You guys make my freaking day sometimes.. XD

TimIsaFunSucker

Chapter 22

Aw, I know how it feels, staying up until 5;30 AM. Try as I might I cannot get my body/brain to shut off before 4 AM. I think I might eventually have to take something for it. :/

Thank you for those little stars, lol! I had planned on skimming through the chapter, but this works too, lol!

COOL! I'm not the only insomniac in the world! Mine shuts off at around 3 normally but I guess it decided to push me that night.

Torrasque666

Chapter 22

My...childhood...actually doesn't burn for once. That was actually pretty nice, not like some of the other smut I've read.

Ahh GIR, why must you be so hilarious? Can we get a small family-style chapter with "The Family"? I would enjoy that. There were hints of it in the last one but I could enjoy more.

*is now going to sit and wait for 3 days for you to put the next one up*

Oh joy! *throws water on you*

. . . .

That was just in case. :D

The family stuff. I'll have to think about that, but, glad to know you guys like it so much.

ngrey651

Chapter 22

Well, I admit, privately, I'm glad to see Gaz and Zim in the happy throngs of love and marriage, but I can tell you were confused by my last review. So I will try to be as courteous and explanatory as possible.

A simple set of questions: One, why didn't Zim just tell Dib what was happening to him? Dib's hacked and manipulated Irken technology a dozen times over, and if he knewGaz cared for him, he'd probably help out. That's my first question. And two...

Are we...supposed to root for Gaz and Zim in this story? Because I find it hard to.

Don't get me wrong, I support the two being in love, I don't believe in denying people the right to such a thing, but in a story, in general, the protagonist is somebody the creator of the story wants the audience to identify with, and while I DO sympathize with their love story, the whole "take over the world" thing I can't agree with. And it's not like Gaz and Zim are such fine, upstanding moral people. If they were, I could KINDA sympathize with them. But Gaz has harrassed and insulted and gotten her brother hurt every single time she was in an episode with him, and she sent Iggins plummeting down an elevator over a Game Slave. She MADE her own worst enemy. And if I went into what ZIM'S guilty of, I'd have take up more space than I'm allotted in this review.

So I ask...who should we, the reader, identify with? Whom should we support? Because Gaz and Zim haven't done anything worth supporting, yet you seem to be casting them as the "heroes". It's confusing to me.

I took very careful consideration before answering this comment.

Dib could definitely not have fixed Zim. He is in no way capable of handling that kind of technology, nor did he have the tools to try. Nobody does! Not to mention Irkens think it's installed in the very core of their PAKs, not something that can be turned off or on. He would've ended up killing Zim. And as you can see, Dib would've been totally against Zim overthrowing the natural order no matter what, so it was easier and caused less fights to keep him out of the loop.

Well this IS a ZAGR story. I suppose you would.

And you make valid points. These two are assholes but rather then turn them into these fake, altered, lovable characters people normally portray them as I decided to just run with their regular attitudes. Clearly, and while this is in no way meant to be rude or insulting, you prefer the ladder and I respect that but that isn't how I'm writing them. But trust me when I say, Gaz will have her redeemable moment by the end of the story. I'm planning something big between her and Dib.

However I wonder something and this is meant with pure curiosity-fueled purposes; If you dislike all of the things Gaz and Zim have done from the show, why are you looking up ZAGR stories to read? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad for your opinions so I can improve my story but it just makes me wonder.

So I'll tell you what. My next IZ story (which is not a continual of this one) will ensure you are able to identify with my main character(s).

But that's all I'm saying! You, sir/madame, have wrangled two sneak-previews out of me. Impressive.

Captor of the Crazies

Congratulations RavenFlower, you have satisfied a tOp notch perv! It was SwEEt, flUffy, and H-O-T! I totally LuRvEd it! Zimmers was gentle and seXy at the same time in his touches, it was as if he was running his hands over glass, but once he took control he was a seductive beast who demanded to be tamed by the call of his name! You RoCk, plain and simple! I give to you a PerVy pUpil •^-^• smile.

It's Follower. Or Echo, if you want my name-name. Although, I do like Flower . . .

