HOLD THE PHONE!

Is this another update?

(Gasps)

And is this story almost complete?

Maybe…

But will this have a happy ending? Will this have a sad ending?

Or maybe…

Oh, and if character death makes you squirm, turn back now. Find some happy story where Zim gets high off of coffee and Dib is wearing makeup.

Personally, I like stories where Zim just gets high and mush battle with the pain of resisting the addiction.

Then Dib helps him by locking him in a room.

I think I'd just be happy with locking Zim in a room…

Whatever. Enjoy this story. It's drug free!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Invader Zim!

Zim sat alone in to room; unable to move. He wasn't sure he would if he could. Although, there was a chance Zim might have had asked his computer to get something safe to drink.

That boy can give such a headache…

Meanwhile, at the Membranes home; the professor was heating up some tea for his children. It was getting late, the sun was already down. Gaz sat across from Dib holding a stuffed animal of demonic pig. Dib figured his father must have bought it for her while he was out.

Dib looked at his father, although he had his back turned to him. "Dad?"

He father stayed silent for a while. But he spoke. "I'd have to say son. In my whole life, I have never heard a story like yours. I wish I had taken the time to look at your photos sooner."

He was referring to the proof Dib showed him earlier. As soon as they arrived at home, Membrane had asked Dib to show him the photos Dib said he took. He was very surprised at the sudden request, but did as he was told.

He was even more dumbfounded when his father actually took him seriously for the first time. Gaz was watching from the background with a slight interest during all this. She for once was enjoying something other then a violent video game.

And once Dib felt his father was not just humoring him, he felt more open about talking to him about his problem. How Zim had trusted him, how he went behind his back and broke his promise. How in just a few days, strangers in white coats will be slicing him up in tiny pieces.

"What should I do? I waited my whole life for this, and now I am not even sure I even want it anymore." Dib groaned as he set his head on the table. "I practically wasted my entire childhood for this."

Gaz snorted and hugged her new toy. "No one asked you to waste your childhood. You were just born stupid."

"Now daughter, that is enough. Dib has been though enough and doesn't require anymore criticism. What he need now is answers, and with real science, anything is possible!"

"What are we going to do, throw super toast at them?" Gaz asked sarcastically.

Membrane gasped. "Do not defy the toast!"

"That's great, but does that mean we are breaking Zim out?"

Membrane scratched his head. "No. I suppose not. This is Dibs' call really."

Dib took his cup of tea and sipped it. "I don't know… Zim is just sitting there. He isn't like himself; he is practically unafraid of the blade anymore. He said it was too late for him."

"Too late for what?" Gaz asked.

"I don't know, but it has something to do with his leaders." Dib sighed. "They banished him. He doesn't have a home. He doesn't even have a planet to call home."

Membrane sat down. "I will be very honest Dib. In my years, I had cut up many animals and humans."

"Humans?!" Dib chocked on his tea, burning his tongue.

Membrane chuckled. "Relax, it is perfectly normal. People would donate their bodies for the sake of science. It is almost as customary as asking to be an organ donor. Although, the whole ordeal is still a very disturbing experience."

"Gross! I want to be a scientist!" Gaz exclaimed.

The boys gave her a disturbed look, but Membrane continued.

"Anyway, I have performed many autopsies on many organisms. Some I had never seen before. And each one had benefited mankind in one way or another. "

Dib nodded. "I see. So you are saying Zims body may benefit humans in some way."

"Exactly. But, then, Zim isn't some animal, he can think. To you, he is an alien from some intelligent race from beyond. To him, you are the alien."

Dib froze. He never thought of it that way. What was stopping Zim from cutting him up all these years?

Membrane took a sip of his tea and sighed. "And on top of that, Zim was the closest thing you had to a friend. I never once seen you play with other children your own age. I never had the kind of relationship you have with Zim with any of my own experiments."

Dib paused. He looked at Gaz. She seemed to have lost interest in the conversation a long time ago. She looked half asleep.

Dib thought for a few moments and looked at his father. "You are pretty smart for a guy who is obsessed with toast."

Membrane laughed. "And you are just paranoid."

"…Wait, what?"

"Have you made you choice? I won't choose for you."

Dib drummed his fingers for a few moments. "I must be crazy. But yeah, I made my choice."

