Chapter 8

Does Being Alive Scare You?

Groggy eyes watched the doctor move slowly around the room, pacing as he read the diagnosis off of the clipboard. The patient was dying, having lost too much blood in the accident. Besides the puncture wounds that drained most of the crimson liquid, there was also the fractured skull, broken limbs, and other such injuries. Even though he was conscious, it would only remain that way for a short time before he fell into a coma, and then died. His family held each other as the news was broken in an overly dramatic way. It was a young doctor, handsome enough that any woman would want him, but all of that was left behind as he did his job. A true professional, or so he wanted others to believe.

"Do you understand?" he asked, trying not to sound too cold, but not wanting to portray any weakness. It was his job, something that could not be flowery.

"I hate stupid human TV!" Zim twisted a little in his chair, trying to find a comfortable position, but not taking his eyes off of the small screen.

"It's a soap-opera, Zim. No human in their right mind likes them. But yet they still air." He let out a huff and crossed his arms, finally breaking his gaze as the commercials began. He scanned the room but then decided to concentrate on the blood that was smeared across his chest. It was a disgustingly sticky mess until it dried, then it was a disgustingly crusty mess. He used his nail to scrape at it.

Right after the attack, security called an ambulance for Dib, taking him directly to the hospital, Zim tagging along. Alicia met up with the ex-alien about ten minutes later, having to pack everything in the car and fight traffic. The two sat in the waiting room, unhappy and nervous. Well, Zim more so unhappy and his female counter part the nervous one. Zim knew human medicine was incompetent compared to Irken technology, but it would do the job, making Dib just fine. A doctor walked into the waiting room and called for the two. Both stood, but Alicia was the only one to approach the doctor. Zim stood his ground, afraid of the possible trap. What if the doctor realized immediately that he wasn't supposed to be human? What if the Dib-stink had planned all of it out to finally capture him? His mind raced with such thoughts, unaware of the doctor's failing attempts to get his attention.

"Um, Mr…" Something clicked in the alien's brain. What did he care anymore? Without his base he couldn't conquer the filthy ball of dirt, and he wouldn't mind being exposed as an alien, he would actually enjoy that! Finally, officially Irken again! And maybe he could die with honor! His eyes suddenly widened in shock. Thoughts like that hadn't reared up, seriously, since the first day of his transformation when he turned down his base's heat. He had hoped to freeze himself before his body became warm blooded, but the transformation was too fast, and then the cursed human showed up and---

"Hey Zim! C'mere!" His eyes focused finally on Alicia who was standing patiently next to the doctor that wasn't so forgiving. Hurridly he moved toward the two.

"How is he doing, doctor?" Alicia watched for the answer nervously, the emotion slipping into her voice.

"Not bad. No serious damage to the ligaments, but it was a pretty deep wound. He's not going to be able to use it for awhile." She brought a hand to her mouth, Zim standing ideally to the side. "You can go see him now. We'll be releasing him soon. His room is down the hall, third last door on the right." The doctor made to move, but was stopped by the blond girl,

"Hey Zim, why don't you go ahead and keep him company."

"Why do I have to?" Zim whined, crossing his arms again in annoyance.

"Well, I have to talk to the doctor and I figured I'd give you a chance to thank him for getting stabbed for you." A frown crossed her delicate features. The alien didn't think that it was the least he could do for the person who practically saved his life? Maybe she had read into it wrong. Zim grumbled a little and took off as the girl returned her attention to the older man.

"Third from the end" Zim mumbled this as his mind raced again. Stupid human had to interfere with his battle, and than get himself hurt. Why in the hell should he thank him for it?

'Because he saved your life?' Stopping abruptly, Zim turned around, looking for the source of the outburst. Nurses strolled back and forth, a few civilians, a couple of doctors, but no one close enough to him, no one reading his thoughts or even paying him any attention. Narrowing his eyes in a silent warning, he took a few more steps.

'Twice!' His whipped around, glancing in every direction,

"Who the hell's saying that!" The others in the general area stopped and stared at him. No one stepped forward to claim responsibility, or generate any explanation. Snorting in annoyance, he turned on his heals and stalked off, daring under his breath for the person to speak up again. No one did. Six doors, five doors, four doors, should he really go through with this? His ego told him no, that he should forget all about this, and drop the whole thing, but he knew that wasn't an option. The voice was right, Alicia was right, regardless of how much he wanted to disagree. Grumbling, he walked the remaining feet.

