A/N: Based on the Incredibles 2 comic 'Bedtime Story' with references to the Elastigirl prequel novel 'A Real Stretch'!

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Their first date - if it could qualify as that - was a rather simple affair.

Mr. Incredible had taken Elastigirl up on the offer to watch the "Mr. Incredible and Pals" short that had been aired while she was on patrol during the Supers Appreciation Day Parade. The film had been stored away rather quickly, at Frozone's insistent request, but it had been no hassle requesting access to the NSA vault for one quick viewing. Despite its flaws, Mr. Incredible still found the short to be enjoyable - a little sillier than he had initially anticipated the first time, but still entertaining nonetheless. Elastigirl found joy in the short film as well - it had taken her a while to quell the hysterics emitting from her being, the situation not helped by his own laughter resulting from her infectious giggles. They'd planned to linger around the premises some more afterwards, though plans were cut short at the sudden shrill of the crime alert - two robberies had commenced, one near the Municiberg Bank and another at the local jewelry store. They'd bid each other a quick farewell and sped off to deal with the disturbances in opposite directions.

Their second date had gone along far more smoothly. They'd decided to ditch the masks and instead spend the time together as Bob and Helen rather than superheroes Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. They'd met up at Municiberg's central park, and spent the afternoon idly chatting about their own lives and the much more trivial matters they ran into as civilians. He told her more about his own life - from the discovery of his supernatural powers to the day when he received his Supersuit - an indestructible black-and-blue fabric designed by the quirky yet savvy Edna Mode. In return, he'd learned more about the life of Helen Truax - a simple Southern girl who'd spent most of her childhood right there in the city of Municiberg. She explained how Dicker had approached her some years ago after speaking at her high school assembly, offering the position with NSA in his collected and straightforward manner. As it turned out, his joining hadn't been too different from hers. Dicker had confronted Bob at his high school's gymnasium, blending in with the athlete recruits from several Municiberg colleges that had been on campus that day.

And so it was that they found themselves, yet again, on another date, the annual Supers conference opening the perfect opportunity to squeeze in a third.

The yearly event had been dubbed 'The Summer Crossover' by all heroes at the NSA, for the fact that they had to cross over the Metroville bridge to get to Chez Swank Hotel where it took place. Rick Dicker and the other officials held seminars that went over various subjects - super/civilian balance, secret hideouts, deathtraps... Really more of the same things that Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible were quite familiar with.

Which is why they devised a plan to rendezvous at the Incredibile shortly after arriving.

Elastigirl forced herself to maintain a friendly smile as she idly chatted with some of the other Supers, bringing the glass of punch that had been offered as refreshment up to her lips whenever she felt it faltering. Usually talk of a mission accomplished and criminals apprehended kept her interest, but it just wasn't at the moment. Elastigirl's mind was elsewhere, eyes wandering inconspicuously to the Super at the other end of the room, also half-heartedly engaged in talk with Gazerbeam, Gamma Jack, and Frozone. Mr. Incredible met her gaze and he winked. She blushed. It was the signal .

Finding a break in conversation thankfully was made easy for her, when the Supers she was with chose to head over to the buffet table and see what other confectionaries they could grab. She stole a quick glance in both directions, and then quietly walked away from the crowd and in the direction of the lot. No one paid her any mind, invested each in their own chatter. Mr. Incredible waited a few more minutes before following suit, excusing himself from the conversation to do a quick "check" on the Incredibile. Gazerbeam and Gamma Jack gave him a questioning look, though Frozone only laughed, remarking that he simply couldn't keep away from that vehicle.

True, Mr. Incredible did enjoy all the features his car had to offer, though this time it wasn't the vehicle that he was eager to see. He rounded the corner, treading closer to the secluded area he'd parked, until she finally came into view - Elastigirl.

She stood a few feet away, hands clasped behind her back and innocently swaying back and forth on the heels of her booted feet. She turned in his direction, a not-so-innocent look in her eyes as soon as she met his gaze.

