When the Sun comes up the next morning, it is not as peaceful as the three grounded companions would like.

The familiar hum of an Irken ship rouses Zim instantly. His antennae twitch, his squeedly spooch convulses, and his zarnl blarg pumps as he sees the massive vessel taking advantage of the missing wall.

Instantly alert, he moves to wake Dib, but unexpectedly the red-painted Spittle Runner fires its laser. Whizzing past Zim, it grazes his charge's arm instead, effectively waking Dib as he cries out at the burning pain.

Shaking off his shock and horror after an instant, a vengeance-bent Zim races forward and orders, "GIR! Bring it down!"

The little A.I. complies with all haste, performing the feat effortlessly. Zim smirks grimly and pats him on the head affectionately; he knew GIR could do it! A warm hand squeezes Zim's shoulder, and the alien needn't look to know its owner.

"If you come as a friend," Zim shouts at the ship's operator, "then you have nothing to fear from us!" One swift glance at the wound on Dib's upper arm (which, confessedly, isn't as bad as it could be, but any amount of blood lost from the boy is more than Zim can stand), and Zim's inner fury increases one hundred fold. Taking Dib's hand in his own, he steps in front of the child protectively. "But I warn you now," Zim growls dangerously, "any further harm to my friends, and you will never make it back to Irk."

A tense silence, and the ship lands. GIR sidles up to flank Zim.

The cockpit opens upward. Zim's grip on Dib's hand tightens.

And out jump two.

"I-Invader Skoodge?" Zim stutters, eyes wide. "But—but I thought you were killed back on Hobo 13? However did you survive?"

The shortest invader just smiles cheerily. "It's a funny story, actually. See—"

"Enough talk!" the purple-eyed Irken female beside Skoodge interrupts menacingly, fixing her narrowed eyes on Zim. "I want what I came here for!"

"But Miss Tak, the Earth is already—!" Skoodge tries, though to no avail as she shoves him aside.

Marching toward the human, the insane SIR unit, and the Defective Irken, she grinds out, "Don't you have any recollection of my voice, you rotten piece of scum?" she demands of Zim. "Don't you recall a certain snack incident during the Invader Examination that occurred some fifty Earth years ago, resulting in a power outage that plunged over half of Devastis into darkness?" She edges close enough now that, ensuring that Dib stays shielded behind him, Zim has no other choice but to back up toward the wall. She clenches her fists at the glimmer of incomprehension in Zim's eyes. "Don't you remember anything of the way you ruined my chances of becoming an Invader?"

The small Irken frowns deeply, his face scrunched up in thought. All at once his antennae spring upward, his eyes go wide, and he gasps loudly.

"I-I remember now!" he affirms quietly. He looks up at Tak and, with more genuine emotion than she's ever heard from an Irken, he says ever-so softly, "I am…so very sorry, Tak, from the bottom of my zarnl blarg. I…I never knew…" He swallows. "P-perhaps I could—"

She doesn't let him finish. "You? You are the most hated Irken on our entire planet! When I asked the Tallest where you might be found, it took them over a month to stop laughing long enough for them to tell me!" She laughs bitterly. "Having you put in a good word for me would be like resigning my death warrant. No, thanks."

A gloved hand comes to rest on her shoulder. Growling, Tak slaps it away and turns to the one responsible. "Invader Skoodge, how many times have I told you not to touch me?"

The pudgy invader presses on nonetheless. "But Miss Tak…look at them!" He gestures to the three battle-scarred individuals (though admittedly Zim no longer has much to show for it, thanks to his accelerated Irken healing rate). "They've already been through so much! Wouldn't it be in everyone's best interest to forget your revenge and give forgiveness a whirl instead?"

"I like the sound of that plan! Can we go with that plan?" Dib pipes up from behind Zim, and his former nemesis can only silently agree.

It would seem, however, that the female is not ready to give up just yet.

Lunging at Zim, the male pushes Dib well out of harm's way before being tackled to the ground himself. Wrestling around on the floor for several minutes, the three spectators' worry only peaks when Tak pulls a laser gun from her PAK.

"Zim!" Dib yells, and before he knows it he's jumped on top of Tak in an effort to pry her off of his friend. "Let him go!"

