=Reading reviews, nodding= I'm trying!! : )

here's the next chapter! :)

I was able to finish it due to the wonderful goodness that is Indian food. Mmm...curry....

I drew some pictures to go with this story, but haven't posted them yet. I'll put a link up in the next chapter, though...if you want to have a looksie... : I

---------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 9

Prof. membrane was munching on a hot dog, staring at the sky. He turned around at the sounds of his approaching children. Getting a glimpse of Zim carrying Dib, his initial impression was that they were playing another of their weird games. A war game perhaps?

"A good soldier never leaves a man behind." He quoted from somewhere, attempting to join in their game. "You're a good man." He patted Zim on the shoulder.

Zim was looking at him with an expression somewhere between curiosity and resentment. Dib had the humility to look embarrassed.

"Uh, we're not playing, Dad." He smiled sheepishly. "I had a little accident..."

Prof. Membrane noticed the towel-bandage for the first time. "My goodness, are you alright, son?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I could use some disinfectant, though." Prof. Membrane took his son from Zim, carrying him into the large screened-in tent.

---------------------------------------------------

Gaz polished off her hot dog in record time, and began digging in the cooler for a soda. She pulled out two, tossing the other to Zim. He was still eating his sandwich, munching thoughtfully. Gaz wondered what he was thinking, but didn't ask. She respected privacy.

Zim had no such restraints. He had been asking himself why he had even thought to rescue Dib. He concluded that it was due to Gaz's request, but that just puzzled him further. He noticed her looking at him before she turned away in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, surprising himself.

Gaz blushed. She had been thinking about him, actually. Luckily her face was turned in another direction.

"Nothing. You?" She would never tell.

"Nothing." Neither would he.

They resumed their silence.

--------------------------------------

Dib walked over to them, limping slightly. He was dressed again, looking enthusiastic about something.

"What are you looking so happy about?" Zim was in a sullen mood again, not liking the mood swings he was experiencing.

"My dad says there's a great look out point not far from here. You can see the sun set over the mountain ridges and stuff." He looked hopefully at Gaz. He knew Zim would resent whatever they did.

Gaz eyed her brother thoughtfully. She would never let him find out, but she loved the forest and sky immensely. More than any normal human does, she thought. She felt safe and accepted here, not lonely and annoyed like she did amidst civilization.

She wanted to go. "I guess I'll go." She grumbled. She walked to her tent to get dressed.

"You should get changed too, Zim." Dib suggested, as politely as he could.

Zim stomped past him, hating that he had no say in the matter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Dib was leading the way, quietly muttering to himself. He was seeing how many species of plants he could identify without the aid of his hand-held computer. He paused at a plant with vivid red flowers and miniature lily- pad leaves.

------------------------------------------------

She lifted Gaz onto her lap, wrapping her other arm around him. She pulled him close. "Do you see this plant with the pretty flowers?" she asked. They both nodded.

"Taste." She pulled off two leaves, handing them to her children. They chewed, questioning faces turned toward her. Gaz scrunched her little nose up, surprised at the semi-spicy taste. Dib asked for another.

"I like it." He said. It reminded him of radishes and pepper.

"Me too." She nibbled on her own, examining the flowers.

Dib plucked two. He handed one to Gaz, the other to his mother. Smiling, she tucked the flower behind her ear, stooping down to do the same to Gaz. Gaz looked up at her mommy. "Am I bee-u-tee-full?" she asked.

"Let's ask a man's opinion." She held Gaz to her chest, peering at Dib. "What do you think?"

"You're the most beautiful girls in the world." And he meant it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Dib grabbed a handful of the leaves, stuffing them in a pocket. Standing up, he continued walking without a word.

Zim, having seen Dib study the plant, taking some specimens with him, decided to do the same. Thinking it to be of scientific importance rather than sentimental value, he grabbed his own fistful, flowers and all.

Gaz was staring at the forest bed, making sure she didn't step on any bugs. She had a protective tendency towards smaller life forms. Cooing almost inaudibly, she turned over a beetle that was stuck on its back, legs flailing in distress. She picked up a rolly-polly that had nearly met it's doom beneath Zim's foot. Glaring at the two unfeeling giants ahead of her, Gaz cradled the bug in her palm. Its antennae were ticklish against her skin as it crawled the length of her forearm to her elbow. She rotated her arm slowly, making sure it didn't slip off. She was smiling gently at it when she bumped into something.

