She had spent so long building up a wall around her to hide all her true emotions. Hidden behind a mask created from pure hate. It had taken her so long to build up this wall, for she knew that emotions only caused trouble. Nervousness creates a person to eventually breakdown, happiness results in pain, love creates heartache, and joy gives painful sores from hitting your head on the ceiling when you jump up and down. One day someone would take that wall and knock it down, she just never knew that day would be so soon.

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It was a cold night in November, icy winter winds whipping at uncovered faces causing children to shiver and cling to their parents. Gaz didn't cling to anyone, she didn't need to, her heart was so much colder than the violent weather.

She sat in her bedroom, wearing a large black sweater that allowed her to bury deep into the fabric, her diary was open and she was writing furiously, that's when she heard the shouts, they were climbing up her stairs escalating in volume. She had to go and investigate.

Upon entering the small cramped living room she discovered a violent sight. Dib was standing up smiling a joyful smile and watching carefully as Professor Membrane dragged a small green boy into the room. It was Zim.

Zim was truly a mess, his contacts and wig were absent, and exposing him for the alien he was born as. She had never noticed until now how frail Zim really was, he had always seemed so powerful and arrogant, and it was as if he really was ruler of the world. Seeing him this way shocked her, his wrists were small and bony as they trembled with fright inside handcuffs, his skin was bruised, and his pack was barely hanging on by one wire. If he fell Professor would simply kick him until he was forced to stand and walk again.

"I told you Gaz," Dib shouted to her as they passed by on their way to the basement, "He really is a monster."

But in these circumstances Zim hardly looked like a monster, as his pain-filled ruby red eyes glanced at her, she couldn't help thinking that he was simply someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, much like herself.

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That night Gaz was asked to deliver Zim's dinner down to the basement where they were keeping him captive. At first she was angry with being interrupted form her game to perform such an annoying task, but something she had seen in Zim's eyes earlier when he looked at her made her stop and think, maybe it would be a good chance to talk to him.

As she proceeded into the dark basement she was shocked to see the state of affairs that was sprawled in front of her. Zim lay in a large box, much like the one she was in when all she could taste was pork, he was simply staring at her trembling as she approached with a plate of earth food. Zim withered at the mere piece of pizza lying next to a small bowl of tomato soup.

"Am I supposed to eat that," Zim asked, he glanced at the pizza with disgust.

"Yea," Gaz said in a cold voice, "You do have to eat don't you?"

"Yes," Zim countered in just as cold a voice, "But not that horrible earth food. You can have it if you want."

Gaz gave him a small half smile and pulled a chair over to the tank, sitting down and eating the slice of pizza.

"Do you mind," Zim asked, one eye getting larger than the other.

"No," Gaz said in a simple voice.

"Ok," Zim said getting annoyed, "Why are you here?"

Gaz sighed and pushed the pizza away, staring intently at the small alien in the tank.

"I'm sorry," Gaz said simply.

"About what," Zim asked, confusion filling his voice.

"I could have tried to stop them," Gaz said quietly, "But I just sat and watched."

Zim shrugged and then looked at her in a sad way.

"I think I know what your problem is," He said sadly.

"I don't have a problem," Gaz said, the wall slowly building back to protect her.

"There you go again," Zim said in an exasperated voice, "You're always defending yourself, just let things go sometimes."

"Look," Gaz said in a strained voice, "You live your life and I'll live mine."

"You know Gaz," Zim said smiling, "I've always wished you would be my girlfriend."

Gaz suppressed a smile, keeping her face blank.

"Yea Zim," Gaz said angrily, pulling the pizza back, "Real funny."

"It's true though."

Gaz stopped eating for a second and looked at him with an innocent expression.

"You mean it," Gaz said, trying to make her voice sound as blank as possible.

Zim nodded and leaned back in his chair, smiling.

"I know you hate this place, this planet, I could take you to a place far away," Zim said, his ruby eyes challenging Gaz, "I could show you some beautiful things. What do you say, Gazzy?"

Gaz nearly choked on her pizza.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about breaking out of this cell and flying away with you back to Irk to show you a place that you could never possibly imagine."

"Why don't you break out," Gaz said in a challenging voice, "Then we'll talk about it."

"Is that a yes," Zim asked with a voice full of hope.

"That's a maybe."

Smiling Gaz collected her dishes and proceeded up the stairs back to her room, but before she could make it halfway up she was halted by Zim's voice.

"I'm not joking," Zim said in a confident voice, "I could show you beautiful things beyond you wildest dream. You could fly and leave this place you hate so much behind."

Gaz didn't respond, after all Zim was probably just feeling angry that Dib finally caught him, and he was saying the one thing he knew would hurt Dib the most. I mean if confessing love to his sister and running away with her to his planet wasn't enough to spite Dib, what was?

Gaz didn't realize this, but soon she would fly with him far away and that would not only be the end of her trouble, but the beginning as well.