"Howdy stranger," she drawled, her accented voice holding a playful lilt to it. "This your ride?"

"Indeed it is," he replied back, smiling as mischievously as she was. She grinned even wider and took a couple of paces closer to her. She raised an eyebrow when he reached a hand out seemingly toward her, but then steered it toward the handle of the car, opening the passenger's side.

"Ladies first?" he asked, gesturing inside.

She smirked, nodding and sashaying inside with graceful ease. He clicked the door shut and went around to the driver's side, entering the vehicle and having a seat next to her. They exchanged a small, knowing glance with one another, and Elastigirl took the short moment of silence to enjoy being in his presence while also peering around his car. She'd only been inside once before, and even then it had been in the midst of the chaos that had unfolded with Blazestone at the Supers Appreciation Parade. Looking at it now, she had to admit that it was pretty impressive. The 'Incredibile,' as it had been called when the NSA issued it to him, was full of all sorts of gadgets and gizmos that could aid the Super in any kind of situation, with ejector seats, boat capabilities, and tons of hidden arsenal. All that aside, it was a fast vehicle in itself and not too much different than a sleek, high-end sports car. She knew he loved the car, and it reminded her of how much she still desired to have her very own means of quick transportation, namely, the Elasticycle - a stretchable bicycle able to adapt to her elasticity powers - that fellow Super Downburst had been in the process of creating. As far as she knew, there were still little kinks in the project that needed to be fixed, but she looked forward to the day that the bike would be finished.

A POP drew her attention back to Mr. Incredible, and she found that he had opened a new bottle of champagne, the frothy drink being poured into two identical wine glasses. She gazed up at him, eyebrow raised yet again.

"Belle Epoque, " he explained. "Figured it'd lighten the mood." He reached toward the button-filled dashboard, switching on what turned out to be the knob for the radio. After surfing through a few stations, he finally landed on one that satisfied him - a smooth ballad with Sinatra's voice crooning softly from the speakers. He nodded, his eyes hooded at her as he leaned the seat back, sipped from the drink, and gave a content sigh.

Elastigirl shook her head, amused. "You seem to be rather prepared," she said with a chuckle. In all honesty, it wasn't such a bad set-up - she appreciated the small efforts he took to make the most of their situation. After all, slower and more mundane moments were a rather rare occurrence in the daily fast-paced life of a Super. It was nice to get some relaxing time alone.

"As a Super, we always try to be prepared. Surely, you must know that, Elastigirl?" He shot her a teasing look, Elastigirl blushing at the way he had briefly rolled the r in her Super name, almost making it sound like a purr. Not many men had ever succeeded in making her feel the warmth starting to blossom in her chest - and she never tried to succumb to those feelings in the first place - but she was starting to find more and more as of late that it was becoming increasingly difficult to resist them.

"To us?" he questioned, glass raised and a quizzical look in his eyes.

She nodded politely, raising her own. "To us," she responded smoothly. They clinked glasses, taking a few sips of the drinks.

A few moments later Mr. Incredible downed the rest of the beverage, licking his lips and savoring the flavor. He prepared to pick up the bottle and pour some more when he paused, gazing at the woman before him with newfound fondness. Bright amber eyes, smoothly-parted red hair, rosy lips upturned in a smile... a picture of near-perfection. He was surprised that she'd even be remotely interested in him - Robert Parr, mild-mannered and polite civilian, perhaps - but Mr. Incredible , a rather conceited, and ego-driven Super? He wasn't deaf or blind - he'd heard her mutter her own share of comments to other Supers and seen the roll of the eyes or scoff whenever his ego may have shone through on some occasions. Heck, it really hadn't been that big of a secret that she herself had a reputation as a heartbreaker. Prior to meeting her, he'd had his own conversations with some of his pals in the NSA - Meta-Man, Dynaguy, Gamma Jack - heck, even Gazerbeam had all had their share of attempts with trying to win her over. None were able to succeed in that mission however. He could very well recall their words whenever the subject came up:

I wouldn't waste my time. She's not interested in holding a relationship.

