A/N: SURPRISE! Yes, people, it's a new chapter finally up. Yay me! Written in a marathon late night, three hour session just because I wanted desperately to update this story because I felt I couldn't in good conscience write any of the other stories I have rattling around my brain without adding to this one first. So, I did. I hope you all like this chapter, it took on a life of its own, happening faster than I was really ready for, but apparently it was ready, so here you have it.

EDIT: I got rid of the unnecessary stuff at the bottom, so it's shorter, but better. Sorry for making you slog through it before, but I was too tired to be thinking straight.

EDIT2: I put another paragraph in, to make it make sense to me and hopefully to you. You'll have to tell me if I've just botched the whole thing and need to fix it.

Disclaimer: I still don't own the Incredibles. If I did there would already be a femslashy sequel in the works!

*****'*****

Shaking off the feelings the nightmare had inspired in her, Mia looked between Violet and Allison. "Why do I feel like I was hit by a truck?"

Violet and Allison shared a concerned look before Allison asked, "What do you remember, Mia?"

Her brow furrowed in concentration Mia spoke haltingly, "I remember…driving in to work this morning and going to lunch with you, Violet. But nothing after that. What happened?" She was worried about her memory loss, knowing it was common after suffering a head injury but still feeling like she should remember. She could sense some memory, one of darkness and pain, but couldn't think of the details, couldn't think of why she'd have felt that way, but knowing it had something to do with her current surroundings.

A silent conversation happened between the other two women, a decision was reached, and Violet took a deep breath before answering. "When we got out of the restaurant Iron Spike was attacking the building next door. Some research facility. We split up so I could fight him," Mia shot Violet a shocked glance looking between her young friend and her secretary, Violet smiled wearily, "Don't worry. Allison knows. She put it all together after watching the news feed tonight."

All Mia could think to answer with was, "Oh." Her mind wandered for several moments, wondering what her secretary must have thought upon discovering the truth. She stayed thinking until Violet squeezed her hand gently, recalling her attention.

"I had to find a secluded place to change. When I confronted him he'd already dropped the building on you and dozens of other people. I put him out of commission pretty quickly and started digging in the rubble. You were the last person we pulled out. The EMTs told the doctors that one wrong shift in the rubble and you could have been paralyzed or-," Violet gulped hard, forcing down the lump in her throat, "-or killed. I'm so sorry I left you on the street. I should have protected you. I should have-"

Before Violet could get too far into self-recriminations Mia squeezed her hand, hard. "Stop that. You're a Super. Your obligation as a Super extends farther than just one person, much farther, no matter how much you may care for that person. I understand that. And anyway, I'm not that badly hurt…" Actually, Mia didn't know if that was true or not so she looked to Allison, "Right? I'm not badly hurt? I don't feel badly hurt-"

Allison almost laughed but decided to just answer her boss, "The doctor says you'll be fine. You've a broken leg and a concussion. It's an extremely good sign that you've regained consciousness so quickly. The doctor will be happy to hear that. Speaking of the doctor, I should go tell him you're awake. He'll want to check you out." That was Allison's way of giving the two some time to themselves, knowing the young couple would need a few moments to reassure each other privately. She glanced back briefly to see Violet leaning over Mia to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.

***'***

Violet pulled back and stared down at Mia, feeling tears she'd thought dry spring once again to her eyes. She'd almost lost this woman today. She'd almost lost her without having told her how much she had come to care for her in such a brief amount of time. She would not chance that again. Violet was resolved. She would tell Mia exactly how she felt as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

"You look exhausted." Mia's gentle voice broke the silence gently, her free hand rose to lightly stroke Violet's cheek, and recalled Violet's mind to her surroundings. "You're injured, too."

"They're just scratches, nothing to be too worried about. The doctor already disinfected them and everything." Violet smiled at Mia, though it was a smile that betrayed all of her exhaustion, both mental and physical.

