Drumroll Behold... CHAPTER TWELVE!

Mmmk people, this is where it gets juicy! (Or... Whatever you people call it...) Finally, Zim, Dib, Dizzy and Gir (who is still blind, by the way) make their way out of the ship, and on to the life boats...

...But will there still be enough life boats to spare?

I don't own Invader Zim. BUT, I do own Dizzy... yep.

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Zim, Dizzy, Dib scrambled up the stairs as fast as they could, with Dizzy leading Gir by her hand. Their legs were numb from the cold, especially Zim's. He had no idea why he risked his irken hide for them, especially Dib... He wanted to slap himself for even thinking of doing such a thing! But, in order to save Dizzy, he had to save...

Wait, what? Where in the world did these thoughts of Dizzy come from? Why even save her? What did she ever do for him?

Actaully, as Zim thought about it more, Dizzy did a lot of things for him, but he never really realized it. Everyday before Skool, she would bang on his door in excitement of seeing him, though she saw him everyday. She sat next to him at lunch. She ate those horrible, small round green things, she hugged him at any moment she had the chance... She acted as something Zim could never understand.

She was acting like a friend.

Dizzy, a once overly-cheerful hyperactive female irken. But not now. Now she was a sad, frightened, and hurt child. Her skin was peeled off and burned. She bled purple ooz from her arms, legs, even her eyes. Her wig had disappeared after almost being washed away from a tidal wave inside the Titanic. She was forced to take off her human contacts because the water ruined them. Her disguise was completely gone. Tears continue to stream down her green cheaks. She shivered. She was being eaten alive by fear.

Dib, a big headed boy with an obsession with the paranormal. He has a sister named Gaz, and a father named Dr. Membrane. Dib wasn't always entirely happy with his life, but he was content with it. He was a 'paranormal investogator'. Was. He had a mission given by the Swollen Eyeball Organization to deliver secret video tapes to Agent Abdominal Snowbeast in New York. But he couldn't resist himself. He looked at the tapes. But as he browsed through the box of tapes, he discovered a video. About him. Agent Dark Booty was recording himself on this video, telling that they were going to evict Dib from the organization. Devastated, Dib threw the tapes overboard. Now, Dib's body was completely numb from the cold water. He was now longing for home, longing for his disturbing family. Longing for things to be normal again.

Gir, an Irken robot created from scrap metal in the trash. He was given to Zim from the Tallest to be his SIR, which Zim gladly accepted, thinking Gir was advanvced. He later learns that Gir isn't advanced, he's just stupid. But Zim also learns from this terrifying experience that Gir isn't just a robot, not just an idiotic assistant with paperclip brains, but he's family, though Zim will never admit it.

And Zim. A 2 foot Invader born on the planet Irk, supposedly 'destined' to be a great invader. Unfortunately, he bombed the first biggest irken mission from the Almighty Tallest, so they gave him a special planet to conquer. Earth. Zim always pictured himself as high and mighty, better than anyone else, especially humans. Zim came on the Titanic to find a dangerous object once owned by one of the most powerful leaders in the Irken empire. The brain of the Black Tallest. Zim found the brain under the captain's floorboards. For some reason there was an ugly, terrified man under there. The man refused to give Zim the brain because he had experienced what the brain could do. Zim ignored his warning and knocked the man unconcious, getting away with the brain. But now realizing that Zim is in great danger with no way out of it but human infested life boats, the brain was the last thing on Zim's mind. Even though he won't admit it, Zim is now scared out of his irken mind.

The four had finally made it outside of the Titanic. All were freezing, exept Gir, who was just frightened from not being able to see anything. They had no time to think, Dib, Zim, and Dizzy (who is still leading Gir) frantically searched for a life boat through the screaming crowd. As Dizzy squeezed through a circle of people, she shrieked at a disturbing site. Dib and Zim heard her shriek, and ran over to her.

"Dizzy, what is it?" Dib asked.

Dizzy didn't answer. she only pointed. In the middle of the circle of people was a bloody man, lying dead on the ground. With a gun in his hands.

Dizzy was now crying and shaking uncontrollably. She was unable to speak. Dib noticed this, and held her to try and calm her down. Zim just shook his head displeasantly.

"Foolish humans..." He said quietly, turning his head away from the corpse. "In a time of desperation, they think death is the only way to solve the problem."

Dib didn't respond to his comment. Truthfully, he agreed with Zim. Sometimes humans get so desperate for a way out.

But they didn't have time to worry about this now. They needed to find a life boat. Fast.

"Dib human! Go find a life boat immediently!" Zim exclaimed. "I'll take care of Gir and Dizzy. Just go!"

Dib would usually shout back at Zim for even thinking of telling him what to do, but he knew this wasn't the time. Zim and Dib needed to compromise, just this once, to save their lives.

Zim took Dizzy and Gir to a nearby bench, from the edge of the ship. Dizzy was still unable to speak, and Gir just stayed silent. Very unlikely, but Gir knew something wasn't right. Maybe yelling wasn't the best thing right now.

But trust me. That won't last.

Dib ran as fast as he could through the thick crowd of people. The life boat was the only thing that could save their lives right now. For some reason, he knew there wouldn't be another ship coming in time to save them. He felt very pressured, so he pushed even harder through the crowd. Which was easy, considering he was so short.

