Dlbn: We're back with another chapter…and another OC! Warned you all it would get OC heavy at some point. I apologize *bows*

Nbld: We know its quick, but we've been trying to update a Halloween fanfic with all the chapters and last being posted on Halloween, so figured I'd update here too. Review Corner! Thank you to Invader Johnny and Zim'sMostLoyalServant for reviewing! Pumpkins for you both!

Invader Johnny: the world is like that, too. There will be nice people that have your back, and total jerks that backstab you when you least expect it. I've had my fair share of both parties in my life, myself. Dib's lost a part of himself by joining the popular kids, even if he has yet to realize it.

Zim'sMostLoyalServant: There is some Gaz/Iggins (mostly as a joke by the others), but whether it's one sided (or even true), you'll see in future chapters. I'm glad you liked. Even if they have a small part/no part, seeing the OCs interact with the others is one of my favorite parts. The group is so tight knit and, even with Dib's betrayal, seeing them accept in other people that fit in well is nice. It will come back to haunt him eventually.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Lahna, Sila, and the new girl. Everything canon to Invader Zim belongs to Jhonen C Vasquez. I make NO money off writing this.

Dedication: To my pet mouse, Thousand Sunny. My son let her and her sisters out of the cage months ago, and I finally managed to catch her. How? She was in my trashcan when I threw something out. My son is excited to have her back, and she loves her new wheel and lookout attachments for her cage. Now to find and capture the other two!

Quick translations:
Nume uno: Number one

Ya desen: For life

000

The new girl arrived that Monday. She had asked not to be introduced because she had social anxiety, but Zim had a feeling that was a lie just to get out of it. She sat on his left side in math, as the kid who had sat there moved because his father got re-stationed with the military. Zim was glad he didn't have to deal with that kind of military crap anymore. He'd caught her staring at him three or four times, but she may have just been looking around the students in front of them to better see the board.

"Alright, everyone, grab a partner and get to work. finish page fifty in the book and you'll only have page 51 for homework. Finish fifty early, move onto 51." Their teacher nodded at the new girl as if to encourage her to join someone.

Zim was going to ask her, but he heard Jessica do so first and decided to ignore it. Instead, he teamed up with Melvin to do the work.

"Do you know her?" Melvin asked.

"No, why?" Zim answered.

"She keeps staring at you."

"Maybe she just sees something she likes."

"Yeah, someone to copy homework from."

Zim laughed, not sure why it was so funny. He didn't even know the girl; neither of them did.

"Yo, Zim, some people here want to get the homework out of the way." Torque commented, scratching his head with the eraser side of the pencil in his hand. "Could you quiet down?"

"I'm so sorry." Zim tossed over his shoulder. "I'll be certain to be louder."

He heard Torque shuffle to stand, but he didn't. He heard a soft 'don't' from the new girl under the shuffling. Maybe she did have anxiety.

"So, what's your name, anyway?" Jessica wondered.

"Oh…er…Zayena…"

Zim's head shot up at that and his eyes caught Melvin's. The blonde was staring at him wide eyed and mouthed 'is it her?' Zim shrugged in response. With how many people from his past had shown up already, he wouldn't be surprised if his ex was there now. How ironic. She was at his side just like she had been back home. But Jessica and her friends had already abducted her, so there wasn't much of a chance he'd get to talk to her and confirm his suspicions. Damn Irken militia. Didn't seem like they were going to stop banishing Zim's past until the entire thing was piling down on him. If things kept up the way they were, Caleb not being here yet would turn into Caleb is going to be here soon. If the leader of Covert showed up, all hell would break loose. Dib he had to hold back on because he was a kid. Caleb he could beat the snot out of for any reason he deemed necessary to do so. He was trying to get his life together, not end up in prison. But with things continuing the way they were, it seemed the universe had other plans.

000

Zim was about to shut his locker when someone addressed him from behind. He was surprised to see the new girl when he turned.

"Oh. Hey." He greeted. "You need something?" He kicked his locker shut just under there the beginning of the 'L' for loser was still slightly visible.

"Do…um…do you have science after lunch?" She asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"None of my new friends do and…"

"I see." He nodded. "Yeah, you'll see me there."

"Would you mind if I sit near you? If there's any open seats, I mean? I'd feel more comfortable sitting near someone I've seen before."

"No, I don't mind." He straightened to start going to lunch. "But I should warn you, your friends and I don't exactly get along. They see you talking to me, you can consider yourself out."

He started walking towards the cafeteria.

"You seem to have that kind of impression on people." She stated. "Junior."

He froze in place, turning on his heel to see the nervous little girl gone and the real Zayena Carmen's Sila-rivaling smirk shining through.

"So, it is you."

"You heard me introduce myself to blondie."

"Doesn't mean much. Chase is a normal name here, and that's my cousin's name."

"You mean the Freshman English teacher that gave me a tour this morning?" She laughed. "I had a feeling it was him, but he didn't know me, so I didn't say anything."

"He was gone long before you came into the picture."

"I know." She took a few confident strides to be at his side. "It's…good to see you again…how have you been…?"

"Oh, you know."

"You still the same punk I slept with?"

"Nah, that old me is dead and gone now."

"Oh? I'm slightly…disappointed."

"Like you actually liked that guy." Zim rolled his eyes.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't be asking where he got off to." She pouted, dancing her fingers up and down his arm. "But I guess I'll just have to get to know the new you like I knew the old you."

"I can tell you one thing that hasn't changed." He winked.

She flushed, giggling. "Oh, Junior. Your sense of humor hasn't either."

"Make that two things then."

