Invader Julie(Chapter 6)

Dib shifted his bookbag, that shoulder starting to hurt. He was walking home from skool, and it was hot. It had been a week since he had heard from Julie, and he was beginning to worry. He looked at the ground, stopping at the corner of his road. He looked up and around slightly. No one else was around, Gaz had went ahead. He glanced at where Gaz was going, decided not to tell her he was leaving and turned around, going back to another road. He turned on that road, Julie's road, and walked on the sidewalk towards her base. He watched his surroundings, not really looking for anything in particular. Julie's house finally came into view. Her base was a sky blue, but it looked like the other houses around it in design. He walked in through the white picket fence and up her walkway. There was a sprinkler watering the grass to his right. He stepped up on her doorstep, looking at the doorbell. He slowly lifted his hand and reached to the door bell, pushing it. There was a loud thump from inside. Dib dropped his hand, blinking. There was a few moments of silence before the door finally opened slowly.

Julie had her eye lenses on and her antenna badly hidden in her hair. She looked exhausted, and very pale. "H-hello?" Even her voice showed this, it was shaky.

Dib got a worried look. He had expected her to be excited. "Julie?"

Her eyes were twitching, trying to stay open. "Y-yes-s..?"

"Are you okay?" She began to nod slowly but suddenly went limp, falling to the floor, however Dib was faster and managed to catch her before she hit.

"Julie?!" She didn't answer, unconscious. Dib looked around for anyone to possibly help, but found no one. He sighed, turning so he could go inside and drug Julie into the house, closing the door with his foot. He dropped his bookbag and drug Julie over to couch, then slowly lifted her onto it, laying on her back. She just kind of..laid there. Dib shook her slightly. "Julie?" No answer again. He sighed nervously and looked around for something to try to wake her up with. There really wasn't much to choose from. He glanced at the kitchen, then heard a low groan and his attention snapped back to Julie. She opened her eyes slightly. "Julie?" Dib put his hand on hers involuntarily.

She opened her eyes a little more, looking at him slowly. "..d-dib...?" Her voice was still shaky.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

She closed her eyes slowly. "I d-don't know.."

"You were talking to me and you just..passed out.." Julie shook her head slowly, meaning she didn't know. Dib looked down, then noticed he was holding her hand and let go somewhat. "Uh..I don't know too much about Irkens, but I know about humans of course..have you eaten anything recently?"

"I h-haven't..eaten..."

Dib stared at her blankly. "You mean...like, all week?" She nodded slowly. "Eh.." Dib slightly frowned. "You need to eat.."

"I haven't b-been..h-hungry..."

Dib shook his head. "It still doesn't matter, you still need to eat to get all your nutrients and energy.."

Julie opened her eyes slightly, looking up at him somewhat. He had a very worried and concerned look. She sighed shakily as she closed her eyes. "T- there's s-ome f-food..in the k-kitchen.."

Dib nodded. "I'll be right back, okay?" He turned around and ran into the kitchen. Julie nodded slowly, weakly coughing. Dib stopped in the doorway, looking around the kitchen. He spotted the refridgerator and went over to it, opening the door. Julie really didn't have much food. Half the fridge was Mountain Pop..soda. Dib blinked. "..how much Mountain Pop does she drink?..." He didn't really find much to eat on, so he grabbed two Mountain Pops and set them on the counter, shutting the door back, then proceeded to look through the cabinets above the counters and magically found popcorn. He blinked again and shrugged, grabbing the box and got out a pack. He put the box back in the cabinet and shut it, looking around for a microwave. He found it, beside the oven. He walked over and opened it, putting the bag into it, closed the door, and set the time, it starting. Then he went over to the cans of soda, picked them both up and ran back into the living room. Julie hadn't moved. Dib sat on the floor next to the couch, opening the can. Julie opened her right eye slightly, looking at him. Dib looked at her, then held the can up to her. "This was all I found..there's popcorn in the microwave..can you drink..? Like, hold the can?"

