A/N: Took a while but here it is! The much awaited chapter three! I know the flash backs are starting to annoy people, but they're a main point of the story. Sorry all.

By the way, I just fixed up the typos for this chapter after I reread it on It's a whole lot better now. ENJOY!!!

Warning: Contains… lots of crap really… like AlienxBoy mating that results in weirdness… compared to that everything is just peachy.

Disclaimer: Yeah, don't own… But I like to dream sometimes….

Summary: A story within a story… Love… what is it truly? Can it survive time and curses…? Zim and Dib have been wronged with secrets and promises must be broken or kept… What is happening? The only way to find out is to read…

Remember:

"Speech"

Thoughts/Memories

Time Breaks

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Chapter Three- This Is What We Call Life

Both children were sound asleep, tucked in neatly, and snoring softly. Dib was staring at his son when Zim had finally walked in. The human brought his face away from the child to look at Zim who was leaning against the wall. He stood there for a moment before his hand reached out.

"I want to show you something…"

The Garden

Dib's hand was placed over his mouth as he quietly walked along the grass. Real grass… from his homeland, Earth. His hand wavered as he let it fall against a tree. The feeling of bark alerted the tender pads on his fingertips, sending a signal to his brain clearly saying Yes, it's a real live tree from Earth!

The Irken stood, holding his elbows across his stomach, watching the pale being cautiously tiptoe around the garden. What little doubt of worthlessness the whole trouble of stealing and then planting such organisms that had grown there during his long and agonizing journey was wiped clean away from Zim's mind.

The human breathed in the fresh scent of pure oxygen being released from the flora around them. It made the lungs stronger for a moment, but then gave way to a slight cough. He hunched over for a moment to compensate the sudden fullness in his lungs.

"Careful," Zim warned as he instantly moved forward to touch Dib. "You are still recovering." Dib raised slowly, his fingers gingerly inching up to the alien.

"I'm fine now…" he whispered. Zim studied him with clouding orbs.

"I… broke all my promises to you, didn't I?" the words were harsh, but very little kindness came from Irkens in general. Dib felt his happier mood cloud over. He shook his head, scythe hair waving slightly. Zim had let his claw cutch on to it for a moment, fingering through it. "If only I wasn't so stupid enough to think—"

"Stop it," Dib interrupted, throwing his palm against Zim's lips. Zim's voice faltered to a slow sigh. Dib lowered his hand, unsure of where else it could rest. Knowing the way his human thought, the Irken stopped fondling his hair to entwine their hands together.

"You don't hate me again, do you, worm-baby?" there was a slight ironic grin placed on Zim's face. Dib squeezed his hand. Zim gave a feeble laugh as he squeezed back. "I thought you might have… The whole time I watched your plant blow up."

Dib let out a pain-filled noise and he tried to push it back down. Zim let out a small sound like sounded like a sigh.

"For weeks I tried to convince myself… that it was all a lie. I snapped… I really did. They… My Tallest," the title was said with a grim voice. "Almost made me believe that you were gone. They even gave me pictures of stillborn smeets. Now I know they lied about that as well…"

Dib didn't want to hear the cruel things… but he couldn't find his voice.

"They threw me into a holding cell. They tried to be nice… but I heard the whispers… they were thinking of de-activating my PAK. Somehow… for some reason they couldn't… We can't live more than a few hours without our PAKs. So… down there in that cell… I fixed mine without them knowing. Gir was still in process and Minimoose helped. I've managed to completely sustain myself…" Zim's monologue kept going.

Dib bit his tongue to keep from making more sobs.

"Then, I broke out… and I killed them. Tak had… She tried to stop me. She told me she pitied me… So I just disabled her. I didn't know she would actually come back to return her favor... I'm… I'm sorry…" Zim's voice died away, and honestly it hurt to say those words. The alien never thought he would actually have to apologize for so much..

Silence had taken its toll, leaving Dib shaking. Zim thought at first he had scared the human, or that Dib was too stunned to speak… but Dib began to let out a small nervous laugh. He covered his mouth, trying to swallow it back, and dove into Zim's torso.

Zim gasped and held on tight, trying to soothe the poor human. Dib felt his lungs begin to ache and he slowly fell into the grass. Zim followed carefully. The soft grass was starting to smother Dib's sudden hysteria. After a few moments he had settled down.

