Can I just say...how much I missed you guys DX My heart is dying because I haven't updated in SOOOOOOOOO long!

BUT I'M BACK BABY! And happier than ever :o

I take it that last chapter kinda di us all in, huh? Like, after half an hour of publishedness of the chapter, I had a flood of reviews that made my heart sing a little. I guess there's interest after all 3)

Sooo, I is excited :) To be back :D and publishing once more XD

First of (before we dive back into the story), my dear friend who loves us all, Tunica, has done an AMAZIN pic which is up on Deviantart. Here's the link: .com/art/Sun-Flowers-In-COLOUR-D-299477654

Check it out, enjoy it...IT'S IN COLOUR!

Secondly, for those of you who care, the last chapter was a re-write. Originally, Gaz found the pregnancy test XO Due to extremem amount of anger on her part, I decided maybe we should go a different route :p So, yeah :)

And thirdly, this next chapter was a strange one to write. AFTER ALL THAT! I decided Zim has had enough punishment and has been pushed to the point where he just trusts no one and nothing any more. So, why not give him faith in the species he hates, huh? :o

I don't know, you tell me if you like the chapter.

Oh, a WARNING...it gets very sad nearer the end of the chapter :(

"Mommy! Mommy!" the little boy ran at a speed up to his mother.

The dark haired woman, about mid30s, looked at her son in concern, "What is it, sweetie? Did you get hurt or something?"

"No, I'm fine. But there's a strange man over there that's sitting on the bench and crying."

The woman looked over at the peculiar hooded figure sitting on one of this park's wooden benches, his head low with a hand to his eyes, his shoulders jerking up and down as he snivelled. She couldn't make out his face due to the hood he had on.

The woman gave a look, "Thank you for telling me, sweetie. Go play with your brother, and mommy will sort it out, okay?"

"Okay, mommy," the young 11 year old said, going back to the sand box where his 3 year old sibling was smacking the sand with his little red spade.

She waited till her son was far enough away before she got up, a bit hesitant. It was rather odd that a man wearing a black hoody was sitting in the park in the middle of the day, crying to himself.

She took a breath, reminding herself that she should at least see if he was alright, even if he looked kind of suspicious.

Zim had ran from the house at a speed even he wasn't sure he was capable of. He was in tears, his head almost hurting from how hard he was crying. He had no clue where the hell he was going…he just knew he had to get away from that household. Away from the lies and deceit. Away from the hurt.

He eventually found himself in the park, his legs almost giving out on him altogether and his head feeling too light to go on. He stumbled his way over to a bench and decided he would just sit there for a moment.

He hadn't eaten a thing today and his body was feeling it. With two people to feed and after just running a marathon, this was the last thing Zim needed.

But his mind ignored these facts. It just told him he had to get as far away as possible…and that's exactly what he did.

He covered his face, ashamed of ever fooling himself into believing his friends would care or even want to bother helping a reject like him. He sat there, hoping some scientist would just come and take him away already. Here he was, out in the open, waiting for it to just end.

"Excuse me, sir?"

Zim removed his hand, sniffing as his eyes looked up, his head still low to hide his features. He saw a woman before him, looking rather friendly and slightly concerned, "Yes?" he answered, his voice hollow and weak.

The woman was quite bewildered by this figure and wasn't exactly sure how she was to respond to him. She tried to be as friendly as possible, "Are you alright? You seem quite upset."

Zim looked down at her light navy jeans and takkies, not replying.

The woman felt quite awkward, but decided to give it one last shot before leaving him alone, "My son mentioned you were crying. I just wanted to see if you needed help or something."

Zim quivered, tears falling from his face again, trying to choke back his sorrow.

The woman's motherly instinct immediately took over. She sat next to Zim, worried now. She took a moment before remembering something. She brought her bag onto her lap and began ruffling around through it. She brought out some tissues she carried around for her son and gave them to the stranger. His covered head turned slightly as he looked at it, then at her. She smiled at him, almost telling him it's alright.

Zim took a moment and then took a few of them, rubbing his really wet eyes, "Thank you."

The woman gave a nod. Zim held the tissues, resting his hands in front of him as his arms rested on his knees, still looking down as he let out a shaky sigh.

The woman was quiet, unsure what she was to say next. But Zim beat her to it, instead asking a really strange question, "You said your son told you I was crying, right?"

