Eclipse - The Incredibles

12. Change of Fate

Vivian sat in silence, noting things down at the rocket operation centre. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, Syndrome's presence still filled her with disgust. But was it complete disgust at him, or at the fact that she still loved him after that? She'd never felt so betrayed, for herself, and for their son. Did he find her weak for valuing the life they'd lost, still? 

"He's not weak, you know." Her heart spoke on its own. 

"What?" Syndrome raised his brow, turning around to face the woman who still had her back on him.

"Valuing life is not weakness." Vivian repeated, this time with conscious confidence. 

"Oh." Syndrome realized. "Hey, look, if you're talking about what happened at the containment unit, I had everything under control."

Vivian refused to hear it, and continued with her point. "And disregarding it is not strength."

Her voice was filled with venom, as she spat her vague symbolisme towards him. Syndrome wasn't sure what she was talking about right now. Was this truly about what happened with the super? Or was it something else? His brain was scrambling to understand.

But he'd done good right? He didn't panic, didn't cry. He held his composure and kept control. That's what they were supposed to do, right? It's what she would've, should've, done too. Outcries were for prisoners, not the guards. He had complete control over the situation, and he knew that Mr. Incredible could never have never killed her cold blood, it wasn't in his nature. And he'd been right, hadn't he? Vivian was still here, alive and well. Right?

"I called his bluff, sweetheart, that's all." Is what came out after all those thoughts, attempting to reconcile. "I knew he wouldn't have it in him to actually-"

The second his hand reached her chin, Vivian slapped it away. A gesture that was once so comforting, and loving, filled her with disgust. For the first time since they'd left the chamber, she looked Syndrome in the eyes, glaring at him.

Her hostility took him by surprise, as Vivian pushed him away from his attempts of affection. Her face furious like he'd never seen before, as she let that little bit of self-control slip away. But before she could explode, she closed her eyes, and let out a deep sigh. 

"Next time you gamble, bet your own life." She spat, before leaving the room.

Syndrome watched her figure depart with confusion. Her fists balled at her sides as she stomped to the exit. Had she wanted to hit him? 

That night, Vivian went to sleep alone.

---

Vivian was questioning everything that she'd ever thought before. After last night, her view of Mr. Incredible had completely changed. Before, she'd seen him as a tyrant, a brute of a man who would burst through anything and everything in a desperate need to be famous, worshipped by the public. 

But that man was still human, someone who had build a life after hero-work, who'd gotten married and had kids. Something that Vivian had been dying to do herself. What had stopped her? Oh, right, revenge. It all felt so stupid now. 

What would her father think of her now? 

Nevermind, she knew the answer: he would hate the person she had become.

Bibbers meowed, alerting her of an incoming voice-message. 

Vivian groaned. "Bibbers, if it's Syndrome I don't want to hear it."

Bibbers ignored her command. "Incoming voice-message, ID: 13918175."

"Mirage?" Vivian questioned, surprised.