"You went through hell… just to come back to me?" Dib asked his voice hoarse. Zim nodded. He brought the human closer to his face, and then deftly pulled off the glasses hiding bright amber eyes. Dib's vision was reduced and blurred, but Zim was still there.

"I told you I would," the Irken murmured. The human nodded, suddenly very drained. He closed his eyes and leaned against the lithe alien chest. Zim let his own eyes close. "Come, you've had a long day, and will have a longer road to recovery…"

Infirmary… Station RS-802

There was a study hum of beeps in an immaculate white room. Doctors bustled around the bright white room making notes and speaking hushed words. They were things like, "Coma," and "Difficult recovery." They were setting up a routine for nurse hours and care specialists.

They were simply doing they're job… But perhaps they were doing it too well.

The Professor stood outside a glass-lined examination room, chin in his hands as he observed the people weaving in and out of the room. It had been a few hours after the other doctors confessed that the woman lying in the bed might not ever wake up. For some reason, Professor Membrane didn't care, and certainly didn't believe their assumptions.

"P-Professor, Dwicky is a-asking for you," some new nurse behind him stuttered out. The Professor turned slightly, frowning marring his face.

"He can still speak?" he questioned. The nurse gulped and nodded quickly.

"He said it's important!" she blurted out, face turning red. The Professor sighed and straightened his blood splattered coat. Mentally he reminded himself to buy a new one. He brushed off the uneasy nurse and quickly marched down the hallway to find Dwicky's room.

Membrane ended up in another extremely white room, walls the thick bullet-proof glass. Hooked up to many machines with a breathing tube jutting from his neck, Dwicky was sitting in the pale blue bed, face scrunched in pain.

"You wanted to speak?" Professor Membrane inquired, arms crossing over his chest. Dwicky jerked his head up roughly, eyes wide. He pressed a button over the breathing tube and opened his mouth, but someone beat him to it.

"I believe you have a problem," a voice growled. Membrane spun around, a noise like a gasp leaving his throat. Accusingly, the man's arm rose to point.

"You!"

"Yes, me."

A cruel smile...

"I picture your face in the back of my eyes…"

Crimson orbs blinked sleepily. A green jaw cracked open, yawning loudly. The melody that woke him began to hush until the hum faded when the alien sat up on his ugly couch. There was his human, standing with his arms crossed in the doorway to his kitchen.

"Hey…" he greeted softly. The alien let a slow grin fall over his face.

"Morning," he said in return. The bespectacled one simply walked over and lay down on top of his extraterrestrial lover. Zim was surprised, but nonetheless circled his arms around his human securely. "Are you alright?" he asked lightly. Dib nodded his head.

Zim let his claws rake through the soft, dark hair. Dib gave a slight shiver, but he was relaxing peacefully… or as peacefully as his stomach churning would let him. Suddenly, Dib's fist clenched against the messy shirt the alien was wearing, his body bending over in a slight pain from his abdomen.

Zim instantly sat up, eyes flashing dangerously. Dib's hand slapped over his mouth and dry heaves made his throat constrict. The Irken's mind immediately assumed the worst and was running through all the ghastly human diseases he studied over and flipped through.

After much swallowing and a few groans, Dib let himself fall back onto his the arches of his feet. He put his pale, sweating hand over his brow. Zim, however, gently tore his hand away, taking off his black gloves so his emerald hand could better take the human's temperature.

"You don't have a fever…" Zim murmured, invisible eyebrows scrunched down in puzzlement. Dib pulled the green claw away quickly, so his sweat wouldn't burn the alien.

"I'm fine. Just a little nauseous," the human mumbled. The Irken reluctantly began sliding his glove back on.

"Alright, if you're sure…"

Irken Ship- Zim Approximately One Week Later

"GAH!"

"OWE!"

"TAKE TH—HEY! NO HITTING!"

"SQUEAK!"

Miz was suddenly overrun by the squeaking, flying Minimoose that was trying to protect Zag's honor. Miz waved around his metal pipe frantically hoping to hit the purple monster, Zag let out a shrill cry as the pipe came extremely close to the ends of her bangs.

Just as Miz was about to swing again, nearly to clobber his sister, an emerald claw zapped down, grasping the pipe firmly by the end. Both Miz and Zag jumped in surprise, turning to face the Irken standing above them. Minimoose stopped its squeaks and floated guiltily.

