Interlude chapter: Through the looking Glass

Author's note: Hi everyone! TempestJewel here! I am having issues with the upcoming chapter so I decided to show what in the hell has Prof. Membrane been doing the whole time. Well this Chapter is for him! I personally think he is a terrible parent but I don't doubt his love for his children and so for the purpose of my story I will try to explain both! Oh and I warn you Membrane is every bit as smart as his son and daughter but doesn't have half of their defining heart. Also I couldn't find out how tall Membrane was so I just picked something I figured close to it. Also this is the most disturbing thing I have ever written and I didn't plan it this way at all but oh well I am sorry if this chapter weirds people out. It weirded me out to be honest and I wrote it!

Warnings: Definite Adult themes in this chapter there will be boyxboy and mentions of torture and unlawful imprisonment and manipulation but I will not get descriptive on any of them but they are there.

Third Person P.O.V.

On the bed of a luxurious jail cell sits a man in a white lab coat that covers the lower half of his face and safety googles that cover most of the upper half he is a tall man of 5'9" and he is looking out of his barred window thoughtfully.

"I wonder what Gaz and my son are doing right now. Hopefully my captors saw fit to at least keep them fed. If not Dib will handle it he is a resourceful little boy and he has that foreign friend too though I am fairly certain they are both crazy with their little alien games he would probably still help my son with Gaz."

He begins pacing the cell for it is a cell even if the bed is soft, the carpet luxurious and the bathroom immaculate. He is not free to leave except for when the shadow government allows him to work… on their projects of course. He talks out loud to himself so as to break the silence not caring if they hear him or not.

"That one soldier always insists they are fine but he hasn't been here in while…." One thing he is careful talking about is that soldier the only one who ever tells him about his children, keeps tabs on them, and whispers words of hope in his ears whenever they make love. Membrane blushes to himself thinking of his strange lover. He has had many since the woman who helped him create Dib and Gaz passed away but the soldier was by far the only one he…. even thought of having feelings for, he only thinks this however, because even though the soldier shares his bed often and does such kindnesses as to give him information of his children even if they might be false he knows his soldier loves another.

Sure he promises oaths of loyalty and faithfulness but Membrane knows that the Welsh man would leave him in a heartbeat if his Unrequited love ever gave him the time of day. Or maybe he would leave him if he found a person of his age group to turn his affections on since that soldier is younger than him though there are little differences since Membrane hasn't aged in quite a few years due to an experiment gone somewhat wrong awhile back.

"That was when they took interest in me found me a threat" he mumbles out loud now that his riskier thoughts passed, "Now I am their tool replicating this curse for them… well I won't do it! They can't make me! Helping them destroy humanities' potential I won't allow it!"

He is stomping back and forth now his anger making him not notice the door opening behind him. He stops cold when he feels a strong pair of arms wrap around his waist and lips against his ear.

"Of course you won't my dear you are smarter than them. They can't make you do what they ask and you won't right?"

Membrane immediately relaxes into his soldier's hold having long got over his sneaky entrances and clasps his hands over the ones holding him.

"Of course not I promised you and my children I wouldn't" Membrane then pauses a moment debating on asking his next question knowing that asking about his lover's personal life sometimes made him leave early and he didn't want to go back to the loneliness just yet. Gathering what little courage he had left in his soul after three years and two months of being a prisoner he speaks.

"Where have you been? You normally don't leave for so long…." He starts out with his question but quickly tries to cover it with reason so his soldier is less likely to be mad. He need not have worried though for the man holding him had expected this one.

"I was doing a few little side jobs and I had to take a few pets to the vet and I have missed you so…" The Soldier begins undressing Membrane knowing that all cameras in the room shut off sound when they make love and he can speak freely as long as he appears to be doing nefarious things to the professor. His muffin knows this as well and allows himself to be undressed as the soldier kisses him in various places speaking as he does.

"Gaz had fallen gravely ill and Dib attempted to contact you at the hospital where your captors saw fit to have the recording of you rejecting his request. The hospital turned them out in the rain where Dib ran to my master's house for help."

Membranes heart stops his daughter was ill and he couldn't help her and he was glad his soldier bit him to the point of drawing blood so his tears wouldn't seem out of place from the camera's point of view.

"Do not fret she is safe and almost healthy my master has taken both her and Dib in to his home to stay and soon he will exact his plan to stop this government that holds you here…" the soldier gets more serious with his ministrations then and Membrane has a hard time focusing but he is glad that his daughter is safe his gold eyes just like theirs' showing all the gratitude he can't begin to express. He also feels another sadness overtake him.

"But I will still be unable to see them won't I? If your master has taken them he won't want me around them will he?"

This causes the soldier to stop and cup his lovers face attempting to reassure him. "No he will not my master feels you had your chance to be a parent and you failed but he will let you support them from afar and you can see them anytime you wish just not allowed to interact I am truly sorry I have pleaded with my master on your behalf but he has decreed it." The soldier lies easily he hasn't even told Zim about Membrane's situation knowing Zim would no doubt attempt to give this man a second chance with his children and that would only make Zim sadder for Membrane wouldn't fail a second time. It also helps that Membrane practically hangs on his every word and he enjoys that immensely. He does feel a twinge bad whenever membrane looks at him with so much hope, trust, and dare he think love?