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((Several hours later))

Zim felt himself drifting into sleep. To stop himself, he bit the inside of his cheek. It was dark now. They had turned off the lights, and Zim could not see a thing in the dark. Or maybe the lights were on, and he didn't have the energy to see anymore?

"Irk," he whispered. "I need to get to a power source."

He then heard the door open. Zim winced. Since Dib left, the scientists have been drawing blood. Sample after sample. His arm was raw from the needles, and he knew it was sonly going to get worse.

"Hey!"

Zim antennas perked up. "That whinny voice!"

Dib growled. "I told you before, my voice isn't whinny!" He said in a harsh whisper.

Zim paused. "Wait…Ah for the love of Irk! I am blind!

"Wait, what? No, the lights are off. I am breaking you out!"

Zim raised an 'eyebrow' in confusion. "Have you the brain maggots? You have more mood swings then an earth female!"

"Shut it space boy."

Zim smirked. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Move now, talk later."

"You felt guilty, didn't you?" The smirk grew wider.

"Do you want me to leave?"

Zim pouted. "No. Free Zim."

Dib took out a shinny little key and unlocked Zims arms and legs. "Can you walk?"

"No, you have to carry me."

"Zim!"

Zim got up on his feet and rubbed his wrists. "Joking. As if I'd let you carry Zim."

"This isn't a good time to joke!"

"Zim never jokes"

Dib resisted the urge to kill Zim. He silently thanked whoever was in the higher power for not being caught yet. No alarms have been tripped. Most viewed the Eyeball network as a joke so there was very few break in, thus, less security. But what security was there was fierce.

"This way." Dib snuck down the hall, avoiding the glare of the cameras. "Whatever you do, don't step in the red lights."

Zim nodded and followed without fighting for leadership. "I am going to kill you later, you realize that?"

Dib sighed. "Unfortunately, yes."

Zim pointed ahead. "There is the exit! Stop lagging and hurry you filth!"

Dib pushed open the doors without a second thought. But the moment he did, a horn blared, nearly causing deaf to the boys. "RUN!" Dib yelled, pulling on Zims arm. Zim yelped in pain but didn't pull away. How can he? They were already scampering down the street under moonlight.

There was no time to think, just running. Fear filled them as the sounds of dogs and angry guards poured out of the building. Zim sorely wished he could use his pak, but it was still disabled. Then, a thought stuck him.

"Gir!" Zim skitter to a stop, causing Dibs arm to nearly be dislocated.

Dib breathed heavily, and refused to let go of Zims arm. "Gir is fine! He is in my book bag!"

Zim looked at the bulging book back and felt a heavy wave of relief as he caught sight of a small metallic hand hanging out.

"Let's go! We don't have time to stop!"

Zims arm was numb by the time dib crashed though the front door. Gaz was in a rain jacket with a little book bag that seemingly was filled with clothes and was hugging the demonic piggy closely to her chest.

Membrane rushed into the room and quickly hugged Dib. "I called Simons to send over a helicopter. It will fly us someplace safe."

"We have to hurry; the guards are on the way!"

Gaz looked out the door, but the professor protectively pulled her out of the way and shut the door.

Zim too was able to feel the tension. For once in his life, he felt helpless. Not even when he was trapped in that room had he felt such fear. Without his PAK, he was as helpful as any other human that he spoke so passionately about.

"Come, we will wait in the backyard!" Membrane hurried his children along with Zim.

Once being out of the house, Dib looked up at his father. He had his goggles off. His eyes were a dark blue, and were darting across the sky, looking for any sign of hope.

The sounds of the dogs grew louder, but so did another sound…

Gaz pointed to the sky. "The helicopter is here!"

The mood seemed to brighten as the large flying machine came in from the distance. It was so close; the small family could feel the air blowing though their hair.

"Dib, here is you bag. I…"

The sound was deafening. Fire filled the sky as the aircraft fell in a ball of screaming metal, flame lapped up in every crevice of machine. The whole thing fell, nearly landing on the family.

The terror and shock was unbearable.

Gaz let out a scream and clung onto her father. Dib braced himself against the wall of the house, looking away from the destruction. Zim looked the humans, partly in wonder. Mostly because he felt like he should do something…

There was an eerie silence, save for the crackling of the flames.

Then there was gun fire.

And the sound of a scream.