Sorry if the prologue was confusing : P

It always sounds alright in my head, but gets muddled somehow as it is transferred to the computer....hehe. hope this one is easier :)

Chapter 1

Dib sat on the roof, bathing in starlight. The iridescent sky-lights shone down on him, as if in silent meditation. He closed his eyes, letting the warm breeze caress his face.

"You seem to be doing that more and more often, these days." Zim was looking down at him, wearing a slight scowl of non-approval. He narrowed his eyes at the human, but refrained from spitting out the insult that seemed to be ever-residing on the tip of his tongue.

"Zim? What are you doing here?" Dib asked, a phrase lacking in the conviction it used to embody.

"What do you think, DIB?"

Dib couldn't help smiling. The alien still said his name with such distaste, like he was spitting out a stone rather than a word. He turned, eyes large with expectancy.

"You've finished it?"

It had been almost three weeks since they had returned from the camping trip, but Dib expected a real, working spaceship to take longer to construct.

"Eh, just about." He looked around uneasily, finally refocusing his attention on the boy sitting in front of him. "I need you to ...help...with some supplies and other necessities."

"Necessities? You mean like food and weapons? A first aid kit?"

"Exactly. You must pack your own supply of 'snacks' to be eaten along the way. Weapons, I have. But what is this 'first-aid kit' you speak of."

"An emergency medical supply kit. You know, with band-aids, gauze, disinfectants. You're telling me you don't keep one?"

"That won't be necessary. My voot-cruiser's computer is equipped with a built in medical administrator program. I will, however, need a sample of your DNA to submit into it." He grinned, pulling out a needle.

Dib backed away, not liking the look on his semi-friend's face.

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

"Ow! You jerk!"

"Bwahahahahah..."

Gaz could hear them on the roof, making a racket, as usual. Gritting her teeth, she turned off her Game Slave, climbing the sliver metal steps to the roof top patio.

Ever since they had formed a sort of 'mutual respect' for each other, she hadn't had a moment's peace.

"Will you two shut up?!" She growled, adding "Your voices are stupid" once she had their attention. She walked over to them, practically stomping on their heads as she slammed her foot down on the cement. "How can I possibly concentrate with you two making fools out of yourselves, loud enough to wake up the entire neighborhood?"

They both looked at her, fear-tinged pupils dilating. They detached themselves from one another, silently. Dishing out a couple of rather showy loathsome stares at each other, they turned to face Gaz. She kept her eyes fixed dangerously on them. She refused to relinquish her glare so soon.

Dib looked like he suddenly got a rather nasty idea. "Hey Gaz." He tried to sound indifferent, but the smirk was like a neon sign, lit up across his face. "Zim needs DNA samples. You know, for the trip and all. In case anything happens to us."

Zim looked petrified. Invoking her wrath inevitably meant severe pain, possibly death. He grasped the needle warily, taking a step over to her. He could see her eyes blazing beneath her bangs as she looked up at him.

"If you stick that needle into me, it will seal your demise." She crossed her arms, fixing him with a fierce stare. He took an uneasy step backwards. She smiled, the fact that they were both frightened of her despite their advantage in both height and weight, always served as a happy memento.

Zim saw her expression soften, and took it as a good sign. He chose to remain on guard as she approached, however.

She grinned, and placed both hands on his shoulders, pulling his face down to hers. She kissed him rather deeply and loudly, awaiting the snort of disgust from her sibling.

"YUCK!" Dib spat vehemently. She could hear his slightly-angered footsteps as he stomped down the stairs.

She smirked, pulling away from Zim. She looked up at him wide-eyed. "Was that enough DNA for you?" she asked innocently. He looked absolutely flustered. Somewhere between bliss and disturbance.

"I..uh... think I need more..." he stammered, but with a grin.

"Of course." She smiled sweetly. But she only tugged on her hair as he closed his eyes. Tucking a small clump of luminescent strands into his palm, she turned and stepped lightly down the steps.

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

The dark room was littered with malicious dollies, electric lightning lamps, crystal globes and drawings of shattered carousels, shimmering with dark-hued glitter. Gaz lay on her bed, twisting strands of hair around one finger while nibbling on the remaining glitter-magenta polished nails. She rolled over to peer at the fishnet and velvet shrouded night-stand. A faux leopard frame practically glowed in the black-lite desk lamp's bask of eerie illumination.

Gaz sat up, grabbing the picture and bringing it closer to her face. She scanned the image intently, as if in an attempt to bore it into her mind permanently.

It portrayed a much younger version of herself, sitting on her mother's lap, grinning wickedly as she secretly elbowed her brother in the side. You couldn't visually tell what she was doing, but the look on Dib's face told all. Just like the knots he had furtively tied her hair into stood out in the horrible lighting, looking quite monstrous against the pale lavender back-drop. She grinned. They used to do that stupid stuff to each other all the time. Until...

She moved her eyes to her mother's face.

She was smiling faintly in the dim lighting, a gentle gleam of mischief in her sapphire eyes.

Gaz replaced the picture, flopping down on the bed once again. She recalled the day her father came home. Actually came home, before they were asleep. He had walked into Dib's room quietly, watching the pillow-pitching fury of his children with humorless eyes. He had waited until they noticed him, face utterly forlorn. He did not smile, nor did he approach them, or offer a comforting embrace. He only whispered the horrid words "She's gone..." before turning and leaving the room.

Which was probably for the best, Gaz thought. Ever since the news of her mother's lack of detectable transmission with the space center, Gaz didn't feel like hugging. Anyone. Not her dad, not even her brother. Their childish games ended that night, her Game Slave becoming her only refuge. Something metallic and lifeless, portable and occupying. And absolutely, delightfully replaceable....

There was a sudden knock at her door. Powerful, yet slightly hesitant. Gaz sat up and faced the door. "You've already disturbed me. Come in."

The door opened slowly, apologetically.

"Gaz? Whenever you're ready..." Zim was at a loss as to what to say. She sounded angry, anyways. He walked down the hallway, deciding it best to wait at the bottom of the stairs.

Gaz stared at the crack of light blazing around the door's edge. She hadn't meant to sound so mean. Especially not to him...

She smiled wryly at herself. How ironic that she should swear off all human contact, only to end up surrendering the cause to an alien. And one that wanted to rule the entirety of humanity, at that...

She vainly tried not to grin. But she was downright proud of her decision. And somehow, somewhere, she knew her mother would be too.

Won't you mom?

Gaz raced out of her room and down the hallway, taking the stairs two at a time. Zim was waiting for her at the bottom. He held out his arm. She took it, letting him lead her out the front door, and down the street, in the direction of his base.

He looked down at her pretty, determined face. He smiled.

"Let's go find your mother."