But the Irken is much stronger than she appears, and with one fell swoop she backhands the child and sends him flying into what's left of the television.

"Dib!" Zim cries, and while he's relieved to see that his friend is not suffering a repeat of his horrible concussion, the fire in his eyes and zarnl blarg only burns brighter. "I warned you!"

The fighting turns even more savage now. Covered in each other's blood and sporting missing teeth and numerous broken bones, the two battle it out for dominance. Tak fires the laser repeatedly, though her anger and the current tussling situation throw her off every time.

Meanwhile, GIR and Skoodge steady Dib as he stands on wobbly legs. GIR sniffles, mechanical hands covering his eyes. "Master's in trouble!"

Dib strokes his head absently, his anxious golden-caramel eyes glued to the struggling pair across the room. "We have to stop them somehow! Skoodge, do you have anything?"

The stout invader zeroes in on Tak's PAK. "I've got it!" he cries, then pulls the other two in for a group huddle.

Less than a minute later, the three are in position, GIR and Dib on one side of the two Irkens and Skoodge on the other. The moment Tak has Zim pinned down, Skoodge gives the signal.

Dib jumps on GIR's back, and the little robot's jet-boosters propel the two across the room. When they're milliseconds away from hovering over Tak, Dib calls, "Now!" GIR screams in delight as he flips upside down, and Dib grabs hold of Tak's PAK.

Feeling her spine pull sharply and uncomfortably, Tak screams and in her shock releases the smaller Irken beneath her. She fights Dib viciously, swiping at his face, biting him, calling him horrible names in both his language and hers, but the boy doesn't let go for anything.

Finally, though it's seemed to take forever, the trio reaches Skoodge. Dropping the female at just the right moment so that she falls into the squat invader's grasp, he wraps his surprisingly strong arms around her PAK.

"Unhand me, you filthy traitor!" she commands, struggling in his grip as much as she dares. "You're jeopardizing my mission!"

"What mission, Miss Tak?" Skoodge echoes, in a more forceful voice than she's ever heard from him. "You came here for two things: to take over Zim's mission and for revenge. The first one he's already been taken care of, and the second…" He sighs, voice lowering. "Isn't this enough?"

He looks out as Zim's faithful servant embraces him tightly and the twelve-year-old checks over his injuries. Curious as to what might have him so mesmerized, Tak pauses in her struggling and follows his line of sight. She is astonished when her zarnl blarg starts palpitating.

"Do you understand now?" Skoodge asks. "From the healing rate of the human smeet's injuries and how long ago the SIR unit's repairs were made, I'd say they've been struggling to survive on this planet for a while. They're going to die if we leave them here, and no matter how much you want revenge, I don't think you want two innocents to die in the process." She starts and whips her head around to stare at him with wide eyes, but his face remains stern. "You know that's how this would end, right? They're loyal to him, Miss Tak, even if no one else in the universe is." His eyes travel to them again, and one corner of his lips turns up to form a half-smile. "They love him."

The female invader-aspirer looks down at herself in deep thought—her injuries aren't that bad, only requiring a few seconds more to heal; she'd inflicted far worse on the Defective.

She doesn't want innocent blood on her hands. All she wants is for the little wretch to pay! But as she looks up at Zim again, sees him ignoring his own condition in favor of comforting the hysterical GIR and wiping the tears from the Earthling's cheeks, she realizes that there is no going on from here.

For the last fifty years, she's dreamt of tracking down and destroying the one who ruined her life. But now that she sees him, sees the angel-incarnate that he is, she finds her steel resolve melting at its core.

Hanging her head with a great, trembling sigh, she is unashamed as crystal tears leak from her dark-amethyst eyes.

"I see now," she whispers. "I understand."

Behind her, Skoodge smiles. "I knew you would, Miss Tak. I'm proud of you."

He reaches out to steady her as he releases her PAK, and she turns to him. "Thank you, Skoodge, for…for making me see reason. If I'd kept going…" She shakes her head to rid it of such disturbing thoughts before taking the shorter invader's hand. A nervous expression on her face, her gaze sticks on the happy trio. "Will you…help me? With…with them?"

