Chapter 7

"WHAT?" Membrane roared after Dib had told him and Gaz every thing. "THE EVIL ALIEN SCUM! HE'LL PAY FOR THIS!"

Gaz narrowed her eyes to dangerous slits. "Zim..."

"Thank you..." Dib said, calmer now. "But, I'll talk to him myself."

"But!" Membrane began to protest. "But...REAL SCIENCE!"

"Okay..." Gaz got up and off the bed. "But try to get some sleep, bro. Do you want me help you clean up?"

Dib nodded and, for first time since the whole mess started, smiled. "Yes, please."

Membrane shook his head and left the room muttering. "I need to lie down..."

(Page break)

The next day, Zim was walking to Dib's house clutching an small box in his tiny hands.

"Hmm...geez...Why?...Why did I do this?...I'm sorry, Dib..."

He stopped right outside the door and took a moment to gather up his courage, then knocked.

Gaz answered it.

She glared hatefully at him for a moment, then called behind her. "Dib... Zim's here."

Dib got up from the couch he was sitting on and walked over to take his sister's place. He crossed his arms and glowered. "What do you want, Zim?"

"I...I came to apologize" Zim explained, trying not to cry. "I'm sorry, Dib...I do love you..."

Dib said nothing.

"Dib..." Zim offered him the box in his hands. "I also wanted to ask you...Will you marry-"

"HELL, NO!"

Dib's harsh reply took Zim aback. "Huh?"

"I KNOW YOU'RE JUST DOING THIS CAUSE YOU FEEL GUILTY!" Dib spat at him. "AND YOU THINK I'LL FORGIVE YOU IF YOU ASKED ME TO MARRY YOU!"

Zim shook his head and brought his hands up defensively. "N-no...I'm asking you because I love you and-"

"I SAID NO!"

Zim blinked helplessly, knowing he probably deserved this. Dib was still understandably upset, and he could see how his sincere proposal could be misconstrued considering the circumstances. Maybe if he let Dib vent himself out and came back when he was a little less hysterical...

"I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" Dib's voice wrenched Zim from his thoughts. "AND I DON'T WANT YOU NEAR MY BABY!"

Zim's jaw dropped. That wasn't fair! "BUT IT'S MY SMEET TOO!"

"NO!" said Dib, shoving Zim off his front steps. "IT'S MY BABY! Now you better leave Earth and never come back or I'll let my Dad use you in his labs as a test subject!"

Zim shook his head and his tears. It had been a mistake to come here. "Okay..." he turned around, his shoulders slumped dejectedly. "I'll leave..."

Zim was halfway down the block when he heard Dib's door slam shut. He winced and picked up his stride, the sudden hostility emanating from the house adding speed to his steps.

Zim slowed down as he neared his home. There was a grim finality to having allowed himself to be cut off from his love and his future family that filled his boots with lead. He'd ruined Dib's life and he wanted the alien gone. Zim finally decided that the best thing he could do to comply with Dib's wishes was to leave the Earth entirely.

Zim dragged his feet through his front door tiredly. "Gir..."

His little SIR unit peeked worriedly from behind the couch. "Yes, masta...?"

Zim went to him and picked him up, then carried him upstairs. "I want you to stay on earth and help Dib."

"BUT, MASTA!"

They were on the top floor now, and Zim stuffed Gir into one of his loading cannons with tears in his eyes.

"Good bye, Gir."

Zim pressed the launch button and shot his robot to Dib's house.

He watched Gir's flight until he crashed through Dib's window and was gone from sight in a cloud of flying plaster and window glass.

That was it. There was nothing else left to do but pack up his base and leave. He wouldn't go far, though. Just up to his space base from where he could watch over his SIR and his family. That and if his Tallest needed anything he'd be around. But he wanted to be alone right now. If he couldn't be with those he cared about, he didn't want to be with anyone at all...

(Page Break)

Dib and Gaz had just started cleaning up when Gir fell in on them. As the dust settled they saw the little robot sitting upside down on his head against Dib's far wall.

"Gir..." said Dib, somehow knowing why Zim's SIR unit was there. "So, you wanna help me, huh?"

Gir rolled forward and sat right side up. "Mmhmm..."

Dib nodded and smiled at him. "Thanks, Gir."

(End Chapter 7)

Ryu Forte: Still short, but longer than the last one, eh? Hope your brain heals soon!

Tipama: Glad you like! Red and Purple wont be showing up again for a few chapters. Poor Zim! He really does care about Dib!

Techno Doofus: Dib's got a tendency to over-react here, don't you think? First he wants the smeet out of his life, and now Zim! Well, at least he's decided to let the smeet live...

Invader Iza: Nope. Never noticed. I DON'T WEAR PANTS!
...I wear shorts!

TezzWoods: Dib keeps the smeet and boots the Zim! WHY?

AntisociaLxMe: Thanks!

Night Masters: Oh...I didn't know that. Well, I fished out all the tummy references for ya! And yeah, Ynnep-san (as I call her) usually draws her fics before she writes them. So if you watch her DA account, you'll get to look at spoilers all the time!

sapphire-wolf1: Definitely preggers!

animeninjaNIPPON: The shortness taunts you!

zimgirl14: Sorry, this isn't my story, so it's not my call...

SingerOfDoom: Pretty much...I STILL don't know what happens after I post the chapter after this...