Chapter NIN: Lies

This feeling...warmth...life. Was it really deserved...? Why? Why was it coming back? What was there in the world that needed him...he wasn't needed...Better off dead. He'd already caused so much destruction...he deserved to go to hell...

...

This planet's atmosphere was dense and moist, just barely managing to sizzle his skin & seep into his clothes enough to make the fabric rough against him. The dark moon was setting over the even darker horizon, on the opposite side of him the Tszunarian sun rose, bringing with it a new type of darkness. It was a bright dark that cast the world into a sea of sepia tones. In this sea of bleakness, the natives stood out in highlighted colors, making them easy targets for the invading Irken soldiers.

A splash of bright pink flooded and flowed beneath his boots. Two of the natives were bleeding on the leaves and foliage, staining them with pink and neon green. The Irken who'd gunned them down stood idly by and watched as they reached towards each other, their hands nearly touching, but not quite. Using a boot, the Irken assured that the aliens had no contact with one another. They both gave out pained sounds as he snuffed them out with his gun, their cries and movements slowly fading away.

...Why...

The question made itself known for a moment before fluttering away due to 'advanced' pak programming.

...Should've thought longer...should've realized.

Too late, Zimmy, deeds already done.

Why though...

Because you are a ruthless, soulless thing.

No, Dib says I have a soul...I have one!

No, dear Zim, you really don't.

Why not, I want one, too.

Because of the things you've done, you don't understand, you don't deserve a soul, anymore...Not that any Irken ever did in the first place.

Then why...

...

...

"I'm sorry..." Dib said.

Zim didn't reply to his apology or even acknowledge it. He'd have looked over at Dib, but that would take energy and he didn't want to waste something like that. "I knew you'd come..." Zim said simply. It was a repeated thought...the only one he could think right now.

"What?" Dib asked.

"I knew you'd come get me...we're friends now...remember. And if anyone's going to capture me...it's you..." Zim said weakly.

"Come on Zim, we're busting out of here."

… … … …

Pressure started ebbing away from his chest. Good, he thought, he still couldn't breathe, but maybe the pain would go away if the pressure did. It didn't. But it did start getting darker, and the yells became more distant. Now Zim could sleep. He didn't know why, but sleep seemed to sound so good right now.

"ZIM!" A yell woke him. he shuddered, the pain was worse with air colliding into it. "Zim! Don't give up...not yet, not now!" The yelling was so close now. It was Dib, Zim realized. Maybe Dib could make the pain go away, make it better.

… … … …

"You really should have a better defense," Dib suggested. Zim shrugged, not even looking at Dib.

"Zim," Dib said, getting his attention, Zim glanced over for a moment before going back to work. "Zim, there are people coming to kill you right this moment, we need to get out of here."

"What are talking about, Dib-stink?" Zim asked. "Gir!" Zim yelled, not even letting Dib talk first. Gir showed up immediately, bits of waffle on his mouth. "Take the smelly human out of here, now."

… … … ...

"Zim, come on. It's the last day of Skool before summer, you can't just not come," Dib called down to him.

"ZIM shall not be subjected to the WETNESS!" He yelled from below. Dib was getting frustrated. Sure it was raining, but not very much. Why did it bother Dib so much to know that Zim wasn't going to be at Skool? It wasn't like he cared. It was good if Zim stayed here, so Dib could spy on him more.

"Zim…" Dib said quietly, then his words came out before he could even think about them, "You can stand under my umbrella." This made Zim and Dib both go into silence, thinking about that. Finally Zim came up, disguised and ready.

"Umbrella?" Zim asked. At the prompting, Dib pulled it out. A huge black thing, something he'd managed to get from Gaz once. It was big enough to shelter them both, that way Zim wouldn't just take it from him. "Pfff, fine," Zim scoffed, letting Dib lead him out the door. "I suppose that horrid screeching woman would be displeased if ZIM weren't there," Zim said.

… … … …

Why would a smart human...the smartest human on Earth, want to save Zim...a heartless and soulless being...?

