Dlbn: Hello, everyone. Welcome back!

Nbld: We're going to try and get a new chapter out every week. Just looking at word, this thing has over 500 pages to it, so we've got a ways to go.

Dlbn: Going to try not to have a long break between chapters anymore, either.

Nbld: This is an overly long chapter, so let's get to the Review Corner! Thank you to Invader Johnny and Zim'sMostLoyalServant for reviewing! Cake for you both!

Invader Johnny: It really is, but that just shows her true colors, doesn't it?

Zim'sMostLoyalServant: Guess she didn't want the others jumping down her throat if she did it in front of them. That or she attempted to do it in the worst way possible because she's just like that. Caleb will be forced to suffer the wrath of Zim, no doubt.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the OCs and plot. Anyone/anything canon to Invader Zim belong to the mighty Jhonen Vasquez. I make NO money off writing this.

000

The air was tense at school the next day. Zim knew it, Sila and Lahna knew it, the rest of the gang knew it. Hell, even Zim's human friends and Zayena's sensed it. It was a stalemate. Ense was done with the pranks on the popular kids for a while, and even Chase seemed to be on edge about something. Ense had filled him in on what had happened to Zim, and he'd offered his cousin sympathy, but that was as far as that went. Zayena and the kid, Samuel it seemed, seemed to be doing well as a couple. Caleb sent him mocking glares every so often, but Zim was both too hungover and too depressed to give a damn about what the leader of Covert did or didn't do.

"What's wrong?" Shraela asked, as if she didn't know, in one of their later classes. "You look like your favorite puppy just died."

"Piss of, Shraela." Zim ordered. "You know exactly what's going on."

She sent a sideways glance to the hallway, where Zayena and Samuel were visible through the doorway.

"Ah, that." She sighed. "I told Caleb he's being a moron. But you know you Seoul boys and your egos."

"Don't lump me in with his ass." Zim ordered again. "And do me a favor, would you?"

"For you, Junior, I'd do three."

"Tell your boyfriend to watch his back."

"Oh?" She giggled. "Gonna dislocate his jaw again?"

"I just might if he's not careful." Zim growled.

"Shut up." Sila ordered him. "Shraela, mouth shut. He's talking out of his ass."

"Caleb deserves it, honestly. I don't mean to agree with you, but he's sunk to a level I never thought he would."

"Now you're agreeing with Sila of all people?" Zim mused. "The world really is going to end, isn't it?"

She giggled. "I'm even surprising myself, darling."

"You shouldn't call him that, even if you're joking around. Caleb's ready to kick his ass, you know." Dib informed as he sat in his normal seat.

"Oh, is he now?" Zim laughed. "That's funny coming from the guy that wets himself when I'm around."

"That's an image I didn't need." Sila laughed.

"You're funny too, Zim. I highly doubt he's that afraid of you."

"I've dislocated his jaw four frigging times and landed him in the hospital three times more." Zim bragged, giving Dib a sideways look. "He has no chance if he steps to me."

Dib cocked an eyebrow. "Shraela? Is that true?"

"Caleb insists he did the jaw thing like six times, but Junior only admits to four." She shrugged one shoulder. "We were all assholes when we were kids."

"Speak for yourself, Shraela. I'm still an asshole." Sila told her.

She laughed. "I'm not stupid enough to argue with you, Sila."

"Good. At least one of you fuckers has some god damn sense."

"Someone's got a mouth." A kid Zim didn't recognize informed, standing near the front of the room with their teacher who just appeared.

"Ms. Masy, I do not care how you talk when you're home, but I won't have that in my classroom, understood?" Their professor asked, typing on her computer and not even looking at the coagulating gangsters.

"Yeah, sorry." Sila flopped down at her desk. "Who's the kid?"

"Corbin Welf." The teacher informed.

"Well son of a bitch." Zim ran a hand through his hair. "Where the hell have you been, man?"

"Eh, you know. Around." Corbin shrugged one shoulder, joining Zim and his friends.