She's a solo-act. Prefers to have her "freedom."

A real babe, I tell you that - big eyes, nice build - but to just ignore a catch like me? Major turnoff, pal.

What can I say? Her eyes simply weren't on me.

Mr. Incredible wasn't too disappointed at first. He'd never really known her that well, and if anything, there were plenty of other women who did appreciate his brawn and confidence right off the bat. But once they'd actually worked together, he saw a different side to her - one that was capable of living up to her flexible name and not necessarily desiring to work solo all the time as she had once preferred. As he once preferred. Because with her, things were different. Teamwork was something to look forward to if it meant being by her side. She too had slowly been warming up to him, opening up a little more each time they'd stop for a brief chat as they ran off to stop crime, or as they shot the breeze at the store or park as their civilian selves. He was sure she liked it - why else would she bother? Then, the questions began to hit him. Was he just a fling? Why would she be stringing him along if that was the case? Would he end up like all the other Supers who exhausted their chances? Or did she feel the same way he did? In his mind, there was only one way to find out.

Mustering courage, he began to cautiously lean forward, an almost expectant look in his eyes. Elastigirl's own eyes widened for a brief moment, and he nearly regretted his action - had he been too forward? Mr. Incredible's worries however were instantly quelled when she gave a small grin, and tilted her head closer toward his - practically an invitation to follow through with his intentions. He easily complied, heavy eyelids closing as he met her halfway.

It was quick - a soft brush of the lips before pulling away the in the next moment, a light blush rising in both their cheeks.

It was quiet for a moment, neither knowing exactly what to say following such a swift, chaste kiss. Mr. Incredible broke the silence first, forcing out a chuckle and awkwardly rubbing the back of his head with a gloved hand.

"Heh... not the most incredible kiss to offer, huh?"

Elastigirl only shrugged, an almost indifferent look in her expression had the rosy tint of a blush in her cheeks not giving her true emotions away. "I suppose it could have gone better," came the nonchalant reply.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Well?" she asked, sounding a little demanding. "Are you going to try again, or are you going to just keep me waiting?"

It took a moment for Mr. Incredible to process what she'd asked of him, but once he'd registered her positive response, he was pleased, unable to help the grin that spread on his face. He leaned back in and took her once more, careful to apply more pressure against her mouth. To his delight, she responded enthusiastically, a quiet moan escaping her as she tilted her head for a better angle. They broke it off a moment later; his lips hovering over hers as they both took a moment to catch their breaths. He watched her eyes flutter open and he smiled at the sight of them sparkling.

It was Elastigirl who leaned back in first, kissing him again with fervor, moving her lips so skillfully, so softly against his that he swore he'd forget how to breathe. They parted again, and then leaned back in again, a few short pecks exchanged before backing off for air, foreheads against each other's. Their cheeks were flushed, both breathing heavily from the sudden rush of arousal that had befallen upon them in such a sudden manner.

"Should we be doing this?" Elastigirl suddenly asked in concern. "Opening ceremony is about to start very soon, you know."

He merely shrugged, tucking a loose strand of her red hair back in place behind her ear before cupping her cheek. "We've still got time," he replied huskily.

Despite Elastigirl's desire to return to the convention, it was nothing compared to her desire to remain put. After all, she wasn't in too big of a rush to sit through another boring speech, when she could instead enjoy the company of her new lover. She settled for the latter, inching herself closer to his face and anticipating the feel of his lips on hers once more when --

BANG!!

A sudden, sharp noise tore them apart from their intimate bubble, followed by screams. Elastigirl and Mr. Incredible whipped their heads toward the direction of the noise, looking out the car's window and seeing its source. The pair gasped, because right there, in the middle of the Chez Swank Hotel's expansive courtyard, was a two-story juggernaut of destruction. The monstrous machine towered over the Supers there, now seemingly powerless to stop him as the villain inside was using a strange ray-like contraption to drain all of their powers out. Mr. Incredible peered closer, getting a good look at the mustachioed man laughing maniacally with a cape and monocle, and then gasped.

