Author's notes: Another chapter? I'm so not the person to post twice in one week, never mind twice in one weekend but I'm on a writing roll with this fic (as in none of the dreaded writer's block!) Anyway, this is just a short ficlet, it didn't feel right to continue with the rest of the chapter when I had written this part so I split them. Anyway, enjoy! I'm going to get back to what was the second part of chapter three, which has now evolved into chapter four!

P.S. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine. Belongs to Jhonen Vasquez and those idiots at Nick who cancelled Zim. Foolish worm-babies!

Chapter Three…

Zim sat in his lab staring at the vial of blood, as he had since he entering his base. He had been feeling awful ever since he left the hospital. At first he thought he had contracted some human illness. After all he had been in a breeding place for germs but numerous medi-scans proved this theory wrong. So why did he feel so wretched? He sighed and eyed the vial again. It didn't look like Dib had much time left.

What did he care? He was only some scientific specimen to him. If the roles had been reversed Dib would have been there taking photos of his deterioration and making reports. Dib thought Zim was so heartless but Zim was nothing to him, only a specimen. He grinded his teeth in anger. He would show that human, show him what a specimen would do. But there was no glory in defeating such a weakened foe. He drummed his fingers on the keyboard, then looked to the vial again. Without allowing himself time to think he poured a small amount of its contents into a receptor on the control panel.

"Computer analyse this substance" The computer sighed deeply as it began its analysis and for one of the first times in his life Zim began to feel nervous.

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Zim had forgotten how long he had been in his lab. His eyes stung from looking at computer screens and print outs for hours on end. He slumped low in his chair, desperately needing rest and nutrients. A beeping from the computer revived him slightly. He sat up straighter and lay his hands on the keyboard.

"Synthesis complete....now!" The computer protested. "Yay for me!"

Zim humped his reply, taking a syringe as it emerged from a computer port. He sighed and picked up the glass syringe. A clear cyan liquid swirled inside. His hands were clammy and he was forced to clutch it tight so as not to drop his many, many hours of work and possibly last chance....

"HHHeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllloooooooooooo!" GIR suddenly landed on the console startling his master.

"Agh!" Zim screamed at the sudden interruption. His arms jerked back in an instinctual attempt to protect himself. He groaned loudly when he accidentally jammed the syringe into his shoulder. Ignoring GIR he gazed at the needle protruding from his body. Holding his breath he gingerly removed it, careful so as not to force any of the liquid out of the syringe. Once it was free of his body Zim capped the needle and set put it inside his pack.

"What's that?!" GIR attracted his attention again. He jumped of the console and ran behind Zim trying to get a look in his ID pack.

Zim ignored the insane robot and walked over to the elevator. He looked back at GIR before the door closed. "Victory."

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Dib looked over to Gaz. She came to visit him about three hours ago and proceeded to play her Game Slave the entire time. She barely looked at her brother, only having greeted him when she entered. Dib's heart ached for her. This was how she had been when their mother got sick. She just didn't know how to deal with the pain of watching a loved one die slowly before her eyes. She did this every day since he was diagnosed, came to his bedside and played her Game Slave until visiting hours ended. She rarely spoke but Dib was just glad for her presence. It didn't really matter now anyway. He had become so weak he could barely speak. An oxygen mask was secure to his face, but even so breathing was becoming increasingly hard. His chest felt tight and heavy, as if someone was sitting on it, weighing it down. He was just waiting for his father to come, he was delayed at work but he promised he be there soon. Dib just wanted to see his family one last time. He was so very tired.

He heard the door open but was lying at such an angle he could not see who entered. He prayed it was his father. To his dismay it was his usual nurse who loomed over the bed. She frowned but tried to smile once she realised he was awake. "How are ya feeling, Dib?"

He looked up at her but could not summon the strength to answer.

She frowned again and left his line of sight. He heard her move over to Gaz. She attempted to whisper but Dib heard everything she said, dread settling in his stomach. "Is your father coming, dear?"

The Game Slave was shut off. "He's caught up at work." Gaz mumbled.

"You better give him a ring, tell him to hurry."

Dib heard Gaz get up and leave the room, it sounded like she was running. He felt his heart quicken. No! Not yet. He began to have even more difficulty breathing and tears leaked from his eyes. Not now, not all alone.

The nurse once more moved into his sight. She leaned over him and began inspecting his heart monitor. She looked increasingly worried. Her head turned as Dib heard the door open once more. Gaz was back! A pained look crossed the nurse's face. "I'm sorry, only family can come in now."

"I won't stay long."

Zim?! Dib began to panic even more. Not Zim! The accursed alien had to have been involved in his sudden deterioration. He tried to move, tried to alert the nurse to the danger. He heard the machine next to him beeping loudly. The nurse looked panicked.

"I have to get a doctor. Try and calm him down." She left again.

Dib tried to control his breathing as he heard Zim's footsteps echoing in the tiled floor. Painfully slowly the alien entered his line of sight. He looked different, tired and drawn. His wig was in disarray and his uniform creased. He stared down at Dib for what seemed like hours. Dib watched with wide eyes as a mechanical leg extended from his ID pack and deposited a syringe in Zim's open hand. Zim uncapped the syringe and squirted a small amount of liquid from it, displacing any air bubbles caught inside. He placed one hand on Dib's arm near the elbow, where the intravenous needle was. He scrunched his brow in confusion briefly, before removing the cap from the needle in Dib's arm. Dib tried to move, he desperately tried to alert someone's attention to what Zim was doing. But it was all in vain. Zim restrained Dib's arm as he placed the syringe inside the needle and pushed the cyan liquid into Dib's blood stream, not once breaking eye contact with Dib.

Almost immediately Dib felt his blood run cold. He felt his throat close. Instantly all his muscles cramped and he began convulsing. The syringe, which Zim had left in his arm, crashed to the ground, broken into a thousand pieces. Zim backed away as Dib's body began thrashing widely. Instantly doctors and nurses filled the room.

"What happened?" One of them turned to Zim before once more diverting their attention to Dib.

Zim backed up until his back hit the wall. Suddenly becoming aware of the danger, he ducted out of the room and ran from the hospital. That made three times in three days he had left the hospital running. If every thing went to plan it would also be the last.

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I'm a meanie, right?!