Sila exchanged a handshake with him. "You owe us an explanation, jackass. You've been gone just about as long as he has." She jut her thumb at Zim.

"Yeah, I'll talk about it later when there's no witnesses." Corbin rubbed the back of his neck. "Who else is here?"

"Who isn't?" Shraela wondered, opening a book from her backpack. "Your entire rat pack is here."

"For real?" Corbin looked between Sila and Zim.

They both shrugged.

"Shira's the only one unaccounted for, but everyone else is. Lahna too." Zim informed.

"Well that's…disturbing, but slightly comforting."

"But mostly disturbing."

"Just means Covert needs to watch their backs." Sila smirked. "Right, Shraela?"

"I've been lowered to agreeing with you once, Sila. Please do not degrade me any further by dragging me into this nonsense. Whatever you guys are planning is not my business."

"Who says we're planning anything?" Zim wondered. "I'm shocked. Really, really shocked. Planning things just isn't part of our personas anymore, you know?"

Shraela gave him a knowing look. "Even you can't play innocent forever, Junior. It's not in your nature, regardless of who or what you're pretending to be. I've known you way too long to be naïve enough to think you've changed completely and permanently. In fact, the way I see it, you're no different now than you were before."

"Don't insult me." Zim snorted. "Blending in is a very basic survival skill, let alone a required skill of an Elite."

"Ah, right, I forgot." She giggled. "You're a soldier."

"Soldier?" Dib asked.

"Not your business." Zim snapped at him.

"Gee, sorry for asking."

"You should be." Shraela stated. "I'm not about to defend him, but you know he hates you right about now."

"I wouldn't call it hate, Shraela. More like disappointment."

"Whatever you say, hon. I recognize that look in your eye. It's the same look you give my fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Corbin asked. "You and Caleb? Really?"

She flashed her ring. "For real."

"I still don't buy that." Sila told her.

"Buy it or not, it's what it is."

As the bell rang to signal the start of homeroom, the other students filtered in. Caleb cocked an eyebrow Shraela's way and she wiggled fingers of one hand at him in a wave while the others traveled up Zim's arm. He scowled and turned away to sit with Dib and Torque.

"You're going to start a war, Shraela." Zim told her, batting her hand away.

"I don't know if you noticed, my dear, but we're already in one."

000

"She did what?" Keef all but shrieked as he stood at the lunch table, slamming his palms onto the table. "That's…that's just so…so…so…low! Like Dib turning to Torque low!" He threw his arms in the air. "Seriously, who does that? Are you okay?"

"Calm down, will you?" Zim took a sip of his juice calmly. "I'll be fine."

"He'll just drink himself into nearly a coma, throw up for a few days, and be fine." Corbin waved Keef's worries off. "At least, that's how he used to handle shit."

"You drink?" Gretchen wondered.

"Very rarely, now." Zim admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm a recovering alcoholic, if you want my honesty."

"First I'm hearing of this…" Todd muttered.

"I think I respect you a bit more, Zim. You're not as lame as I thought you were." Gaz informed as she mashed away at her game.

"I'm not stupid enough to think you're serious."

"Good, you're learning."

"So are we." Iggins commented. "I'm…not sure I like this new you, Zim."

"There's nothing new about me."

"He's right." Aila stated. "The new Zim is the Zim you guys knew. He's changed a lot since we saw him last."

"Really?" Gretchen smiled softly. "Well, I'm glad. No offense, Zim, just I can't really picture you drinking…"

"Probably can't picture him sleeping around either, but oh well." Corbin stated.

"Shut your damn mouth."

"I don't take orders from you." Corbin laughed.

"You should." Sila offered. "He's my second in command, after all."

"Wait, you're seriously back?" Daila wondered. "Like back, back?"

"Yeah, back, back." Zim looked out of the corner of his eye at Caleb's group as they passed by together. "They won't know what frigging hit um."

