<Brace Yourselves> {Tag: Dash, Imelda, Héctor}

[Deleted]

Helen Parr was feeling a bit annoyed today. It was nearly lunch time and her husband was no where to be found. Of course, that was okay and normal for the family of undercover superheroes, especially if Bob's undercover job or if hero work got in the way of lunch time as it did for even her sometimes.. but she ALWAYS would let her family know if she was running late or had to change lunch plans. Helen would ALWAYS let her family know where she was. The point being that if her husband had simply called and said something, she wouldn't have to wonder if she should wait for him or not! 

This is perfectly normal. Everything is gonna be fine. 

After about half an hour passed lunch time, Helen gave in with a disappointed sigh and decided to give her husband a call. Straight to voicemail. That's okay. "Hey honey..It's Helen.. I'm assuming that you're backed up from work? Call me if anything changes as far as lunch plans..I love you! Bye." The flexible supermom tried to be nice at first. She tried to be understanding. She wanted to be the supportive wife that would just understand her husband just forgetting to communicate. It's happened before, after all.. though the thoughts on the last time that happened was when he was around that good for nothing platinum blonde woman. Helen tried to shake off her own insecurities. No, we were passed that. That was over and done with. 

"Your dad's just running behind at work, we'll see him later for dinner, Dash." The auburn haired mother explained calmly to Dash as she finished making lunch for her kids, "Vi! Lunch is ready!" Helen called to her daughter as she sat Jack-Jack down in his baby seat to eat. "Vi! Lunch!" Helen called out with a frown over to the direction of where Vi's room was before giving a reluctant sigh, not believing she was going to ask this, but she didn't want to leave Jack Jack alone and hungry - that was a recipe for disaster as far as powers were concerned. "Dash.. can ya see if Vi has her headphones on?"  She asked reluctantly, knowing that this was going to end in a fight between Violet and Dash that she'd have to get between. The superheroine knew when to pick her battles though.. and somehow, she'd rather take that on than leaving a hungry one-year old boy alone with his sporadic powers. 

[Dash Parr]

Dash sat on the sofa, exploring the new TV channels and shows, as he had been since coming here, and watching Mom pace, but just waiting until lunch was ready.

Mom was pacing a lot though, and looked like she might be close to upset, but then that made sense, Dad was getting later and later by the moment. Off instinct, Dash turned the TV volume down on his own, and without Mom having to tell him to, as she called Dad to leave a message. Then he waited, telling himself he was not worried about where he could be, yet he'd sort of forgotten about his show, and kept glancing to his mother as she ended the call, not really expectantly...

"Your dad's just running behind at work, we'll see him later for dinner, Dash."

Dash gave a smile and nod that showed he hadn't been worried at all, and hopped up to go to the table as Mom called Vi (shutting off the TV as he did so). Except Vi didn't come.

"Dash.. can ya see if Vi has her headphones on?"

Mom paused like she wasn't fully comfortable with the idea, and for good reason! As shown when Dash's eyes went wide with the rare chance to actually almost bother his sister! Of course he knew he wasn't granted that much, and still couldn't actually be a pain to Vi. He nodded and then rushed to Vi's room, barging right past the closed door.

"Hey Vi, Mom...", as a few papers and such about the room, mostly near the door, settled from Dash's bursting in pace, the boy glanced around his sister's room, but could find her no where in it. "Vi...?", while he knew she was not just hiding under the bed or such, he still rushed about lifting things and checking that she truly wasn't in the room, though he already knew.

He then rushed back out to his mother, "She's...not in there". He wasn't worried, even now, but his voice showed his perplexity at this odd fact, though maybe she was just out with Dad. Maybe they were bringing back a surprise even!

[Deleted]

Helen lowered her eyelids with a frown on her deadpan expression at how excited Dash was for getting 'permission' to enter her room. That did not mean barging in unannounced, but of course Dash was going to take every opportunity to bother her sister. "Dash! Ya have to knock first!" Helen yelled after him, but she knew it was too late anyways - When it came to Dash, it was always faster done than said. Was it too much to ask to have some manners around here? Jack-Jack just gurgled a laugh as he wiggled excitedly in his high chair. His mommy made the funniest face! The tiny ginger tot tilted his head with anticipation in his grin as if he were curious as to where Dash disappeared to, relishing in his older brother's antics.

Any second now, the calmness of lunch time was about to give way to yelling around the house and chaos would ensue. 

Any second. 

When Dash returned without any yells resonating the entire hotel room or any demonstration of powers, the auburn haired mother raised an eyebrow at the perplexity revolving the stillness of the hotel room at this very moment. Well... even if the mother didn't want the chaos, it was almost weird that it actually didn't happen. Her cynical side knew that it would be too good to be true for them to suddenly have a growing moment between them, or at the very least for Violet not allowing her brother to affect her this time.. but her optimistic side hoped that maybe, given the two years that Vi's been here, that maybe that would change?  

"She's...not in there" 

"Oh.." Helen mulled on that for a minute with a confused expression, pondering on the last time she received a message from Vi needing to help a cast member out. "Huh, I thought she would've come back by now.." She murmured to herself quietly as she mused pensively, trying to recall what was said in the message. She didn't think it was going to take that long. "Guess I might've missed a text," Helen concluded, deciding to check on the message as soon as she finished feeding Jack-Jack. Helen normally didn't miss messages from her kids, even taking calls while on missions, but she knew that she wasn't perfect so it was possible that it was marked as read while she was changing Jack-Jack or something and she forgot to go back for it. In any case, the food would be out for Vi to have some if she joined in late, though perhaps she just missed a text from Vi just eating with friends like Mateo and Moana. She's a teenager; it happens. Helen made a note to herself to check the texts as soon as she was done with lunch; she had her two boys to attend to, one of which was particularly difficult when it came to eating the right kinda food, and she wasn't talking about the baby either. "Alright, let's finish your food, Dash..just because your father isn't joining us, doesn't excuse you from eating your vegetables.." Helen leaned over with a slight stretch to make sure that her oldest son had his serving side of vegetables along with his chicken. She then sat back down to continue feeding Jack-Jack. "Ommmmyumm.." The auburn haired mother cooed to her baby as she tried to get Jack-Jack to eat his food. "See? Jack-Jack likes the broccoli. No harm done.." She added with a smirk to Dash, proving that Jack-Jack wasn't exactly writhing around in agony for eating vegetables.   

(I left it up to you if you wanna continue the posts during lunch or if you wanna finish off lunch time with your post and do another activity. I'm fine either way! <3)

[Dash Parr]

As with all the times he and Vi were going at it, Dash only vaguely heard Mom remind him he had to knock first. and knew his sister would "get over" any annoyance over the fact that he didn't. Not that there wouldn't be chaos to be had. Even Dash expected it, and felt the oddness as he returned quietly, and alone,, to the main room.

"Oh..Huh, I thought she would've come back by now..Guess I might've missed a text,"

Mom's calm, if confused, words, and reasonable explanation, helped; even though Dash would say he wasn't worried.

"Alright, let's finish your food, Dash..just because your father isn't joining us, doesn't excuse you from eating your vegetables.."

Vegetables, and his mother's never ending struggle to get him to eat them took a bit of the focus after that. Dash gave the same kind of sigh he often did when the subject came around, scowling at his plate, and then glancing over as Mom fed Jack-Jack and threw out her comment.

Dash sent a mock scowl to his brother for being so compliant, but he was far too fond of his baby brother (of both his siblings, just he showed it different) to really do such and it was more it's own funny face shot at their youngest member.

"Yeah for now...", Dash admitted, watching his brother cautiously, "But who knows, he might explode in the next five seconds!". Of course both he and Mom knew that wouldn't happen, but still...a bit of spit up would prove his point! If not all out vomit! Dash realized, and he now watched his brother for any confirmation of his off the wall theory! And...to do anything but look at the vegetables on his plate.

He could only do such for so long though he knew, and soon begrudgingly stabbed a bit of broccoli and considered it. He gave a testing lick, and the gagged, "Broccoli was probably thought up in some Super Villain's lair...to torture small Super Children and make them weak...oh, I think it's already working...".

Melodramatically collapsing to under the table was actually not odd for a Parr family lunch, and Dash finished with asking Jack-Jack to avenge him before sitting again and somehow making it through lunch with...enough of the vegetables eaten. But not enjoyed.

Any other time and Dash would have hopped up to do other things with this duty done, but he couldn't help glancing to the door again and noticing that Dad and Vi still weren't back. He didn't say anything though. Not wanting to further remind Mom of the fact.

