About seven in the morning --

Gaz stared at herself in the blank screen of her GS2 as it slipped through scenes. Music blared up at her, almost drowned out by the sound of her brushing her teeth. She spit into the sink and washed the soapy saliva down the drain. Before stepping out, she glanced at Dib's toothbrush and sighed. He was still with the insane alien kid. Usually, that was a bad thing, but before she could think about it any longer, an odd music began to play and she looked at the console in shock. It'd never used that music before. A new cheat, new level?

But no. Neither of those things. Instead of the symbol for cheat codes and levels, it was shaped as a bomb. One of the small round black ones with the wick, which was currently on fire and burning down. She stared at it, before she shrugged and began to walk to the stairs, jumping down them two at a time. The game beeped as the fire neared the end, almost to the bomb's shell. Gaz paid it no mind, though, and she continued into the kitchen. Membrane was sitting in one of the table's chairs sipping black coffee.

Gaz sighed and poured herself a bowel of cereal, trying to ignore the weird feeling that something was wrong. She sat down and began to shovel the heart attack inducing too sweet cereal into her mouth. As she ate, she noted that every few seconds, her father glanced hurriedly at his wrist watch. Every time the wind hit the door just right, Membrane would jump and ask, "Was that a knock at the door? I think I heard a knock at the door."

"Dad…" Gaz began, suddenly wondering what was up with him. "What's got your panties in a bunch?"

Membrane rubbed the ridge between his eyes and sighed, "Do we have any cigarettes in this house?"

Gaz blinked in confusion, "I thought you quit."

"I did…I'm just really stressed. Do we have any?" He tapped his ungloved fingers against his forehead.

The girl sighed and stood, walking towards the cabinet where she had hid her cigarettes when she was smoking. Sure, she'd been pretty young, fresh out of middle school, but she wanted that badass image. One thing led to another and it led right back to where she used to be. She reached the counter and took off a piece of the wood, pulling out one cigarette and quickly replacing the cover. Gaz straightened herself out and sidled over, handing Membrane the cancer stick and sitting back down.

"Good…" Membrane pulled a light out from under the table, apparently knowing that Gaz had smoked before. He lit the cigarette and sucked in heavily, closing his eyes. He breathed out as he began to talk again, "Why would your brother just leave like that?"

Gaz closed her eyes and said, "He thinks we don't care about him…I think he might be right."

Membrane snapped open his eyes. "Doesn't think we care? Why would he think that?"

His daughter frowned, "Oh, I don't know." she mocked, "Maybe because we don't tend to him, don't tell him we love him, don't ACT like we want him around and don't listen to him."

Membrane frowned and leaned back, running a hand through his thick scythe. He chewed on the filter a bit before he said, "Maybe…maybe we were a bit…harsh."

Gaz rolled her eyes and mumbled angrily. "Yeah, harsh."

The man frowned at her and said, "What do you want me to do about it?! I wish I could do something!"

"Then why don't you!!" Gaz stood and pointed at him, "You don't do anything except science things!" She mocked him, pointing one finger in the air, "REAL SCIENCE this and REAL SCIENCE that!"

Membrane stood, pulling his cigarette out of his mouth to hold between his fingers and opened his mouth to yell, when the GameSlave began to beep over and over consistently. The two stopped and stood slack, staring at it. The bomb was glowing red now, the wick entirely burnt off. Soon enough, the whole GameSlave began to tremble.

"What is that piece of garbage doing?" The professor asked, suddenly alarmed.

Gaz swallowed thickly, "I-I don't know!" The noise grew louder, horribly loud. Sharp ringing. Gaz dropped it, clutched her ears and backed off, hitting the wall behind her. Membrane grunted and shoved his cigarette into his mouth, backing off with his hands clamped over his ears as well.

"I know…I know what that is! That's a bomb!!! Where did you get a freaking bomb shaped like a game!" Membrane gave his daughter a hasty glare, before staring at the GameSlave again.

"B-but!! It wasn't a bomb when…" she trailed off, remembering Zim had fixed it. He'd placed a bomb in there! She felt herself start to shake, "Oh, God. Are we going to die?"

Membrane sputtered indignantly and chewed at his end of the cigarette, "No! I can make sure it only explodes in a smaller radius then it was originally set! You, get out of the house and run at least twenty to thirty feet away." When she just stood there, staring at him, trembling with unwanted fear, he pointed at the door, "GO!"