"Don't do anything stupid." Screamy offered.

"It's Zim. Doing stupid shit is his specialty." Ense informed, stopping at the table and looking at his brother. "You're okay, right? This whole Zayena thing?"

"I'm over it." Zim snorted, taking a drink as she and Samuel passed and waved at their coach.

Ense gave her a bit of a wave back, but the disgust on his face was clear.

"If you're going to start hating your students, you might want to hide it from your face." Gaz offered.

"I don't…" Ense flushed, pulling at his collar. "I'm just disgusted. I mean, who dumps someone via text?"

"Can we just not talk about it?" Zim wondered, scratching at his arm. "I'm over it, promise, Ense."

"I somehow doubt it, little brother." Ense pat him on the head before leaving.

"Little brother?" Gretchen wondered.

"He thinks of Zim like a brother, I guess." Todd stated. "They did say they grew up on the same block."

"I still find it a little odd…" Keef muttered. "You're half his age…"

"Our parents knew one another. It's not like we were in the same grade or anything like that. Just he lived with his parents when I was a kid since he was just a teenager." Zim covered.

"Gotcha." Keef nodded. "I hope I didn't make it sound like I don't believe you or something."

"I'm just surprised no one asked sooner."

"I guess."

"Okay, so let's get onto the whole elephant in the room here, shall we?" Daila leaned forward towards Corbin. "Shira. Where is she?"

"How should I know? She up and vanished on us." Corbin shrugged.

"So, did you, and yet here you are."

"It's probably only a matter of time until she shows up." Sila informed. "I mean, every time we say we expect someone to show, they do. Why would she be any different?"

"Is she even one of us anymore?" Lahna asked twirling her hair. "I mean, she's been gone so long, it's basically going AWOL."

"So she's me, but to Riot instead of the military." Zim snorted. "Good to know. Nah, Lahn, ya desen. You know this. She can run as far as she wants, but she can't just escape us anymore than I can run from you guys ribbing on me about Xa'ie."

"About what?" Keef asked.

"Nothing you want to know about." Zim glowered. "I just messed up something real bad back home. That's it."

"We don't need to know any of your shit. Keep that close to home." Gaz stated. "You never know who or what is listening in, and I'm talking about Shraela. I don't know what her deal is with Caleb, but I've heard her call him her fiancé, and I've seen them fighting a lot lately when they think no one's looking."

"She'd never help us."

"She did give you back the legs to your desk without much of a fight." Keef pointed out. "And she seems really friendly with you, too, so who knows. She might plan on turning on them just like Zayena turned on you."

"She wouldn't risk losing Caleb for something as stupid as helping me. She's just friendly for the sake of being annoying to Caleb when he makes her mad." Zim stated. "She's a flirt, and more of a manipulator than I am, but she's one of the few women that hasn't succumbed to my charms yet."

"And never will, since you don't got none." Sila stated.

"Hey."

"Ask any woman back home in our age group and she'll tell you otherwise." Gabe pointed out.

He and Corbin smacked their fists together.

"You're an ass."

"I got it from you."

"Explains why he's a little goodie two shoes around here now." Aila stated. "It's honestly getting a little sickening, Junior. I miss the old you."

"I don't." Chase commented as he passed, winking.

"You weren't around long enough to know the old me." Zim told him.

Chase frowned, but covered it with a smirk. "Not my fault my father hates his sister."

"Huh?" Gretchen asked. "What does that mean?"

"Ah, Chase is…well…"

"They're cousins." Sila stated. "What? Someone was going to slip it out eventually."

"Oh, that's pretty cool." Gretchen gave a small smile. "And you guys grew up together basically, so that's why he's friendly with coach, too."

"Yeah, that's it."

"At least everyone gets along, for the most part." Keef stated. "Speaking of getting along, now that Corbin here is one of us, too, I think its high time we had a welcoming party. We promised Sila, Daila, Aila, and Gabe that we'd have one for them and never did. With all the drama, we didn't have much time to think about it."