[Deleted]

John Jackson Parr didn't pay any mind to his daddy or his sister not being present. Not because he didn't care, it was just because the one year old had no concept of time, and he also knew that his family members would come and go all the time. It was like that since he could remember, which wasn't for very long, so this was not unfamiliar to him. All he slightly missed was the expectation that his brother was going to play around with his sister, much like Jack-Jack learned from Dash when he zapped himself into Violet's room and turned into his beast form to scare his sister. The ginger baby contently ate his broccoli with a tiny smug smile on his face upon hearing his mom say something positive about him. He didn't understand the whole sentence, but he understood it was a compliment, like Auntie Edna would do. Dash gave him a funny face, causing him to gurgle in amusement.

"Yeah for now...But who knows, he might explode in the next five seconds!"

Jack-Jack blinked in bewilderment, not understanding what was asked of him, not having learned all the code names for his powers yet like they taught him with the laser. However, he liked what Dash said so much in that enthusiastic way, the polymorph wanted to copy it! He narrowed his ginger eyebrows as he copied his older with enthusiasm: "Ee ma spohd nes pasen!" He tried to imitate "he might explode in the next five seconds!" but was not able to pronounce all the words correctly. Afterwards, he giggled in entertainment before he instantly stuffed a broccoli into his mouth and letting his four teeth tear into that. He liked biting strange textures, like wood or broccoli.

When his older brother suddenly made a weird noise and suddenly fell on the floor, all Jack-Jack did was blink with curiosity for what his brother was doing. It reminded him of funny how his sister acted one time when she did something to do the supersuit, but he didn't know what that was about either. Jack-Jack would have believed it to be as real as cartoons and felt himself floating up from the baby seat, when his mommy stretched and grabbed him, gently sitting him down in the baby seat again. That was when Jack-Jack looked to his mother, who didn't have a worry face. In fact, it was the same face she made earlier when Dash was going to play with Violet. "Pfft!" Jack-Jack blew a raspberry with his tongue and gurgled a laugh, green broccoli-infused drool seeping out of his lips; unbeknownst to him, it was the belated spittle that Dash requested earlier. 

[Deleted]

Helen was so thankful that Jack-Jack had no idea what all the words meant because if Dash had encouraged him to "explode" with the use of turning himself on fire or literally exploding into a firecracker firework, there would be a serious problem in the hotel room. "Dash.." The mother of three began her warning, a sigh escaping the superheroine's lips when she heard him go on to say that broccoli was invented by super villains.  

"Broccoli was probably thought up in some Super Villain's lair...to torture small Super Children and make them weak...oh, I think it's already working.."

The superpowered mother lowered her eyelids half-mast, the way she usually did when Dash would say these kinds of things. Of all things, now he was putting the blame on super villains when it came to broccoli! When her oldest son proceeded to fall down to the floor in a dramatic fashion, her deadpan expression didn't change. The things Dash would do to prove a point. He was no better than Bob's dramatic antics on these things. Helen was NOT encouraging this though, and she was almost thankful Bob wasn't around to further encourage it. "Alright, off the floor, Dash."  The tough mother ordered her oldest son to sit back down on the table to maintain her formal southern mannerisms at the table. Still, Helen couldn't help but have a tiny smirk at the corners of her lips out of amusement for Jack-Jack seeming to "avenge" Dash by drooling some green drool, before grabbing a napkin to wipe his drool from his mouth. "Every super's got a weakness that we all have to work on, sweetie. You're just gonna have to work on overcoming your weakness for broccoli, so ya might as well start now." Helen added, commenting towards broccoli being his supposed weakness. He wanted to go with that? Fine. He can work on being stronger against it. That was what Helen had to do against ice, thanks to practicing with fighting Frozone. Thankfully, Helen had the quickest agility out of Bob and Frozone to help her dodge the powerful attacks, but she still had to keep working on overcoming the coldest of temperatures if she were say, strapped to a chair? Yeah. She still didn't get over being mindcontrolled like that. Unlike Dash, Helen actually did have a villain use her weakness against her, and she never wanted her weakness to be used against her again. 

"It's your choice, sweetie. We can either stay in the hotel grounds and work on some flash cards with Jack-Jack, or we can all head out for some park attractions. That all depends on how much broccoli you get done." Helen left it up to Dash to decide based on how much broccoli he would eat. Little did Dash know, Helen's "flashcards" were actually a lot more than literal flashcards. Not only was she helping Jack-Jack identify objects, but she was trying to teach him to control his powers by having him identify his powers, like Edna did with the "pew pew" laser. She wasn't about to tell him that, though. He'll have to just figure it out one day. "That's what I thought," Helen smirked when Dash proceeded to eat more of his broccoli. Dash was all about going outside and going on rides. 

After washing the dishes, Helen packed their swim wear and the baby bag before placing Jack-Jack in the stroller, heading out with Dash to the Typhoon Lagoon water park. The water park was filled with plenty of fast moving slides and surf-based attractions there to choose from before they would head back to the hotel for dinner.  

(You can have them coming back from the water park).

[Dash Parr]

It didn't even occur to Dash he might have almost messed up, saying the word explode like he had, and with how Jack-Jack was known to do that at times...into his demon form. He chuckled as Jack-Jack copied him, or tried.

Mom's exasperated tone with him didn't phase him either. He was used to that too!

"Alright, off the floor, Dash."

The boy knew when to stop pushing it, though, and did as requested, using the table to steady himself as he stood back up and took his seat, but with a grin.

Dash had just been playing around, like he did, but apparently made it harder on himself with his comparisons of saying Broccoli probably came from Super Villains.

"Every super's got a weakness that we all have to work on, sweetie. You're just gonna have to work on overcoming your weakness for broccoli, so ya might as well start now."

How did Mom do that?! It was a normal sentence, and now suddenly Overcoming Broccoli was a set thing! Or set until Dash could somehow get her to forget...

Of course the concept of how Mom had actually had her weakness used against her went over his head, and since it hadn't personally happened to him yet, though his family was personal enough. He just didn't connect it to her actually meaning that.

"It's your choice, sweetie. We can either stay in the hotel grounds and work on some flash cards with Jack-Jack, or we can all head out for some park attractions. That all depends on how much broccoli you get done."

If Dash had known what the flashcards were! Even so, he wouldn't say getting to eventually do both, and still go out for rides now was a bad outcome, and it worked, in that Dash thought he wouldn't want to do flashcards. He started off eating his broccoli probably the slowest he'd done anything, but he then picked up a bit of pace in the interest of getting it over with and it was over soon enough, though he still left some like he did when "cleaning his plate".

"Ok done!", this time it was true!

<>

As they walked back, Dash shook out his hair once more to clear it of water that just came with water parks, but tried not to splash any people nearby or Mom or Jack-Jack. "That was way more fun than flashcards!", he then rushed ahead to get the door. "We're back!", he told the room at large, just expecting Dad and Vi to be back by now also. He didn't get an answer though and frowned slightly. This was getting odder.

[Deleted]

The day at Typhoon Lagoon did help Helen ease up a little about the absence of Violet and Bob, and she did end up having fun holding Jack-Jack in the slides while they both had their adrenaline rush. Jack-Jack's experience being held by Dash while running certainly helped Helen know that Jack-Jack could handle the lesser speed of the slides enough to do that. 

Helen Parr blinked upon seeing the place still empty and shared the same reaction Dash had, yet she tried to keep her head cool by taking a breath to clear the frustration that was starting to be pent up. "Alright, sweetie, watch over Jack-Jack while I make some dinner.." Helen asked Dash to watch Jack-Jack, hoping Dash would distract Jack-Jack with some entertainment or TV to keep him from doing any powers in the hotel. Once Jack-Jack got going with powers, he got going with all the powers; and Helen needed to focus on hearing back from Violet and Bob at the moment.

The auburn haired mother whipped out her phone while she walked to the kitchen, checking her phone if she missed any phone calls or texts, though she had been trying to check on it every half hour or so. No missed calls, or even a text! Her eyelids lowered as an annoyed frown tugged at her lips. She was definitely complaining to Imelda about this. Imelda was relatable in temper, but she was also wiser from her own experience with Héctor in helping Helen to just appreciate things more. That's right, calm down. Don't sweat the small stuff. Maybe her phone was glitchy. Helen turned it off and turned it on. Maybe that might reset whatever was preventing her from getting calls or texts.

