Well, I don't quite remember what's in this chapter either. Lol. Anyway, on with the story!

Regular—regular speech and stuff

Italics—Thoughts

Bold—P.O.V. changes

(words)—Bez speak

Chapter 25—Not Again!—

Rachel's P.O.V….

(Rachel,) Bez said.

"Mmm," I murred and snuggled closer to my James.

(Rachel…)

"What?" I asked still keeping my eyes closed.

(It's time to wake up.) Bez said.

"No it's not," I muttered still not opening my eyes.

(If you don't wake up I'll unlock and open your door letting GIR have free run of your room) Bez threatened.

"You wouldn't dare," I yawned. I smiled as James pulled me closer and I sighed happily already starting to doze off again..

(How much do you want to bet?) the ship retorted and the click of our door unlocking echoed through the room.

"Fine, I'll get up," I groaned and wiggled our of James hold.

"Evil ship," I muttered heading toward the bathroom. "Could have woken Wren up, but noooo. You had to wake me up."

"You're not the only one he woke up." James yawned as he came up behind me. He hugged me from behind and rested his head on mine with a sigh. "What are we going to do today?" he asked after a few moments.

"No clue," I replied, "we should get use to everything on Bez though. I'd really like to see the core"

"We also need to figure out the consoles on the bridge and we need to improve your aim," He snickered playfully as he buried his face in my neck.

I pouted and turned in his grasp to look at him, "I got us away at least and it's not that bad."

"No, not really," he shrugged, "that is if you're hitting a gas giant."

I smacked him on the chest as he started laughing. "Ass." I wiggled in his grasp and got out of his arms. "For that I get the bathroom first."

"Can't we share?" he asked playfully.

"No," I hissed and closed the door quickly before he could even think of following me.

Wren's P.O.V….

I was starting to wake up and I knew it though I really wanted to hold onto the good dream I was finally having. A dream where I didn't have to scold myself every two seconds for thinking about my crush I had on one certain Irken Invader currently sharing a ship with me.

I yawned and flicked an ear forward, not willing to move more than I had to so that I could possibly fall asleep again. A few seconds after I did though, I felt something tickle my ear. Then felt myself rise gently and lower and a second puff of something passed over my ear again.

"Wha?" I thought groggily, my sleep addled mind trying to tell me something quite important. I tried to remember what had happened and then it dawned on me. "Damn! What the hell?" I cursed to myself as I tensed sharply.

I gingerly looked up to see that it was Zim that I was laying on. I had fallen sleep on Zim's chest though I didn't remember when I quite did that. I looked down and saw he had also snaked an arm around my waist to keep me still. And from what I could tell he was still sleeping, quite soundly by his breathing. I looked back up to study his face for a moment. I'd honestly not remembered if I'd ever been this close to him before this.

He looked almost peaceful when sleeping. He had a slight frown on his face though; almost as if he was thinking while asleep. In the back of my mind I wondered how uncomfortable it was to sleep on his pak like he was and if that was the reason he was frowning so.

My other ear came forward as I just studied his face a little more. He was much more different than the show I had come to like. Of course he was taller than in the show, but everything else was the same. But his eyes, I thought, held so much more expression than I could ever have imagined. And his personality was so different. Much more thoughtful than the show, more patient and quite a lot smarter I thought.

"I wonder how he'd react if he knew he was a show on our world. How would he react to knowing that I knew about his Tallests?" I thought, my tail twitching and lashed about for a moment. "Ah, screw it. I'm not going to tell him. He doesn't need to know and I like him better this way. And if he doesn't mind this sleeping arrangement then I don't either. I should thank him though for staying through the night with me."

I yawned and laid my ears flat against my skull as I snuggled against him getting even more comfortable, one hand curled under my chin, the other splayed across his chest. I felt his heart beating in a soon becoming very familiar beat. Slowly I dozed off again.

James' P.O.V….

Rachel and I were just heading toward the mess hall when Rachel stopped. "Do you think Zim is up yet?" she asked.

I shrugged and almost as if by cue GIR came running down the hall being chased by Rouk and Rachel's pet dragon.

"Nooo! Noooooo! I didn't do it!" GIR screamed

"Yes you did GIR! You ate my breakfast and the program for Wren again!" Rouk snarled leaping after him.

The little robot screamed and ran past us.

Rachel sighed, "He might already be awake now that I think about it."

"More than likely," I agreed.

We walked into the mess hall and noticed that GIR had locked himself in one of the food cabinets on the wall.

"Well that is something new," I said and opened the one beside him.

