**Note: I don't know… I like to try new characters every once in a while… this will be a one-shot story, I may write another one later… depending if people like it or not.

Enjoy!

Ten years had passed since Dib had first met Zim. During that time he had dedicated his time to expose Zim as an alien to everyone. Time after time he had foiled Zim's plans to take over the earth but like a phoenix, Zim would rise again to once again try to destroy mankind. It was also during that time, in their middle school years to be exact that the two nemeses had become friends. It was hard to believe at first, especially since Dib still believed Zim was trying to destroy the earth, but then he witnessed how the Irken seemed to have lost interest in that.

Everything was perfect until the day of their graduation when Gaz had told Dib she knew Zim was an alien. Because of their friendship, Dib denied the whole thing and told Gaz that she was hallucinating, until she pulled out a shoe box that contained pictures of Zim without his human costume. He tried to let it slide of course, claiming that Zim was in an alien costume.

But Gaz didn't believe him. Not one word. When Dib left to meet Zim for lunch, Gaz called her father and showed him the evidence. It wasn't long before Dr. Membrane exposed the evidence to the media.

XXXX

At Zim's house, the two friends were having pizza. Dib hadn't told Zim his sister knew his secret, he thought it wasn't necessary since she had never believed him in the first place. Still, he wanted to tell him.

"Master! You're on TV! You're on TV!" the little robot known as GIR yelled.

"What are you talking about, GIR?"

The three of them went to the living room where the TV was on, displaying the news channel. Dib's eyes grew when he saw his father talking about the alien life that lived amongst them. He just hoped his father wasn't actually referring to Zim.

All of his hopes shattered as his father pulled out a picture of Zim without his human costume. By that time, Dib wanted to jump off a cliff. Things couldn't possibly get worst.

"My stupid brother Dib was the one who discovered him." Gaz said on national TV.

There it was. Things had just gotten worse.

The Irken could feel his blood boil. He felt a great pain in his chest, something that he had never experienced before. He looked over at Dib who seemed very nervous. "Dib…"

"Zim, I'm sorry, I can explain…"

But the Irken just crossed his arms over his chest and gave Dib a very angry glare. "How does it fell, Dib? You finally exposed me to the whole world. How does it feel?"

"Zim, please listen…"

"I don't want to hear it, human larva. You finally got what you wanted… I gave you my trust and then when you saw me vulnerable you stabbed me in the back…"

Dib felt a wave of guilt all over his body, "No Zim, you're wrong!"

"Am I?" Zim then pointed at the TV, "Tell me you didn't take those pictures! Tell me that isn't my face on TV…"

Dib remained silent.

"I thought so." Zim looked away, "Agh… I can't believe I was such a fool! I should have known that you would do this… after all; you earthlings are all the same; a selfish, back-stabbing, double crossing, insolent race... I should have known." He gave Dib a glare full of hate, "You humans can't be trusted."

"Zim…"

"Get out of my house, Dib-traitor."

Dib didn't say anything else. He just walked to the door. Before leaving, he looked back at his friend. Zim looked hurt, and he had all the right to be angry. With a sorrowful sigh, Dib left the house. Why hadn't he destroyed those pictures? Why was he such a fool?

He began to walk away when the sound of a motor made him turn around. Dib then saw how the roof of Zim's house opened and how the Irken's ship came to sight. Through the glass, he could see Zim preparing his ship for take-off. Dib felt a great pain in his chest as he saw his best friend, his only friend take-off into outer space.

Once the ship was out of sight, Dib walked over to the Irken's house. He opened the door and felt tears on the back of his eyes. Zim left everything. He left every picture they had taken together, every single thing that had Dib or Dib's name on it was still sitting on its place in the living room. You humans can't be trusted…

Those words echoed in his mind.

They were like knives; sharp, burning knives that stabbed him deeply. He was a terrible human being… no, he was a terrible friend. Friends didn't sell the other one out for fame and glory. Friends protected each other, they trusted each…. He should've destroyed those pictures the day he and Zim had become friends.

Why hadn't he?

Was it because deep inside Dib still wanted to expose Zim? Or was it because Dib never trusted him? Whatever the reason had been, it had cost their friendship.

XXXX

Years had passed and Dib was now an old man. He was laying on his bed, going through a photo album of his past youth. Some pictures made him smile, others made him laugh, and some… some made him cry. Fifty of his human years had passed and now his time in the world was short. Zim had never returned to earth or had even attempted to destroy it from space.

In Dib's mind, he strongly believed Zim now considered humanity worthless and too pathetic to destroy. Zim was right; humans were selfish, double-crossing, backstabbing, and insolent. It wouldn't be long before humanity ended up destroying each other…

Did the Irken race live forever? That was a thought that constantly crossed his mind, if they did; Dib hoped that one day Zim would find a human friend that didn't betray him, like he had.

The old man set the album aside, turned his head and looked out the window. He smiled to himself and he saw a bright blue sky and birds flying around. "I'm sorry Zim… I wish that I had never taken those pictures… I also wish that one day… you can forgive me…"

Those were the last words he said before closing his eyes… forever.

Human, such a pathetic race. Maybe one day, they will learn to value friendship. Maybe one day, they will understand that there is more to life than earthly possessions…

**How was it? Was it good? I hope so… did it make you sad? I hope so too… don't get me wrong, I just want to know if this story was actually worth something…. Well, thanks for reading and please review.**