"That's Baron Von Ruthless!" he bellowed, launching himself out of the car in an instant. "He's attacking the opening ceremony with his Mayhem Machine!" Mr. Incredible gritted his teeth in anger. Of all the luck, he had to show up! Harming his friends, and ruining his date! Well then, he would certainly pay! He began to charge towards the scene, when a pair of elastic arms suddenly wrapped themselves tightly around him, forcing him to stop.

"Hey, hey, hey! Wait a minute, stop!" Elastigirl cried out, holding him steadfast. "Sure, we have to stop him, but we also have to be smart about it too. Besides.... I still don't want folks to know we're dating yet..."

This made Mr. Incredible stop his struggling. He turned to look at her, the woman retracting her arms back into place at her sides. She gently bit at her bottom lip and averted his gaze, uncharacteristically shy. And that's when he remembered the promise he made her, upon their very first date: that she did not want their relationship out in the open. He remembered how teased Downburst had been when he quietly revealed his enamour with the Super Blazestone. She didn't want the same rumors to be floating around about them just yet. Yes, there was attraction, but they were not sure if things were going to get serious just yet. And so, keeping it on the hush was the best option at the moment.

He let out a breath and nodded. "Okay."

She returned the nod. "I have a plan...."

A few whispers into his ear later, coupled with some gestures for visualization, the two Supers had come up with a way to defeat the evil villain. Mr. Incredible prepared to run off again, but he was stopped once more by Elastigirl.

"Wait!"

He turned to look at her again, expecting her to add on some other detail she might have missed, but was surprised when she instead wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned in, and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. He blinked stunned, and she smirked.

"For good luck?" she said, patting his shoulder. "Now go, before the rest of the Supers get smashed."

Mr. Incredible smiled, catching her chin and tilting his head down to deposit his own quick kiss before heading off, his focus set. He had a notorious baddie to stop. And one amazing woman to help him do so.

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Things were looking quite grim in the courtyard. Supers, reduced practically to nothing more than regular civilians, ran amok, some running off to hide, others still trying to defeat the villain by throwing what they could at him - tables, chairs, food from the buffet. But all of it was useless against him.

"Fools!" Baron von Ruthless cried out. "Haven't you figured it out yet? My Mayhem Machine's ray neutralized your super abilities. You're powerless! How careless of you to all gather in one place like this. But it does make destroying you that much easier! Ha ha haaa!" He laughed out crazily.

Below, the Super Apogee looked up in dismay, struggling for the past few minutes to summon her solar-powers. "He's right," she admitted. "Our powers are gone... everybody run! "

She made to bolt, but Baron von Ruthless's Mayhem Machine slammed right in front of her before she could make a move.

"Ah, ah, ah, not so fast!" Baron said. "It's too late for that. Time to die , Supers!" He switched a lever, and one of the Mayhem Machine's large fists came flying down, ready to crush her and the other Supers in the vicinity. The heroes screwed their eyes shut, bracing for impact, when all of a sudden...

... BOOM!

Another fist met the Mayhem Machine's halfway in a thunderous collision that sent Baron and his machine careening backwards. The villain gave a startled cry, knocked about from his seating, and then looked up, slack-jawed when he saw the one Super who seemed to still have his powers.

"It looks like you were careless, too, Baron," Mr. Incredible said, hands on his hips and a growing smirk on his face. "You overlooked me. "

Baron von Ruthless narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Incredible! Got lucky, eh? But not lucky enough." He righted the machine back to its standing position and spoke confidently. "You see, even with your powers, you're no match for me! My Mayhem Machine is composed of the strongest titanium steel alloy, powered by a cold fusion reactor, lined with highly sophisticated microcircuitry..."

