Zim had passed out on the floor of Shloogorghs, after having to clean the entire place (including the bathrooms) all by himself for the past week as punishment for escaping last time.

"GET UP, SLACKER!" Sizz-Lorr shouted, and dumped a barrel of hot grease on Zim.

"AAGH! IT BURNS!" He shot up into the air, running in a frenzied circle. All the other customers laughed, and not for the first time Zim considered trying to break out again.

Unfortunately, the security features had been upgraded. Instead of being able to trick the scan by hiding in enough mass, these were able to perform x-ray scans, allowing no place to hide.

Zim panted, and at last the burning sensation dulled. For a second, it seemed like he was going to be allowed a short rest, but then Sizz-Lorr gave him…the toilet plunger.

"NO! Please! Anything but that!" The tiny Irken begged, praying that the Blob Monster hadn't been the last one in.

"Yes. Now go do your job!" Sizz-Lorr demanded, knowing full well that the Blob Monster had just come out. "Or else." He grinned, and held up a bucket of boiling oil. Zim looked at the oil, then the plunger, unable to decide which was worse. But finally, he picked the plunger, holding it carefully by the handle. He stared at the bathroom door like a condemned man would look at the electric chair.

Gulping, he walked inside, to be met with a horror too despicable for words.

Several hours later…

Filth covered and completely spent, Zim hobbled over to a table (not noticing that everyone in the tables around moved away) and sat.

Though he had been trying his best to forget her, his exhausted mind not being able to go anywhere else but the Irken who had spent so much time with him. The only Irken who had bothered to actually have a conversation with him, and the only female Irken who had ever spent longer then five minutes with him.

Tak…did she mean it when she said she wasn't going to come and get me? He couldn't help but think. She had already shown that she was excellent with lying, especially when she was trying to hurt him. After all, she had lied about the Tallest and his mission.

But she had a reason that time. You had beaten her and she was angry. Why would she lie now? A traitor part of his mind whispered. He just didn't want to think about that. It was so hard to believe that the same Irken who had worked by his side these past few months had been planning to betray him the entire time.

Meanwhile…

"So…explain this to me again." Dib asked, not quite getting what was going on.

Tak sighed, and tried again. "When I came to Earth the second time, I was planning of working with Zim, but secretly destroying all of his inventions and experiments. I was going to take over his mission when the right time arrived. A few days ago, Zim was kidnapped by his former boss from the planet Foodcourtia."

"Which is…?"

"A planet conquered by the Irken race many years ago, and has been completely filled with fast food restaurants and snack stands."

"Okay, so why are you going?"

"To get Zim back."

"Why?" This was the point Dib just didn't get, no matter how hard he tried to understand. Tak would never answer when he asked, either. She would suddenly get very interested in the view and not listen to him.

Tak knew that Dib would never understand, he was only a child. How could she explain this feeling of possessiveness towards Zim? How she wanted no one else but herself to ever lay a hand on him. Even how surprisingly safe she felt around him, considering he was possibly criminally insane.

She didn't recognize the trust she felt as what it was, because she'd never felt this way before.

In a way, she didn't want to feel this way. It was too complicated.

So all she did was stare at the passing stars, childishly hoping that the answers to her feelings would be revealed if she stared long enough.

The stars gave no answers, for the answers were not out there, but in herself.

A/N: Poor Zim, ah but how I love to mess with him. Well, I hope you guys are looking forward to the ending, which should be in a few chapters (depending on their length, and whether or not I choose to do an epilogue).

Remember-A ZATR a day keeps Davey Jones away! (I have seen POTC: DMC, and it is totally awesome!)