.

Hello once more, dear audience! I apologize for the absence, I've had to take care of some familial dilemmas recently. Luckily, I have another installment to, hopefully, make up for it. Also, I noticed that I didn't give myself much of a segue between this chapter and the last, so I went back and added more to the ending of chapter 17(if you care to reread it, that it).


"You look so innocent, but the guilt in your voice gives you away."

"Yeah, you know what I mean!"

The car sped down the near-empty road, silent except for the radio. Zim sat stiffly in the backseat, Gir settled limply in his lap. His antennae picked up the faint sounds of reboots failures of the robot. No doubt he'd need another CPU chip, if the faint burning smell was anything to go by. He fought the urge to curl into himself as he caught the briefest movement through the rear view mirror. He pretended not to notice Gaz's hard eyes on him, but wished he'd chosen a different spot in the backseat nonetheless.

"So, don't try to say you're sorry..."

Dib hadn't made any effort to try and talk, or even look, at him. He wasn't sure who he'd rather be angry with him more...Gaz always held such terrifying fury in her anger, but it was a one-and-done type of experience. Once it was over, it was over. Dib...he had a greater knack for holding grudges. His displeasure came in waves of heavy disappointment and his silence said more than yelling ever could.

"...or try to make it right..."

What a strangely ironic song...it was absolutely unrelated to the situation at hand, but he still felt oddly put into the spotlight of shame. For a device purposed for entertainment, it wasn't making him feel very relaxed. The car lurched gently for a road sign and something metallic bumped against the trunk, reminding them all of their unexpected company, who was currently being hauled behind the car because "'there's no way she's setting foot in my car!'". He was starting to regret declining to make the trip with her in the ship instead...the car swerved sharply as it pulled in front of Zim's house, resulting in another impact.

"That thing better not be scratching up my bumper," he hears Gaz mutter bitterly before moving to step out.

"...And don't waste your breath because it's too late-"

"It's too late."


*BANG!*

The door to Zim's house flew open from the force of Gaz's kick, the knob successfully making a home through the window.

"Back so soon?" A rumbling voice inquired, clicking on the lights as the battered group entered the house.

"Put a sock in it, Hal," Gaz snarled back, clutching her side with the sudden movement.

"I was just asking...however, I should inform you that you are being shadowed by a known enemy."

"You don't say...?" the girl glared over her shoulder.

"If it's any consolation, dismantling you was just business," Tak said casually, voice aimed at the ceiling.

"It isn't."

"Computer," Zim chimed in, actively avoiding all eyes that came his way, "stand down. She isn't an enemy this time."

Gaz scoffed, "Go ahead and tell that to my busted ribs!"

"And Gir," Dib called from the side.

"And my sensors indicate moderate to severe damage to your-"

"Alright, stop!" Zim yelled, effectively silencing the room, "There was a small misunderstanding at the party, but I can explain everything."

He lowered his voice to a gentle tone, eyes pleading with the humans before him. Dib swayed lightly on his feet, switching his gaze between Zim and his sister for a reaction. Gaz's face was tight and she seemed unfazed by the Irken's words, standing tense and curling into her injured side. Her amber eyes flicked downward to the robot cradled loosely in Zim's arms and he saw her jaw clench just before she spoke.

"I'm really getting tired of hearing you say that," she grumbled, brushing passed her brother towards the kitchen.

"Yeah...Computer," he said, offering up the small SIR in his hands, "could you run a dx and repair for this, please? And...maybe bring up some supplement shots while you're at it."

The Irken stalled his steps for as long as he could as he made for the group already sat. Naturally, the siblings settled closer to one another, Dib offering to take the place between the two girls and Tak had chosen to push her seat far away from table in general. It was a silly observation, but their positions reminded him that they were, once again, on opposing sides. He brought a hand up to nervously rub at his neck and cleared his throat.

"Soooo, does anyone want anything to drink or..." he trailed off as he took in the rather unimpressed looks he received, "Nevermind."

He quickly slid into his waiting seat, hands fiddling around on the tabletop. He glanced briefly to the other Irken, hoping and half hinting that she would take the reigns, but found her already engrossed in the valiant task of ignoring Gaz's stare. Mimi sat serenely on the arm of her chair, too preoccupied with picking the chipped paint off the wood than to notice the tension around her. Dib sat straight in his seat, perched on the edge as if he was expecting to have to jump up at a moments notice. He said nothing as his sister gradually slouched farther and he swore that the air was beginning to distort from the sheer intensity of her scowl.

Wholly unaffected, Tak made a show of getting more comfortable in her spot before breaking the silence.

"As much as I adore the rare opportunity of peace and quiet," she said, eyeing Zim, "might we be able to move this along?"

"What, you got somewhere else to be?" Gaz asked.

"Why, yes, funny enough, I do. As we speak, I'm supposed to be on my way to deliver him," she points, "back to his husband."

This time it was Dib's turn to balk, "Wait, come again? I thought you said you were allowed to come back!"