Julie opened her eyes a little more. "I c-can..try.." Dib nodded slowly, giving her the can as she weakly reached for it. Her hand was shaking, but she managed to take a small sip.

Dib smiled slightly, then heard the microwave go off, looking back to the kitchen. "Be right back.." He got up and went to the kitchen. Julie weakly took another sip, then coughed. Dib glanced back at he opened the bag of popcorn, pouring it into a bowl he found. He shook the two pieces that got stuck in the bag into the bowl and went back into the living room. Julie slowly took another sip, then looked at Dib, smiling slightly. He sat beside the couch again. "I'll take your drink so you can eat, unless you're still thirsty.." She shook her head slowly and slightly held the can out. Dib took it and set it on the coffee table, then set the bowl of popcorn on her stomach. She looked at it and slowly reached up to it. Dib..watched. She got a piece and slowly put it in her mouth.

Dib smiled. "Is it okay?" Julie nodded slowly, swallowing, and got some more. Dib looked at the unopened can of Mountain Pop, then back to Julie. She was looking a little better already. She was eating more at a time. Dib watched her for a minute, then looked away slightly. He began to question: Why was he helping this..Irken? Why didn't he just let her die so he'd finally be able to prove that aliens were real? He had no idea. But what he did know was he was starting to feel strange around her..as if, he liked her. He opened his eyes a little more, finally realizing. He looked back up at her. She was eating what was left of the popcorn. Dib looked at the unopened can again, then to the open one. He had never felt this way towards anyone..mainly because no one liked him. But here, this alien, seemed to be the only person that had ever been nice to him. He closed his eyes, thinking about everything that would result from this..possible outcomes. On one hand, if he stayed with her, he'd be happy, but he'd give up fame and fortune. And Julie would be happy as well, plus it'd have to be kept a secret. On the other hand, if he turned her in, he'd be famous, happy..but Julie'd more than likely be killed. And it made his decision even harder now, he was beginning to like her.

"Dib?" He jerked his head up, lookingat Julie. She had finished her popcorn..kernals and all. She looked re-energized now, and worried. "You okay?"

Dib nodded slowly. "Yea...you feel better?"

She smiled, setting the empty bowl on the floor beside the couch. "Yes..a lot better.."

Dib smiled somewhat. "Want your drink?"

"Neh.." She laid her head back onto a pillow, slightly closing her eyes. Dib glanced at the empty bowl, then to her. "Anything you need?"

She tilted her head a bit to look at him. "No..you can get something if you want.." Dib looked at the unopened can of Mountain Pop and took it, opening it slowly. Julie smiled. "..thank you, Dib.."

He looked up at her and smiled too. "You're welcome.."

She closed her eyes all the way, resting her hands on her stomach. "So, what have you been up to all week?"

Dib lowered the can, having taken a sip. "Skool..homework..what about you?"

"Nothing." She didn't want to say that she had basically been upset and crying all week. She thought Dib wasn't going to come back. She hadn't even bothered to report to the Almighty, or eat.

Dib blinked, slightly worried. "You didn't do anything all week?" Julie shook her head slowly. "..well, why didn't you eat?"

"I wasn't hungry.."

"Oh.." Dib looked down into his can of soda. The yellow-green liquid gave off his reflection. He shook it slightly, the reflection becoming distorted due to the ripples.

Julie sighed. "I didn't really expect you to come back..."

Dib looked up at her. "Really?"

"Yea..you said you wanted to go home, so I didn't think you'd be coming back anytime soon..."

Dib kept looking at her for a minute, then looked back into the soda. "Well..I wasn't exactly planning to, but I didn't want to go straight home, had nothing to do, and just thought it'd be nice to stop by.."

Julie opened her eyes slightly, looking at him. "Oh..so you'll be leaving soon..?"

"Yea, I've got to go home..unless I call my dad and tell him where I am, he was really worried last time I was gone.."