"Any reason you were going to beat Minimoose and your sister to death?" Zim asked, voice slightly teasing as he wretched the pipe from Miz's four fingered hands. Zim turned it over, examining it carefully. Sighing, he used his spider legs to pick it up and place it in his PAK. "You really shouldn't use any of the piping as weapons; I don't know when I can make it the next port."

"Well excuse me for trying to have a little fun! This place is as boring as he—"

"Miz!" Zag cried quickly. Her brother glowered at her.

"I was going to say 'heck,'" he finished caustically turning on his heel and walking out of their bedroom. Zag made a frustrated sound and simply ignored him, turning to her Dona.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. Zim shrugged much use to Miz's eccentric behavior by now. With a smile she grabbed his gloved hand and began to drag him out of the room. Zim stumbled trying to keep up with the small child.

"Where're we going?" Zim questioned. Zag turned back and let out a secret smile.

"You'll see…"

Zim exhaled quietly and inwardly tried not to panic.

Hospital Wing

Dib was lazily tracing the scar across his stomach. Zim was constantly paranoid and basically kept him locked in the medical part of the ship. After hearing metallic bangs resonate throughout the whole ship (and it is pretty big ship), Zim left to go find the chi—err, smeet.

The human felt himself let out a huge breath as he sat in the swivel chair, spinning around while thinking, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored… And so on and so forth.

It was then that Miz stomped passed, pausing as he saw his father twirling in Zim's chair. Not for the first time, fury licked at Miz's heart. The fact that his father was left alone and seemed to have nothing better to do than spin in a chair was questionable of someone claiming to 'take care of my Dibby properly.' So he redirected his route and padded into the room.

"Father," he said. Dib's twisting instantly halted, and he looked up from his feet nervously. Miz smiled as he crossed his arms superiorly. "I see you're bored." Dib scratched at the back of his head, a nervous grin on his face.

"Am I that obvious?" he questioned. Miz nodded. Dib let a grin crack over his face and Miz ran up to tackle his father to the ground. The human laughed hysterically as his son tickled his sides mercilessly. That was until Miz found himself on the floor, his dad countering the attacks.

Miz squirmed and let out little squeals, a grin nearly cracking his face in half. "O-Okay! You win! You win! I give up!" Dib sat back on his heels triumphantly. Miz wormed his way across the floor a slight pout on his face. The amber eyed man reached out and plunked up the boy, holding him close and nuzzling him. "Ack! Father, I'm not a kitten!"

"Nope, but I made such a cute kid!" he teased. Miz wiggled about, tipping his head backwards to stick out his serpentine tongue. Dib shook his head and let his child relax in his arms. The human was rocking back and forth, a song in his head. Miz swayed the opposite way, just to annoy his father.

"What are you humming?" Miz asked sincerely. Dib looked down, a bit of a jolt showing on his features. For a moment, Miz looked a lot like… The human shook his head clear, the rocking stilled.

"It's an old song…" he mumbled. Miz tilted his head, those gold-like orbs confused. The human lifted Miz from his lap and started to stand up. Dusting himself off, Dib nodded out the door. "Let's go find your sister."

The Kitchens

"Okay, now you put in the chips," Zag pointed to the bag of Nestles Chocolate Chips.

"You sure?" the taller Irken inquired, picking up the bag speculatively.

"Yep," she nodded. Zim gave a half shrug and dumped most of the contents in the bag.

"Like that?" he asked. Zag looked up from her book and measuring cup.

"Yeah, like that," she said. Her Dona smirked as he worked the batter with a wooden spoon.

She went back to the book and looked up, grabbing a small bag of flour and pouring it in messily to the cup. The rush of powder flopped the cup over, spilling the shining chrome countertop with flour. Stumbling a little, she set it back upright and compensated for the lost flour. Then she picked up the large measuring device and dumped the white mix in.

"Careful," Zim warned as she almost slipped on the littering powder. Zag stepped around it and sat back down in her spot, reading the rest of the recipe.

"I am," the girl agreed while flipping the page to the continued directions.

"Alright." The alien shook his head, still stirring. Yellowish dough was forming, the chips making slight bumps in the mixture. While Zim was testing the dough, Zag was swinging her legs off the counter, giving him orders about what to do with the uncooked sweets.

That was how Miz and Dib found them.

