Well, this should be interesting. This is sort of an add-on to the story 'Return', although it's been edited from that version and a lot is different. (For instants Gaz is still alive.) You don't have to read it if you don't want to, but it's there if you decide to read it. What you're going to want to know is that there was a war between the Irkens and the Humans. Dib, Gaz, Zim, and GIR all joined up to save the Earth. In the end Zim and Tak took over as the Tallest, Dib took command of the new Alien Attack Force (or AAF for short), Gaz simply moved out when she could, Gaz and Dib's father was killed, and GIR used himself as a bomb to destroy the Tallest. He is now the new model for all SIR bots. Or GIR bots, as they are now called. After awhile Tak and Zim decided to protect planets instead of invading them. Zim is now runs the protection of Earth.

*Zim* Well, that was a long summery.
*Me* Zim, shut up. Anyway, enjoy! Oh, and if you can catch the reference to another series you can have an invisible cookie.

Zim tapped on the armrest of his chair. The bridge was quiet besides the beeping of the computers and the ocational murmur from one Irken to another. Zim mumbled something to himself and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. He tapped his claws lightly on his face and sighed. This job could be very boring at points. But it was his job, and he wouldn't have it any other way. He decided to think of some way to pass the time. He could tease Nar, Zim's second in command, but he wasn't here. So that was out of the question at the moment. A loud beeping noise sounded and Zim sat up straight. Trouble? Oh, please be trouble! Zim begged in his mind. One of the Sergeants stood up and turned to Zim.

"General, there is a disturbance in sector 1," he announced. Zim smiled. His 'hometown' was in danger, eh? Zim nodded sharply and sat a little straighter.

"Let's roll boys," Zim said. The door opened and Zim turned to see his trusty second in command. "Nar, take the helm, I'm going out on this one. And no, you can't stop me." Zim stood up. Nar sighed and nodded as he took Zim's seat. Zim jogged down the halls. The entire way he was thinking about what they were facing. If they were lucky it would be some aliens this time. For a while now there wasn't any real threats. They were, as the Earthlings named them, heroes hidden in the shadows. They merely took out some crime now and again on the planet and such. Zim skimmed across the floor of the hold. He grabbed his energy sword and twirled the unlit handle in his hand.

"Sir," one of the Irkens saluted Zim. Zim smiled.

"How many times have I told you guys, you dont have to salute me every time you see me, and call me Zim!" he told them. The Irken smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Zim," he said. Zim chuckled to himself and held onto one of the handles as the hatch opened.

"Let's roll boys!" Zim shouted and jumped down out of the hatch. As he landed on the ground Zim quickly got a look at what they were facing. He smirked. Slitherton, just what the doctor ordered! Zim turned on his energy sword, the one Dib made for him by the way, and twirled it. "Who-rah!" The other Irkens repeated Zim and took off to solve the problem. Zim ran at one of the Slitherton with a loud whooping noise and cut its arm off.

...

Gaz sat on top of her roof watching the battle between the weird snake-like aliens and Irkens. He messed with the energy sword handle sitting at her right side without much interest. The war she had taken part in nine years ago had taught her to pay more attention and show her feelings a little more. Although, she was still a 'little witch girl', as Zim always called her. She paused and looked at the taller Irken fighting with one of the snake aliens. He kicked a round object in the air as if it were a soccer ball and kicked it at the aliens face. Gaz smiled and stood with the energy sword handle in her right hand. Zim! Of all the alien scum in the universe, he was the one leading the rescue, totally figured.

Now, I know what you're thinking. And no, she doesn't think of him like that. He was her older brother's best friend and had protected her like a little sister. He was like an added older brother in her mind. But she liked him better than Dib because he was funny and always made her laugh. That's right, Zim made Gaz laugh. Gaz slid down the ladder she had at the side of the house and ran into the battle. She swung her sword at an alien coming up behind Zim. He whirled around and smiled at her.

"Hey, Gaz, how's it going?" he asked as he cut into another snake alien. Gaz smiled and simply said that it was pretty boring, except for this moment of course and helped him take care of the snake aliens around them. Zim laughed loudly and jumped onto one of the snake alien's shoulders. He grabbed onto its head and flipped down to the ground. His energy sword went right into its head and he coughed as blood covered his face. "Ew, gross!" Gaz couldn't help but laugh at this. Zim was never very good at fighting. "That's not funny, that's gross!" After she didn't stop laughing Zim wiped his hand over his face and wiped it over her face.

"AH! Ew, Zim!" Zim laughed as she glared at him. The blue blood had made a perfect hand print of Zim's hand on her left cheek. Zim smirked. It kinda suited her. Zim grabbed her by the waist and pulled her to his left side before stabbing the snake alien that was right behind her.

"I'd be careful is I was you little lady, this Slitherton are quiet sneaky," he told her in a funny accent. Gaz laughed again and Zim smiled. Gaz pulled gently out of Zim's grasp and stabbed a Slitherton, as he called them, that was sneaking up behind them. She gave him a funny smirk and before she left told him to keep an eye on that back of his. Zim smiled and attacked more Slitherton.

...

Zim put the energy sword handle in his little sheath for it and ran his hand along his face in an attempted to get rid of some blood that was there. Someone made a disgusted noise and Zim turned around to see Gaz. She shoved a towel into his hands and chuckled lightly. Zim smiled and rubbed his face with it. He shook his head and Gaz shrieked as some blood splattered on her. Zim chuckled and Gaz shoved him a bit. Zim looked over and blinked. She still had his hand print on her face.

