"Welcome back, Dib," Miss purred, opening the door for the man. He nodded to her and stepped inside, shoulders hunched at the chill breeze in the air that night. Miss watched him remove his coat with a different glint in her eyes, looking him up and down.

"So, who's in tonight?" Dib asked, oblivious to her stare.

"Mick, Amy—"

"Amy? Shit.."

Miss tilted her head.

"What's wrong Dib?"

He looked at her, making a discontented expression.

"Her man roughed me up last month," he replied, realizing how pathetic that sounded. "I just don't want any trouble."

"Well that's her problem," Miss replied, starting to lead him to his room. "If she pays the money, we aren't going to turn her away."

"Alright.." Dib sighed skeptically.

"Don't worry," the woman stopped to unlock his door. "We'll keep him out if he comes again."

"Thanks." Dib stepped into his room and looked around as if anything had changed. Nothing had.

It wasn't long before Mick came. It was the usual hour of torment and pain and pleasure.

Dib noticed at one point that Mick was sporting something new; a little tat on inner curve of his left leg, close to the hip. An odd place for a tat, especially for a male. He couldn't quite make it out, but it looked like a little barcode. Those have been getting popular in recent years, Dib thought as the tat disappeared while Mick's member ventured into places unmentionable.

Later, hour up, Mick left without a second look at Dib. He was an animal to be rented and disowned, nothing more.

Dib dressed himself, wincing slightly as Mick had been a little more rough than usual. He changed the sheets quickly and waited for Amy, whom was expected directly after Mick.

It was perhaps fifteen minutes after her due time that a knock came to the door. Dib opened it and the girl stepped in quickly.

"Amy," he grinned but it quickly slid to a deep frown. "What's happened?"

She looked away from him, pulling her dirty-blonde hair over the black eye she sported nicely.

"Nothing. I'm late, so let's hurry this up." She started fumbling with her jeans. Dib watched her a moment, then stepped over and took her by the shoulder.

"Amy, what happened?" he asked sternly, breaking rules and crossing lines he knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it.

She glanced up at him and he saw tears glint her beautiful blue eyes.

"I told you.."

"No, you told me nothing. Literally. Now speak." He led her to the bed and they sat together.

"Just.. just my boyfriend. He knows I come here.. And he knows he can't stop me, not really."

"He hurt you?"

"He didn't really mean to, we were just talking and things got out of hand." Her words spilled out in a hollow, toneless way that suggested she'd said this before.

"Amy, you should get away from him," Dib said angrily. A small thought nagged at the back of his head, questioning his righteousness with this girl and his wrongdoings with Zim. He pushed it away. Zim is different, he told it. It tried to argue, but he ignored.

"It's not that easy," she replied, biting her split lip. Dib touched a finger under her chin, making her look at him.

"Listen to me. You deserve better, and he's a brute of a man anyways. He doesn't deserve a delicate fire like you."

Her eyes widened a bit and she rose, moving away from his touch.

"Has he been here?" she asked quickly and didn't give Dib time to answer. "0h Jesus Christ no.. You need to get out of here. He will murder you."

"The security here will take care of him," Dib replied calmly, remaining seated as he was.

"He'll wait for you. Follow you home.."

Dib smiled reassuringly. "Your concern is touching. Don't worry about me, I'm a big boy I can take care of myself."

She smirked now, and he saw a bit of the Amy he knew in the expression.

"If you're so cocky.. I don't care, not really. Just don't want to be dating a murderer."

Dib reached out a hand and she took it, stepping close until she stood between his legs.

"Don't worry about me doll, just you worry about yourself."

She smiled and went down on him. It was short and stressed; Dib could tell she was not just time-conscious, but it didn't matter, she had paid for a full half hour and that's all he cared about.

Nobody else was scheduled for him that night, but he still had plenty. Mick had left a better tip than usual.

Dib stared the long night drive to Zim's, mind heavy with thoughts of Amy. He found himself watching the cars driving behind him until they turned off. Perhaps his new habit for awhile.

He killed the lights and parked in front of Zim's, sitting in his car for a few moments to clear his mind. He put on his aggressive face and got out, pocketing the money.

The door opened before he even reached the steps and he trotted inside without a glance at the Irken.

"Not so much tonight, so make it quick and don't waste my time," he said, tossing the two hundreds down on the table. Zim called up the lift, head down and antennae quivering. He didn't dare look up, even when they reached the room. Dib undressed himself, as did Zim, and the Irken was forced against the bed.

Why did it always have to be so rough? Zim had heard of humans who did it like the act of love it was supposed to be; gentle and sweet. Even prostitutes could do it kindly, gently. Nobody had to do it rough all the time. But Dib did. Zim cringed as he was hammered, unable to help himself. It hurt so much, and he had recently decided that he would never get used to it.

He didn't cry that night. He simply got up, got dressed, and stood with head down as Dib took his time leaving. When he was sure Dib would be gone, he returned upstairs and began putting on his disguise.

It was when he was pocketing the money and adjusting his hood that a knock came at the door.

Baffled and fearful of whom it could be, he stepped over and opened the door very slowly, silently.

A man forced his way in and grabbed Zim by the shoulders. The Irken gasped in surprise and struggled, unmindful of his PAK legs or weapons. How he wished GIR were still functioning. But it was just that; wishful thinking. Nothing lasts forever.

The larger male wrapped a hand around Zim's mouth and began to choke him. The alien fought his best, but weakened as he was by all else he didn't stand a chance against the human. At the end he almost willingly gave in to the darkness that swept him from the Earth and into a distant and quiet place somewhere deep inside his own mind.