Disclaimer: Invader Zim characters belong to Jhonen Vasquez, and no money is being made from their use. All original characters belong to me, and it would just be rude to use them without crediting me.

Glass Dominos

By

Lisa-chu

Chapter Two

Promises

"How does it look?" The two males turned their attention two her, and, despite them being a little small, the clothes were a success. Merit tugged at the hem of the pure white shirt nervously as her cheeks flushed a bright purple. She shifted uncomfortably in the stiff dark blue jeans, and Dib felt a little sorry for her.

"They look fine." He smiled soothingly. "Now there's just one more issue we need to look into. Zim?"

Clearing his throat, the Irken rose from his perch on the arm of the sofa, strode over to the shorter alien, and examined her closely.

"We need to get you a disguise, and a good one. I won't have you ruining all my hard work, running around all…exposed." He placed a clawed finger under her chin and tilted her head up with surprising gentleness, which was not lost on Dib.

He would never admit it aloud, but he was sensing some subtle changes in Zim, particularly in the few hours. He was still a pompous, egotistical manic and kind of an idiot, but he seemed to have grown up, and the fact that he now had one of his own to take care of only amplified that. 'Now only if he'd find a nicer way to show it.' The human was lost in his own thoughts until the shadow of his co-worker and childhood enemy loomed over her.

"What do you think Dib-worm?" Zim asked, glaring down at him.

"Hmm? About what?" The alien sighed and put a hand to his forehead.

"I was saying we should this little meeting back to my base so she can be properly fitted for a disguise. Unless there's something here we can use?" They both knew very well that there wasn't, so he really had no choice but to agree. That, and who was Dib to pass up an invitation to explore the alien's base. For future reference, just in case he tried to pull anything.

"Fine. But before we go, we need something to cover her up." He grabbed his trench coat from the armchair where he left it that morning, and placed it over Merit's head. "We got lucky bringing her here from the crash site, but who knows who we might run into on the way." Zim nodded, but could only half heartedly agree. Stranger things had happened in the city since his arrival, he doubted they'd notice just one more green child.

-

"This machine will give you a life like disguise of your choice. Just simply make a selection and the computer will do the work for you. I'll be monitoring the progress from here." Zim announced from his place at some panel or another in his lab. Dib was impressed, to say the least, that so much high-tech equipment could fit in the little shanty that was Zim's base.

"Will this hurt?" Merit asked timidly as she stood before the pod. The alien simply looked at her, wide-eyed. He didn't want to tell hurt that, yes, actually, it hurt like hell, lest she back out and refuse. That, of course, was simply not an option. So instead, he motioned to Dib to usher her inside. Seeming to read his mind and understand his logic, Dib placed his hand at the small of her back and gently pushed her into the pod, which immediately closed in around her. Zim hit a button, and the process initiated.

The machine made a horrible whirring noise, probably from years of sitting idle, and Merit's screams were nothing less than heart-wrenching, but the process over all was quick, almost instant, and she came out unharmed.

"How do I look?" She asked timidly. Dib smiled, and Zim grinned.

"Perfect, of course. That's the beauty of Irken technology." the alien placed his hands on his slim hips and beamed, obviously proud of himself even though he hadn't really done anything. Merit smiled as well, and brought her new, non-clawed hand up to the synthetic blonde hair that covered her antennae. Her green skin had transformed into that of a normal blonde female, white with the slightest hint of a tan.

"Can I see the rest of it?" Merit asked, almost bouncing with excitement. She could barely contain herself. Finally, she was going to fit in someplace. Zim simply pointed her in the direction of the elevator, which would lead her to the top level of his base.

"The bathroom is upstairs. Gir can show you where it is." She almost broke into a run in her enthusiasm, and she jumped into the elevator and waved the two farewell as the steel doors closed, leaving the two males alone.

"This is a really good thing you're doing, you know that right?" Dib smirked, although he meant it in all sincerity. Zim sneered at the remark.

"I have no idea what your talking about, Dib-stink."

"I mean what your doing for Merit. Letting her live here, giving her a disguise. You know, helping her out, and stuff. It's just…really nice." For some reason, the whole discussion was getting under the alien's skin. All of a sudden he felt…soft, unthreatening. Not like an invader at all.