He's simply using you. Using you for his own desires. Think about it, Zimmy...think very deeply about it...

… … … ...

Dib nodded nervously. "Why'd you help me?" Zim asked. Silence answered him. Dib was confused by his reaction, it wasn't what he expected.

"I-I don't know…I wanted to keep you alive…for you know…experimenting…" Dib said. "But why aren't you mad?" He asked like Zim was crazy, which he probably was.

Zim shrugged. "We were enemies then. I would have done the same you know." Zim gave a small smile to show he wasn't at all mad.

"Oh…You mean…try to kill me?" Dib asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Well yeah. But I mean the other part too…saving you," Zim said.

… … … …

"Give Zim one reason to stay…" Zim said, not saying if he'd stay if there was a reason, simply demanding a reason.

Dib thought hard about that. Thought about something that might convince Zim not to go and die. "Zim I…I need you here…" Dib admitted. He was admitting it to himself and to Zim. He hadn't realized it, but there it was, and it was true. If Zim were gone, what would Dib do then?

"You need my base, my Irken equipment. No one needs Zim…" He said sadly, gazing off at a wall, a far away expression on his face.

"No…when you're base is empty…so am I…I don't need your base…or your equipment. I could care less what race you are, or what species…I need you…" Dib choked out, he was near-tears now with realizing so much. Dib wasn't really heartless at all, and neither was Zim. They were both alone…but when they were around each other, neither was alone anymore. He didn't know if this small admittance was enough to keep Zim grounded to earth, so he just stepped away from the cruiser and looked away at the ground, letting Zim leave if he chose.

There was silence for a moment as Zim stood still. Suddenly Dib felt Zim move a little. "Zim needs Dib too…" Then he heard Zim walking away, back to the base.

… … … …

This is real... Whatever it is...it's not on Irk.

Why is this important? Irk is better in that silly emotions like this are eradicated.

...They're not silly...

You used to think they were, did you not?

...Did I...?

… … … …

Zim placed the parts on a bench and went back to his monitor. Why had Dib looked at him that way? What had that look in his eye been? Dib really was acting strange, asking pointless questions. Zim looked back to the monitor, decided that this was more important than what the Dib was up to.

… … … …

Zim simply couldn't understand this compassion thing. A person feeling bad because another person felt bad. It didn't make any sense to the Invader. Once he found compassion and friendship being related to comrades on a battlefield, Zim began to get it a little more. It seemed to fit with Dib. They almost seemed like comrades now. Zim could refuse to believe it and deny it to the boy…but the human had saved his life. And now Zim sheltered him in his base. He had planned on spying on the human, but figured Dib wouldn't dare try anything while in enemy territory.

He'd been right, Dib was pretty dormant lately. Zim had checked the security cameras set up all around the house and saw that Dib had only been doing silly human things. And what had Zim been doing? Researching more about the humans and their ways.

Dib was smart. If he'd wanted to capture Zim, he would've by now. To Zim, this only meant one thing. It meant that, perhaps, Dib and Zim were friends. What was it like to have a friend? Zim hadn't ever had one. Since his first training, he'd been sent away to Vort, where he'd been mostly isolated. From then on Zim was mostly alone. He wondered if other Irkens had been alone as he was.

Zim suddenly found himself questioning what other Irkens lives were like. Maybe they weren't all about war and taking over. What if other Irkens had compassion, what if they had friends…did they love? Zim started vigorously looking these things up in the computers database, when that failed, he turned to the earth's "internet". He wondered if, maybe, Dib could be a friend of his already…maybe something more than that.

… … … …

What about Dib? Had he been hurt in the ambush? Did that matter either? It did…or not. Zim couldn't decide. Dib was the enemy…or was he a friend? If Dib was the enemy he would have been the one to plan the attack…if he'd planned the attack, then he would have let Zim know it was him afterward. So Dib was a friend? Yes…Zim hadn't seen him yet, so Dib was friendly.