Zim ignored Tak's bark of sarcastic laughter, face suddenly hot, and replied, "I was! Technically...it's just- it's been- argh, it's a complicated situation!"

"'Complicated' how?! There are only two options!"

"'Complicated' as in, I have the right to relinquish my duties in the event of an infringement upon the conditions of the treaty! That being a plot to stir war against Irk in a time of peace. Catch? The only ones who know about it are me and the ones responsible and all the proof is back on Noxisis!"

"You didn't grab the plans? You didn't tell me that part!" Tak shouted in disbelief, a hand coming up to her face.

"Give me a break, it was hard enough just getting me off the planet!" he replied, gesturing wildly.

"So, what exactly does that mean for us?" Dib asked in a small voice, arms folded over his chest.

He went unheard as the two Irkens began their verbal battle, "So, what, you figured 'hey, why don't I just dip out and leave all the important stuff here? I can worry about it later!'. Typical."

"It took me years to get as close as I did, and even then I wasn't included in everything! You act like I concocted this plan over the course of mere days."

"Well, based on the what-we-have/what-we-need ratio, would it really have looked any different?"

"Uh, guys?"

"Oh, what do you know, you just got here!"

Tak scoffed, throwing up her hands, "I know enough not to pick fights I have no chance of winning. I also know that, even if those Resisty pillocks have managed to recruit so much as half of Irk's 'liberated' planets, we'll still be outmatched technologically and by sheer numbers."

With that, she threw herself back against her seat, tipping it onto its back legs for a moment. Mimi made a rare, but surprised sound and clung to the piece of furniture as it lurched. The female Irken dropped her posture, head resting on her fingertips as she deliberated with herself.

"I can't believe I almost let you talk me into this," she muttered just loud enough to be heard, "Maybe there's still time to make it before the deadline..."

A spear of ice shot through Zim's stomach as she began to stand, eyeing him dangerously. Speaking carefully, he said, "It isn't hopeless...we haven't even started yet. We won't accomplish anything if we fall apart now."

"'We'?"

They stopped, turning their attention to the voice- and the pair- across the table. Dib started back wide-eyed before pointing a quick finger to his sister, who didn't miss a beat before continuing.

"What 'we'? You think the two of us are going to get involved in all this, whatever this is?," she gave a harsh gesture, "Where was the 'we' when this was being decided? The 'we' when she suddenly went from mortal enemy to ally over the span of a half hour? The 'we' when you went back to hiding everything from us?"

Zim sank a few inches lower in his seat, "I wasn't hiding it, at least not on purpose...I just couldn't find the right time to bring it up."

"Anytime between you coming back and now would have sufficed," she said, waving a hand.

"I wasn't sure how you'd react to hearing it so soon..."

"I was going to be mad regardless, but now I'm pissed because you apparently decided to wait until the last minute. It wasn't even you who told me, I had to find out from B.B. Cowl over here!"

"What?" Tak muttered, making a face.

"Look, I'm sorry," Zim sighed, "but telling your friends you all might be headed to war isn't exactly a topic for the dinner table."

"Yeah, because it's not happening," Gaz spat, standing abruptly, "I don't know if you got your brain fried back there or what, but you have a lot of nerve and you are way outta line. We're going home, and I'm going to have a good, long think about how much of this is actually worth it. C'mon, Dib.

She didn't bother waiting, tearing her eyes away from the stares and walking at a brisk pace toward the door. Dib shifted, jittery in his seat as he balked and stammered. His eyes flitted back and forth between the table and his sister's retreating back. In the end, he chose to follow, but not before speaking in a low voice.

"I'll talk to her, though...it might be best if you don't try to call or text for a while...let it blow over on its own, y'know?" he said, almost apologetically before rushing off, plucking the door out of the window, and closing it in finality.

The house was silent once again. Zim could feel Tak's eyes burning into his skin, but he didn't quite feel ready to face them. He was still trying to decide whether or not he'd just lost the closest friends he had left.

"Woof," an accented voiced broke through, "That was intense, though I remember them with much more gallantry. Nevertheless, we have a much more pressing matter to unpack...I've been instructed to give Iserai near constant updates of my progress and he knows I'm here."

Zim looked at her, and she didn't miss the slight loss of color as she continued, "However, I do believe I've thought of a way to buy us more time and get the plans...but you aren't going to like it."

"Naturally..."

"Irk is our best chance of winning, but we have to get them on our side first. Without the king's battle plans, there's a greater chance of the sun seeing a rainy day. So, don't lose your head when I say...I need to deliver you back to Noxisis."


And for the love of God, it's finally done. This was, by far, the hardest chapter I've worked on yet. As for the wait, I have no excuse, I can only beg for mercy! Forgive me, dear readers, and may this chapter make your days a little brighter! Also, I hope you all enjoyed that piece of early 2000's cringe emo music. I thought it would be nice to add a touch of nostalgia from a time when Invader Zim was truly in its prime.