Chapter 2

Meeting of the Enemies

(Dib's POV)

For the longest time I couldn't stop crying. Gaz was gone, and I was alone. Sure she had never really been the nicest, but she was all I had ever had. Sam had managed to contact his father, then found coats, hats, gloves and scarves for all of us. I sat bundled up in a corner, sniffling and trying to forget. A dog began to bark as moaning filled the air, but it was no human sound.

"What's that?" I whispered, standing and walking up to Laura and Sam.

"I'm not sure." Laura replied, then the three of us, along with many of the other people trapped in the library ran to the glassless windows.

"No way." I murmured. A ship was slowly making its way past us, steady and silent. It suddenly ground to a halt as snow began to fall.

The air grew colder and I moved away from the open air, going quietly to watch Bryan as he fiddled with a radio he had found.

Laura walked up behind me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Are you doing alright Dib?"

I nodded, smiling shakily at her. "I'll live Laura. It's just a bit of a shock. Thanks for helping me."

She smiled warmly. "What are friends for?"

We waited in the library, talking and trying to keep warm as the snow continued to fall. The water soon froze, becoming hard enough to walk on. After a few hours had passed a man came running in, shouting and pointing. "Hey, there are people out there! They're walking in the snow!"

I went to the windows, watching as what must have been hundreds walked past. A traffic cop suddenly spoke up. "We should go too."

As people began milling towards the entrance I heard Sam's raised voice. "If these people go out there they will freeze to death!" Silence and stillness greeted this announcement. "Please, my dad is a climatologist. He's says this storm is only going to get worse. We have to stay inside, keep warm and try to ride it out."

Despite Sam's pleadings the crowd continued out the doors. I sighed, looking back outside. I studied the groups passing, then narrowed my eyes as I saw a slightly smaller figure lagging behind. Thin arms were wrapped around slight shoulders as the slender frame was assaulted by shivers. I continued to look, then found myself staring into crimson eyes.

"I know those eyes." I whispered. A puff of snow rose from the ground as the figure fell forward, passing out in the soft powder. I leapt down the stairs, running outside to the still form in the snow. I flipped the body over, then gasped. It was Zim.

The alien was so pale his skin looked human, and he was shivering violently. His lips were turning blue, which I assumed was bad as with humans. His breathing was harsh and ragged and his skin was like ice.

"Oh god, Zim." I whispered, hurriedly scooping him up and running for the library. Laura met me at the door. "Get blankets, coats, anything! We need to get him warm!" I said quickly.

I followed her into a room with a huge fireplace where Sam and Bryan were lighting a fire. I ripped a curtain down, wrapping Zim's shaking body in the cloth. It was then a thought occurred to me.

'Why am I doing this?' I demanded of myself, backing away.

Laura paused before heading to get coats. "Dib, what's wrong?"

"He's my arch enemy Laura. Why should I help him?" I asked, looking at her.

She frowned. "This is the time to forget rivalries Dib. A storm is coming, one that could possibly kill us all. He's obviously alone and freezing, and he's going to die if we don't help him."

I looked back at Zim, my face softening. He looked so small and helpless wrapped in those large curtains. Despite my mind's pleas my heart went out to the alien. I sighed, then continued in my rush to warm Zim.

Laura smiled. "That's the spirit Dib. We have to stick together now to stay alive. I'll be right back."

I removed Zim from the curtain for a moment, holding his still quaking body to me, then wrapped both of us in the curtain. "Share my body heat Zim." I whispered as Laura draped coats over us. I lay there for a few moments, the feel of Zim's icy skin keeping me in the reality.

"Any better?" Sam asked after he had the fire going steadily.

"He's not shaking quite as bad, but he still feels like ice." I glanced at his face, noting that the blue was slowly retreating from his lips. "It's getting better."

"Who is he anyway?" Bryan asked.

"His name is Zim. He goes to school with me, but I'm not sure why he's here. I'm, well, I was on a trip." I told them, tightening my grip on Zim's body slightly. Could I trust them with the alien secret? I suppose they would figure it out anyway, Zim had lost his wig and from what I'd seen his contacts too. "Ok guys, I don't know if you'll believe me, but Zim is an alien."

Bryan chuckled. "An alien? I'll admit his name is a bit different, but an alien?"

I glared slightly at him. "I'm telling the truth. Look." I pulled back the hood of his coat, exposing his antennae. They were flat against his skull in a defense position, but still there.

"Wow." Sam muttered. "That's something you don't see everyday."

"The only reason I'm telling you is because he's lost his disguise. He'll be mad at me, but he can't hide the whole time we're here. You have to promise not to tell anyone when we make it out." I put firmness into when we make it out because I wanted to continue to believe that.

Nods passed around the room, though I saw some looks. Some of them didn't think we would make it out. I smiled, one finger absentmindedly rubbing circles on Zim's shoulder. I felt a bit of pressure as he snuggled into me, trying to get closer to my warmth I assumed. His skin was no longer like ice, Zim would live.