"Don't think that girl has made me soft, worm baby. It's just that Irkens look out for their own, especially the smeets. Unlike some of you selfish humans, it seems." he sneered. Dib was slightly taken aback by the response. This is what you get for complimenting someone? "And anyway, most of this was your idea, so she really has you to thank."

Zim couldn't believe the dribble that was falling from his mouth, but it was the truth. Sure, he was giving her shelter and a disguise, but Dib was the one giving her everything else, everything he couldn't provide for her. Zim had to admit that, despite not doing what could be called 'equal work' in the salutation, it was nice to be useful, to be needed.

"Well, it's the least we could do, I guess. I couldn't imagine just leaving her there like that. Who knows what would have happened if the police or someone had gotten to her first." A pregnant pause passed between them, before Zim let out a small, almost inaudible chuckle. The human raised an eyebrow, wondering if he should be disturbed or just join in.

"It's just that, I feel like one of your parental units. Fussing over this little smeetling like she was a new born worm baby. It's just a little…funny, I guess." Dib smiled.

"Yeah, I guess it is. Just one question though."

"What is it, Dib-worm?"

"You actually picked out that piss poor costume for yourself?" Dib laughed as he made a mad dash for the elevator, knowing full well that he had crossed Zim one to many times for one day.

-

"So, how do you like it?" Merit asked Luna, holding her up and twirling her around. She still hadn't come down from her high of having a disguise, particularly one so beautiful, and she was eager to tell everyone she could about it.

It's lovely. The doll responded, her little glass eyes seeming to gleam with the same joviality her owner felt.

"Oh, Luna! I can't wait to show the whole planet!"

"Well, you'll get your chance come Monday." Merit's heart leapt into her throat. She spun around to face Dib, his face slightly flushed and his normal smile still in place. "That's when you'll be starting school."

"So soon?" She pouted. She didn't enjoy school back on Irk, she couldn't imagine that Earth school was any more fun.

"Yes, so soon. You should start as soon a possible, just to get it out of the way." Dib patted her on the head and sat down on the garish purple sofa. He made a mental note to give Zim a 'Your Welcome' note for not letting his piss poor taste anywhere near the young Irk. "I'm sure you'll like it." His expression fell as he thought. "The only issue is where to place you."

"Place me?"

"What filth are you filling he head with now, Dib-beast?" Zim sneered as he entered the living room, obviously still miffed about the human's comment back in the lab.

"He wants to know where to place me when I start human school." Merit chimed in, holding Luna close as always. Zim rolled his eyes.

"Why even bother putting her into school, I say." Dib glared at him.

"Because if the staff finds out she's living here and not going to school, she could be arrested and taken to Juvie. That's why we bother." Zim's antennae perked at the word 'arrested' and his anger at the human race grew just that much.

"They arrest you if you don't go to school? Ridiculous!" he declared as he began pacing. In all the years he had spent on Earth, he had never heard anything so sill.

"Well, they do in this district at least. It's to decrease the odds of kids playing hooky." Dib replied. Merit sat down on the floor by his legs and began tidying up Luna's clothes, making sure her dress and antennae were just right. "Not that you'd ever get caught doing something that dumb."

Zim couldn't help the little pang he felt in his heart at the sight of the two. In such a short time, they had gotten so close, one would've thought they had known each other for ages. Whereas Zim had been here for almost ten years and he still didn't feel that comfortable around the human. 'Of course, it could be because he's been trying to stop you from ruling this pathetic ball of dirt.' the little voice of reason in his head chimed in. All the same, though, it would be nice to at least feel like he belonged on this planet, even if it was by one person.

Clearing his voice, Zim regained his composure and got himself back on track. "Merit, follow me to your new room." he commanded, his voice uncharacteristically soft. The shorter Irken jumped up, smiling as she followed her new guardian through the hallway to the rooms in the back.

-

"I never knew these rooms were here." Dib thought out loud. After all the years of spying into Zim's base, he had never noticed the hallway that branched off of the living room and lead to two more rooms.

"Of course not, because I don't keep top secret weaponry or equipment in my bedroom, Dib-stink." Zim rolled his eyes as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, and Dib supposed it made sense. One wouldn't really want to find himself on the wrong end of a sword or some such thing, just trying to get to the bathroom at night. "This is where you'll be staying." He pushed open a seemingly normal, or at least Zim's definition of normal, door. "Gir's been busy preparing it for you."