"When?" Todd asked. "This weekend?"

"Any objections?"

"I don't work again until Monday." Zim offered.

"You work?" Corbin asked.

"I had to."

"Okay…"

"Then its settled! My place as usual?" Keef asked.

"No offense, Keef, but mine is a bit bigger, and less parents around." Zim stated. "We can do it at my place for once."

"Invite coach and Mr. Sangre? He's related to you, Zim, so it's okay, right?"

"Yeah, it's cool. They both know where I live."

"Then its settled. Party Saturday night at Zim's. Four okay?" Keef asked.

No one objected.

"Alright, party time!" Keef punched his fist up into the air. "We needed one of these."

"About damn time." Zim agreed.

A party with his friends wasn't the only thing he needed, but he wasn't going to tell them that.

000

Zim wasn't certain why he opened his mouth to Maddie about the party at his place when he went to work that night, but he did, and she insisted on going.

"I know I'm not part of your group or anything, and my cousin would kill me if she found out about this, but I need something to do." Maddie complained, leaning back in her chair as she threw her feet up onto the break room table. "And besides, might be my chance to see how my other half lives when I'm not around."

"If I didn't know any better, Maddison, I'd think you had a thing for me." Zim chided, slipping a dollar bill into the vending machine.

Maddie flushed. "Not my type, and way too young for me, bro. You're like a little brother, you know? A partner in crime."

"I've already got a partner in crime." Zim stated. "And trust me, you don't want to be involved in our crimes."

"Oh, sounds like someone's got a story." She laughed. "I know you mean Sila, I'm not dumb. If you two are that close, why don't you just go out with her? I mean, anyone is better than little Miss Text."

"I think we've had this conversation before, Maddie. I respect her too much to do something like that."

"But you love her, don't you?"

"Like a sister, yeah."

"How sure are you that that's all it is? I see the way your face lights up when you talk about her."

"We've been best friends since we were kids; first grade or so." Zim rolled his eyes. "We spent so long apart that having her back it's just…"

"A welcome relief?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "I mean, she awakened something in me when she got here. I can slowly feel myself slipping back to being the same asshole I was before I got here you know? I mean, I'm not going to slip right back into that old persona, I'm not going to be that kind of man anymore. But something is definitely changing. And all our old friends are coming here one by one. We're missing one and the gang will be back together when she shows up."

"Your gang, gang, right?"

"Yeah, Riot."

"Interesting name."

"Riot Squad is our full name. Caleb's crew is Covert Operations."

"RS and CO." She nodded. "Easy to remember I guess, but you don't use full names?"

"Full gang names are just for on paper. Looks a lot cooler on a rap sheet to be marked as a member of Riot Squad than just Riot."

"If you say so." She shook her head. "I think you're crazy, I hope you know that. But if this is the life you've chosen, who am I to step in? It sounds like your parents tried and that's what landed you where you are today. I'm not going to control you; I'm your friend, not your mom. But I can offer my opinion and my take on everything if you don't mind me giving it, and since you haven't told me to just shut up and drop it yet, I'm assuming I'm right in the idea that you're letting me speak my mind. Maybe you need someone to see things from a different angle. But these friends of yours. Torque's crew, your crew. Whether you know it or not, they're like gangs, too. And as long as you and Sila basically assume control over your group, they're Riot, too. As long as Caleb and his girl are part of the other team, they're Covert, too. You don't know it, but this entire time, you've been recruiting more soldiers for your sides. You can deny it all you want, but the line between your groups is clear enough. Dib crossed that line and went into enemy territory, and he's never coming back. Zayena's pretty much gone and done the same thing with this whole do what Caleb wants, date Samuel or whatever bullshit. But you still have your lines, you still know where you stand compared to yourselves, to one another. There's nothing different about what's going on here now and what's gone on back where you're from that led you to where you are today." She paused. "I think you're a good guy, Zim, I really do. I just don't want to see you make the wrong decisions that you can't just take back, you know? Don't let your new friends go down the same path. You don't want to see Todd or Keef becoming like you were, do you? And Gretchen and Gaz? You don't want them becoming Sila, right?"

