Summary: It's been years since Zim arrived on Earth. It's been months since he discovered the mission was a lie. It's been days since he had a suicidal thought. Hours have passed being trapped with Dib in an abandoned house trying to escape a mad man. While they hide, Zim takes the time to ask Dib something that has been on his mind for a long time. This was inspired by Dib's Wonderful Life of Doom.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zim. What made you think I did?

Prologue

The night was calm, almost peaceful. The clouds occasionally shadowed the moon, the stars could be seen, and the air was crisp. Suddenly, loud footsteps broke the relative peace of the evening.

A green boy darted past various houses as a tall man chased him. Most people would find this normal. Nobody else noticed that the man wasn't the teenage boy they thought he was. Zim, out of disguise, wasn't being chased by Dib.

Zim glanced behind his back, gave a small yelp, and then tried to pick up speed. The man following him reached into coat pocket and readied his gun.

"Give up alien!" he shouted to the retreating figure, "I know what you are, and I am going to annihilate you!"

"I've heard that too many times worm-baby!" Zim yelled back, "Come up with an original plan for the capture of ZIM! You have tried poisoning, chasing, and inflicting pain upon me and nothing has worked!"

"I know what you are! You are an Invader!"

"I...I'm not a real Invader!" Zim shouted, hurt apparent in his voice. But what difference did it make now? If it could save his life, then he would tell the paranormal investigator behind him.

"I know you're lying, alien scum!" Zim winced. It didn't feel right without Dib saying that to him. Dib, he knew about it yet every day, he would still try to make Zim's life a living Hell. As they progressed through the grades, Zim couldn't take the taunts anymore. He stopped going to Skool once they reached High Skool. Dib had tried to sneak into the base multiple times to try and expose Zim, but each day he came, Zim was never there. The days he broke into the base had been days when Zim left it to get Earth supplies. One of those days, he ran into a paranormal investigator and ever since, he had tried to capture Zim through various means.

Back in the present, Zim noticed the street he was on. Yes, this was familiar, only a couple more blocks until he reached the base. A soft click reached his antennae. No, he wouldn't...would he? He would have to make the trip short. The house, it was only a couple feet away! He could get help. A shot rang out in the night and the footsteps stopped. A weak knock was heard and another bang rang through the air.