Membrane sighs sadly but with acceptance returning the soldiers affectionate acts. "I.. Understand but after I have been freed will you…" what does he want to say? Love him? Visit him? After he is free there will be no reason for the soldier to return to him. His erratic thoughts are cut off by a kiss and he looks into the eyes of the only one who even attempted to bring him happiness since he was imprisoned here even if it only started out of carnal need.

"I will be with you always I promised remember my sweet cupcake? Neither of us can truly fulfill our hearts desire but you make me feel the closest I have ever been to it." The soldier says and is surprised he is only half lying to the professor. Though he harbors no love for the man beneath him he does relax him in some way and wishes to soothe his fears. "Even when you are free I will still visit as often as my master allows maybe we can even go on a date would you like that?" he watches with no small amount of satisfaction as the man melts beneath him happy at this false love and affection.

"I would very much now please would you…"

The rest doesn't need to be said from the heavily blushing Professor as the soldier catches the drift and since he has no more information he wishes to share gets on task with what he supposedly came here to do.

Line break line break still third person point of view still line break

Later membrane and his compatriot lay in his bed covered and the recorders are back on so they say nothing of importance. Normally the soldier would have left by now but he can tell that the professor needs this contact right now and is all too willing to give it; it only draws Membrane closer to himself after all. "If you are ever free will you help humanity progress again?"

The professor nods to the man. "Humanity is why I exist after all and my children I want to make the world better for them. I just wished they knew that."

The soldier begins running his fingers through the professors scythe enjoying the rare view of his face. He thinks on how the professor has changed over the years after the shadow government imprisoned him and began their torture of him for his secret of eternal or eternal as far as they can tell life. Gone was the man who thought his existence was great for humanity now he is this weak mortal who has truly realized how powerless he is. He is just like his son. Though his son has far more heart and bravery than this man ever did and his passion could never rival his daughters. Neither would have been broken down like he was. Though, the soldier notes he hasn't given them the secret which is quite commendable even with his core strength gone he won't condemn humanity to an eternal rule by the shadow government. He now acknowledges his failures as a parent and scientific guardian of humanity.

"Maybe your masters will allow it someday you never know. I am certain deep down they know you care." The hidden message is received if Membrane's tighter embrace is any indication. I will ask my master again for mercy on your behalf.

Shortly afterward the soldier dresses and leaves Membrane with a final kiss and a goodbye promises to break him from his cell personally in a few weeks' time quietly so the recorders won't hear it and leaves locking the door behind himself.

Membrane lays down a little longer listening to his loves' footsteps fade away cursing himself for being so sentimental and falling for the man. Eventually he gets up and showers washing himself clean and thinking of the one name he swore never to utter out loud even in the depths of his pleasure or pain. Aeron. The name resonates with power knowing mythology the way he does Membrane knows that his soldier had earned that name for no one would knowingly name their child after a god of slaughter. He radiated power and Membrane was drawn to it like a moth to a flame and he could only pray he wouldn't get burned in the process.

He could feel in his bones that Aeron was using him keeping him happy and sane so he wouldn't make his master's enemies any stronger than they already are and maybe when his master dethrones them he will make them stronger. The professor doesn't mind this as terrible a prospect as he had at first other than barring him from seeing his children the man has taken them in and help his little Gaz in whatever illness she had. If the man was serious about caring for his children he would do anything he asked. Of course these are all just possibilities it is also possible his children are dead or worse destitute because all he has to go off of is what his soldier tells him.

Even if every word that man breathes is a lie they are the sweetest lies and I will gladly be damned believing them…. And maybe even the slightest bit… I am using my soldier too giving him reasons to not leave me alone.

The professor comforts himself with this fact feeling more in control from his observations by feeling as if they are using each other for their mutual gain. All the feelings he attaches to his actions aside. When he is sufficiently clean he gets out and dresses for sleep but as soon as he exits the bathroom he sees his tormentor for the day waiting for him and he knows great pain will soon beset him draining most of his good feelings away.

"I won't give you what you are asking you might as well not even bother." He tells the tormentor in a rare moment of braveness knowing that one of these days his soldier will bust him out.

The tormentor just smiles sadistically rising to meet the dethroned professor. "We will see pet… we will see…."

Author's Note: Well that turned out a lot stranger than when it was in my head…. As for the placement of this chapter this takes place the day Dib defends himself after they discuss the plan. Yes I will still do the chapter with the plan but I wanted to do this. My evil side just wanted to throw everything into a freaky loop that I might regret later in the story. But as sick as this chapter is I hope it put Membrane in a more sympathetic light. I don't know why I put Aeron in this chapter and for such a role but it just turned out that way. Honestly I want Aeron to be my most confusing character because in the series he really has such potential and he is truly the sickest of them all. I want him as cruel as he is gentle and his relationship with membrane will probably illustrate that perfectly. Find my references! And I will write stories!