A really late chapter!

Dib was one his knees. The teen pawed through a box containing wires and electronic devices. Then he found what he was looking for. It was a little black box looking thing with something like a microphone attached. On the side there were dials and numbers, it was a device used to detect heat changes and ghosts. Dib temporarily forgetting his love life troubles was giddy at having a ghost make contact with him! He grabbed the box and put it under his arm. Dib ran down stairs and hollered up to Gaz's vacant room, "I'm going back out for a little bit. Don't wait up!" of course even if she was there he still would have been talking to himself. Dib ran for the door, swung it open and found himself face-to-face with a red eyes and green skin. Dib stumbled backwards slamming into a near by table causing everything to fall off the stand.

Tenna lowered the gift she had been holding up and dashed to Dib's side, "Dib are you alright?" she asked worriedly. He stopped thinking about the pain of his fall and turned to ice, "Tenna what do you want?" she held up a cake that she had decorated with green and red frosting to look like an alien head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you." she said her large eyes hopeful for forgiveness. Dib almost felt bad for being as angry as he had been but then remembered her not even having the guts to look him in the eye as she twisted the knife she had shoved into his chest (I love describing stuff like that even when it really doesn't fit!).

"If you didn't want to hurt me than why exactly did you let everyone believe that I'm some sort of lunatic stocker guy?" Dib asked logically. Her eyes had dropped to the floor, "Could we talk about this and walk at the same time?" he sighed and decided to go with her, if only to get an explanation.

The two traveled in silence for a long time. Eventually they found themselves at the park where they had laid only a day prior and watched the sky together. Dib finally broke their silence, "Okay Tenn, tell me why." he said being extremely direct. She sighed but answered, "I'm a shallow, shallow girl. You're so unique and unafraid of what others expect you to do. You're willing to wear dark colors style your hair in that cool spiky thing and speak the truth about what exists beyond this planet or plain of existence." She turned to him, "but I not. I want to keep going out with you Dib. I really do! But if we are together we can't talk about it. It would have to stay between us." She paused, "You know that's what a real relationship is! Something between two people, not the world…or school!" her eyes pleaded for him to say something that would allow her to sleep easy. Something that would let her know she was doing what's honest to her heart (and allowing her to keep her shallow friends).

"I don't know, Tenn…" he adjusted his glasses a little. She was basically on her knees begging for his forgiveness. He looked at his possibly former girlfriend. She was so sweet and angelic looking with her golden hair and bright outfit. She was maintaining eye contact even though she had to crane her neck a little. She shivered but continued to wait patiently for an answer. He sighed and took off his trade make trench coat.

"Here." He handed it to Tenna; she accepted it and smiled at him as she pulled it on. Dib was skinny but Tenna was a twig so his jacket hung loosely on her. Dib looked a little off with out his trench coat. You could see that his blue shirt was a long sleeve, Tenna had always assumed it was a tee shirt. Dib looked up at the stairs in the deep purple night sky. The universe was so much bigger than him and his petty anger. He worked so hard to protect the people of this planet. Every hour of every day was spent attempting to figure out how to end the threat that loomed over this world. It would be nice if there was at least one person on the planet who liked him and understood all that he went through for them.

"I guess I can understand where you're coming from with-" she cut him off by throwing her hands around his and squeezing his neck in an affectionate hug. She squealed happily.

"Oh Dib! I just knew you were better than that I knew it! You're a way better person than I am!" she released him and stepped back, "I really don't deserve you! Anyway just because we can't hang out at school doesn't mean we can't have fun outside of that brain programming center!" Dib and Tenna walked for a little while just enjoying the other's company. Dib was a little more on guard with his feelings than before but was over all happy. Tenna would occasionally giggle for no reason what so ever. She was just happy to have him not hating her. Then Dib remembered an important matter he had neglected!

"Tenna!" he said quickly with a bit of panic edging into his voice.

"What is it Dib?" she asked immediately.

"Before you came…A GHOST MADE CONTACT WITH ME!" her eyes got big.

"Who was it the ghost of? Like a great grand parent? Or some one you knew before they died asking for help?"

"I don't know I was walking home talking out loud to myself," she raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, I talk to myself. Anyway it spoke to me out of the blue! I don't know who it was but I've got to find out!"

"Where was it?" she asked completely into what was happening.

"About a block from my house. You know where the trees with graffiti are?"

"All the trees have some graffiti them but I could probably find it on my own if I had to."

"Good because you'll have to."

"What?" her eyebrow rose back to its pervious position.

"I left my stuff at home. It'll be quicker if I run there while you go straight to the place it might talk to you too!" He was still thinking like a paranormal investigator and not a boyfriend. She just stood there as he ran in the opposite direction. She sighed smiling. Tenna figured she would have to get used to this sort of thing, "Dib takes his work seriously." She thought out loud still smiling and began to walk to the appointed destination.