Florescent lights were blinding as they accented the white walls of Dib's hospital room. Sunlight stormed through the tightly sealed windows, intent on destroying the artificial glow, and claiming it as its own. His body hurt so badly, the bandages too restricting, the fresh wound bleeding into it. Questions he didn't feel like answering were going to be coming, his companions wielding them. His right hand worked its way to his face, rubbing at his tired eyes. He had dealt with enough questions already. He sat there, enjoying the darkness behind closed and covered eyes until a small creek forced him to open them again. Zim sat in the wooden chair that had been left next to his bed by the doctor, an unreadable expression on his face. A minute passed with out a sound before the ex-alien opened him mouth, drew in a deep breath, and spoke.

"How did you do it?" Dib closed his eyes. The question didn't sound right. Why was it---

"Wait… 'how' did I do it?" His eyes had shown with general confusion. Hadn't Zim meant why?

"Yes, 'how'." There was the unreadable expression still, but annoyance started to settle in, too. What did he mean, 'how'? He had moved forward, taking the blade into his own body. Why was a better question, the question he had anticipated.

"Damn it stink-beast! How did you do it? Where did you learn Irken!"

"I DON'T … Wait… what?" Crimson eyes narrowed in annoyance, fists clenched. He was serious. He didn't know Irken! Sure he had tried to pick up on it to decode Zim's transmissions faster, but that was just one symbol at the most.

"Don't play stupid! At the mall, telling me to shut up!"

"I said that in English!"

"Yeah, if Irken is suddenly English" He crossed his arms over his chest. Dib didn't know what to say. Zim was hell bent. Suddenly the ex-alien scoffed, closing his eyes,

"What was I thinking? This lowly human could never speak such a superior language."

"God damn it, Zim! You're a 'lowly human' now too, so shut up!" Crimson eyes snapped open again, as the boy jumped to his feet, pointing in triumph.

"There! You did it again! Now, how? Where did you learn it?" Dib was about to retort, scream that he had only spoke English, but stopped as the door opened, and Alicia's smiling face popped in,

"Can I come in?"

"Sure"

"Yes, human! Come here and listen!" He turned his attention back to the bedded boy, "Do it again!"

"I'm not your monkey, Zim! And you're out of your friggen mind!"

"Do what?" Alicia watched the mini bicker with curiosity.

"But you are a monkey, now do it!"

"That bastard thinks I can speak Irken!" An accusing finger was directed at Zim who still pointed back,

"What's Irken?"

"My home language, now DO IT HUMAN MONKEY!"

"JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP, ZIM!" His mouth felt different, weird even. Quickly he covered it with his right hand. The young girl looked at him in surprise, triumph adorning Zim's face. "Did I… Did I just—" A cackle came from the ex-alien's throat.

"No denying it now! Speak up!" He didn't move his fingers away from his mouth, but spoke into it.

"I—I don't know." He looked at the two in shock. "I really have no idea." Zim snorted, crossing his arms and taking a seat again, frowning in annoyance and misery. Alicia smiled nervously at the situation, offering her distraction.

"The doctor gave you the official okay to leave… Shall we?"

"Please" Dib said, struggling to sit up. The IV had been removed right after the doctor had left, but the morphine in his system was still playing with his mind. His movements were sluggish, and infuriating to the ex-alien. Jumping to his feet, Zim threw the paranormal investigator's good arm over his shoulder, and heaved him off the bed.

"Damn it, Zim! Be careful!" The alien dragged him a few steps, "No! Ow, Zim! Stop! That hurts so bad!" He bit his lip in pain, eyes watering.

"Well, hurry up then!" He dropped the arm and began storming off, "I'll be waiting by her car." He gestured over his shoulder at Alicia before turning a corner and disappearing. The girl hurried over to stabilize her friend who began to wobble slightly.

"What's gotten into him?"

"Zim doesn't like hospitals… Never did… as long as I've know him." Alicia looked up at him, leading him down the hallway, letting him relocate his center of balance.

"He didn't seem so twitchy earlier."

"Yeah…" The doctor had prescribed the boy a bottle of Loritab to help him survive the following days in a comfortable of a stupor. Alicia presented it to him as they moved down the hallway, telling him that they could drop it off on the way back to Dib's house, and she would pick it up later for him. Dib thanked her as they escaped the sterile building and began crossing the street to the parking structure where the blue saturn was parked.

"Did Zim thank you?" The boy stopped on the sidewalk, Alicia doing the same.

"No." She took a couple more steps before returning her eyes to her friend, "… but I guess I didn't really expect him to." The girl stood there sadly, not sure of how to react. There really wasn't anything between them. No friendship, nothing more. She hoped for the best for them, but the best seemed lost. Shrugging with one shoulder, Dib began walking again.

