Zim groaned as he trudged through the slush, thankful that his boots were waterproofed. He kept glancing up at the sky, the dark clouds rolling in scared him.

If he didn't find Gir soon, he didn't know what he'd do.

It was a fine way to start your morning; Waking up and realizing that your robotic assistant ran off somewhere. He had checked everywhere in the base, but even the computer said Gir wasn't there.

He had lefted Minimoose in charge while he was gone, much to the computer's annoyance. Zim took no notice, though.

"Gir!? Where are you!?" He shouted for the thousandth time that morning. Though he would never admit it, he was genuinely worried for his assistant. Who knows what kind of things poor Gir could get himself into if left all alone. Zim shuddered at the thought. If anything happened to Gir, it would be his entire fault. Or at least he felt that way, which was really weird for him.

He checked a lot of places Gir would normally go to: Mac Meaties, Bloatie's Pizza Hog, and even the Park. He had seen the Dib-human there, actually, sitting on a stone bench. Zim had turned away as soon as he saw him, for he felt…er… What's that word humans use? Embarrassed, perhaps?

"GIR!?" Zim called yet again, looking down into a manhole.

Only his echo responded.

Zim sighed, fixing his red scarf. He vaguely wished that the invader's uniform would keep him warmer, for the temperature was dropping. The weather channel said that, despite how much warmer it had gotten this morning, that another heavy snow shower was going to occur.

And for once, it looked like the weather people where going to be right.

Zim looked around, still calling out Gir's name. He didn't know how long he had been out here. He turned into a long alleyway, knowing it led somewhere near the Krazy Taco, a place he hadn't checked yet. It was darker between the two buildings, and the noises that morning people made seemed to be put on mute.

He cautiously walked along the alley, no longer calling. His antennae tingled underneath his wig, but he wasn't sure that it was the cold that made them twitch uncomfortably like that. Gritting his teeth, and looked around.

This particular alley was full of junk. Boxes, garbage cans, litter, and dirt covered the foreboding place. A can on the other side seemed to be emitting light and smoke, of some sort. Zim blinked before recognizing it as a fire that was quickly diminishing.

He paused, thinking he heard something. He looked around, his antennae perking a little underneath his wig. "Gir?" he asked, quieter this time. He was beginning to wish he had taking the Voot and searched in the air instead.

"You!"

Zim spun around, immediately wishing he had taken the Voot. For standing behind him was a must terrifying sight.

Three dogs were growling at him, sharp pointy teeth barred. They all had spiked colors and leashes, all of which were being held in the giant hand of an ugly…hobo.

"Don't you think it's mean!?" The hobo screamed at him.

Zim flinched, unsure of what to do. He wanted to run, but his legs wouldn't move, and it didn't occur to him to activate his spider legs. So instead, he decided to play innocent.

"Mean to do what?" he asked in what he hoped was an innocent-like voice.

"To walk on other people's turfs? I claimed this bit of town! It's mine, you here!?" The hobo was insane. His filthy breath made Zim's eye twitch a little.

"Um, I'm sorry." Zim said, somewhat truthfully. He was still unsure of what 'sorry' was. "I'll just be going, then."

He turned, but he hadn't taken two steps when the hobo growled. "Not so fast! You are a trespasser! And all trespassers have to answer to my little friends here."

And just like that, Zim found himself running for his life from a hobo and his three evil dogs. The dogs were snarling at his ankles, but he didn't care. He just knew he had to get away. The dogs scared him so much that the idea of spider legs completely evaded him. It hadn't been for that fact, he might have been able to get away faster and safely.

But no, he wasn't thinking properly. He reached the end of the alley and came skidding out of it. He turned, running down the slippery sidewalk.

"Get'im boys and bring him back to papa!" the hobo ordered the dogs as he took the leashes off them. They hastened to obey. They scurried after Zim, barking louder than ever.

Zim couldn't help it. He let out a yell of fear as they began to catch up with him.

Dib jumped, hearing a scream. Not just any scream either. It was Zim's scream. He never heard the alien scream much, but it was definitely Zim.

He had been home to check on Gaz, who demanded Tacos. He couldn't disobey her. One for the guilt he got when he did, and two, she'd probably murder him if he refused. He had been walking idly in the direction of the Krazy Taco; he was careful to avoid the nastier part of town.

Apparently, Zim hadn't been so lucky.

Another yell cut through the air, a little closer this time. Dib winced. It sounded like he was in pain. And as if to prove his point, more screams could be heard. On impulse he ran towards the area where he heard them. As he did, he began to hear dogs barking. He thought nothing of it; he just needed to find Zim.