Dib sucked in a few jerky breaths as he reached his yard. He had run the whole way there. Did took a few more deep breaths and his breathing calmed and returned to normal. Dib threw the door open and hurried inside. Glancing around he quickly located the electronic device and rushed back outside. As Dib ran his ankle caught something sending him flying forward on to the walkway. He moaned and pushed himself up to his knees.

"Hello, Dib." A voice said from behind and his head shot up. Dib did not even need to turn around he instantly recognized that voice. A voice he had not heard since the first year he had discovered Zim. The voice belonged to one whom he had believed to be his ally, his friend. He knew with out turning around. The word escaped Dib's lips in a soft but audible whisper, "Tak."

Gaz sat on Zim's coach. She was stretched out playing her beloved Game Slave portable. A downloaded song Holiday by Green Day played on the tiny system over piggy hunter. (I cannot go one story without mentioning them! They rock! I liked them before all you posers! glares Oh…uh sorry. Back to the story! Ignore my judging badness!) On the television screen an angry monkey glared but there was no stuffed animal looking dog on the floor to respond to the growling monkey with a characteristic, "I love this show." No, the house was vacant with the exception of the purple haired fourteen year old. Underneath the house how ever an alien and his little robot conversed in a largely one-sided conversation.

"Err! GIR!" spat Zim miserably, "I just don't know what to do!" the green skinned creature paced back and forth in front of a large computer screen. The words on the monitor were in purple Irken typed words. Zim's antennas were on end atop his head as they often were when he was upset.

"Awe waz da matter, Master?" Gir asked in his cute little innocent way. Zim spun around and trained his red eyes on the tiny silver animatron, "Are you serious? Zim has been telling you his problem for the past twenty minutes!" Gir just stared up at him blankly (Gir is soooo cute!). Zim just sighed, "Okay, I'll shorten it up for you! Being as amazing as I am Zim has come up with a plan to finally annihilate all humans once and for all!" he turned to the computer and typed something. A picture of the earth that looks like it was done on micro soft paints appeared, "What Zim has done is strategically placed three rockets on the surface of the earth." He pushed a button and three poorly drawn giant rockets appeared on the left side of the picture. One near a polar end and one roughly on the equator, "With my enormous brain I have seen that if ZIM were to move the earth even a few hundred feet it would cause the planet to decrease in temperature causing all human to freeze to their doom! AH HAHAHAHA!" he stopped and pushed the button. Out of the digital rockets came yellow fire, and the drawn planet moved a couple of inches. Ice appeared on it then a giant Zim with a crown on his head stood on top of the planet grinning evilly, "All humans, that would include the Dib making my victory all the sweeter! But…it would also mean that the Gaz creature would perish. Err! I just don't know what to do! Zim knows his mission must come first but," he didn't finish the thought. Gir had fallen asleep long ago but Zim wasn't paying attention to the one he was supposedly speaking to. It was so difficult! As Zim glared at the screen it came to him suddenly like a slap to the face, "YES! ZIM IS GENIUS!" he laughed evilly and ran over to his elevator. Zim laughed happily at his ability to think.

Gaz heard the loud laughter coming up and growing louder as the elevator neared the surface level. Zim crawled out of the trashcan. He was beginning to think he needed a new exit from his lab. Once he finally had pulled his long legs out of the elevator Zim stumbled over to the couch where Gaz lay. He had stopped laughing and became serious. He began pacing in front of her his hands clasped behind his back. He lowered his eye enough to make contact with Gaz's squinted ones.

"Do you recall when I told you nothing would change and that I would still enslave your people?"

"Zim," she said raising an eyebrow, "it was three days ago. Of course I remember."

"Good! You're advanced for your species! That is why Zim is asking you this question!" he did not go on.

"And that question is…"

"Well," he cleared his throat, "My current assistant is not to the standard Zim desires. He is looking for a henchman person who can think… good. I tell you this for two reasons. One, though Zim could not abandon his robot, for it would enrage the readers and he gift from the tallest, I wish to have a competent associate who can help ZIM! Two, as I just mentioned I still plan on destroying your world and have it planned out. Should you refuse to help Zim you will have to perish with the rest of your species." He waited for a response trying to look as cold as possible. He did not want her to know that in his mind he was begging her to choose wisely. Gaz's eyes opened in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak, to say yeah sure, but no words were coming out. She was in shock of her own uneasiness. Zim was no threat he had tried a million times to destroy the earth. It had never worried her in the least and she would have said sure to stop him from bugging but she just couldn't, she couldn't.

Tenna frowned; it had been ten minutes already. "That's it." She said out loud, "I love ghosts and stuff but not alone!" she began walking briskly towards Dib's house, "We'll come back together but I'm not hanging around alone!" she began to speed walk to Dib's house.