Mia looked hard at her young friend, girlfriend she wanted to call her but wasn't sure if she could…yet. Deciding not to think on that just now her mind swiftly changed gears. "So, Allison knows you're a Super. How did you explain it to her?"

Violet sighed and reclaimed her seat, though she still held to Mia's hand. "I didn't really. She put together who I was from the newscast and then seeing all my family here. She told me she wouldn't tell. She was actually more concerned about whether or not you knew who I really am."

"And what did you tell her?" Mia's voice was softer, her ordeal obviously having drained her, but she wouldn't rest without having her answers.

"I told her you knew. That you'd known for ten years."

Mia was startled and her grip tightened sharply. She quickly asked, "How did you explain that to her?" She wasn't quite ready for Allison to know that she'd once been sidekick to one of the most despicable villains in recent history, which was how she'd met the Incredibles in the first place; she didn't want to lose one of the only friends she had in the world because of the mistakes of her past.

Violet replied in a soothing voice, "Relax. I didn't tell her how you found out. It wasn't my place to tell her that story." She felt Mia's grip loosen only to tighten again when she continued speaking. "I told her you'd have to tell her yourself. She didn't push. She cares a great deal for you, you know. Almost as if you were family to her. I don't think she'll push you for answers either. She was just being protective of you, wondering if I'd gotten you into heaps of trouble without you knowing."

Mia let her head drop back onto the pillow with a sigh. Her eyes closed for a brief moment thinking of how unpleasant that future conversation would be. It was hard enough having the Parrs know she was once in league with Syndrome, though she hadn't known all of the horrendous things he'd been doing at the time. But the idea of having to tell the only friend she'd had in the world for the last ten years or perhaps longer filled her with terror and a creeping sense of grief for she was positive that once Allison knew she'd been a villain she would no longer have any friends at all. But the Parrs had forgiven her, had searched for her to help her, and that gave her a very small amount of hope that perhaps Allison wouldn't abandon her when she learned the truth.

"I almost lost you today." Violet husked into the quiet that had descended upon them. "You could have died and it would've been my fault."

"No," Mia said fiercely, her eyes burned into Violet's as she continued in a commanding voice, "Don't you ever think that. It is not your fault that villains keep attacking this city, or that they keep threatening the world. Don't you dare blame yourself for what's happened. I won't hear it."

"But you could've died-" Violet tried again to take the blame, but she was cut off.

"I could have died driving myself to work. I could have died falling down my stairs at home. I could have died choking on a chicken bone. Violet, bad things happen all the time, and you can't blame yourself for every little danger in the world. It will tear you apart if you let it, and then I'll have lost you. I can't afford to lose you Violet. It would break me."

A solitary tear dropped from Mia's right eye and she stared at Violet, thinking perhaps it was too early to say this but knowing it needed to be said now regardless. "Losing you to your guilt would kill me as surely as any villain could, Violet. I don't know how it happened so fast, how you came to mean so much to me in so little time, but I'm sure of it. I love you. And I won't—I can't let you hurt yourself this way. You cannot take responsibility for each and every bad thing that happens because of villains, love. It doesn't make sense."

Violet sat speechless, eyes wide and mouth open. Never had she thought that Mia would say those words first, or so soon. She sat stunned for several long moments before shaking herself back into reality and looking with wonder upon the injured woman in the bed. "You love me?" was the first thing she thought to say, an awed smile transforming her weary features into a gloriously beautiful sight, "really?"

Steadying herself with a breath, Mia nodded and hoped that Violet would say the words her soul longed to hear.

Violet stood once more and leaned over Mia so their eyes locked together, her face mere inches away and smiling joyfully; she leaned a little closer and whispered, "I love you, too. And I don't care how it happened so fast, only that it has." Then she closed the remaining gap between them to place the softest sweetest kiss she'd ever bestowed on anyone to Mia's waiting lips.