Anyways.

This just made me laugh. I was literally crying I was laughing so hard.

That's why I put this one in here. So hats off to you.

However, unfortunately, I do not have a hat to remove. :( But next time I wear a hat, I'll be sure to take it off for a second, for you!

Mr. Mookenstein

Chapter 22

noted: the finest Irken cuisine tastes like vagina...yeah...anyway good lemon for a virgin author..a few inconsistencies but otherwise it met expectations...

LMAO. ROFL, whatever enormously shown laughter I can type ever and more I want to express to you.

I have no clever rebuttal for this. Only my undying amusement.

Oh no wait, I have something!

Clearly, Gaz is so cool, she has a flavored vagina.

I'll probably think of something better AFTER I post this, but, oh well.

And LOL, inconsistencies. Oh my god, I'm dying over here.

KotaWingz

Chapter 22

I feel so filthy for actually reading that . but I figured, that if you can write it, then I can read it.

*shudder*

Why did I think that?

*goes to bathroom and attempts not to puke*

YOU AND ME BOTH! Blech! DX

But good reasoning. Way to be brave, guys, way to be brave.

ForceWalker

Chapter 22

Finally, the chapter we've all be waiting for, and you know what...is what actually pretty good.

For a person who dislikes sex so much, you did a great job on this chapter, and it's different from smut stories, and I liked it. So trust me when I say, good job girl!

And it's about time Minnie-Moose came back! He's been gone for nearly the entire story, and only came back just last chapter! I missed Minnie-Moose.

And one last thing...it is absolute torture to wait three days for the next update. Torture, I say!

LOL, "good job". Seriously, the best reviews I am getting from this chapter.

You want to know the honest reason I haven't had more Minnie-Moose? I don't like typing his name :(

Weird, I know, but there's just something about it that annoys me. I think it's the length. Most of the main characters in this story have 3 letter names and he's got what, like, 11, (not including the dash)? Not cool! D:

Invader Johnny

Chapter 22

Oh heh heh heh heh, This chapter was good, so good.

is it weird that it turned me on? LOL Zim is one lucky son of a bitch.

Invader Johnny Signing Off.

AHAHAHAHAHA, fo sho!

Me and my guy friend whose like my brother were talking about fucking the IZ cast. I, the not-blushing, entirely uninterested virgin admitted that the only person I would willingly have sex with was Zim. Mainly because of the tongue thing, from that "Door to Door" episode but also because I would find it more fun to tease the shit out of Dib and watch him squirm, since I'm so good at that when I'm bored.

So to answer your question, no, it's perfectly normal to be turned on by Gaz or Zim.

cheddarbiscuit

Chapter 22

"Oh god, I'm so scared... I'm so scared... She's updated and she'll expect a review. What do I do? What do I DO?"

I'm so scared... I'm so scared... I'm so horribly mortified but I know this line-by-line reaction will make you laugh so I'm writing it anyway.

Its not that I haven't read smut before, its just that this is... smut written by an author that I've followed for three stories...

Oh god he's blocking off an entire wing of the fortress!

OH GOD THE STARS! I'M NOT LOOKING I'M NOT LOOKING IMNOTLOOKIN... Oh... wait... that's all there is to the chapter... Well, I guess I'll just have to read it then, to get my money's worth.

(*Starts making obviously inappropriate cat calls.*)

I am female, meh! :D

LOL, I get it. It's like being in the middle of Health Class and finding out Dorothy killed herself and you feel like your whole childhood is ruined.

Which is a true story. Dorothy, from the Wizard of OZ. Or at least I'm pretty sure it was her. I remember my teacher was having a Ms. Bitters moment and going on and on about all these childhood stars that offed themselves and I went, "Oh my god! Next your going to tell me Toto died of cancer, holy crap!"

AND OH MY GOD YOU GUYS, SERIOUSLY. I am getting questioning looks from my fam (and my cat, who has curled up, uninvited, upon my lap) because I am just sitting here laughing into my knees for absolutely no reason.

Cat calls . . . oh, you guys kill me. XD

Yes, more Gaz and Zim. Or at least, just them waking up today.

