Forgive me for the pitiful length of this chapter. I needed to update desperately, and I'm a college student now.

Again, I sincerely apologize. This is pathetic beyond belief. My next chapters will NOT be like this.

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Chapter 7:

Dib Decides

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The rest of the day passed with a movie—through which Zim had difficulty sitting still and paying attention, for he was puzzled as to why he was buzzing inside—and some putting around the mall before Gaz decided they should leave.

"What?" asked Zim, confused. "Is our hooky day over?"

"Well, yeah," Gaz replied, shrugging; "school's out soon, so, basically."

Zim frowned then. "Does that mean Zim must take you home now?" he asked. His antennae fell; had the day gone by that quickly? Did he not have a few hours left to try and befriend the earth female?

Much to his pleasure, she shrugged. "You could, but I don't really care," she told him. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head away, eyes narrowed. "I don't exactly want to go home."

"Oh, so, the Gaz-human and Zim could continue to—what was the phrase again? 'Hang out'?"

She glanced at him, somewhat startled. "You… want to keep hanging out with me?" She would've thought he was itching to get rid of her. In fact, she was stunned to realize that in the last several hours of hanging out, aside from their lunch conversation, she had not heard him say a thing about world conquest, or his Tallest, or Dib, or anything like that. Actually, he hadn't mentioned Dib all day, since she'd blown up at him about it.

"It is none of Zim's concern whether or not he and the Gaz-human continue to hang out," Zim announced, waving his hands around. "Zim simply is requesting the plans for the rest of the day." He was being facetious; he wanted to stay with Gaz for hours longer. He had become completely fascinated with her, and wanted to observe her further. She was, after all, imperative to the plan.

"Well, all right, then," said Gaz, still a little confused, but somehow pleased as well. "What to do, though…"

"We could always go back to the Gaz-human's favorite place," suggested Zim cheerfully. "That—vile little gaming room!"

Her eyes lit up, and before they knew it they were back in the arcade, she mindlessly watching the screen, he mindlessly watching her.

—

Dib was distraught. He didn't know if Amy was going to break up with him or not, and he still wasn't entirely sure why she was even considering it. What exactly had he done?

After school, he was torn between the choice of finding and talking to Amy, and returning home to plot more against Zim. He sat there stupidly in his car, key still in hand, pondering the question. Of course he should go seek Amy, but of course he should get back to work. After all, the alien had been mysteriously absent from school today, and that could only mean he was plotting something dreadful to destroy or enslave humanity. As a self-proclaimed defender of Earth, it was Dib's duty to stop Zim at all costs. However, Amy was…

"What are you, stupid?" he demanded aloud. "The fate of the earth is way more important than the fate of my relationship. Amy will understand; she's smart like that, she'll come around. And if not, then…"

Still, as he sat there contemplating, his eyes began to water and his head to pound. He leaned his forehead against the steering wheel and squeezed his eyes shut. I've really messed up today, he thought. I've really hurt my sister and my girlfriend, the two most important people in my life, the people who love me most in this world. But how could he look himself in the mirror, how could he call himself a man, if Zim's plans succeeded and wiped out the human race? There wouldn't be an Amy or a Gaz or anyone else to love and care about him. He was doing this because he loved them, didn't they see that? Why was that so difficult for them to understand?

They did have a point, though, in reference to how long Zim had been here and done no damage… but then, it was Dib's work that kept him from succeeding all these years. Didn't he deserve at least a thank you? Forget eternal worship and fame and glory—he didn't even get thanked for any of his long, hard work. Not one single thank you, only eye rolling and exasperation. And if Amy was right, and this was all his life was, just Zim… there had to be an end.

"It's settled then."

He gripped the wheel tightly, then sat up straight and turned on the car.

"Thwarting his plans isn't enough," he decided. "It's time I get off this rat wheel."

He pulled out of his spot and zipped out of the parking lot, heading home as quickly as he could. His plan was urgent— it was dire. It was time to do the deed.

It was time to kill Zim.