all reviewers: Thanks to all of you. It's good to see, that some people like my story. I'm afraid, that I have to rate it "R" because of this and the following chapters. What do you think?

Melee: You're right, I'm Austrian and I write all my chapters in German at first. Maybe that's why they sound a little bit strange sometimes.

Disclaimer: Do I have to say it? Yes? I don't own the Incredibles, okay?

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Chapter 3: Unexpected thoughts

It was one thing to cope with suddenly arising hallucinations. You could simply ignore them, continue your life, as if nothing had happened. But it was definitely not right to get accustomed to them!

Elastigirl sighed. The month was over. The bet had ended a few hours ago. She had tried to meet Mr. Incredible in the past few days, she had contacted other superheroes, but he seemed to work irregularly like herself. She had been absolutely determinded to call off the bet, because she couldn't think of another way in order to get rid of the hallucinations. But he had been nowhere to be found. The last weeks had been the most stressful in her career as a superheroine. Doing her job properly had been incredibly difficult, while she had constantly been seeing the grinning Mr. Incredible in the corner of her eye.

But today he would come here. At this place she had had the bet with him one month ago. She couldn't care less about who had won their contest, today she would tell him flat that she didn't think much of him and than she'd say good-bye forever. Then hopefully the visions would stop too. Her train of thought ended as she suddenly heard something heavy landing behind her.

"You are here very early", Mr. Incredible noticed.

She did not turn around. She did not want to look at him, as long it wasn't absolutely necessary... although she knew his face well enough in the meantime. At once she asked herself, how it could be possible, that she had remembered his face that well in her hallucinations. Had she really taken such a close look at him during their discussion? She dismissed this thought quickly.

"It is late enough", she answered coolly.

"You could have patrolled in the meantime", he remarked. "Perhaps you could have saved someone."

"Should that concern me now?", she asked him. "An article in the newspapers of tomorrow does not count for our bet."

"You could have patrolled to silence your conscience. Are you a superheroine or are you not?"

Enervated she turned around and looked daggers at the taller man. Here we go again! "I have been through a strenuous day", she hissed. "I have stopped a car, that had gotten out of control, and my ribs are still hurting. As I have foiled a robbery, I have been shot. And after all that I had to answer the questions of the reporters too. I am TIRED! Tell me, what you want, cause I wanna go home!"

Mr. Incredible looked at her somehow strangely. "Whatever you want", he said. He reached into a hidden pocket of his supersuit and took out a bundle of folded newspaper articles. "Here is my yield."

Elastigirl raised her eyebrow. "Do you collect these articles?", she asked mockingly. "Do you hang up your own heroic-deed-stories at home? You are really narcisstic."

"Those are only proofs for my work of this month", Mr. Incredible replied loudly, but his red cheeks betrayed him. Yes, he liked cutting out and collecting the articles of his heroic deeds. Was that a crime? "Do you want to maintain, that you did not ever cut out an article?"

"Anyhow I don't hang them up at home", Elastigirl answered and smiled grimly. She had always known that he was only concerned about attention. "I save humans, because I think it is my duty as a gifted human, not because I want to be in an article."

When Mr. Incredible clenched his fist furiously, the papers were compressed to a small ball. He did not even notice it, because he stared at the little know-it-all in front of him furiously. "I have NEVER saved someone only because I wanted the attention of the press", he spat out. "Do not dare to say such assertions ever again!"

"Then why have you suggested this bet?", Elastigirl demanded to know. "You should better admit, that you wanted to prove, who of us is more popular!" She laughed contemptuously. "How childish!"

Mr. Incredibles whole body told him to grab this naughty little chit and to teach her manners. He gritted his teeth, but he managed to control himself somehow. "Perhaps it was childish", he admitted. "But it was just as childish to accept the challenge. You are not better than me, even if you consider yourself so!"

Elastigirl blushed slightly, but she took the offensive immediately. "Because of your stupid bet I had a terrible month", she accused him. "I couldn't care less about who of us won this childish game, all I want is that you vanish into thin air finally!" She looked at him furiously. All the anger within her, which had grown for a whole month because of Mr. Incredible, needed release. "You smart-aleck big head!"

"Oh, you want to blow off steam?" Mr. Incredible grinned grimly. "I don't mind. Because of you I had no single calm minute in the last weeks, you conceited little brat!"

"At least I try to preserve my dignity." Elastigirl began to go around in a circuit, her arms loosely dangling. She did not know why, but it felt somehow GOOD to say all these things although she wasn't that aggressive normally. "I do not jump in front of each camera immediately as you do!"

Mr. Incredible moved too. The two walked around in their circuit and didn't let each other out of their sight. He did not know why, but he was becoming cramped, as if he would face an enemy. "No, the little girl prefers to play the mysterious one", he agreed sneeringly. "Because she knows, that the newspapers are nuts on enigmatic persons."