… … … …

The Dib was on the couch, sleeping. The TV made a glare across his glasses. Gir had left it on the angry monkey show again, only now Zim had it muted. Dib was sleeping on his couch…and for some reason he didn't mind. He knew he should be angry, but Dib had done so much now…even Zim couldn't deny that Dib had saved him twice now.

Dib looked so comfortable, which was strange. Zim was used to Dib being tense around him, of course Dib didn't know Zim was there. He was so relaxed, Zim just wanted to touch him…it made his `spooch warm…though he didn't know why. Humans seemed innocent, though primitive. The way they clung to each other...

Zim poked Dib in the head lightly, humans slept for a very long time. Zim didn't need to, because of his pak, thus why he was crouched before Dib, still poking him in the head. His head wasn't really so big. Zim didn't know why everyone said it was.

Zim sniffed Dib's arm, he didn't stink as much as he used to. Zim had almost gotten used to the suffocating odor of humans, and Dib had some of Zim's Irken odor rubbed onto him from staying in his base. Overall, Dib smelled quite alright. Zim liked Dib's smell, he wanted to bury himself in the intoxicating scent.

… … … …

"I like it, Zim," Dib commented.

"Yeah...me too," Zim whispered. Suddenly, Dib pushed his lips against Zim's disguised skin. "W-what's this..?" Zim asked.

"Shh," Dib told him. He put his arms around Zim. The alien snaked his around Dib too, wondering what to do.

"Is this a...friend thing...?" Zim asked, wanting to know if this was normal.

"No, but we're not really friends anymore, are we?" Dib said, then after a beat, kissed him, right on his mouth. Such warmth and ease...it amazed the Irken's mind that humans felt this way. Zim complied to Dib's kissing with his own, even going so far as to grope. Zim vaguely hoped Gaz wouldn't come down, but she was busy with her new game and knew she'd be stuck with it for hours.

Dib rubbed his head into Zim's chest, their arms still around the other. "We aren't friends?" Zim asked, slightly worried.

"No Zim…we're more than that…" Dib said, a little breathless. Zim looked at him quizzically. "Zim…you know what you refer to as 'pig mate'?" Dib asked. Zim nodded. "I'm your pig mate…" Zim grinned.

"You're mine…I own you," Zim said. Of course Zim had to narrow everything down to ownership. But Dib didn't argue, Zim could own him forever.

… … … …

Emotions aren't bad...they're good. Dib likes them...he says they're human...

What's so good about being human?

They aren't heartless Invaders...that's for sure.

You just say that. But you know they're lower life forms. Why do you care so much...?

Because...Dib cares...more than anyone ever has.

… … … …

Zim mumbled and opened his dull red eyes. "Zim…?" Dib whispered.

"Hn?" Zim breathed. Dib wrapped his arms around Zim tightly, crushing his face into Zim's chest.

"God Zim! You're such an idiot!" Dib sobbed into Zim. Gir squealed and ran away, leaving the boys alone together. Zim looked down at the human in his lap in disorientation. He smiled and ran his Irken hands through Dib's hair, rubbing his head. It seemed so right.

Dib sat up and crawled into Zim's open arms as they held each other. Dib nestled his head into Zim's chest, Zim's head resting Dib's head. "You know…your head's not so big…" Zim mumbled.

Dib laughed. "Yeah…you're completely normal Zim…I'm sorry," Dib apologized.

"I'm not normal…" Zim whispered. Dib looked up at Zim questioningly. "I don't need to be normal…"

"No, you don't," Dib said smiling. Zim smiling back softly.

"I can't be human…" Zim said softly, almost inaudible, "and I can't be Irken…" Zim looked at his own hand. "I don't know what I am, I guess I'm nothing…" Dib took Zim's hand in his own.

"You're mine," Dib said strongly, "And that's all that matters. I don't care if you're human or Irken or neither or both." Dib reached up to kiss Zim's antennae softly. "I always liked you better green anyway," Dib told him.

"You must be insane," Zim said in Dib's ear. Dib looked up at Zim, their eyes met. Dib pressed his warm lips to Zim's cold ones, They both felt such relief flood inside that they both felt it as they melted into each other.

