All of Dib's and Tak's worries melted away when they saw the lights of the festival. It seemed more of a small carnival wrapped in Christmas joy. Dib forgot the cold as music filled his ears. Tak's eyes filled with awe as she tried to comprehend what was infront of her. She was excited, happy, and a little scared. Dib saw this and smiled mishieviously before he grabbed her hand and ran to a near by ferris wheel. Gaz even managed to smile. She had never seen her brother that happy.
"Dib! Dib!... I don't want to... I'll get Gaz!" Tak shreiked fearing the towering wheel.
"Hehe relax, it's fun. you know, the act of doing something for entertainment? Don't you have it on Irk?"
"B-but..." Tak's lisp returned as she look to Gaz for help. But was dissapointed.
"I smell funnel cakes, I think I'll take Spike and Mimi for a snack or two." She walked away from the budding lovers laughing, for the first time in days.
"Two please..." Dib grabbed the tickets and gently lead Tak to the seat. Tak was quivering and nearly jumped out when the ride started to move.
"C'mon Tak, you fly alien technology, you can't possibly be afraid of heights." He squeezed her hand.
"I can ifs I'm on a privitive mathine like this..." She replied with her lisp fully noticable. But when the wheel got to the top she felt herself relax. Dib was smiling and humming along to the Elvis song playing.
"Oh my Irk... Dib, loook at the lights... and you can see our new home!"She turned and smiled to him.
"See? Not so bad." Shrugged Dib and pointed out Zim's glowing green house and laughed.
"Not so bad? It's great... You know, when I decided to stay here, it was mainly because you and Gaz, but now I can see how you'd always save this planet... There's more than meets the eye..." Tak spoke softly with a smile on her lips when she remembered something she's seen years ago. She leaned in and kissed Dib.," More indeed."
_
Gaz hadn't even made it to one consession stand when both Spike and Mimi saw some sorta teady bear display for prizes at a game. But she did not go after them, she wanted some alone time anyway. Music was in the air and though it was a cheerful song it sent a wave of sadness over her.
'Sta-a-ay, just a little bit longer'
'Pleaseplease please tell me that you want to'
Gaz sighed remembering Zim, and how pathetic he sounded when he wanted her to stay. She told herself that the only thing she felt for the mentally ill alien was friendship. But no one actually wanted her to stay, nor ask, save from Dib. She was in her teens and she only had one friend. And now there's no-one but her family.
_
Mimi and Spike stared longingly at the fluffy softness of cloth on the shelves. People would walk by Spike and figure she was some exotic pet, like a doberman. The two females sighed when a voice turned their heads.
"Hiiiiiii... It's ME! I Misseded yous!" Gir stood their, with an armful of toys.
"hehe, hi Gir." Mimi batted her eyes and Spike showed off the new collar Gaz gave her.," I like your toys..."
"I winsed them... except the hippo one, the man said that I coulds have it if I left the hotdogs alone" He smiled.
"I wish I haded one but, I can't get one..." Mimi pouted.
"OOOOOh! We can go and play games! I shows you! I'll show ya good, bow chica wow wow!" Gir squeeled leading Mimi away and leaving Spike alone.
"*cough* squeek?" Mini-Moose approached.
"Rrrwrr..." Spike replied a little morose. (Let me translate)
"So, uh... by yourself?" Mini-Moose asked nervously, not really caring that one bite, and he'd be gone.
"I am now... *sniff*" Spike looked down.
"That's a shame... I mean, you're... pretty." The tiny moose held his breath.
"Really? Then why can't I get him to notice me?" She sniffled.
"Gir's an insane moron, he doesn't even know that he ate a bar of soap this morning, even though it did taste pretty good... I mean don't get me wrong, he's my buddy and all, but a deadly creature like you deserves better."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah!... Oh.. I won this, but I don't really want it..." Mini-Moose gave Spike a pink fluffy bat from thin air. And the two went off together happily.
_
Gaz rubbed her arms for warmth and headed in the barnhouse where the main party was being held. She found herself despising everything. The music, the laughter, the couples dancing. She never noticed the green figure sneaking up behind her.
"Told you we'd meet sooner!" Zim beamed.
"Christ, don't creep up on me like that... wait, Zim?" Gaz looked in disbelief.
"The one and only.." He smiled dumbly.
"Did.. did you follow us?" Gaz felt fear and anger rising... mostly anger.
"Uh...no... I mean yes, Dib owes me money... I... yes." Zim answered looking down.
"You stalker!" Gaz moved to punch him but he moved back.
"Can you blame me? You left me in a town full of mindless zombies!" He defended.
"And that makes it ok?" Gaz hissed.
"You know, I don't believe you've never looked more lovely than you do now." Zim smiled forgeting the danger he was in.
"Zim!" She yelled, fists balled.
"You owed me!... you said it yourself..." He tried as he backed up
'Daddy don't mind, do you?'
'Momma don't mind, no.'
'If we have another dance'
'Just one more time'
The music played and Gaz growled at her own stupidity. And to think she was starting to miss him. "Well, you're here, favor payed..."
"Not so fast Little-Gaz... let's see there was creating the diversion, that's one, breaking into the lab, that's two, risking my life replacing Spike with the genetic dummy, three, getting out of the lab, for, getting the beast calmed down, five, escaped from being eaten, six, replacing Purple's chair it ate, seven..."
"You snake! Figures you'd think of something like that... so how many favors do I owe you?" She narrowed her eyes, though she had to admire his plan.
"Twenty-three... and a promised trip to the arcade game." Zim smiled devilishly.