Dib's eyes were wide with shock and he had still yet to turn around. Slowly he turned his neck, and saw the girl he knew he would see. She looked different this time but he knew, he knew. The girl standing before he was a medium height. She was wearing steel tipped boots that reached her knees, coming out of the boots were thick purple and black stripes on stockings leading up to a black skirt. She wore a purple shirt with the Irken insignia printed in black. Over that she wore a long flowing leather duster. Around the girl's neck was a black chocker with a silver symbol matching the one on her chest hanging off. Her eyes were sharp and her irises were a light shad of violet. Her hair was short as it had been the first time. Still styled the same way and still the same color. It was the same girl only older and much more lovely. She stepped closer to Dib. She bent down on one knee and took his hand. He stared from their hands to her face that was only inches from his own.

"Need a hand?" she smiled and hoisted him to his feet in one swift movement. She was strong probably even stronger than he remembered. It had been a while so of course she wouldn't stay the same. He had grown so why shouldn't she? But still he had not expected to ever see her again. In fact, Zim said he had destroyed her! The alien had boasted yet another lie.

"Tak." he repeated. They stood there for a long time in silence. She pulled her purple hair behind her pierced ear and finally spoke, "It's been a long time."

"Yeah…" he said still in a bit o' shock.

"Okay Dib." She said steeping closer, "We don't have time for this. I'll get straight to the point; your world is in danger. Zim may finally be able to destroy you and your world."

"Wait," Dib said coming back to the conversation, "Last time you were here you tired to wipe out all life and fill the planet with SNACKS!" he basically yelled.

"Yes. It was very stupid" She sighed but did not seem remorseful. Only upset about a moronic plan, "I was stupid. When Zim destroyed my opportunity to be an invader it made me blind with rage. I came here and thought that steeling Zim's mission would be the ultimate revenge. I, of course, was wrong. I have come to ask your help. You do not wish to perish correct?" he opened his mouth to respond but she continued before he got the chance, "Of course you wish to live! That is all most creatures can ask for is life! That is what I will take away from Zim. His live. I will cripple his mission and then well, you know. Zim wont be able to appreciate the fact that he has failed for very long."

"Wow. That was a lot of exposition. Why do you need my help?" he asked. She took another step closer so that they were only inches apart. She pushed her self up onto her toes so that they were at eye level with each other and clamped her thin hands over his shoulders for balance, "I have a job for you. Only you can do this. Besides," She was so close Dib could feel her breath on his own lips, "Would you let a past grudge stop you from keeping your species alive?"

"DIB!" they heard a screech from far away. The two turned their heads and had to squint to make out a yellow dot about a football field and a half away. It was Tenna. Using her newly acquired ubber jealous girlfriend powers had seen from an unbelievable distance that another girl had her hands on her boyfriend. In seconds, without running, Tenna had reached the two. Her head was tilted down creating ominous dark circles and her fists were balled. The jacket hung loosely making her look cute earlier now made her look quite frightful to the paranormal expert.

"Tenna!" he cried out and looked from her to the alien gripping his shoulders. His eyes flickered between the two once more than more out of instinct than actual thought Dib grabbed Tak and shoved her to the ground then threw his hands up into the air.

Tenna also was looking between the two others at the scene. The girl who was moving in like a hawk on her boy friend was pretty and that made Tenna's heart sink. Tenna knew she was pretty there was no point in denying it but this girl was a different sort of pretty. She was the sort of girl who wouldn't mind walking through school with Dib. She was dark pretty! She could do what ever she wanted without worrying about being judged. Tenna hated her instantly.

"Hey! That's my boyfriend who do you think you are? Like…um, The Goth Goddess?" she spat trying to be intimidating.

"Was that an insult?" Tak asked raising an eyebrow, "You people can be so hostel for no reason." She lifted her self off the ground, "But I will not let one annoying human distract me from my new mission." She walked a few feet then turned back to Dib, "Think about my offer." Then she was gone. She just vanished with the wave of her hand. Dib was only mildly surprised by this, obviously some sort of Irken cloaking device Tak was probably walking home leisurely or even still loitering there. Tenna also ignored this strange disappearing act and turned on Dib, "DIB!" her teeth snapped together at the end of the syllable like an angry dog barking ferociously.

"Uh Tenna it's not what it looked like!"

"That's what guys always say when it is what it looks like!" she growled.

"Well it's also what some guys say when it's not what it looks like!"

"Oh! You suck Dib! We're through until further notice!" she screamed and stormed off. As Dib stood there staring after her he scratched his head, "man," he muttered to himself, "Having a girl friend is like riding a roller coaster blind folded." He began to walk home in confusion having whether to worry more about what Zim is up to or how to fix his social life.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Sorry for the super long wait! Semester tests, that's all I can say. Hours and hours of studying for those horrible tests! Sorry once again. School is out in a day so I'll have plenty of time to write. Please review I wont keep you waiting this time! Promise!