"You know I am," Dib panted.

… … … ...

"Zim…why are you crying? And where'd your clothes go? You better not have gone stripping," Dib said teasingly. Zim just stood there for a moment then rushed into Dib's chest, burying himself deep, trying to forget the emptiness that had previously overcome him.

"Jeez, Zim," Dib sighed in a comforting tone, "I didn't think you'd even notice I was gone…" Dib wrapped his arms around Zim and held him close, assuring him he was real and not dead at all. Zim looked up, smelling Dib deeply.

"I thought you were dead…" Zim admitted. Dib looked taken back, but not overly surprised. Zim told Dib everything about how he and Gaz went out to find him.

"You…you did all that for me..?" Dib asked, he never knew anyone would do that much for him. Zim wiped all the wetness away from his face.

"It was empty…without you…" Zim whispered.

… … … …

"How long you wanna watch?" Zim asked, turning to Dib.

"Till it's over," Dib answered. Zim smiled at Dib as he scooted over into Dib's arms. He laid his head on Dib's warm chest. They continued to watch the storm. Zim knew now that earth was where he belonged, more specifically in this base, in Dib's arms. All doubt of not belonging there vanished.

When the storm finally died down, way later, they simply laid there, staring at the pitch black sky. Only the sound of crickets remained. "I'll have to kill those crickets," Zim whispered, sounding at peace while promising death. It made Dib laugh softly.

"No Zim," Dib forbade, hugging Zim a little tighter. After a while the stars came out again. It was a no moon night, so it was still dark. Zim snuggled closer to Dib, never wanting to let go. Dib held Zim tighter, promising he'd never let go, never let him be alone. Zim appreciated Dib being there. It really was a nice night. What made them finally go inside was the bright red sun beginning to peak above the horizon.

… … … …

"It's okay Zim…you're home now," Dib said quietly, enjoying the feel of Zim's skin against his.

"Yeah…" Zim mumbled. He was so tired now. Dib was safe, he was safe. What else was there to do. Sleep, that was what he needed. Zim took Dib's hand and they went off to Dib's room. Dib laid down and let Zim curl up into him. Neither of them slept for a long time, but they both felt better, just being together.

… … … …

"I believe on earth it means a lot for one person to say to another person…words of…luuurv…so…" Zim struggled with what it was he wanted to say. "Dib, I…I," He looked up into Dib's hopeful eyes, the ones that always rescued him, the ones that always held him when he needed it, the ones Zim always looked to when he felt alone, and then when he looked, he didn't feel alone anymore. "Dib, I love you…" Zim said with as much feeling as he could.

"I love you too, Zim," Dib whispered.

… … … …

It doesn't matter what the human thinks...you're still just a soulless monster.

But...no! I want one, too! I deserve a soul, too...

Too bad, you're Irken, so you can't possibly have a soul.

So...I'm not an Invader anymore...and I'm not Irken anymore either! I'm...I'm just Zim...

Are you sure you would give up Irkenhood for such a flimsy human ideal?

I don't care anymore! Even if it's just an idea...It's better than any Irken idea!

But Irk is so obviously better in every way. You've been saying so many years, even when all of Irk abandoned you...you still proclaimed it's greatness.

… … … …

"You can't win against them…you'll get killed…" Zim mumbled.

"No I won't Zim, is this because you're Irken?" Dib asked, getting angrier.

"Dib! The Irken armada is millions strong! Do you really think the tiny amount of humans and weak Meekrob can stop them?" Zim asked in a burst of volume.

"Yes, we can Zim. Whose side are you on?" Dib asked, raising a brow at Zim.

"I…yours!" Zim said suddenly. Dib's eyes softened as Zim got frustrated with himself. "Dib, I know the Irken Empire…you can't win. The Meekrob…I don't know what they'll do with you once they find you but…it can't be good. They're just as bad as Irkens…"

"You're just saying that because all your life you've hated the Meekrob and every other species out there…" Dib pointed out. Zim sat back and shut his mouth, he'd hated the Meekrob all his life, but was that really why he felt so bad about joining them? "Thanks for the support Zim," Dib mumbled angrily.

