Disclaimers: I do not own Invader Zim

Author's Notes: Yes I know it's been forever! I have no excuse and appreciate all of those who faithfully check for updates every day. I'm going through a lot of changes right now and my job is about to take me on a business trip of sorts for several months. Of course, the news of being away from my family and 2 year old has me feeling depressed. I have however, decided to final stop wallowing in my depression and plan to pass the time by getting lost in my stories. So be prepared to see a lot more updates than usual.

As always I thank you for reading, please enjoy!

[Back to the present…]

(Back with Anabel…)

She was not surprised when she got the call from the school…

Yes, she knew Dib would eventually throw caution to the wind and set out on his own to find Zim. In fact, it Irked her that it took him so long to do so. She supposed it was thanks to Luna that such desires had been staled for as long as they had. So, for Luna to be gone well, now that surprised her, not only that but Gaz and Peg were also absent.

This could only mean one thing…they had all gone looking for Zim; and she knew exactly why each of them came to this decision. For Dib it was simple, he wanted closure regarding their relationship. Gaz probably just wanted to deck him for breaking Dib's heart, while Peg simply followed every decision her girlfriend made without question. However, it was Luna's reasoning that scared her now, there was only one rational explanation for her to seek out Zim.

"We should have been honest with her." Annabel exclaimed as she, Lard Nar and Dibson geared up.

"What do you mean?" Professor Membrane asked.

"Zim, Luna is going after him because she thinks he is the one who enslaved her people." Anabel filled him in. "She wants to know what happened to her parents...Why he did what he did…"

"Are you saying Zim isn't responsible?" Membrane asked his wife.

"Not in the way we've let her think…" Lard Nar answered for her. "Not the way I have made you think." He added looking to Annabel.

"What do you mean?" Anabel asked. "Zim was never there, it was Invader Spleen. Zim just took credit for his work."

"What if I told you that's only half the story?" Lard Nar said. "What if I told you Zim was there the entire time?"

"If he was there where was he?" Anabel asked, not getting it. "The only other Irken involved was…" She looks at Lard Nar, hoping he will deny the very notion.

He doesn't, instead he wears a look of pure guilt.

"No." She said. "I won't accept it."

"He was with us the whole time Annie." Lard Nar revealed the conclusion she had already come to.

"Why?" She asked. "Why does he keep doing this to us?"

"He is torn." Lard Nar spoke gravely. "He wants to do the right thing, but he also doesn't want to be ostracized by his own people."

"It doesn't make it right." Anabel screamed.

"No, you're right; it doesn't." Lard Nar agreed. "But we can, we can make this right." He looked more determined now.

"How?" Membrane asked.

"We join their efforts, we stop lying to them, and each other." Lard Nar answered. "And we show Zim once and for all that together we can stand against his people and win. We need to convince him that we are stronger than anything they throw at us. It is the only way he will ever get over his fears and do the right thing."

"And if we can't?" Membrane dared to consider.

"Then Earth will fall to Irk…If Zim can not over come his fears he will conform to his leaders' wishes. And nothing survives Zim's wrath…Nothing."

"The AIs will stop him." Anabel was sure.

"If he has to eliminate them he will find a way." Lard Nar revealed what she already knew.

"I want to believe this will work." Anabel admitted. "I was the one who encouraged you to not give up on him remember." She reminded him.

"I know." Lard Nar admitted.

"But if what you say is true, if he's done this to us multiple times; then why? Why do we keep trusting him?"

"Because without him we would not be here." Lard Nar shouted. "Anabel Zim wasn't just there for us on Rhapsodize…"

"What do you mean?" Anabel dared to ask, even she wasn't even sure she wanted to know the answer.

"It's complicated." Lard Nar said, and honestly we don't have the time…not now. The children need us."

"But you will tell me?" She asked hopefully.

"Like I said, there will be no more secrets." Lard Nar told her. "You won't like it though." He warned.

"I already don't." she admitted. "It was different when he only betrayed you once, now you're telling me he's chose them over us multiple times. He keeps going back, how many second chances are we going to give him?"

"As many as it takes." Membrane answered for him, surprising them both.

"Dibson…" Anabel was stunned.

"We must do what ever it takes to ensure the survival of the human race." Membrane spoke with confidence as Richard joined them.

"The satellite has spotted the children heading outside of town." He said, the elder man was already geared up. Even though his daughter felt it was too dangerous for him in his old age to be doing field work. "East bound." He added.

"But there is nothing out their but woods and wild life for miles." Anabel retorted.