"It's no big deal. Didn't really do it to save him, anyway. I bet he knew that, though."

"Why did you do it then?" ­ He didn't answer right away, thinking it over again. The answer still wasn't there.

"I don't know. Instinct maybe." A nod was given in response as they entered the parking ramp and moved toward the car. Dib was thankful as woozy sensations began to take over, but his relief was short lived.

"Where's Zim?" Amber eyes focused on the vehicle, glancing around for the boy, but no one was around, and no sounds gave away his position. Dib moaned, rubbing at his eyes, as Alicia called out for him. No response was given.

"I should have realized that he didn't know where the car was!" Opening the driver side door, she reached in and grabbed her cell phone,

"Dib, wait here incase he comes back. I'm going to go look for him."

"Don't bother," the passenger side door opened, and he began sliding inside. A surprised look crossed the girl's feature,

"What do you mean 'don't bother'? Of course I'm going to bother! He's new to this whole thing, and even though I don't know him very well, I'm considering him a friend, Dib. You know I'd do the same for you!" Turning on her heels, and slamming the door shut, she began moving away, "Give me a call if he makes it here." And with that, she was gone. Amber eyes followed her until she disappeared behind a truck before falling closed, their owner reclining slightly.

"You should have answered, now she's mad at me."

"It's your own fault, Dib monkey. A good example why you humans should clearly express yourselves." Dib rolled his eyes, focusing them on the car next to him. On the other side sat Zim, leaning against the front passenger side tire, picking absently at his nails. It was true that he hadn't know where the car was, but it didn't take that many brain cells to figure out where it should be.

"Why did you rush out?"

"I hate those places." The answer was quick and precise as Zim pushed himself off of the dirty concrete, and stepped around to eye the back of Dib's head.

"So my guess was right."

"You know why I hate them?" Another half shrug greeted him, "It's because of all of those autopsy threats you gave. I always thought of those anytime I saw a hospital, or even heard one mentioned. You always won on the intimidation factor."

"I had to win at something." A slight grin slid onto Dib's face as the car door opened behind him, and the ex-alien took a seat. The buckles clicked as Zim shoved them backwards, laying down on the cotton covering and letting out a long yawn.

I guess he's still recovering from the transformation. He sure needs a lot more energy than normal people. But who was he kidding? It was as if the hospital had sucked all of the power from their bodies, leaving them lifeless shells with no car keys, and nothing to entertain the time.

"Give Alicia a call and tell her you're here so we can leave." Dib maneuvered, trying to shove the phone at the boy behind him. He winced in pain as Zim grabbed the phone and dropped it back on his lap.

"No."

"Stop being difficult, Zim."

"Stop being weak, Dib." The paranormal investigator clenched his teeth, turning as much as he could to throw a glare at the back of Zim's head. The attacker smirked into the seat. Getting a rise out of Dib was quickly becoming a favorite past time of his, right up there with sleeping, and no where near the extremely low position of shopping and visiting people in the hospital. Dib began wondering if he should indeed pursue the verbal (and possibly physical) battle, but decided against it. Flipping open the mechanical device, he punched in the speed-dial command, and held the device to his ear, letting it ring until a clear voice spoke up.

"Is he back there?" Dib sighed lightly. She was obviously still mad over something that was just a misunderstanding.

"Yeah."

"I'll be right there." And, with that, the line went dead. Flipping it closed, Dib began to relax again. A playful and smug voice called out from the back seat,

"She's still mad at you?"

"Shut up Zim." A light laugh carried about the vehicle as Zim turned himself onto his back.

"It's odd…" Dib waited for the fragment to be completed for a grand total of thirty-two second before inquiring on it.

"What's odd"

"Two humans that can speak Irken… Well, one that can speak it, the second can only tell the first to shut up." Dib sighed.

"Is that all I can say?" It was at least an improvement that he was considering himself a human.

"You thought your pathetic mind could handle any more?" A silence fell over the car as Dib sat in pity.

"I would hit you if my arm didn't hurt so bad." Another laugh and the shifting of cloth on cloth were the immediate response.

"Weakling." He turned to yell, but stopped as the driver's side door opened. Throwing a glare over his shoulder, Dib fell quiet again.

"Hey, Zimmy! Get lost?"

"A little. Found my way here, though." The ex-alien sat up, watching the girl slip into her seat and put the metal piece into the ignition.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it. I'm going to drop Dib's prescription slip off at the pharmacy on my way to work. You're going to need to pick it up later, okay Dib?" The boy's head bobbed, amber eyes showing wearily from behind his glasses. Of course he would have to pick it up himself, but when that would happen was a mystery to him. He would have to walk down to the store, which wasn't working to well with the drugs, but it also wouldn't work well with a painful arm. He sighed, clenching his teeth as the car started, and they pulled away.