Also, bad idea to listen to Phantom of the Opera when you're home alone.

Ahem, what just happened;
"My power over you
Grows stronger yet!"
(I sit in computer chair and see some shadow dart behind me, making me turn around)
"And though you turn from me,
To glance behind!"
(Turns back to the computer) "Wait, what the fuck?"

That's your daily quote, by the way.

I really need to stop having such a spastic imagination. Although I'm pretty sure it was my other cat, cause that mother fucker is like a ninja.

Anyways.

NOTICE: I AM GOING ON VACATION TOMORROW. I'LL BE BACK IN THREE DAYS. HOPEFULLY, I WILL BE ABLE TO UPDATE ON TIME BUT IF NOT, I WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU WITH 2 CHAPTERS, SINCE I'M AHEAD ANYWAYS.

Enjoy.


Chapter 23
"The Morning After"

Tak was petting MiMi, eying Dib curiously as he drove, sitting in the passenger seat.

"Why did you drag me along and not anyone else?" She questioned.

Dib had parked the car in front of Gretchen's house, waiting until everyone got out. However when Tak had been about to open her door (she had been trying to fix MiMi's wires, since a few of them had gotten crossed in the strain of keeping the defenses open, until they could return and leave) Dib turned the car back on, locking the doors and taking off. A few people had run after him but not for very long. He was, after all, in a car.

"You're the only one I needed," Dib replied, curtly. He was really in no mood to talk. "Anyone else would've just been unnecessary."

And they had driven through the night, stopping only once to refill on gas before taking off again.

Dib was honestly surprised Tak hadn't set MiMi on him. Her robotic cat had growled at him (something he found kind of funny), seeming only too ready to attack him should Tak give the word, but she hadn't. It seemed she didn't care much that she had been kidnapped. In fact, this was the first time she had spoken to him through the ride.

"For?" She pressed casually, looking out the window and continuing to stroke the fixed MiMi on the head.

The cat had never once taken its eyes off of Dib but she wasn't as poised to kill him anymore. He wondered if she was acting more like a human cat because her master was more human and they shared a bond but he couldn't know for sure and doubted Tak would tell him if he asked.

"To translate." Dib said bluntly, not offering anymore then she asked. He refused to elaborate, there were too many thoughts rushing through his head to explain.

Tak hissed, irritated, sitting up in the car. At once MiMi was on her shoulder, glaring hatefully at Dib.

"Translate what?" She demanded, hands balling up into fists at her sides. Tak wanted answers and she had been patient, but Dib was not giving them to her! No amount of patience was going to change that. "I'm not a tool, Dib! I require answers to do something, a reason! Where are you taking me?"

Dib sighed, resting his head against the steering wheel a moment before paying attention to the road again. "My house. Gaz told me to go home, and I don't know why either, she just said to. After you help me, I'll take you wherever you damned well please as compensation."

Tak relaxed slightly, sitting back down against the chair again. She gestured for MiMi to sit on her lap, needing to do something with her hands. Tak had always had a habit of playing with her hands, when she was nervous, anxious, or just plain twitchy. MiMi accepted that easily and normally she ended up being the thing that Tak pet, so that she looked under control instead of fidgety.

"I assume things didn't look promising towards her innocence, then?" Tak continued, casually once again.

Dib nodded. "You'd be correct to assume that."

Tak made a face, having expected this. She knew she was right, it was just a matter of Dib accepting that fact as well. Tak decided to start plotting what she would do next. Dib wasn't going to continue with this rebellion. In fact, she knew very well it was already crumbling. The human's stupid fears were getting the better of them now, save for the three that had come along in their last mission. By now, people were probably already going home. Maybe they would have a meeting to decide but without Dib, it would fall apart.

She scowled. If only she could've seen that Gretchen girl's face when Dib had driven off with Tak in her family's car.

They drove until morning, when Dib pulled quietly into a suburban area, stopping the car in front of a house.

"This is it," He said quietly, looking up at the two-story house he had lived in but so obediently abandoned. What was he now? A traitor to the government and the Swollen Eyeball, for running away with his sister. He was just . . . Dib now.

