Must find Master, must find Master, must find Master.

Who's Master?

Dib. No, Zim. Dib said no.

Must find Master! Long hall. Ooooh, the people are biiiiig!

No, you're small.

Oh yeah, hey, what's that noise?

It's him! That's master, and—he's screaming!

HOLD ON MASTER!

…………………………………………………………………………………………

So bright… how can there be so much white in one room? Zim's scarlet eyes shone with pain. Strapped to a white, metal table, he had had to arch his back uncomfortably because of his PAK, but he arched it now for a completely different reason.

The humans had injected a single drop of water in his veins.

Oh how it burns! Racing through his organs, scattering his neurons, the molecule of hydrogen and oxygen wreaked painful havoc on its chaotic journey through his body, and he could feel every step. A cry of pain broke from him, while the scientific team watched on.

"Fools!" rasped Zim. "If that drop keeps going through my system you'll have nothing left to look at. Gah!"

A couple of scientists shifted uneasily, but Professor Membrane waved his hand. "He's just trying to get us to stop, you know how it works, you've seen how arcane torture did. It drove the victim to say anything in order to get the pain to stop, but we won't let him fool us. Water is utterly harmless."

"He's right, Dad." Dib pushed through the security-locked door to the experiment room. "Listen to me, Irkins can't absorb water, and it's like acid to them. You'd better purge his system before it melts his organs."

Membrane hesitated a moment, then patted his son's head. "As you say, Dib. Begin the purge, Dr. Iyka."

Soothing calm took the place of burning agony. Zim crumpled against his restraints, landing painfully on his PAK. Glaring at the lab coats surrounding him, he wheezed, "Release me! Release me now or suffer the wrath of Zim!"

"You are in no position to be giving orders, alien." Membrane informed him coldly. "It will be over shortly anyway. Your dissection is scheduled for two hours from now." He turned aside briefly as a team member whispered something to him.

Zim's breath caught, fear locking his antennae straight. His breath began to come in gasps and a small whimper escaped him.

In a flash, Dib was at his side. "Don't show him fear!" he whispered tersely. "Don't let him get to you, and for heaven's sake be strong! You're representing your race and planet."

Blinking in surprise, Zim deliberately slowed his breathing, regulated his heartbeat, and set his jaw defiantly.

Annoyed, the Professor turned back and explained, "We'll have to delay the dissection another hour. It's raining, and that's causing difficulties with the airplane Dr. Iseen A. Problem is on. Oh well. We'll be able to conduct a few more experiments though."

A flash of red. Dr. Iyka's skull exploded, plastering the wall and nearby humans with bloody gore.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Instantly dropping to the floor, Dib rolled under the table Zim lay on.

"You came!" Zim shrilled above him. "Oh you wonderful, stupid robot, you came!"

"Master!" Came a shriek. Dib peeped his head out to see a cyan-red object hurtle toward Zim and latch onto his neck.

"G—k… GIR, can't… air… need…"

"Awww, Master needs more wuv."

"No, G--!" There was a crack and Zim went limp. Dib crept out further, ignoring his father's frantic calls for security.

Something seemed to register dimly in the overjoyed circuits of the android. He released Zim from his deathly strong embrace and poked him.

"Master? Master, wake up! I gonna get you outta here! You'll be safe then. We can make cake! Master?" The prodding became more frantic. GIR grabbed Zim's shoulders and shook him back and forth. "Master! Don't leave me all 'lone! I does bad stuff when you leaves me 'lone. You gotta yell an' say 'No GIR!' so I knows what not to do! Master, Master come back! I be good, I promise, I be gooooooooooooooood!"

GIR's wail shook the room. The insane little robot buried his face in his Master's hospital gown and sobbed, his tears causing Zim's skin to smoke.

Dib felt a lump in his throat as well. He pulled himself up and placed his hand on GIR's shoulder.

His world flipped and he flew across the room, smashing into the wall. Groaning, he shook his head to clear his vision, and saw GIR's face, eyes flashing red with fury.

"You! Why didn't you help? If you'd'a helped, Master'd still be… be…" GIR collapsed onto Dib's chest, weeping hysterically.

Dib heard security guards pounding at the door. He ducked his head and whispered, "GIR, I need you to trust me. Will you trust me?" GIR sniffled, raised his trusting blue eyes to Dib's, and nodded.

With a deep breath, Dib flipped a switch at the back of GIR's neck. The droid registered a moment of surprise, then toppled over in a senseless heap of metal.

Note: Okay, before you get out the tar and feathers, neither GIR nor Zim are dead.