Where we discover why Dib's head is so big, and it's consequences.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone.

Dib stared at his father. "W-what did you say?"

Professor Membrane stared back at his son mournfully. He repeated his words slowly, wary of Dib's reaction. The boy was his son, but he was also unstable. This, along with his current condition, was enough to worry any father.

Dib shook his head as his father spoke. "N-no!" he screamed, grief turning to desperation. "It's not possible! You would've known sooner!"

Professor Membrane wrapped his arms around his son's thin shaking frame. "I'm sorry."

"Let go of me!" Dib screamed, pulling away. "You're the smartest man in the world! You can cure me! You can!"

His father shook his head. "It's too late. Perhaps if we had caught wind of it earlier in your life. But to operate now would only kill you more quickly."

"But… But…" Dib's eyes watered. He would not cry, he would not cry… He looked away from his father. "T-two days? That's it?"

"Two days."

He bit his lip to the point of cutting it, to keep it from wobbling dangerously. "I… I have to go." He turned on his heel and ran from the room, escaping the house into the cool evening.

Professor Membrane watched his son run from him. His poor, crazy, dying son.

Dib ran. It didn't matter where he was running, he just did. He needed to get away, to escape that horrible house filled with sadness. He didn't want anyone mourning him! He didn't want this!

Why did it have to be him?

Even as a kid, Dib knew he wasn't normal. He was different from the other kids. Smarter. He had known things that no one else had even cared about. And because he was smarter, they called him insane.

That wasn't fair! That wasn't fair at all!

Even when Zim came, he had all the proof he needed to be right, to be proven, for once! To not be the crazy kid, to be the one everyone liked and looked up to!

And still no one believed him!

And Zim…

Without Dib, how would anyone stand up to Zim's plots to rule? He was the only one who knew or even cared that Zim was an alien! Without him, the planet would fall within a week!

Trapped in his thoughts, Dib tripped, falling to his knees on the hard concrete sidewalk.

Why did he care what happened to the planet anyway? No one had ever done anything for him, and besides, he'd be gone before it happened.

He shouldn't care. But he did.

Because it was his planet. He was defender. If it died off, then he was to blame!

Dib sighed. He rubbed his aching head. Goddamn his head. Why did it have to be big?

Right. That's why.

Dib stood slowly, rubbing his scratched knees. If he wasn't going to be able to do anything in two days, he would have one last mission before he left.

Ironic that he should choose the word mission over all else.

After all, the one he had to talk to had a mission of his own.

Dib stood at the threshold nervously. He couldn't stand here all night! Grow some backbone, boy! His subconscious yelled. Biting his lip, Dib ran past the lawn gnomes and flamingos and crashed through his enemy's door.

Zim wasn't there. If he hadn't heard the commotion in his "living room," he might not show up for a while.

But GIR was there, sucking a large lollipop. He looked up from the T.V. that playing The Angry Monkey Show. "Bighead! What you want?"

Dib bit his lip. "I need to find Zim."

GIR nodded, sucking on his sweet. He pointed to the toilet.

"Zim."

Zim turned, quickly reattaching his PAK. "Dib? What are you doing here now? The almighty Zim hasn't carried out his plots yet!"

"I know Zim, I just need to-"

"Well? What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to-"

"ANSWER ME DIB-STINK!"

"Shut it!"

"Well, if you'd just answer the question…"

Dib frowned. "You know, this wasn't worth it." He turned.

"Wait! What wasn't worth it? Did ZIM win some prize he knows nothing about? He wants it! Give it to him!" Zim frowned at the human, holding out his hands expectantly.

"I didn't come here to give you anything."

"Oh. Zim knew that. Leave."

"But-"

"What?"

"I… I have to tell you something. Something important." Dib turned back, his eyes on the ground.

Zim studied the human closely. He seemed very distraught. And whatever would make him distraught would probably make Zim very happy. "Well?"

"Well, you know how you always said I have a big head?" Dib's voice shook; as if to emphasize his point, he rubbed the back of his scalp nervously. "Well, I guess you were right." Sighing, he lowered his hand and put it in his pocket. "I have brain cancer. I-"

"Eh? What's that?"