His antennae flatted under his hologram disguise. "No, I don't want that, and I'm not going to let it happen. If and when I get my revenge on Caleb and the rest of his miserable crew, I'm not dragging them into it. Riot didn't start this, but Riot can finish it for sure. My friends from back home are here. That's all I need. It won't take much to get them to follow me into hell."

"That's what scares me, Zim. That's what scares me the most. Just how many people is this rivalry going to take down before you man up and stop it? Your friends will listen to you, Sila too. I don't think you should lay back and take the bullshit or be victims and let the others run your lives, but I don't want to see you so consumed by anger and hatred that you fall back into a persona, into a life, that you've left far behind. You started over here for a reason. Don't lose sight of that, okay?"

"Yeah, no worries on that." Zim nodded. "I don't want to be who I used to be. I mean, I can still kick some ass and take some names without being a complete asshat, right?"

"I should hope so." She laughed. "Just don't get hurt."

"I'm not the one you have to worry about getting hurt."

"Oh, honey." Maddie grinned prettily at him, batting her eyes. "I'm not worried about him at all."

Zim couldn't help but laugh.

000

Zim was a bit overwhelmed when he opened his front door around two in the afternoon and found Keef with a bunch of decorations on the other side.

"I've heard of showing up early, but uh, Keef, this is a bit over the top, even for me." He greeted.

"Well, come on, silly." Keef replied, poking his head around the side of the box so they could see one another. "We need to decorate, don't we? I'm normally host, so I have all the stuff from the other parties."

"Uh…sure…" Zim effortlessly took the box the redhead was semi struggling with. "Come on in."

"Wow, you're stronger than I thought." Keef stated. "Not that I think about your strength a lot or anything. Or at all. Oh dear…" He held his head in his hand as he walked in the house and shut the door. "Oh! I'm early? But Lahna and Sila were even earlier than I was."

"We live here." Lahna didn't look away from the game on the TV. "Come on, I just wanna run over a hooker."

"There's some downtown." Sila commented, taking a sip of a beer that Zim hoped Keef didn't recognize as beer.

"Sweet."

"Um…?" Keef looked to Zim as he set the box down in the middle of the room.

"Grand Theft Auto. Gaz got them into it."

"Oh, I see." Keef giggled. "Well, I'll try not to get in the way of you killing hookers, Lahna."

"Yeah, please don't."

He laughed. "You want to help set up, Zim? You know the layout of your house better than I do."

"Yeah, sure. Drinks and stuff in the kitchen. I'll deal with balloons and whatnot. You remember your helium tank?"

"Darn, I knew I was missing something." Keef blushed, scuffing his toe. "I'll go back for it."

"No, I'm not making you walk back. I'll handle it. Set up the snacks."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Zim waited until Keef left the room to sigh. "Computer, blow these up."

"Like…explode them…?" The computer wondered.

"No, just inflate them like regular balloons. Don't be stupid now; you're supposed to be state of the art."

"You never let me destroy things."

"I've destroyed enough shit in my life. Just inflate the balloons."

"Fine." The computer's robotic limbs scooped up the balloons and brought them up to the ceiling.

Zim dug through the box as he heard the balloons blowing up slowly one by one, falling down around him as they did so.

"What are you doing about Gir?" Lahna wondered.

"I turned his ass off. Last thing I need is him being destructive."

"And what are you going to do if they want a tour? You know…downstairs?" Sila asked.

"My parents don't want anyone roaming the house."

"Don't they know you live alone?" Lahna laughed.

"No one will question it, I assure you." Zim replied.

"Unless Maddie opens her mouth. Is she seriously coming?" Sila cocked an eyebrow.

"She says she is, but who knows."

