Author's Note:

For those who re-read this, you may notice subtle changes as I go through and re-edit.


Gaz slowly walked the sidewalks back home, if you just glanced at the girl no one would have ever guessed that internally she was having a heated discussion with herself. Why had Zim volunteered to be her tutor? Was he after revenge? Would it be worth it to find out, or even tell anybody about it? Why wouldn't any of these idiot teachers just call her dad and let him know what was going on!? Her dad…the great Professor Membrane, so great that recently he barely came home anymore with the exception of the annual family dinner, the whole rest of the world got to spend time with Professor Membrane why didn't she? Gaz was so deep in thought that she didn't realize that she'd mechanically gone home and only found herself in the kitchen when she heard Dib's voice. "Gaz, where have you been? When I couldn't find you after school I assumed you went home early. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine Dib." Gaz growled, as she decided to get herself a drink from the fridge. She found that there was only one can of soda left, she grabbed it and made a mental note to buy more later and to be sure to store some in her room. She continued to search the fridge to see what leftovers they may have.

Dib stared at his sister and hoped for some explanation, but none was given. He watched as she drank soda and reheated a slice of pizza. "Something must have happened, school ended a half an hour ago, if you even finished the last half of school today."

"Would you just shut up and worry about yourself for once? If you must know Mr. V wanted to meet with me after school to work out a schedule for me to meet with a tutor. Ok? Happy? Will you shut your stupid mouth?" Gaz growled all this at her brother careful not to raise her voice too high. She then grabbed her pizza from the microwave and went to the table.

"A tutor? In Algebra? Gaz you were always so good at Math. Who is this tutor anyway?" Dib went from shock, to concern, to parental worry in 2 seconds flat. Gaz rolled her eyes, she really didn't want to talk to DIB about this but this kept him from his usual babble about his stupid plans, and secret societies.

"Just a student who volunteered," Gaz stated simply, there was no way she was about to tell Dib it was Zim and have him go all paranormal investigator on her. After that she ate quietly and refused to answer any more of Dib's inane questions which did come. She just ignored him and went about her day as if it was like any other.

Meanwhile several streets away, deep underground a pair of ruby eyes watched the Membrane siblings live their day via several screens. Zim watched as Gaz played video games, and Dib stayed in his room updating some Swollen Eyeballs and Darkbootie about his progress with Zim and on the continuing reconstruction of Tak's ship. Zim watched as Gaz and Dib ate dinner, Dib jabbered away and Gaz looked just like she did before she attacked Zim earlier that day. Overall Zim found the two siblings rather mundane. Zim found that his attention kept straying from the pathetic meat sack Dib, to Gaz, who kept to herself. There was something about her, Zim just knew it. Something within himself felt odd about the little human, and though Zim didn't know what that meant exactly he knew it couldn't mean good.

The next day at school, the final bell rang and Zim made his way to the skool library which was the assigned meeting place for his tutoring sessions with Gaz. Zim found an empty table and sat his textbook, notebook, and pencil down, he remained standing looking for Gaz, was she not supposed to be here. Zim stared at the clock as the minutes passed and a strange feeling began to overtake his chest. Finally Gaz entered the library.

"You're late." Zim declared at Gaz who slowly approached Zim, Zim eyed Gaz and noticed she was empty handed. He continued on "and you are missing your textbook."

"Why bother bringing a textbook when you and I both know that you have ulterior motives for tutoring me. Now what are they? Revenge for me beating you up? You trying to get information about Dib? What?" Gaz glared at Zim her arms crossed across her chest, and with each question she asked she'd take a step closer to Zim until they were barely a fist width apart. Zim felt his insides backflip at Gaz's close proximity. They stood there for a moment Gaz looked up at Zim her eyes firm but not angry, Zim looked down and wondered why he suddenly felt ill.

Finally after what felt like a half an hour -but what was really less than half a minute- Zim smiled grabbed Gaz by the shoulders and pushed slightly back, all the while explaining as innocent sounding as possible, "Nonsense little human. I merely am trying to show my superior intellect, and cunning and to grace the little earth monkey with a dim glimmer of hope of ever being as clever as I." Zim casually sat down facing away from Gaz, and folded his hands in front of him, and mentally tried to figure out if perhaps the germs had finally gotten to him.

