Zim was distracted, typing alien stuff on his computer, so he didn't notice Dib enter.

Dib took an extra jacket out of his bag and draped it over Zim. "Don't claw that one up." He sat down and took out the sewing kit to start working on fixing the one he had on.

Zim squealed and cuddled up in it, trying not to notice how it smelled like a Dib.

Dib smiled. "That's a new sound."

Zim's face heated and he growled, before going back to snuggling the fabric. "Doona make fun of my amazing sounds."

"I wasn't." Dib had still been sewing and winced when he missed, pricking his finger. "Been awhile since I've done that.."

Zim nodded. "True." He looked at Dib's finger lifted it up and sucked on the end. "Do you want Zim to do it?"

"You actually know how?" That was surprising to say the least. "I thought the computer did most stuff for you." Dib took his finger back. "I'm fine. I wasn't paying attention is all."

"Yes. I know how." Zim took the coat and sewed it quickly, finishing off and giving it back to Dib. "There. Admire my handy work."

Dib held it up. "Wow. I'm impressed." He put it back on happily since that was his favorite one. It was also the one he'd fixed the most.

Zim nodded. "Good." He zipped up the trench coat and went back to typing. "Do you have all your things?"

"All I did was get a jacket for you and a few pigs for Gir." Dib shrugged.

Zim spun in his chair, glaring. "Get more clothes and stuff. You need them unless you plan to run around naked the entire time we're in space."

Dib frowned. "Who said I was going with you?"

Zim rolled his eyes, "Haven't we gone over this already?"

"I still didn't agree to anything." He murmured.

"Too BAD! You're going!" He yelled.

Dib rolled his eyes. "You're so pushy. I'd need to go back to my house again then."

Zim smiled. "I'll come with you." He said, evilly, grabbing Dib's hand.

"Joy..." Dib pulled Zim along back to his house and into his room.

Zim bounced around the room; he'd been in before but never had really gotten a close look at it. He traced posters and laughed about Dib's stalking corner and jumped on his bed.

"It really isn't that funny. By the way you're 'shrine' as you call it is in my closet." It was mostly failed inventions Zim had made or things he'd gotten from Crop Circles Magazine. He got some clothes and a few things from the closet, looking around to see if he was missing anything.

Zim jumped off the bed laughing and flung the closet doors open. "Ha! You do keep a shrine of me!"

"No. It's all broken. I kept them to see if I could fix them to make them work again. I only got a few of them working again sadly."

Zim frowned. "Hey...I threw these out!"

"I had Gir bring at least half of them over." Dib shrugged.

"That horrrrrible robot..." Zim's eye twitched. He picked out a few of them, and tinkered with them waiting for Dib.

"Don't be so hard on him. Can you think of anything else I need?"

Zim shrugged and looked about the room. "I don't think so." He paused for a moment. "Do you want to say goodbye to your...family?"

Dib grabbed the backpack and walked out. "What family?"

Zim followed, closing the door. "The scary Gaz, and the professor."

"That was sarcasm. I don't want to say anything to them."

"Oh. Alright." Zim grabbed Dib's hand.

"Why do you care? You hate Gaz anyway."

"I do." Zim agreed, shuddering at the thought of the human female. "I care...about other things."

"What other things?"

Zim snorted. "None of your business, Dib beast."

"It includes me so it's my business."

Zim gave him a dry stare. "How do you know it involves you?"

Dib shrugged. "Had a feeling."

Zim tugged Dib along, "Well...your feeling was wrong. Now come on...we only have a few hours until...dawn."

Dib sighed and followed lazily. "Uh huh. Whatever you say."

Zim scoffed and tugged harder. "HURRRRRRYYYY!"

"We have until the afternoon silly. Calm down." Dib sped up and they went down to the lab.

Zim grumbled and crossed his arms, not wanting to wait longer than he had to. "Well, we have to leave SOON."

"Well if you're in such a hurry then start everything up." Dib crossed his arms as well and sighed.

Zim nodded and pushed buttons eagerly. "Put your things inside the Voot."

Dib threw the stuff in the Voot, unenthused.