"Bullheaded vandal!"

"Arrogant bitch!"

"Narcisstic beef-cake!"

"Wannabe-superheroine!"

Although he had been constantly watching her, he was surprised at her speed. After his last offense Elastigirl yelled enraged, threw her hand back very fast and planted a punch on his chin from a distance of five meters. He did not become unbalanced like a normal criminal, but the vehemence of the blow jerked his head backwards. He shook his head dizzily and looked at his rival with a mixture of rage and surprise. He touched his burning cheek carefully.

"I am a superheroine!", Elastigirl screamed mad with anger. "Just because you are envious, you have no right to look down on me!"

"I HAVE TO look down on you, if you keep humbling yourself", Mr. Incredible answered furiously. "Tell me, was it fun to hurt another hero? Is this the reason why you are doing this job? Because you want to beat the daylights out of the bad guys?"

"You..."

Elastigirl stretched her arm again in order to strike Mr. Incredible, but this time he was prepared. He crouched, wherefore her fist missed him, and grabbed her arm. The heroine gasped surprised, as he yanked her closer at one go and embraced her with both arms.

"And what now?", he hissed. "How do you intend to free yourself now, little girl?"

"Release me!", Elastigirl yelled and squirmed and writhed in his grasp. She stretched her arms to strike him at the back and deformed her body by every trick in the book, but he did not release her. His embrace was hard as steel. "You have no right to do that, you unsavory..."

Suddenly she was cut off in mid-sentence. She had morphed her torso to become thinner in order to slip out of his embrace, but Mr. Incredible had realized it in time and pulled her closer to him jerkily. In consequence of this surprising jerk her head fell forward and her lips landed exactly on his.

The two stiffened. They stared at each other saucer eyed. Although Mr. Incredibles embrace had become so tight with shock, that Elastigirls ribs protested, she did not feel any pain. Her mind was frozen, she wasn't able to give thought to anything. Mr. Incredibles muscles were so cramped, that they began to hurt after a few seconds, but he could not do anything against it, because he was much too surprised and shocked. His brain had shut down itself.

When they became aware of what had just happened after a few seemingly endless seconds, they broke away from each other abruptly and pushed the other one away. They did nothing but breathing heavily for a few moments, they tried to find out, what had gotten into themselves. Mr. Incredible could not believe it. It was so unreal! Elastigirl was an arrogant brat, who refused to take advice from a more experienced colleague... and in addition he had a girlfriend too. He had to make that plain.

"That was only...", he began, but in this moment Elastigirl slapped his face once again. And this time the blow was more severe than the last one. Speechless he eyed at her, while he touched his poor cheek again. The girl trembled like an aspen leaf, although she had raised her hands ready for battle. She stared at him with wide eyes, filled with shock and fear.

"Stay away from me", she demanded with wavering voice. "Don't try to speak with me ever again! Do you understand?"

Then she turned around and jumped onto the next roof. A rather confused, slightly hurt superhero with a host of presentiments of future trouble stayed back.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Where are you going?"

The voice was loud and penetrating. Elastigirl turned into a side road, although she knew that the voice wouldn't stop to chase her. She was scared. That was new to her. No ever so ruthless criminal had ever frightened her, but she was terribly scared of the one she was fleeing from.

"You cannot hide, little girl!"

"Leave me alone!", she shouted, while she turned another corner heavily breathing. She did not even think of stopping and facing her enemy. He would easily defeat her, wrestle her down and cause her the worst thing she was able to imagine. He was a monster. A disgusting monster, which enjoyed badgering its booty.

"Oh, the little girl is scared", Mr. Incredibles voice recognized and laughed at her. Elastigirls eyes were filled with tears of rage. "I wonder why?"

That was enough. Elastigirl stopped, the rage within her had finally become stronger than her fear. Perhaps it was stupid, but she could not think straight anymore. She turned around and looked into the darkness, her fists clenched.

"You sick bastard!", she yelled, while she was all of a tremble with anger and fear. "Show yourself so that I can fight you!"

"Fight?"

Elastigirl cried out, when something touched her waist. She stroke backwards, but nobody was there. Panic-stricken she turned around.

"We could do other things than fighting", Mr. Incredible suggested with amused sounding voice. "Something... more pleasurable."

She cried out again, when she was touched playfully at her chest. She randomly lashed out, but she wasn't able to hit somebody in the darkness around her. Finally she broke down crying on the road.

"Why do you do this to me, you dirty swine?", she whimpered. Nothing had remained from her valor. She was just a scared girl, who knew exactly, what would happen to her next. "People think you are a hero, but that's wrong!"