… … … …

I was wrong! The whole time, Earth was better! It still is! If it means I have a soul...if it means I still have Dib...Earth is always better, ten times better.

Are you really so sure? Irk is all you've ever known, all you've ever served. You serve the machine, Zim, it's what you were made for.

The machine is dead! It's gone...It's inefficient...and earth is the replacement! Earth has always been better! Earth means love! And being together, not just being the same like a machine, but really together...

You sound decided...

I am...now I know I always have known, just...didn't realize it until now.

... Good. ...Always good to be 100.10%

Yeah...Who are are you anyway?

Why, Zimmy...didn't you know? I'm you.

There was Dib's face, right up to his own face. But the mere seconds he was waking up weren't enough for him to realize that, thus Zim and Dib collided head-on, nearly breaking Dib's glasses as Zim jumped in alert at the sudden closeness to someone else. "Dib!" Zim yelled hoarsely, still up in Dib's face, and with still-numb arms, embraced the human and pulled him in as close as he could. Though, still weak from the nearly dying and what-not, all he managed was a limp hug. But the startled human took it, likewise wrapping his arms around the Irken and hanging on for life.

"Wh-What the hell..." Dib breathed in surprise and shock.

"Dib...I'm on Earth's side..." Zim struggled to say, his body wanting rest rather than the work is took to speak.

"I-I know that," Dib assured, maybe there had been doubts in the past, but not anymore.

"I want a soul..." Zim whispered, oddly quiet, despite their close proximity. "I...I want Earth...I don't want to be Irken..."

The air grew still, Dib had no idea what to say to that. never before had the alien made such a declaration. Even when fighting against the Irkens, Zim usually made it clear that they were better and had the upper hand. What made the arrogant little guy change so much?

"Why?"

"Huh?" flashbacks of his strange dream came forth and he was confused for a minute.

"Why don't you want to be Irken anymore?" Dib clarified, not daring to even move right now. The kneeling position he was in was beginning to hurt tremendously, but nothing, even pain, could make him upset this moment. He wouldn't be distracting the nearly mindless one below him when such an important question was posed. If he didn't get an answer while Zim was currently on the topic, then he might never get it.

The air was still and quiet as Zim mulled that over. He was Irken...a broken Irken, but from Irk nonetheless. What could cause him to be disloyal just now? Wasn't it nice to be part of the machine? "It's...the machine..." As Zim paused, Dib pulled away to watch Zim talk, he looked so lost...so tired of searching... "Earth...everyone's so close, we're so close, Dib...But Irk...it's closer...and farther away, too. I...I just want a soul, too, Dib. I don't wanna be alone... Can I have Earth now?" Zim asked. By the look in Zim's eyes, is was obvious he was losing grasp of reality again, slipping out of the conscious world.

"You do have a soul...and Earth is yours...It always has been. Earth is your home, Zim," Dib explained with a slight smile, hoping Zim was still lucid enough to hear him. a familiar grin donned the alien's face as he passed out again.

Even when the world is crashing down...he's still there... He's always there. Dib...why do you stick around...the both of us are going to drown at this rate...

You'd like that, wouldn't you?

What? Of course not!

After all, if you're going down, shouldn't that rat, Dib go down with you?

...No. If I go down...Dib should go on.

And why, Dear Space-boy is that?

Because...Earth needs him...

So? Who cares about that?

I care. Because Earth is my home now. And Goddamn it, we're gonna protect it!

Oh really?

Yeah! If I die, I'll die trying to save Earth! And when I die, Dib should go on. To protect our home!

Is Earth really so important? Is it really so much better than Irk?

It's much better. Trust me. I was left there to die by the Irkens, if they want me to die there, then I will. I'll die at my home, Earth.

Then, so be it.