Dib let out a sort of muffled chuckle and Miz sprinted right to his sister, breezing past the tall alien. Zim turned his head toward Miz briefly before looking back at the human, a nonexistent brow raised. Dib gave him a cheesy smile and walked up to see what they were attempting to bake.

"Oh, chocolate chip cookies! My favorite!" Dib stuck his pinky in and swiped a bit to eat. With a pleasant noise, he nodded. "Not bad." Zag giggled while Zim leaned over to lick off a smear of chocolate on Dib's bottom lip.

"No, not bad at all," he murmured. Zag stuffed her fist in her mouth to hide the uproarious laughter at her father's extremely cherry colored face. Miz stuck out his tongue while making light choking noises.

"Zag, hand me a spoon," he managed to mutter. His sister dropped her hand to reach for one.

"Sure, but why?" she inquired, slapping it in his palm. Miz tested the batter before cleaning it with his tongue.

"Oh, I'm just going to gag myself," he explained before popping the spoon in his mouth. Zag scoffed and playfully nudged him away.

"You're so juvenile," she taunted. Miz pulled out his wooden spoon and smacked her knee flippantly.

"So says the girly-girl baking cookies," he insulted. Zag made a gasp and bookmarked her page before setting it down.

"Girly! I'll show you girly!" she exclaimed before leaping off her perch and attacking her brother. He let out a cry as she pounced and they tumbled to the floor. They scuffled using spoons and childishly whacking each other with open hands.

Zim let his head rest on Dib's shoulder, a sigh working its way past his mouth. Dib shook his head, watching them in a sad kind of memory. I wish you could see them now Gaz…

The violet haired girl lay on her bed, studying for her semester finals. She wasn't really doing much besides that. Her radio would have been turned on; however her stupid brother broke it while making a 'Naga Mating Call Device.'

Whatever.

But sounds caught her attention from down the hall. Angry, horrible sounds she never really heard before. It could have been arguing… but who would do that in this house? With drawn brows, the young woman hopped off her black and silver spider web bed.

"—the line this time! This is insanity!"

"Well, what else is new?! If it wasn't for you—"

"You blame this atrocity on me?! This absurdness?! The world is going to be in a state of chaos in less than twenty-four hours and it could very well be your fault!"

"Hey, I warned you! I told you this would happen! Seven years, dad, seven years! I've been busting my butt to save this horrible planet and you… you just called me crazy…"

The words were clear now and Gaz's eyes were wide and unbelieving as she stood at the top of the stair. Below her the scene of was her father and her brother quarrelling. The Professor rigid and her brother bent over as if in pain.

"If I could fix what happened, I would. But I can't, son," Membrane apologized with little emotion in his voice. Dib squeezed his eyes tight and bowed his head. His father stepped forward, boots echoing so loudly even Gaz wanted to cover her ears. "You can fix this though… You heard their demands. You can save us if you do this one little thing."

"What?" Dib asked, his head popping up shocked. His father took another step toward him, but the teen drew back. "How can you say that?!"

"Son, this is no time to be selfish," Membrane's tone went steely. Gaz lowered onto the floor, knees coming up to press against her chest. A terrible feeling sinking into her bones. "All you have to do is let him go."

"I could no sooner let go of my heart," Dib protested, laying his hand on his chest for emphasis. "This isn't about is about selfishness—which it damn well should because Lord knows I've wasted my time being noble for a bunch of apes that can't wait to pummel me to death—no, this is about survival!"

"Listen to yourself!" Membrane shouted suddenly. Dib jumped surprised. Gaz tightened her hands around the bars of the railing to the stairs. "You'd destroy your world completely over this beast!"

"If it keeps us together, then yes! I'm in love with Zim!" the son admitted. Gaz gasped and covered her mouth with her hand so no one could hear her, even though the two males below weren't even somewhat aware she could hear them

"You're still young! You don't know a damn thing about love!" The father yelled. Then with a sharp intake of breath he held up his hands. Visibly the Professor counted down to ten, trying to control his rage. Dib waited while his dad composed himself. "There are plenty of other men in the world, human men—"

"God, Dad! It's not about men! I couldn't care less if he was a guy!" Dib groaned and ran his fingers through his raven hair.

"I don't get it then! They will kill us all!" The temper of the Professor was rising high again. "Why can't you just—"

"Because we've already mated, dammit!" Dib screamed. Then he clapped his hand over his mouth, instantly regretting his words. Professor Membrane's eyes behind his glaring glasses were as wide as saucers.

