Chapter Notes

Disclaimers: I do not own Invader Zim

Author's Note's: Last flashback Chapter! Hope you enjoy!

(Back with Gaz...)

[7 years ago]

Everything was wrong, so very wrong indeed.

Gaz dodged the oncoming spear as she ran down the corridor towards the escape pod. She wasn't going to make it, and the realization made her legs feel like led. However, the monster's sudden screech of rage forced her on ward.

Mook the Mancar, son of Leach had been suspicious of them from the beginning, and unannounced to Gaz and Tak the elder son had stayed on the ship in order to catch them in the act.

And catch them he did, and was most certainly not happy about it!

The current chaos had happened moments after Tak had removed her Mancar disguise, an angry Mook raced into the ship's bridge and attacked without warning. He struck for Tak first probably seeing her as the only threat.

Tak had barely managed to dodge the deathly blow, but the monster reacted with lightning speed and was on her in seconds. His Spear was up and ready to cut her down, only being stopped by Tak as she struggled to keep the blade at bay.

Gaz of course acted without thinking, it was like her mind had gone on auto pilot, and she pulled a blaster of some kind off the weapons rack and fired.

The attack came as a complete surprise to Mook and hit him dead on.

Gaz could only assume that the Mancar thought she was Tak's prisoner which would explain why he had ignored her before.

Well he sure wasn't ignoring her now.

To her astonishment the beast got back up with littler effort at all and charged.

And that was when the running had begun.

She didn't even stop to glace at Tak, however she was sure the Irken Female was using this time to form a plan.

Yes, she was bait, and if Gaz was being honest with herself the thought did make her breath grow short and weak. She knew Tak wouldn't let anything happen to her if she could help it, but from the way the monster effortlessly took her down moments ago it was obvious that she couldn't.

Gaz could only imagine what would happen if she never made it home. It would be a disaster! Dad would blame Dib, and Dib would blame Dad, and then the two would refuse to speak to each other ever again.

In short her disappearance would tear her family apart, and it was barely holding together as it is.

Yes, Gaz was the glue that kept them all together, she was the rock, the foundation of this family, and she had to make it home!

It is this though alone that keeps her led like legs going as she continued to race down the corridor and towards the escape pod. If she could make it she was sure she'd be safe, however Tak had other plans for that escape pod.

The question was should she bother convincing Gaz or just go for it.

She decided just to go for it, after all Mook didn't show any signs of slowing down; meaning there was no time to explain. Gaz would just have to trust her.

What happened next completely floored Gaz, one moment she was running, the next Tak came out of nowhere and kicked her into an empty room.

"Tak what are you doing?" Gaz asked, but didn't get an answer.

"Stay here!" Tak ordered before slamming the door shut and sealing close with a blowtorch like tool from her PAK.

"TAK what's going ON?" Gaz screamed pounding on the door.

"You're in the way!" Tak answered and then she was gone.

Gaz kicked the door in frustration. Why was Tak doing this? She thought they were a team! Gaz looked around the room she was in and realized that it must have been the surveillance room since monitors of video freed from around the ship laid before her.

She watched as Tak came into view, she was running towards the escape pods, and just like that Gaz's blood ran cold. Was she leaving her on this ship to be at the mercy of the beast?

No Tak wouldn't, she couldn't.

And yet Gaz could think of no other reason why the Irken female would be heading that way.

'Did today mean nothing to her' Gaz thought. 'Did everything we went through so far mean so little to her that she could just leave?'

'Isn't that what you were just about to do?' A voice in the back of her head thought.

It was!

Gaz had been going to the escape pods thinking if she could just make it to one she'd be safe.

She was planning on leaving Tak, and now Tak was returning the favor, or so she thought.

Tak, however had other plans, she lead Mook down to the escape pods and opened the first one she saw. She only had seconds to prepare since Mook was not far behind, but in the end it was all the time she needed.

She turned on her cloaking device and threw a small spear into the pod. Seconds later a hologram of Tak appeared from the spear. The trap was set, and Mook fell for it instantly.

He races up to the pod, sees what he thinks is the target inside and steps halfway in.

Tak wastes no time and kicks him the rest of the way in the pod's doors close behind him automatically, and Tak races over to the controls.

The Monster pounds loudly on the door trying to force his way out, but it's locked tight. However, he managed to make several dents before Tak can reach the controls.

She thimbles with the touch screen and presses Pod #1 she then punches the word Purge!

The Pod containing their unwelcomed guest is thrown out into space in a matter of seconds, and Tak breathes a sigh of relief.

Gaz blinks in surprise, Tak wasn't trying to leave her at all, she was setting a trap and Gaz was just in the way. She watches as the Irken female makes her way back to the room and forces the sealed door open with her PAK arms.

"Sorry." Tak said as the door opened. "I need to make sure he couldn't get in."

Gaz was speechless, and it showed.

"What's wrong?" Tak asked.

"I…I was going to leave you." Gaz admitted.

"I know." Tak mused

"So why didn't you leave me?" Gaz asked.

"Well I'm obviously a very forgiving Duck beast Girl." Tak teased. "You however are unworthy to be my follower."

"Oh please Duck beast Girl." Gaz said. "You wouldn't have last five minutes without me."

That much was true, but Tak wasn't about to admit it. "Let's just head back already." She advised leading them back towards the bridge. "The sooner we get you home the better."

Gaz nodded, and allowed Tak to lead her on.

(A few Days later…)

She'd never thought she'd be happy to be in the smog covered streets of her home town again, and yet she could actually feel her heart skip a beat as it came into view.

It had just started to snow, however the town was already covered in the stuff.

Silence filled the bridge as the ship touched down, it didn't last long.

"You sure you don't want to stay?" Gaz asked hopefully.

Tak shook her head. "It's better this way."

"Is it?" Gaz asked, though she expected no answer.

She didn't get one and after a few moments of silence she moved to leave. "If you ever get tired of it." She said. "You know where to find me."

And with that she walk off the ship and out of Tak's life forever.

Tak was almost temped to race after her, but she forced herself to take off back out into space and towards Dirt.

'Things are better this way.' She reminded herself, as she continued on, never bothering to look back.

Gaz on the other hand watched her leave, and stayed there even after she was gone. Finally she forced herself to turn towards home. The walk was short, and just as she expected Dib was still messing with that stupid ship.

He probably had no idea she was even gone.

He didn't, in fact he didn't even look up from his work as she walked past.

"Hey doofus where's dad?" Gaz asked.

"Out." Dib answered.

"Still working on that ship?" She went on.

"Yep." Dib answered.

"Anyone come looking for me?"

"No, I thought you were upstairs playing your stupid games." Dib said, still not looking up from his work.

Gaz shook her head. "Idiot." She said before heading inside.

"What?" Dib shouted. No Answer. "Great now what did I do?" He asked.

"Nothing you idiot." Gaz shouted from inside. "Now finish your stupid ship!"

"It's not stupid!" Dib yelled and got back to work. "Stupid Gaz, doesn't she see the fate of the world depends on this thing!"

Gaz shook her head, she was missing Tak already and she hadn't been home for more than five minutes.

'Well with any luck Fate will bring her back.' She thought as she pulled out her game slave.

Not knowing that one day Tak would return, and luck would have nothing to do with it!

Chapter End Notes:

Thanks for reading and please leave a comment. (If you want!)

Until then this is Emily signing off :)