The world began to lighten once more. But this time, it wasn't Dib's face that welcomed him. It was a field, a huge meadow filled with white flowers. Everything was so bright and inviting. Though, the sky was filled with clouds. It looked like there was going to be a storm soon. "About time you came back." Zim whirled around to see Gaz standing among the flowers. She looked different. Her hair was slightly longer and she was wearing a knee length white dress that flowed with the wind. And...she looked so peaceful.

"Gaz..." He mumbled. She cocked her head and smiled.

"Hey, Zim," She welcomed, "I can't believe I'm about to say this...But I've missed you. Dib, too."

"..." This was really freaky. Who knew Gaz was capable of such kindness. "We...We've missed you, too. Especially Dib."

"Yeah," Gaz said, her eyes turning downcast. "I've been watching you guys."

"Zimmy!" Arms were thrown around him from behind.

"Wh-What the...Tak?" He guessed in surprise. Tak giggled and let go, coming around to stand next to Gaz. "What are you doing here?" Tak merely shrugged and clung onto Gaz, as if they were sisters. They almost looked like it, wearing identical dresses like that.

"She's come to join me...You'll be here too someday, but not today," Gaz explained.

"What is this place exactly?" Zim asked, looking around again.

"A good place," Gaz answered simply. "Do you remember your mission?"

"My mission?" Zim echoed. Gaz arched an eyebrow and Tak grinned at him. "Yeah, protect Earth...and Dib."

"Yes," Gaz confirmed, "And to protect Earth, you need to save my son. He's being held captive by the Meekrob."

"You need to get him quick, Zim," Tak said, "He's growing up so fast." Gaz nodded and leaned her head on Tak's.

"You've got your mission," Gaz said, smiling.

"Now, go," Tak said, touching his chest and shoving him backward without any effort at all, then the world spiraled away into a black abyss.

"Haha!" Nikki laughed loudly, pointing at her brother, "You screwed up!"

But all Zayn did was slowly turn to face her, a creepy grin donning his face. "Oh, did I?" He asked. Nikki arched a brow and looked at the computer monitor.

"Yeah...you did," She said, observing the negative reaction. "Pretty badly, too."

"Really?" Zayn asked again, looking at the monitor as well. "I'd say not." With a grin he left, returning to his master.

The other sibling remained to stare at the screen. "What the fuck does he mean? Of course he messed up..." She said to herself.

"Dear Sister," Zayn called from the other room. "Our objective wasn't to kill him..of course." His voice echoed about the room. "Which is exactly why you weren't the one to operate the curse."

Rolling fury burst inside her. She'd worked so hard to get her revenge...to have it spoiled. Her anger was almost enough that the small computer room couldn't hold it all. "Now now, sister...don't get testy. You know that our organization doesn't work that way...the master, Kaito, doesn't like it." Zayn chastised from a safe distance.

She only scoffed at that, pacing in the small, dark room. "If master is so kind then why did he kill that girl, Gaz?" Nikki asked, wondering what good doing that could possibly serve.

"She was too evil," Zayn answered easily. "Her power outweighed everything else...and that couldn't be allowed."

"Then why not kill Zim?" Nikki yelled, wanting so badly to smash in the computer screens. "He's bad too!"

"But he's not evil, and neither is he very powerful in this war," Zayn told her, his voice moving from place to place around the room. "He has a very important connection, though...one that may solve everything. He isn't enough to decide the entire outcome of the war, but enough to strengthen Earth's defenseless side."

"..." How could she possibly argue with that. With non-logic, of course. "So the fate of the world is more important than my revenge?" Nikki asked, stopping in her pacing. "I don't think so."

"Yes...the fate of the Universe...is much more important than your revenge, sister," Zayn said flatly, "This is exactly why we don't let you play with the controls...anymore..."

"You have to admit though, London was pretty fun," Nikki said, smiling in the memory of such beautiful chaos.

"...Yeah...yeah, that was pretty fun," Zayn said, she could just hear his grin, "But that's not what we're supposed to use the Time Lord's power for...and you know it."

"I was bored," Nikki said, as if that were a perfectly understandable excuse.

"I honestly don't care," Zayn said without empathy, "Touch the controls again and you'll never have that sweet revenge of yours."