"That's right," she said in a hesitant curiosity, wondering what this strange man was getting at.

Zim nodded slightly, still hiding his face, "Do you only have one child?"

"Two sons," she tried, worrying this guy was a paedophile now or something.

Zim gave a small unseen smile, "I have a son and daughter."

The woman gave a look, curious by that remark. She tried asking questions to confirm what he was saying was true, "Oh really? How old are they?"

"My son is five and his sister is eleven."

"My, they must be quite the handful sometimes," the woman sort of laughed.

Zim gave a slight scoff at the back of his throat, "Yeah." He sighed, "They do mean the world to me though."

Zim paused before he continued, "I just hope they're okay. They were so upset. I should have at least checked how they are before I stormed out of the house."

He gave a sigh, "I suppose it doesn't matter now. I can't go back."

The woman was quite surprised by that comment. She relaxed slightly now, seeing he was just trying to make conversation by the sounds of things. Silence instilled for a few moments between the two, before the woman spoke up, "I take it you're probably just having a bad day, then?"

Zim sat a bit straighter, placing his hands on his knees, "Something like that."

The woman looked down, "Is there anyone I can call for you, perhaps?"

Zim felt his chest tighten as he choked back the tears again, his fingers digging into his knees. The woman noticed this and understood that he didn't want to see anyone, "I'm sorry…"

"No, don't be," Zim turned his face toward her, most of his features still hidden, so the woman really still couldn't make out what he looked like. She could see his skin was a bit green, though.

Zim was getting uncomfortable with this human now and decided it was time to leave, "Look, I don't really think I should bug you with my problems. I highly doubt you care about me anyway."

He tried standing, but got a wave of dizziness and fell backwards awkwardly. The woman stood and quickly grabbed hold of him, helping him sit back down, "My God, are you alright?"

"F-Fine," he tried, holding his head for a moment, "J-just a bit dizzy."

"Have you eaten today? Are you sick?"

Zim shook his head, the woman presuming he meant to both questions. She looked around, before looking back down at the stranger, "Wait right here, alright? I'll be back."

She got up and quickly rushed in a different direction. Zim watched her go, wondering where she went off to.

He mumbled to himself, sighing, "Just like all the others. Leaving Zim because he's just not worth a damn…"

He trailed off, hunching over as he held his spinning head.

A few minutes later, Zim caught a glimpse of the woman's takkies and jeans nearing his bench again. He could barely feel her palm against his arm, "Sir? You still there?"

Zim let out a subtle groan. She bent down to his level, his head too low to see his face. She held his right shoulder and gave him a light push upward. He looked down weakly at what she was holding onto with her free hand.

A cold soda and a pretzel. He looked at her in confusion, "This was all I could find from the vender here in the park, but this should at least give you some strength."

"You-you bought me food?"

She gave a slight nod. "Why, though? You don't even know me."

She stood and went to sit next to him again, "You seem like a nice enough person who has just been through a tough day. Besides, you could barely stand without collapsing over. I couldn't just leave you like that, could I?"

She broke off a piece of the pretzel and handed it to him. Zim gave it a funny look. He had never had that Earth food before, though he had seen it on TV. He wasn't really sure he wanted to risk it, "I don't think I should…"

"Come now. You need to eat something. Your body is telling you it needs food, you can't ignore it," she said firmly as though she was talking to one of her sons.

Zim wanted to tell her to bugger off and just leave him alone.

But he was quite taken aback by this woman's kind attitude towards him. He never thought a mere human could show such kindness. A good couple of years ago, he would have seen it as a stupid human weakness. But right now, he was seeing it as something he needed to give him strength.

He sighed and took the piece with a very shaky hand. Not because he was nervous…because he was just lacking the strength.

He looked at the salted piece of food, wondering what it would taste like. He put the small piece in his mouth and chewed, not sure what to make of it.

"Well? Is it alright?" the woman asked.

Zim looked at her, "It's different, but nice. I've never had one of these before."

"Good, I'm glad you like it," she mentioned, handing the rest of it to him.

He broke off small piece, taking it slowly. After finishing about half of it, he looked at the woman, "I don't know how to thank you."

She smiled, "As long as you're doing better, sir."

He hesitated, but decided it should be safe, "My name is Zim."

She nodded and stuck out her hand, "Pleasure to meet you. My name is Malinda White."