"Do you not WANT to come with me?" Zim barked, putting his hands on his hips, in that feminine way of his.

Dib held back the urge to call Zim a girl since it would piss him off too much at the moment. "I already told you that they're more likely to not go after you if I stay." He mumbled. Of course he wanted to go.

"Does Zim care? Noooo..." He mocked. Then sighed, holding out his hand. "I want you to come with me. We can fight them together. We always worked better together than apart. You can explore space too. I'll take you to all the planets I know of."

"You should care you idiot..." Dib grumbled. He stared at Zim's hand for a minute before moving his own to grab it. "The exploring part sounds promising though."

Zim smirked evilly and tightened his grip. "Good." He looked up at Dib, and for a small moment there was calmness and warmth.

Dib smiled slightly before hitting Zim's head lightly. "Don't let it get to your ego. If it gets any bigger it'll explode."

Zim snorted. "My ego is perfect the way it is. Just like Zim." He smacked Dib's head a little less lightly. "Push your hair out of your face."

Dib whined and smoothed his hair down, letting it fall more in his face on purpose. "There. That better?"

Zim's eye twitched. "Do you want me to bring out the tape of doooom?"

"No. You make it too easy to mess with you." Dib poked Zim's forehead.

Zim screeched like a gorilla and pouted, retreating more into Dib's trench coat. "Zim will beat you with a naked mole rat if you do not cease."

"And if you try to hurt me I'll have to take my coat back." Dib grinned and hugged him.

Zim growled and tried halfheartedly to claw at Dib. "Never. It's mine now."

"Or so you think. I could slip it off you now if I wanted to." Dib nuzzled his cheek.

"LIIIIIEEEESS! It's Ziiiim's!" Zim cried, not really trying to squirm away too hard.

"No. It's mine and I'm letting you borrow it. Weren't you all fired up to leave a minute ago?"

"Oh yeaaaaaaahh...LETS GOOOO!" Zim bounced up and down.

"You're so weird." Dib shook his head and climbed in the Voot. He motioned for Zim to sit in his lap since there wasn't room for both of them any other way. "They should make these things for taller people." Dib commented idly.

Zim climbed up and sat dignified in his...friend's lap. "They don't need to be made for taller people. Only invaders drive these."

"Well you've grown a bit. Don't you eventually all get taller?"

Zim shook his head. "No. We reach a certain height and usually stay that way." He started flipping switches. "The only reason I'm taller is because of your planet's gravity."

"But I'm still taller and it makes you mad." Dib smiled innocently, laying his head on Zim's shoulder.

Zim tried to shrug Dib off. "You may be taller but, you aren't Irken which means I don't care."

"I can make you care." Dib bit his neck.

Zim growled. "Are you trying to start something?" He turned his head.

"No... I'm not a fan of cramped spaces and this thing to too tiny."

Zim sighed. "Are you claustrophobic?"

Dib frowned. "Maybe..."

He laughed. "I guess we'll find out." He said, before flipping the last switches and the Voot took off.

Dib whined and buried his face in Zim's back. "You enjoy tormenting me..."

Zim grinned. "Yes. Yes I do."

Dib growled and pulled on an antennae. "This isn't funny."

Zim grumbled at the antennae tugging. "Well what do you want Zim to do about it?"

"Stop enjoying it so much. You're scared of water and germs and I'm scared of small places."

Zim smiled. "I'm not enjoying it. I'm laughing because you always make fun of my weaknesses so," he stuck his tongue out.

"When we land somewhere... I swear I'm going to do horrible things to you." He grumbled and poked Zim's Pak idly.

Zim shuddered. "Oh I'm so scared. Shaking in my amazing boots." He focused on driving the cruiser, and ignored the Pak poking. "Human if you want a last look at your atmosphere, now is the time."

Dib chose to ignore the comment, for now at least. He turned and frowned as Earth got smaller and smaller. "There goes my entire life." He mumbled solemnly. "Everything I've ever known."

"Not everything." Zim mumbled, grabbing Dib's hand. "You still have me."

"You aren't from Earth so you don't count." Dib sighed and kept his eyes on the blue orb in the distance.

