Disclaimers: I do not own Invader Zim

Author's Notes: So, you all still with me hu? GREAT! Honestly, I have big plans for this series, but at this rate book one is going to be as thick as a Harry Potter Book! Oh well as long as I don't get writers block, I don't care how long it is!

Anyway, thanks for reading, and please enjoy!

(Back with Zim...)

[Present Day]

Family…

Zim never understood the concept. The Irken Invader looked around him notably. He had decided late last night after waking up from a fitful sleep that he'd go ahead and get this meet and greet over with. Now he and his "Parents" were in the park at a picnic table surrounded by Dib's family and Dark Booty.

And he just couldn't understand it! All around him families roamed, played soccer, football, and hide and seek. Sure, it seemed ideal, in fact Zim had to admit the idea was very appealing, but it brought too many questions. Like whom were his real parents? For Irkens it wasn't that easy to find out. Back when Irk was still young, with its own atmosphere, and vegetation Irkens were allowed to mate.

And curiously they could choose any mate of their choosing, and that choice wasn't always another Irken. This explained why some Irkens were taller than others; their blood lines were once tainted by other races.

Tallest Myuki says they were a lost people back then. People who did not know the error of their ways. However, their freedoms had cost them; Irk soon died because of their negligence, and the Irkens came to blame their free nature spirits for this. The planet dying was the reason for everything including their PAKs. Without them they could not live on planets with no atmosphere or adapt to the horrible conditions of a dead world. However, this disaster opened their eyes, and now everything was preplanned. Your gender, your code, your way of life; everything. Irkens were even forced to stop mating, to stop tainting the blood lines.

Their leaders said it was better this way, and decided to use older, and purer blood that they had stored in their labs to start cloning future generations. So, you see this was why figuring out who his parents where was so hard. They most likely died hundreds of years before Zim was cloned with their stored DNA.

Zim smiled as Dib laughed at a joke his father told. 'What would it be like to have a family of my own?' he wondered. He shook the thought away the moment it entered his mind, Irkens don't have families they have orders that must be followed.

'It's better this way' His programing told him. Zim however was not sure.

"Miz are you alright dear." His "Mother" Carrie asked him suddenly, breaking him from his thoughts. "You've barely touched your veggie burger."

"Is it spoiled?" His "Father" Alan asked, taking a bite of his to be sure. "It doesn't taste spoiled."

"No, I'm just thinking." Zim assured them forcing himself to start eating and interacting with the others.

"He always does that." Carrie said. "Why he'd be lost in thought all day if we didn't remind him to tune in every once in a while." She laughed.

"Yes, well children will be children." Dark Booty mused. "Pease tell me, have you two found jobs yet."

"Yes." Carrie beamed. "I start this Monday selling houses for the Hunter's Crossing Suburban area." She said proudly.

"Oh, I love that area, it's so affordable." Dark Booty said.

"Yes, well my job is not as glamorous." Miz's father teased. "I'll be helping reconstruct on one of the city's historical buildings. The old museum downtown."

"Oh, so they're finally going to start that project?" Prof. Membrane asked.

"Yes." Alan laughed. "And I hear it's about time they did. If all goes well it should be full of exhibits, and open to the public by next spring."

"So soon?" Dark Booty asked.

"It's a historical part of your town's history the mayor fears that tourist traffic will greatly suffer in the summer if it is not open in time."

"Makes sense." Dib said, giving Miz a concern looks, he could tell from just one look that his friend hadn't slept well.

"Well, I hope they keep the exhibit about our old folk tales." Gaz said. "It's the only part of the museum both Dib and I liked."

"Yeah, it was pretty cool." Dib admitted. "Hey maybe we can all go see it together next summer and you can tell us how it all came together Mr. Richards."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Carrie agreed.

"I'd be honored." Alan said.

"Great." Zim tried to sound enthusiastic, but the words get caught in his throat as he begins to think. 'I must strike soon, the sooner I am done with this mission the better.'

Yes, he needed to start his path to concurring this mud ball, it just might be the remedy he needs to stop thinking this way. 'I'll start drilling for materials tonight, and I'll leave little clues for Dib to pick up on.' He smiled inwardly. 'It's time the Earth-monkey met my better half.'

"Miz, can we talk?" Dib asked suddenly. "You know about our strategy for the debate club?"

"Sure." Zim answered and allowed Dib to lead him over to the swings.