"..Hey honey! It's been an entire day since I've heard from you.. You weren't gonna call?" Helen began after she finally relented within a few minutes of waiting and decided to leave another voicemail, "Just wanted to let ya know that dinner's almost ready. Bye honey, I love you.." Next, Helen called up Violet. Her frown further increased when she also got a voicemail. "Hey Vi, dinner's ready!" Helen fibbed just so that her daughter would come in sooner. She could excuse her husband being late because of work, but not her daughter from missing dinner. 

While she worked on dinner, 15 minutes went by. Helen checked her phone. No calls. No messages. Okay. Ringing Bob's phone sent her to voicemail again. Fine. "Hey Honey..Ya know I thought that one time when you didn't call me while I was away was just a fluke but.. should I be concerned about some sort of pattern here?" Helen tried to be nice about it, but there was admittedly a bit of a sarcastic edge in her voice when she said that. "I mean, is it too much to ask for you to call me once in a while?" She remarked a little more sardonically before sighing, trying to keep herself cool and understanding. "Seein' as ya missed lunch, you could at least let me know if you're running late for dinner..Bye honey, love you.." Alright, so there was a little more bite in that guilt trip than was necessary. She was annoyed though. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Helen that maybe Violet is more responsive with text messages. Of course, she was a teenager after all. Her text message was: "Vi. Dinner is ready."  

Helen had half a mind to think well they are missing dinner and that's the end of that! No, she should just try to keep cool; be appreciative. Be the ideal relationship that Imelda and Héctor have. Just give them time. It was 30 minutes later when dinner was finally finished. Another voicemail for Bob. "Bob, it's Helen again. Where are you?" Helen wondered inquisitively. Unfortunately, this did nothing for Helen's insecurities and not having any answers lead her to jump into conclusions for one. "Don't tell me that you went ahead and took on a new project without tellin' me.." Helen remarked, planting a hand on her shapely hip. "Because I TOLD you not to do that and then ya went around and did it anyway!" Helen accused, before softening up a little bit, remembering that the kids were around and not wanting them to overhear. Be understanding. Focus on being more like Imelda and Héctor. "I just don't see how that's so important right now that ya can't call me to let me know that you're gonna miss dinner!" She softly argued, not being able to stop herself from fuming. "And another thing.. why do I have to tell you to call me? I shouldn't have to initiate all the time! You need to initiate, Bob!" Helen yelled at the phone, wanting her husband to initiate instead of her having to call all the time, just like she had to do even when she was away on missions and he didn't even call her first. 

Yeah, that wasn't at all like the idea relationship goals that Imelda and Héctor were at.  A sigh escaped her lips. "I'll try to keep dinner warm 'til you get here. Bye, honey.."  A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she sent another text to Violet: Vi. Dinner. Now! Helen was very clear with how important not missing dinner was, so she knew with that message alone that Violet would understand that she was not happy right now.  "Dash, Jack-Jack, dinner!" Helen called out as gently as possible and walked over to see what they were up to.

[Dash Parr]

Dash's confusion over Dad and Vi still being gone was given it's own distraction as Mom asked him to watch over Jack-Jack. Maybe her plan, or...if something had happened...that would make him the man of the house now. No, nothing had happened! Dash told himself and, nodding, took Jack-Jack off to the main room to play Non-Powers-Inducing-Games.

He had plenty of made up games of that kind.

Mom called Dad on her phone, Dash knew that much but didn't really listen in, keeping Jack-Jack occupied. There was no update before she started dinner, but that probably meant good things. Mom would say if she'd found out things right? "Vi's gonna be in trouble when she gets home I bet", Dash whispered to Jack-Jack, sharing teasing his sister with his little brother helping him ignore that sense that everything about this was really really wrong. Not even Vi was this oblivious to the fact he'd stated and that she had to check in at least a bit, and Dad!

Dash helped Jack-Jack stack blocks (the normal boring way), chuckling with him as they toppled and before starting another tower. He then noticed a bit of spit up coming out of his brother. "Oh, hold on I'll get ya a tissue". Dash rose and walked over to towards the kitchen.

"Bob, it's Helen again. Where are you?"

Mom's theoretical question to Dad reminded Dash that they were trying to find him, not that he'd actually forgotten. Still that worry he didn't need any help with got a bit worse at that worry in Mom's tone. He should just leave it and go back, go find a tissue somewhere else.

"Don't tell me that you went ahead and took on a new project without tellin' me..Because I TOLD you not to do that and then ya went around and did it anyway!"

Dash wasn't the one being yelled at, and he flinched. Mom was still talking though, so Dash zoomed through to quickly grab the tissue and then zoom out.

"Ok, here we go!", though he was now officially worried, Dash grinned, putting on a brave face for Jack-Jack the way Mom did for him and them. He wiped at his brother's face. Mom called not too long after for them and that dinner was ready. Dash wasn't sure if she'd noticed, or would bring up, his getting the tissue, but he didn't bring it up, just picking up Jack-Jack and pretending like nothing was up, though he was sure curiosity was written all over his face at Dad and Vi still not being here...

The fact that Dash could feel the tension was proven when he ate one carrot without any prompting. It took him a few minutes still to decide to do such, but he did. Then he'd had it with pretending. He and Vi confronted when they knew stuff was up after all! He put his fork down. "Ok, what's up? Dad and Vi don't ignore like this, are...did they...", it still took Dash a while to decide to say the word, and he glanced to Jack-Jack and then back to Mom but decided it wouldn't do any of them any good to not say it. "Did they disappear? Not...not Vi's...normal one, but...". Dash cut off his tendency to begin rambling.

It was actually a pretty easy explanation for the boy. It was another option along with coming here. Going back.

<<Hope it makes sense/works for Dash to stumble upon this. Kids are like that at times and maybe it's still just a suspicion until Elsa confirms>>

[Deleted]

The frustrated Helen Parr was all about Bob climbing ladders and taking on projects, but the last time he took on a new project without getting into the specifics, it was all a lie. The least that Bob could do was tell her what the specifics were instead of going behind her back like this again. The really troublesome thing was that Vi was also involved, though she dreaded to think that they were both connected. The next thing for Helen to do was to call the job, which was something she dreaded to do only because last time she did that, she also received upsetting news, but she planned to do that as soon as dinner was over. 

Much like Helen had allowed her thoughts to distract her while she was at the reception from supposedly catching the "Screenslaver" from an instinct that actually lead her to uncovering the truth, she barely registered whatever Dash was up to and took Jack-Jack from his arms to place him in the high chair to feed him. It was like an automatic thing while her mind raced through the last conversations that she had with Bob and Violet, trying to piece any kind of evidence of their whereabouts. She didn't even notice how quiet she was. Much like she did in previous occasions, Helen avoided the subject. It wasn't the kinda thing that she wanted to discuss over dinner simply because the last thing she wanted to do to end this day was to spoil dinner over worrying for something that she wasn't even 100% sure on.

Helen tried to focus on being present though, just focus on eating the dinner while it was hot. Unfortunately, Dash confirmed that he definitely seemed to catch on when he put the utensil down and made that proclamation. The auburn haired mother that was feeding Jack-Jack without even any funny faces this time, turned her head and raised an eyebrow at Dash. It seemed that Dash caught on to a lot more than she thought in terms of how they were ignoring the phone calls, when they normally don't do that. Then, Dash finally said the one thing her mind did NOT want to venture to:

"Did they disappear?".

Helen parted her lips for only a split second, caught off guard with the dreadful thought that hit her like a ton of missiles, before her expression hardened, her mouth forming a straight line. "We don’t know that," she reminded him as-a-matter-of-factly, focusing on her food as if it was the best meal she'd ever made. It wasn't, but she was trying to keep her thoughts clear from being emotional. She had to just stick with the facts. Still, a sigh escaped her lips, acknowledging that Vi and Dash were always known to have this on their minds like anything else that seemed to be a conflicting issue. "Remember those mystery crime cartoons, where they had to split up to find clues in order to solve the mystery?" Helen asked with a softened voice as she raised an eyebrow at Dash, wondering if he knew what she was talking about. "They do that because you don't have a good case if you don't have any proof of what happened." She wasn't sure if Dash knew that bit or not, given that he mostly knew cartoons and he hadn't really solved an actual crime before with the finding of clues yet. "Right now, sweetie, we don't have all the facts, so we really don't have much to go on.." She hoped that it was enough for her little boy to understand that anything could happen; that there were different possible ways that something could've happened instead of that particular reason. After all, she still hadn't called the job yet, though after noticing that Dash pretty much overheard her conversation, she wondered if maybe she should just investigate the clues herself before worrying her son like this. 