Gaz jolted and dashed from the kitchen, looking back as her father slowly approached the rigged GS2. She opened the door, and turned in the direction of Zim's house. Even though she'd only been there maybe once of twice, she never forgot where it was. Maybe she had never listened to her brother and maybe she had never liked her brother, but she knew that she didn't want him dead. Suffer a bit, yes, but not die. She just hoped Zim wouldn't do anything to Dib.

And she kind of hoped her dad wouldn't become human pizza that would splatter across what would be left of their house.

About seven-thirty --

Zim cackled as he watched the hyooman Membrane try to reconfigure the bomb. It was useless!! An Irken bomb cannot and will not be deactivated by a worthless human, even if it was one as smart as the professor. Behind him, Dib snuggled down in the sheets more, his face nudged into one of the shredded pillows. Zim gave the whole scene a dry look. He couldn't believe what he let that horrible stink meat do to him. At the time it seemed like a great idea, but when you think about it the next day, maybe it wasn't the best decision. But that was okay, because now he knew the Dib Monkey wouldn't betray him now. It was perfect.

As Zim laughed at the screen of the monitor, Dib squirmed and tossed comfortably in his sleep. He opened his eyes slowly and smiled as what he had done shifted into his mind. Before getting up, Dib hugged one of the sweet smelling pillows. He stood and noticed that he was already clothed. Either Zim must have slipped them on, or he had slipped them on before he fell asleep. Nothing he could remember doing. Not that it mattered. Dib stretched silently and sighed breathlessly.

"Hey, Zim. What're you laughing at?" he asked, walking over to stand by his 'master's' side. Zim jumped and quickly shut off the monitor.

Zim chuckled and said casually, "Nothing that your little human brain would be able to comprehend, Dib Monkey."

Dib frowned, but wrapped his arms around Zim's shoulders anyway. Zim stiffened as Dib buried his face into the alien's soft skin. "Hey…what happened to that bomb anyway?"

"Bomb? What bomb?" Zim grinned, relaxing into Dib's touch.

Dib sighed, "The one you put into Gaz's GameSlave. Remember? You said it would blow up in 12 hours. It's been past 12 hours. Has it blown up?"

The Irken blinked and said, "Yes. Yes it has."

Dib stood up straight, pulling Zim back into his arms, "Are they…dead?"

"I don't know…" Zim yawned, then hmphed, "I hope so because if not, I want a refund."

"Where'd you get it from, anyway?" Dib tapped the alien's forehead.

Zim shifted, "From Prisoner 777. He helped make the Massive, you know."

"Hmmm…" the boy leaned over and kissed the tip of Zim's antenna. "Okay then."

A knock at the door sent the two jumping up, startled. They looked at each other, then started for the door. Creeping up, Zim placed his hand on the door and it turned transparent. Outside stood a very angry/scared Gaz. To say the least, Dib was freaked.

"I thought you said they were dead!!" Dib whispered harshly, backing away from the door.

Zim removed his hand and clutched it to his chest as if the sight of Gaz had burned it, "I thought they had, okay!"

Gaz began to pound the door and scream, "I swear, if you don't open this door Zim I will make sure that nobody finds your body!"

Zim looked at Dib and the boy nodded, before diving behind the bed. The alien sighed and quickly threw on his disguise. He opened the door and Gaz growled at him. She jumped and landed on top of him, fist reared for action.

"I know it was you Zim!!" Gaz sputtered and gripped the alien's collar. "You flippin' asshole!!" she let her fist go limp and Zim ground his claws into the tiled floor. Behind him, Dib stood up and ran over. He helped Gaz stand, then led her to the door.

"Get out, Gaz." He gave her a look and she just stared at him.

Gaz shook her head and stepped out, "I can't believe you, Dib."

"Why's that?" Dib asked, trying to shut the door with Gaz's foot in the way.

"Dad's dead!! Dead, dead, dead, dead!" she stared at him hard, trying hard to fight back the tears. "Zim killed him! Why are you still in there with that horrible thing!!"

Instead of the grimace and crying Gaz had expected…Dib smiled. "Dead? Really? Good, Zim did a good job." his eyes held a slight insane light, one that had never been there before. "Perfect…" he purred sweetly, "If only we could have gotten rid of you too. Oh well, next time I suppose." and he slammed the door closed in her face.

She let the tears pour freely as she turned to face the still smoking and fresh destruction.