Weird. He'd never been just Dib.

"Are you just going to stare at it or are we actually going inside?"

Tak's voice snapped him out of his staring and he unlocked the doors, stepping out and slamming it shut after him. He didn't bother to lock it. These days, no one was stupid enough to wreak havoc and try to steal a car, for fear of getting their asses whooped by the soldiers patrolling the streets.

She followed him to the door, and he froze on the porch. "I don't have-!"

"The key?" Tak finished. She turned to her robot. "I figured as much, considering you put absolutely no plan into this. MiMi?"

The cat darted to the handle, and then dropped to the floor. Confused, Dib tried the knob again.

It opened.

"Cool trick," he muttered. Tak didn't reply, simply walking past him into his house, MiMi shooting Dib a glare before following her master.

Dib turned the lights on and was stunned to find nothing had been taken or damaged in their absence. But then again, who was dumb enough to break into the house where the girl who held the favor of Zim lived? He shuddered at that thought, looking around and finding it comforting and sad that he had found everything as it had been when he and Gaz had left.

Because now he was back home, but Gaz never would be.

She had a new home now.

"Come on," Dib said dejectedly, heading towards the stairs. "We should check Gaz's room. She told me to check her room."

Tak nodded and followed him. She watched him pause at the top, glaring at a shut door as if it was the door's fault all of this had happened. But he continued onwards, opening the door. Tak peeked in after seeing him freeze and then she too, stared, brows rising at the sight.

Papers. A board, with more papers stuck to it. Lines drawn across the papers, connecting them. Flashcards neatly stacked on her desk. Markers, pencils and other writing utensils placed conveniently. A list of the government that seemed to coincide with which countries had been taken down in orders and those that were to be next.

"Gaz planned this." Dib breathed, horror lacing his voice. "This was never Zim, it . . .! It was her!"


Zim was just staring at her now as she lay on her stomach, breathing slowly, like she always did when she was asleep. Her face was away from him, blankets having drooped down to her lower back, exposing all of it to him. Thin, long pink scrapes that were already healing covered her back. He smirked. Flashes of running his nails down that soft, pale back made him shift from the intensity of those memories, especially when an echo of her cries followed shortly after that. Zim shook his head, dispelling those thoughts quickly, but the smirk never left his face.

He gently stroked the bare expanse of abused flesh, wondering if it hurt or stung at all. But Zim had a feeling if it did, at all, Gaz wouldn't show it. She hadn't exactly protested while the marks had been made, either, he reminded himself with an ever widening smirk. And anyways, she was too tough and prideful to complain if they did. Thinking along these lines as he continued to stroke her, Zim decided he'd leave out some type of salve just in case, so no transaction would have to be made about it. If it hurt, Zim could help her fix it without the degrading necessity of asking.

Gaz shifted then, propping herself upon her elbows. Zim watched her carefully as she rolled her shoulders, watching for any sign of stiffness or hidden discomfort. However he saw none and Gaz turned to look at him with a calculating gaze, curious to see Zim's reaction.

He smiled at her, head propped up on his hand. "Good morning."

Gaz's expression was indifferent, glancing down at his torso, which was mostly covered by the blood-red covers. Then she looked back up at him, "A rather interesting morning, admittedly."

Zim smirked then, red eyes glinting with the promise of one thing or another. "I expect this is the first time you've woken up like this."

"Well, actually . . ." Gaz made a face and Zim's eyes narrowed. She smirked at him and flicked his antennae, playfully. "Yes, this is the first time I've woken up like this."

"Good," Zim insisted, with finality. He reached an arm across, gently tracing a finger along a scar. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Gaz replied, eying him suspiciously. "Why?"

She craned her head around, a brow rising as she saw the marks he was touching along her body.

Zim frowned, almost guilty. "I didn't . . . I didn't mean to-!"

Gaz silenced him with a look of irritation. When he was silenced, she glanced at the marks with a look of complete disregard to the minor injuries. "It doesn't even hurt, Zim. Stop being such a drama queen."

