Zim landed but continued to fight. Something had landed on him and he tried shoving it away. It kept coming at him, but soon Zim saw light. He pushed towards it and burst from under the covers onto the floor of his bedroom.

He blinked, "I'm alive." Zim hurried to the window. Outside it was still a sad sight. Snow had melted throughout the night. Zim knew what he must do. He shoved the window open and shouted, "It's Christmas!" before closing it again.

Zim turned to the closet he thought he would never look at again. He slowly opened it, removed one of its contents, and closed the closet door, as well.

Zim rushed with his overly large bag, Mini-Moose trailing behind him, to his destination. He had to get there before anyone left. Zim reached the door and—

"Zim?" Dib said, surprised. Zim had quickly replaced his happy face with his normal glare.

"You didn't come," Zim said menacingly.

Dib's look said he couldn't believe Zim expected him to be up that early, "Zim, I was just going to your place," Dib tried desperately, but Zim wouldn't have it.

"Move."

Dib put his arms out to block the intruder, "No! Zim, please, I was just leaving, honest!"

Zim used his PAK legs to shove Dib aside. He threw his bag in. It landed right in front of the children as they exited their bedrooms. The contents of the bad spilled over the floor.

"Toys!" one of the children exclaimed. Zim recognized it as Tim's voice.

Zim retracted his PAK legs and retrieved the gift he had hid in his PAK. Zim gave Dib a side-long glance, watching his reaction.

Dib continued to be defensive, "What's that?"

Zim returned his eyes to the gift, "Do you remember years ago when I arrived at your doorstep on this day?"

Dib saw no harm in the toys, so he turned his attention back to Zim, "The time you burnt down the house or the time you sent disease throughout the town?"

"Neither," Zim was loosing his patience, "Before that. Before I stopped bothering with skool."

It took Dib a moment to remember, "What about it?"

Zim kept his gaze on the gift, "This is still that gift."

Dib looked confused, "But I made sure it broke, I heard it broke."

Zim let the smallest of smiles show his amusement. "Just take it," he said, handing the gift to the human beside him.

Dib took it, glanced at Zim for any sign of doom, and untied the ribbon. Again, Dib consulted Zim's face, but his eyes bored intently at the box. Dib removed the lid and gasped slightly. Inside, with nary a scratch, was the latest in camera technology form that long ago year. In fact, it hadn't even been much past production, let alone on the market.

Dib looked back at Zim, his face littered with mixed feelings, "This—"

"Was the only thing I thought would prove that all I sought was information," Zim finished.

"Information?"

Zim nodded, "I had been curious of Christmas that year. Why would I go to anyone but you to get what I want?"

Dib felt a sense of loyalty he never felt from Zim before. The alien may have been trying to enslave mankind, but Dib was the only one who ever tried so stop him. He guessed Zim felt that Dib was the only one smart enough to actually give any true information.

Zim cleared his throat to interrupt Dib's thoughts, "Also, Sharron said a few things before she…passed on. She wanted me to tell you."

Dib swallowed the lump in his throat. The paranormal investigator in him was still suspicious, "How do I know your not lying?"

Zim snapped, "I gave you a working camera, toys for your children, made it snow, for Irk's sake!"

"You made it snow?" Dib echoed.

"Don't interrupt me," Zim continued, poking Dib in the chest with his finger tip, "I went through fear, pain, and hurt, just to have you doubt my word about your wife? I don't think so."

All the talk had confused Dib, but Zim did have a point. Dib swallowed the lump again and whispered, almost inaudibly, "What did she say?"

Zim backed off a step, "She said she loved you, of course, but she also said not to let me get in the way of everything. I never said anything before because I never knew how bad you really had it," Zim gazed sympathetically at the children. Gaz had joined them, checking each toy thoroughly, "I always thought you came out strong."

Dib wondered what was in those fake eyes of Zim's as the alien watched his children. It wasn't the malice Dib usually saw in his eyes, that was obvious.

"This doesn't mean I won't conquer Earth," Zim pointed out.

Dib chuckled, "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Mini-Moose, who had laid low the entire time, now shot out between the two males and started squeaking excitedly to the children.

"Hey!" Dib shouted out of habit.

Zim waved him off, "He's not doing anything wrong. He's just excited about it being Christmas."

Dib relaxed. After a moment, he did one of the things he never thought he would ever do, "You wanna spend Christmas with us?"

Zim, although expecting the offer, was surprised, "Even after all the things I've done to you?"

Dib thought for another moment, "Yeah, even after."

Zim stepped forward, "Uncle Zim has gifts!"

Dib just shook his head, "Uncle Zim?"