Dib blinked, looking up in surprise. "You don't know what…" realization hit him. Of course Zim wouldn't know! They probably didn't have disease on his planet! "Cancer… it's when all these cells clump together and get bigger, pretty much eating everything in their path. Those cells are calls a tumor, and the bigger it is, the more dangerous. There's one in my head; been there since I was a kid. No one knew about it 'til recently."

"Sometimes, a tumor can be removed, and a person with cancer can be saved." At this point, Dib looked down again. "Mine's too big to be removed."

"I'm dying, Zim."

Zim blinked in surprise. "Oh." To think that the human body could work against itself! And on his enemy of all people!

Oh, this proved Irkens were the superior species! At least their own bodies didn't turn against them!

"The doctors say I have a little more than a month left. I'm going on permanent bed rest in two days."

The boy was staring at him, as if waiting for a reaction. "Well?" Zim demanded. "Is that it?"

Dib blinked. "I… Well…"

"What?"

"Well, I was hoping… you could do me a favor."

"A favor?" Zim spluttered, repeating his enemy's words disbelievingly. He quickly recovered. "You are insane! I would never stoop so low as to helping an inferior being, as though he were my friend!"

"I'm not asking you as a friend!" Dib clenched his fists, voice breaking. He took a deep breath before continuing, and when he did, it was more composed, as though he were trying to restrain himself. "I'm asking you as an enemy who respects you, as an equal."

"But you're not an equal!"

"I know that!" Zim blinked at this exclamation. "You think I don't know? We're decades behind you Zim, I get it! My own father can't cure me, and he's the smartest human alive! I get that we're not as smart as you, I get we're not as strong or advanced! But I'm as equal to you as it's gonna get!" Dib bit his wobbling lip. "Would you just hear me out for once?"

Zim just stared. "You just… admitted… but…"

Dib took this as permission to continue. "Can you just… hold off conquering Earth until I… leave?"

Zim tried desperately to recover from Dib's former words and focused. He tried once more to recover his attitude of uncaring enemy, meanwhile pondering his answer. "I… suppose it will not be worth fighting for something if there's no one to fight."

Dib nodded. Zim could believe whatever he wanted, as long as he waited. "That's all I want," he said quietly. He turned away. "I'll leave now."

Zim nodded. "Good. Goodbye Dib-human." He turned his back on the human, heard him exit.

Good. He had much to think about.

Dib's eyes fluttered open. Oh God. He was still alive. Thirty-six days, and he was still alive. Still exhausted. Still in pain.

He hadn't told the doctors he was in pain. What could they do anyway? It wasn't like they could cure him; any medication at this point would just be a waste.

Dib felt his face for the oxygen mask, to make sure it hadn't shifted. Within the last week, his condition had gone from stable to critical. If the gas mask was removed, he wouldn't survive long enough to get a prayer down.

But he was still alive. That should've been his first hint it hadn't shifted.

He sighed. Sometimes he was so stupid.

Slowly, Dib began to rise into a sitting position, struggling. An arm hoisted him up as he lifted himself. He gave a slight groan as his chest contracted. God, every part of him hurt.

Reaching out slowly onto the nightstand, Dib fumbled for his glasses, slipping them onto his nose. Unfortunately, they refused to stay; the plastic from the gas mask covered his nose bridge, and Dib had to hold his glasses up.

Blinking, he looked around the room. His father was absent, signing consent forms for his body. Gaz had helped him up, and was sitting beside him, Game- Slave absent for once. This hadn't put her in a good mood, but she was coping much better than he'd expect.

She was usually the only person with him, unless Dad could slip in or the doctors had to give him more medication.

But today there was someone else in the room. Dib blinked in surprise.

"Zim?"

There was no mistaking it; the green-skinned alien had donned his disguise and was standing across the room, staring at him intently. Upon seeing him awake, Zim had wanted to sneak away, but had stood his ground. "Hello Dib-thing. I was wondering when you'd allow me to grace you with my presence."

Dib rolled his eyes. Some things never change. "What do you want Zim?" He hadn't seen him since Zim had agreed he would wait to conquer Earth.

Zim gave as malicious a grin as he could muster. It was hard, after seeing the human in front of him, the human he had fought so much, like this. He wasn't the Dib Zim had fought, or, if he was, he was broken. Drained. Empty.

"I wanted to watch you die."

