Zim stopped in Dib's backyard. He dropped to his own feet as the mechanical legs sapped up too much energy to use, but when he touched the ground he collapsed from his own weight.
All of the lights were off but one; Dib's bedroom.
Zim bit his lip and rose slowly. He walked up to the house and, picking up a rock, tossed it at Dib's window. The rock tinked off the glass, leaving a small chip.
The boy appeared a moment later, peeking out at him curiously. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours, then Dib disappeared.
Zim stumbled up to the backdoor and fell on the steps. He was pushing himself up on his hands and knees when Dib opened the door.
"Zim?"
"I need your help.." Zim panted, looking up at him.
"Why?" the human frowned when he saw the blood dripping onto the steps. "What the hell happened to you?"
"They found me… The humans, they attacked my base.." Zim looked down and spit some blood onto the top step.
Dib glanced around, then back at him.
"Why would I help you? I have been trying to uncover your secret forever to them."
"Dib please.." Zim sat on the second step, too tired to get up. He looked again at the human. "They killed GIR ."
Dib's frown deepened. He debated what to do, not wanting to surrender his mission to expose the alien but not wanting him to die here on his steps either.
"Alright, come inside quietly."
Zim reached up and grabbed onto the handrail, pulling himself up slowly. He stepped into the home and promptly collapsed again.
Dib closed and locked the door, then helped the alien up. He had intended to drag him upstairs, but the alien was so light that Dib just picked him up and carried him.
He laid Zim on his bed and looked around, not knowing what to do.
Zim's PAK was pulsing a dark red as it worked to heal him. Dib took the case off his pillow and pressed it against the wound to Zim's chest to stop the bleeding.
"Zim?"
The alien's eyes fluttered in response.
"Zim, what do I do?"
"Nothing," Zim whispered. "My PAK.. will help.."
Dib nodded and sat next to him, keeping the pillowcase pressed against him for awhile.
When he lifted it to check on the bleeding, he saw that the wound was trying to heal but the bullet was still lodged within.
Dib rose and trotted down into his lab, trying to be quiet so as not to awaken anyone. He found a magnetic device in his lab and returned to Zim with it.
"This will probably hurt.." he said quietly, not knowing if the alien was awake or not. Just to be safe, he stuffed one corner of his blanket into Zim's mouth and then turned the magnet on a low setting. He held it over the wound. Nothing. Dib turned it up a bit.
Zim groaned and bit down on the blanket, feeling the metal slug shift. The bullet had cut through his ribs and just missed his right lung, and was now lodged between his ribs and the muscles of his back.
Dib drew it out carefully with the magnet. He dropped it into his hand and looked at it curiously for a moment before having to press the cloth back to Zim as blood welled from the wound.
He looked at the alien worriedly, knowing he was in a situation he didn't want to be involved with.