"Heroes should not do such things, should they?", he asked. Elastigirl needed one second to recognize, that the voice came from in front of her this time. With an enraged cry she stroke forwards, but Mr. Incredible caught her hand easily. He smiled slightly. Then he began to yank her closer to him. She tried to resist, but she was paralysed with fear. He pressed her against a wall.

"You are right", he whispered. His breath felt hot on her neck. She shuddered. "Heroes should not do such things. Why do you force me to do them?"

She needed one moment to understand the question. She gritted her teeth. "I? YOU are forcing ME! You disgusting... "

"I can't force you to do anything", the taller man answered calmly. He was still holding tight her hands and pressed her against the wall. He looked scary. "This is YOUR dream, Helen."

Elastigirl cast up her eyes. "Dream?"

"This is your dream", Mr. Incredible repeated. "You are the top dog here. You WANT me to do these things."

She contorted her body, but it was useless. "That is not true!", she cried out loud. "I don't want ANYTHING from you!" But why was she so scared?

"Yes, you do", Mr. Incredible replied grinning. "A part of you wants me. And this part is so powerful, that it was able to affect your dreams." He held her hands with only one of his and clasped her waist with the other one.

"LET ME GO!", she screamed and tried to free herself with all her strength. She got into a panic as he began to caress her body. He didn't even seem to notice her efforts. "LET ME GO!"

"You are afraid, aren't you?", he whispered in her ear. His hot breath caused her to shudder. "Afraid that you could possibly enjoy what I intend to do."

"No", she answered quietly, but her movements became weaker. "That is not true..." But she felt nevertheless, that under all her fear and her abhorrence a new feeling was growing. It was tempting and the gentle touches of Mr. Incredibles strong hand, that made towards her torso, intensified it. She tried to quash this feeling with all her might.

"Sure it is", Mr. Incredible answered with a sly grin. "I know, what you are feeling... have you already forgotten, that this is a dream? You can deny it, but you WANT me, because I am the only one, who is able to cope with you... in talk and power."

He bent over her neck kissed it passionately. Elastigirl closed her eyes and could not hold back a quiet sigh. She felt so bad. Her fear had completely vanished and even her abhorrence for Mr. Incredible began to fade slowly. She knew that if it faded away completely, desire would take over her body... but she wasn't able to do anything against it. And she recognized now, that he was right: A part of her longed for his strong hands, his hot kisses, his...

"No!"

Helen sat up in bed abruptly and breathed noisily. Tears of shame formed in her eyes as she imagined the events of her dream.

"You dirty swine", she whispered in a coarse voice. She was barely able to hold back a crying fit. She knew that her rage should rightfully be directed against herself too. A part of her felt attracted to Mr. Incredible, no matter how much she despised him. "Leave me... alone..."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

"Would you really hurt a little girl?"

Panic-stricken Mr. Incredible looked around, while Elastigirl approached him slowly with swaying hips. Their meeting had started in another way, than he had expected. The superheroine had suddenly emerged from anywhere, had used her powers to touch parts of his body, of which he did not want to think right now, and now she had cornered him. And the really bad thing was, that she was right: He couldn't hurt her. His deep thoughts were cut off, when a definitely girlish body was pressed against his.

"Why are you scared?", Elastigirl asked in a seductive voice, while her arms started to massage his shoulders. "You want me, and you know that very well."

"No...", Mr. Incredible groaned and closed his eyes. A dream, this had to be a dream...

"Naturally this is a dream", Elastigirl confirmed laughing. Mr. Incredible winced, when she suddenly pressed her hip against his. "And YOU want me to do such dirty things! Do not deny it!"

Bob turned his head away from her, but this temptation was slowly driving him mad. He WAS NOT ALLOWED to become weak! "Helen...", he whispered.

"Helen is just a nice girl, there are thousands of Helens out there", Elastigirl whispered into his ear and giggled, when he winced again. "I am the only one, who is on a par with you, and that attracts you... since our first meeting already." She caught hold of his face with both hands forced him to look at her. "And I am going to prove that… without doubt." She pressed her lips against his and...

... Bob awaked with a silent cry. He was bathed in sweat and in his view was fear. He groaned and rubbed his head. He had been afraid of that. Since this stupid accident at their meeting Elastigirl had stuck in his mind. He had tried everything to distract himself, he had looked at Helens picture and worked out for hours, but again and again he had seen the picture with his mind's eye, where he had held Elastigirl and their lips had just met.

"I have to tell Helen", he decided with a heavy heart. He had to tell her the truth, otherwise she would find it out at one time or another. If somebody was able to help him, then she was. He just hoped, that she would believe, that he loved only her. If she left him... he didn't even dare to think of it. Depressed he lay down again. For one short moment he wondered what Elastigirl was just thinking, but then he shook his head. No, he HAD to forget her! But he asked himself honestly whether Mr. Incredible was strong enough to do that...