Disclaimer: I don't own anything or make any money off of this.

The world was not spinning, the ground did not fall, his world did not shatter like the million pieces of this broken life. His heart did beat faster, but it did not explode. His head was looking straight forward, but it did not spin. Why? How could this boy hold back the sorrow that was over flowing inside of him? It was simply really, he knew what she had once believed in so firmly.

Gaz hadn't really died, not by her standards at least. He could remember what she had said, that they would live forever. That the second she died, somewhere else on this planet he loved, she was being born. She had smiled at his wide eyed stare and laughed. Laughing, she hadn't done that often enough. That was one of the only times he could honestly remembering her laughing for any reason.

Dib stepped forward and gently picked up her body. Looking at her face he could see all the lines from her sadness and anger. He knew why she didn't laugh, but all the same. He hoped she laughed more where ever she was right now. That her life would be better the second time around.

Dib knew that the person he should be angriest at was just standing seconds away from his grasp, but the man there was not a bother to him. Only they would even remember who Gaz was a few years down the road. Dib couldn't, and wouldn't, erase that memory yet; Not yet. The invader was watching Dib for retaliation, and seemed suspicious now that there wasn't one. Too bad for him, Dib thought, there wouldn't be one, possibly ever.

Their eyes locked and Dib did the one thing he wanted to, he thanked Zim. Gaz wasn't happy here, he'd been the only one to try and help her, and Dib had failed to do that. Zim was the one person in Dib's mind who had actually helped his sister.

Zim watched him in wonder.

With a nod Dib turned and left something behind. Part of his persona, part of his mind, part of his eternal soul, that which she had given him and that which he needed to give back.

As he stepped into the moonlight her body seemed to almost become lighter and he held her closer. She was happier; he couldn't wake her and ask her, she wouldn't tell him in the morning that she felt better. Nor would he ever know how much he had helped her, yet as he walked, he knew.

A new father picked up his now sleeping child, a beautiful baby girl. With a smile the man spun in a small circle and held her closer. She was beautiful, a beautiful girl. He could not stop the smile on his face anymore than he could stop his new found love. Facing the opened window he looked at his small bundle, and loved everything about her. From her small feet, to her squinted eyes, to her beautiful hair. He dropped a kiss onto her forehead in wonder.

The father let out a sigh of joy and put his little girl to sleep. He would see her in the morning, and he would tell her again how much he loved her then.

-In loving memory to my gerbil who has passed away on 2/8/05