"Yes, but Zim has been spotted out there by the AIs several times over the months." Lard Nar said. "I don't know how they are doing it, but they must have found a way to track Zim."

"Then we follow their movements." Membrane concluded. "But we don't interfere."

"Dibson…" Anabel began.

"No, we stay out of sight." Membrane cut her off. "This way if danger should arise the enemy will not see us coming."

"He's right Annie this way we have the upper hand." Richard reasoned.

Anabel nodded giving her husband a reassuring smile, turns out Dibson was rather attractive when he took charge.

Membrane gave her a wink from behind his goggles letting her know that her realization was not loss on his part.

"We should also withdrawal the AI's for now." Lard Nar decided.

"What for?" Richard asked as the Vort gave the order. He typed the command into his communicator which could deliver messages to the members of the resistance as well as the AI's if need be.

"Zim will be more likely to come out of hiding if we ease up the pressure." Lard Nar reasoned. "Besides, we cannot risk the kids getting hurt in the cross fire."

Richard nodded his understanding; He didn't know what he would do if harm came to them, especially his grandchildren. He looked to his daughter knowingly. It would devastate her if they got hurt or worse; he shook his head trying not to think about it.

"Let's move." Lard Nar said as he took the lead, out of the Swollen Eyeball HQ and towards the unknown. His comrades followed him with great haste, there only hope was that the kids could survive long enough for them to catch up.

(Back with Dib…)

[Several hours later…]

He was not prepared for the long walk…

It was silly, but it just now occurred to him that Zim could have fled several miles, or even several counties away from their current location. Still, part of him knew he would remain close, no doubt he would have expected Tak's return. Yes, Zim would want to stay close in order to eliminate her once and for all.

True to his suspicion Zim was indeed close, the tracker had led them to a clearing in the middle of the vast forest just outside of town.

However, Dib was confused, there was nothing here, nothing but trees and a small hill in the clearing. And yet they had reached their destination, the small dot on the tracker that was supposed to be Gir was right on top of them…

Or perhaps it wasn't on top of them at all…

"Dib?" Gaz asked noticing the look on her brother's face, it had shifted from confusion to fearful and frightening realization.

"Under us." Dib whispered.

"What?" Peg said just a bit too loud.

"He's under…" Dib didn't have a chance to finish, suddenly the ground rumbled beneath them as the ground began to shake violently.

"Earthquake!" Luna yelled.

But it wasn't an earthquake, no it was worse far worse. Suddenly the ground opens up as Zim's Voot drill it's way through to the surface. His deranged S.I.R Unit is at the wheel, but Zim is obviously trying to regain control.

The hatch opens as it comes to a stop.

"Gir are you mad?" Zim's voice screams. "The enemy could be upon us in seconds. No doubt they felt that!"

"But master it is here!" Gir was screaming. "You told me to find it and it is here."

"What the Irk are you talking about-" Zim has appeared from the other side of the Voot, and that is when he sees the children.

Despite swearing to himself he'd be ready; Dib was stunned upon seeing him for the first time in so long. He was just as breath taking as he had always been to Dib, and in spite of his feelings of betrayal all he felt in that moment was how much he had missed him.

Zim was also too stunned to speak. How had they found him? His eyes met with Dib's, and it is as if he can breathe at least for the moment. Regardless of the danger their presence now put him in he was glad to know the child was still alright, and still looked at him with the same wonder he always did.

He still adored him, despite all his misgivings, despite his betrayal the boy still cared for him, perhaps even loved him. After all he has done to them, and to him personally, and will likely do in the future; Dib still cherished him. What kind of love must that be? That Dib would go against all common sense and all instinct to hate him, to strike him down for all he stood for. For all the pain he had caused them, and more importantly him, to still look at him in such away…

Yes what a love that must be, and Zim had threw that love away, and for what? People who would never know the real him? People that would never accept him for what he really was. For a moment he regrets it all, and the urge to reach out, to make it right; it becomes too great.

"Dib I-" He began.

"Stop right there Zim!" Gaz warned, a blaster already in her hands. She aims at the Irken's head with sinister precision.

And just like that Zim remembers the reality of the situation. They were not here to make up, they were here to eliminate the enemy, they were here to eliminate him. It is then that he notices what Dib is holding; It is Gir's missing piece.

"See master I told you it was out here." He exclaimed.

"Give us one good reason why we shouldn't" Gaz said as Luna and Peg also draw their weapons.

Zim looks to Dib expectingly, but the Teen makes no move to help his comrades.

"He's not going to help you." Gaz yelled drawing back his attention.

