Gaz fidgeted as she waited for the end of school, which was to occur in approximately one point two-six minutes. It had been an odd day, to say the least. Lunchtime had been the epitome of insanity; Zim had not only bought her lunch for her, but had sat beside her with an arm firmly placed around her shoulder throughout the thirty-minute period. She shouldn't have been so surprised when he stood in his chair and announced to the entire cafeteria that he and Gaz had 'reached a special place…spiritually, economically, grammatically.' She thought he had watched Pirates of the Caribbean one too many times, although he did strike her as an Irken Jack Sparrow. It was okay the first time he announced it, but when he proceeded to do so every five minutes she wanted to blow up the whole building…with him inside.

She glanced at the door that held her captive in the stuffy room and arched an eyebrow when she found Zim standing there, apparently trying to get her attention. He held up a sheet of paper that read MEET ME AT THE FORT! IT'S IMPORTANT! OBEY ME, I AM ZIM! She nodded her understanding and looked around the classroom, hoping that no one had noticed. Of course they hadn't. Mindless drones.

Gaz trudged to her locker when the bell finally rang, contemplating skipping out on meeting Zim since he expected her to come at his every beck and call. If he thought that she would do as he said every time he wanted her to, he had another thing coming. Although she had to give him some credit; he wasn't being as completely narcissistic as normal. Her watch beeped as Dib tried to get in touch with her. She accepted the transmission and glared at him. "What do you want?"

"I was wondering what time you were going to be home."

"As soon as I'm done talking to Zim. He wants to talk to me…I'm guessing he wants to up this somewhat amusing plan to 'phase three' or try to boss me around," she replied.

Gaz had explained to Dib very carefully what Zim had devised so that he wouldn't go completely ballistic when rumors began to travel around the school, which they did at an alarming rate. The conspirators had given the student body a few days to get accustomed to the idea of either one being in a relationship with anyone at all, and now the plan was operating at full force. Thus far the reaction had been satisfying.

"Okay. How long do you think that will take?" he pressed impatiently. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she shrugged.

"Maybe an hour tops," she guesstimated. "Now leave me alone. Your voice is beginning to fill me with a terrible rage, and these days I prefer to be apathetic." She terminated the transmission and left the school, heading for the playground.

When she arrived it was swarming with children, but for no apparent reason they were all staying away from the jungle gym with the sad little fort sitting on top of it. She shrugged and entered, finding Zim situated across from the door. "I don't know how much longer I can take this," she grumbled in greeting.

Zim looked up at her and shrugged. "It's only been a few days, human. I am not so bad at this affection thing that you wish to quit all ready, am I?"

"How should I know? I don't have anyone to compare you to." She sat beside him and rubbed at her eyes in frustration. "So what was so important anyway?"

Zim wracked his brain for an acceptable excuse. "Um…" was the best he could come up with. "I have been having this horrible, filthy urges to spend more time with you and do things to the humans that are not quite legal."

"Aw, you're finally starting to like me a little bit," Gaz teased in monotone. She did crack a smile though.

"You are an odd one."

"I know. But you wouldn't want it any other way. I can't believe how stupid everyone is." She dropped her bag and sat beside Zim. "On a completely different schedule, you need to stop being so bossy all the time. I'm not one of your robot slaves, Zim. So back off."

"I have explained this behavior to you several times already. It is imperative to the mission that our stupid schoolmates believe that I am the dominant one. What would it say about me if everyone saw me cowing before a girl hardly two-thirds my size?" he demanded.

"It would say that you aren't as stupid as everyone thinks," she replied evenly. "I won't object to you telling me what to do once in a while. To keep up appearances. However, I'm only going to warn you once: do not test my limits or you will inevitably regret it for the rest of your days. Do I make myself clear?"

He nodded meekly and scowled at the floor. "You're no fun."

"When was I ever?" She checked her watch and began glanced over at Zim suspiciously. "For some reason Dib was very interested in what time I would be home? Do you have any idea why he would care at all?" she inquired.

"Why do you think I would know anything about him?" he countered.

"Considering the fact that you're both insane and on speaking terms again, I figured it was an accurate hunch."

"No, I have no idea –" He was cut off by his communicator beeping. A robotic arm extended out of his PAK and positioned the telecom before the alien's face. He moved away from Gaz, speaking in a low tone. She couldn't make out any words, but she distinctly heard Dib's voice on the other end. When the call was completed Zim smiled nervously in his "girlfriend's" direction.

"No idea whatsoever, eh?" she asked in a voice saturated with artificial sweetener.

"I said no, didn't I?" he replied boldly and dragged her to her feet. "Come with me, affection monkey of my squeedily spooch! Off we must go, for I have a surprise for you."

"You certainly have a way with words," she commented wryly, but accepted his hand and gathered up her bag. "Where are we going? I hate surprises. Does this have to do with Dib?"

"EH? Your brother? How dare you suggest such a thing! I am outraged at your suspicions!" he shouted. "Here I am, trying to make your day just a little bit special, considering we are now an official couple in the eyes of the idiot dirt-child race, and you insinuate that I am in cohorts with your sibling! I am offended!"

She punched him solidly in the arm, an effective way of both getting him to shut up and calming her nerves. He led the way in his Irken march and she smirked at the thought that he let her get away with almost anything, even though he did try to retaliate half the time.