Skoodge grins, rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand. "Of course."

Keeping her hand in his grasp, the tubby invader walks with her toward the three friends. Tak cannot deny her hurt feelings when the human smeet and the SIR unit step up to hide Zim from her sight. But then, she has no right to blame them.

She falters for a moment, her curled antennae drooping, but then regains her voice. "I—I'm sorry…for everything. I-I let my thirst for revenge get the best of me, and—" the tears begin their descent again, and the lump in her throat swells, "—I-I'm so sorry. I-I don't deserve your forgiveness, but—"

She is cut off when Zim raises a palm and with an outstretched hand wordlessly asks to be helped to his feet. Shaking his head when GIR, Dib, and Skoodge try to do the deed, he locks eyes with Tak and stares at her intently. She gulps, but steps forward and aids the Irken she attacked nonetheless.

Dusting himself off, magenta eyes meet purple. The deep frown on Zim's face fades within moments, the sincerity in her earlier words and the goodness in her zarnl blarg shining through now that her anger has been spent hitting him full force. He smiles widely, laying both of his hands on her shoulders.

"I believe you, Tak, and I accept your apology," he votes in quiet confidence. Further tears fall in her relief, though he reaches up to wipe them away with a gentle grin. "You are forgiven."

Leaping forward, Tak buries her face in Zim's chest, clutching at his uniform. Hugging him tightly, she sobs into his chest, and the Irken male wraps his arms around her. Rubbing her back comfortingly, he grins and holds her tighter.

When she's finally calmed down a number of minutes later she steps back, wipes her eyes, and gives him a small, thankful smile. "Thank you, Zim," she says. "Sorry about all of that. Everything just…caught up with me, I suppose."

Zim shakes his head, a warm beam on his face. "Think nothing of it, Tak." Turning to his friends, he introduces, "This is my SIR unit, GIR."

"Hi! You hungry for some tacos? Or waffles? Or taquitos? Or—?" Dib covers the A.I.'s mouth.

"I got this, Zim," Dib says, jabbing a thumb toward himself.

Zim grins at him. "And this is my closest friend of the living kind, the human Dib."

Stepping forward, he smiles and extends a hand to Tak, who luckily knows what to do with it. He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about the whole PAK thing. It was one of those heat-of-the-moment kind of things…"

Tak's own face takes on a light pink hue as she blushes. "No need to apologize. It…it was the only way to force some sense into this thick skull of mine…"

Stepping forward, Skoodge clears his throat. "Since everybody knows each other now, why don't we get going? All of us can easily fit in the Spittle Runner with the modifications I made, and I don't think you guys want to stay on this planet any longer than necessary."

The three friends exchange flabbergasted glances. Zim turns back to their apparent rescuers. "Y-you'll really take us with you?" he asks.

Tak's eyebrow and antennae quirk. "Why wouldn't we? We're all friends now, aren't we?"

"But where would we go? The Irken Empire hates me, and they…" his eyes darken for a moment, "…they'd destroy Dib on sight."

A silence settles as the group thinks on it, but suddenly Dib pipes up. "What about Mercury? It didn't seem to affect me or GIR at all when I used it to stop Zim from crushing the Earth with Mars, and your Tallest would never to come to this galaxy! It's perfect!"

The others brighten, and Zim grabs the twelve-year-old's hands. "Dib, you're a genius! An absolute genius!"

Dib blushes, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Well, you know…I try…"

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?" Skoodge asks. "Let's go!"

Cheering, three of the five board the ship and initiate Skoodge's expansive additions while Tak and Zim store the remaining Earth food in their PAKs. Once everyone is on board, the ship revs its rockets and shoots for the stars.

Dib watches his planet disappear far below him as GIR yells goodbye and waves to no one at his side. Zim walks up beside him after a moment, and there is a companionable silence before the child breaks it.

"Does it make you feel sad at all? Leaving Earth behind, I mean?" he questions softly, peering up at his once-enemy.