Mia hadn't expected it to feel this way. For one kiss to make all her world, her entire life, abruptly click into place. Like she had been disjointed in spirit, and suddenly she was whole. She hadn't expected it, and yet, in a way, she had. She could feel that her soul had been waiting for this moment since she'd been born, that she had been waiting for this love without knowing it and now it was here and it was branding her, claiming her, marking her as Violet's with just this simple, gentle kiss and filling her with fire, with passion. It just felt so right that Mia wondered how she could have ever loved, or even thought she loved, anybody else. Now that she knew what this felt like, nothing would ever measure up, no one but Violet would ever be enough for her ever again. And she didn't mind that in the least.

When Violet pulled back she was smiling again. Her eyes shining with all she was feeling, so full that Mia couldn't even name all the things she saw in her love's eyes but she knew her own eyes were answering Violet's with all the same things because her smile just kept growing and she swept down to steal another kiss.

***'***

Just then Allison walked through the door and squawked a startled, "Oh!" and blushing an absolutely brilliant shade of red.

The doctor behind her chuckled as he, too, went a little pink in the cheeks. "Excuse me, ladies. Didn't mean to interrupt." He moved forward when Violet reluctantly pulled away and smiled blissfully at everyone before moving off to the side to give the doctor room to work.

"Now Miss Rahj," the doctor began, "I'm Dr. Lester. Do you know where you are?" He began a series of questions as he conducted tests on Mia's reflexes and made sure her concussion hadn't gotten any worse. When he was satisfied that she was really going to be fine he said "I'd like to keep you overnight for observation to make sure your concussion won't get any worse. But after that we should be able to release you. You're going to need to stay off that leg for at least six weeks, so someone will need to be with you to take care of you."

Violet and Allison volunteered their services in tandem, making both Mia and Dr. Lester laugh. Dr. Lester just continued with his instructions to Mia, ignoring Violet and Allison heatedly debating who would take care of Mia.

Violet eventually won the argument when she said that Allison not only had five kids and a husband to worry about, but that since Mia wouldn't be able to come in to work for a while that Allison would have to rearrange meetings and send whatever work she could to Mia over the computer and she couldn't very well do that from Mia's home could she? No, she couldn't. Violet, however, being an author could work from her laptop and she'd only recently turned in her newest manuscript so her editor wasn't expecting anything from her for a while so she could easily handle all her responsibilities from Mia's home. Allison gracefully conceded defeat on the condition that Violet go home tonight and get some real rest before coming back the next day to take Mia home. Upon receiving Violet's reluctant agreement they waited for Lester to finish his instructions and take his leave, then informed Mia of their decision.

Mia had a hard time not laughing at them both as she said, "That sounds reasonable." She turned serious when she looked to Violet and said "You do need to rest. You've been through more than I have today and it's obviously taken its toll on you. I don't want to see you back here until after lunch at the earliest, you understand?"

Violet rolled her eyes but acquiesced with a smile, "Sure. I'll bring you some clothes and lunch when I come. I'll check on Borris tonight so he doesn't worry."

Mia smiled at Violet's thoughtfulness, "Actually, could you stay there with him. He doesn't like being alone for all that he's a cat."

"Of course."

"And sleep in one of the guest rooms, not on the couch. Oh, and make sure Borris gets his can of wet food tonight, they're in the bottom left cupboard with his extra food dishes."

"I'll make sure he gets fed." Violet smiled in amusement at Mia's list of instructions. There were more that followed, on a wide range of things, but mostly it was Mia giving Violet the run of the house for the night not knowing that all Violet was planning to do was feed Borris, shower, and go to bed. Still she listened with a bemused expression and when Mia finished her list Violet grinned rakishly and said with much humor "Yes, dear."

Mia's mouth dropped open in surprise while Allison laughed at the both of them and said "Oh lord! You're already an old married couple! This is adorable. Mia, I think you found a winner."

Smiling hugely Mia only said "Yes, I have."

Violet smiled back. She went over to Mia and leaned down to whisper goodnight and kiss Mia's cheek. Then she left.

