Mirage's eyes.
"Yes," Mirage stated, a smirk on her face, "Believe it or not, Buddy was the first and only man I've ever dated: everyone before and after him has been a woman."
"When did you know?" Violet asked, wondering.
"When I was about fifteen, it wasn't that hard to figure out but I denied the fact for a long time," Mirage said, her fingers playing against the countertop just inches away from Violet's.
"Why?" Violet asked, full of questions,as her fingers reached for Mirage's.
"Why so many questions Violet?" Mirage questions, leaning in, her eyes searching Violet's for answers.
"No reason," Violet responded, looking up at Mirage with the truth barred in her eyes, the two about to kiss when they were interrupted by the sound of Violet's phone alarm going off, she whispered, "I have to go, I'm sorry," Then she left soundlessly, leaving Mirage to stand there feeling like a fool.
A/N: Wow. Really, really, really, extremely sorry about the longish wait people. I hope the semi-long chapter sort of makes up for it. Will continue soon.