Dlbn: Hey, everyone. Welcome to the last update of the 2017 year. Woot.

Nbld: Been kind of a shit year for us, but its gotten better. But we won't ramble. Let's get to the Review Corner! Thank you to Invader Johnny and Zim'sMostLoyalServant for reviewing! Fireworks and candy for you both!

Invader Johnny: Dib just made a big mistake, indeed. *Gives Dib a water gun*

Zim'sMostLoyalServant: Before, he would've just punched him. I probably would have if it were me ^^" If they ever turn on him, he's going to have a rude awakening. He's a boy without a homeland at that point.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but plot and some fan characters (Lahna and Gram only currently). Everything canon belongs to Jhonen C Vasquez.

Dedication: Dedicated to my readers and reviewers in honor of the new year, beginning soon (its almost 11 PM for me). Thanks for reading, favoriting, following, reviewing, and just clicking on my fic in general. I'm glad it's getting some good reception. I originally wasn't going to post it because of the fan character usage, but I'm glad I have. Thank you all, and I'll see you next year!

000

It wasn't hard to find him outside by the front steps. Lahna found him just in time to see him punch the wall, and wince in response to the pain he should have known it would have caused him.

"Aiyies?" She wondered. "You okay?"

"Yeah, my pride is just broken." Zim sat down against the stairs, running his hands through his hair. "Fuck."

"What the hell happened?"

"He was running his mouth; bitching about you taking his place and Gaz, Gretchen, and I being pissed at him."

"You wouldn't be pissed at him if he wasn't ditching you…"

"I tried to explain that. You would think it's an easy concept to grasp, but no."

"Mr. Oblivious."

"The King of Obliviousness." Zim shook his head. "Dee doesn't want him being friends with me anymore."

"And he's going to listen cuz he's a damn moron?"

Zim nodded. "Basically." He looked up at her, draping his arms over his upturned knees. "You think you know a guy."

"I know." She sat next to him. "It sucks ass. But you were going to hit him…"

"He deserved it…"

"I know, but he's a minor."

"Here, so am I."

"So, what now?" She asked, leaning against the wall with him. "I mean, what happens to the group?"

"I think the divide there was obvious. We get me, and they get Dib. That's how it has to be." He scratched the back of his neck. "I need a god damn smoke…"

"Don't you have to be eighteen here?"

"I have coworkers that will share." He sighed, forcing himself to stand. "Come on, let's go to class. No need to skip just because my former best friend is a selfish, flaming dipshit…called me a loser and said he has better friends now. Fucking A. A year ago, these people were kicking his ass. And now he calls them friends?"

"Wait til Dee gets bored and dumps him."

"I said that, too."

"I bet that went over well."

"Oh, so well." Zim sighed. "Come on, Lahn. We can dish later."

"Sure." She shrugged and stood, following him. "Hey, Hi-may?"

"Se?"

"It's Riot and Covert all over again…"

"But this time, I'm not certain who's gonna come out on top."

000

There were a lot of things Zim could do to relax after a stressful day. He could read or call his grandmother, do homework or watch TV. But instead, he decided to drown his sorrows in booze in his labs while Lahna started moving her stuff into his house. Gir was roaming around somewhere in labs lower than the ones he was in, but Zim didn't really care. The computer chastised him about drinking after his third beer, but shut up after his sixth. Lahna found him almost passed out on his work station. Homework was scattered around him, as was the invitation Keef had given him. They'd changed the date to that weekend with all the drama going on. She wasn't certain if her brother even wanted to go anymore, but he'd do it to save face with his friends. They didn't need to know what was wrong with him.

"I thought you were a minor here and can't drink unless you're twenty-one?" She asked softly.

He opened his eyes to look at her, not lifting his head off the desk. "Credits." He held up a beer.

"Thought you didn't keep booze here cuz it's too tempting."

"I have a stash for special occasions."

"What's the occasion?"

"Shitty people getting the fuck out of my life." He put the beer down. "Seriously…damn brat…"

"A'ight, Junior, I think you've had enough." She took the bottle from him and took a swig. "I also think that you should share with your little sister and not be a booze hog."

He laughed. "You're a minor here."

"I don't give a shit. This base is Irken tech, making it Irken property. And on Irk, I'm an adult as soon as I turn fourteen. That was two years ago. I can drink."

Zim laughed, closing his eyes and letting his arm dangle. "Here's a story of a snitch…that I knew for many years…but now he's a bitch…fuck your feelings." He sang, flipping off the air. "He can suck my dick." He pointed at his crotch with his extended middle finger.

She giggled. "If you can sing songs from your childhood and flip off the air, I think you're gonna be okay. Just don't drink too much, Aiyies. School in the morning, and I know how you are with a hangover."