The room wasn't extravagant, but it was large enough to fit all the essentials of a bedroom. A full-sized bed rested against the wall adjacent to the door, but it was currently being occupied by a sleeping Gir, mini-moose, and a stuffed Filler Bunny.

"Gir! I thought I told you to get this room ready!" Zim shouted at the Sir unit, waking it out of its slumber.

"Master! You're home! I heard the crash an' I got so worried!" Gir had gotten itself worked into a frenzy and immediately began to wail, latching itself onto its master's leg.

"I'm fine, Gir, just get off of me!" He kicked his leg with just enough force to detach the robot. "Now listen, Gir. You see this girl?" Gir nodded. "This girl will be living with us for an undisclosed amount of time. I need you to get this room as tidy as possible by bedtime tonight." The Sir unit obviously understood, because its eyes began to glow red, and he saluted.

"Yes, sir!" it declared.

"Really, Zim. You don't need to go through the trouble. All I'll need are maybe some bed sheets. I can tidy up myself." Merit smiled. It was apparent that it was more of a chore to get Gir to cooperate than actually cleaning the room, and it would probably go a lot faster if she just did it herself. Besides, the room wasn't a total disaster. Zim, however, was having none of it.

"Nonsense. This is what he's programmed for." He replied before turning his attention back to the dysfunctional Sir unit. "Now, Gir. We're going out, and when I come back, this room had better be perfect. Understood?" Without waiting for a response, Zim marched off, intent on getting the human out of his base as soon as possible. Just because he was on hiatus, doesn't mean he wanted that big headed pig smelly poking about his home.

-

"Where the hell did you two run off to? You were gone an hour before your shift was-"

"Calm down, Scott! It was only an hour, and besides we had more important things to take care of." Dib breezed by him with nothing more than a wave of his hand as he led Merit to a booth near the back. The young manager followed, not quite through saying what he had to say.

"I'm serious, Dib. All of this running off-" Dib raised his hand, cutting the teen off.

"Scott, I promise you. I will never run off with Zim, or any other man, for that matter, for as long as Bloaty's owns my soul." the teen blushed a deep scarlet, but couldn't bring himself to say anything in response. Instead, he turned on his heel and went back to his work, leave a chuckling Zim, and smirking Dib, and a slightly confused Merit behind. "Well, what does everyone want?" he asked, smiling as he opened a menu.

"What is all of this?" Merit asked, leaning in close to get a better look at the menu. Only a few these looked appetizing.

"This is pizza, probably what you'll be eating a lot of." She stuck her tongue out.

"It looks funny."

"And it tastes even worse." Zim chimed in, glaring at the menu as almost all of the terrible memories involving Bloaty's Pizza and the like came rushing back to him.

-

"Computer. Locate Merit's Runner." his clawed hand twitched nervously, and his patience was already wearing thin. Although Irken technology was one of the fastest, it seemed like it was taking ages to locate one little Voot Runner. On top of all that, there was a hefty price to pay if he were discovered by any of the others. The Tallest had recently deemed all contact with banished Irkens illegal and, depending on the case, an act of treason.

"Voot Runner located." the computer responded, almost a whole minute later, as unfamiliar coordinates scrolled across the screen.

"How did she make it all the way out there? That planet isn't even charted." He shifted his attention, for a moment, to the Map of the Universe, as the Tallest saw it. Apparently, this planet was nothing more than a sticky-note hanging on for dear life at the end of the universe. "Computer, status of the ship."

"Ship's status: wrecked. No life forms are detected in the vehicle." He quickly assumed the worst. That his long time friend had crash landed on this uncharted planet, possibly a barren wasteland, and had more than likely perished. Tears formed in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away, determined not to show any signs of weakness, even to himself. "I have to think positive. She may still be out there."

The words resonated in his mind, as did his promise to her when they were still smeets in the Academy.

Wherever you may go, I'll find you.

----------

And just who is this mysterious new Irken? Well, you'll find out soon enough. Sorry if this chapter was boring in any respects. But the yummy slash will be coming soon. In the mean time, enjoy!

Ps. In my school district, they really do call the truancy officer if your not in school and don't have an excuse.