ZAGR ch. 6

                       Chapter 6: Ditching Dib

    He still didn't trust Zim alone with her but knew Gaz could take care of herself. He knew Zim hadn't left the skool, and probably went back to the detention room. Dib contemplated any other reason Gaz would want to destroy his new machine instead of the one she gave him, but couldn't.
  "Don't strain yourself by thinking, you'll get a headache and that won't be good for your concussion," the nurse said. Dib sighed and nodded and sat back up on the cot.
  "Can't I go now?" he asked.
  "Not until the two hours are up, and then you have to keep yourself awake for another twenty four hours after seeing a real doctor," the nurse said. Dib was silent, after the silence in the room started turning tense, the nurse looked up and saw Dib's muscles tensing. "Don't."
  "Sorry," Dib said, he dashed to the door, shut it behind him and locked it from the outside. The nurse slammed into it.
  "Let me out!" the nurse yelled.
  "Sorry. But, I have to go. I can't believe you didn't see me snatch these," Dib laughed, holding up the keys to the nurse's office door. He tossed them across the hall and started down the hall.
  "Dib!" the nurse yelled after him.
    Dib ran down the hall. When he started closing in on the detention room he couldn't hear anything or see in. The teacher had drawn a shade over the window in the door the day before when he still had classes and had still neglected to roll it up. Dib was a couple yards from the door and started slowing to a walk.
    He pressed his ear to the door and still didn't hear anything. "They're prob'ly not even looking at each other much less talking..." Dib said. More for himself than anything else. He straightened and then turned the knob quickly and stepped in just as fast. He froze in the door for a second an saw Gaz and Zim straightened from their kiss and stare at him.
  "...WHAT THE HELL?!?" Dib yelled. He tried his hardest to keep the door from slamming behind him, but it still made a rather loud sound. Gaz shot up from Zim's lap.
  "You're suppose to be in the nurse's office!" she said angrily at him.
  "Like hell I trust him alone with you! What if he tried to dissect you?" Dib asked.
  "I would do no such thing!" Zim said. Dib took a step forward. Zim stood up and positioned himself behind Gaz. It was his training. Gaz didn't care, she held her arms out at her sides. Trying to make a shield to keep Dib away.
  "Liar!" Dib shouted. "All you care about is taking Earth over!"
  "Shut up!" Gaz shouted. Dib was silent. "You listen to me, and you listen good, got it?"
  "... What?" Dib asked.
  "I don't care what the ---- you say!" Gaz screamed. Dib looked at her, shocked. "I was tired of you two fighting constantly! And like hell I'll let you hurt Zim now."
  "Gaz! Did he probe your brain or something?" Dib asked. Poking his temple to add emphasize to his words.
  "No. And I'm sick of you trying to kill him all the time! Or trying to trap him, or expose him, or anything!" Gaz yelled. She stomped her foot to show Dib how angry she was. Her amber eyes were open now, still a rare thing for her to do. Dib knew their color, but they were still so abnormal they still had a small effect on him.
  "Calm down, Gaz," he said.
  "No!" she yelled.
  "Gaz," Zim said. He put a hand on her shoulder, and felt her shaking. He spoke softly to her. The second time that day he'd spoken softly, but this time he wasn't saying it to her in the peace they'd had before. "Calm down."
  "Get your hand off her!" Dib yelled. He grabbed the stapler on the teacher's desk and threw it across the room. Zim ducked, but Gaz caught it in her hand and flung it back instinctively. Dib dodged and it hit the chalk board behind him. "Whoa! Gaz!"
  "Shut up!" she yelled. Dib peeked out from under the desk he had hidden under.
  "I-"
  "No! I don't want to hear it!" Gaz yelled. She grabbed Zim's hand and started for the door. When Dib stood up to try and intercept them, Gaz pushed him back down and dragged Zim in front of her, getting him closer to the door. Zim put on his disguise and waited by the door. Dib got back up, but stayed out of Gaz's reach.
  "Gaz, c'mon. I'm just trying to look out for you," Dib said.
  "I don't need you to!" she said. "I can take care of myself, Dib. And I don't care what you say, I trust Zim."
  "Well I don't!" Dib yelled.
  "I don't care! How many times do I have to say that?!" Gaz yelled at him. She didn't let Dib begin speaking again, she started again just as he took a breath. "And I don't want to hear anything from you! You've been annoying me for years, so just shut it already!"
  "Gaz..." Dib said, sternness in his voice.
  "No," Gaz said. She moved away from Dib and grasped Zim's other hand. "Let's go, Zim."
    Dib watched as they left and closed the door behind them. He started fuming. He yelled and kicked a desk. "Not a chance he's taking her away from me..."
~(*)~
    Gaz and Zim were silent as they walked down the hall. Gaz heard the distant sound of a desk being kicked and scraping against a floor. She didn't care. 'I'm sorry, Dib,' she thought. Zim looked down at her.
  "Hey.." he said. Gaz looked up at him. "You okay?" he asked. Gaz sighed.
  "Yeah... it's just... he's so..." Gaz couldn't find words for what she was thinking.
  "I've never had a brother or sister, so I can't help you here," Zim said. Gaz smiled.
  "What about a mom or dad?" she asked. Zim shook his head.
  "Irkens aren't born that way. We're born more commonly in a tube. After we're removed, we're given our paks," Zim said.
  "That's... kind of odd," Gaz said. She glanced down and intertwined her fingers with Zim's. And odd thing to try and do, but it seemed to work nonetheless.
  "I find many things on this planet odd," Zim said. Gaz rolled her eyes.
  "Can we go to your house? I don't feel like going home yet," Gaz said.
  "..I suppose," Zim said.
~(*)~
    Gaz shut the door behind them. Gir screamed the kitchen.
  "I'M MAKIN' WAFFLEZ!!" he yelled.
  "I'm not eating any," Zim told him as he pulled Gaz over to the couch. "Computer."
  "Whaaaaat?" it asked.
  "I feel kinda bad for it. It has to be with Gir all day," Gaz said. Zim smiled.
  "Take us down to the lab," Zim demanded. The computer didn't respond, but the couch backed up against the wall and then up. A platform rose up and Zim dragged Gaz on with him. As they moved down, Gaz looked at the lights illuminating the tunnel. "Set up security systems in case Dib-stink comes."
  "Security enabled," the computer responded.
  "What's in the lab?" Gaz asked. She saw Zim smile.
  "You'll see."
     Gaz raised an eyebrow. The platform stopped and Zim lead her down some stairs. Gaz looked around. She had been in the lab before. But never invited. On the tables and counters surrounding the walls, she saw different devices and soon to be finished weapons.
  "What'd you do to my ipod when it was down here?" Gaz asked.
  "I told you. I put in a laser and improved it," Zim said.
  "And..." Gaz pressed.
  "A tracker and a small flashlight," Zim said. He seemd happy about it as he showed her to a clear table.
  "You put a tracker in my ipod?!" Gaz asked. SHhe glared at him at first but then stopped. "Why?"
  "So that I'd have a better chance of finding you if you were to get lost or find yourself in trouble," Zim said. "Now sit."
    Zim pulled a stool out and forced her down into it.
  "Why?" Gaz asked irritatedly.
  "Because you're about to have your first lesson on Irken technology," Zim said.