One hand on the glass-metal alloy windowpane, he produces a small, sad smile. "At first it was just a prize to me. It was not my home by birth, after all, and no one on my planet had ever heard of it until the Tallest assigned it to me." He chuckles, and the sound is almost warm. "And even now that I know everything was a lie, even with all of the planet's revolting filth and its pathetic lack of intelligence save you and your family…" he pauses, tone hushed, "…I did grow to…to care for it some, given adequate time."

Dib nods, grinning. Glancing at his friend, he studies him for a long moment before breaking out into a smile. The alien, noticing, gives him a curious look.

"You were right, you know, when you said this experience was meant to build us up instead of break us." He smirks. "You're pretty wise when you want to be, Zim."

The blushing Irken guffaws and waves away his compliment. "Yes, well…the time called for a moment of guiding insight, and I took advantage of it." His face turns suddenly serious, though, and he reaches across the way to rest his hand on the boy's. "How are you coping, by the way? With…all of this?"

Dib offers a minute smile and promptly encases Zim's hand in his own, stroking its back of with his thumb. "I'm doing pretty well…for the most part." He releases a breath he never knew he was holding, his smile widening. "And we're starting over with some new friend. What better way to push past the past?"

The older of the two beams proudly, squeezing Dib's hand. "You're growing up, my friend. I can see in your eyes the great man you'll become."

It is the twelve-year-old's turn to blush. He playfully punches Zim in the shoulder. "Right back at you…you jerk…"

They arrive on planet Mercury on October 18, 2002.

They stake out the best place to settle and put to use Skoodge's spare drill-capsule to forge quite a comfortable shelter.

Devising a nutrient schedule in which every few weeks two members take the Spittle Runner and make a supply run to a virtually unknown planet (as Zim is still wanted for writing off his banishment with Sizz-Lorr on Foodcourtia), the six friends share stories of the adventures they had on their assigned planets and off of them. Naturally, Zim and Dib's are always the best.

After a while, they think of Mercury and hear 'home.'

A while more, and they think of each other and know 'companion.'

And with but one day to add, they think of themselves as a collective whole and feel 'family.'

-Breathe anew.-

A/N: That's it, everyone! This fic is officially over! 11,490 words and 20 pages! Phew! I'm so glad and proud that this, my first-ever Invader Zim fic, has done so well! Thanks so much to all of those who have stuck with me through this!

Yes, I changed things around a bit as far as episode order and had characters come in early, but I think it all worked out well. Tak was rather nice after she beat up Zim because, in my mind, her vengeance is corrupting her and making her so rotten. When her revenge is exacted, all of that tension melts away into thin air. Just my theory.

And as far as Skoodge (who calls Tak 'Miss' because in the few eps we've seen him, he seems rather polite) and Tak traveling together, somehow it came into my head that following her escape from Planet Dirt she would swing by Hobo 13 in order to hone her military skills, if only to throttle Zim all the better. She meets Skoodge and becomes close to him. After her training is complete, she agrees to take him with her.

MiMi is there (on the ship...and hence the 'six' at the end), but is never seen because I couldn't find a place to fit her in... But if I could have, I'd have made her forgive GIR when she sees that her mistress and Zim have made up. Also, as far as Mercury's lack of oxygen and proximity to the Sun go: those without invisible bubble helmets (like the one Zim uses in 'Planet Jackers') would borrow the others' spares, and I'm sure the gang would be smart enough to pick a spot that's just warm enough without burning them to a crisp (having to pick up and move every once in a while when the planet turns on its axis toward the Sun). XD

As for the date given at the end, the original airdate for the episode was September 28, 2002, and it took Zim six months to reach Earth from Conventia, I figured it wouldn't take them very long at all to reach Mercury from Earth.

(As per usual now, Dib's 'you jerk' at the end is meant as a playful poke. Also, I thought it'd be funny to not only throw one of his catchphrases in there, but also let the episode's last line live on. XD)

...Was anyone else getting a Skoodge/Tak vibe from this? As I writing this, I started thinking about how close they really seemed, and I really got that perhaps-crack-pairing vibe... XD Maybe it's just me, but I am really starting to like it! My new favorite IZ couple! XD Sorry, random note!

Phew! Hopefully that covers all the bases! If I missed anything, please tell me!

Thanks so much for reading, as always!