A/N

Chapter 3! I hope you guys like it so far. Sorry if it has been a tiny bit sad so far, but I hope it is still entertaining :). I have a feeling you will like the way this story turns out. Certainly a lot of drama heading your way soon :D. Well, Enjoy and Review!

Zim was quiet the rest of the day, barely holding a conversation on the phone and refusing to leave his base. Gaz was not sure what was going on but decided perhaps he needed to be alone. She tried again over the weekend to spend time with him, but he still was acting the same. She shrugged it off, thinking it was probably nerves because the results of the auditions were to come on Monday. Though, she was still worried about him. He had never behaved in such a way before.

Monday came and Gaz waited by the Hi-skool entrance for the Irken. Not being one to show up late, Zim arrived ten minutes later than he usually did. She saw him picking and tugging at his shirt over and over, adjusting his wig, and staring at his reflection any chance he got, whether it was in a mirror or in a window passing by.

"Hey." She said, not sure of what else to say.

He looked up and smiled, but stared straight ahead and continued walking into the skool. She caught up and found him heading directly to the results list. This is odd, she thought. For Romeo and Juliet, on the day of the results, he did not even look to see if he got a part. Mr. Elliot happened to tell him. Now, he was rushing to see. She walked up behind the alien who remained shocked as he stared at the results.

"Zim?"

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"Is everything okay?"

He raised a finger to point at the sheet of paper.

"I…I am the Phantom…?" He stuttered.

"Really?" She leaned against him. "That's great!"

Yet, he shook his head.

"What do you mean 'no'? Of course that's great."

He moved to the side to allow her to see.

"Look at your part."

Her eyes scanned the sheet and her heart skipped a beat when she saw her name.

"I got the part of Christine!" She smiled, but it faded as she looked at Zim. "What's wrong with that? You and I are together again. Isn't that what you wanted?"
He pointed at the name beside the role of Raoul.

"But I did not want that." He muttered before walking off.

She squinted to see the name, but when she did, she glanced after Zim who was strolling stiffly down the hall.

Before she got the chance to speak to Zim, he was all ready in homeroom and class had started. She didn't get the chance to talk to him until lunch time arrived. When it did, she walked to the familiar table and sat beside Zim who picked at his food, staring at it as if expecting it to come alive and crawl off the table. Though with the cafeteria food, that wouldn't surprise her.

"Finally." She said, taking a seat.

"What?" He asked, looking over at her.

"I have been trying to talk to you all day. I wanted to ask you about the musical."

A sudden shadow crossed his face and he sneered while he glared angrily at his food.

"Why are you so upset? So what if Keef got the part of Raoul? It won't be that bad."

He stabbed his fork into the mashed potatoes which gurgled and growled in response. He stared in horror a moment before facing Gaz.

"Won't be that bad? Of course it will! If Keef is this retched Raoul-beast then…"

"Then…?" She asked impatiently.

"Then I will have to fight for your affection!" He yelled. A few students turned to face the odd couple, but ignored them and went back to their lunch. Gaz watched as he solemnly glanced at the table, once again tugging at his shirt and messing with his wig. She grabbed his hands and set them on the table to stop him.

"Why would you have to fight for my affection, Zim? It's just a musical."

"Because, I heard the way you sang. You were perfect. And you, you are so…" He looked at her dreamily, sadly. "Beautiful." He sighed.

She was confused by the direction their conversation was taking. Why was he saying all of this so suddenly? Many times before he had told her she was beautiful, but now he was seeming upset about it.

"Zim?" She put a hand on his arm to which he stiffened. Why is he acting like this, she thought, he only acted this uncomfortable when we first started seeing each other?

"Keef is a normal, average human, Gaz. He looks like a human, thinks like a human, and he is a human." He dropped his fork entirely. "I'm not…"

"So? I like that you're different. Everyone else is just the same: judging and mean. You aren't"

"But I am just a disgusting alien." He picked up his tray, threw the contents in the garbage can, and left the cafeteria. She got up and opened the doors, but he was all ready out of view.

Zim had all ready left the hi-skool by the time Gaz finished grabbing her books out of her locker. She decided to head over to his house and find out what was bothering him. She knew that it had something to do with the musical and Keef getting a major part. But what was truly bothering him?

She rang the doorbell, feeling uncomfortable under the gnomes' unwavering gazes. Gir answered and squeaked a welcome.

"Hey, Gir. Is Zim home?"

He nodded and giggled, but did not move.

"Can I see him?"

Again he nodded and squealed, but did not even budge.

"May I come in, Gir?" She finally asked.

He stared at her as he tried to think out what she had said.

"Okay." He chirped. She let herself in and he returned to the TV. She shook her head at the insane robot while he was busy shoving a waffle into a frog's mouth. Poor frog…

She looked around the room and in the kitchen, but Zim was not there.

"Where is he?"
"Master is in his room. I'll show you!" He hopped up and walked over to the trash can elevator. After stepping in, the pair made there way down. Occasionally, Gir would latch onto Gaz's leg to which she would slowly pry him off. The doors finally opened, not quick enough for Gaz's liking due to the happy robot, and Gir pointed to a room down the hall.