Zim looked at her hand and then shook it.

He continued to break off pieces and eat it, looking forward, still a bit dazed, "Why'd you help me?"

The woman looked at him, "I told you. I saw you needed help and thought I could give it to you."

He looked at her, "You're not Tak in disguise, are you?"

"Who?"

"Never mind. Tak wouldn't have bothered to feed me, anyway. She just would have started attacking me and reminding me what a failure I am," Zim mumbled, finishing off the last piece.

The woman placed her hand on Zim's arm again, "Well, whoever she is, she's wrong."

Zim looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"You're not a failure…"

Zim pulled his arm back, looking down, "You don't even know me."

"I don't need to have spent my life with you to know you have some good inside you. The way you spoke about your kids. Just the tone you used. That showed me that you were a person worth helping."

He looked at her, "You got all that from the way I spoke about my daughter and son?"

She gave a nod, "You were having a bad day, maybe caused by a love one, I think…and your mind went to your children and how they were."

She gave him a warm smile, "So Tak, was it? She's wrong. You are a good father…and those are very hard to come by, my friend."

He gave her a smile back, something she could see from beneath his hood. He looked forward, "You're a nice person, Ms White. You probably just saved two lives without even realizing it."

She looked at him, but didn't reply. A response like that didn't need one.

They both watched the playground before them, the woman focusing on her two sons who were trying to build a sandcastle. Zim saw them and looked at her, "Your sons look just like you."

"Thank you," she smiled. She looked back, "It hasn't been easy being a single mother…but I like to think I've done a good job."

Zim looked forward, wondering, "Maybe I ask…?" He stopped, feeling awkward.

She looked at him, realizing a moment or so after what he was trying to ask, "Oh, you mean their dad?" She took a moment, "He passed away recently."

Zim looked forward, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. The boys have finally moved on and my husband's family have really helped us get back on our feet. These things just happen."

Zim looked down, "Yeah…these things happen."

They both looked up, noticing a lost child walking around and crying. The woman sat straight, "My word, some parents just don't pay attention to what their kids are doing, huh? I swear, that's how children get kidnapped these days."

Zim sat up for a moment, noticing the short black hair, the little pink dress…her two oddly shaped antennae, "My Irk, Hope?"

He jumped to his feet, running up to the crying child; the woman surprised he was able to run like that. She got up and went after him.

He went down to his knees in front of the crying child, "Hope? God, Hope!"
The frightened chid turned around immediately, hearing her father's voice. "Daddy!"
She near lunged at him, her arms wrapping themselves tightly around his neck, nearly knocking his weak body to the ground altogether. He held onto his frantic daughter, resting on his legs as he sat, holding firmly onto her. He pulled her in front of him, "What do you think you're doing? Why aren't you at the house? What if some filthy human saw you and took you!"

Hope looked so scared, Zim almost burst into tears himself after yelling like that. She looked at him with frightened eyes, her contacts thankfully on, "I-I just…Aunt Gaz sent us to our room while everyone else began fighting. I climbed out of th-the window, daddy. I-I didn't want anyone to h-hurt you."

Zim looked at her, and pulled her closer to him, hugging her again, his body shaking slightly as he trembled, worry flooding over him, "Please, Hope. Never do that again. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, daddy," she cried, her eyes shut tightly as she held onto her father. He stood up awkwardly, not wanting to ever let go of his child again. The woman helped him as best she could, "Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine once I get her home," he said, quite tired after that lift up. His daughter wasn't as small as she used to be.

Hope turned around slightly, still sniffing and crying, looking at the woman. Malinda smiled at her, "You must be Mr Zim's daughter he was telling me about. You're a very pretty young lady, huh?"

She sniffed again and buried her head into her father's chest. Zim gave a small smile, "I think she's having a bad day as well."

Malinda smiled, "I understand. Will you be able to make it alright?"

"I should be fine. Ms White…Malinda; I have no idea how to repay for your kindness. I have no money on me right now…"

She waved her hand at him, "I would never ask for something like that from you, Mr Zim. I just want you to promise me something."

"What?" he asked, looking confused, Hope turning slightly to look at the woman again.

"I want you to promise to look after yourself. Because you have a wonderful family waiting for you, no matter what," she gave Hope a slight rub of the arm.

Zim looked at his daughter who looked at him, "I guess you're right."