"Oh...." Julie closed her eyes back, then winced slightly, opening both of her eyes. Dib tilted his head a bit. Julie looked at him slightly.

"What happened..?" Dib set his soda on the coffee table.

"Nothing..these lenses are itchy.."

Dib snickered. "Take them off then..besides, you're prettier with them of- .." He cut off, realizing what he was about to say.

Julie smiled, closing her eyes a bit. "You..think so?.." Dib nodded slowly, starting to feel a bit hot. "So you'd rather see me as an Irken?..it doesn't make you feel uncomfortable?"

"N-no..I guess not...you just..look funny without your antenna.." He tried to come up with a quick excuse.

Julie smiled. She liked that compliment. "Alright.." She reached up with both of her hands and took off both lenses, blinking quickly, releaved to have gotten them off. Dib smiled shakily. He didn't exactly want to admit he liked her quite yet..he didn't want to be easy, I guess. Julie set the lenses on her stomach and reached up to her hair, the top of her head and pulled out her antenna slowly. She quivered her antenna, smiling. "That feels so much better.."

Dib smiled a little more. "Yea..looks more normal...or what I'm used to.." Julie smiled more, looking at him. Dib smiled slightly more, then looked at his watch. It was about four, he had been there for about an hour.

Julie watched, she didn't know what a watch was. "What's that?"

Dib looked up at her. "My watch.."

Julie blinked. "What's a...watch..?"

Dib blinked now. "Uh.." He held up his arm, showing Julie. Julie grabbed his arm and brought it over so she could see it. Dib nearly fell over, but tried not to show it by leaning over onto the couch.

Julie blinked, poking the watch's face with a claw. "What's it do?"

"It..tells time.."

Julie looked up at him, then back to the watch. "So..it's four hundred and seven?"

Dib snickered, realizing she didn't know how to tell time. "No, it's four o' seven.."

"Four..o'...seven..?"

Dib nodded, pointing to the four. "That's the hour.." He pointed to the zero and seven, which was now an eight. "And that's the minute..see, it's eight minutes after four.."

Julie blinked. "Four...o'..eight..?"

Dib nodded. "That's right..and you see the PM?" Julie nodded as he pointed to it. "That means it's four o' eight in the afternoon..when you see AM, it means it's in the morning..understand?"

Julie nodded again and looked at him, smiling. "It's.." She looked back at the watch. "Four..o'...nine.."

Dib nodded. "Good.." She smiled. She was proud of herself. She know how to tell time! Dib smiled a little more. "Heh, now you know what time it is.."

Julie smiled more, her eyes half-closing. "Yea..what time do you get home from skool?"

"Three pm."

"Oh..so you've been here an hour and nine..minutes?"

"Well..not exactly an hour, I got here around three thirty.."

Julie smiled, letting go of Dib's hand. He took his arm back and say back up, looking at the door. Julie laid her head back onto the pillow again.

Dib looked back at her, the popcorn bowl, then the door. "I really should be going.."

Julie sat up quickly. "Why?!" Dib looked back at her. She relaxed slightly, realizing she acted..like she really wanted him to stay...and she did. "Sorry...but why..?"

"I've been gone long enough, my dad doesn't know where I am..I didn't tell him I was going anywhere.."

Julie's antenna slightly fell. "Call him like you said you would.."

Dib looked away again. It was obvious Julie really didn't want him to go. "Uhm..I don't know.."

"Please..?" Her antenna fell more as Dib looked at her again. "It's..so lonely here..and when Vir's here she's insane..the only reasonable person I can carry on a good conversation with is you.."

Dib sighed. "I know how you feel..at home I spend all of my time in my room..either working on something or studying...or either I'm watching Mysterious Mysteries.."

Julie got a sad look. "Yea...that's king of how it is here, I can either work on my cruiser and study earth..which I don't exactly understand.."

