(A/N: Okay, okay...chapter 2. Heh, demanding little buggers aint'cha?)

Future Shock

Zim waited as well as the impatient Irken could as Dib slept. He hadn't seen the Human in months only to have him literally drop out of thin air. Earlier he had heard him mumble in his sleep, but he hadn't caught anything.

Gir seemed happy to have Dib around. The little robot was all Zim had from his old life. And was all he really wanted to keep.

"Mmwhere am I?" A horse voice asked.

"I don't know. All the markers of the area are gone." Zim said putting on a thick glove before he placed a wet rag on Dibs' forehead.

Dib sat up and held the rag himself. "You helped me." He said. "Just like he said you would."

"Just like who said I would?" Zim asked trying to look busy or at least in control.

"He, I mean, me. I mean. I was in the future, and I told myself what would happen." He pulled the rag from his head. "Boy that sounds crazy."

Zim looked over at Gir who was giggling at a ball of dust. "Not really."

Dib stretched then unconsciously moved his hand to push his glasses back up on his nose. When his hand came only into contact with the bridge of his nose he looked startled. "My glasses, where are they?"

Zim held out a pair of shattered frames. "I found them when you landed. You even had glass in the eye Gir replaced."

Dib waved his hand in front of his face. "But, I can see." He looked around the room, everything was in focus. "I can see straight!" He just realized his older self hadn't been wearing glasses. Odd how he only thought of that now.

Gir stood up and looked over at his Master and the Dib-Human who was going on about his eyes. "I fixed-ed them!" Gir said proudly before toppling over to giggle happily in the dirt.

Zim tapped a finger to his chin. "Perhaps Gir was more exuberant in his task then I intended."

A silence fell. Dib pulled his knees up under his chin. He looked Zim over. He was very different, it was amazing that only four months had done this.

Zim had a bruise around his right eye and a long dark green bruise mark on the side of his face. His uniform was torn and dirty, he looked like he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"You look like hell." Dib said.

"You don't look much better Human." Zims' red eyes flickered almost to life before they dropped back to the ground.

More silence.

"There is a Human resistance camp, not far from here." Zim suddenly said.

"Why would you want to help Humans?" The old habit of mistrust showed brightly.

Zims' eyes did come to life this time. "Anything for my revenge against the Tallest." He straightened up. "I need your help to contact them. They won't trust an Irken."

"And they shouldn't." Dib shot.

Zim snarled. "I am trying to help you *Human*." He growled.

"This is all your fault!" Dib yelled motioning to the small alcove that was a crumbling living room under rubble.

Zim made a move to respond but stopped before he could say anything. His antenna drooped and his head dropped low. He sat down hard and shuddered.

Dib thought the alien was crying until Zims' head shot back up, he growled. His arachno-legs sprang out and lifted Zim off the ground as he suddenly got very angry. "I did everything ever asked of me! And still they left me to die!" He spoke in a tone Dib had only heard when Zim was yelling at him. "I'll not let them get away with this betrayal." Zim hissed narrowing his eyes. "Even if it means helping you and your race."

He wouldn't admit it to the Human but this was the best he had felt in weeks. He could feel the drive to accomplish something return.

"Alright then." Dib said standing up. "I'll talk with the resistance camp." He held out a hand to Zim who was still up in a defensive pose.

Zim let himself on the ground and retracted his extra-legs. He shook Dibs' hand. "Good." He said briskly.

"Good." Dib said just as briskly.

* * *

Dib approached the camp Zim had pointed out to him. He made no move to hide himself as he passed ruined cars and flattened buildings. He glanced around nervously unsure of what might happen.

He stopped dead when a figure bolted out in front of him with a pistol aimed at his head. He looked older than Dib, but not by much.

"Who are you?" The other boy demanded.

"My name is Dib." Dib said trying his best to look non-threatening.

A second figure emerged from behind a car, this one was much older. "Where did you come from?" He asked keeping his rifle on Dib.

"From back that way." Dib said pointing behind him. "I've been holed up back there since." He paused. "For awhile."

The two rebels took the pause for denial of the war. Something they had seen quite a bit of.

"Alright. You come with us. But we warn you." The older rebel said. "Any funny move and you drop where you stand."

Dib nodded and let them lead him on. They took him around a pile of rubble.

Dib had no idea he had gotten this close. They were barely a hundred yards from where they had stopped him.

All around was activity, but it was slightly dulled. Like none of these people thought it was really worth it to do, but did it anyway. A lot of people stopped to stare.

Eventually a ring formed around him. He felt horribly self-conscious and wondered what to say when a voice reached him.

"Get out of my way, I want to see him."

It was so familiar, he had only heard it a few days ago by his record of time.

A small figure pushed through the crowd. Purple hair tied back out of her face and squinty amber eyes glaring around till she saw him. Her clothes were dirty and so was she, but she looked the same to him.

"Gaz?" Dib asked.

She walked forward cautiously and looked him over. She paced a little to the side and looked him straight in the eye. "Dib?"

He nodded. "Yeah Gaz, it's me Dib."

She smiled, that should have been his warning. She suddenly hauled back and slugged him right between the eyes.

"Ow! Gah! Gaz geez!" He cried out putting his hands to his head. "What'd you do that for?" He asked rubbing at tears that threatened from the sudden pain. "That was for leaving like you did." She said. Same old Gaz.

"Well gee I'm so sorry! Being sucked into a time warp does that sometimes!" He rubbed his nose and checked for blood. "That really hurt."

Gaz looked at the rest. "It's him. No one else could be that wimpy and still talk back."

Dib rolled his eyes but decided not to say anything. She could still hit him again.