---

Dib stared at the ceiling, listening to soft breathing lying next to him. A few days had passed since he had been attacked in the food court of the local mall, completely undermining any self-respect he had left. He also had been kindly medicated since then, having made his way to the pharmacy sometime that same day. But, for the first time since then, the paranormal investigator was having a hard time sleeping. It wasn't as if he was paranoid or anything, the loritab had taken all of that away, leaving him fearless. It was actually the memories of the past hour that kept him away from glorious slumber.

Dib and Zim had gotten into another argument about what to do with the ex-alien. Zim was still under the impression that he was superior to Dib, regardless of what his leaders say him as, and Dib kindly burst his bubble, reminding him that he had been transformed for a reason. The ex-alien had opened his mouth, about to retort, but shut it quickly, rolled over, and fell asleep, leaving Dib stunned and concerned. It had been just a normal battle, right? Or was Zim digging for some reason to exist? They were both searching for hope in a world without any. Shifting his shoulder blades, Dib tried to will his conciseness to quiet down and let him sleep. It obeyed as amber eyes closed.

Zim stared down at him, boot clad foot pressing on Dib's throat, crimson eyes narrowed. Clutched in his clawed hand was a menacing looking laser, aimed at the young paranormal investigator's head. It powered up with a screech. He was done for, no escape… or was there? Briefly the blood-like orbs flickered, and Dib saw his chance. He punched at Zim's knee, causing it to buckle, and the alien to collapse, dropping his weapon. Taking the moment of confusion to his advantage, Dib jumped on top of him, scrambling to take charge of the situation. Zim had picked up his weapon again that discharged into the boy's left shoulder. Searing pain registered through out his body, but pale fingers managed to keep working, wrapping around the green neck, pushing in. Crimson orbs opened wide, panic and surprise swimming within them. Dib blinked as sweat seeped into his eyes, but the image had morphed when he opened them again.

Crimson eyes began to dull, already pale flesh turning whiter. The life was being strangled out of him, and he rose no hand to stop it. Dib could see the conviction on the alien's face. He didn't care how he died, just as long as it happened. Slowly, shaking, the paranormal investigator pulled his fingers away, feeling the chest underneath him fill with oxygen. Zim brought a hand to rub at his bruise Adam's apple, coughing lightly. Crimson irises glanced into amber once.

"You... you couldn't do it." Dib let the phrase register for a minute, not moving off of the boy he was straddling. Cradling his damaged arm, he threw himself onto his back, rolling onto his right side, facing away from the ex-alien. Zim sat up, still rubbing at his throat and swallowing hard. Neither said anything for the longest time, before Dib made his confusion known with one simple command.,

"Get out." A moment later the bed creaked, and a second after that the bedroom door was slammed shut. He listened as the front door creaked open and shut before burying his face in his pillow, breathing the suffocating air. His head raced with thoughts, most of which seemed to turn into disjointed swear words. Thousands of scolding knives seemed to have worked their way into the flesh surrounding the true stab wound, twisting with each mental kick he gave himself. His body began twitching in pain as his right arm searched the windowsill, returning to him moments later with the bottle of pain pills. He popped it open, taking out double the dose, and dry swallowing, forcing the odd shapes through his tightened throat.

---

Screeching sounds jerked the boy from his peaceful slumber, his heart leaping from his chest. Struggling off of the bed, the cripple boy finally unhooked the phone after the fifth ring, having vaulted his way to his desk. Raising the mechanical device to his ear, he proceeded cautiously,

"Hello?"

"Hello, Dib?" She continued without waiting for a response, "I have a young man here you might remember as your old nemesis. Well, I found him wandering on my street on my way home from work this morning! What the hell are you thinking? Kicking him out like that!" Dib let out a grown. Of course Alicia had to find him. It was only appropriate since she couldn't possibly be mad at him enough already. He shouldered the phone, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The voice continued from the other end, scolding him loudly. Glancing at the clock, he knew it was too late to go to school, it being 2 o'clock in the afternoon and everything.

"Get over here." His attention snapped back to the phone.

"What?"

"I said 'get over here'! It's far too easy for you to ignore me on the phone, so I want your ass at my house. I'm giving you an hour to get ready, think up a good apology, and get over here. If not, I'm coming to find you!" And, with that, the line went dead.

A/N: 50 reviews please! ) And thank you for all the support! I'll beresponding to all signed reviews! 3