Finally, hope had appeared. In front of him was a nearly full life boat, probably the only one left.

But alas, the hope didn't last long. To Dib's shock the boat was already being lowered, even though it clearly had more room for more people.

"Hey-Hey, what are you doing?!" Dib exclaimed. He struggled to break free from the two men pulling him back into the crowd. "Stop it!! What are they doing?! The boat isn't full..." Dib stopped there. He knew it wasn't any use. The two men pushed - no, threw him behind the screaming crowd. He was devastated.

What was he going to tell Zim and Dizzy? That he missed their only chance of survival because the men lowering the boat were being complete idiots because the boats were not completely full? No. Zim would not accept that. But he had to tell them something, no matter how much it angered tha alien... And himself.

Dib had finally spotted them on a nearby bench, but suddenly stopped at the strange site. Zim was whispering something in Dizzy's ear, and Dizzy had stopped crying.

Dib realized what Zim was doing. He was singing her the irken lullaby.

Boy, he wished Zim had sang the song before Dib had to break them the devastating news.

Dib walked sheepishly toward Zim and Dizzy. He just blurted out - "There are no boats left."

In that moment, it seemed as if complete silence came over the entire ship, even though actually over a thousand people were screaming for their lives.

To Dib's suprise, Zim said nothing. He just stared at Dib, which made him feel even more uncomfortable. Dizzy didn't look at him at all. Strangely, she just stared toward the darkened sea within great interest, maybe even anxiously.

Suddenly, Dizzy sprinted as fast as she could toward the edge of the ship. Zim and Dib scrambled toward her, realizing what she was going to do. Gir just sat on the floor, still wondering what was going about.

Before Dizzy had the chance to climb on the railing, Zim grabbed her left leg and pulled her back in. "Are you insane?!" She shouted. By now Dizzy was once again bawling her eyes out, kicking and screaming to try and get out of Zim's arms. This was so disturbing to Dib, he nearly fell backwards from the anxiety and fear.

"Stop it!" Zim exclaimed, holding Dizzy as tightly as he could. "Killing yourself will do you no good!"

Though, Zim did not know this for sure.

Dizzy's face fell flat on the floor. She covered her eyes, weeping. Zim just stared at her, unimpressed. It was pitiful to see an irken 'warrior' like this. He stood.

"You are a shame to the Irken empire." He said. Dib could not believe his ears. They were on a sinking ship with no life boats, and Zim couldn't even understand that a small girl is frightened out of her wits?

"Get off the ground. No Irken admits defeat. The are strong and-"

"Shut up Zim, just Shut up."

Zim turned angrily to Dib. He hated when he said that word. "You dare tell Zim-"

"Yeah, I do!" Dib interrupted. Zim was steaming.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Dib slowly approached Zim. "Over a thousand people are about to die because there are no life boats left. We count as some of those people. Don't you think it could be normal for a small girl - even if she is irken - she would be scared for her life? She's just a girl!"

"She is not just a girl!" Zim was now yelling in Dib's face. "She is an Irken warrior! She is shaming the Irken name! Irkens never back down like you pathetic humans! You saw that horrible bloody human on the ground! He thought that killing himself was the smart thing to do! It's not!"

"Get out of my face!" Dib exclaimed, pushing Zim back. He took a deep breath. "There are no life boats left. If we don't make a move the ship will sink, and pull us down with it. Jumping off may be the only way-"

"Don't you think I know that?!" Zim shouted. He turned away from Dizzy and Dib. "I... I know. I know we may.. We may die. I - I know that... Jumping off may be the only way to save our lives. But honestly, I'd rather die."

"Are you crazy?!" Dib said, turning Zim toward him. "How can you say that?! What do you mean?"

"Just get away from me!" Zim pulled away, not looking at Dib. By now he was shaking and hissing through his teeth.

Dib sighed. He had finally realized, all this time, this is what Zim was afraid of. In fact, he finally realized Zim was afraid this entire time. He just scolded Dizzy to make him seem strong. But he didn't understand why Zim wasn't afraid of dunking his entire body underwater to save him and Dizzy, but he is now afraid to go in water now.

Then he knew it. Zim was scared to go underwater and unlock the gate. But when he did it then, he did it because he knew he had lives to save. Zim knew there was a possibility to saving Dib and Dizzy. But that was before. That was before Zim didn't know there were no life boats left. But now that Zim knew this, he realized there was no possible way to save their lives.

In short, Zim knew he was going to die and there was nothing he could do about it. And that scared him to death.

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- End of chapter 12-

Eh? Didn't I tell you it was going to get juicy?

This chapter in a nutshell: Zim, Dizzy, Dib and Gir finally make it to the outside of the boat. Zim orders Dib to find a life boat, but shockingly, people were lowering the life boats into the water when they weren't full yet! Dib tells Dizzy and Zim this, and Dizzy tries to commit suicide. Zim saves her from her death and scolds her for trying to do something so stupid. He also scolds her for crying and bawling on the floor. Dib couldn't stand this. He stops Zim from saying anything further, and gives him the truth. They were going to die. Zim finally admits his fear of death, and the fear of jumping off the boat.

Tada! See what happens in chapter 13!