Author's Note: Hello Fellow Irkens. Welcome to the third and final installment in my INVADER ZIM EPIC. I must remind you that if you have not read "I'll Always Be Yours" and "Between Now and Then", please do so before reading this. I must also press upon you that Red/Erin fluffy-stuff has seeped into the story line. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS TO HEART PEOPLE! (I love the PaR shipping as much as the next person). Also, be aware that the RATING may change from "T" to "M" because of romance stuff in a MUCH LATER chatper. I do not own Invader Zim. If I did, I would hang out with the Tallest all day. YA!
Disclaimer: As Always, Please Be Respectful and NO FLAMING LASERS! Thank You!
Chapter Eleven
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Once born, baby Irkens, also known as "Smeets", are able move around on their own, knowing very few or various words, and being able to gain the knowledge from their surroundings. They are sent forward and start training to become an invader, along with the other Irkens at the academy. Irkens usually live off their paks as a way of not really depending on anyone else, it's an Irken way of survival.
Though, this is the situation for most young Irkens....this, however, is not with one Irken smeet in particular.
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"Milo, are you paying attention?" Zim asked, placing his hands behind his back.
The small smeet stared up at him. Only with a look of pure confusion. Zim sighed. He'd just spent a good hour trying to teach his son about humans. Using Dib as a "subject". But Milo was only a week old, he could sit up on his own and would probably learn to walk in another three weeks or so. But that didn't mean Milo's attention spane was the greatest, he was still a baby after all, which meant..he had a human side too, which meant, it would take longer to teach him things.
"Milo, look at the freakishly large head", Zim replied pointing at Dib.
"Hey! I thought we agreed, no more jokes about my head?" Dib asked putting his hands on his hips.
"Tall-est! Tall-est!" Milo clapped in a giggly manner.
Zim groaned, folding his arms.
Red and Purple came into the room a second later, arms loaded with snacks. Ever since Milo had learned to talk, he liked using several words he learned. Only this was, unfortunately for Zim, his first word, "Tallest" or in Milo's case, "Tall-est" because he hadn't put the whole word together yet. Milo had recognized his parents but had not yet said "mommy" or "daddy". Milo got onto his knees and crawled, stopping at Red's feet, he sat up and held up his arms. Red set the snacks he was holding onto the coffee table and picked Milo up.
"Awe, you are so cute", Red replied, "Yes you are".
"Let me hold him", Purple said setting his snacks down.
"You held him last time", Red pointed out, "Besides, he came to me".
"Are you two fighting again?" Erin asked coming out of the bathroom.
"No", both exclaimed.
Erin just rolled her eyes, smiling. She sat down on the sofa and stretched out. They had been on Irk for the past few months and Milo had been born a little over a week ago. Erin had decided they weren't ready to go just yet. And when said "we" she meant herself and Milo. She wanted Milo to know his heritage, the place he'd been born and the place where he and his father came from. The others had thought this was a good idea and agreed to stay longer.
Milo was a smaller version of Zim, they had the same eyes. Milo was soft spoken and happy. He waved and smiled at everything and everyone. His favorite food so far had been, mashed potatoes. His favorite color was purple, this was do to the fact that every outfit his mother found for him was in that color and Milo also had a tendency to point at Tallest Purple whenever any asked him his favorite color, so he had either chosen to like that color because of the Tallest or because he felt like it, it was hard to tell. But it was after this happened, that Milo was taught his colors, only one was ever uttered, "urple".
Zim went over and sat down on the couch, setting his feet up on the coffee table. Arms still folded. Dib had taken a seat in one of the chairs. Red took a seat on the floor, still holding Milo, while Purple sat in one of the other chairs, grabbing a bag of chips, he opened the bag and starting eating them. Red picked up a doughnut, Milo stared up at it.
"Wat dat?" Milo asked.
"This is a doughnut", Red said, he then got an idea, "Can you say, Red?"
"Urple", Milo exclaimed.
"No. Not Purple. Red. R..e..d", Red replied.
"Red", Milo pointed up at him after taking in what the taller Irken was saying.
"Very good. You get a doughnut", Red handed him the doughnut.
Though, Milo only drooled on it once he got a hold of it. Red picked up another doughnut and started eating it. Erin got off the couch after a moment, she went over and lifted Milo up, she smelled his butt.
"Time to change you", She replied smiling, "GIR, bring me Milo's bag, please".
GIR grabbed the dark blue diaper bag, he followed Erin into the other room.
"I like dookie!" GIR remarked happily.