Dib looked back at his soda. "Well...I..guess I could call and stay for a little longer.." Julie smiled slightly. Good news. Dib stood up slowly. "Where's your phone?" Julie pointed behind her head to the side table next to the couch. Dib looked at it and went over to it, picking it up and dialed his number. Julie closed her eyes, antenna falling to the sides of her head as she sighed. Dib looked at her, then back to the table. His dad finally picked up, and I'm not going to write what he says..it sounds high- pitched and squeaky. "Hey dad.." Squeak. "Yea, I'm alright..I'm at a friend's.." Squeak again. "Uhm..my new friend, Julie..she just moved here from..England.." Squeak, Squeaky. "Yea...can I stay here for a while? I'm..helping her with her homework, she doesn't know much about the united states.." Squeak. "Alright..I'll be home later..yea...bye.." He hung up, looking at Julie. She was lying there. He went beside the couch and sat again.

She opened her right eye, looking at him. "You're a good lier.."

Dib smiled slightly. "Thanks..I had to tell him something, he asked.."

She nodded slowly, closing her eye back. "Thank you for staying.."

"You're welcome." Julie yawned, antenna quivering. Dib looked at her antenna, then back at her. "Tired?"

Julie nodded slowly again. "Yea.."

"You can sleep, I'll..make sure no one bothers you.."

Julie smiled, opening her eyes slightly, looking at him. "You wil?"

Dib nodded slightly. "Sure.."

Julie sat up slowly, stretching. Dib watched her as she moved her legs so she was sitting. "Would..you mind...coming with me?"

Dib froze slightly. "W-what..?"

Julie lightly blushed. "Would you mind sleeping..with me...?"

Dib's jaw dropped slightly. "Uh...w-..uhm..."

Julie's antenna fell slightly, hearing him studder. "You don't have to.."

Dib shook his head slowly. "I..d-don't mind.." He had a hard time getting that out. He just agreed to sleep with an alien! One he knew liked him, there was no telling what she wanted.

Julie smiled. "Alright...I promise I won't try anything.."

Well, he kind of had to believe her now, she promised. She stood up slowly, holding her hand out to help Dib up. Dib took her hand and stood up with her help. She didn't let go of his hand again, holding it. Dib shakily smiled, starting to feel warm again. Julie tugged his hand slightly, heading for the stairs. Dib somewhat reluctantly followed. Ehh..I've just agreed to sleep with an alien and she's taking me somewhere..her room probably, ge-eh... He shivered very slightly, following Julie up the stairs. She drug him into her room and shut the door after he came in. Dib looked at her, then around the room. She shut the door... Julie let go of Dib's hand and went over to the bed, sitting. Dib stayed where he was and watched. She took off her boots and moved, laying down on her back.

She sighed, closing her eyes. "It's been a busy week.."

"I thought you said you didn't do anything.."

She opened her eyes slightly, looking at him. He was still at the door. "I didn't really..."

Dib squinted an eye, confused. "Then what did you do?"

"Eh...aren't you going to lie down..?"

Dib sighed. She changed the subject. "I guess.." He walked over to the other side of the bed that she was on and sat on the edge. Julie watched, then closed her eyes, sighing. Dib looked back at her and sighed himself. Julie yawned, antenna quivering. Dib watched her antenna and half-closed his eyes, looking up at the ceiling. Then he leveled his head, sighing. He took off his boots as well, staring at the ceiling. Julie opened her left eye slightly, looking at him. His eyes were still half-closed, just staring.

Julie spoke lowly. "You okay?"

Dib blinked slowly and looked at her somewhat. "Yea..why?"

"I don't know.." She closed her eye back. "Just wondering, you seemed angry.."

"Neh.." He closed his eyes all the way, sighing.

Julie sighed too. "Alright..if you say.."

"Yeah.."

Julie sighed once again, opening both of her eyes as she got up onto her side, leaning on her elbow, looking at him. "Dib..what is wrong?"