"There is his room."

She nodded and turned to thank the robot, but he was all ready gone. She shrugged and opened the door silently. Inside, she saw the familiar triangular bed with the Irken symbol on it, the couch, and the fireplace. She also discovered a tall wardrobe-like piece of furniture in the corner in which Zim was standing in front of. She did not realize what he was doing until it was too late. She blushed and contemplated leaving, covering her eyes, or looking in the opposite direction. The Irken was completely unaware of her presence as he slowly took off his shirt. She found herself staring, not at the toned muscles that were there, and she certainly noticed that, but at the horrific scars that covered his body. Burns, blade slashes, bullet marks; any harm caused by any possible form of weapon stained his green skin. The top of his uniform was off and only then did he realize she was there. He jumped, clearly not recognizing her in the dark room, and metallic legs began sprouting out of his PAK. She stepped back at the sudden, unexpected movement and he saw who it was. Instantly, the legs retracted and he stared at her. Her eyes flickered down to his chest. He glanced down, seeing the scars, and quickly grabbed his uniform, shielding his body from view.

"I did not hear you."

She messed with her hair awkwardly.

"Sorry. Gir let me in. I was worried about you."

He turned his back to her, retrieving a clean uniform and slipped it on before facing her again.

"Why were you worried?"

"Maybe because you have been avoiding me all day."

He did not deny it. He had been avoiding her, but not for the reasons she thought.

"Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?"
He quickly crossed the room over to her, shaking his head profusely.

"No. Of course not. I am not mad at you, Gaz. Why would I be?"

"That's what I was wondering. So what has been wrong then? Is it about the musical? Keef?"

He glared at the ground at the mention of the kid's name.

"So it is." She concluded.

He sighed.

"Are you jealous?"

His head shot up.

"No! Why would I be jealous of that foolish little worm-baby?"

"Then why are you so upset every time I mention his name?"

"First of all, I thought I got rid of that retched human all ready." He shook his head at the awful memory of Keef. "And second …" But he didn't finish. Instead, he took a seat on his bed. She followed him over and waited until he was looking at her.

"Why did you say all of that stuff earlier, Zim?"

"What stuff?" He asked.

"That Keef was a human; thought like a human, acted like a human, and was a human, but you were just a disgusting alien?" He winced at the words. "Why did you say all of that?"

"Because it is true, Gaz. I saw your audition. You were perfect. You sang like a real Angel of Music. And you are beautiful. But me…" He glared at his claws. "I am just a monster. I do not look human, act human, and more importantly, I am not human. Keef must be a good actor in order to have gotten that part. And now, just like the play, I will have to compete for your love. He is everything you need him to be. I am not. I cannot be everything you need me to be." She could see his antennas twitching with the emotions he was feeling beneath his wig. It was only then that she realized he was still in his disguise. She ignored the discovery and returned to what he had said.

"Zim," She took a seat beside him and lifted her hands to his face, "you are everything I need you to be. As a matter of fact, you are more. Keef is just some student who happened to get the other major role. But you and I are still going to be side-by-side, just like we were in Romeo and Juliet. Nothing is going to change the way I feel about you. And I don't care if you aren't human. That is one of the things I love about you. You are different. I don't want another human who acts like everyone else. The moment I found you, you never judged me and you liked me for me. You don't meet too many humans like that."

He smiled sadly up at her as she moved her hand up to his wig.

"You're still wearing your disguise," she said while sliding the wig off, "how come?"

Though, his hand quickly darted up and stopped her from taking it off. She moved back and he readjusted it.

"It's okay. You can leave it." He mumbled.

He continued to tug at his shirt. She was reminded of the scars she had seen earlier.

"How did it happen?"

He followed her gaze to his chest and looked away, clearly ashamed.

"It's nothing."

She crossed her arms

"Obviously it is or your body wouldn't look that way."

He saw that she would not give up so easily and sighed in defeat.

"It was on Irk. My leaders did it to me." He slowly explained.

"Why would they do that to you?" She shook her head. "It isn't fair. How could they be so cruel to you?" Images of the beatings flashed in her mind, causing her to become very disturbed.

"Gaz, I was a failure; a defect. I failed many missions and screwed up many operations." He lifted his shirt to reveal his punishment. "This was the penalty for my mistakes."

"You are not a defect. And I don't care if you messed up anything. It couldn't have been bad enough to deserve all of that." She ran her hands lightly across the wounds that Irk had forgotten, but was remembered by the Irken's body and remembered by Zim.

"I was the one who asked for the damage when I messed up. I deserved it." Though, she could see even he understood an injustice was done to him. She did not understand it. No matter what his race did to him, he still remained loyal to them to the very end. How could they do that to him after all of those years he had dedicated to serving them?

"I don't understand your race, Zim." She replied.

He shook his head and laughed at the irony that made up his life.

"I don't either, Gaz. I don't either…"

A/N

Poor Zim… I just want to give him a hug! Oh, sorry . . XD Well, I hope you liked it and I appreciate your reviews and feedback ^-^ Chapter 4 coming soon!