ZADR Orange Chapter 164

Warnings: Extreme OOCness

Rating: M for later chapters

Disclaimer: We do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. We do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Zim: Notgonnadie

Dib: Me

Enjoy. =3

Pressing a palm to one of Dib's warm cheeks delicately when the hybrid broke down into sobs against his chest, Zim tilted his head back to stare at the white-washed ceiling above them through half-lidded eyes, his eyelids wavering slightly now as it was taking everything in him not to black out completely again. "What are you sorry for?" he asked, gently stroking his fingers over Dib's hair comfortingly.

"E-Everything...They took you because I wanted you to change me! I'm the reason you got in trouble!"

"No. They took me because Red hates me...It had nothing to do with you."

"B-But they said...They said that wasn't the only reason...Th-They said because you changing me was illegal...And because we were going to have smeets...a-and...and..."

"Shhh, Dib. It doesn't matter what they said, okay?" Zim shushed and held him close, feeling worn out and just wanting to fall back to sleep.

His antennae drooping as he found Zim's chest to rest a cheek against comfortably, Dib sniffled wetly, blinking the tears out of his eyes as he let the Irken's familiar scent lull him considerably, having missed that comfort of snuggling up close to the other and being embraced in his warmth.

"It's okay, Dib…I'm here for you…I'll always be here for you…" Zim said before feeling himself start to slip out of consciousness again. He quickly had a PAK leg bring out the small box from before. Now was as good a time as any, he figured. "D-Dib?" he said the other's name in an attempt to catch the hybrid's attention, though his tongue suddenly felt dry against the roof of his mouth.

Clinging to Zim tightly, Dib lifted his head slightly to look up at Zim. "Y-Yeah...?" he asked, tears still stinging at the edges of his eyes as he stared down at Zim.

Hoping he'd take it, Zim held the small box out to Dib. "I…tried to ask before they took me...W-Will you marry Zim?" he asked, his fingers trembling with uncertainty now against the small black box that housed the silver-banded engagement ring he'd purchased.

Dib's eyes grew wide at the sight of the golden-engraved black box and the question being asked of him. "Y-You...want to marry me? I-I...I don't...H-How did you...? A-And when? A-And...Y-Yes...I...I love you so much..." he glomped onto Zim, for once at a loss for words completely.

His eyes watering up a little at that response, Zim smiled and pulled Dib closer, having missed his hybrid deeply.

Antennae twitching wildly, Dib found Zim's neck to bury his face in and lick at submissively.

Finally letting himself fall back off to sleep, Zim then held Dib close as he drifted off in peace, his chest rising and falling once as he breathed in deeply and exhaled a breath of fresh air softly against the boy's scythe lock of hair.

Letting his own eyelids slip closed after a moment to sleep as well, Dib clutched the small box close to his chest as he fell asleep curled up against Zim, his body pressing perfectly flush against Zim's as they exchanged body heat, a warm blanket of complacency soon replacing the initial lack of security they had both felt upon waking up.

Having peeked into the room to check in on them just in time to see the exchange, Rose, meanwhile, stood situated just outside the bedroom door, thrilled by the as of yet unannounced news. Closing the door quietly behind her so it was no long left sitting ajar, she then crept back downstairs to tell the good news, not so certain she could wait for Zim and Dib to wake back up themselves.

Relaxing with a cup of coffee, Jack sat at the kitchen table, scanning his eyes through a newspaper as the medical drone and Lily were having a conversation over a tray of cookies set in front of them.

Giddily entering into the kitchen, Rose clapped her hands together happily and did a little dance as she pranced her way into the kitchen, all smiles.

Jack raised an eyebrow at this display. "Everything alright?" he asked, his wife's spring in the step catching his attention.

"Oh everything is MUCH more then alright~" Rose giggled. "Guess who's got a wedding to prepare for~" she then sang out in and sing-song tone of voice.

