I found out the hard way that things get very boring in this little H.Q. very fast when there are no aliens attacking.

A week had passed since I'd last seen Dib. That meant he'd been unconscious about a week and a half (I found out from Spoog that I'd been out for two days). He wasn't dead though, and that was still good.

However, I did miss him. It was strange not having him around, even though his body was lying right there. That of course, didn't stop me from visiting him daily.

" His mind is somewhere else." They told me one day…the humans looking after the Dib told me so, " Somewhere far away…there's a chance that even if he does wake up…well, he might not be 'Dib'."

I hadn't understood that statement at all. Where would his brain be if it weren't in his giant head? What they mean by 'He wouldn't be Dib?' Who else would he be? These humans…sometimes I believed they lived to only to confuse me.

The other strange thing about this place was that I was given a temporary room. I had a room and a bed that even had sheets. It was more than I had ever had in Dib's apartment. Details were becoming foggy though, as I wondered if I even had a bed in my old base.

Of course, being a secret organization, the humans there were extremely busy and had little time to pay any attention to me. Tavi had to continue her research and even Spoog had his military to attend to. Every once in a while, someone would poke their smelly head in my room and see if I'd destroyed humanity yet, but other than that I saw no one and nothing all day. Most of my days there were spent laying on that stiff bed staring up at the greasy ceiling. It was an incredibly boring existence.

At least once a day, Spoog would come by my room. He seemed to be very regular, but I had no way of proving so. He would lead me from my stuffy room out into the halls to Dib's. Every time I walked with him, I felt he held the air of a Tallest. So regal…so proud…so confident. Tallest Spoog. …It had an interesting ring.

Of course, my thoughts usually roamed to my own Tallests from there. I tried not to think about it.

Usually Spoog would sit with me during my visit. On some days though, he would be in a real hurry and simply drop me off. I usually got to stay longer on those days.

One day though, Spoog creaked open the door and only peered in. I was once again lying on my bed for lack of better, more interesting things to do. He slipped inside quietly, trying to sneak up on me I suppose. I already knew he was there; I could hear him coming down the hallway. I allowed him his fun however, and pretended I didn't.

He wasn't really being very sneaky, as I could hear each creak of the shiny floor. It may have just been the superior hearing my antennae gave me though. Finally he arrived at my bedside and knelt down. I kept my eyes transfixed on the ceiling, not allowing myself a glance.

" I've got a surprise for you." He whispered excitedly.

" A surprise?" I echoed, giving in and gazing his way.

" Yes." He said, with a wide grin, " A surprise."

I flung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up. I couldn't help but worry that the humans were ready to do me in, that they were going to shove me out into the rain. I could just hear them shouting out " Surprise!" as I writhed and boiled in the poison water. I raised an eyebrow at Spoog.

" What sort of surprise?" I asked suspiciously.

" A good surprise." He said, his smile never fading, " A wonderful, excellent, beautiful surprise."

I arose, deciding he didn't seem to wish any harm on me. My paranoia never ceased though, and only made me more suspicious. When I moved for the door, I felt a hand on my shoulder.

" Nuh-uh." he said in a playfully childish way, " You gotta close your eyes."

" …Close my eyes?" I asked, bewildered.

I wondered if he knew that I would still be able to tell which way we were going. My antennae would naturally pick up sounds and movements. Again, I decided to play along.

" Fine." I sighed.

Almost immediately, he threw his hands over my eyes as though I couldn't do it myself. He awkwardly began to walk us out of my room and down the hall and I felt like I was going to trip. Not from being blinded of course, but from him pulling me along by the head. It was an extremely odd feeling.

I tried to keep aware of my position as he led me down swerving corridors. If he was bringing me to my doom as I feared, I wanted to be able to run and have a vague idea where I was going.

After the usual long walk, he brought me to the usual door and I began to wonder what was happening. Could it be…?

Spoog removed his hands from my face and let me enter the room. I paced my steps, unsure of what to expect. I must have gasped, because Spoog decided to sneak up behind me as he entered.

" Surprise." He whispered.

It was one of the best surprises I had ever gotten. Better than any of the "surprise water balloons" Dib had given me in his youth. No, this was much better than that.

There were balloons tied around the bed in disgustingly bright colors and stuffed beasts were resting on the dresser. I noticed there were no flowers even though it is a traditional Earth custom, but that is probably because there are none growing anymore.

A swarm of these horrid people surrounded the bed, so that no one else could see. That of course, wasn't my wonderful surprise, however what they were guarding in the bed…that was a truly amazing thing, if I do say so myself.

Spoog cleared his throat and the crowd turned to look at him. Immediately they cleared a spot for us to stand. I ran over right away, gripping the cool bars at the end of the bed.

Dib had awakened. I noticed that the pathetic stink-beasts in charge of him had finally changed his bloody head wrappings as well. He tried to sit up, but the hoard of people surrounding him commanded that he lie back down. Normally Dib wouldn't take orders from anyone, but for once he complied. Somehow, he still managed to tilt his head enough to stare up at me with his big gold eyes, even with tons of humans surrounding him and trying to pamper him.

