WELL!

Sorry for such a long time in trying to update! The reason was because of lots of things that I'm not going to get into right now.

Let's just say you'll soon realise why I spend so long without updating…

AHEM, anyways, let's continue! This chapter was meant to be FAR bigger then before, but I realised that should I continue it'd be FAR too big, so this is like… a shortened version of the original chapter.

Kinda like, this is one half of two chapters, but at least you'll have a regular update time for the next chapter.

SO. Yes… nothing really that special in this chapter, just a WHOLE buncha references.

Erm… yea. This is just a glorified filler chapter really, the next chapter will have MUCH more stuff in there.

I own NOTHIN, NOTHIN I SAY! MUHAHAHAHA.

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Her fingers trembled as she held her cell phone out, the number held tightly in her other hand, but with one thin finger ready to tap out the number.

The wind whipped up around her, making her hair fly out around her, tangling with itself. The trees also shivered loudly, mimicking rain hitting their leaves.

She was scared… because she felt like she was giving in. Phoning Izzy for help would be like an act of surrender, her brother and father will have won.

But what? What had they won? She had no idea, but she knew that she couldn't go home, not now, not tonight.

She couldn't face her family like that again, not until she'd had some time to gather herself again.

So… the only place she could go to was either Izzy's or Zim's. If she went to Izzy's, she'd likely feel very out of place and pathetic but she knew she'd at least have someone to talk to, someone who would listen.

If she went to Zim's, she'd be with someone who she knew, but someone who was highly unlikely to understand anything. He probably wouldn't even listen. Also, Dib and her father would be looking for her, and they'd probably check there first.

She sighed and looked to Izzy's number again; she was so tired of all this that right now she'd take any sort of shelter.

She just hoped Izzy wouldn't mind.

Gaz typed the number slowly, as if expecting someone to come around the corner at any moment and save her. A number of doubts ran through her mind. What if she wasn't allowed to stay? What if the number was fake? What if she wasn't in?

She narrowed her eyes against the cold. The moon wasn't out tonight, which only made everything seem darker and bleaker. The broken down playground around her cast strange, odd shadows that looked like they where all trying to reach out and grab her, yet they looked to weak and grey to trap her in darkness.

She shivered and looked back to her phone, only one number left to press. Screwing up what was left of her courage she tapped it and brought to cell to the side of her head, listening to it ring.

Part of her wanted Izzy to pick up the phone, Gaz wanted desperately to hear at least one friendly voice after tonight. But another part wanted no one to pick up, so she would be able to sink away into nothing and stay there until she finally worked up the courage to phone home and admit her failure to convince them of her feelings. Maybe then they'd let her go back home and stop looking at her like they did in the restaurant.

Gaz's eyes sapped open as the phone suddenly clicked, and the voice of an older woman, presumably Izzy's mother, answered. "Hello?"

"Erm, hi," Gaz forced the awkwardness from her voice, "Is Izzy there?"

"Who might I say is calling?" The woman asked politely.

"Gaz…" The teen replied, "I'm, erm, a friend…"

Gaz could see the woman frown slightly on the other end, "Okay. Wait a moment."

The teenager listened as the woman put the phone down, and a tiny smile of amusement appeared on Gaz's face as she heard the woman yell out Izzy's name, telling her daughter that a Gaz was calling for her.

Another moment of waiting, then Gaz stiffened slightly as she heard footsteps rushing towards the phone on the other side.

She heard Izzy yell something about her mother picking up her mobile before she addressed Gaz. "Gaz?" A small wave of relief came over the girl as she heard Izzy's friendly, slightly worried voice, "Hi, what's up? Are you ok?"

"Yea… well, no." Gaz sighed, "I'm… I had an argument… with my dad…"

"Oh shit." Gaz almost chuckled at the reaction, "He didn't do anything to you did he?"

"No, I'm fine," The teen replied brushing some hair away from her eyes as the wind blew again, "But… I just need someplace to go… I don't want to go home right now."

"Don't worry about anything, I'll come and get you," Gaz was still amazed at how Izzy was willing to help her like this. She had no idea what the girl wanted to gain from it, and it was hard to believe she was doing this out of pure kindness.