Zim had cried out again as one of the dogs bit his ankle. Its sharp teeth could be felt penetrating through his boot. He screamed as the dog brought him crashing down into the icy slush. His yells were involuntary as his eyes closed and his body began to twitch and burn on the cold ground, the dogs still tearing away at his limbs.

"Hey! Get off him!"

Zim heard the order, and at first he didn't realize what it had meant.

"Get off him, you mutts!" it called again. This time, Zim was aware someone was trying to help him. The voice sounded a bit familiar, too.

One of the dogs let out a yelp as something kicked it off Zim's arm. More barking, of course, followed this action; along with a yell from whoever was trying to help the poor pained Irken.

"Come here, you mutts, come and get me!"

Zim heard splashing footsteps running away from him, followed by three sets of four padded paws. He barely registered what this meant though. The pain from the icy-water was killing him. Whether this was a literal statement on not, he didn't know. He continued to twitch and squirm on the ground, falling down each time he attempted to stand up.

How long this process continued was unknown. But every moment of it was painful. Finally, Zim gave up, his screams ceased, and his body stopped twitching. The pain intensified ten fold, but he was no longer able to do anything about it. His invader's uniform was soaked though, and there was water trapped in his 'water-proof' boots. The scarf he had tugged so tightly around his neck wasn't helping matters, either.

His eyes started to close, and his superior Irken vision began to blur. His antennae twitched under his wig as he heard something running towards him.

Dib found Zim, but he wasn't alone. While the alien was writhing on the slush-covered sidewalk, dogs where trying to rip him apart. "Hey! Get off him!" he shouted stupidly. The dogs didn't pay any attention.

So, he did something even more stupid. He ran up to the closet dog and kicked it in the side. "Get off him, you mutts!"

The dog yelped. This caused the other dogs to pause and stare at Dib with malicious eyes, barking all the while. Dib, with the rush of adrenaline, yelled. "Come here, you mutts, come and get me!"

He succeeded. As he turned tale and ran off, the dogs chased after him. They never seemed to stop barking as he ran through streets and alleys, doing his best to loose them.

Finally, he found what he had been looking for.

A yowl and angry hissing filled the air as he ran through this last alley, the dogs, pausing. Dib didn't stop running as he heard the battle between the dogs and the alley cats begin behind him. No, he couldn't stop running. He had to go back, see if Zim was ok.

It seemed to take longer to find Zim this time. Dib had no idea where he had left the fallen alien as he distracted the dogs. But when he found him, it only made matters worse.

Zim was lying on the wet ground, unmoving. Steam was still issuing upwards, which could only mean he was still burning. Dib quickly grabbed the Irken under the shoulders and dragged him off the ground.

Dib started to panic when Zim still didn't respond. His head was lolling about, and his eyes were closed. Red blood from injures the dogs gave him oozed, but they seemed to be trying to heal. Dib took this as a sign that he was going to live.

Dib dragged Zim over to the nearby alley ((a/n there seem to be a lot of those in this chapter, eh?)) where a rather large and mercifully dry crate sat. After Dib made sure Zim was off the wet ground, he tried to wake him up.

"Zim?" he asked at first. No good.

"Hey, space-boy!?" He said, a little louder this time.

Grunt.

Dib frowned. He pulled off Zim's wig and tugged on one of the antennae holding it like a microphone. He shouted into it. "Hey, Alien Scum, wake up!"

Twitch, and a grunt that sounded like "5 more minuets"

Dib pouted. Who knew that waking up an alien would be so hard? This scene stayed like this for a few minuets; Zim unconscious and sitting on a crate, and Dib, standing around trying to figure out what could wake Zim up.

Finally, an evil smirk crossed Dib's face. If this didn't work, he didn't know what would. Dib bent over Zim, holding the same antenna firmly like a microphone still. He changed his voice into a high-pitched, feminine one.

"Doctor, are you sure this is right? A real alien?"

And then his voice deepened. "Yes. We must start the autopsy immediately."

Dib smiled as Zim twitch uncomfortably.

"The sharp tools are only getting closer, Zim. Their almost on you, Ziiiiiim!" He commentated.

"ARGHH!" Zim flailed around, his eyes wide and panic-stricken. He had attempted to jump off the crate, but Dib held him back.

"Calm down, Zim, it was the only way I could get you to wake up!" he chuckled lightly at his success.

Zim took deep breaths, looking at Dib with those same scared eyes, only this time they where hidden behind contacts.

It was weird for Dib, seeing the alien this frightened. He shifted a little, uneasy at the fearful stare. "Why were those dogs chasing you?"

Zim took a deep breath, still sizzling a little from the water, but it wasn't as bad. Or maybe her was too numb to feel it? He wasn't sure. "Why would in concern you, Dib-human?" He asked.

