Dlbn: Hello, everyone! Been a little bit, but here we are with another chapter!

Nbld: Review Corner! Thank you to Zim'sMostLoyalServant and Invader Johnny for reviewing! Cake for you both!

Zim'sMostLoyalServant: That's something they would do, but no one is stupid enough to mess with Gaz like that. Unfortunately, it may come back to bite him in the backside when he least expects it. Thank you!

Invader Johnny: He's been unpredictable at this point. Who knows what he'd do if it turns out the others are just using him.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and various OCs. Anyone and anything canon belongs to Jhonen C Vasquez. I make NO money off writing this.

Dedication: It happens to be my best friend Kim's birthday today. Happy first birthday with your sweet little girl!

000

Zim felt better after having the party with his friends. Thanks to Ense being there, Gretchen was more comfortable with a sleepover. Iggins came about two hours into the party, saying he'd had to convince his mom he was okay enough to go and finish some gaming tournament online before he did. Zim called his grandmother that night from the privacy of the kitchen to let her know things went okay. She was disappointed in the incident in gym, but thankful that Ense had stepped up and stopped it before it got worse. Having time with his friends to goof off and talk about things that weren't Dib related was just what he needed. When Monday rolled around, he realized he hadn't had the urge to drink since the Friday before the party, which he'd ignored because of the party the following day. It was nice to get back to the way things were and get back to his old self. But his mood was destroyed when he reached his locker and found 'loser' spray painted in big, black, blocky letters. He glared at the letters before sighing and spinning his locker combination. He heard laughter near him and did his best not to throw a glare or a punch at Torque when he got too close.

"Someone sees right through you, eh, Zim?" He wondered.

"Yeah." Zim rolled his eyes. "How odd. It's the exact same thing Dib called me when we fought the other day. I wonder who could have done it."

"Uh, us, you idiot."

"Uh, duh, you moron.s" Zim shook his head. "Guess you should be glad you're good at tossing around a dead pig. Not like your brains will get you into college or anything."

"Excuse you?" Torque spun him and pressed him against the lockers. "You calling me dumb?"

"Never." Zim stated, tone flat.

Torque pulled back to hit him at the same moment Zim dropped his bag to put up an arm and defend himself. The punch never came. A raven-haired teacher he didn't recognize was holding the footballer's arm in place.

"What's going on here?" He asked.

"Nothing." Torque hissed.

"Nothing?" He rolled his eyes. "Your locker, kid?"

"Zim. My name is Zim." Zim replied. "And yeah."

The man nodded, putting Torque's arm down. "No fighting in the halls. Go to homeroom and stay apart."

"You always get us into trouble, Zim." Dib commented.

"Maybe if you left me the hell alone, you wouldn't have anything to get into trouble for. Such a foreign concept, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"Thinking."

"Enough, Zim." The teacher scolded.

Dib rolled his eyes and stalked off after Torque, ignoring the teacher defending him.

"And you are…?" Zim asked.

"I'm the new English teacher." He stated. "Mr. Sangre." He offered a hand.

Zim sighed. "Zim Halen." He shook it. "Sorry, they're…on my case a lot…"

"They did that?" He nodded at the locker.

"Yeah."

"Juvenile."

"Coach says so too."

The man nodded, humming once. "I'll report the paint to the janitors and get it cleaned for you."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Zim shrugged one shoulder and started towards homeroom.

"Hey, Chase?" He wondered.

"Yeah?"

"Welcome to Earth."

He didn't need to turn around to see his teacher's jaw almost hit the floor.

000

Zim pulled Ense aside when he ran into him after math class.

"What's up?" The older brother wondered.

"Guess who showed up."

"Caleb?"

"I'd have been arrested by now if that was the case."

"Point. I give up."

"Chase."

"Seriously?"

"The new English teacher, Mr. Sangre, answered when I called him by Chase." Zim laughed. "Broke up a fight with Torque and me."

"Fighting again?" Ense groaned.

"Hey, have you seen my locker?"

"It's being cleaned now. They wrote on it?"

"Loser."

"For fuck's sake…"

"I agree." Zim sighed. "Well, least the rest of the disaster that makes up our family is here."

"Yeah. Generation 2."

"Nice to see you two as well." Chase greeted, joining them. "Couldn't help but notice Zim pull you over. Had a feeling something was up."

"Long time no see, cousin." Ense held out a fist, which Chase bumped with his.

"You made it out of Xa'ie?"

"Yeah."

"You knew?"

"Buddy's brother was a cop looking for him. I was told they were in Xa'ie."

"Before Junior destroyed it."

"Half of it." Zim protested.

"As if that matters." Chase bonked him on the top of the head.

Zim brushed away his cousin's offending arm. "Why are the two of you such pains in my ass?"

"Consider it payback for you two ganging up on me when we were kids."

"We never did that." Ense countered.

"Well, there was that one time…" Zim began.

The brothers burst into laughter, making their cousin flush.

"We should get moving before you're late to class, Zim." Chase told him. "We can play catch up later."

"Come over to my place for dinner. Rya won't mind."

"Who?"

"His wife."

"You're married? Dude, thanks for the invite." Chase glared, but it was playful.

"As if anyone could find your ass." Zim snorted.

Chase shrugged. "Dad was good at one thing. Hiding shit."

"Well, shit, this sounds like a story. Should we roast marshmallows around a fire and you can tell us all about it?" Ense wondered, shoving a hand into his pocket.

"Oh ha-ha, you're hilarious." Chase rolled his eyes. "But yeah, I'll take up that dinner offer."

"Same to you and Lahna." Ense nodded at Zim.

"Sure thing." He shrugged one shoulder.

"Now get going. You'll be late." Chase gave him a playful shove forward.

Zim glared once he regained his footing and continued his way to class. He was halfway there when a hand reached out and slapped his books from his arms. Zim grunted in frustration, sending a glare in the direction of one of Torque's friends, Brian. He was laughing with Rob, the third in their trio of mindless jocks, as they watched Zim pick up his stuff. He ignored it and walked into class, slapping Dib's desk with a book.

"Your better friends are very mature. I applaud your ability to develop poor friendships." He commented.

"Yeah, well, I was friends with you, wasn't I?" Dib countered.

Torque and Jessica burst into laughter, but Zim ignored them. Damn teenagers.