He opened his eyes, looking at her. "Noth-"

"No, something is.."

He was cut off. "Nothing, I'm fine."

Julie shook her head slowly. "Then why are you acting like this? You can go home if you don't want to stay, and I'll kill myself, that's fine with me."

Dib half-closed his eyes, sitting up. "Julie, look, I like you, okay? I've just never liked anyone, and I don't know how to act exactly! And you don't have to kill yourself just because I want to go home, I have a family too you know!" Julie froze at that last comment, antenna falling. Dib sighed, closing his eyes all the way. "Please, don't..do this, I like you."

"Dib.." He opened his eyes, looking at her. She was teary-eyed. "I...I don't..have a family.."

Now Dib felt bad, realizing he had said something wrong. "Oh..I'm..sorry....why don't you?"

Julie closed her eyes. "My..mother was blown up when I was four, and I've never met my father..."

"Oh...sorry, I didn't mean to upset you.."

"It's alright.."

Dib sighed. "I always mess things up.." He fell back onto his back, eyes closed.

Julie shook her head slowly, taking his hand. "Dib..it's okay, really, you didn't know.." Dib opened his eyes slightly, feeling her take his hand. He looked up at her slowly. She had her eyes closed, them still wet. "I became an invader when I was four..right after my mom died...I've destroyed twelve planets, and won two runner races..I was hated in Irken skool..beat, made fun of, tortured..because of my height....the Tallests even hate me, Red's always tried to get me killed, but somehow Tallest Purple's convinced him not to every time..but one day he's not going to listen to Purple and I'm going to die..and no one will care because everyone hates me.." By the time she was finished she was in tears.

Dib sat up slowly. Now he knew her life's story, and it wasn't a very good one. "J-..Julie...I'm sorry.." She nodded slowly, crying silently. Dib looked down slightly. "I'm hated too, because of what I believe in.." Julie opened her eyes slightly. "I'm ridiculed for saying aliens are real..and yet my only friend is Irken, and they still wouldn't like me...I've never known my mom, my dad and Gaz are all I have.." Julie smiled slightly, getting closer as she wrapped her arms around him. Dib lifted his head a bit and rested his chin on her shoulder, putting his arms around her as well.

Julie put her chin on his shoulder also and closed her eyes. "Oh Dib.."

He smiled a little, closing his eyes as well. "Julie...listen, you're my only friend..and I like you..don't go and kill yourself, not only would I be upset, but I'd also be alone.."

Julie nodded slowly. "I won't..you're all I really have as well.."

Dib smiled. "Alright.." He cut off, yawning.

Julie nuzzled his shoulder slightly. "You tired?"

Dib nodded slowly. "Yea.."

"Let's lie down then..."

Dib let go of her slightly, leaning back a bit, opening his eyes. Julie opened her eyes too, smiling at him. Dib smiled a little too, looking at the pillow. Julie started to lie down, trying to pull Dib down with her. Dib looked back at her and slowly lied down. They were both laying on their sides, facing one another. Julie smiled, closing her eyes slightly. Dib smiled a little as well, waiting for Julie to close her eyes. She yawned, closing her eyes all the way, getting a little closer to him. Dib closed his eyes half-way, resting a hand on her side, clenching her shirt slightly. Julie's antenna quivered slightly, then she nuzzled into his chest, lowly purring. Dib smiled a little as he heard her purr, closing his eyes. Julie continued to purr, her consciousness starting to fade as she began to fall asleep. Dib laid there, getting sleepy himself. He loosened his grip on her shirt, moving his hand up her side slowly. Julie's antenna trembled involuntarily as she nuzzled into his chest more. Dib smiled, resting his hand on her side, near her chest. He yawned, getting a little closer to her, laying his head against hers. Julie's purr wavered as she fell asleep, then picked up its steady rythym. The purr was soothing, and Dib was drifting off slowly. He finally fell asleep, Julie continuing to purr.

To Be Continued...