"How bout we find a movie to watch with Jack-Jack?" Helen decided as soon as dinner was over and the plates were put away. "Go ahead and pick something to watch, sweetie.." She helped Jack-Jack out of the high chair, giving Dash the rights to the remote for him to choose a movie to watch. "I'll be there in a minute..I have to do the dishes.." Helen turned away to the kitchen to clean the dishes, which was easy to do given the little food they made. Helen checked on the phone, then deliberated on what to do as she stared up at the ceiling with a bite of her lower lip. Finally, she relented and decided to call on someone for help, which was one of her closest friends. 

"Hello?..oh, is this Héctor? Yeah, it’s Helen..Hi.. yeah..yeah, it-it’s so nice hearin’ from you, too.. hey, listen, can you um pass the phone to Imelda please?" Helen tried to sound warm, but she probably sounded a little overwhelmed over the phone. She hoped it wasn't noticeable though. The auburn haired mother thanked Imelda's husband when he agreed to pass the phone to Imelda and paused with a raise of an eyebrow when she heard a mumbling that she couldn't hear over the phone before Imelda answered. "Hey Imelda..how is everything? Aw that's great.. no, yeah..everything's..fine.." A pause occurred and a sigh took it's place. "Listen, I'm sorry this is so late.. but you know I wouldn't bother you and your family if it wasn't important..do ya have a minute?" As soon as she'd allow it, Helen planned to tell her what was going on in hopes if maybe Imelda could calm her insecurities. She didn't want to venture to say if they could come over, but if they did, then it would really help her find some more evidence on the whereabouts of her husband and daughter.  

[Deleted]

Jack-Jack didn't know what was happening, though the polymorph did smile when his older brother did. He loved copying his older brother, even his expressions. His favorite was being entertained by Dash's playing of blocks. Although Jack-Jack would have done it fast to copy his brother doing it fast, his brother did it the normal way this time, so he wasn't possessed with showing off either. That would have struck him as odd, his brother not being fast this time or trying to get away with it.. but it only lasted for a few pensive seconds; his limited attention didn't allow him for much time to ponder and he ended up being too entertained by the blocks. He giggled hearing her brother say something about Violet and trouble, which was said in a teasing tone. Jack-Jack loved teasing his older sister for fun too, and Dash was certainly to blame for the influence. "Buhbuh.." He mused when Dash disappeared and then came back with a tissue to wipe him, smiling in amusement after his older brother helped him out with that. 

As soon as dinner was ready, Jack-Jack copied the environment and ate quietly. Then, the baby boy watched with intrigue from his high chair when Dash's utensil was set down. He gave his older brother his fullest attention, or as attentive as he could be, given how limited that was. This time, Jack-Jack wasn't too distracted though because Dash spoke about daddy and his sister Violet, that much he understood. He wondered where they were. Jack-Jack blinked with curiosity in his parted mouth when Dash exchanged a look with him, though he didn't know what that meant. Dash mentioned the word "disappeared" which the baby heard various times around Violet. He smiled in bewilderment over to his mom, before it parted his little mouth again in confusion at his mom's stiffened reaction until she softened again when she spoke. Jack-Jack glanced over at Dash, before his attention drew down to his carrot, causing him to begin biting into a large carrot that his mom had set off as a side after eating his food. His mommy did that when she found out how much he liked to bite things, and it helped with his teething.

By the time that his mommy mentioned his name again, Jack-Jack's drool was becoming orange when he was biting away at the carrot before he paused and glanced over at Dash after he was helped off the high chair by his mommy. "Dah dah!" He gurgled with glee upon seeing his brother with the remote! The intelligent baby knew that the remote would turn on the TV, so he was filled with hope that his older brother would put on the TV! He loved watching crime shows! Jack-Jack was too distracted by the prospects of the TV to wonder where his mom disappeared off to for the moment. 

[Dash Parr]

Mom looked stunned by what he said; and then stern. Not so much at him for suggesting it, but going on to quickly state that they didn't know that. Dash might have sighed, but Mom went on to explain.

"Remember those mystery crime cartoons, where they had to split up to find clues in order to solve the mystery?"

It was the easiest thing for Dash to relate to. Television. She had done the same back on the island, and when explaining the importance of keeping their identities a secret; and mostly for him, Dash had realized even then. Vi could have understood a simple explanation of it being dangerous, though the example had helped her too.

Dash nodded, thinking on some of them. She probably mostly meant Scooby Doo, though Johnny Quest had some elements of figuring out who was behind stuff in some of the episodes*. Dash had also caught up on some of the more modern cartoons while in the varying hotel rooms.

"They do that because you don't have a good case if you don't have any proof of what happened."

Dash sighed again, but he didn't want to believe his explanation, so he just nodded.

"Right now, sweetie, we don't have all the facts, so we really don't have much to go on.."

"So...they could just be late...and come back?", the question, rhetorical as it was, left Dash's mouth before he could stop it, though he ducked his gaze to his plate again, curbing Mom having to answer, and got to eating his carrot.

Still, it was obvious Mom was trying to put him (and Jack-Jack no doubt) at ease with her suggestion of picking a movie, and Dash's choice that sprang to mind was sort of odd, he supposed. "How about one of the other superhero ones? Uh, I'll pick something that won't make Jack-Jack copy, but...I like comparing what we can do better!". Dash almost sounded like his old self, with none of the worry that had settled over him. He then went and scanned the "modern supers" movies (all right on the TV!) to pick one while Mom washed the dishes.

"I like the other guy better", Dash told Jack-Jack, "And Miss E's right, capes are weird!"

{*I actually haven't seen Jonny Quest so that's a guess}

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda was working at a particularly difficult seam in a shoe when Helen called. Not that it made one difference in her response time, just that was what she was doing when the phone rang; so it had time to ring and for Héctor to decide to help out and get it.

As she did, and not to insult all her husband did do to help her, just unable to help herself, with her take-charge demeanor, she turned some of her attention to the subsequent conversation. That was how she found out it was Helen calling before Héctor came to predictably hand her the phone.

He seemed to detect something off though.* Imelda took the phone with a small frown. ”Hello? Helen, yes...everything’s good...”, but even as Imelda answered the honestly asked question, she could tell there was something off about how it had been asked. Almost distractedly.

Her own maternal instincts heightened. Something was up...

A fact Helen went on to confirm by asking if they could come over, or her at the least. ”Of course”, she answered, ”We'll be right over”, she for-warned Helen Héctor would be coming with, as it were; because she already knew he would. She then hung up, and faced Héctor again. ”Something’s up; and I only said you’re coming because...well I know you”. It was meant as a compliment but came out like much of what Imelda said.

Going over to the Parrs was also just easier with little Jack-Jack. Rosa and Miguel would be fine for a little bit.

<>

”Where should we talk?”, Imelda’s first question upon their arrival might have seemed off topic and dismissive, but it was in fact the opposite.

Once they were settled, she gave her friend an open but searching look, ”Alright tell me what’s up?”. The fact that she’d already noticed Bob and Violet weren’t there when Héctor settled on the couch with the boys didn’t mean Imelda assumed anything.

[Deleted]

Héctor didn't pretend to think that he understood Helen all that well, at least not in comparison to how much Imelda knew her. Yet he did have a knack for noticing some things, like the change of intonations in a voice or the way people fidgeted if they were nervous before a performance. In this case, it just seemed that something was off about Helen's voice. She wasn't sounding very sure of herself, almost like Miguel was before his first performance at the Talent Show contest. Still, he could be wrong, and usually was, so he conceded with Helen's request and gave the phone to Imelda but not without mentioning his concern that this was important for her to take.

It seemed that Imelda noticed it, too, just by concentrating on how her expression changed when she spoke to Helen on the phone. He was so glued to what it was on the phone, lingering behind or beside her to see what was wrong, especially when Imelda said "we" as if to include him as well! They were coming over? Imelda obviously read his inquisitive expression by answering that something was wrong. A concern frown tugged at his skeletal mouth until Imelda said the reason why she also included him. Héctor responded with a sheepish grin and a helpless shrug, not really being able to help that. He never liked leaving her alone. His expression later faltered to one of concern though. It was true that he didn't want to leave her side, but in this case, it was also because.. he really cared about that family.

