It's time for an update! This chapter just kind of... happened. It was odd, but it was fun bringing in our little guest tonight, plus I think it's a nice way to show how harming Dib's obsessions can become.

Not much else to say on it really. Have fun reading guys!

Dib sat in deck chair in his apartment, his video playing before him on the computer screen. Two hours of sitting and observing and almost nothing had come of it. He had tried once or twice to get closer to Zim's house, but now it seemed the gnomes outside had been programmed to attack him on sight.

He wished this had happened when he was younger and might sprightly, he might have had a better chance of getting inside Zim's base if he was.

Still, what he'd learned was useful. For one, it seemed Zim's base obviously went miles underground, meaning it was possible there was more than one way in. Two, Zim's house reacted to much around it, throwing stones at his window had only worked once before the gnomes began shooting them out the air.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Gir didn't hate him. The robot had ran out of the house at one point and right over to Dib, who had almost been ready to run before the robot had offered him some coffee and some soap. The coffee had been welcome, the soap... not so much. That and of course, he had been forced to find a new hiding place.

He sighed. His eyes felt sore and tired and his body was cold. He couldn't keep doing this night after night, especially when his work was starting to pile up, even for him. He would have to set out planned dates.

But then what about Zim's world conquering attempts? So far he'd seen none of them, which he found... odd. Surely the irken would have done something by now to rule earth? As far as he could tell he'd been here for only three weeks before Dib had arrived at the school.

Was Zim biding his time? Or perhaps still gathering information?

He needed to find out more somehow and not just through observing. He needed to infiltrate and get some spy cameras in there or something.

He leaned back in his chair before clicking the video off. He should really get back to his real job, this obsession with the alien was starting to encroach into everything else in his life. A little warning voice someone told him that it was only going to get worse, but he ignored it.

Dib was sure he could balance the two for now.

Getting up and moving to the kitchen, Dib began boiling some water to make a coffee. Thoughts however still buzzed in his mind, after all he was a genius, it was very hard for him to shut down his musings.

He was thinking more and more on these 'Tallest' that Zim had so often talked about. What were they like? What kind of power did they have? They seemed almost religious figures from the way Zim talked about them. Maybe they were like the High Council of the Covernent. He chuckled at thoughts of little Zim-like irkens zooming about in big silly hats and floating chairs.

A sudden ring of the doorbell however broke him from these thoughts. Who the hell could be visiting him at this hour? Dib had friends, yes, but neither Jimmy or Dexter would be up at this hour... well maybe they would, but if they would, they'd be working on some new life changing thing or arguing with each other online.

He looked through the peep hole of his door, installed so that Zim could never randomly surprise him.

It was Gaz. She was tall, though not like her father or Dib and if Dib was to look upon her with objective eyes, very pretty... in that gothic kind of way. Her body was a thin pear shape with a small chest and wide hips. Her purple hair was long, flowing past her shoulders and still curling up in sharp spikes.

She wore a light black featureless top and black jeans with some boots. Around her shoulders was a long coat with deep pockets and on her ears, small skull earrings with a ankh necklace resting on her chest.

Dib began opening the door, undoing his five new locks. When the apartment door opened, Gaz stood with a raise of an eyebrow. "Why the new security?"

The older man shrugged. "Crime is rising, I don't want to be burgled any time soon."

".. right." Gaz pushed past him and walked into the flat as Dib shut the door, throwing her coat off and over the back of a couch before turning back to him.

"Is that a trench coat?" The woman suddenly asked, her eyes flicking past his head.

The man turned his head, glancing at the long black coat before looking back and folding his arms. "Yeah. And?"

"You haven't worn a trenchcoat since you were fifteen." Gaz's eyes narrowed slowly. "Why buy one now?"

"I needed a new coat, it was on sale." Dib covered himself with a chuckle. "What, you gonna question my trainers next? Or my ties?"

Gaz growled slightly before turning and walking to sit down on the couch.

Dib followed her, but he didn't sit down. Rather, he paused and leaned onto the couch, facing Gaz on the opposing couch. "So why the pleasant visit?"