***'***

Allison watched her boss watch Violet leave. "This really is something special isn't it? You really care for her?"

Mia turned her attention to Allison, "I really do, Allison. I'm in love with her. And she feels the same."

"You're sure?"

"I am."

"Good. I'm glad for you, Mia. You deserve someone who can make you happy. And from what I've seen, Violet certainly does that for you."

Shyly smiling Mia said "Yes, she does. Happier than I've ever been I think. I had no idea I could feel like this. I never thought I'd find love again."

That caught Allison's attention, "Again? Who were you with before?" Mia had never spoken with Allison about her past, and certainly not about any past relationships and Allison found herself nearly consumed with curiosity.

Mia decided then and there that she wasn't going to hide her past from Allison anymore. If she were truly going to be happy, she couldn't keep this huge part of herself from her best friend. Biting the bullet she began, "Violet told you I had a story for you, about how I found out about who she really is. This is part of that."

"Are you sure you're ready to tell me?" She remembered Violet's hesitance in speaking about Mia's past, and she didn't want to push Mia too far too fast. Especially not when she was so vulnerable lying there injured and emotionally raw.

"Even if I'm not, I'm going to. But before I do, you must promise me that you will listen to the whole story, no interruptions. You must also keep in mind that whatever I might have been in the past, I am not the same person I was, and I will never be that person again. I don't want to be that person again."

Allison thought about all the things that could be in Mia's past to make her demand a promise like that from her. It worried her that Mia thought it necessary to disclaim her past self, and to put that idea in Allison's head before even beginning the story, but all the same she wanted to hear what Mia had to say. "I promise."

So Mia told her everything. About her grandfather helping to raise her and dying while she was away, to Buddy promising her love, to being an unwitting pawn in his murders of the old Supers, to being betrayed by Syndrome so he could get his vengeance on Mr. Incredible, to betraying Syndrome and helping the Incredibles, and on to her escape from the island and creating a new identity for herself. She left nothing out. Didn't edit the story to make herself look better. She told it all from her perspective and in the order she knew it happened, only pausing to breathe and compose herself before plunging back into the narrative. From the beginning to the present, it all came out in one cathartic release, leaving Mia emotionally exhausted but feeling better than she had since her grandfather had died.

Allison was stunned. "That's quite the story, Mia…I'm not sure what to think right now."

Mia nodded sadly, "I have told you much that would make you hate me. I'd understand if you never wanted to speak with me again, Monty could get you a different job. You'd never have to see me again."

"Stop that, Mia." As a mother, Allison had honed admonishment down to an art form and she wasn't afraid to use it, even on her boss. "I may not know what exactly to think of all of this, but I know that I don't hate you. You're just…not the person I thought you were. I need a little time to reconcile your story with who you are today. Because clearly, like you said, you aren't the same person you were ten years ago when all that happened. You're still my friend, no matter what happened in your past."

Mia looked at Allison with hope and tears shining in her eyes, "Really?"

"Of course." Allison reached out to hold Mia's hand, gripping as tightly as Mia did. "I can't say that I understand what you've been through, but I do know that you didn't hurt anybody on purpose. And that counts for a lot. Besides, I think if the Incredibles can forgive you and let you date their daughter, that I really have no reason not to since none of that happened to me, you know?"

Relief flooded Mia and she sobbed, finally free of the burden she'd been carrying all these years. She could finally look forward to her future, with a woman she loved, and a friend she trusted absolutely.

*****'*****

A/N: There you have it. Leave a review! Let me know what you think of this chapter. Does it fit in with the rest of the story? Did the Violet/Mia bits leave you warm and fuzzy? Is Allison awesome or what? Did I really need to write out that whole explanation for Allison when all of you readers already know the story? (The answer to this is no, no I didn't. I have taken it out and replaced two pages with one paragraph. I think it works better. Thanks for pointing that out Stellar Raven).Well? Tell me.