"Mated…?" he repeated, dumbfound. Dib gulped as he father wheeled backwards, arms flying out to catch the wall and steady himself. "Mated… You've already…? How long has this been…?" The Professor felt bile rise up in throat and he couldn't finish his sentences.

"I'm sorry dad… You just didn't believe me and then…" Dib felt his eyes grow hot with unshed tears, but he refused to cry, goddamit! Gaz let her burning forehead hit the cool metal bars. "It just happened."

"So that means you can just sacrifice Earth for him?" Membrane ground out between his teeth. Dib's arms curled around himself as if he was freezing.

"On his planet… There is no love… all their children are reproduced through factories…" Dib warily explained. The Professor shook his head slightly.

"Get to the point, son," he demanded. Dib hid his face in his hands.

"Irkens do this because you can only bond with one person! Since they have no love or commitment, they rarely ever find someone to bond with!" the human's voice was thick with grief. This was not the way things were suppose to go.

"And he picked you…?" the voice sounded partially disgusted.

"Yes! That's why they make their children! They don't normally feel love so procreation would be too long of a process to wait for the right person!" Dib's fingernails dug into his skin as he felt his voice grow raw from all his shouting. Professor Membrane cautiously righted himself.

"You went through with this… bonding, mating, or whatever, willingly?" the father was beginning to lose all previous shred of ever having his emotions on display. Dib shakily brought down his hands, nodding barely. "I still don't see why he just can't leave…"

"I… Dad… I'll die…" he whispered, afraid that if he said it too loud it might come true. "Zim didn't know what would happen since I'm human… but… we slowly found out… the more he's away, the weaker I'll get."

Membrane seemed unfazed.

"Don't you get it…? If he were to leave, I would die… and we didn't see it as a problem since he was going to be exiled here anyways… But I don't know why they want him back…" Gaz bit the inside of her lip, starting to loathe the sound of her brother's broken accent.

Membrane still did nothing.

"Dad… You have to help us…" the bespectacled boy pleaded. Professor Membrane shook his head and pivoted on his heel to walk back down the hallway. "Dad!"

"I will not help you…" the man stated. Dib panicked and gripped his t-shirt protectively.

"I-I'm pregnant!" he confessed. Membrane halted, his head turning back slightly, unsure if he heard right. Gaz bolted up and tumbled down the stairs, pausing halfway, not that Dib even noticed. "I'm carrying his kid! I swear… Please! I don't know what to do…"

Membrane turned his head onward and ignored his son standing in front of the door.

Dib folded up, bellowing in a strangled cry as he hit the ground. Gaz, stunned, watched as Dib tried his best to breathe but failed. She wouldn't remember whatever it was she shouted as her brother passed out, stone cold; but Gaz wouldn't forget the immense hatred she felt for her father in that instance.

Station RS-802 Room Number 52

"Would you like anything today, miss?" a nurse asked the sleeping violet haired woman. The brain spike monitor showed she was close to consciousness… or she was taking a trip down memory lane. The nurse tucked her tight in bed. Then she walked out sighing, "Maybe another day, huh?"

"Sure," a voice wavered over the clicking of fading heels. Dulled honey colored eyes opened groggily. "But get me pizza first…"

And then the eyes fluttered shut… and the brain spiked once more.

"Dad had no right to do that…"

"Gaz… what's gonna happen to me if he leaves?"

"…"

"If Zim leaves, I'll die! And not just from this damn bond! He's going to leave me and—"

"He won't…"

"But what if—"

"But if he does, I'll be there and I'll fix you."

"… Lil' sis…?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks…"

"Heh, no problem big bro… but you're paying me a GS3."

And then the Dib laughed.

TBC

A/N: The beginning of this one was difficult for me to do. I also couldn't think of a title. I ended up with this one because it came to me while writing the chocolate chip cookie scene. I'm hoping Gaz is not too OOC. I was just trying to convey that she was shocked over the turn of events. Of course, she would side with Dib because, well, it's her brother.

Sure, she hates him in the series, but its love/hate. She wouldn't want him dead; just maimed. Dib, for some inane reason, seems to love just about everyone or at least cares too much. Yeah… he got hysterical… but he does that a lot, doesn't he?

Right then, that's all. You probably won't see a whole lot of me until I finish some ficces :/

(SteelAgainstIvory)