But right now, she'd have to stay silent about her thoughts.

"That might be a bit hard…" Gaz smirked sadly, "I ran off and I don't know where I am."

"Oh…" Izzy sighed, a hint of annoyance in her voice, "Well, can you see any signs or anything around you?"

"Wait a moment," Gaz put a palm across the receiver and looked around. She had to squint in the darkness, but she could read the sign of the road from a small sign across the street. Keeping her eyes on it she put the cell back to her ear. "Dimebag Street."

Izzy must have frowned in thought, "Dimebag Street… Dimebag Street…"

"I'm on some really old playground." Gaz shrugged, "If that helps at all."

"…hum…" A tiny part of Gaz was starting to get pissed that Izzy was wasting all her minutes on her phone, "Ok, I'm pretty sure there's a shop somewhere near you, like, towards the main road if you can hear it."

"Pretty sure?" Gaz couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know that area all that well, but I'm like, ninety per-cent sure ok?" Izzy sighed, this time Gaz could defiantly hear the annoyance in her voice, and a tiny pang of guilt sprang up in her. "Just make your way to the main road and look for a grocery shop, I'll come and find you there."

"Ok, erm," Gaz paused, "Thanks for this."

"It's no problem, really," Izzy's reply caused a small smile to grow on Gaz's face. "I'll be few minutes ok?"

"Ok, bye." Gaz ended the call quickly, and slowly stood up. Her body still stubbornly complained from all the running she'd been doing, but at least it was bearable now. She shivered again and pulled her coat tighter around her before walking out of the playground. A moment's pause allowed her to hear the rush of cars in the near distance, to her left. So that was the direction she turned to walk.

As she walked, her mind drifted onto the restaurant. She couldn't get the idea out of her head that her family had betrayed her. She couldn't believe that they had, not like that. She thought this was the kind of thing that only happened to gays and bi's, not to asexuals.

She sighed; well she'd learned that lesson harshly. A sudden voice suddenly entered her thoughts; maybe this wasn't as bad as she was making it out to be? After all, it'd been her decision to run away and neither her brother nor father had said anything about kicking her out of the house.

If she wanted, she could go home right now.

She frowned as she turned a corner, the sound of cars closer now. She couldn't go home though, not tonight. Not while her father was intent on 'curing' her and her brother not even looking at her. She'd just get into a more violent argument with them both.

Right now she knew she just needed to spend some time away from them, at least until everyone had cooled down.

The sudden sound of her ring tone, the theme from Piggy Vampire Hunter, snapped her attention around. Bringing the phone from her pocket she looked to the flashing screen, 'Caller: Home'.

She frowned, what was this? Some pathetic attempt to show that they care? Or just another attempt to tell her how mentally ill she was?

She quickly cancelled it. She didn't even want to speak to them right now. A rush of furious anger swept through her and the overwhelming desire to kick something entered her mind.

She hoped they where worried sick about her. She hoped they where pacing up and down in the living room, wondering where the hell she was at this hour, alone and cold on the dangerous streets. She hoped that they both felt sick to their hearts about what they'd said to her, about trying to second guess and excuse her feelings.

The phone rang again, and Gaz's eyes narrowed. Before she knew what she was doing she yelled at the phone, "Get the HELL away from me you BASTARDS!" She'd never cancelled a call so furiously in all her life. She wanted to show anyone who could be looking how furious she was; although she knew cancelling a call angrily would do nothing.

By the time she got to the main road, they'd attempted to contact her three more times, but by now she'd grown so annoyed she'd turned her phone off. She looked up and down the street, which was only partially busy, only the odd car or lorry now drove down the dully lit, badly cracked road.

Gaz took a moment to think how they should get someone to clean up this place. Her eyes turned left and widened as she saw what looked to be a closed shop a few minutes down and across the road with 'Quickstop Groceries' written on the billboard above the metal grates covering the windows. There was also a big piece of paper taped to the metal grate reading 'I assure you; we're OPEN'. A few lights illuminated the sign, as did the light streaming out of the windows on the doors.

Two men stood outside a video shop connected to the right of the grocery shop, one taller then the other, both wearing long black trench coats. One had a small beard, brown, and was rather chubby looking while the other was much thinner with long blond hair.