Gaz thought about joining them, no doubt they were about to discuss their mission. But she was not part of the debate club, and they hadn't produced a cover story that included her yet; so, she kept eating.

"I'm so happy Miz is engaging in after school activities." Carrie said.

"Forgive me for asking, but you seem worried about him." Dark Booty said.

"Miz use to be so carefree." Alan said. "But that all change during our time in Egypt."

"A tunnel within the Pyramid nearly collapse on him." Carrie looks fearful. "He told the Authorities that a monster had chased him in there, they looked; but never found anything."

"But he's been like this ever since." Alan added. "Tuning out, constantly looking over his shoulder, and asking us questions only we would know."

"He thinks monsters will replace us and come for him." Carrie explained. "He has such horrible night terrors. In fact, he had one just last night."

"Did you ever thought of getting him help?" Dark Booty asked.

"We tried therapy, but it only made Miz angry that no one believed him." Alan said.

"The Doctor told us that his brain was under a lot of shock during the attack. He can't see people being so cruel so in order to process what happen he sees a monster instead of a person."

"Yes, it's a defense that all our brains have." Prof. Membrane agreed.

"The doctor said that it was best for now to let him think what he wants." Alan concluded. "It helps him cope, and when he is ready, he will come to terms on his own."

Dark Booty was stunned, it would appear the experience haunted Miz more than he let on. His eyes followed the path the boys had took. They had settled down on the swing set just within his sight, and he was glad. Ever since Miz told them that this Zim could disguise himself as anyone the senior Agent had found himself second guessing everyone as well.

This Zim could be anyone of them at any given moment!

And he had a bad feeling the green monster of Miz's dreams would be rearing his ugly head pretty soon. And he could only wonder if they were really prepared to face him. These Tallest only sent him, this one soldier to take them all out! Was he really that good? Exactly what were they about to go up against?

(Back with Dib, and Miz…)

Dib had waited until they reached the swings to start talking. "So, what's really up with you?"

Zim sighed the way this kid could read him so easily was starting to annoy him! It was his fault he was so messed up! "I had another nightmare last night." He answered.

It wasn't a lie, he did have a nightmare last night, and the fact that it was half true was why Dib bought it. Only one other person could read him so well.

'Your eyes show your emotions…You should work on that.'

Zim shook his head, why could they see the real him? Why were his defenses useless against them, against him! Zim looked at Dib more closely, even Lard Nar couldn't make him feel this way so quickly. It took the Vort months to make him come out of his shell. However, Dib had done it in a matter of seconds.

'What are you?' He asked himself. 'Why can you do this to me?'

"Miz you're not thinking I'm Zim, are you?" Dib suddenly asked.

"What?" Zim asked.

"I notice the way you look closely at some people." Dib said. "Like you're wondering if they can really be trusted."

Zim grew serious. "No, I've never thought such a thing." He admitted.

"How can you be so sure?" Dib asked.

"Your eyes." He said without thinking.

Dib blushed. "My eyes?"

"They are kind." Miz answered. "His are not, even when he pretended to be someone else his eyes remained the same. Cold, indifferent, deadly, sinister." He shook slightly. "It was like he didn't understand the emotion of kindness, or concern."

"So, watch their eyes?" Dib asked.

Zim nodded, though he isn't sure why he just reviled this secret to Dib, it was true most Irkens did show their true feelings through their eyes. Lard Nar had taught him that, and Zim began to realize that he was right. His peoples' eyes were like windows to their true dark nature, and soon Zim even learned that other races had the same problem.

The eyes told all, especially Dib's, his amber orbs were full of intellect, like his mind was over analyzing everything, and the way he looked at him was more than admiration, yet Zim does not know an emotion greater than that.

Dib however does!

Was it possible that he had feelings stronger than friendship for the new kid? A guy he only recently met. Dib sighed his sexuality was no secret to anyone, he remembered the first time he told his sister; she didn't even blink. In fact, she comforted him, telling him that she was the same way. Their father was just as accepting which had surprised them both.

"I just want you two to be happy." He had informed them. "With whoever you choose."

That made Dib so happy, and it gave him the confidence to ask out a guy from his class that he thought was hot. Only to be laughed at and turned into the butt of every joke for every popular kid in school. And the guy he like was the worse about it, and Dib had thought he was so nice. Since than Dib never showed an interest in anyone, no one could make him feel that way again.