Temporarily Gaz stood there a blush spread across her cheeks, for when Zim had grabbed her the way he did for a brief moment she thought that instead of pushing her away that Zim might have pulled her towards him, but that wasn't what shocked her. What shocked her was the strange disappointment she felt when Zim had pushed her away. Gaz shook her head, she must have just been tired or eaten something bad. She sat down next to Zim once again determined, certain he was lying. She glared at Zim and then leaned slightly closer to Zim and growled under her breath, "Fine. Don't tell me Zim, but I know you don't want to just tutor me." She leaned back away from him, and stared in the opposite direction.

The two sat there, as they silently refused to look at each other and just stared in general space as they pondered.

And so the subsequent tutoring sessions followed in the same manner. Gaz would show up late, Zim would be miffed, Gaz would ask Zim what his real reason for tutoring was, Zim would insist he just wanted to show he was superior, Gaz would refuse to do anything and just sat there in silence. Zim was becoming frustrated with the whole thing; this was supposed to help him discover why this tiny human was so powerful? Even he had to agree this wasn't one of his best plans, he just would never admit it aloud. In attempts to help move things along –and help stave his boredom-Zim would taunt and tease Gaz, poking her with the eraser end of his pencil, barraging her with a series of random absurd questions, or other such Zim antics. Gaz would just sit there, and supply the rare sarcastic remark or threat, playing her game slave. Then came Friday.

The tutoring session itself was nothing unusual. Gaz spent her time reading a collection of Edgar Allen Poe while Zim doodled on her shoulder with the eraser end of his pencil; the two had been perfectly content. It was after the 'tutoring session' while the two were leaving the school that things got interesting.

HOMECOMING! Do you have your date yet?

"Homecoming?" Zim looked at the colorful flier hanging on the wall of the skool, "What is homecoming?"

"You've been attending a public school for how long and you have no idea what homecoming is?" Gaz stated as she grabbed her messenger bag from her locker.

Zim glowered at Gaz, "perhaps you should tell me what it is earth human."

"Not a chance Zim." Gaz said as she closed her locker and headed for the exit.

Zim was taken aback, frozen where he was, "Why not?"

Gaz turned on her heel to look back at Zim, her eyes barely a sliver "Why should I tell you what you want to know, when you won't tell me what I want to know."

Zim stood for a second thoroughly confused and lost. What on earth was she talking about? It took him a few more seconds of Gaz glaring at him before he realized she was referring to why he had volunteered to tutor her. "What! You're still on that? I've already told you …"

"You've told me a lie about how you volunteered out of the goodness of your heart." Gaz interrupted, "You and I both know that you never volunteer for anything for anybody unless you are getting something out of it Zim, so what are you getting out of it?"

Zim stared at Gaz, as he desperately tried to look calm and to quickly think up a new lie. Not able to think of one he just closed his eyes and in his most innocent voice replied, "I have no idea what you are talking about." He then proceeded to walk past her and could hear Gaz sigh as she tried to keep her temper under control. He'd barely walked a foot away when he heard her voice come from behind him.

"What would I get out of it?" Gaz asked as an idea clicked in her brain, she slowly turned to face Zim, who now looked over his shoulder back at her, she could tell he didn't know what she was talking about, so she continued on, "If I tell you what homecoming is, what will you do for me?"

Zim stood there slack-jawed at Gaz's sudden mood change, not sure if he really wanted to accept her offer. Before he could respond Gaz continued, her eyes flashing, "I know. Game Slave is coming out with a new game this weekend; you can get it for me. As soon as you do, I'll tell you what homecoming is."

Zim scowled at Gaz, "Why would I ever go through so much trouble for some earth pest," Zim poked Gaz's shoulder hard to make sure she understood he had been referring to her, "When I can retrieve the information on my own."

Gaz shot daggers at Zim, "You're right. You should ask your computer, or maybe even GIR, I'm sure they know all about it."

Zim had just about had it with this earth vixen, He'd opened his mouth to shout something, when both he and Gaz were shocked by a whining voice coming from the end of the hallway, "GAZ! ZIM?! What's going on here?"

Zim and Gaz looked down the hall to see an exasperated Dib heading right for them. Simultaneously Gaz and Zim's expressions went from shock to annoyed anger. Dib however didn't notice as his attention was focused purely on Zim. Without a spoken word Dib marched up to the pair glared at Zim for a good long minute, then grabbed Gaz's arm and marched home.