"Hhph... ok. Got anything in mind?" Gaz asked pissed.
"...Hmmm, I'm not sure... I always wondered what the deal was with humans and dancing..." He smirked as smug as he could be.
"I hate you..."
"I know you're happy..." He replied thinking she proclaimed her love.
"Ok... but you will pay." She sighed as the music changed. Great, a slow song. Zim had requested it earlier, he heard it once, but when he heard Gaz was leaving he played it over and over, knowing the emotions and understanding humans and music. It was a special song to him. He related to it,as they said.
'If you go away'
'On this summer day'
'Then you might as well take the sun away'
Couples formed to dance like they had many times before, but for Gaz it was as new and scary as the ferris wheel to Tak. She did not know how to dance a slow dance, and felt akward. Her attention was brought back as Zim grbbed her waist.
"I believe this is how it's done?" Heasked and heldout her hand as he seen in the old black and white movies Gir watched. They danced elegantly, yet it seemed to feel so... sexy. Gaz felt heat pouring from her and hoped she wasn't blushing.
'All the birds that flew'
'In the summer sky'
'When our love was new'
'And our hearts were high'
One would not believe it was their first dance, as they swayed in sync to the music. Zim was certain she could feel his heart beat through his chest, but did not care. It was just one of the effects she had on him.
'When the day was young'
'And the night was long'
'And the room stood still'
'For the nightbird's song'
'If you go away, if you go away'
'If you go away, if you go away.'
As the song picked up, Zim twirled Gaz, their dance now almost a tango. As she spun, Gaz found herself smiling. It was a little fun, in a dizzy way. Zim basked in Gaz's smile as he watched her amber eyes glow, and smiled himself, feeling more relaxed, and exilerated.
'But if you stay '
'I'll make you day'
'That no day has been'
'We meet again'
'We'll sail the sun'
'Ride on the rain'
'Talk to the trees'
'And worship the wind'
'And if you go'
'I'll understand'
'Leave me just enough love'
' to hold in my hand'
'If you go away, if you go away'
'if you go away'
'Like I know you will'
'You must tell the world to stop turning'
'Till you return to me'
'If you ever do'
'Oh what good is love'
'Without loving you'
Gaz stumbled, but fell in Zim's arms,looking in his eyes. She would have no idea... what he went through thinking he lost her, even if it was just for a little while. Zim had know idea how much he wanted her, till then. He'd follow her anywhere. She will never be ever to run or hide... she was his.
'I can't tell you now'
'As you turn to go'
'I'll be dying slow'
'Till the next hello'
'If you go away'
'But if you stay'
'I'll make you a night like no night has been'
'We'll be again'
"I'll sail on your smile'
'Ride on your touch'
'Talk to your eyes that I love so much'
'but if you go'
'i'll understand'
'Leave me just enough love to hold in my hand'
'If you go away, if you go away'
'If you go away'
'like i know you must'
'There'll be nothing left'
'In the world to trust'
'Just an empty room'
'full of empty space'
'Like the empty look'
'On your face'
'i talk in the shadow in the shadow'
'If I thought it'd keep you bymy side'
'If you go away, If you go away'
Gaz's heart pounded in her ears. She felt so flushed, and her primal instincts told her to make a move, But she refused. Zim looked at her lips, wanting to touchthem. Hell, if he got burned, but he was drawn to her warmth. It was only a second. A spine-tingling second before they were pulled apart.
Tak's face was livid. It was late, and it was a chore enough gathering Mimi and Spike. But now she had Zim with Gaz, Dib's sister, HER sister, in his clutches. It was a grave mistake to allow them a minute to talk at the cemetary.
"What the hell, Tak?' Gaz looked at her in shock.
"Leave Gaz..."Tak said.
"You can't..."
"I said leave!" Tak shouted, turning a few heads, leaving Gaz to obey, confused. "What are you doing, Zim?"
"I was having a good time!" Zim's ey's narrowed as he threw his arms in anger.
"You have no business being with her... leave her out of your failed plan-attemps." Tak's eyes gleamed as she circled him, reminding Zim of a vulture.
"I don't care..." Zim crossed his arms.
"Why Gaz? Why not pick another girl, one dumb and insignifigant as you?"
"I like her, that's why!" Zim confessed.
"Whatever... I'll believe it when I see it." Tak walked off leaving Zim furious.
"All love has it's trouble's, true love overcomes them..." Zim was startled by an elderly woman behind him, the same Dib met.
"Sheesh, you're scary, you know that? And old... and scary..." Zim shook it off and left the offended woman behind as he and Gir went home.
Back at the lighthouse, things were tensing up. Gaz had locked the door to the bedroom, and Tak's room was not up yet, so she bunked with Dib. (mind out of the gutters)
"Don't worry about it, she'll come around." Dib tried to comfort Tak, but it seemed no use.
"But did you see the way she looked at me, Dib? We were just beggining to form a bond identical to sisters." Tak sighed, leaning her head on Dib's shoulder.
"I get those looks at least ten times a day, but Gaz never holds a grudge..." Dib decided not to tell her that Gaz prefered revenge.
"Damn Zim... I'm not going to let that defect around Gaz. She may be independendent, Dib, but she's small. She reminds me of myself when I was younger. I won't let Zim ruin her chance of success, too."
"Nice to have a hand in that department. It'll turn out ok, you'll see."
"You're right, I suppose... *sigh* Night." Tak smiled.
"Night." Dib smiled and pecked her cheek and they both fell to sleep. It was a restful, warm sleep until about 3:13 am, when a loud scream emitted from the room Gaz was in.