Zim frowned. "I didn't know you LURVED it so much."

"It's just sad." Dib looked down. "I don't know how to explain it."

Zim stared down at the controls. "It's your home." He whispered, thinking of Irk. "I understand."

Dib stayed surprisingly quiet considering they were in space. Had they been under different circumstances he'd be asking too many questions for Zim to keep up.

Zim just let it be quiet, afraid to break the silence. He wasn't used to Dib being so...still.

Dib didn't say anything. He watched the stars and planets pass but didn't really see them. Even Gir was getting anxious on top of all the supplies.

"Speak human. Do you want me to turn back?" He asked quietly, afraid of what the boy would say.

Dib blinked a few times as if he were in a daze and shook his head weakly against Zim's back.

"Then what? Do you wish me to find a rest stop for you?"

Dib shook his head again. He didn't know what he wanted or why he was so upset about it. All he knew was that his stomach hurt and he had to think too much to breathe normally.

Zim growled. "J-Just tell me what you need, damn it."

Dib had an 'I'd tell you if I knew' sort of expression but knew Zim probably wouldn't see it anyway.

"Whatever. We need to get as far away from here as possible."

Dib frowned. "I...have a bad feeling.."

Zim sighed. "Humans and your superstitions. Nothing is going to happen."

Dib's grip on Zim tightened. "Yeah...just superstition..."

For hours they flew, trying to get as far away from the planet called earth. Little did they know it wasn't far enough. Red stared at the poorly disguised Irken Voot cruiser. "Do they really think we're that dumb?"

Purple shrugged. "Obviously. Gotta give them credit though, it's not showing up as Irken. Must have been the human."

Red snorted. "Obviously. Zim wouldn't be able to do it."

"Think we should leave them alone for awhile to give them false hope?"

Red tapped his claw against the chair. "Well...do you want to play with your new toy, now or later?"

"Good question." Purple thought about it while floating around.

Red sighed and watched the dot slowly flying away. The human would be there's. Zim was just an added bonus.

"I can be patient for a little bit." Purple sat in Red's lap. "Did you want to go now?"

Red silently stroked his partner's antennae, thinking. "Let's follow them at a far distance. For now...let's wait."

Purple sunk into the chair contently. "Whatever you want is fine."

Red smiled and pulled Pur closer. "I love it when you're like this."

Purple let himself be moved before cuddling to get comfortable. "Like what?"

"All...you." Red sighed. He hated that he sounded whipped and pitiful. But, around Purple he couldn't help himself.

"You're so weird Red." Purple commented and wrapped his arms around the Tallest's waist.

"I know. You are too." Red sighed contently and enjoyed being in his lover's arms. But, then his eyes drifted towards the screen again.

Purple whined and stroked an antennae to get his attention. "Ignore them for awhile. They aren't getting away."

Red tried to relax. "I know." He turned his eyes to Purple and smiled mischievously. "Want to go...eat some snacks?"

Purple grinned. "Sounds good to me. But only if you're willing to carry me."

Red smiled, lifting his co tallest up bridal style. "Does that answer your question?"

Purple nodded. "Onward to the snacks." He pointed with a laugh.

Floating away they laughed, not seeming evil in that moment at all.

Back in the Voot Dib was still quiet and Gir was having screaming withdrawal.

Zim's antennae kept twitching from the stress and tension in the Voot.

Dib noticed the twitching and frowned. He didn't mean to make the trip so miserable.

The asteroids weren't as bad this time of the year he noted, realizing that soon he could remove the manual and just focus on auto pilot.

The odd silence and all the stress was making Dib tired and he yawned quietly.

"Go to sleep." Zim whispered, but it sounded loud.

He shook his head, the bad feeling still in the back of his mind.

"Why? You yawned." Zim complained.

"I'm fine." He mumbled.

Zim bit his tongue. "Whatever." He hated when the human was like this. So quiet and easy going. It was stoopid.

Dib pet an antennae. "You're mad."

Zim purred quietly then it slowly got louder. "I can't be when you do that. Zim...hates that."