"I'll sober up tonight. It's only six."

"It's nine…"

He sat up, looking at the clock above him. "Huh…well it's six in California."

"Where?"

"Another state."

"What?"

"Never mind. Look at a map."

She giggled. "It's nice to see your old self peeking through once and a while, don't let it overtake you, okay?"

"I won't. Just a rough day." He rubbed at an eye. "I think I'll go to bed and sleep it off."

"Tea with honey in the morning?"

"Please." He nodded. "You all settled in?"

"Yeah, I'm good for now. If I want to move things around, I will later. Too tired now."

"Same. Night, Little Lahna."

"Night, Junior Haven."

000

No one at school talked about the confrontation between Zim and Dib yesterday. An announcement about fighting in the halls was made, but it could have been directed at two freshmen who had fought later in the day. Zim's hangover had waned for the most part by third period, but the urge to drink grew stronger each time he saw Dib and Dee, or them separate, in the halls. He almost threw up his lunch when he heard Dee overly loudly announce that they were going steady now. He felt a sudden pang of jealousy burn in his stomach. Not at Dee for taking Dib away, but at them for having one another. He had Zayena, and he lost that. Sila was his best friend, and he had no way to talk to her. He really could have used her to talk to the night before instead of drinking, but at least in his head he could hold a conversation with her as if she was right there with him.

"Did you guys hear we're getting a new coach next week?" Keef asked. "Coach Walrus won't be working here anymore."

"Why not?" Zim asked, as if he cared.

"He had an affair with a student at another school or something."

"Gross." Gretchen stuck out her tongue. "Speaking of gross, your brother is coming this way, Gaz."

"I'll be in the bathroom." Zim stood and left.

Lahna wasn't certain if he had to puke or if he just didn't want to be around Dib. The raven stopped at the table.

"Hey…" He greeted.

The others looked at him, but no one spoke. Lahna caught Gretchen squeezing the life out of her juice box from the corner of her eye.

"So…um…no hard feelings about yesterday…?"

"You mean when you insulted Zim, said your new friends were better than us, and tried to start a fight with your best friend in the hallway?" Gretchen asked through gritted teeth. "No…no hard feelings at all." She stood and stalked off, leaving her tray behind.

"So…that's a yes…?"

"No shit." Gaz growled, ignoring him in favor of her game with Iggins.

"Yeah, we're all pretty pissed." Iggins stated.

"And about being mad at me?" Lahna asked. "Your better new friends asked me to join them instead when I first started here. If I had, I would have taken your place there."

"No, there's plenty of room for me there." He nodded at Dee. "She makes sure of it."

Lahna rolled her eyes. "I could have pulled up a chair from another table…"

"I guess…look, I'm an ass. But for my relationship, I had to kick Zim to the curb and…"

"Zim's in a bad place." Lahna informed. "He's pissed off at you, but he's hurt as hell, too. So is Gretchen, if you didn't realize that."

"We all are…" Todd all but squeaked when Dib looked at him. "It was kind of sudden…and he's your best friend…"

"Was." Dib corrected.

Lahna quietly hummed the song her brother had sang in his drunken state the night before.

"So…I should go back to my table? I was really hoping we could still be friends…"

"Zim's part of the packaged deal, Dib." Keef offered calmly, though there was a storm brewing in his eyes.

"You get all of us or none of us!" Screamy added.

Lahna rattled her antennae as people stared at their table for a few seconds.

"I see…I guess…this is goodbye, then…?"

"Good riddance." Gaz huffed, opening one eye to look at her brother. "What you did was low, Dib, even for you. You should be ashamed."

"But…"

"Back where I'm from, loyalty is the most important thing you can have; to family, friends, anyone." Lahna informed. "Loyalty and trust are the top two. You threw Zim's trust in you right back into his face, and your loyalty to your friends out the window. It's going to take more than a few well placed 'I'm sorry' to fix things."

She wasn't sure if she was speaking as the group's spokesperson, a gangster, or Junior's sister.

"I guess I earned that…if you ever change your minds…you know where to find me."

Dib stood there awkwardly for a few minutes before leaving. Zim and Gretchen returned together the second he was gone.

"Spend so much time together and rumors will start flying." Keef offered with a giggle.

Gretchen blushed. "Dib's presence makes me sick now…I don't know if I'll ever get over that feeling."

Zim nodded. "Couldn't agree more." He stated. "We just happened to come back at the same time. We're all in the same boat here. We lost someone close to us."

"Except he's not dead. He just walked away."

Zim looked over his shoulder at the popular table, where Dib was laughing along with his new friends as if nothing had changed or he felt unaffected by losing his friends. It made him sick.

"At this point, I'd prefer him being dead." Zim stated. "That way I wouldn't have to look at his betrayal every day."