Dib winced. "Should've figured. This is all amusing to you, isn't it?"

Zim didn't answer, but instead walked beside Dib's bed and prodded the boy's arm. It was a limp, pale thing. Covered with freckles. No wonder Dib always wore that trench coat; he had to cover these thin limbs.

That, and trench coats were cool. Zim would admit to that much.

Dib sighed, eyes on the ceiling. "Would you please stop poking me? I'm not dead yet, you know."

Zim frowned, but obliged. "How much longer will this take? I want to rule the planet as soon as possible."

"You'll get your planet soon enough, Zim. Just wait a little longer." Dib closed his eyes wearily. "I hate this."

Gaz frowned. "You're not the only one hating it. Dad said I couldn't leave until someone else came in to look after you." Her eyes flashed to Zim. "That'll be you. I'm out."

"No, wait-" Zim tried to stop her, but she was already set on leaving. And Zim didn't exactly want to live in nightmare worlds. Not when he was so close to success. Zim sighed as he and the dying boy were left alone. "Just as well, I have to discuss much with you."

He was suddenly interrupted by Dib subsiding into a coughing fit, hacking up white mucus and scrambling for a small plate in front of him, in which he spit into. Both he and Dib winced at the sight of it; white gooey stuff speckled with red. "Eugh."

Dib winced, rubbing his aching chest. He could barely see with pain. Hand still on his chest, he sat back weakly, closing his eyes. "I hate this. It's worse than death, this stupid pain. It won't go away."

Zim frowned, his nonexistent brow furrowing. "Aren't your medical drones trying to keep you from suffering?"

"I haven't told them."

"You haven't-"

"Keep your voice down!"

Zim blinked in annoyance. "I do not understand. Why would you not try to escape this pain? Why not call for help?"

Dib gave a small smile, his eyes closed. "What could they do? I'm dying no matter what, pain or no pain. And as a crazy man once said, 'Think of the sensation as reassurance that you are not dead yet.'"

Zim stared at Dib in obvious contempt. "You are insane." With that, he reached out to press the morphine release.

Dib blinked his eyes open; caught Zim's movement. "Don't-" he tried weakly to stop him. Zim paid him no mind as he released the morphine into the boy's body. He watched Dib's eyes flutter shut. "Jerk…" he muttered, going under.

Zim shook his head. "Idiot."

He studied the pale boy carefully, slipping his glasses off and placing them on the table. The face, once full and bright, was now thin. There were lines of worry between the boy's brow, but there were also laugh lines. The hair, once sharp and high, now hung limp and thin on Dib's pillows.

Dib was a fairly thin child, but now he looked almost to the point of starved. He wasn't strong or developed; in fact, he was very average, if not less. His arms were twigs; his chest flat. One could almost see his ribs even through the sheets.

Dib had actually wanted to go through this? Insanity!

Zim looked back up to the face. Carefully, he opened Dib's eyelid to study the golden-brown eyes underneath. Hazel, he believed the humans called them. Eyes that change color. Zim had noticed this himself when he had watched Dib's eyes turn from brown to grey to gold. At the moment, they were a flat dark brown, the color Zim would associate with human mud.

He closed the eyelid, wiping his glove on his shirt. All in all, Dib was nothing special. An average person in the universe. Only human. Zim sighed. With the boy out of the way, there was no doubt he would rule the planet much more quickly. But, he had to admit, he and Dib had had some decent times together. Like that time Dib had tried to back him up so they could defeat Pepe the hamster. Zim gave a small smile at the memory. That had been amusing. Oh, and when they had both turned into baloney! True, the experience had been horrible, but looking back on it, Zim couldn't help but grin.

And… he might actually miss his enemy. Zim had pushed the thought away earlier, but now he had nothing else to do but think of it. How could one miss a person they hate? Did that even make sense?

It must be the planet's atmosphere. Zim knew he would never think like this on Irk.

Sighing, Zim began to entertain himself by swatting Dib's hair, watching it bounce back to its limp condition above his head.

Dib gave a small moan through his gas mask, and Zim's face flashed to his as the boy blinked weakly. He squinted, and Zim slid his glasses back on quickly. Something had changed in the few minutes Dib had gone under, for the worse.

"Zim?"

"Dib-stink?"