Gaz debated with herself whether to go over there or not, the two guys looked like they where busy talking to themselves, but Gaz was still unsure whether they were perfectly harmless or not.

She decided she'd cross the road and wait right next to the door of the shop, that way if they tried anything she could still retreat into the shop. It was times like this she regretted not carrying around some kind of weapon.

'Stupid dad and his stupid rules,' she internally growled as she jogged quickly across the road and came to rest with her back again the metal grate.

She kept her eyes forward, looking up and down the down the road, wishing that Izzy would hurry up and get here.

She couldn't help but notice out the corner of her eye that the two men seemed to have noticed her.

"HEY BABY!" The shout sent a small chill down Gaz's spine, "How would you like to smoke a phatty boom batty with me and Silent Bob here?"

She turned her head to glair at them and was about to answer, angrily, when the door to the video shop opened and a man wearing a red and white chequered shirt and a pair of plain blue pants and a backwards baseball cap appeared to glair angrily at the two.

"Hey dickweeds," he shouted at the two, "What did I tell you about loitering around outside my shop?"

"Hey," the loud mouthed blond hair man grabbed his crotch and gave the middle finger to the chequered shirt man, "Suck it!" He then lightly hit his quiet companion on the arm, "Come on Silent Bob, let's go before these clerks start cramping our style."

The two turned and walked off into the night and the video store clerk shook his head, turning to Gaz and suddenly looking like he noticed her for the first time. "Hey, don't get bothered by those two ok?" He smirked, "They're just a pair of harmless dope fiends."

"Yea, thanks," Gaz looked back towards the road, hoping that every car that drove past was Izzy's.

The man paused for a second before shook his head again and walked out the shop, locking it behind him. He then walked towards Gaz, but turned and went into the grocery store.

Gaz sighed and looked down, glad to be on her own again. This was already one weird night and being harassed by annoying drug dealers in overcoats didn't make it any better.

The sound of a car stopping in front of her caused her to immediately look back up and she couldn't stop a smile and a great wave of relief flow over her as she saw Izzy jump out of the passenger seat of the car and run towards her.

However, before she could even say 'hi' Izzy had grabbed her and took her into a tight hug. Gaz felt rather uncomfortable at the sudden space invasion as Izzy sighed, "I'm so glad your ok!"

"Yea, me too," The teen raised an arm and patted Izzy on the back. Gaz wasn't exactly used to giving hugs, especially in situations like this.

Izzy finally let go stepping back a bit and looking Gaz square in the eyes. "Are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes," Gaz nodded, "I'm just… I just don't want to go home right now… I need to be away from my dad and my brother for a while…"

Izzy nodded, "Alright. Well, my mom said it was fine for you to stay at ours tonight if you want."

Gaz frowned, "What about your Dad? And don't you already have someone staying at your house?"

Izzy smiled and placed a hand on Gaz's shoulder, slowly guiding her towards the waiting car. "He went to his uncles yesterday, and my dad's over in New York right now with some big case."

As they got to her car, both of them getting into the backseat, Gaz noticed their driver was an older boy, someone she recognised from the school soccer team.

He had cut short hair, black and wavy like his sister's, and when he turned to look at Gaz she could see he had deep brown eyes. The slight resemblance in the face caused Gaz to automatically identify him as her brother. He seemed to be very well built and athletic and he was wearing a pair of blue jeans with a typical green and white jock shirt, the school logo and his team number stitched onto the back. She couldn't see his feet, or whatever he had on under his jacket, but she could just see a gold chain around his neck, glinting up from behind his collor.

"Hey," He didn't seem all that interested in Gaz, and looked like he was actually quite bothered about the whole thing.

"Hey," Gaz replied back in an equally deadpan voice.

Izzy quickly jumped into the backseat next to Gaz and the moment she did her brother quickly pulled away and began driving back to their home.

He spoke in a slightly deep, slightly annoyed tone. "Look, I'm only dropping you off at the top of our street alright? I don't wanna be late for my date."

Izzy frowned at her brother then smiled at Gaz kindly, "So, do you wanna tell me what happened?"