"Are you sure that one is safe?" Rouk asked from beside me as she watched the mad robot just in case he decided to try to run for it before she could get him.

"If it's not then you're in trouble." I said.

"Why am I in trouble?" Rouk asked frowning.

"Just because," Rachel replied taking her food and going to sit down at a table, "you were the one chasing him."

"Fine," Rouk replied. "But I'll be in trouble later though. Right now GIR must die!"

She opened the door and GIR looked at her innocently and smiled. "I'm a GIR chicken sammich! I taste like fish!" he giggled and leapt out to hug her. He then planted a wet sounding kiss on her cheek and ran squealing out the door.

"Ewww!" Rouk yelped. "It kissed me! I can't believe it did that!" She started to rub her check against the floor frantically.

I raised an eyebrow and then shook my head as I went over to the table Rachel was sitting at, "How did I ever get into this mess? A mad robot, a homicidal muse and aliens out the ass."

Rachel shrugged as she took a bite of her food, "I don't know exactly." She looked out of the corner of her eye and smiled.

"Rachel, you are in no way, shape or form helpful." I stated as I set into my meal.

She just grinned at me as she continued to eat.

Zim's P.O.V….

I slowly started to wake up when I my mind registered where I was and what happened the night before. Except at this point I thought perfectly well that it was all just a dream. One very good dream that I wished wouldn't have ended.

I slowly opened one eye to make sure it wasn't and that the weight that was on me was Wren and not something else. And yet there she was, asleep, calm and beautiful as I had thought she would be when asleep.

I sighed softly as not to wake her. Slowly I moved my hand, no not a hand after I've seen a humans' delicate hand, with their four long fingers and thumb. My hand paused in mid air as I flexed the appendage really looking at it. These were more like claws, "Another reason why we should not be able to work this out. We're too different for it to even be plausable," I thought.

Slowly I rested my claws against her cheek though and ran a finger along the line of her jaw. Her skin was so smooth I would have been happy just remembering how it felt till the day I died. Gently I pushed a few strands of hair out of her face and wondered how I could have possibly fell this fast for such a not-so-simple girl.

She suddenly sighed as I ran my thumb over her bottom lip and I froze on instinct. Wren yawned and the sneezed, her ears flying forward.

"Bless you," I whispered close to her ear.

"Mmm, thanks," she murmured sleepily. She stretched a little and settled back in what seemed a more comfortable position for her. I all but thought she had fallen back to sleep after she didn't say anything or moved for a few mements. "Do I really have to get up?" she asked without opening her eyes after.

"Might be an idea," I said with a chuckle.

"I dun wanna though," she muttered and buried her face into my neck.

I blushed a little as Wren's breath ghosted against my skin. "Why don't you want to get up?" I asked despite my embarrassment, willing my heart to stop its racing.

"'cause."

"Not good enough," I laughed.

"Yes it is," Wren said as she peeked up at me, those odd eyes of hers back to their original muddy grey color. "It is a very good answer. You never told me to specify."

I groaned and placed a claw over my face. "It's too early to get technical," I complained.

Wren yawned again revealing her sharp canines. "How much sleep do you need?" she asked without warning.

I blinked at her, not having expected that question. I was expecting her to more or less ask if I would let her go. If she didn't care about our position then I didn't. Coming back to the question though quickly, I replied with, "About four hours actually, well kakes now."

"Then you really over slept," Wren said smiling. "I could go on four hours of sleep a night for about a week before someone would knock me out because of how much of a bitch I'd be."

"And why is that?" I asked curiously. I could feel my lips curling up at the corners.

"If I don't get at least seven hours every night or so, I get in a really bad mood. All humans are like that I think."

"Ah, that's not really that bad though," I said thoughtfully.

"It is if someone pisses me off," Wren snorted. "And some times if I don't eat anything, as in skipping a meal or two, I become really, really bitchy and I take it out on anyone that gets in my way."

"I'm guessing you're hinting at something," I said with a little smirk.

Wren shrugged and smiled at me. She stretched again and slowly worked her way out of my grip.

"A meal wouldn't hurt," she sighed sliding off of me completely and for a moment I mourned the loss.

She made a face as she stood stretching skyward onto her toes, her shirt riding up just enough to reveal a nice band of skin along her waist. I watched her stretch, admiring the creature she was. As lithe as a predator in a jungle but with a few very appealing curves that female Irkens just didn't have.

Quickly I looked back at her face as she spoke again, hoping she didn't notice where my gaze had gone. "I need a shower though before anything is going to be done. I feel a little gross because of my nightmare last night."