The woman quickly took out a piece of paper and scribbled down something. She hand the paper to Zim, "That's my phone number. If you ever need help, let me know. Alright?"

He looked back up, "Thank you for everything."

She gave a nod. She gave Hope a quick smile, "You take care of your dad, sweetie. He's worth it."

Hope gave a small, still rather scared nod. The woman gave one smile to Zim as a goodbye and went over to her kids.

Zim looked down at Hope, kissing her forehead, "Let's get you home before Aunty Gaz explodes all over the good cushions again."

Zim eventually put Hope down, upon her request. She was worried about her dad seeing as he looked quite pale and weak. His body had been on quite a rollercoaster for one day. He held onto her hand as they walked down the concrete path, on their way home. Zim really didn't want to go back. He would have rather begged to spend the night with that Malinda woman who helped him…but he needed to get Hope home. The sun had begun to set and he would have slaughtered himself into tiny pieces if something happened to his daughter on the way home if she was alone.

Hope was looking down at the concrete for most of the walk, still teary-eyed. Zim looked down at her, "You okay, sweetie?"

She kept her gaze downward, "I'm fine, dad."

"You don't sound fine," he looked back up, almost sighing. This was turning out to be a long walk. He didn't realize how far he had run from the house.

Hope stopped, Zim's grip on her hand slipping. Zim stopped himself and looked at his daughter. She was just standing there, looking…well, hopeless. Zim walked up to her and went down onto one knee. He placed his hand under her chin and brought her wet face up, "What is it, Hope? Did one of the family hurt you or something?"

"No, but…" she closed her eyes. Zim was beyond confused. He looked down at his stomach for a moment, wondering if it was that. He began to panic and held onto his daughter's arms, "Hope, please! For the love of Irk, it's not about the baby, is it? Please don't think I want to replace you or something. Your dad loves you more than you'll ever know. Please don't think I would ever want to…"

Hope shook her head, "It's not that."

Zim took a moment, sighing. He sat down on the pavement now, picking up his still not at all light daughter and placing her on his crossed-legs, cuddling her. He pulled off his hood, not caring if any one saw him. He knew Hope responded better to him with disguise off. It was an Irken thing, "Sweetie, you can always talk to me."

She rested her head against his chest, enjoying the warm hug. It was getting quite chilly tonight. She trembled, though, for a different reason, "I…" she stopped.

Zim looked down, hoping she would continue. She shut her eyes again, "I was afraid."

Zim looked at her, "Of what? Was it the fighting?"

She remained quiet. Zim held her closer, "Hope, I-I'm sorry we scared you and Nik. We-we didn't mean to…"

"No…" she tried, telling him that still wasn't it.

He stopped and looked at her, almost begging her to start telling him what was wrong. She grabbed hold of Zim's shirt, burying her face again as she began crying, "I was too afraid to help."

As she cried, Zim felt even more confusion hit him square in the stomach. He placed his hands under his daughter's arms and brought her up so he could look her in the eyes now, "To help who?"

She sniffed, more tears falling, "To-to help you."

He gave her a look, wide eyed, "What?"

She shut her eyes, crying as she blurted out the words finally, "Aunty Gaz is always yelling at you! And now Uncle Skoodge tried to hurt you today and all I could do was sit and watch! I couldn't help you, daddy because I was too afraid! I want to help but I can't. I don't ever want to lose you again, daddy!" She dropped onto him, now howling as she covered her face.

Zim closed his eyes, holding back his tears. He held onto her, his body shivering again. Guilt swept over him. She was still afraid, after all these years, that he would leave her, "Hope…" he whispered, "Sweetie, daddy is never going to leave you ever again. I swear on my life that I will always be there for you. And I don't want you to ever think otherwise. I love you too much to ever want to leave, no matter what the family does to me."

"Promise?" she looked at him.

He felt a few drops fall from his cheeks, "I promise."

I nearly cried writing Hope's part. Just that thought of how upset that poor child would be in this scene adn then Zim's reaction to that...X( I know I said I'd go easy on him and whatnot...but still :( It is a factor we need to consider.

Anyways, that is it. Tomorrow...SCHOOL. You can hear students screaming in the background XO Oh well.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please leave those reviews and go check the awesome pic :) Love you guys adn will check you out tomorrow.

The next few scenes go well, but it won't end very well...