A.N. Thanks again to the same people who reviewed. It really helps me out. . . hint hint to those who didn't review This chapter introduces the first Zim/Tak slightly-shippy scene, but it's not much. But still. . .

Anyway, this whole story has 10 chapters, and so I just need to type them up, which I can only do at school. Next week's spring break, so chapter 4 may not be up for another two weeks or so.

Chapter 3- Partners

"And so class," Ms. Bitters says, "You and a partner will spend the week observing forces of nature, and then you'll present to the class on possible ways these forces can lead to Earth's destruction."

I look to Zim, and notice he suddenly looks very interested. He's sitting up straight now, and the look on his face is so concentrated, it's almost. . .

"Tak," Ms. Bitters snaps, "stop smiling at Zim. It's disturbing."

A few snickers from the stupid children. Zim glances at me, confused, and I turn away.

Geez, I didn't even realize I had been smiling. . .

I focus on the back of Dib, and try to ignore the snickers.

Dib's shoulders tense up in the back, and I get the vague thought that maybe Dib thought I was smiling because of the mention of Earth's demise or something. . .

I sigh and lay my head down on the desk.

"Ms. Bitters," I hear Dib say, "May Tak and I be partners for this project?"

Looking up in surprise (and confusion), I say,

"What?"

and so does Zim.

Dib doesn't respond to either of us. He doesn't even look at either of us.

"Sure," Ms. Bitters says miserably.

"But I-" Zim starts.

"Silence! Zim, you'll be partners with Antoinette!"

Fron the back of the room, Antoinette whines,

"Do I haaaaave to?"

"Yes! Everyone else, pick your own partner. Now go away."

The bell rings, and all the students instantly run out from the classroom, but I grab Dib by the arm before he can leave.

"Dib," I say, "What was that-"

"Dib-worm!"

I groan and let go of Dib's arm as Zim marches right up to his face.

"What is the meaning of this!" he demands.

Dib glares and says,

"What? Can't bare to be apart from your precious Tak, Zim?"

What on Earth is he. . .?

Zim looks about ready to attack Dib, but then out of no where, Antoinette pops up and says, in a really stuck-up tone,

"Okay, Zim, we'll do the project at your house, but besides that, no talking to me outside skool, or anywhere for that matter, unless we're in the classroom, and we're absolutely forced to. Understand?"

Zim stares for a moment, then blinks. Then says,

"Who are you?"

Antoinette seems slightly offended, but covers up by rolling her eyes and walking away rather quickly.

I notice Dib is no longer here. I look to Zim, and I can't even read his expression, but I can tell he's not happy .

Without even thinking, I gently pat his shoulder, and we leave the classroom.

The three of us were lying on the ground, staring up at the night sky.

"What do you think Irk's like?" I asked.

Steg was lying opposite of me, his antennas brushing against mine. I was so alert to this, I barely heard Joon's response,

"It's gotta be better then this."

"Anything is," Steg muttered.

I sat up and said,

"I'm working on my ship now. When I'm done, we can all go there."

"Would we even fit in?" Steg said, sitting up as well.

"The ship?" I asked, "Yeah, it should hold us-"

"No, I mean. . . would Irk accept us?"

"Of course they will," Joon said, "We're the same race."

"Yeah, but. . ." Steg paused the said, "We're really different. We hardly know anything about Irken society, thanks to our parents. . ."

"Did you know most Irkens are born in labs?" Joon said. "They don't even have parents."

Both Steg and I lied back down and both muttered,

"Lucky. . ."

I expectd Zim's training rooms to be much more pathetic, so I guess I'm somewhat impressed that they're actually challenging.

Not as difficult as he made it sound, of course. . . not even close. . .

He decided to join me today, and he's only a little bit further behind me in the obstacle course.

Neither of us are speaking, but for some reason, I feel like I should.

I dodge a few lasers that shoot out from the walls, and use my spider legs to pull myself up to a higher platform.

As a small robot (that looks somewhat like one of Zim's transformed garden gnomes) comes toward me, I call out to Zim.

"Are you okay?"

For a slight second the robot is able to push me against the wall,

"Of course I'm okay! I made this obstacle myself!"

but then I just push it back.

"No," I say, as I stab the robot with my spider leg, "I mean. . ." I thrust the robot across the room, and there's a small explosion, "Are you okay about that whole project thing at skool?"

I wait a few moments as I hear some more lasers shooting below the platform.

I lean down and offer Zim my hand. His spider legs bring him halfway, then he grabs my hand and jumps to the platform, just before a laser aims at him.

He's kneeling beside me, and catches a short breath, then says,

"It's just a filthy, stupid project. It doesn't matter."

Suddenly a laser is coming right toward me, but then Zim pushes me out of the way.

Neither of us are harmed.

Zim uses one of his spider legs to reach out and press a button on the side wall.

The lasers stop.

As his spider leg returns to Zim's pak though, it whips back and I feel something sharp cut against my leg.

I wince, then look and my boot is cut across the shin. I remove it quickly, and sure enough, my leg is cut too.

My fingertips dab at the blood a bit.

Zim turns around, looking slightly confused at first at first, then his eyes bug out a little. In the next moment, my leg is suddenly in his hands.

"Zim, what are you-"

He's cleaning the blood off with a cloth that I'm guessing he had in his pak.

I wince again, but only slightly.

Then Zim takes a bandage from his pak, and as he wrap it around my shin, I say,

"I can take care of it Zim,"

but for some reason, I can't pull away.

When he's finished he stands up, and I think I hear him mutter,

" . . .'m'sorry. . . "

but I can't be sure.

I look to my shin, perfectly bandaged, then grab my boot and put it back on.

On the way out of the training room, neither of us say a word.

End of Chapter 3. . .

kk, first sentence of chapter 4. . .

This is so stupid.

Ha. Seriously, that's what it says. You're gonna have to wait to see what's going on. Okay. . . um, could people seriously review? Like, if you like it. . . um, review it. It helps, and I posted this story to get other people's opinions on it. . . so please give them to me. And I'll give you all virtual cookies. Yay!