I smiled up at her and nodded in understanding. I sat up to watch Wren softly pad to the bathroom door. Before she got through the door she stopped and rested a hand lightly on the frame as if thinking. She looked over her shoulder at me. Emotions flickered across her eyes as she smiled at me, as they darkened to a pale green, grey color. And it was barely an upturn of the corner of her lips, but it was a smile none the less.

"Thanks Zim," she said softly and turned toward the bathroom again.

Wren's P.O.V….

A moment of a pause followed my statement. I heard the sheets of the bed shift as Zim stood up.

"For what?" he finally asked.

"For being here for me when I needed someone to just listen, who understood what I am going through with all this," I replied running a finger along the door frame. I didn't look at him as I added, "For caring and for letting me cry on your shoulder. No one's honestly let me do that before."

I swear I could almost hear him smile as he replied. "I'm always here you know. Never be afraid to hunt me down and talk about whatever is on your mind."

"I won't," I said looking at him over my shoulder once again. "Thanks again Zim."

He nodded and I turned to step into the bathroom. As the door closed behind me I sagged against it, sliding to the floor. I hit the back of my head off the door and looked toward the ceiling.

"He was that close, the rest of the night! I can't believe that happened…" I muttered to myself, hugging my waist savoring the memory of everything of the moments when I had woken. "Why the hell did it feel so right?" I hissed.

Rachel's P.O.V….

In the time we had been sitting there eating and just chatting in general, we saw no sign or Zim at all. We hadn't seen Wren at all either yet come to think of it.

"Do you think those two are doing something?" James asked.

I shrugged as we walked down a random corridor. "Most likely not," I replied, "I personally believe it is too early for anything like that. Wren wouldn't take a relationship that far unless she really knew the person and trusted them enough."

"Wren's unpredictable you know," James pointed out. "So you never know with her."

I crinkled up my nose, "I still don't think she would."

We stepped onto a lift as we came to the end of the corridor. Hitting the button for the bridge we continued up to that floor. We had decided earlier to check a few things out and see if we could learn a few of the controls better.

As the lift stopped and the doors opened the first thing we noticed was the chair that was right behind the weapon's station chair. It was only a bit different from the rest. It didn't have a control panel in front of it but it had what seems to be a type of panel coming from the side like a table.

"Not much is it?" James asked as he sat down in it. He bounced in it a little as if he wanted to get a better feel of the seat.

"Not really," I replied as I walked around it.

Suddenly the ship rocked from side to side. The alarms blared as another tremor ran through the ship. Flashing red lights blinked along the walls matching the wail of the alarm. James leapt up from the captain's chair to his station. Muttering under his breath as he went.

"Not again!" I whined sliding into my seat as another tremor hit the ship. "Why does this always have to happen when it's finally quiet?"

"Because fate loves to kick you in the ass, watch you fall on your face, and laugh while pointing at you like there's no tomorrow," came a reply from behind us.

We turned to see Wren standing by the new seat with her hair still wet and clothing that looked like it had be put on at random. At least she was wearing something though and a uniform at that. It looked like the one she had worn the day before. She looked somewhat annoyed at that moment and I thought it wise not mention that fact.

"Where have you been?" I asked.

"I've been missing sleep because of nightmares, finally get to sleep though, wake up long enough to take a shower and right now I'm missing whatever frellin' meal it is," she replied with a growl her tail lashing angrily.

(It's lunch,) Bez said a little smugly.

Wren rolled her eyes, "Thanks Bez, I know now that I've missed two meal today. Thanks."

"Thanks for what?" Zim asked as he came through the emergency chute.

Covering her face with a hand Wren sighed, "I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Bez."

"Eh," he replied with a shrug and leapt into his chair.

"Don't eh me," she said glaring at the back of his head.

I sighed, "Why are you two bickering?"

"We need something other to do than deal with continuous fire on our ship," she replied.

"Is there going to be make up sex later?" James asked with a smug smirk.

"What was that?" Wren asked flicking her ears forward and narrowing her eyes. "I didn't quite hear that last comment. Was it something about me making sure you could never have sex later?"

James snorted and rolled his eyes, "I didn't say a thing."

"That's what I thought," Wren said with a snarl.

Narrator….

Another blast shook the ship. This time it threw Rachel out of her seat and into James and they both landed on the floor in a pile.

"What the hell is attacking us?" Wren asked snarling again as she braced herself from falling.

Zim was looking at his monitors when he groaned. "Take a wild guess who it is," he said.

"Who?" Rachel asked getting help up by James.