Spoog cleared his throat again.

" You know…Dib's probably tired…" He said, " Maybe it would be best if we allowed him to rest a little. It's been a long day, don't you think?"

Immediately, the group filed out, bidding Dib good luck and good wishes, leaving him in his mountain of gifts. Dib let out a sigh and tried sitting up again. This time, he was successful.

" Thank God…" He said, holding his head in his hand, " I thought they would never leave!"

" Well they were worried about you." Spoog explained, " We all were. You were gone a long time."

" …How long?" Dib asked curiously.

" …About a week and a half." I said, my voice soft.

His eyes widened at that. The look on his face said it all. Wow, that long?

There was a quiet moment between us after that. There was nothing to say, yet so much to say all at the same time. I tried my hardest to keep my eyes off of him, but I could feel his stare burn into my skin.

Spoog looked between us and decided that now was a good time to shoo himself out.

" Well you guys, I've got tons of work to do." He excused himself, " So I'd better get going."

He bid us goodbye and left the room as quickly as he could. Somehow that made the silence in the room get even thicker. I tried to smash a hole in it.

" So…" I started slowly, " Where did you go?"

This confused the Dib-human very much. I shifted my feet back and forth before elaborating.

" Everyone said you were somewhere else." I said with my throat tied in an uncomfortable knot, " …Where were you?"

He stared at me again, seeming to try and piece together what I had said. It hadn't occurred to me before then that his wound had affected him that much. He laughed.

" You know what?" He said, " I don't even remember anymore."

Well…he seemed to be feeling better. That was good at any rate.

It grew quiet again for several moments after that. I desperately wanted to apologize, but I couldn't do it. It was an old habit, I suppose. Invaders weren't supposed to say sorry to anyone. They weren't supposed to regret their actions and they certainly weren't supposed to feel the way I was feeling in that moment. I doubted if they were supposed to feel at all.

All of a sudden, something changed in Dib's eyes. That something clawed at them, changing the expression altogether. It spread out into the room and it was a feeling I knew very well. It was fear.

" Zim?" He said in almost a whimper, " Who…What was that? That thing that attacked…base…?"

This was new. I had never seen something cause such fear in the big-headed boy before. For once in his miserable lifetime he seemed truly afraid.

" They're called Metus." I said.

I had figured it out sometime a couple of days ago. There really aren't that many creatures that bleed such thick blue blood. It also explained the second Dib.

" M…metus?" He stammered.

" They feed off of people's fears, until eventually they wind up killing the person they've chosen to use," I explained, " It's possible that they've actually been here for several months, giving people nightscares. They just chose now to finally attack and bring those nightscares to life."

Again, Dib paused to piece everything together in his head. At first, I thought I wanted to know what he had seen. Looking at him though…and seeing the fear that hid in his eyes…that alone was enough to change my mind.

I watched him carefully as he brought his knees up to his chest and held them there. He seemed to be trying to stare a hole in the wall as he thought hard about things I'll never know.

I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what to do. I did the only thing I could do…nothing.

" So…" He started slow, " …Metus…"

I nodded. What else could I do?

" …Zim?" He asked.

" Yes?" I wondered what it was he wanted.

" …Why…why did you save me?" He asked in a tiny broken voice, " You could have just let that…that thing…Metus…you could have let the Metus get me. Why?"

Save him? I hadn't saved him! He fell off anyway, because of me! How can he say I saved him?

" You know what I mean." Dib said, " Why did you shoot it down?"

…I didn't answer him. I didn't have an answer to give. I didn't have an answer that he or I could possibly understand.

" Why?" Dib asked again, " Tell me Zim…"

Seeing his pleading looks, I gave him my only honest answer.

" …I can't." I said.

The Dib seemed saddened by this answer, but I really didn't have anything better to tell him. Deep down, I somehow knew. I knew exactly why. I couldn't say I understood it, but I knew.

…It was because I hadn't wanted him to die. Despite everything he had ever done to me and everything he's ever said, I didn't want him to die. I didn't want him to leave me here alone.

Dib still appeared bothered by my response. I wanted to say or do something to try and fix it, but before I could there was a knock on the door.

Tavi opened the door, with a small smile on her face. I was unsure of whether it was because Dib was lying in a bed hurt or if it was something else entirely. I had discovered fairly quickly that they weren't on the best of terms.

" Zim?" She called from the doorway, " Spoog sent me to come escort you back. Come on."

I peered back at Dib, who hadn't taken his eyes off of the wall. His legs were still crossed and he hadn't said anything else. I stared for a moment or so at the scars riding up his arms, revealed by the ripped shirt.

" Zim?" She said again.

" …Bye…" I whispered as I headed for the door.

I hadn't wanted to leave. Not yet anyway. I wanted to stay there with Dib. In that one moment, just before I left…I had never seen Dib look more lonesome. Infact...I had never seen anyone look so truly alone before.

(A/N: Well folks, it's almost that time. Yes, that horrible time when a story must end. I appreciate all of the reviews and all of the people that stuck with me through all these chapters. The next chapter is the last. It's been a fun ride. : ) So please R&R and it should be up fairly soon.)