Héctor made sure that Miguel and Rosa Linda were alright by themselves, though he knew they could be on their own, he just wanted to inform them that they would be visiting the Parrs and will be back soon. He also needed to sneak something from the kitchen. As soon as they arrived to the hotel of the Parrs, he greeted Helen, but noticed that Bob was missing. Usually Violet was in her room, sometimes literally, but it wasn't like Helen and Bob to not be in the same room together. Perhaps Bob and Helen were in a big fight? In any case, the biggest concern for Héctor was noticing that Dash and what appeared to be Jack Jack were watching TV by themselves. The fatherly skeleton was immediately drawn to the kids without even realizing that this was what his role was meant to be when he came with Imelda in the first place. Perhaps that's because... that's what he would do, if those were his kids. Then again, he wasn't one to talk.. he did just leave his family behind all those years ago, so maybe it was just him wanting things to be different. 
 
"Hey correcaminos!" The skeletal musician greeted the blonde child sitting on the couch. "Mind if I join you?" He asked, though he sat at the couch anyways without waiting for an answer. He glimpsed around and noticed that Imelda had already walked away with Helen. "Oye..psst! I got something for you!" With a sly smile, he swiftly snuck out a pan dulce from his vest pocket, placed it on his hat, then tossed his hat with the pan dulce on Dash's lap. It was as if it were payment in exchange for sitting with him, though he knew that Dash would have let him sit without payment. He just wanted to give it to him. While that happened, Héctor cleverly distracted Jack Jack from seeing the pan dulce by scooping him up. "Ey! Como estas, gordito lindo? (How are you, adorable chubby one?)" He scooped up the ginger one year old in his arms, gushing at how adorable he was. Gordito was a sweet pet name in their culture, but he mostly used it for any living person that wasn't feather-like bony like him, given that they had skin, muscle, organs..things about the living that he missed. "You miss me? Yes! Ah, you just made my night, gordito! Here, sit with me!"  The skeleton grinned enthusiastically as he helped Jack Jack to sit on the bony lap of his striped brown pants with his skeleton hands closely by him to steady him. 

"What are we watching?" Héctor asked curiously of Dash until he quickly got the gist of it upon seeing a man in a cape, "Ohh, superheroes. I never got to see this one!" Normally, the Mexican skeleton was used to seeing wrestlers like El Santo being like "superheroes," where he heard that the wrestler donned the mask and cape and fought vampires and such in those films that he never bothered to watch.. though he might just for Miguel and for Coco, now that he knew that he liked luchadores and that Coco was involved. He tried not to think about that dumb former friend of his that pretended to be a superhero in his films, too.  "Look at that fancy cape.." He commented, though he wasn't really impressed with fancy accessories. The only time he cared to know those details was when he needed to complete a costume, just like Frida's rings and earrings did. "Eh, I don't know.. they still look the same as luchadores!" He shrugged, not really noticing much of a difference. "At least you really stand out with your costume - eh, I mean uniform!" He learned not to call them costumes when they were the real things. He was used to calling them costumes only because that was what dressing up was like for him, and let's just say that he had a history of dressing up a lot. He liked Dash's uniform wear. He really stood out for not wearing a fancy cape. Maybe that's why they didn't wear one? To stand out? 

"You watch these superhero movies to learn all about them, no?" The raven haired skeleton asked with a smile. Miguel was the same with that dumb rat ex-musician when he would know all of that man's films by heart, though he had to admit that it's what lead him to the truth. Even Héctor could admit that he was the same when he was young. He wanted to learn everything he could about the other musicians. That was before he learned better though. 

[Deleted]

"Oh, hey Imelda! Héctor, nice to see you again." Helen had greeted the Riveras as soon as she answered the door quickly upon hearing the doorbell.

”Where should we talk?”,

The auburn haired stay-at-home mother blinked at Imelda's direct question on getting right down to the point. It wasn't far off from how Edna would be, or even herself as Elastigirl, but it's probably what she needed right now. "Oh, uhm.. hang on.." Helen turned her attention to her two boys on the couch with an apologetic smile. "Dash, sweetie? I'll have to get a rain check on that movie, sorry about that..but go ahead and watch it with Héctor while I talk to Imelda for a few minutes since they came all this way. Hey, why don't you tell him more about all those supers that you like?" Ever since Bob became present in their lives again, he never missed out on watching these superhero movies with Dash. She hoped that Héctor would at least be able to distract Dash a little from all of this confusion until she'd get answers. Hopefully Dash would figure that they just came for a visit and nothing more on that. Imelda and Helen did like to talk on their own, so it wasn't too out of the norm. 

As soon as they moved to the balcony of Helen's bedroom, Imelda asked directly what was going on. "Bob and Vi.. they um..they haven't returned home.." Boy, was that a hard pill to swallow, "I-I'm sure they're fine, they're just... busy..too occupied to answer their phones.." There was a snarkiness in her comment that gave way to her insecurities when trying to come up with an optimistic reason for all of this. A part of her was annoyed, but another part was genuinely concerned that something was wrong but trying to mask it with hopefulness. Her face softened again as she began to reveal her thoughts. Helen usually tried to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially Bob considering that she had done this before despite the glaring facts around her that it appeared that he was seeing another woman. 

"Bob's.. done this before, but.. I thought it was different now, ya know? I thought things were well enough where we don't keep things from each other anymore..Anyways, you'd think the LEAST he could do is tell me that he's busy considering everything that's happened." Helen's insecurities were getting the best of her again thanks to Bob's last antics with disappearing and suddenly finding her in the arms of a platinum blonde woman. She loved Bob and was happy that it wasn't the case, but she still couldn't help but feel insecure about him being so easily swayed by her. 

"And Vi.." Helen sighed with a shake of her head, her lips forming a thin line that was just as clueless about the whereabouts of her daughter. "I dunno if she's with him, but she's also done things on her own before.." Helen paused with a small reminiscent smile, "Did I ever tell you that she and Dash saved me and Bob from being mind controlled through an entire night? And you know teenagers, once her mind is made up, not even I can get her to back down." A sigh escaped her lips that formed a sad smile, one that appreciated her rebellious daughter for who she was, but one that was just sad that she had no idea what was going on.

"..But um...they'll be back before we know it and I'll just feel like I've just been..um...worrying over...nothing.." Helen spoke again in her attempts to view this as optimistic as possible, her voice cracking a bit towards the end while she had tears in her eyes. The fact that she felt so useless was getting to the undercover super that just wanted answers.  

[Dash Parr]

"Hey correcaminos! Mind if I join you?"

Mom's suggestion, and getting him interested in the Super movies, and not so focused on how his father wasn't here, had worked and Dash didn't notice Mr. Héctor come in until he spoke! Mom also said she'd take a rain check on the movie, and Dash just nodded. He was also about to say that, no, he didn't mind if Héctor joined him, when the skeleton tossed something his way, with a small whisper of it being a secret, even if he didn't actually say the words. The tone communicated that much.

Dash glanced to the hat, and next grinned. Thankfully for Héctor he went along with keeping it a secret from both Mom and Jack-Jack and didn't say what he was thinking of Oh yay a Cookie/Doughnut! He sometimes referred to them as the one dessert he was used to, and sometimes the other. Both were wrong, of course, but the American boy kept forgetting.

It bothered Dash a bit, not sharing, but...Jack-Jack and cookies were tricky. Mr. Héctor probably recalled that from the last time he'd babysat!*

Dash just finished the treat in the time Héctor bought him by keeping Jack-Jack entertained. The fun skeleton then asked what they were watching, before seeming to figure it out.

"Ohh, superheroes. I never got to see this one!"

"Yeah, it's a good one", Dash responded.

"Look at that fancy cape.."

Dash nodded, "We don't have capes anymore, real Supers you know, 'cause Miss E says they are dangerous, and they are". Dash, thankfully, didn't know about all of the details of all of the accidents from his parent's old days, but he knew enough to agree!

"Eh, I don't know.. they still look the same as luchadores!"

"lunch-whatys?", Dash asked, trying to grasp the further foreign word.

At Héctor's words about his "uniform", Dash just grinned, pleased by the compliment.

"You watch these superhero movies to learn all about them, no?"

The boy shrugged, "Sometimes...to sort of compare, yeah, but we also know what we're doing, and they don't get everything right, so you can't go off everything", he explained.