"Your Empire?" James suggested pulling Rachel against him as the ship shuddered again.

"Ding, ding ding! Would you like your prize now or later?" Zim asked monotonely.

"I'll get mine later," James grinned looking down at Rachel.

She glared up at him and smacked his arm.

"Ewww!," Wren yelled. "I did not need to hear that! Honestly did not need that visual!"

Rachel and James started to laugh as another blast hit the ship. It sobered them up as they took their seats quickly. Their hands running over the controls easily, giving the look of someone who had been at this for years. Fleetingly Wren wondered if Bez had a small hand in it by giving them a mental nudge in the right direction.

"What do they have out there? A whole bloody fleet of ships?" Wren hissed shaking her head getting back on topic.

Zim gave a nervous laugh while rubbing the back of his neck, "If I told you yes, would you believe me?"

Everyone sighed and Wren gave him a look, "So, we are right now being shot at by the whole Irken armada?"

"Eheh…" the Irken laughed nervously as he scratched the side of his jaw. "Maybe?"

Wren smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Oh great. How are we supposed to get out of this one?"

"Uh…" came the supported reply of the other three.

"You're the Captain," Rachel said, "You figure it out."

"Oh, thanks…. I knew that was going to come back and bite me in the ass. I should never have agreed to be the Captain," Wren muttered. "Let's bring them up on coms and if you can, bring up a visual. I'd like to see who I'm bitching out."

"Okiedokie," Rachel said her hands flying over the controls. A large screen expanded across the front of the helm as they watched.

Two very oddly dressed, very tall Irkens came into view. "Yes, yes. What do you wa-" the one in red started to say waving at the screen distractedly.

Wren's P.O.V….

"What do I want?" I asked and stood up trying to make myself look the part of captain. I thanked whatever fates were looking out for me that day that I had grabbed a uniform after my shower. Even if it were the one that I had worn yesterday, at least it ws something.

The red Irken looked at me in shock and then scanned the rest of us until he saw Zim. He yelped and jumped into the arms of the other Irken beside him who was dressed in purple. The purple eyed Irken rolled his eyes at the red hued one before dropping him on the floor. With a yelp we heard him hit the floor pretty hard.

"Oh thanks…" Zim muttered under his breath, "I missed you too."

I bit back a smile and giggle that was on my lips and turned it into a glare. "Ah, so you must be the Tallest Red," I said as if I were almost bored while looking at my nails. I had learned that trick from some of the bitches back at our school. "I've heard nothing about you and I don't care to learn anything about you."

"How did you know me?" he asked with a groan as he stood up.

I rolled my eyes and stepped forward. "Screw small talk," I snapped narrowing my eyes.

"Eh?"

"I demand that you stop firing on our ship. If you do not comply we will destroy your ship." I stated firmly.

"Right…" Red replied, "And how are you going to do that with that small ship and our Armada surrounding us?"

"Zim, why don't you bring up the hologram of the shot Rachel took at the ship we escaped off of," James said calmly and looked at me.

I nodded at the idea when Zim looked back at me too. He smiled, "Sure." He brought up the hologram behind me and played the sequence.

I sat down to allow them to see it better and smirked when their jaws went slack in surprise at the destruction on blast could make.

"Whoa…" they said in disbelief.

"As you can see, our ship is pretty capable of blowing that one up. It can blow your's up easily as well as take out a few dozen or so of your other ships," I said waving a hand at them.

Another blast shook our ship knocking me to the floor. I leapt to my feet, glaring and snarling. The two of them, Red and Purple in a panic started shouting at their control room people to stop firing at us.

"At least they're obedient," I muttered under my breath. It was loud enough for everyone on my ship to hear but not those on the other ship.

Zim turned to look at me and smirked, "Let James talk a bit. He would terrify them into surrendering completely."

"That's an idea," I said tapping my chin as if in thought, "But I don't want them to surrender."

"Damn," he said almost pouting. "They deserve it."

"Revenge can't help the future. Scaring them now will scar them for life." I stated.

"Behave you two," Rachel said giving us a look.

"We're not doing anything though," I whined.

James glared at me and I shut up, "Act like a Captain or I'll take the position."

Part of me said that wasn't a very good thing at all. I nodded meekly and looked back to the main screen. I saw that the commotion on the other ship was starting to calm down and there were no more shots being fired at Bez.

"Now," I said with a grin as my ears went back giving me an evil look. "Let's discuss what our deal is and what we want done."

Red and Purple nodded in agreement and worry wondering what exactly I had on my mind.