"You're such a horrible brother!" Nikki yelled in anger. She could hear the footsteps of her brother leaving, which irked her. "This is all your fault anyway!" And it was...it was his fault that they'd ended up in an Irken prison...where she met Gaz, and where Kaito first picked them up.

Loud, annoying rings interrupted her cynical thoughts, along with flashing red lights. All the security cameras proved the same thing...The Master hadn't been lying when he said there was another Time Lord in this Universe. But...this one had a bow-tie...not very cool at all.

"Master..." Zayn said, watching the blue-haired man carefully.

"Well, we were warned...it seems this Master Time Lord of ours knows what he's talking about," Kaito said, observing the screens and waiting for The Doctor to make his move.

"Looks a tad different from the description..." Zayn noticed. This person wore a bow-tie and suspenders...and the woman at his side was a ginger.

"Yeah, but that's him, alright," Kaito said, "I've heard that Time lords regenerate into new bodies when they die...must have happened to this guy, too."

"He looks...odd..." Zayn said, watching The Doctor jump around as the ginger followed him.

"It doesn't matter..." Kaito muttered, "As long as he has the power of Gallifrey..."

"Yes, of course," Zayn agreed.

Back To The Main Program.

Aliens on a foreign planet selling goods were not very forgiving, as it turned out. Dib promised he would never leave the ship again as long he didn't have to a Joozian with so many Jaggons again... he shuddered as he entered the ship with the few goods he was able to get. "Oh, hey, Zim," Dib said, putting down the crappy goods. Zim was up again and currently playing around in Gir's head as Gir sang the doom song quietly to himself.

"Hey..." Zim mumbled. As Dib sat next to him, Zim let Gir run free. "I saw Gaz..." Zim mumbled quietly.

"What? When...what do you mean?" Dib asked, taken completely by surprise by Zim's statement.

"I dunno...I saw her in this field...of flowers..." Zim said, looking off into space. "And Tak was there, too. They told me to remember the mission..."

"..." Dib scooted closer to Zim. "And what's the mission?"

"...To save Earth," Zim said, more sure of himself. "But first...we need to get Miz."

"Gaz's son...Miz," Dib said quietly, "Yeah...we will."

"And then Earth," Zim said, turning to face Dib. There was unmistakable confidence in Zim's eyes and determination that Dib hadn't seen in a long time. "Our home."

That last bit made Dib smile, despite the tough situation, what with the world and his nephew being in danger. "...and then our home," Dib whispered, taking hold of Zim's hand. That night they took advantage of what would probably be the last relatively peaceful night they would have together.

The stars and their systems were completely different on this planet, so they made up their own constellations. Each constellation had it's own story and shape...and soon the whole sky told a never ending story.

….

A/N

I really like that last part, hope you all did too. This chapter took a lot of copying and pasting and rewriting and such and such, so I hope it's still good after all of that. Oh, and bow-ties are cool...so are fez's...I don't care what anyone says. : ) anyway, hope someone catches the South Park reference, it's really really vague. Alrighty then. With the exception of the upcoming chapter, cause I wrote most of it already, the plot is going to go a lot faster now, hopefully.

Oh and I might should mention, in that scene where Tak and Gaz talked to Zim, yeah, Skoodge was there, too, just not exactly there at that moment. He wasn't really a part of that scene, but yes, he and Tak 'went to the same place' and whatnot. I imagine that Tak and Gaz would be great friends actually, even the original characters from the show, because they both hate basically everything. They'd both think that the other is stupid, yeah, but they'd be friends. Just my opinion on that.

About the chapter name. I know it doesn't have much to do with this actual chapter, but 'Lies' is often something that Zim says in the show. And I guess Zim's confronting the lies he tells himself. And also I am a liar. :P although she disagrees, I accidentally lie to my sister quite often. This chapter is sortof for her. Sorry I lie so much, sis!

Thank you so much for reading! Please review, it would make my week. : D and for every review I get, Gir gets a new video game, Do Not Deny Gir Games! :) KThnxBye