They watched a bit more of the movie, and then Dash side glanced over to Héctor again, glancing to Jack-Jack also. He didn't want to bring it back up and upset his brother...in-case he was upset by such and just didn't show it. Standing on the couch a bit, he leaned over to whisper. He had avoided the thought for a while, but it came back around, as it was likely to do. "Something's up", Dash whispered to Héctor, like he wasn't aware, "Mom can't get a hold of Dad or Vi and I think it worries her though she won't say it does, you know?". After whispering this, and though he otherwise looked fine and not worried himself, Dash watched Héctor like he was waiting on the skeleton to give him some all-encompassing adult answer that fixed everything. Because in a way he was, and it was why he brought it up.

Mr. Héctor was smart. He had to have some answer or fix Dash hadn't thought of right? And not that he didn't trust his mother's own.

<<*I think they would have babysat by now. Maybe>>

[Mamá Imelda]

For all her forward manner, and just in helping Helen, Imelda also knew how to subtly keep kids out of bigger adult problems. Unfortunately she had become an expert at keeping Coco distracted at birthdays, or even just smaller events Héctor would miss before his disappearing and because Ernesto convinced him again that it would be best for him.

Imelda shut down her thoughts before they could distract too much. She was here for Helen, and everything had fixed itself, for the most part, and Ernesto would never bother them again. She would make sure of it!

Still there was something bittersweet in Héctor being able to be there for Dash now and his determination to do such, no doubt, because...Coco had once lacked that.

Not that Imelda knew her instincts were so on point just yet, though she also had a feeling of the ballpark of what was wrong. Even as she told her own self, for Helen's sake, that she was probably wrong.

"Bob and Vi.. they um..they haven't returned home.."

Imelda knew those words took a lot more strength than they perhaps seemed like they did, just to say out-loud. Knew from her own logic that as long as you didn't say it out-loud, it wasn't true. A foolish thought, but one worried wives were prone to. She almost hated to be the one to make Helen say it, though she also knew this wasn't on her and the woman would have to come to terms with it in some way.

Better to have friends there when she did.

"I-I'm sure they're fine, they're just... busy..too occupied to answer their phones.."

There it was, the shielding anger or snark. Imelda knew all about that too. By now the neighbors would have been giving Imelda advice, in her situation, and though she was tempted to on her own end, Imelda knew Helen's situation enough (even with the differences and when she didn't) to let her go on.

"Bob's.. done this before, but.. I thought it was different now, ya know? I thought things were well enough where we don't keep things from each other anymore..Anyways, you'd think the LEAST he could do is tell me that he's busy considering everything that's happened."

This was all starting to sting her too. It was too similar, and she understood too well.

The way Imelda saw it, though, for both of them to be gone made this extremely odd. Coco had not joined her and Héctor here in the parks yet, but Imelda had been becoming used to all the ways her daughter and husband were similar. Had seen it all along in Coco's growing up also, but seeing it side by side was also a new experience.

Their tendency to both get distracted was semi-known, but not a full annoyance just yet, or hadn't resulted in an issue when she couldn't find them; but even she knew that was not the same as what Helen had apparently been dealing with, and attempting to contact both and having both not respond!

"Did I ever tell you that she and Dash saved me and Bob from being mind controlled through an entire night? And you know teenagers, once her mind is made up, not even I can get her to back down."

Imelda smiled appreciatively, smallish given the atmosphere, but aiding by it as well; and understanding on how odd that was that the girl's mother wouldn't be listened to, and since she and Helen both shared and...firmness with getting their ways and with their husband's looser reigns on things. "They truly are remarkable", she agreed.

Despite the comparison of before, Héctor still didn't know Bob as well as she knew Helen, and right now Imelda sort of wished he did so he would maybe have some insight he could share on what might be going on (though a suspicion was starting to form, and much as Imelda had long ago learned the dangers of suspicions).

"..But um...they'll be back before we know it and I'll just feel like I've just been..um...worrying over...nothing.."

Hearing her friend's voice crack, Imelda gently walked up to place a hand at her shoulder, and as Helen was used to her skeleton form by now. She didn't know what words would help, but she knew which ones wouldn't; much the same as she'd once been given.

"I'm...not sure it helps...", Imelda went on after a while, maybe just thinking Bob was ignoring Helen was the easier answer, as in some ways her thinking Héctor had left was easier than finding...he'd been murdered. "And I can't say I know them all that well, but...It strikes me as odd for Bob and Vi to both ignore you like that, and when, as you say, you've made such a point to lay down rules with them both...".

Imelda hated that she had to be pragmatic sometimes.

She sighed, but they couldn't prove anything right now, as Helen had unknowingly told Dash. "I'll of course ask around and I'm sure...", she cut off giving false assurances she had no assurance on. No cause turning into the neighbors she criticized!.

"Actually I'm not sure of much, so I won't say I'm sure of anything. I know too well about that", she went on. All she did have at this moment, she felt, was offering Helen a hug, which she did.

[Deleted]

Usually attentive to expressions, Héctor didn't miss the expression Dash wore when he saw that pan dulce for him. It just made a warm smile spread across his skeletal features. He wasn't sure if it was really allowed with Helen, but that was worth getting in trouble for. Thankfully Dash didn't give anything away, since part of the secrecy was also for Jack Jack; he learned not to mess with Jack Jack and cookies this time. Héctor learned that sometimes you just got to pick your battles and he didn't feel like handling that one with the cookies; actually, he could do without that happening ever again.

Héctor cocked an eye socket curiously when Dash commented that Edna viewed capes as dangerous. "Dangerous? Why are they dangerous?" He asked, wondering what could be the reason for it. The luchadores wore the capes all the time. Still, he nodded in understanding with what Dash said was not true about the movie regarding supers wearing capes. He could understand that, given how many inconsistencies were with Ernesto's films.

"Lunch-whatys?"

"Haha! You always think with your stomach, Güerito?" The slender skeleton remarked playfully with a teasing nudge. "You mean luchadores! You know, like in professional wrestling?" He knew that the boy knew what professional wrestling was at least. After all, he used to think Helen was a professional wrestler when they first met as part of his first impression of someone wearing a super suit. He glanced down at Jack-Jack with a warm smile as the baby began playing with his bony hand.

"Something's up,"

This caught Héctor's interest enough for him to glance up at Dash again. At first, he wasn't sure if Dash was referring to the suspense in the movie, or if he was talking about the actual situation at hand. "Okay, what's up, Güerito?" The ancient skeleton asked casually as he propped up a pillow on his lap to help Jack-Jack get more comfortable, talking to him in the casual way he would talk to his fake family or friends. It wasn't one of pretending to think something wasn't up, but because he genuinely didn't know the details. Either way, he'd lend a listening ear.. or what was left of it anyway.

"Mom can't get a hold often Dad or Vi and I think it worries her though she won't say it does, you know?"

Héctor's eyesockets rose and tilted upward over his widened eyes of amazement. He had no idea that Bob and Violet were missing in that way, especially Helen's little girl, Violet! No wonder Helen called Imelda up. He wouldn't know what to do if his daughter went missing - though perhaps.. he did, in a way, grow to be desperate and a little bit crazy without being able to see Coco. Still, up until now, the skeletal father never knew how perceptive kids were. At least, not in person all that much. Miguel was perceptive when he wanted to be; when he wasn't being stubborn about something that he set out to do. But Dash.. he truly sensed something was wrong. Suddenly, guilt began to settle into his metaphoric throat. Imelda did say she tried to cover for him at the beginning when Coco asked about where he was.. Was this how Coco felt with Imelda? Was this what Imelda had to deal with?

"Ohh.. I think you're right about that," The skeletal musician quietly ventured to say truthfully, usually one to be bluntly honest unless he were trying to get away from getting into trouble. He just didn't see any sense in pretending that something wasn't off about not being able to contact someone. After all, when he stopped contacting, it was because he died. He flickered his eyes off to the side. Was that the right thing to say? Ay, he wished Imelda were here. He didn't know what helped! But maybe.. Imelda was in the same position at first, trying to figure out the right words to say to Coco.. oh, the thought of what his wife had to go through was one thing, but actually experiencing it made it so hard on a whole other level!

"Ey, but don't you do the same thing for your hermanito?" Héctor pointed out bluntly in a whisper that Dash did the same thing as he stared at the TV screen again. He wanted to show to Dash that Helen wasn't telling Dash that she was worried because she was doing it for bad reasons, and it was probably the same reason that Dash had for not telling Jack Jack; Dash didn't want to worry Jack Jack in the same way Helen didn't want to worry Dash.