"Zim and Dib?" Lily responded upon hearing her sister's words.

"So, he actually asked him. And Dib accepted?" Jack smiled at her. "Well, Zim may be paying for it, but I get the feeling we'll be helping them with most of the actual preparing, Rose. I think it goes without saying that they'll be needing all the help they can get with that." he said, already able to see the wheels turning inside his wife's head.

"What's a 'wedding?'" the medical drone then looked up from the cookie he was snacking on, intrigued by everything new he'd been learning since arriving on Earth.

"See what I mean?" Jack smiled at her amused.

Rose giggled and spun around a few more times excitedly. "I always knew they would make it." she said before stumbling into a counter a bit, panting out tired but elated still.

"Now, hang on, Rose. Let's slow down before you get too caught up in wedding plans for those two. First, I think they'll need some recovery time. And then we'll have to get them back on track with their plans for the smeets. A wedding can wait for now. Though...I suppose if you want to give them an idea of what it will be like, you could show them the video of our own wedding. That might at least give Zim a better idea of what's involved in a wedding."

Rose nodded thoughtfully at that suggestion. "Yeah… I'll show them as soon as they heal enough to get out of bed." she smiled wide and sat down at the table, then stood back up and began walking around the kitchen, messing with cabinets and such, unable to relax or sit still.

Jack watched her, slightly concerned now. "Rose. Perhaps we should take a short nap." he could tell she was jittery but knew she was in need of some more rest at her current stage in the pregnancy, especially after everything that had happened over the past few days.

Rose bit her lip at that proposition, having been finding it hard to relax ever since Zim had first showed back up. "I guess I could try." she sighed in defeat, remembering the medical drone's earlier cautions to her.

Jack stood up from his seat to take her by the hand. "Come on. Just a short one. You've hardly slept the past 24 hours. I'll take it with you." he said, leading her towards their bedroom.

Rose nodded and walked with him up to the bedroom.

Jack smiled as he took her upstairs.

Rose smiled back a little in response.

Meanwhile, back with Zim and Dib, Dib slept for the most part soundly against Zim though shivered as his recurring nightmare from before began to creep back into his mind, causing him to imagine Zim's leader sending down more guards to take Zim from him again. "Mmm...No...Don't touch him..." he mumbled, clinging even tighter to Zim. "D-Don't...touch him..." he said again when the nightmare only became with every passing second.

Hissing in pain, Zim woke up at the other's squeezing. "Nnnn…N-Not so tight, Dib…I still hurt..." he said, not realizing at first that Dib was still fast asleep.

Out cold completely and dead to the world, Dib didn't lessen up his hold on Zim as his antennae fell back and he began to sweat in his sleep. "Don't touch him...D-Don't touch him..." he repeated over and over again, pulling slightly under the covers when his body took to trembling more violently again. "Don't touch him! DON'T TOUCH HIM!" his mumbling turned to almost a scream now when Zim tried to pull away, causing him to growl out lowly and only cling on tighter.

His body burning from the intense pressure Dib was putting on it, Zim hissed through his teeth. "Dib, wake up! L-LET ME GO! I-It hurts!" he shouted out when Dib only clung to him even tighter.

Snapping awake at Zim's yelling and instantly sitting up in the bed, Dib let go of the Irken and stared at him wide-eyed. "I'm sorry!" he panted out, not having meant to hurt him.

Panting and wincing at odd intervals now, Zim wheezed momentarily, unable to say anything else for a few long seconds.

Scared now, Dib's antennae fell back on his head as he stared over at Zim. "I'm sorry! I-I'm sorry!" he backed away from Zim, afraid that even just touching him would hurt him.

"Nnn…D-Don't go..."

"B-But I hurt you...I hurt you, and I don't want to do that!" Dib reached up his hands to yank down at his antennae as he backed up just a bit more before toppling off the bed and staring back terrified from his spot on the ground now.

A/N: And there you have it for Chapter 164. Until next time~