"What, do you think my hand print is pretty or something?" Zim joked. Gaz hummed in confusion and brought her hand up to the dried blood stain. She simply shrugged and turned off her energy sword. Zim smirked and looked over as someone called his name. "Hold your horses Nar, I'll be there in a moment!" The other Irken shouted something else and Zim chuckled lightly. "Yes, mum!" Zim laughed a bit at the other Irken's remark.

"Who's Nar?" Gaz asked tilting her head curiously. Zim smiled.

"He's my second in command," he told her. Gaz nodded in understanding. "Well, the majority of clean up is done, so I guess this is when I take my leave. Oh, tell Dib I said hi, k?" Gaz nodded a bit with a small smile. Zim started to turn around but stopped. He looked at Gaz, who was looking at her shoes. He smiled and hugged her. Gaz blinked in surprise but wrapped her arms around his neck in a return hug. Zim smiled. "Goodbye, Gaz-witch." Zim grunted as she stepped on his foot. "Was that really nessacary?" Gaz nodded sharply against his shoulder and Zim chuckled.

"Alien scum," she muttered as she pulled back. Zim chuckled. Nar called Zim's name again. He sighed. "Looks like you've gotta go, see ya." Zim smirked down at her. Gaz yelped lightly in surprise as Zim wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her a little closer. He leaned in against her ear.

"Keeping an eye on our 'little secret' for me, eh?" Gaz nodded. Zim smirked. "Good, take good care of it." Zim kissed her lightly on the cheek and Gaz forced down the blush that worked itself up. Zim snickered. Nar called him again. "I'm coming! Geez." Zim turned around and walked away. Gaz smirked. She new he only did it that way because Dib was watching not to far away. Gaz turned to see her brother staring. She merely stuck her tongue out at him and walked back home. Dib huffed and walked back to his own home.

...

Gaz set her energy sword handle on the coffee table and sat down on the couch. Zim was insane, but she liked him that way. Everyone liked him that way. Gaz leaned her head back and let out a happy sigh. Well, at least she got out today. She turned her head over as a little head peeked around the corner of the doorway that lead to the kitchen, as if questioning if she was in a good mood. Gaz smiled and nodded her head, bekoning him over. He ran out of the kitchen and sat down next to her. He leaned up against her and rubbed his head against her arm. Gaz smiled.

"Zim came and fought some Slitherton today, thought you might want to know that," she told him. He smiled up at her and sat up straight. He clapped his hands and spun around in a small circle. Gaz smirked. "Yes, he kicked butt. And he's gotten taller, much taller." He smiled and hopped off the table. He pointed to her sword handle with a questioning look. Gaz snatched it up in her hand and shook her head. He sighed. "You know what happened last time you did that. No. I said no, GIR!" The little robot nodded and sat criss-cross on the couch. Gaz leaned back again. Zim had trusted GIR into her care after the war. The little robot couldn't talk any more so that made him calm down a little. But he was still that little bundle of joy. There was a knock on the door.

"It's open," she shouted, a bit of questioning in her voice. The door opened and shut quickly to reveal a soaking wet Dib. In the short moment between the door opening and closing Gaz was able to hear the rain. This place was sound proof, Zim had made his base that way for a reason. She sat up a little straighter and raised an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing here?" Dib took of his cloak and shook the water off of him before he answered his little sister's question.

"Um, it's pouring rain out? Why else?" he said. Gaz gave him her best you're-lying-and-I-know-it look. Dib sighed. "I was coming to ask you if Zim told you how this whole 'protector' thing was going. I haven't heard from him." Gaz shrugged.

"I didn't ask. But he seems to be enjoying it, that's for sure," Gaz told him. Dib nodded. "Why don't you stay until the storm's over?" Dib looked up at her and blinked. Gaz must really be in a good mood. She normally didn't even let him stay for more than a minute or two. Now she was letting him wait the storm out? Dib smiled a bit and nodded. Gaz nodded to the kitchen. "There are some towels on the counter somewhere. GIR will show you." Dib nodded and followed the little robot into the kitchen. Gaz grabbed the TV remote and turned it on. Well, today was a good day for all three of a funny friends.

...

Zim sat in his chair and let out a content sigh. Gaz was one of his best friends, that's why he had trusted her with GIR and his base in the first place. Dib was a different type of friend. Zim liked him, but Zim wasn't sure how he would treat GIR or his base. Gaz had liked the new quiet GIR and needed a place to stay, so he gave both to her. Dib wasn't offended by this, in a way he seemed grateful that Zim had gotten his little sister out his hair. And he didn't really want GIR around anyway. Zim leaned his head back. It was all for the best, that's what it was. The war, the deaths, the tradgities, everything had a purpose. If the war hadn't happened Dib and Zim would still be enemies, the Irken empire would still be invading planets, etc. etc. Zim smiled. He was good to see his friend again. It really was. Today was a good day. A good day indeed.

Well, what do you think? Did you like it or not? Please let me know!

*Zim* I had fun with this one accually.
*me* You did?
*Zim* Yeah, I liked it!
*Me* ohh-kay. Anyway, please review!
*GIR* can we get tacos now?
*me* sure.
*GIR* YAY!