"You hate a lot of things." Dib smiled slightly.

Zim nodded, lost in the sensations. "That is true."

Dib grabbed the other one too. "You don't hate me though, right?"

Zim whined, squirming. "N-no. Not anymore."

"That's good. Why are you whining?"

Zim let out another small whine, trying to push Dib's hand away from his antennae. "Because you keep playing with my antennae."

Dib sighed and let go. "Fine." He leaned back in the chair and went back to staring blankly out at the stars.

Zim pouted. "I didn't say I didn't like it. Their just sensitive." He grumbled, and crossed his arms.

"Uh huh. Do you even know where we're going?"

Zim grinned. "Not at all. Somewhere far from here."

"Watch, we're going to get lost and you won't ask for directions. Then we'll end up on some planet made of fire or something."

Zim waved away the concerns. "Nonsense. I have wonderful, directional skills. We'll be just fine." 9 hours later... "GRRR! I hate this universe! I hate that star and that star and that one too! You are undeserving of ZIIIIM!" He yelled pointing at several stars.

Dib groaned. "You've been screaming for hours! I told you you'd get lost!" He smacked the side of Zim's head. "Moron... Ask directions before we run out of fuel and end up on some HORRIBLE planet."

Zim slashed his claws at Dib's offending hand, much like a cat with yarn, and turned up his nose, (if he had a nose) at the idea. "NEVAH! I AM ZIM! I don't need help. I will get us out of this without any help!"

Dib tilted his head. "How dense can you be? WE'RE LOST AND DOOMED! So ask for directions before I do horrible things."

Zim smacked Dib's arm and sniffed. "Zim is not dense! I am very UN dense! What do you mean...horrible things?" He grinned seductively.

"Lies..." Dib mumbled. "If I told you it wouldn't be as horrible. Just ask for directions already." He pulled Zim's cheek to distort his face.

Zim yanked Dib's hand away from his face and frowned. "WHO? Who the hell do I ask in the middle of the universe with NO ONE around?" Zim growled and yanked Dib's hair scythe back. Red tapped his fingers impatiently against Pur's armor. "Has it been long enough you think?"

Dib winced. "Hey! Be gentle with it... And I don't know... There were a bunch of people back about an hour ago. Turn around." Purple grinned. "And you thought I was impatient. You can get them if you want."

Zim frowned and gnashed his zipper like teeth, really, really, really not wanting to turn around. Red nodded, ignoring the comment. With the press of a button, the Massive locked onto the ship's core and began the beaming process. It would take less than a few minutes. Zim felt the gravity in the ship get lighter and the Voot began beeping at him incessantly, sounding the alarm.

"You and your stupid pride. It will be worth it when we're not lost." Purple munched on a donut. "So what should we tell them when they get here?" Dib looked down at the controls and frowned. "What does beaming alert mean...?"

Zim began hyperventilating and frantically pushing buttons. "SHIIIIT!" He yelled, eyes panicked. He looked back at Dib. "I'm sorry, Dib." Red stroked an antennae. "I don't know. You are the one who wanted to have a new toy to play with. As long as you share every now and then, I could care less." He shrugged. "Besides I'll be spending a large amount of time torturing our favorite little pest."

Dib frowned, extremely worried. "Don't tell me that... We can fix whatever happened..right?"

Purple purred. "Alright. We'll share but make sure you still have time for your favorite me." He laughed.

Zim stared down at the controls which were useless now. He looked back up at Dib and smiled wryly. "No. They have a lock on us. Their beaming us to the Massive." Red smirked and kissed his partner. "Always."

"Why couldn't you have lied..." Dib growled. "Now we're going to be even worse off because you think you can't lose!" Purple smiled and kissed back. "Great. This is going to be fun."

"What?" Zim snapped, trying to find some way anyway to remove the annoying lock.

"If I stayed you might have gotten away, but noooooooo you're too good for that and have to win with your Zim-ness of awesome something!" Dib whined. "Great, I'm catching your stupid before I die!"