"I am King of the Earth," Zim corrected in such a stern and prideful manner that Gaz had to smirk a little at it. "Zim is not the Queen of anything. That would be you, My Queen."

Gaz really liked the sound of that. Just not from Zim. "Don't call me that in private. It's irritating."

"Of course," Zim agreed, though she saw the flicker of curiosity in his eyes before he leaned down to kiss her, tenderly. When he pulled away he smirked at her. "Would you object to Zim calling you 'my love'?"

Gaz thought about it. Eventually though she replied, "If it's insignificant enough, not really, no."

"Mm," Zim replied, moving down to kiss a pink line on her shoulder. "My love, what do you think of the world Zim has provided for you?"

"It's disgusting," Gaz replied at once, with a smirk of her own as Zim pulled away to look at her eyes. "But with right improvements and proper adjustments it has . . . potential."

"I would hope no less of a gift to someone as important as you," He insisted with a smirk. "It's still early, my little Gaz. Is something troubling you?"

"Not at all," Gaz replied, stretching her arms and exposing a glimpse of her chest to Zim, who averted his eyes carefully. She relaxed again, smiling at her alien of a husband. "I think my body just had a bit too much adrenaline before I fell asleep."

"Really?" Zim shifted closer, a hand curling under her waist and pressing her bare chest against his own. "If you've got too much energy, we can always try again."

Gaz shivered as his hot breath flooded her sense. He began murmuring things in her ear she knew were spoken in Irken, things she had no hope of translating, since she only knew how to read Irken, not speak it. But the meaning of the them were clear as his loose hold on her tightened, his other hand trailing inside her calf and down again. She felt her muscles contract and wondered how she ever managed not to enjoy 'experimenting' with Zim when all of this started. So much effort he'd had to make and now all it took was a few tender, foreign words and a carefully placed touch of the hand.

Feeling his hand prick her backside, Gaz voluntarily slide her leg over his leg. Her arms encircled his neck as she began to nip and bite at it it, eliciting a growl from Zim that caused a smirk to appear on her own face. He'd already managed to force her breathing to a quicker speed when someone knocked on the door.

Zim's eyes narrowed and his growl was then one of fury instead of pleasure. She sighed and let him go but irritation was still prominent in her eyes. Zim got out of their bed, the covers falling off as he stood to reveal his bare body (save his PAK), uncovered by the sheets. Gaz smirked at the lean muscles of his, a dominant feeling of ownership flooding through her as she looked at him.

So maybe this was why Zim was so overprotective of her.

He walked into the closet and there were a few machine sounds before he came out, clothed and dignified. He walked over to the doors, motioning silence from her before opening it. The doors, thankfully, didn't face the bed and so Gaz was not shown in the least.

"What is it?" Zim demanded, his eyes narrowed in barely controlled fury.

Skoodge's stuttering, apologetic voice answered. "Um, my greatest and utmost apologies, Invader Zim, but the terms of surrender Russia has placed need to be looked over."

"Terms?" Gaz heard the disbelief in Zim's voice as he snorted. "They are not entitled to, nor will they have any 'terms' to speak of. Unconditional surrender. If they won't agree to that, inform them that they will be destroyed immediately upon their reply, should it prove disagreeable."

"Y-Yes, Sir!" Skoodge said quickly. "I'll deliver this message right away!"

"Good," Zim growled. "And inform anyone else that unless it's an emergency or the Tallest themselves, Gaz and I are not to be disturbed until we leave our chambers."

Zim slammed the door shut then. If Skoodge had had anything to add, Zim made sure that it was clear he was not in the mood. Gaz smirked as he rolled his eyes, antenna twitching in an irritated fashion on his head. She watched him as he let out an aggravated sigh, looking back at her.

"Humans are so dense sometimes," Zim said in disbelief. Gaz felt no insult as she smiled at him, knowing full well by now that he did not count her in that category. "As if I would let a section of the planet have terms of surrender simply because they think that they are superior to what I already own."

Gaz nodded her agreement with an eye roll. "They probably wanted something along the lines of keeping their nuclear weaponry."