Dib recognized a shadow of the old Zim he used to know and hate, but…there was still something wrong with this new sane voice Zim used. "Well, considering I just saved you, I thought it would be nice to know." He pointed out.

Zim stared at him, the exhaled some air. "I've been out looking for Gir all morning. He disappeared while I was…sleeping." He paused, and both knew that he hadn't been sleeping willfully. "Zim was just thinking about checking the Kazy Taco, y'know how insane-er Gir gets without them. Well, I took a shortcut through an alley, and this hobo set his dogs loose on me." And then at a sad attempt at his normal rant, he added, "I am ZIM!" but the effect failed, as he didn't have the pride supporting it anymore.

Dib blinked. "A hobo set his dogs after you. Are you sure you're feeling ok?"

Zim's eyes narrowed. "Dose Zim look ok to you?" He pointed out. His green skin seemed to be darker, and there was a smell of burnt chocolate hanging around. ((a/n It's a really nasty smell, I should know. xD ))

This rhetorical question was simple, but it took Dib by surprise. Was Zim actually using is brain to find good comebacks? Weird. "Good point."

Zim stood on shivered, looking around. They were in a dead-end alley, he was sitting on a 'dry' crate, and Dib was standing a little ways from him, looking...an emotion. Darn it! He still couldn't even name these emotions he was feeling, why should he try to figure out another's? He pouted, and then pointed at Dib. "What are you!?" he demanded. He had to know this knowledge.

Dib looked at the extended claw that was pointing straight at his face. This act made him look cross-eyed. This only made Zim even more frustrated. He knew that one, frustrated.

"What? You know what I am." Dib asked, confused.

Zim face-palmed. "What are you feeling? You have a weird look on your face." He explained in a slow voice that one would use with someone…er…slow.

Dib's eyes widened in comprehension. "Well…" He paused to think about it. "I guess I was feeling...concerned. Yeah, that's it."

Zim's eyes narrowed. "And that is?"

Dib frowned. "I have to define emotions for you?" And then without waiting for an answer, " When you feel concerned, you're…um…worried about someone. You know what worry means?"

Zim shook his head, so Dib continued.

"Worry is when you are fearful for someone else, or of something. I guess you could worry about yourself too, like you're afraid something is going to happen. Or you fear something may have happened. Worry can be a lot of things." Dib explained best he could.

Zim took in this knew information. He now had a new question, but he wouldn't ask it. Instead, he became aware of his 'wetness' again. He eyed Dib. "Stand guard at the entrance of the alley." It wasn't an order, but it wasn't a question either.

What probably surprised both of them, though, was when Dib did it.

Zim eyed the human, and then reached back and pressed a button on his PAK. All the wetness was suddenly repelled, sending it everywhere. Dib was lucky to have been standing farther away, or else he would have been showered in cold water.

Zim sighed out of relief. Though his skin still tingled, it wasn't as bad as it had been. He stood up, and walked over to Dib.

"Thank you." He said. He had wanted to say, 'Thank you for your services, Dib-human, but now go away!!!' but didn't feel like it.

Dib watched Zim carefully as the Irken started to walk away from him. Zim was so different now, and it was scary. He noted the he wasn't strutting around anymore, and his shoulders hung a bit. In fact, the alien looked disheveled and even more insane than before.

Dib thought about this. Actually, the Zim he had known was sane, but insane. Thus, a 'sane' Zim was truly insane. 'Oh great, I'm confusing myself.' He thought before running to catch up with him.

Zim was alarmed when Dib started running after him. Did the human still want his guts on an autopsy table? But before he could decide whether to flee or not, Dib had caught up to him, and Aim got an answer.

"May as will go there together. The Krazy Taco, I mean. That's where I was headed before, well." Dib panted. He had done a lot of running, and it was barely past noon!

Zim stopped walking and eyed him. "Why were you going?"

"Gaz wanted tacos." Dib replied, as if that would solve the whole situation. "And besides." A smile crossed his facial features, and he held out something black, wet, and furry. "You forgot your wig."

Zim's complexion seemed to redden a little as he snatched the wig out of Dib's hands and slapped it on his head. He ignored the small 'hissing' noises as the water made contact with him once again. "Fine, Dib-human, you may accompany Zim to the grotesque taco place." And as Zim turned away from the pig-smelly, he could have sworn he heard him chuckle.

ARGH!!!! It took me so long. I rewrote this chapter about three times. Sorry for the long wait and for the repeating word 'Alley'. I had trouble trying to keep them in character too.

If the definitions of Concerned and Worry 'irk' you, tell me and I might add on to it in later chapters.

And I personally don't think a hobo would really be that mean. So please don't irritate me about that, ok? Thanks.

Bleh. Now to start chapter 8!

Pilo