Zim's eyes narrow. "Very well, you children want to play fine." He scoffed, hiding behind his sinister guise. "But just remember you are the ones who came looking for trouble. S.I.R defensive mode!" Zim ordered.

He didn't want it to come to this, but it was time for him to accept the fact that this had to be done. Dib was simply in the way, and Zim had allowed him to hinder the mission long enough.

Gir's eyes glow blood red as several deadly weapons are dawn from within him. "Must destroy all enemies!" He spoke coldly.

Suddenly the children look very scared, no doubt they had been warned about a S.I.R.'s defensive mode. However, Dib seems fearless, he steps forward, heck he even smiles!

'What are you up to?' Zim wondered. He watched as Dib set Gir's missing piece down and suddenly reached into his pocket.

What happened next was perhaps the most iconic thing he had ever seen.

"Gir look what I got." Dib said in a sing song voice as he pulled out a bag with a Crazy Taco logo on it.

Gir's eyes go instantly blue at the sight of it. "You brought Gir tacos?" He asked surprised.

"Yep and yummy treats." Dib said holding up the dog treats. "They're your favorites." He couldn't help but tease. "Zim told me so."

Zim is now fuming in both rage and embarrassment at the events transpiring before him. "Gir don't you dare." He warned.

"But the taco man…" Gir cries. " Treats…I need them…"

"I will not be foiled by tacos and treats!" Zim screamed as Gir walked over to Dib as if in a trance, his mouth drooling. "Do you know who I am you worthless worm?" Zim hissed. "I am the scourge of nine galaxies, I am feared by all who hear my name-"

Dib ignored him, the smile still on his face, and growing wider as he spoke. "See the yummies Gir? He waved them in his face."

"Must have yummies." Gir said entranced.

"Go get them!" Dib exclaimed before throwing them off into the woods.

Gir gives chase and just like that the threat is neutralized.

"Works every time." Dib said mockingly as his eyes met with a rather astonished Zim.

"You mean you knew that would work?" Peg asked lowering her weapon.

"Could have told us that." Gaz growled; she also lowered her weapon.

Luna was the only one who kept her's drawn, she knew an Irken was not to be trusted. However, what Zim does next stuns her, causing her to drop her guard slightly.

The Irken claps, he actually has the nerve to applaud them. "Well done." He laughs. ":But I will not be so easily swayed." He gets in a defensive position, and moves to strike!

Luna aims her weapon again, sure she wants answers, but not at the coast of the lives of her friends. She is just about to fire…

Dib steps between them seconds before she pulls the trigger, she barley stops herself in time.

Zim however, keeps coming, the boy would hinder him no further. He would not fall victim to his charms, he would eliminate this weakness once and for all.

Dib doesn't even flinch as the Irken comes for him, and the reason why becomes very clear…

Gaz couldn't help but gasped as Zim stops just short of delivering his deadly blow.

The Irken's eyes meet with Dib's as he drops his deadly blow. "Why are you here Dib." Yes, it was clear to him that something was off. It was obvious now that while they were jumpy, the children were not here to fight. Still, he could not see any other reason for them to be here, that is until they gave him one.

"Tak is back." Dib revealed. "She has control over anyone she comes in contact to. She has a huge base in town." He said, not giving Zim a chance to speak. "I know we're enemies, and you have no reason to help us, but we can't stop her on our own."

Understandment fills him, they need him to eliminate her once and for all. Or this could be a ruse to lead him back deep into enemy territory.

"Tell me where she is, and I will handle this." He promised.

"You expect us to trust you to do it alone?" Gaz yelled.

"I am the only one with the know how to take her down." Zim argued.

"And we're the only ones who know her location!" Dib insisted.

"And I'm…ha-ha-ha!" Gir laughed. "I dunno!" He piped shoving more tocos into his mouth.

"You are a hug pain." Zim growled at Dib with as much venom as possible. How he could both hate and love this child all at the same time was beyond his understanding.

"our information, your expertise. Zim. Let us see the base." Dib said softly.

"Fine, but as soon as we destroy Tak… I'm gonna feed your brains to my robot!" Zim growled as he and Dib butted heads.

Dib smiles, despite the dangerous situation. "DEAL."

"Yay! Brains!" Gir laughed.

Zim resists the urge to both punch and kiss the boy as he touches a button on his gauntlet.

The hatch door opens and Zim takes the lead, he stops at the hatch to look back at the teens. "Well?" He asked.

Dib was the first to follow, the girls not too far behind, they were now entering the belly of the best, the heart of the enemies domain. And regardless of any reserves they may still have there was no turning back.

Their fate, and worse the world's was now in Zim's hands, whether they liked it or not.

-To Be Continued