"Nuclear weapons are dangerous and unstable," Zim replied, sliding off his coat and handing it to the metal tentacles that came down from the ceiling to retrieve it from him. "Should they refuse to surrender I'll simply trigger their weapons to explode upon themselves one by one until they do."

"Sounds like a simple enough plan," Gaz agreed as she watched him remove his clothes in a frustrated but coordinated manner.

"That's the thing about humans," Zim informed her, irritated as he continued to toss his clothes on the floor still appearing rather annoyed. "They try to outmaneuver one another when the easiest of plans is often the best and most effective one."

Gaz sat up then, "Zim?"

"What?" He demanded, turning to look at her after throwing his shoes into the closet. Then his eyes widened considerably.

Because she had sat up, the covers had fallen off her torso, revealing the entire upper half of her body to him. He stared, mind completely blank.

She gave him a look of disbelief. "Are you going to bitch or are you going to come back to bed?"

Suddenly a dark lust filled his eyes, his mouth curling into a devious smirk. "It's not that hard of a decision to make, Gaz."

"Well then hurry up," She snapped, pulling the blankets back up to cover herself, much to Zim's disapproval. She turned her back on him, waiting until she felt the bed shift and hands grab her hips, turning her to face him.

"You're such an insistent little thing when you find something you like," Zim informed her, amused and naked once again.

Gaz gave him a look. "You honestly say you'd rather bitch about other people then have this?"

Zim eyed the curve of her body she gestured to with an unreadable expression. A moment later though he looked her dead in the eye, in all seriousness. "You are my everything. Don't ever forget that I stayed alive only because of you. I'd give up the world for you, Gaz. You are my first priority."

"And I kept you alive for the same reasons," Gaz murmured back.

The seemed to please him to great extents and she once again found her body pressed against his, with him murmuring things in his language to her. Gaz still couldn't understand a word of it but she could sense their meaning. She could feel the lust he expressed in those words, along with the need to have her, there, at that very moment. She once again shivered as Zim picked up where he'd left off, before they were rudely interrupted.


Tak collapsed onto the floor, startling Dib.

MiMi was already at her side, having obviously quicker reflexes then Dib ever could. She was scanning Tak, who was leaning heavily against the wall, sitting down with her knees up as MiMi began lazering off her jacket. Dib's brow rose. Tak had been favoring that arm.

Just how bad had her fight with Zim been?

He got his answer when MiMi successfully removed the sleeve of her coat, revealing a large purple and blue bruise on her arm. MiMi's eyes narrowed and she zipped off, returning seconds later with an ice pack probably taken from his freezer. Tak hissed as her minion skillfully applied it, focused on her work.

Dib knelt beside her, stunned. "T-Tak . . . What-?"

"Zim's a better fighter then I remember," Tak interrupted, curtly, as if she was trying to pretend she wasn't injured. "But I never experienced hand-to-hand combat with him before, so I wouldn't know for sure. And this body is weaker then my old one. The injuries wouldn't be half as bad if I was Irken."

She hissed again as MiMi prodded her ribs.

Dib was in disbelief as he looked at just that bruise, wondering how many other wounds she'd sustained from Zim that her clothes covered. Not that he was going to demand he see them, Dib wasn't that kind of person, but really. How could Zim do this?

Then again, wouldn't Tak have done the same thing back to him?

Stupid, confusing, sexist world order.

"How long do you think it will take to heal?" Dib asked her, concerned, despite his efforts not to be.

Tak glanced towards her companion. "MiMi?"

The robot looked up and beeped at her before returning to her work.

She groaned, leaning back against the wall. "A week, standard Earth-time. Possibly more."

Dib laughed, sitting on the floor next to her. "Wow, that-."

The door was kicked open.

Dib heard it.

"MiMi!" Tak ordered. "Tend to my wounds later. Protect the house instead."

The robot spun around and was downstairs within an instant. Loud shouts of surprise were heard.

Anxious, Dib looked to Tak. "Shouldn't we . . . hide, or something?"

She looked back at him, a brow rising. "Why should we? MiMi can take care of these intruders before they get anywhere near our location."

"Um . . . okay."

They waited.

And then there was the sound of a cat screeching.