Zim shoved him. "Shut up! I should've just left you there alone? Of course I wouldn't. If you hadn't agreed I would've just knocked you out and took you anyway." He groaned as the ship began to disappear. "It isn't your fault. The universe doesn't revolve around you. AND I'M NOT STUPID YOU WORTHLESS SACK OF SPACE!"

Dib leaned his head against Zim's back. "Everything was hopeless. We're doomed and it's all my fault... You're always wrong and this isn't any different. If I hadn't called them then none of this would be happening. Sorry.."

Zim hissed and grabbed Dib's chin, looking deep into the dark, golden depths. "It's my fault. It's your fault. Who cares? We're doomed either way." Zim whispered, and nuzzled Dib's nose in the place where he had none. It was as close to a comforting embrace that most Irkens got to.

Dib frowned and looked away. "The fact that you're being nice just makes this worse. What can we even do? I'm not just getting taken to their stupid ship and saying 'Here I am to torture, have fun'. Isn't there something..?"

Zim grinned, and stroked Dib's cheek. "Of course there is. Of course.." He thought for a moment and twisted digging into a box. He pulled out a tube carefully with an evil grin. "I need you to go along with what I do alright?" He asked, thinking hard.

Dib leaned on him heavily and watched what Zim was doing. "What are you planning on doing?" He frowned and tried to identify the tube but in his state of mind he couldn't remember what it was.

Zim laughed manically, and turned to Dib kissing him on his nose. "Disintegrating the Massive from the inside out." He whispered, alarm in the background. With a final beep the Voot disappeared and reformed in the Massive.

Dib wasn't encouraged at all but a psycho with a plan was better than no plan. "I'll try to follow your lead." He mumbled quietly and hugged Zim tightly then the Voot disappeared. "What about Gir..?"

Zim frowned, having forgotten about the robot. He shrugged. "He'll be fine. He's Gir." With a thump they hit the floor of the Massive control room, and Zim felt a shiver of fear, happiness and insanity rush through him. He looked at Dib and smiled. "Good luck." He said, before kissing him on the mouth softly.

Dib whimpered, not even blushing. "You better know what you're doing..." He looked around the Massive worriedly; it looked a lot bigger in person. Dib was just glad that the Tallest weren't in view yet.

Zim waved away Dib's concerns. "Of course I do. I am Zim after all." With the press of a button the door to the cruiser opened and he jumped out, chin raised. The crew gasped and turned away from the destructive Irken, afraid they would be punished. Red grinned and his throne floated to the highest part of the Massive. "Zim. Dib. What a nice surprise." He grinned toothily.

"That isn't encouraging..." Dib whined. He watched Zim get out of the Voot and sighed. Zim's plan could work so he'd try his best to go along with whatever the Irken was planning. He got out of the cruiser as well and stood next to Zim trying not to look nervous, which was hard. Purple was behind the boys and ran a claw down Dib's cheek, causing him to yelp. "We missed you." He mirrored Red's grin.

Red smirked. "Did we ever." Zim sniffed indignantly, and stood tall, as tall as he could. He had grown quite a bit since leaving Conventia however and would probably reach the Tallest's shoulder plate. This irked Red, but he ignored it. "And Zim...you're still alive. Been awhile since we talked, I just assumed you'd died. But, then again it's impossible for you to die isn't it?" Zim growled when he saw Tallest Purple run a claw over Dib's soft face. No way. Dib belonged to HIM. Zim grabbed Dib's belt loop and yanked him away from the Purple menace.

Dib yelped again and practically fell on top of Zim. He pulled himself up weakly and stayed close to the alien. Purple growled. "You're on our ship Zim. This isn't that dirt ball you call home so don't act so high and mighty." He made a grab for Dib who hid behind Zim with a "G-go away..." added for effect. "No way. You're my new play thing. Don't worry, I'll be gentle." He grinned.

Zim growled; claws out. "You touch him, I'll tear your squeedly spooch out your ass." He bit out. Red hissed and floated forward. "And you talk to your Ruler like that again I'll make you eat yours." Zim didn't show that he was afraid, hiding the fear inside him so Dib wouldn't suspect they wouldn't get out of here. And because he had too much pride. Earth did that to you.