Except Miz…

Zim smiled, he's not sure what Dib is thinking, but he seems to like the way he's looking at him. "Are you okay?" He dares to ask.

Dib gulped. "Sure, I mean I'm kind of nervous." He admitted. "Zim could already be here, I feel like we'll be seeing him soon. Like he's already watching, and plotting."

Zim smiled, the kid's got good instincts, but not good enough to tell that the enemy is literally inches from him. Given some time though, and the child would home in on that skill, Zim was sure of it. "So, let's practice a game plan." He suggested.

"What do you mean?" Dib asked.

"We need to watch out for anything strange." Zim advised. "UFO sightings near our area, anything from cattle snatching to weird signatures in the dirt. It's the only way we'll know if he's here already or not."

Dib nodded. "We can get started tomorrow!" He exclaimed looking determined. "Our first field work mission, Dark Booty will be pleased to hear we came up with it on our own."

Zim nodded. "We should start somewhere secluded, and hard to see from the main populist of town. Dib you've been here longer where do you think an alien spaceship would land?"

Dib thought hard. "Somewhere not easily spotted, where maybe one or two people will see it." He thought out loud. "Possibly here, it's got a lot of trees, and the view is blocked from the outside road."

"Anywhere else?" Miz asked him.

"Maybe by the old railroad station." Dib added, "The broken-down factory downtown is all by itself surrounded by corn."

"Sounds like a perfect place to hide out." Miz seemed to agree. "Is the factory big?"

"Big enough to hide a spaceship probably." Dib thought out loud.

"Then maybe we should check it out." The boys jump as Dark Booty appears behind them.

"Booty, when did you-?" Dib was stunned.

"You boys should be more careful." Dark Booty warned, "I could have been the enemy."

Dib instantly finds himself checking Dark Booty's eyes, and sighs in relief as he sees they look the same as they always did; kind and understanding dark blue orbs. He then looked to Miz's eyes; two baby blues met his amber eyes. Dib sees wisdom in those eyes, admiration, and a touch of mystery. He liked that mystery element, like Miz was the best kept secret that fate had kept from him. One he wanted to dive into and discover.

"Sounds like a plan." Miz said, breaking Dib from his thoughts.

"So tomorrow then?" Dib asked.

"We'll check out the old factory first." Dark Booty agreed.

The boys nodded.

"I can't wait!" Dib exclaimed. "What if he's already there right now? What if we catch him in the act?"

Zim smiled, it was obvious the child was hyped about their first encounter, and Zim couldn't help but feel the same way. Finally, Dib would see the real him, and he would be fixed.

It was simple really, Dib would see the gross, green monstrous Irken and his eyes would be filled with hatred. Like everyone else in the universe he would come to loath the Irken, and then Zim would finally be able to think straight.

Yes, tomorrow would make everything right again, but first he needed to stage a fake landing at this factory. Yes, he knew revealing his presence to the humans was risky, but it was the only way to deter their suspicions away from Miz. Besides once they know he's here their paranoia will skyrocket and distract them from contacting the AI's. That way the Tallest could take them out before the humans can make the legendary weapon a defense for their planet.

It was full proof!

Now all he needed to do was kill a few hours before he made his presence known. "So, bowling?" Zim asked.

"Sounds good I'll go tell everyone." Dib answered getting up.

"No, I mean just me and you." Zim said.

Dib blushes. Just the two of them, hanging out? They hadn't done that since video games last Saturday. Of course, back then they were just friends, but now these feelings were developing so quickly, and it scared him. What if he couldn't help telling Miz how he felt? What if Miz laughed at him, it would be his first crush all over again.

He didn't want that to happen to them.

Zim put a comforting hand on Dib's, Dark Booty is watching, so he's trying to appear concern. "Hey, it's okay-" He stops as he feels a zing of something like a spark of electricity between them.

Dib feels it too. He smiles. "You're right it's a good distraction..."

"Yes, You two should remember to be kids every once in a while." Dark Booty agreed as Miz's parents' words came back to him. "And don't worry I will be close by to watch over you."

The boys nodded before leaving to tell their parents that they are going to the bowling alley to hang out.

Dark Booty watched them go, hoping that their mission tomorrow would not be their last.

End Notes: Yes! Finally, we're getting to the ZADR parts of the story! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter please review and tell me what you think.

Well until next time this is Emily signing off 😊

-To Be Continued