She latched onto her arm. "I heard from Jessica about you having a beef with them? Let it go, hon, before you do something you regret."

"Never do anything you'll regret."

"Rule nume uno." She nodded. "But I know how you can be when your temper flares…"

"Once again, not that guy. Trying hard not to be, anyway. Torque kind of likes to fuck that up for me…how did the topic come up anyway?" He began leading her towards the cafeteria.

"After you and Torque had your little back and forth, I asked."

"I thought you had social anxiety."

"I played it off. Um, I don't want to pry but…what's that all about? You don't like each other…? Sorry if I'm out of line. I don't mean to be! Oh god, I'm sorry."

"Damn, you're a good actress."

"You'd do good to remember that Junior."

"Is that a threat or a warning?"

"You tell me." She leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked.

"You're not worried about them seeing you with me?"

"If I have any sort of inkling that they might be nearby, I'll let go and follow you at a safe distance. Tell them I asked for help and you offered to show me. They won't question it. None of them have the brains enough to."

"Lucky for me."

"Just think of them as Covert grunts trying to prove themselves but having no idea how to get one over on you."

"Better not go and tell them any of my secrets, now." He bopped her on the nose.

She giggled. "Your secrets are safe with me, babe."

"Now that's something I haven't been called in a while."

She tugged on his arm, stopping him from moving. "You're not with anyone?"

"No."

"Seriously?"

"I'm in high school."

"So?"

"They're teenagers."

"And?"

"I'm a damn adult?"

"Oh, right. I forgot."

"No, you didn't. Flirt."

"Oh, he's caught me. Whatever shall I do?" She put the back of her hand against her forehead as if she was going to faint.

"Hey, now." He grabbed her around the waist as she pretended to fall right into him.

"Sorry, I don't know what came over me. Social anxiety after all."

"I see, I see." He answered. "Well, don't make too much of a habit of it. A lot of girls trip all over me, but never so literally."

She giggled. "Still full of yourself, I see."

"Damn straight." He smirked.

She leaned up a little and he wasted no time closing the gap between them and giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. She grabbed him by the back of the neck and pressed her lips harder to his, making sure to bite at the corner of his mouth where his piercings were. Damn, he really needed to put those back in before the holes closed on him. When she pulled away, he felt a dizzying feeling in his head and a pit in his spooch. There was no way this was someone else. He just hoped she wasn't screwing with him to hurt him. No, this was Zayena; the woman he was in love with when he was fourteen, his only serious girlfriend he regretted cheating on and begged for her forgiveness after the fact. This wasn't some stupid high schooler that turned on his friends for a piece of ass. He was safe with Zayena, no matter who she got mixed in with. Right?

"Someone's still got skill." She told him. "Maybe we should practice more later and keep you from getting rusty…?"

"You trying to hook up with me?" He laughed. "Your friends won't take kindly to that."

"Don't really care. I haven't been laid in years, and I doubt you have either." She stated, shaking her head and folding her arms over her chest. "I just hope I'm not wrong in thinking you're still as into me as I am into you."

"My dear, by the time the night's over, I'll be so far into you, you won't know where you end, and I begin."

"I can't believe I fell for that kind of garbage…I was frigging stupid." She laughed. "But I appreciate the effort at flirting. Just try not to let that skill get rusty, too. Understand?"

"I hear ya." He laughed. "I can't believe you used to fall for that either."

"I'd ask your place or mine, but it's always been mine."

"Yeah, I got roommates."

"Who?"

"Sila and my sister."

"For real? They're here? Oh, I haven't seen Sila in forever. She got sent to Juvey, and the thing with her mom…I don't know what happened when she got out, but I was already out of Zex by then."

"Where were you?"

"Xa'ie."

"Well fuck."

"Yeah, some moron destroyed half of it. We lived on the other half, but we were visiting my grandmother in Zex when it happened. Some luck, huh?"

"Yeah, luck indeed. I'd probably run myself over with a mech if I accidentally killed the love of my life."

"Yeah, well…wait, that moron was you? Junior!"

"I was drunk."

"That's a lame-ass excuse. And the tallest sent you here to work?"

"You, Sila, Lahna, Ense, and Chase are all here because you were banished. Why would I be here for something different?"

"Oh, Junior…" She touched his arm affectionately. "For the Xa'ie incident? You're lucky they didn't kill you…"

"Actually, they banished me to Food Courtia."

"And you're here?"

"Escaped and begged for another chance. They sent me here under the guise that it was a mission, but yeah, no."

"Epic work." She rolled her eyes. "Well, at least we're together again." She bat pretty eyelashes at him.

"Lucky me."

She giggled. "Cafeteria?"

"Down at the end of that hall." He nodded towards it.

"I'll go on in first."

"Alright."

"See you tonight."

"See you."

She giggled and wiggled her fingers at him before vanishing. He counted until twenty before following. He could feel himself grinning like an idiot before he got to the table. Zayena was back in his life and wanted to score with him that night. Hell yeah.

"What's got you all smiles?" Sila wondered.

"It is her, isn't it?" Melvin grinned.

"What was your first clue?"

"Who?" Lahna asked.

"New girl. It's Zayena."

"For real?" Sila cocked an eyebrow. "Well, looks like you're in luck. Far as I know, she still likes you."

"You could say that."

Zim snuck a glance at her, but Zayena's back was turned and she was playing shy with her new friends again. Dee had a friendly hand on her shoulder and was talking happily with her, which made an angry burn bubble up in his spooch. He wasn't sure why. Zayena had more loyalty in her fingernail than Dib had in his body; he knew that for sure. She was Riot, after all. Ya desen.