I watched you watch me.

His clothing was hanging off his limbs in torn up fragments, his hair lying limp across his cold, pale face, splashed with cuts and bruises.
His trembling hands reached up and stretched a finger out towards me.
'I love you.'
Was not what I was expecting.

Along the lines of when I first got to this wretched rock, I became both intrigued and disgusted by the human race.
A filthy swarm of mindless drones under the pressuring finger of their higher-ups, who had no sense to run any lives.
How stupid they are.
How degradingly, embarrassingly, horribly, woefully stupid.
I'd destroy them all, if I wasn't humoring my Tallest.
How I hate them.
I hate them.
All of them.
Even...
Even Dib.

'Would a human call its own kind pig-brained?!'

Tell me honestly, Dib.
What do you think of your race?
Your precious humans.
Do you think they're worth saving?
That if the truth was revealed they could fix or deal with it?
Or even accept it?

Why is it?
Why do you try so hard to save them?
The very people who degrade and taunt you.
The ones that mock and tease you.
Push you away.
And hurt you.

I could be there for you.
I could help you.
I could save you.
I could show you.

Why won't you believe me?

"Dib..?"

My voice cracked.
I watched you watch me.
I listened to you listen to me.
Why...?
Because, I...
'I...'
I don't get you humans.
'I care...'

"Dib!!"

I stayed.
I sat around on this despicable planet for years.
For you.
I didn't want to leave you alone.
I didn't want you to feel that way I did.

So I stayed.

I watched.
I listened.

'Don't go...'

I felt pain.
When you experienced love.
I felt anger.
When you were heart broken.
I wanted you to listen closer.

Listen to what I'm saying.

What I was thinking.

'They don't love you.'

I fell to my knees.
I wanted to take you in my arms.
Blood.
I wanted to tell you everything.
Don't close your eyes.

You'll die if you sleep.

'Like I love you.'

Why?

Why do you keep trying to protect them?
They shunned you.
They didn't believe you.
Your family pushed you away.
I wouldn't.

Why?

I'll show you.

Yes.

You'll see.

Yes.

I'll save you.

'I'll show you.'

I took your hand.
I trembled in the dark.

"Don't go..."

Where did you go?

'You jerk.'

That smile.

'I've got you now!'

Where did it go?

'I did it!'

"No."

My eyes closed shut.
My hand squeezed tight around his.
My teeth grinding together.

"Don't go..."
You were right.
"Where did it go?"
Vindicated.
"Where did you go?"

An idle hand brush my face and my eyes drifted to his.
His face painted with my hatred vanished as a mist of happiness trickled across his mouth.
I found him smiling up at me.
Eyes full of pain.
And sincerity.

'Don't slip away.'

"I'm right here."

'Don't die yet.'

I watched you watch me.

And you saw.