Dib and Tak raced to Gaz's room, finding it still locked. Dib pounded as Tak pleaded to see Gaz,and their hopes were seen through. The door swung open, as Tak hugged Gaz for dear life and Dib searched the room for Zim.
"Where did he go?" Dib shouted frantically.
"Who?" asked a pale Gaz.
"Zim... He was here, right?" Tak looked at Gaz, taking note of a shiver and realizing she was letting her hold her, without punishment.
"Zim wasn't here..." Gaz trailed off trying to think, evidenident in her usually narrowed eyes wide open.
"Then why did you scream?" Dib asked trying to calm his racing heart. Gaz's face was void of emotions, as if she were trying to comprehend something.
"... I didn't scream."
"We heard you..." Tak let go, a little miffed that Gaz might have been playing a joke.
"I heard a scream, too, and so did Spike, we both saw the same thing." Gaz explained, wanting to go back to sleep.
"Saw what?" Dib asked, now intrigued.
"Crap... don't start this again Dib..." the girl sighed, knowing where her brother was going with this. ,"We saw a shadow... outside the window."
"Gaz, we're two stories up, and there's nothing but sharp rocks and the water under your balcony window." Tak tried to explain,as if since the facts were there, that couldn't have happened.
"It happens more than we know, remember Tak? This was what I was telling you about the paranormal." Dib shrugged, beginning to brush the incident off, excited he now lived in a haunted house. "Gaz, if you're too scared to stay here,you can sleep with us..."
"Dib, what you just said was scarier than any bump in the night, I'll be fine,if you'd let me go back to bed." Gaz rolled her eyes, returning to her normal self.
"If you're sure..." Tak looked around, rethinking Earth.
"I am, *cough* now leave and let me sleep!" She pushed them out of the room, causing her to cough again, then crawled in bed next to Spike and her pink fluffy bat.
Zim came home in a sour mood, crashing on the couch and falling asleep. When he woke up the Tallests were chatting mindlessly.
"I don't know, Miami still sounds good." Purple was talking over brochures.
"Well, I was thinking New Orleans, but this place called Las Vagas has all these places in one WITH a magic show!" Red held the pamplet for Purple could see.
"What in Irk's name is going *cough* on here?" Zim sat up, aggitated.
"Zim... There is more to see on this planet than this, I mean look at all these places! Earth is like a bunch of planets in one..." Red said, as if nothing were happening.
"Have you forgotten the plans? The mission... the wedding, you two haven't done anything since you got here!" Zim coughed again.
"We were waiting for you to bag the girl first... But I did get a wedding dress that might look nice on her..." Red held up A puffy, white dress, with lavender trimming. It was hiddeous. ,"Till then, Zim, we're going on vacation."
"But I have so much to do..." Zim whined.
"Don't worry, you're not going."Purple blurted as if it would make him feel better.
"Say wha?" Zim's voice cracked a little as he tried to hold back another cough.
"We ran into all these human couples at the festival, who told us about their trips and time away from the kids... And one woman complimented my dress." Red explained.
"Just perfect..." Zim fell back down on the couch.
"Las vagas it is!...But what about Zim?" Purple looked to his 'wife'.
"What about me? I've lived here alone all these years..." Where was this sudden depression coming from? Was it because he hadn't been able to capture Gaz? Why was the tallest's news leaving him to feel so... lonely?
"Yeah, but we leave you alone,the human's might think we're inferior parents... besides we got new furniture and you have a tendecy to break things..." Red scoffed.
"Just great *coughcough*" First Zim returned home Gazless, now his leaders were going on fun time, and leaving him feeling like crap.
"Hey, Red... Zim doesn't sound too good, think we need to rethink the babysitter?" Purple looked down at Zim, strangely concerned.
"Naw, we'll just get a different one who can handle a sick invader... But who's capable of Zim...?" Red pondered.
"So I'm thinking we head on over to the library and research the house's past." Dib was saying taking a bite out of his cereal, "Then we get the paint to finish the rest of the house, mainly your room."
Dib knew the lighthouse belonged to his mother's family, but that was all he knew. What a wonderful chance to learn about his family AND ghosts.
"I'd like to go, too," said Tak through her bite of toast sharing Dib's enthusiasim. ,"On Irk when you die you die, but this is a little amazing to think we go on afterwards. And Mimi might want some of those books you humans read to your offspring."
"Yeah... I bet Gaz would get over last night with Zim if we took her to get a nice horror novel, but nothing too scary, I don't want her getting ideas on terrorizing us. Hey, where is Gaz?" Dibasked through his mouthful.
"She's still asleep, I think she caught a cold from last night or something... and I thought she was hard to deal with before." the othe female sighed remembering Gaz's reaction when she took her breakfast. Man, she can get bitchy.
"Oh... well,I'll pick up some cough syrup or something." Their breakfast was interuppted by the doorbell. Tak sighed and answered it. a second later Dib heard her calling for him.
"OH, DIIIB, you might want to take a look at this!" Dib rolled his eyes, as Tak can remind him of gaz at times. but he stopped dead when he got to the door.
There stood, a very pissed off Zim, Gir, and Mini-moose, with overnight bags. Zim had a note pinned to his shirt with the irken symbol on it which Tak quickly read out load.
"Dear Tak, as one of the few responsible invaders we have known, we are placing you in charge of Zimmy, who has not been feeling well. ^_^. We will be back in a couple of days, and will pay you greatly, as we have also sent Gir and Mini-Moose. P.S. Zim must have his daily helping of broccoli." Tak's eyse shined gleefully, as she saw her chance of revenge and humiliation on Zim. Even Dib was frightened by her grin.
All Zim could think was, "I'm so screwed, in this life and the next."