"You know? I think I know one difference now.. between the superheroes and the luchadores.." The tall skeleton added with a smile as he continued to watch the film. "These superheroes, they look out for each other, no? Even if one of them needs help, they still got someone else fighting on their side..someone to back them up.." He noted, watching the superhero team up on the film. "They're almost like..family." He glimpsed over at Dash curiously. "Is that what the other superheroes do in real life?" He asked, wanting to know if the other supers do this in real life or if this was just another thing in the films that was fantasy, like wearing capes.

[Deleted]

The entire time Helen spoke her thoughts and emotions out, Imelda just listened. Given the way Edna would smack her for having these thoughts, Helen had to say it was a nice change of pace. Given that she didn't have family support of her own, it was different to have it now. It was nice.

"And I can't say I know them all that well, but...It strikes me as odd for Bob and Vi to both ignore you like that, and when, as you say, you've made such a point to lay down rules with them both...".

"Yeah..except her and Dash already did that when they snuck aboard my plane, even after I told 'em to stay put to watch over Jack Jack!" Helen tossed her a wry look, almost figuring just what Imelda would think about that. She didn't like it either, though it ended up being a learning experience for both of them - the hard way- putting them in a risky environment wasn't exactly the way she would have wanted to go about it. "...Just like Bob did when he snuck behind my back.." Helen sighed in frustration, raising her head up to the heavens for patience. They were both like Bob in that way. It wasn't that she was frustrated that they were like him, but she was frustrated because she wasn't sure if this situation was the same as the last time since this all happened before. "If I hadn't caught them -" She began, though she scoffed at the thought of it. "Huh, then again, I'd like to think I would've caught 'em regardless," She confidently smirked at her. Call it a motherly instinct, but they were always bound to get caught at some point.

Helen appreciated that Imelda didn't want to make promises, which is something the realistic Helen would've said in her position. Still, she appreciated the comforting embrace. "Thanks, Imelda," Helen said as she embraced the skeletal woman back, not uncomfortable for an instant given her elastic body being able to mold onto any shape. "I think.. I need to go after them. I gotta be sure.." Helen mused on her decision to go out as Elastigirl, though she glanced over at Imelda to see if that was something she would do in her position.  

"Am I being a good wife or a-a good mom doing this? I mean, shouldn't I just trust that they're okay?" Helen expressed her insecurities to Imelda. "But I can't just wait around in the sidelines if I stay.. if they are in trouble, I might not be able to save 'em in time!" There was the heroine spark that Helen usually held as Elastigirl. They were at war with each other. "I don't know what to do!" Suddenly, tears began to roll down her eyes, similar to how she couldn't keep it together when she thought she was losing Bob. As strong as Helen tried to be for her family, and as much of a "super" as she may be, she was still a mother and a wife just like anyone else. 

[Dash Parr]

"Dangerous? Why are they dangerous?"

Dash had thankfully not heard some of the less savory stories about instances of trouble with capes, but he knew enough to know generally why they were a problem. ”They get stuck on things and you could choke”, he said, with all the casualness of a child.

"You mean luchadores! You know, like in professional wrestling?"

He just chuckled at the accusation, and nodded. ”Oh!”.

"Ohh.. I think you're right about that,"

Héctor surprised Dash a bit by admitting he was right, and not trying to cover up, like Mom and others might. For his sake, sure, but Dash appreciated the honesty and almost treating him like an adult.

Yet speak of covering stuff up...

"Ey, but don't you do the same thing for your hermanito?"

Dash glanced to Jack-Jack, and he had heard Héctor use that word enough to know that was what he meant. ”Yeah...maybe...”, he admitted lowly. Ok, so Mom was just looking out for them.

"These superheroes, they look out for each other, no? Even if one of them needs help, they still got someone else fighting on their side..someone to back them up.."

Dash nodded that Héctor was right with that observation and continued listening to his well intentioned advice, and honest question, that still planted wrong seeds perhaps...

"Is that what the other superheroes do in real life?"

”Yeah they do”, he answered, then blinked. ”Say! That’s what I should do isn’t it?!”, he hopped off the couch but thankfully didn’t rush off just yet and faced Héctor, ”Go find my dad and Vi on my own! After all we’re Supers too!”

<Hehe, oh Héctor what have you done Feel free to dissuade the kid of course>>

[Mamá Imelda]

"Yeah..except her and Dash already did that when they snuck aboard my plane, even after I told 'em to stay put to watch over Jack Jack!"

Imelda couldn't help looking surprised by that bit of news, and as Helen had predicted, partly as she pondered what her own reaction, as a mother, would have been. No doubt the same as Helen's. Still, she felt two kids sneaking off was different than whatever this was, and maybe just in wanting there to be a better answer for her friend.

"...Just like Bob did when he snuck behind my back.."

Imelda's lips pursed worriedly for Helen's sake, and...understanding that line of doubt so well. Even if she and Helen were both proven wrong in what they had assumed similarly, it still had the bad habit of making you doubt again in the worst situations, such as it was doing for Helen right now!

"I think.. I need to go after them. I gotta be sure.."

Imelda didn't comment her opinion at first, just let that thought sink in, and answered in her own mind what Helen went on to ask.

"Am I being a good wife or a-a good mom doing this? I mean, shouldn't I just trust that they're okay?"

There were some who would tell her she should...but...

"But I can't just wait around in the sidelines if I stay.. if they are in trouble, I might not be able to save 'em in time!"

It was like hearing Helen voice her own doubts over when Héctor had vanished all over again! Except...she had made the wrong choice, ultimately; she couldn't stand by while Helen did the same, perhaps...

"I don't know what to do!"

Imelda stepped over to lightly grip Helen's shoulders in support again, "I think you should do what your instincts say to. Trust is great to a point but...if you feel something's actually wrong...". Breaking off, Imelda stepped aside and glanced off as she thought on her own situation again, before glancing back to Helen. She gave a subtle glance to ensure Héctor wasn't lurking about to overhear her as she opened up again to Helen. Not that they had many secrets anymore, but...she didn't want to cause more guilt.

"Since finding out the truth, I've wished every day I did exactly that and left and sought out the real answers on what happened to Héctor, not just...taken what I supposed. I think...I think you shouldn't make the same mistake I did", Imelda finished with with a nod, then small smile that tried to reassure, "Not...that I feel this is so serious perhaps, but...you should find out what you can for yourself, yes". And maybe she was still being hopeful for Helen's sake with that last supposition, but as she said, Helen shouldn't just take the supposition, but find out for herself!

[Deleted]

”They get stuck on things and you could choke,”

"Oh.."  The skeletal musician visibly winced at the thought, placing a skeletal hand around his cervical neck bone. That sounded almost fatal, and he knew quite a few people that were headless or died from suffocation in life after questioning a few in the tours he used to give. It was a good thing the kid knew enough not to use capes!

Héctor was just making an observation how similar superheroes were to family, but his eye sockets tilted upward and rose with concern in his expression that would have wrinkled his forehead if he still had skin, upon seeing Dash suddenly hop off the couch with an exclamation as if he had a sudden epiphany. Dash reminded him a lot of Miguel, which was scaring him and even causing his ribs to elevate a little as if needing to take a breath to prepare himself because that usually meant a bad idea was coming up that was going to make it hard for him to say no. There was a minor hope though that maybe he was wrong, and Dash would actually have a good idea on how to resolve his situation. 

”Go find my dad and Vi on my own! After all we’re Supers too!”

"..What?! That's your plan?!" Héctor exclaimed with widened eyes and a parted mouth, not being able to help but react with shock and exasperation at that awful idea! Given his blunt honesty, he was not afraid of telling the kid the truth; he sided with him when the boy was right about something being wrong, but if the boy was wrong, he was definitely going to tell him as much. "Going off on your own?! Aughh!" He face palmed and shook his head, "No, no, NO, Dash! That is exactly the OPPOSITE of what a man of the house has to do!" He completely went against that terrible idea with a solemn frown, feeling so strongly against him running off from his family that even Jack Jack widened his eyes in shock. Héctor then rubbed his forehead with a skeletal hand, trying to calm himself. "Ay, listen, Güerito..Listen, I really need you to please hear me out with this..If there is one thing I need you to trust me with, it's this, okay? You'll thank me later!" He pleaded with the boy with a frown, offering a pat on the chair in hopes that he'd hear him out. There was an immeasurable sense of sadness in his ruby-brown eyes, almost as if it would've watered if only the forlorn skeleton could. After all, the skeletal musician did such a good job failing at being the man of the house. He knew more about what NOT to do when you are the man of the house, and he'd never want anyone making the same mistake as him, especially Dash, whom he had grown attached to.