She quickened her pace to keep up with the determined Irken and entwined her hand with his, even though there was no need to keep up appearances since they weren't in skool. It had been her original proposal that they need not act as a couple unless in public places where there were sure to be people that knew of them. He glanced down at her and smirked slightly.

It seemed that the Gaz-human was warming up to him some. It filled his squeedily spooch with quivering goodness.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going now?"

"No. You are not so devious and crafty as to be able to get that information out of me. I shall not divulge any such thing," he said firmly and she pouted. He stopped her abruptly and tied a bandana across her eyes. "No peeking now," he said, "we're getting closer."

"Zim, you better untie this damn thing in three seconds or else!" she threatened after five minutes of walking. "This is not the definition of 'closer,' stupid alien," she grumbled. He stopped her once again and pulled the bandana away from her eyes. Her expression turned from anger to shock in a matter of nanoseconds. "Zim…what?" For once she was speechless.

Gir, Dib, her father, and some tolerable people from her art class stood in her living room and immediately shouted "Surprise!" when she entered the room. It was her birthday. She shook her head. So many things were going on that she had forgotten all about it.

"You guys planned all this?" she asked in disbelief. Dib and Zim exchanged stupid-looking grins. "You horrible cretins," she grumbled and pulled them both into an obligatory hug, certainly an action quite out of the ordinary for the newly-turned eighteen-year-old. "Un-freaking-believable."

Gir, in its dog costume, squeaked up to her and hugged her leg. "Waffles love you," it said in a quiet voice as her father stepped over.

"Happy birthday, daughter of mine. Your brother, his odd little foreign friend, and I have bought pizza and soda as a means of refreshment located in the kitchen. Perhaps now would be a good time to begin the entertainment," Dr. Membrane announced and patted her on the head. She ducked in annoyance, but settled on the couch and picked up a controller. She beckoned to her brother as everyone began interacting with one another, trying to decide what movies were to be watched.

"If you had invited Lisa you wouldn't be standing before me now," she informed him. He paled slightly and the fading marker stood out brilliantly. "But thank you for all of this."

"You're welcome, Gaz. Happy birthday." She whooped everyone at Vampire Piggy Hunter before deciding to watch a horror movie.

After most had left, Gaz stood outside with Zim and Gir. "I can't believe you guys planned that. And I can't believe you lied to me!" she exclaimed in exasperation. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but she did it for him. "However, that was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me, even if you had help."

He smiled as though he had just enslaved the entire population. "I am glad that I have helped in making your day better."

"You generally do, what with your stupidly amusing antics," she teased as she jabbed him with an elbow. "You know what?"

"Obviously not, seeing as how I am not a mind-reader."

"You may have been a seriously lousy invader, but you're the best ex-invader ever. Well…you've got my vote at least."

He was touched by the sentiment and was going to reply with some superiority statement, but then realized he had forgotten her present inside. "Be right back," he practically shouted as he ran inside. He returned a few moments later, finding her sitting down with Gir. They seemed to be having an actual conversation. He handed the wrapped gift to her wordlessly and stooped down to grab Gir's leash. "Thank you for your support, Gaz. You are my favorite human," he said and brushed the side of her face with his claw in a show of affection. "It is time we got going."

"When can I open this?" she demanded, shaking it violently. She heard no rattling from inside, not that she was surprised. It was rather thin and flat.

"Don't do that!" he yelled. "You'll break it! Open it whenever you wish. See you at skool tomorrow, affection monkey." He walked away and she carried the mystery package inside to her room.

She flopped back on her bed and carefully unwrapped the only gift she hadn't yet opened. A grin stretched across her face as she stared at the picture frame decorated with the Game Slave symbol. The picture it held was of her, Gir, and Zim standing together outside of his house. She was pointing and laughing with one hand at Zim, the other hand taken by Gir's. Zim was trying to dislodge the tiny robot from his own hand. Zim didn't look truly annoyed, more exasperated but yielding of his little slave, but he was smiling as well.

Hm, he must have found that little scene on one of the surveillance cameras. Good choice though.

Gaz tore open the envelope of the card accompanying the gift and laughed at the front of the card. Two children sat in what looked to be a backyard, one obviously distraught. Below the picture was the caption, "Sensing his anxiety, Ellen offers her consolation to her friends…" On the inside it read, "Don't worry, Honey. It's just a big mistake. I'm sure the mother ship will be here for us any minute now!" Written in a hurried scrawl below that was: To the best human on the whole damn planet. Highest Regards, the best ex-Invader this side of the universe (The Mighty Zim!) She was absurdly touched by both the picture and the card.

She leaned back against the headboard and popped in a CD she had gotten from one of the art classmates. This had definitely been one of her better birthdays.


A note: I borrowed the greeting card idea from one that I saw at the grocery store and just had to use it, even if it makes no sense as a birthday card. Sorry, that part wasn't original creativity. Don't hurt me!

Aside from that, having three days off was a big help in being able to think the next part out thoroughly, so hopefully I'll have the next chapter up of the soonishly. Thank you so much for everyone's support of this fanfiction. It really warms my heart to know that people find my writing to be enjoyable.