As soon as he was out of Zim's front lawn, he opened the note.

He smiled, as he read it.

Need me? I'll be here. When you're ready.

Zim

It was simple, yes, but it summed up what was definitely something more.

And that was... all he needed to know. He sighed shortly and went back to his house, placing the note in his pocket. He was packed and ready to leave, within a few days, tuition paid and full, his life coming together and falling apart all at the same time.

He walked in the front door, closed it, up the stairs, to his room. He knew there was something hidden behind his cool, calm exterior. It was the first time Dib had masked his feelings around Zim since before the truce, and it wasn't even intentional.

He fell into a hot mess of tears, frustrated and empty.

--Then, a smile.

Four years later.

"Dib Membrane." The Headmaster called. Dib smiled at his family as he walked up to the platform to receive his degrees. The crowd applauded. He then walked down to sit with his friends, making fun of how some of them looked so serious and solemn when they walked up there.

Yes, friends. Interestingly, Dib did make several, and it surprised him to know other people could be so avid about paranormal things, the world and its mysteries. But, instead of following his childhood fancies, he went 'straight' so to speak, majoring in Psychology. He excelled in it greatly, finding it very interesting and fun to learn about human nature, the mind and its many complexities, and the world in general.

He also was greatly interested in art, studying many great works and their meanings, practicing his own skills as well, thinking what a great back-up plan it would be, if his plans of being a psychologist didn't pan out, if he could land a job/internship in an art studio or museum. It just might work.

But though he seemed on the right track, to the road of Greatness and Success, he knew, in the back of his mind and heart, his true passion. The Paranormal.

His father was there, as was his sister, though she seemed quite indifferent, she was happy for him, whether it be because he moved out or because he actually made something of himself, no one could be sure. His father, grinning through his lab coat and goggles, and his eyes were shinning with joy. He was extremely pleased with Dib's success. But, he couldn't help but feel relieved for the fact that Dib didn't go straight into the strange, 'nonsensical' paranormal studies.

It made him swell up with pride, and for the first time, he knew how much he loved his son. Of course, he always had, but musings of 'My poor, insane son'... was now switched to 'My successful, intelligent son' and 'The College graduate'.

Much later, after the celebration, he and his friends went back to their dorms for some drinks and their own little version of celebrating. Loud music, blaring, piercing their eardrums hypnotically, they drank, danced, laughed and talked merrily... all the while he seemed to be forgetting something. He couldn't place what.

Much later, as the laughter died down a little and the music was promptly shut off due to Trisha, formally known as Tee, who announced very loudly that she had a whale of a migrane, which she got every now and then for reasons unknown.

"It's got me at the most jagged end of its teeth, chomping on my brain meats, deciding whether to swallow me or to just keep chewing," She said in a daze, slurring her words, swaying back and forth, her eyes crazed and full of twisted humor. "It just keeps chewing an-and chewiiiiiiiiing..." She giggled and garbled at Dib, flirting with him, trying to kiss him, her friends tittering and smiling, pointing out shamelessly how cute of a couple they would be. Finally, his friend passed out.

"I always knew Tee liked ya," His long-time friend Johnny teased, playfully hitting him in the arm.

"I don't think so. She was outta her mind plastered." Dib remarked, but he smiled anyway.

"Oh, and is that your professional opinion?" Johnny gushed. "Girls only like you when they're 'outta their mind'?"

Dib scoffed at his friend. "Yeah, well at least I know when a girl likes me for real or not."

Johnny rolled his eyes. "Sure. Well just lookit her, all laid out and prutty-like. Just cuz she don't like you doesn't mean you can't get a little action!" He said in his imitation of a dumb jock, laid on thick.

"Sh-shut up, I would never do that!" He said a little too loudly, for Trish stirred a little. But instead of waking, she slept on.

Johnny giggled, "Oh that's right, you're more into the cute little green aliens..."

Dib rolled his eyes, "Well; I have good reason to believe you like Krista." Dib ignored the aforementioned remark, and Johnny just blushed.

Then, in an instant later, he remembered.

Dib and Zim made hardly any contact these past years. Just the brief, "Hi, how are you, what's been going on?"... But every time they spoke, Zim seemed empty, seemed sad, seemed lonely. If Dib asked him if something was wrong, the response was always, "Nothing! I'm great!" But it never seemed to make a difference. 'In vain as always Zim.' It was rare when Dib heard Zim in a good mood, and when he did, Dib felt so much relief. He didn't know how much Zim affected him, emotionally and otherwise, and only his close friends really saw those minute changes.

What was odd was that though it wasn't against the rules to have visitors, and though Dib had made several invitations, Zim always declined. Was he scared? But of what? It was just Dib... and he knew, they knew each other better than they knew themselves. It was a constant thing that always bothered Dib, but he never spoke to Zim about it, not the way he wanted to.

But one thing was for sure, he was definitely feeling a full frontal attack on his nerves, his emotions, for now that his college 'adventure' was over, and now that his fun has ended, there was nothing to distract him from these feelings. He missed Zim terribly. He missed their conversations, amusing and even intelligent, the way he could tell just from one look how the other felt, and vice versa, and a million things.

And he thought knew why his friend was so detached and quiet, he thought he knew Zim. But he realized today he had really no idea.

No idea what was almost as obvious as Zim was obviously an alien-disguised, for sometimes-even geniuses couldn't see what was right at the end of their noses.

He didn't see that Zim...

Dib had tried this whole time to figure out what Zim really meant to him, but it was always pushed back into his mind for other things, popping out randomly and frustrating him.

And, still... he didn't know.

Something struck him as odd when he received the postcard in the mail the other day. It was the only thing resembling contact outside of their phone conversations that he got from Zim. But then again, Dib never sent any letters. His heart chimed an unusual chord when he read it. It gave him a rush, so to speak, and his whole body became flushed and his heart rate quickened.

It said: Ready? If so-- I know you know I always was. Zim

Scrawled out and messy, it was something that made him rethink things. But he was scared shitless to even think of replying. Johnny was the only one he confided this in; he was someone you could trust, no matter what.

"Hello...? Helloooooooo?" Johnny shook Dib from his thoughts. "Anybody home?" He tapped Dib's head jokingly, waiting for a reply. Nothing.

"You're thinking of him, aren't ya? The note he sent you??" Dib scowled lightly, but it faded into a confusing jumble of sadness, yearning and a sense of loneliness.

"Yes." He finally said, his eyes far away and distant.

Johnny looked at his best friend and sighed. It was so painfully obvious how his friend felt for Zim... and even more painfully obvious that Zim felt the same.

Dib just couldn't grasp it, almost didn't want to.

Johnny, usually fun with his charismatic and comical persona, similar to Dib with his obsession with the paranormal, didn't try to crack any more jokes, he knew now was not the time to play games.

He hugged Dib warmly. "Go to him, you know he needs you." Dib sighed deeply.

The next day, he replied Zim with a postcard he bought from a nearby gas station.

...Flashes of the past swirled endlessly.

You bet. See you soon. -Dib.

Smile for me.