Zim eyed her inquisitively, wondering at her complete lack of attention.

"Sorry." She rubbed her forehead. Where did the rolly-polly go? She began searching for it.

Zim knelt down beside her. "What are you looking for?"

"Nothing." She huffed, standing up. She looked around. Dib was smiling at her.

"We're here." He waved his hand at the view around them. They were at the edge of a decent sized cliff, overlooking a deliciously green valley, behind which stood a range of purplish mountains. It really was breath- taking. Gaz stepped forward in admiration, taking in the elegance invading her sight.

"Phhht! Is this it? We walked all that way for THIS?!" Zim crossed his arms, looking peeved.

Dib just ignored him, but Gaz turned around in bewilderment. He didn't like it at all?

"You...don't find it...beautiful?" Her chocolate eyes looking dimly sad.

"..." Zim suddenly felt ashamed. Like he had stolen her happiness, somehow. "Its alright, I guess..." he muttered, not meeting her inquisitive glance.

Dib was watching Zim closely, noting his reaction to Gaz. And vice versa. Gaz never cared what anyone else thought. Zim never looked abashed...

Slowly, almost against his will, he pieced together exactly what must be coming into existence between the two. To say that he was unhappy was an understatement. His sister desiring the scum of the universe. The scum of the universe desiring his sister. He ran the mirrored thoughts back and forth through his head, not realizing that whatever he thought was unavoidably present on his face.

"What ARE you looking so disturbingly furious for, human?!" Zim comented on the deadly appearance Dib currently held.

Dib was shocked that his feelings could be so easily determined, but it didn't halt his judgment in the least. He turned away, saying nothing.

Gaz realized Dib might be semi-catching on to what she was feeling. An amazing shade of red fashioned itself across her cheeks. She covered her face with her hands in an attempt to shield it from sight. At least two whole minutes passed. She jumped when there was a light tug on her arms. She spread her fingers apart wide enough to peer through them.

Zim was trying to pry her hands from her face, his expression taking puzzlement to an entirely new realm.

"What IS wrong with you, human? Your face is nearly as red as that 'apple' your father gave me yesterday."

Not knowing what else to say, Gaz simply replied with "I'm embarrassed."

"Why?" he looked positively astonished. Why should she be embarrassed? She had done nothing wrong. Hadn't failed at anything...

Argh! She wished he'd just let her be. "I dunno." She lied. She jerked away from his grasp. He eyed her thoughtfully, but didn't touch her again. After a few minutes, when her face had returned to normal (she hoped) she removed her hands, looking around. Zim was standing a few feet away, watching her closely.

"Where's Dib?" Her brother was no where to be seen.

"He stormed off." He walked over to her, and peered at her closely.

Didn't he have any sense of personal space? Gaz wondered. His face was two inches from hers, if that.

"Your face is back to normal." He observed.

She pushed him away roughly. "Duh. Which way did he go?"

"That way." Zim pointed, still looking at her.

"Off the CLIFF?"

"WHAT?! No..." He WAS pointing in that direction. Oops. Heh heh, if only it was true..."No, I meant that way." He pointed to the way they had come now, paying attention this time.

They retraced their way back to the camp, calling for Dib (or "pig-smelly", "dirt-child", "worm-baby" and "pitiful human") along the way.

--------------------------------------------------

It was dark once again, as they reentered the campsite. Prof. Membrane looked up, relieved. "I was beginning to worry about you two. Your brother came back not too long ago." He added, to Gaz. "Said he was feeling sick."

Gaz smiled thinly. I guess it WOULD make him feel like throwing up. Considering it was Zim, after all. She sighed, wishing the two at least had respect for one another. They weren't SO different...

"I'm going to bed now." Gaz scuffed her way to her tent.

Zim came to the conclusion that he should, too. Saying goodnight to Prof. Membrane, he entered the tent he shared with Dib, cautiously. He knew something had gone wrong, although he couldn't figure out what. Oh well, he was soon to find out from Dib, he had no doubt.

----------------------------------------------

meh. this is going on and on! It just keeps coming out, though, so i hope you enjoy! :P

I have to say that the next chapter is going to be my personal favorite, as it REALLY picks up the sealing of the ZADF and ZAGR.