She smirked. "Can't I just drop in?"

"Gaz the last time you dropped in your told me that I needed to come out the closet and marry that nice guy in texture mapping." He folded his arms as he stood across from her. "So what? Now you're here to tell me you found another lovely guy to pair me with? Sorry Gaz but I'm still into women."

His sister didn't change her expression, rather, she fixed him with a steely gaze. "You walked into Dad's labs and took out a bunch of spying equipment. Why?"

Dammnit. He hadn't considered this, not with his mad rush to find out as much about Zim as possible. That nagging voice was back, reminding him that this was just like what happened last time. He pushed it away.

"I told you, crime is going up, I want to keep an eye on everything." Good save.

"Really now." Gaz replied simply crossing one leg over the other, her voice utterly unbelieving.

The older man shrugged. "Hey, dad does the same."

"Dad is also a world-renown scientist." Gaz stated blankly. "He gets industrial spies trying to steal his ideas all the time. He has a damn good reason. You're a school councillor. You have nothing worth stealing."

"I have an extensive DVD collection!" The man replied with a cheeky smile, trying to distract her. "The Cinema Snob had his collection stolen you know."

Gaz huffed. "No changing the subject."

There was a silence between them where Dib could tell she was waiting for some kind of explanation. Dib frowned at Gaz. "What?

"Since when was the last time someone tried to burgle you?" She commanded suddenly. "You live on the sixth floor of a well off apartment! No one is getting in here."

"Well what about going to work?" Dib counted suddenly.

"You drive to work." Gaz replied simply, her eyes now boring into him.

In the kitchen, the kettle boiled and clicked loudly, a deep rumbling of water could be heard within it. "Look, Gaz, just get off my back. I'm allowed to keep myself safe." Dib snapped before storming off into his kitchen.

"You're acting weird, Dib. Weirder than usual," She shouted, standing up and watching him from the living room.

The older man snorted as he poured himself a coffee. "Like you care."

"I do care, dammit." Gaz growled out, making her way slowly to the kitchen. "I care that you're acting-"

"Paranoid? Crazy? Go ahead Gaz, not like they're not true, right?" Dib snapped suddenly, slamming his hands onto the kitchen top and narrowing his eyes at her.

"WEIRD," She shouted over him, clenching a fist, "You're acting weird. Locks on your doors, raiding dad's labs, wearing coats you haven't worn in years!" She seemed to pause for just a moment, her usual stony expression softening for a second. "What's going on?"

"... nothing." Dib would never tell her anything, ever. She'd go crying to dad and then it'd be back to the crazy house for him. No, not this time, not when he had living proof that aliens were real. "Look these last few days I felt a bit insecure here. My job is kinda stressful and I want some security when I get home, okay?"

Gaz seemed to pause again. She wasn't a genius, not like Dib or her father were geniuses, but she was smart in another way. She could read people like books and once more as an head of designer for a major games company she was creative. Gaz didn't need much to piece together the truth from the lies.

"... Fine." She turned and began storming out, grabbing her coat on the way. "Bye." She slammed the door as she left, the locks rattling.

Dib sighed. It was alright, when he exposed Zim for the alien he was, it'd all pay off... he'd just have to get used to his sister being mad at him in the meantime. Heh, just like old times.

So yes! Gaz returned here to show how quickly Dib's obsessive behaviour can effect people! It's already starting to work it's evil magic on his family, making Gaz go all mad again wut. I loved writing Gaz and talking about Dib's family here, it was actually fun for once.

References time! - 'High Council of the Covernent' A Halo reference. I don't like Halo much, hence the funny hat comment, but the reference was too tempting not to make.
'Jimmy or Dexter' - I always love to include Dib in the 'cartoon boy genius' roster of Jimmy Neutron, Dexter and Mandark.
The Cinema Snob - A hilarious and awesome reviewer of movies, check out his website if you can! And yes, Cinema really did have his DVD collection stolen.

Well that's everything for now, a nice chapter I think. Tell me what you thought and give me your feedback! Hope you liked, later kiddos!