It was a late night and Dib had just left Zim's house after a "friendly" or "frenemy" as they now appeared to be, after Dib aided the Irken whom was severely injured quite sometime ago.

'Well, stubborn as he is. He's still a good friend' Dib then looked at his watch. He hadn't realised how late it had gotten. 'Hm. It sure is getting awfully late and it isn't safe in this neighbourhood, that's for sure'

Dib began to pick up the pace. He then suddenly froze to a rustling sound from a nearby bush.

"Hello? Who's there?" but Dib's only response was the same rustling. Dib could now feel his heart pounding away and could also feel his hairs stand on end at his neck. Turning his head around numorously he had unfortunately let his guard down unknowingly.

A dark figure tackled him to the ground. Dib screamed in surprise but could do no more as he felt an agonising pain strike him several times at his arms, legs and chest. The figure had stabbed him.

Now full of panic. Dib knew they'd carry on unless they believed he was no longer of this world. Dib then took a last breath and held onto it there and closed his eyes. It felt like forever until he felt the pressure against his chest release, within several seconds he was now alone once more. Dib winced in agony as he tried to push himself up.

'I... I need help... ugh! No! I don't want to die! I can't die!' Dib had managed to get to his feet but with his knees trembling which made him sink back down, he couldn't manage at all. 'Z-Zim... he's closest...' Dib put all his ounce of strength to push himself back up to which he finally succeeded. He then slowly limped along to the cul-de-sac.

Meanwhile back at Zim's house whom had just finished up a Irken type sweet and was about to head down to his room when a hard, loud thumping came at his door with a shrilling voice shouting his name in desprate plea. Zim opened the door to see a severely wounded Dib bleeding heavily.

"Dib? What happened to you? Who did this?"

"Z-Zim... g-get me to the hospital... n-now..." Dib's vision was slowly getting hazy.

"Dib, stay with me! Dib?" but Dib was now already unconscious. Zim then quickly pulled out his wig and contacts from his PAK slipping them on then sprouting out his mechanical legs as he scooped Dib up into his arms.

Scittering along the streets as quickly as he could. Zim soon arrived to the hospital, now storming in with an unconscious Dib in his arms.

"You've gotta help my friend Dib here! He's been attacked! Help him, now!" Zim screamed out to a nearby nurse.

"Follow me, young man, he appears to be loosing alot of blood. He'll need immediate surgery" the nurse lead to a small room with a single hospital bed at the corner of the room.

"Quick, lay him on the bed while I go get an immediate surgery ready for him"

Zim laid Dib onto the said bed and stared gloomly at him.

'What or whom did this to him? And why? Dib wouldn't have anyone with a grudge upon him... would he?' Zim was then interrupted from his thoughts by a soft groan from Dib whom slowly regained consciousness.

"Oooh... where... where am I?" Dib slowly lifted his gaze upto a figure which looked familiar and was staring down at him. Yet Dib couldn't quite put his finger on whom it was. "Who... who're you?"

"Shh, Dib, it's me, Zim. And you're in hospital. Y-you need surgery, Dib. You've lost quite an amount of blood"

Before Dib could say anything, several both nurses and doctors came into the room from behind Zim.

"Excuse me, lad, we need to get your friend in for surgery right now!" one said as the others now laid Dib onto another hospital bed.

"Then... please, wait!" Zim grabbed hold of one of the nurses by the arm. "Let me stay by his side until he's put under. I'm the closest of family he's ever got that cares for him. I will wait else where until the surgery is over!"

"Oh, very well! Come on, then, get moving!" So both Zim and the nurse chased after Dib been wheeled away into a room where all surgeons were in and waiting. Zim shoved his way through to Dib's bed side.

"Dib, I'm here for you..." Zim then turned his attention to the surgeons, glaring hard at them. "... and you will let me stay until he is unconscious!"

"Fine!" one exclaimed. "We're about to give him the anaesthetic, now" they said as they took hold of Dib's hand, nearing the tip of the needle to the back of it.

"Please... I don't want to..."

"It'll be over before you know it and I promise that when you wake up I'll be there by your side. Just keep calm for now" as Zim spoke away the surgeon slowly injected the needle into Dib's hand. He then slowly drifted back into the blissful unconsciousness.

"Come on, lad. I'll take you to the ward he'll be transfered to after the surgery" Zim sighed as the nurse guided him out of the room.

"I just don't see how someone would just do that to him. He doesn't have any enemies or anything. Or maybe someone has a grudge on him that he may have tried to forget them. I guess"

Zim now slumped onto a chair in a empty ward. The nurse stood by him.

"Is what you said true? You're related to him?"

"No, he's a good friend whom helped me after a serious accident. When do you think he'll be out of surgery?"

"I'd say in a couple of hours. You can sleep here if you want to and try not to worry aswell. He'll be just fine"

Soon, though from what seemed forever in Zim's point of view, whom aswell looked tired, close to falling sleep which he would have done so but was disturbed by continuous loud chatter along the corridors making him alert than ever to see if Dib was being brought into the ward.

'What if something has gone wrong?' Zim kept this thought re-playing in his mind over and over again. But as time rolled along his thoughts were then eased as he now saw Dib, whom was still out cold on the bed be wheeled into the empty space by Zim's side.

Whom's expression now crinkled at the sight of Dib's horrific, bloody scars at his arms and chest that had so far been only stitched up. Zim could only feel deep sadness and guilt towards Dib.

'Well, Dib, all that can be done now is for you to recover. Let's hope you do so sooner' Zim thought to himself as he stayed sat by Dib's bed side hoping for him to soon come round.

Though those daunting minutes turned into hours with Zim who had now fallen limp on the side of the bed fast asleep fully unaware that Dib was now slowly awaking from the deep slumber of the anaesthetic.

"Z... Z-Zim? Zim..." Zim immediately awoke to see who was calling him by his name. The adrenaline softened as he saw Dib turn to look at him.

"I'm here, Dib. Are you ok?" Zim leaned rather closer to Dib whom had the look of strong bemusement.

"Zim... wh-what happened to me?" Dib groaned rather weakly.

"You were attacked, Dib. You came to my house and passed out so I carried you here to the hospital. You regained consciousness but just right before the surgery which you've just come out of some hours ago"

Dib winced as a wave of pain shot him at his wounds. "Are you ok, Dib?"

"N-not really. It... it just hurts"

"Do you want me to get a doctor to give you more painkillers?"

"No... I'll be fine, Zim"

"Be honest with me, Dib, you did save me after all and I would've done the same but you Hyoomans and all this medical stuff is beyond me because I have my PAK and our aiders use different techniques than whatever it was they did to you during the operation"

"Please, Zim. I'm... I'm absolutely sure. I'd just better try to get some rest. I feel rather light-headed"

"You mean like... di...zzy?" Dib nodded softly to Zim's question. "Ok, just... relax and take it easy, Dib. Try to get some more rest then. Plus it is rather early"

Dib smiled as he drifted back into deep slumber. Zim smiled and laid back against the chair and fell back to sleep.