"MIMI!" Tak shrieked, jumping to her feet, despite her injuries.

Dib did the same, about to pull out his weapon before they both realized the same thing.

"Our weapons-!"

"Are in the car," Tak finished with a groan. She turned and shoved him inside Gaz's room, making him stumble. "Your plan now! We hide!"

"Hey-! Ow!" Dib complained, glaring at her as she shut the door and locked it behind them. "You're injured! How are you still so strong?"

Tak smirked at him. "I'm just that superior to you. Now shush!"

She began walking silently over to the closet, gesturing for him to follow. He did, and they hid in the closet, Dib extremely glad that there was more than enough room to keep them from being forced to touch one another. Dib still wasn't particularly fond of Tak in general. Even if her wit was growing on him, he still didn't want her anywhere near him, let alone touching him.

"Where are they?"

"There's blood. They must've been here."

Dib's eyes shot to Tak at the muffled voices words. In the darkness, he saw her eyes widen, searching silently for where the blood was coming from. Dib felt true terror seize him as he wondered if it had left a trail.

"Any sign of a trail?"

"No. Just a few drops."

"Let's check in here, then."

Shit!

They remained completely silent.

Dib could tell what they were seeing.

Gaz's room. Obviously this was not just a break in, or they wouldn't be looking for anyone, just taking things. But they were now seeing Gaz's room, littered with plans to take over the world. The betrayal still stung and Dib flinched, as if it was a real wound. This was the life that she wanted but he couldn't help but wonder why.

What had changed?

Why did she need to do this?

"Damn."

"Figured as much. That girl was probably lying to us from the start."

"At least her information was legit. Agent Moth-Man cooberated her story."

Dib's eyes shot open. The Swollen Eyeball was still looking from him!

And glancing at the creature still frantically searching for blood in the closet with him, he realized they would now get a dangerous weapon if they were found and captured. Dib knew that he couldn't let that happen, now that he knew what Gaz wanted. Even if it was a world of chaos, it was a world of his sister's (he ignored Zim's hand in it, for simplicities sake) and a world he couldn't betray.

"How do we know he wasn't lying?"

"There's no evidence of this in his room." A new voice said. "You find them yet?"

"We're just about to scan for any bio-matter."

Tak and him locked gazes.

Then her eyes squeezed shut and she shut her eyes, hugging her legs and burying her face in them.

She knew well what the Swollen Eyeball was. Tak had collected the information on her first trip to Earth, from Dib, and had done some research. They were a group that would study her, make her take painful tests, probe her, use her, and eventually kill her. But before sweet death there would be torture. And in her current state, she wouldn't be able to protect herself. Especially when they'd done who knows what to MiMi. Dib saw her thoughts written all across her as she shook with restrained fear.

Even if he hated the girl, he wasn't about to let that happen.

"Play along," Dib hissed, quiet enough for only her to hear.

Tak's head shot up, confusion and suspicion all across her face. But the dominant emotion was fear, a fact he chose to ignore.

"Oh, phew," Dib said, opening the closet door, a mask of relief. "Geez, I thought you guys were kidnappers or something."

"Agent Moth-Man!" They all shouted, surprised.

Dib nodded, turning to look at Tak. "Come on, they're fine. You're safe."

Her face was white with fear. She didn't move, staring at him in horror and disbelief.

He sighed, moving to do something she would've killed him for.

Dib picked her up, cradling her against his chest. She shrunk away from the Swollen Eyeball members oblivious to the fact that she was recoiling into Dib. They all eyed her with surprise.

"We thought she was your sister," One of the men admitted, not one of them taking her eyes off of her.

Dib shook his head. "No. Her name's Tak. We ended up rescuing her on our mission to break into Zim's fortress, to try and rescue Gaz."

"Ah, yes, your little rebellion." Another of them said, with disapproval. "Agent Moth-Man, why did you run from us?"

"We got a message from Zim, before we were attacked." Dib replied. "I don't have my laptop anymore, but he was taunting me. He said he'd found out the whereabouts of one of my friends, from when we were kids."

"And she would be that friend?"