"Who's coming?" Keef asked, joining them as he hugged himself. "You…really live alone, Zim…?"

"For the most part. My parents are rarely home."

"Oh…I-I'm sorry…"

"It's alright. I like it this way."

"Okay…"

"And Maddie wanted to come. She works with me. Descent girl, gives me rides home, talks to me about shit when its bugging me."

"Your new girlfriend?" Keef teased.

"I'm done with women." Zim laughed.

"Yeah, like you of all people, are going to be done with women." Sila's heavy sarcasm was a slap to his ego, but he dealt with it.

"Shut up, Sila." He rolled his eyes. "I'm not setting myself up for the same kind of shit to happen again."

"It won't if you find the right person." Keef twirled his hair. "I wonder if I ever will…it's not like there's anyone around here that's out, you know?"

"Just you."

"And I want to keep low about it, if you don't mind. I don't need Torque and his crew starting drama with me…"

"Who cares what you like in bed?" Sila wondered. "Some guys like guys, some chicks like chicks. Some people like it rough, some don't. What you like and what you're into is no one's business but your own."

"Unless you're my brother. Then it's the business of everyone in Beverly." Lahna laughed.

At least she remembered their fake origin point.

Keef giggled while Zim blushed. "I'm sure I don't want to know."

"No, you really don't." Zim replied. "What else you want to decorate with?"

"This isn't all the balloons I brought, is it?"

"Huh?" Zim looked around. "Computer! You didn't fall asleep on me, did you?"

A computerized snore responded to him.

"Asshole." Zim complained.

"Your computer snores…?"

"It does a lot of strange things."

"Okay…?"

"Advanced technology my parents were developing."

"That's so cool, though." Keef smiled. "I wish my parents did cool stuff like that."

He knelt with Zim and pulled out a banner that said welcome on it and some streamers. Zim took the streamers and started helping decorate, ignoring the protests from his sister and Sila when he crossed in front of the TV and stayed there too long. At one point, he just stood there and waved his backside at them while they complained. Keef giggled throughout the entire thing, and Zim wasn't oblivious to the way the redhead was looking at him. He just decided to not acknowledge it.

The doorbell rang about an hour and a half later, but the door opened before anyone could answer it. Rya walked in, bringing Ense and Chase behind her.

"The party can start, we're here!" She threw her arms into the air.

Keef laughed. "You're early!"

"So are you, it seems." Ense stated, taking his coat from his wife and throwing it on a chair.

"So we just throw things wherever?" Chase asked. "Cool." He followed suit.

"You two are assholes, you know that?" Zim complained.

"Takes one to know one." Chase stated. "But you knew that already, since you admit to it."

"Where's your bathroom?" Rya asked.

"I'll show you." Sila motioned for her to follow.

"You don't mind her coming, do you? I couldn't say no." Ense rubbed the back of his neck.

"The more the merrier. Why would I give a damn? I like her." Zim shrugged.

"I guess that's your wife, coach? She's really pretty." Keef smiled gently.

"Thanks, Keef."

Balloons started falling from the ceiling.

"What the hell?" Chase asked. "It rains balloons in your house?"

"Oh, so now you're awake." Zim complained to the computer.

"I've been awake this entire time." It admitted. "I've just been ignoring you."

"Well that figures." Zim glared.

The computer chuckled.

"He talks, too? That's so cool!" Keef bubbled.

"Thank you."

Zim could practically feel the computer beaming. He tried to ignore it. The door opened without anyone even bothering to say they were there with the doorbell or knocking. Gaz looked rather pissed off as she entered with Iggins, clutching tightly to her closed game system.

"I'm guessing the other team is at your place again, no?"

"What else is new?" Gaz asked. "I had a hard time not punching both Zayena and Samuel in the face when they showed up as I was leaving."

"We were leaving." Iggins corrected her.

"Shut up."

"They showed up together? Surprise." Zim rolled his eyes.

"Knowing her, I wouldn't be surprised if she was fucking the guy already." Sila commented as she returned, sans Rya.