On and on, the Baron continued with his boasting, all of it going in one of Mr. Incredible's ears and out the other. He had had run-ins with the villain before, and if there was one thing he knew quite well about him was that Baron von Ruthless, like other super villains, loved to boast about his inventions and 'inevitable defeat' that he was sure to impose on the Supers. Elastigirl knew this too - which is why she was utilizing this time to her advantage. With the gigantic robot and its equally gigantic seams, she was able to flatten herself out and slip inside the machine. And, in tuning out Baron's rambling, he could hear that she was so far successful in tearing out every wire that she could find within it.

Mr. Incredible held in a chuckle. That foolish Baron, he thought to himself. He's practically drawing out a map for her of what to break!

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Baron von Ruthless reeled himself back to the moment. "... But enough talk! Now that the Mayhem Machine's ray has recharged, I'll neutralize your powers, and crush you like a bug!" He cackled, and went to press the button. But, instead of the whirring of the machine charging up for a powerful blast of power, it beeped angrily.

Baron gasped. " What? 'System Error'?! IMPOSSIBLE! Baron von Ruthless does not make errors!" He pressed down on the button with more force than before, again and again and again, getting the same result over and over and over.

Mr. Incredible watched with glee, the machine trembling uncontrollably now and sending out sparks. "Looks like you're having technical difficulties," he teased. "Have you tried turning it off? Oh, wait... let me!"

Rearing back his fist, Mr. Incredible charged full speed ahead at the robot, seeing Elastigirl slip out of the machine right as he packed a powerful, earth-shattering punch right onto it! The strong force did the trick, and the machine exploded into a dozen pieces, its parts soaring across the air in different directions. Screaming, Baron von Ruthless also flew through the air, caught by his cape before he landed on the ground by none other than Mr. Incredible himself.

As soon as the dust settled, and the Supers gathered enough of their senses, the cheering began.

"Whoa! Did you see that? Mr. Incredible just stopped Baron von Ruthless!"

"Woo-hoo! We're saved!"

"Yeah! Take that, Ruthless!"

Mr. Incredible basked in the praise, grinning as Frozone trotted up and patted his friend upon the back.

"That. Was. Incredible! " the cool Super exclaimed. "I mean, of course it was – you're Mr. Incredible!"

The hero chuckled and held up a hand. "Well, the thing is, Frozone, I didn't do it alone..." His gaze flicked to the side, searching out and finding Elastigirl. She was standing away from the crowd of Supers that had formed around Mr. Incredible and silently watching with pride. At the implication of her involvement though, she raised a finger to her lips in a shushing motion. He quickly reworded what he was going to say.

"-- ah, well, I mean, I know that I wouldn't have had to do it alone if you'd all had your powers.... which I'd imagine professor genius can restore by reverse-engineering the robot's technology."

Elastigirl nodded approvingly, a slick smile on her face. Oh, he had wanted to tell the others that it had been a team effort - wanted to let them know it was this amazing, beautiful Super who had done most of the work in defeating the so-called "Mayhem Machine." But, he respected her wish, and didn't disclose their collaboration. After all, it was still only just the beginning of their relationship.

Thankfully, the other Supers did not question him further on the matter and continued celebrating.

But for once, Mr. Incredible did not pay any mind to the applauds. He only had Elastigirl on his mind, a blush heating his cheeks at the epiphany that befell upon him at that moment. He loved her, with all his heart. He wanted to kiss her again, he wanted to hold her hand and show her how much she meant to him. And, perhaps one day, they really could tie the knot - settle down, and actually have a family of their own.

He grinned wider, the thought of potentially having a child that would carry on their legacy brightening the mood all the more. He flashed her a quick appreciative glance. But Elastigirl put her finger upon her lips again. Ah, right. As promised, he knew he had to take things slow, for her sake. He didn't want to make it seem as though they were rushing things through their fairly new relationship. She'd broken many hearts before... who's to say he'd be the one she'd stay with now? He silently hoped that she would choose him however - he couldn't imagine spending the rest of his life with anyone else, Super or Civilian.

Not only did they make a good team against villains, but Mr. Incredible knew that they would make a good team in life, too... and that they would do great things together.

Perhaps, he thought with a snicker, even incredible things.