Gaz looked down and placed a tired hand over her face closing her eyes, "Can it just wait? Please? I just wanna collapse somewhere for a while before I start unloading my problems."

"Sure," Izzy kept her smile, "We can have some coffee at my place and you can tell me whatever you want."

There was a small patch of silence, of which Gaz took the opportunity to turn her phone back on. Three missed calls, all from home. She sighed and decided she might as well send Dib a text message telling him she would be at a friends before turning her phone back off.

"You know," Izzy's brother suddenly spoke up, "You should just be glad mom lets so many of your queer friends stay over," Both Gaz and Izzy looked to the back of their drivers head as he complained, "You can't keep doing this Iz."

"Shut up, M," Izzy growled back with a slightly surprising amount of anger, "Mom knows I'm doing important work and actually trying to help others, unlike you and you pathetic athletics."

"Hey!" Her brother growled back, "I could go pro next year! Coach says he's gonna recommend me to some talent scouts."

"Whatever," Izzy shook her head.

"I'm not gay," Gaz mumbled, half-wanting to make her point half-wanting just to make sure he didn't get the wrong idea, "I'm asexual."

"What the… whatever girl, it's not my problem." The jock shrugged, "All I know is one day mom's gonna snap at you, Iz."

"Oh will you shut up, M!" Izzy growled back, "Just drop us off here so you can go to your girlfriends."

"At least I've got a girlfriend!" M taunted back, "Unlike you!"

Izzy pushed the car door open and stepped outside, holding the door for Gaz who quickly followed, Izzy closing the door behind her.

M's tone changed suddenly to become calmer, "Tell mom I'll be home by dinner tomorrow, ok?"

"Yea, cya later M."

"Bye," he raised a hand to the two girls before driving away down the street.

Gaz blinked, "What was all that about?"

"Oh, don't worry," Izzy smiled, "He was just annoyed that I was making him late for meeting up with his girlfriend. We get along most of the time."

"Walk down?" Gaz frowned, "How long will this take?"

"Not long Gaz, jeeze," The taller girl chuckled and turned to walk on down the road stop to see that Gaz was standing, looking at her with slightly narrow eyes. She smiled, "Come on, you don't wanna stand out here all night do you?"

"Why are you doing all this?" Gaz crossed her arms across her body, "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Izzy's smile instantly dropped, and then, to some slight surprise, she frowned at the other teenager. "Don't hit a gift horse in the mouth." She sighed in annoyance and shivered as the wind picked up around them, "Gee, you try and do something nice for someone-"

"See!" Gaz quickly interrupted, "That's my point! Izzy… you hardly know me, and yet you go to all this length to help me? Why?"

"Because I thought we were friends!" Izzy growled back. "And even if you don't think I'm your friend I consider you one of mine!" Gaz looked on shocked; she'd never thought Izzy even thought of her as a friend.

Gaz looked down. "I'm… I didn't know… I'm not used to people being this nice to me."

Izzy's anger softened, but it didn't go completely, "Look, Gaz. If you're worried about anything just ask." A twitch of a smile appeared, "I'm helping you because I want to be your friend, really."

Gaz blinked slowly and looked slightly to the side, her eyes studying the pavement. Slowly she looked back up to the girl. "Alright… sorry about before…" she walked up to the girl and the two began walking down the street side by side, "Let's go inside before we freeze to death."

"Agreed," Izzy chuckled as they walked down the path together.

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WOO!

Yea, it was craptacular. AGH, I hate this chapter. It's just so BORING.

But it needed to be done, because the next chapter is much better and contains more of my usual discussiony kinda stuff that you all LOOOVE.

Ahem, so, yes. References!

Quickstop, Jay and Silent Bob, the video store dude, aka RANDAL. All to the mighty Kevin Smith.

'Dimebag Street' is to Dimebag Darrell, aka, HIGH LORD OF ROCK, HE WHO PWNS SOULS, MASTER OF THE HEADBAG, Pantera Guitarist Dimebag Darrell.

Oh, and if you where wondering, yes that IS The Letter M from Dib's class!

Anyways, R&R my awesome reader people! Oh, and remember to recycle your kittens!