Dib pulled on Zim's shirt lightly, he was going to piss them off. "Can't we all just get along and eat waffles...?" He smiled weakly. Purple laughed. "We'll be getting along fine. Just not in a way you think." He ran a claw down Dib's cheek again just to piss Zim off. "You and I will have a very special relationship." Dib shivered lightly.

Zim turned and snapped his teeth at the arm. "Stop fucking touching him!" He screeched and hissed back raised like a cat's. Red shoved Zim with so much force he was sent flying across the room and he hit one of the control panels, before falling to the ground unconscious. "Stupid boy." Red shook his head.

Dib took a step back nervously. His legs were numb and it was difficult to not just collapse on the floor. Sure he was doomed and scared but for some reason he still walked past Red to get to Zim. Dib bent down and held Zim in his arms lightly, relieved to see no blood.

Red snorted as he watched the human child check on Zim. "How sweet. Your toy is in love with our enemy." Zim didn't move, as Dib checked on him, completely out. If he was awake he would be screaming and scratching wildly.

Dib frowned. "So what? You just wanted him gone in the first place so let him go." His grip tightened. "If you even try to hurt him again I'll kill you." Dib glared. His subconscious was telling him he was doomed and caught a horrible case of the stupid but at least he wasn't terrified at the moment.

The Tallest sighed and floated to his throne. "No. I have special plans to torture, maim and kill him so unfortunately he won't be leaving. But, after he's dead I'll dump his body out in space." He cooed. "How's that, human?"

Dib growled. "Don't even think about it. You're stupid, short, and a horrible leader. The entire Irken race is a joke!"

Red's eyes narrowed. He could deal with the stupid and the horrible leader thing but the shortness was going too far. "Grab him, and Zim. Throw them in separate cells." Red ordered to the guards.

The guards seemed conflicted. Red was scary but Zim was the defective from hell. And they didn't even know what Dib was. Everyone shuffled away and mumbled things about having other stuff to do. Dib grinned. "You can't even do anything without your mindless drones."

Red sighed. "Fine. I'll just execute the rest later." He floated over and using his Pak legs ripped Zim from Dib's arms, with a grin. "Purple. Restrain your toy."

Dib tried pulling Zim back but it was no use against a Pak. He glared and his hand grabbed a wire from the broken equipment. "Try and see what happens shorty." Purple growled and his Pak legs came out as well, reaching for Dib. When the legs were in range Dib pulled the live wire out and onto a Pak appendage. Purple yelped as he got shocked and fell back.

Red's fury was palpable. He tossed Zim to the ground and since his Pak legs were already out, opened a laser canon and prepared to shoot the human in the leg.

Dib's eyes widened and he tried to scoot away from the laser but it followed him. He didn't even look at Zim since he was a little pre-occupied at the moment. Dib's hand ran over a broken piece of metal and held it in front of him. If he couldn't avoid the blast then maybe the metal would reflect it..? At least he hoped it would.

Zim's head hurt like a bitch, but there was no time to complain. He squinted his eyes open and watched the Dib-Human dance around; trying to avoid what would surely be a painful wound. Zim had no weapon; no way to help...his Pak was damaged from hitting the wall. The only thing left to do was...Zim sighed and with a war cry bit as hard into Red's leg as he could. The sweet taste of Irken blood filled his mouth. Red cursed and his sudden movements set the lasers off.

Dib stood motionless for a few seconds stupidly. The scene in front of him was like a car wreck and he couldn't not look. When he snapped out of it he tackled Red in a way that he wouldn't fall on Zim. He took the piece of metal and jabbed it into Red's Pak. He didn't aim for anything too vital but tried to hit the spot he thought had to do with movement.

Red spasmed and went still. Zim sat up and spit the blue blood from his mouth, wiping it on his arm. "Are you okay?" He asked.

Dib's eyes widened. "D-did I kill him...?" He dropped the metal and the sound of it hitting the floor rung in his ears.


A/N: They're on the Massive now, yay. Also yay for the lame title. I think they're getting progressively worse... Is Dib a murderer? Only one way to find out.