"That's not a thought I want nor an image I need." Ense informed her, rubbing at his eyes as if he was trying to rub away the images she unwittingly created.

"Pretty sure Jun can see it, too. I mean, he knows what she looks like naked, after all."

"Shut the fuck up, Sila, no one wants to hear that." Zim complained, surprising even himself for snapping at his best friend.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Well sorry, Testy."

"Sorry, sorry." Zim ran a hand through his hair. "I just…"

"Need a beer?" Chase asked.

"No." Zim rolled his eyes.

"A smoke?"

"Do you ever stop talking?"

"No."

"Figures."

He opened his mouth to say something, but a three-chime knock on the door stopped him. Gabe pushed open the door, bringing Aila and Dalia with him. Instead of their normal school clothing, Zim recognized their gangster outfits off the bat. Gabe had on baggy cargo pants and a loose tank, while Daila and Aila both wore skinny jeans and strapless shirts.

"Wow, you guys look…different…"

"You remember who you're hanging with today, right?" Ense asked.

"What? It's a party." Daila sat down next to Lahna. "What you playing?"

"GTA. Wanna give it a try? Run over a hooker." Lahna offered her the remote.

"What is it with you and running over hookers?" Sila cocked an eyebrow.

"Trying to tell us something, Lahn?" Zim joked.

"Maybe." She smirked.

"Hey, this is fun." Daila ran over a few girls on the screen. "Heh, I get her thing with it now that I've done it a few times."

"Dear god, you've started a monster." Aila complained.

Gretchen knocked on the open door as she approached with the rest of their friends.

"Everyone's here!" She grinned. "Let the party begin."

"Hold on a second, Daila and Lahna are running over hookers." Gabe stated. "Don't interrupt, they seem to really be getting into it."

"Why did you bring this shit into my house, Gaz?" Zim asked.

"To torture you." The computer offered.

"Yeah, that's a Gaz thing to do."

"Woah!" Gretchen, Screamy, and Melvin shouted in a chorus.

"What was that?" Gretchen asked.

"My computer."

"Do I have to shut down now, Zim?" Computer wondered.

"Do what you want, I don't care." Zim responded. "Awake Gir and I dismantle you." He muttered to himself.

"I heard that." Computer complained.

"Good, I wanted you to."

"Zim argues with it?" Melvin asked Gretchen.

"Best not to ask with him." Ense informed.

"Your house is a maze." Rya complained, returning to the living room. "I got lost just trying to get back here."

"Oops." Zim stated.

"Um…who's…?" Todd muttered.

"My wife, Rya." Ense stated.

She wiggled her fingers. "Hey, kiddos."

"Hi, nice to meet you." Gretchen smiled politely at her. "I'm Gretchen."

"Nice to meet you, too." She grinned, eyes closed.

"You all didn't stat without me, did you?" Maddie wondered as she entered, shutting the door behind her. "Looks like I'm the last one here."

"A friend of yours, Zim?" Keef asked.

"Maddie; we work together."

"Hey." She greeted. "Hope you guys don't mind me joining in. Thought I'd come and see for myself what makes my work buddy over there tick."

"Booze, women, fighting." Chase rattled off, counting on his fingers. "I'm pretty sure that's it, right, cousin?"

"I'm going to throw you in the river."

The others laughed at the mortified look on the teacher's face, only the Irkens catching the hidden meaning.

"Shut the door; you're just inviting the whole neighborhood." Zim ordered Maddie. "And unlike back home, that's not a good thing."

"Says you." The computer stated before Zim heard the whirring noises that meant it was shutting down.

"Good riddance." Zim muttered.

"Someone pop on some music and let's get this party started!" Keef bounced around, pressing a button on a portable radio he'd brought with him.

Zim wasn't certain why he said for someone to do it when he was going to do it himself, but once everyone started to lounge around and joke like they'd been friends since they were toddlers, he decided he didn't really care.