"C-can you get my sister?" Dib asked quietly, motioning weakly for the door. "I don't think…"

Zim nodded. "I will retrieve your sibling. But don't you dare die while I'm gone," he said roughly, trying to make a joke.

Dib frowned. "I'll do my best."

Zim ran from the room.

Gaz had been pining her dad for her Gameslave's return when Zim ran towards them, a panicked look on his face. "The Dib-thing…" he gasped, trying to get air. "I think…"

Neither Gaz nor her father hesitated. They bolted, Gameslave forgotten.

Despite his gas mask, Dib was gasping for air as his family entered the room. His BP was dropping at a slow but steady pace, and Gaz and Professor Membrane ran to each side of him, gripping his hands. There was nowhere left for Zim to stand but directly across from him. He watched as Dib turned his head slowly to his sister, then to his father. "G-Guys… I think… I think this is it…" He blinked slowly, as though he were exhausted. "I love you guys, you know that?"

Gaz nodded nervously, while Professor Membrane said, "We love you too." He voice was broken, and Dib smiled as he gave his dad's hand a small squeeze. He turned back to Gaz. "I know w-we didn't always g-get along, and I'm sorry f-for that."

Gaz shook her head. "Don't be, you idiot. You're my brother; it's normal to argue. You know that."

"I-is it normal to send brothers to n-nightmare worlds?"

Gaz frowned. "Yeah, sorry for that."

Dib smiled again. He turned to Zim, who was beginning to feel very awkward. "Zim."

Zim blinked. Irk, the boy was going to speak to him. He was going to speak to him, and then die. How weird.

But to his surprise, Dib released his hand from Gaz's grip and stretched it out towards Zim, palm turned to the side. Zim blinked in surprise, then understood. He walked beside Professor Membrane, taking it in his own gloved hand firmly and shaking it.

Dib slipped his hand away and let it fall back to the sheets. "See you, Zim." He looked away, and Zim tried to make his exit.

As he walked out, he heard Dib mutter, "If that's not a star, then I dunno…"

Then there was a steady high pitched sound.

Zim stiffened, but continued to walk. Leaving the Membranes to their grief, he leaned against the wall.

So the human was gone. That meant he could finally get what he'd always wanted. He could finally conquer Earth. That was all well and good. Right?

Right?

Zim shook his head in confusion. He should be cheering, not moping around outside the room where his nemesis died! He should be making his plans and laughing at Dib's death!

So, why wasn't he?

There was no explanation but the one he'd tried to avoid earlier. Because he would miss him. He would actually miss his enemy! How strange!

Zim closed his eyes. Ah, well. There was nothing left to do for the boy. After all, he was only another human. It was bound to end this way someday.

Sighing, Zim left the hospital. He had plans to lay out.

Two months passed. And to Zim's disappointment, he failed to conquer Earth. It was by then that his Tallest had called him and told him the truth of his banishment. And it couldn't be helped.

Dib's body had been buried in the nearby cemetery. The family was still suffering, but life went on. Professor Membrane had taken a leave of absence for a short time, and then returned to saving the world. Gaz threw herself deeper into the game world, trying to escape the depression of losing her sibling.

The family had visited the grave every chance they could. They were not the only ones.

Exactly two months after Dib had died, Gaz went to the grave alone. There was a slight breeze in the air; it pushed against her, blowing her purple bangs into her face. She ignored it, walking forward steadily, towards the site.

There was already someone there. The green skin was unmistakable.

"Zim?"

He turned suddenly, startled. "Gaz- human. I was just… I was…" he turned back to the grave. "Visiting him."

Gaz ignored him, walking past him and falling to her knees in front of her brother, reading the small print on the headstone: "All is possible if one dreams it to be."

"You're not welcome here."

He didn't respond. She waited for him to answer, then turned to him.

He wasn't there

But a small, perfectly smooth rock, stood among the soft waving grass. Gaz picked it up, studying it.

On the face of the rock, a ringed planet had been perfectly carved. No, more like laser- cut.

Gaz frowned, and placed it in front of the headstone.

I don't like the ending much. All in all, this story really makes me sad. But, hey, I'm really proud of it all the same.

A oneshot of your choice goes to the first person who guesses the reference to Dib's quote! Who said it, and to who? All JV fans should know this!