Always Rings Always

"Don't... let... go...."

Calm.

Deliriously.

Calm.

Stay calm, calm, stay calm... calm.

Reaching, reaching, reaching for something.

Swirl.

Bounce. Swerve. Jump.

Gasp!

Seconds.

Jump.

Swirls of images.

Not there

Minutes.

Hours...?

Deliriously.

Deliriously.

Angry.

"You Inhuman Monster! Stay away from her...!" He glared, but his eyes betrayed him, lost with worry. "Don't you dare.. I'll RIP YOU APART!" In short, tense, furious screams, making sure the message was clearly known. His only back up, besides Zim... was seated in his back pocket. But Zim was unconscious, at least, he thought so. In a fury, he knocked over the medical table, metal clattering to the ground. She just grinned at the outburst.

He tried to remain prudent, for at any moment, she could hack their daughter into pieces. He had to be so careful. But it was difficult to remain quiet, quiet when his daughter's life was on the line, as well as Zim's. His life didn't matter at all to him anymore.

Quietly, Zim got up, crouching low. 'Stupid human. So weak... I'm barely even scratched.'

Then... crimson locked with brilliant gold. Dib let out a soft sigh of relief, he could tell from the look on Zim's face that the whole 'unconscious' thing was an act.

Happiness is...

Is...

Swirl.

Happiness.

Delirious.

Swirl.

Zim looked at Dib. He was barely breathing. Looked at Mariko. Dib. Blur. Blood.

Something inside of Zim snapped. His eyes glared with intense rage.

"Do you really want to die?" She seethed, grinning. There was something in her voice... something... frantic, hysterical... disturbed. She drew closer to Zim. "I'll kill her too.. your little mutant bastard of a daughter, I will! Slice her open... feed her insides to my cute little dogs at home..." She had the blade tightly grappled in her fist. "Join me for dinner?" She was so caught up in her disturbed speech, she didn't see Zim stalking toward her, his antennas lowered, his whole body in a tense and fierce stance.

"...Not likely." Zim, in a furious blaze, pulled all of his might... twirled around and slammed his boot...

Wham! ...Straight to her head.

At the force of the kick, so sudden and so intense, she seemingly flew, ramming head first into the very thick cement wall.

Smash!

It made such a terrible sound, you could hear something inside cracking, bone and cartilage mixing with fresh blood and brain. Something so soft.

Shattered.

She coughed, choked, murmuring unintelligible's. Blood was pouring from an open wound at the side of her head. Her hand reached involuntarily to her monstrous gash, but it fell, limp to the bloody floor as did the blade. Skull was cracked, flesh was hanging, blood was soaking, soaking, dripping.

Her bottle-green eyes were bulging out of her sockets, blond hair tangled and matted...

Drip, drip, drip.

Mariko screamed in terror at the hideousness laid before her, so prettily, so vividly, so...

Splash. He walked carefully over the blood.

Splattered.

Screams.

Zim quickly grabbed her, trying to shield her from the freshly strewn gore. "Shhh, its ok.." He said as calmly as he could muster.

RIP YOU APART!

The woman grinned sadistically.

Fast, erratic Swirl.

Dib smiled right back, his eyes glistening. Reaching...

Time slowed.

Her eagle-trained eyes caught Dib in the act. Stealthily, carefully took out her assault rifle... cocked, aimed it at...

Dib already had his pistol out. Zim was standing behind it all. He was paralyzed. But Dib didn't see him, no he barely even saw anything. His eyes were blurred with delirious anger.

"Call it a draw?" She whispered, crazed, knew it was loaded. Aimed... Eyes on fire.

Then... Time zoomed, too fast for anyone to catch.

He finally snapped out of it. "NO!" Zim cried out.

BANG! Splasssssh.

He pushed Dib, trying to clear him from the bullet, but it hit him. In vain as always.

Straight in the stomach, towards his chest.

She let out a scream of laughter as Zim tumbled on top of Dib, blood soaking underneath him.

Mariko's eyes widened.

"I'll save you Mariko!"

No, no, no... no, no mommy! wake up, please.. no.. mommy! its ok, now, mommy, WAKE UP! MOMMY!!!

He couldn't see anything. Just blur.

He whispered. Unintelligible.

Echo.

"I'll save you."

Happiness...

Swirl.

is a warm gun

save you.

Always rings twice?

Not always

Zim achingly went over to Dib, Mariko laid against his chest... her tiny jade-paled face and raven hair, quirked antennas peeking out, all splattered with little specks of blood. The honey hue of her eyes gleamed as she turned and looked at both of the kind strangers, one covered with gore, shock, the other, in tears. Showed devastation and pain, but she understood... she understood. Tears. Sobs. Screams.

oh fuck, please! nononono... WAKE UP... DIB!!! PLEASE!...oh, please... please.. Dib... no..

understood Love.

She had a strange notion these two people should be important to her. She wrapped her tiny arms around Zim. She hiccuped, tears streaming down. "Da...?" Zim looked at her, puzzled. He smiled sadly.

"I love you Mariko." He leaned over Dib gently. And sobbed.

I do love you, you know?

Hate.

Always rings...?

Always

Eyes flutter open weakly.

"Zi-...Zim?"

Zim's harsh sobs came to a sudden halt. He gasped.

"Dib?"

Delirious.

I'll save

BANG!

Swirl...

Just a dream?

He was finally free.

Fin.