"What does she mean when she has to change him?" Purple asked.
Only a second later answered his question. The smell of poop reached them.
"Erin what have you been feeding him?" Zim asked coughing slightly.
"Man, that reeks!" Dib spluttered covering his nose with both hands.
"You two were lucky you weren't here for the pea colored poop", Red replied waving his hand in front to of his face.
"I so top that. Mashed potatoes and carrots, not a pretty sight", Zim exclaimed shaking his head.
Erin brought Milo back into the room, having changed his diaper. Milo liked his bowels being loose. So, thus the diaper. She set him back down on the floor, he was still working on the doughnut, though, he'd actually eaten some of it. He just sat there and stared up at them all. Zim got down on the floor with his son. Though, Milo still stared at him continously.
"I'm your dad. Can you say, daddy? Or Zim?" Zim asked, hoping it would get through to him.
But Milo smiled up at him as he continued to suck on the doughnut he'd been given. Zim got up and went back to the couch.
"Alright, my turn", Dib announced.
Dib got down on the floor with Milo. Milo stopped eating the doughnut and looked up at Dib.
"Who am I Milo?" Dib asked.
"Dib'b", Milo exclaimed, adding the extra "b" for the effect the letter "b" gave off.
"Man, that's awesome. And he's only what...a week old?" Dib asked.
"Amazing isn't it? We are a superior race after all", Purple replied proudly.
Milo continued to work on the doughnut, not really focusing on what was going on or what was being said. He was completely content in his own little world.
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As they got ready for bed, Erin went in to check on Milo. Milo was curled up in his cribe, with GIR. GIR had brought his doggie suite for some reason but he was wearing it. And with him and Milo curled up together, it was cute. Dib was fast asleep on the bed opposite Milo's cribe. Dib stayed in the same room as Milo so Erin and Zim could sleep in the other room together. Erin left the room and went into her and Zim's room. Zim was already on the bed.
"My son hates me", Zim muttered.
"Milo doesn't hate you", Erin replied shutting the door and then laying on the bed with him.
"He's been born a whole week and he hasn't even egknowledge that I'm his dad", Zim pointed out.
"He does know", Erin said laying herself against him, "Just give it time. He's still a baby. Just because he knows Dib and the Tallest, doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It means, he understands. He's learning. Besides, he looks just like you. He knows who we both are. He just can't say it yet".
Zim put his arms around her, feeling her go to sleep. Zim rested his chin on top of Erin's head. She made a good point.
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The next morning, Zim woke up early. He went in to check on Milo but Milo wasn't in his cribe. And Dib was still asleep, as was GIR. Zim went into the living room. Purple was pacing the room, holding a fancy silver clipboard, he was making notes on it. Red was on the floor, playing with Milo. Milo was sitting opposite Red. They were rolling a dark blue ball back and forth.
"Morning Zim", Purple said looking over his shoulder.
"How did...when did you get up my tallest?" Zim asked, not really sure what to ask.
"I got up...two minutes ago. I went to check on Milo and he was awake", Red said.
"And I got up..ten minutes ago", Purple added.
"You know, you don't have to watch Milo. That's what we have Dib for", Zim exclaimed, making a joke into it.
"Oh, we know that. But we love the little guy", Purple replied.
"And we don't mind. Gives us something to do", Red stated as Milo started crawling towards him.
Zim turned and decided to go back to bed. Erin opened her eyes as Zim got back into bed.
"The Tallest are watching Milo for us", Zim said.
"That's good. What time is it?" Erin asked.
"I don't know. The suns out", Zim remarked.
Erin got up and looked out the window, it seemed to be only eight in the morning. She shrugged and got back into bed, cuddling up to Zim.
"I'll make us breakfast in an hour", She said softly, closing her eyes again.
Zim nodded, "I think the Tallest are too involved", he told her.
Erin opened her eyes and looked up at him, "What?"
But Zim didn't repeat himself and just stared up at the ceiling. Erin didn't ask for him to repeat himself and she just went back to sleep. She was confused. Zim had only ever wanted the Tallest's complete and full attention. She had thought Zim would have wanted them helping out, infact...she didn't see a problem with it. The Tallest seemed to love Milo and she liked the fact that Milo seemed to like them as well. Milo was just a baby, he didn't understand the whole child-adult relationship thing yet. Milo knew Erin and Zim were his parents.
Well...Milo knew Erin was his mother. It was figuring out which one of the four males was his father...that was the problem.
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Author's Note: More Milo next! REVIEW!