"Yeah. Tak was a transfer student at my Middle-Skool, but she disappeared one day. I figured she'd moved again but Zim told me that she'd been abducted and brainwashed by his Tallest, a test subject they used to study and train to see if humans had any potential for armies. When Zim found her in the archives, which, really, I don't even know how he did, he confiscated her and told me that he was going to use her to lead his armies. When we broke in, a member of my rebellion retrieved her while the rest of us tried to get to Gaz. But-."

"She didn't want to come?" An agent interrupted, looking around the room. "Well, I imagine you figured out why."

Dib's head drooped, Tak still staring at everyone around her. Dib's lie was believing. It explained a lot, why she seemed so terrified of everything but him and her skills and knowledge of the Irken Empire. Even MiMi really.

But now she was human to them. Ugh!

"Yeah," Dib continued, real pain filtering in his voice. "I do."

"That still doesn't explain why you broke out." Someone insisted. "Why did you leave?"

"It was Gaz's idea." That was true, wasn't it? He'd left to protect her and she had just wanted to make it easier to surrender herself. "She told me that we couldn't do anything working with you and the government, so we pulled a few strings and took off. I played right into her hands!"

The last statement was angry, bringing Tak's eyes shooting to his face.

It was silent.

But the man nodded. Apparently Dib's story made sense. "Very well. We'll take you to your father. We apprehended him while he was on his way here and told us he was going home, to meet you, under the instructions of Gaz. Apparently, he attended her wedding."

"Yeah," Dib nodded, adjusting Tak in his arms. "I saw him when we broke in. Tak fought Zim, because she's trained in the Irken fighting techniques, but she's been hurt. She needs medical attention."

"Where's MiMi?" Tak demanded. But it came out feebly, like a child asking where her favorite doll was.

"MiMi?"

"Her cat." Dib replied, in explanation. "It's okay, right?"

"It's been turned off, for the moment."

"It attacked us," Another added, eyes narrowed at Tak, who shrunk away fearfully.

Dib cleared his throat, attracting that man's attention. Tak visibly relaxed, but only slightly. "She isn't used to humans yet so if you could be cautious . . .?"

"My apologies," The man replied.

"Can she have her cat?"

"Only if she can control it."

"She'll listen to Tak."

One of them snapped his fingers and the deactivated robot (thankfully still in the form of a cat, somehow) appeared in an electric box. Dib stared in awe and wonder while Tak gave a shrill cry.

"MIMI!" She shouted, eyes widening further, her good arm outstretching towards it. "What did you do to her?"

"She's fine." One of them insisted, in an attempt to calm her.

They placed it on the floor and hit a button on the remote. The box dissolved and MiMi sat up, attentive at once, turning to growl at the men.

"MiMi," Tak ordered, staring at the men nervously as she addressed her robot. "Stand down. Return to your master."

Eyes narrowing at the men, she turned her backs on them, zipping onto Dib's shoulder where Tak's head was closest and standing protectively. Dib glanced at the robot, surprised that for once she wasn't acting like he was the enemy.

They all sighed in relief, now that the crazed creature wasn't attacking them. It had been a lucky shot they'd caught her at all.

"We should go," One of them said. "We'll tend to your friends wounds."

"Can I stay with her?" Dib asked.

Tak nearly groaned but did not. As much as she despised Dib, he was all that was keeping her from being dissected right now. He was the one coming up with the story because (much to her chagrin) she was speechless and paralyzed with fear. She didn't have a self-destruct button anymore.

Well. This certainly sucked.

"Of course." The men agreed, "Come. We'll take you to our new headquarters."


Hehe, I got the Swollen Eyeball involved again.

YES. TAK AND DIB FORCED TOGETHER.

I really needed a reason for Dib to continue pursuing Zim when Gaz would get hurt if he did. At first it was something Tak did, but that was just too complicated so I decided to just involve the Swollen Eyeball again.

Also, do you like how I just blatantly removed the Group from the story? Minnie-Moose style right there. Except instead of making you just accept that fact something is there now, I'm just making you accept the fact they will probably no longer be in the story.

YAY!

Till the next chapter! *does adorable salute*