As soon as Dash had settled down beside him, Héctor  smiled in gratitude  and decided to explain a little more about what he meant by Dash being the man of the house. "Look..When your papá is not present in the house, then that makes you the man of the house!" He extended his arms out with a grin before resting one hand on the boy's shoulder while the other held onto Jack Jack on his lap. "..You know what that means?" He asked, tilting his head to look at him with an encouraging smile.

"It means you got to be her rock, you got to be right there, Güerito..right whereever your mamá needs you, for anything she needs.. make her think, even if the world goes completely upside down.. that you being there means that you are the only one in her world that stays the same..because when you are the man of the house, it's when your mamá needs you more than anything, Güerito..." He said softly, though there was a tinge of sadness in the expression he wore, one that was almost filled with regret. He turned his attention over to Jack Jack in his arms. "Even if that means watching your brother because you are the only one that knows him more than anyone...it's easy to think of your hermanito: eh, he's little, he doesn't know much!" He waved his hand and then shrugged with feigned carelessness before glimpsing back into Dash's blue eyes with a small smile, "... but I can tell that your hermanito, he looks up to you, Güerito...he's watching your next moves right now.. why not make them good ones, eh? Show him what it means to step up and be the man of the house!" He gave him a playful shove of the boy's shoulders and grinned brightly. With any hope, Dash would make a better choice than he did.


(Permission for Dash to hear him out approved by Maggie)

[Dash Parr]

Mr. Héctor was just so different of an adult, and that was a good thing, most of the time. Except when he was blunt with his overreacting at 'bad ideas'. Dash could take the criticism though and just huffed a small bit as he exclaimed out.

"No, no, NO, Dash! That is exactly the OPPOSITE of what a man of the house has to do!"

Dash noticed Jack-Jack's shocked expression and wondered how much he'd caught on of what he'd said. He was a smart baby after all. Dash would hate to worry him too, as Mr. Héctor would go on to point out.

"Ay, listen, Güerito..Listen, I really need you to please hear me out with this..If there is one thing I need you to trust me with, it's this, okay? You'll thank me later!"

Aw...big important grown up lectures? Seriously? From him? Dash was inclined to not listen, but maybe it was Jack-Jack's look, or how serious Héctor looked...with another sigh, Dash plopped down.

"Look..When your papá is not present in the house, then that makes you the man of the house! You know what that means?"

"Yeah, it means helping out and...that's what I was gonna do!", Dash answered. At first Héctor's responses seemed to just back this up, so Dash was confused, but...the skeleton looked so sad as he went on. Was this...coming from somewhere? Dash was too young to really follow that thought, even in his own thoughts, and just listened as Héctor went on.

"... but I can tell that your hermanito, he looks up to you, Güerito...he's watching your next moves right now.. why not make them good ones, eh? Show him what it means to step up and be the man of the house!"

"So...don't leave because it will worry her...", Dash still go the point and repeated it back condensed. He then sighed. Mr. Héctor had a point; Mom was already worried about Vi and Dad being gone. She didn't need to worry over him too. He gave a small nod, staring at the carpet, "I can do that...I just...I thought...Dad always said as Supers we could fix anything...", he said, still looking down, and had arguably misread and taken in only the parts he wanted of whatever statement of Bob's had lead to this conclusion, as he was apt to do. "And we did it before...'course that was different...and we had smart car". And Vi had been there.

[Deleted]

Helen lowered her head as she allowed herself to tear up while Imelda gripped onto her shoulders supportively. She listened to her tell her to trust her instincts despite having trust that if something were wrong, they would just tell her. If Bob was up to something and Violet was involved by trying to get to the bottom of it, she hoped one of them would have at least said something instead of going behind her back! Unfortunately, as Helen had already mentioned, they both went behind her back despite her saying so, which left Helen unsure if this was a repetition of the same or not. Edna pretty much wanted her to trust her instincts, too, the last time something like this happened. Yet when Imelda noticeably faltered from saying more to that statement about feeling something wrong, Helen wiped her eyes and gazed over at Imelda curiously when she stepped aside and glanced off to the direction that she noticed were where Héctor and the kids were. 

"Since finding out the truth, I've wished every day I did exactly that and left and sought out the real answers on what happened to Héctor, not just...taken what I supposed. I think...I think you shouldn't make the same mistake I did"

Imelda's reality-orienting words hit Helen harder than even Edna's physical hitting would have, and it was enough for her to instantly stop tearing up and listen solemnly and attentively instead. Helen recalled that Imelda didn't find out until much later that Héctor was killed by his best friend, and she empathized with how much Imelda regretted not going out to find the real answers on what happened to her husband, just being stuck with what were probably the same thoughts that she herself was thinking of right now. What would have happened if she had stuck with her supposed thoughts about Bob being with another woman and did nothing when he was actually in trouble with Syndrome? The very idea of Bob being killed because she didn't go after him practically shook her to her core. Helen gazed down at Imelda's eyes when she reassured that this wasn't as serious as what happened with her, then nodded in understanding. Imelda was protecting her doing the same thing she did; she didn't want her to just take what she supposed was happening, she wanted her to actually do something about it! 

"No, you're right, Imelda.." Helen took a breath to compose herself, even stretching an arm to a tissue from her room through the balcony door to dry her eyes and blow her nose.  "I-I have to see for myself.. uhm.." She sniffed as she finished drying her tears, reluctant to ask this next part of her. "You-you know I hate to bother you with this, but could you please watch the kids for me while I look into this with Edna or Elsa?" The auburn haired mother asked with a sad smile, hating to be a burden on someone by having the kids being watched when the Riveras had kids of her own back home. "I promise I won't be long. The last thing I'd want is to keep you from being home with your own family," She added reassuringly, wanting her to know that she wasn't necessarily looking all night either. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't do that to the Riveras either. She planned on seeing the construction site and tap into Edna or Elsa's knowledge of any of their whereabouts before she'd go home and try searching during the day in case they wouldn't come back - though she'd hope they would come back.   

"I have to talk to Dash..do you think you could you tell him to come over here? I'd hate to leave in front of Jack Jack.." Helen sighed with a frown, hating to leave from the balcony like this, but she'd never want Jack-Jack to react to her suddenly leaving him, "..especially when it's close to his bedtime.."  The stay-at-home mother covered her eyes with her hand using her index finger and thumb at the sides of her face, suddenly just overwhelmed with all the things she needed to do! Jack-Jack was stubborn about not going to sleep without a proper reading of his book and all. This was just a bad time to be leaving her kids overall! Bob and Violet better be okay for their sake!

[Mamá Imelda]

Imelda didn't judge Helen one bit for her tears, even if, as the tough matriarch of her family, it might seem like she would be inclined to tell her to stop it and get on with what needed done, like this Edna.

Even though Imelda had told herself such, she had also had her moments she didn’t let anyone else know about.

Well, she knew Coco probably knew.

The rumor that she hadn’t wasted any tears over Héctor was just that, a rumor, perpetuated by Imelda and never contradicted by Coco.

It was bitter sweet as Helen took to her advice, agreeing that she had to go find whatever answers there were to find herself. Imelda was glad Helen was doing so...and still regretful she had not. How would life have been different? Could she have saved Héctor was a question she wouldn't consider.

"You-you know I hate to bother you with this, but could you please watch the kids for me while I look into this with Edna or Elsa?"

"Of course, and don't feel bad one bit", Imelda assured, "You just find out what you need to find out. Héctor and I have the boys". She knew she probably shouldn't answer for her husband, but then...as the matriarch it was her right, and she knew Héctor would probably not mind. Miguel and Rosa were older and would be fine, and if she had to she could put in a call on that fancier telephone in the Parr's room to theirs to explain and remind them to get along and do as they were supposed to, though she also knew they would.

Helen's next question, and concern, made a lot of sense, and as a mother who had also put down a baby, and helped with grand-kids, she understood it.

She nodded and walked over to the other, main room, where Dash was looking disappointed or such. Well, no doubt he had that child's intuition about something being up. "Dash, your mother would like a word with you", she kept her voice low, in case Jack-Jack was drifting off (though it didn't look it) and then waited until he had left the room to speak to his mother before turning to Héctor. "I said we'd watched the boys a bit longer while Helen goes and figures all of this out. It seems Bob and Violet are...late". She didn't know Dash had updated Héctor, and hoped that Jack-Jack, as a baby, wasn't too perceptive.

<<We can just say Dash left the room if we want, since that's all his post would consist of>>