-1 CHAPTER 11: Backseat Confessions

Well hello, fancy seeing you here. I'm finally back with a new chapter, and I'm sure you lot are happier than Elizabeth Bathory in a blood bank.

In case anyone is wondering, I meant this story to take place in late season 1 or early season 2 in the X-Files universe, and a year after Tak the Hideous New Girl in the Zim-verse, which if you follow the Zim timeline, and include the Worst Christmas Ever, would make it about 2 months after Zim ended. I am fully aware that this puts the X-Files half of the story in 1995, and the Invader Zim half about 7 years later, but it IS only a story, and I can do whatever I want.

I also want to address some other concerns. I know I got the date wrong on the Impala in an earlier chapter (It is in fact a '67). This was an intentional error, just to see if there were any real Supernatural fans out there. Now that I have my answer, be expecting an Invader Zim/Supernatural crossover soon. The origin of SEN codenames was my idea. It seemed like a rational way for the Eyeballs to name new members, so I went with it.

"So," Dib said, leaning in from the backseat of the Impala, and breaking the silence. "You guys basically go all over the country investigating claims of the paranormal and stuff?" Mulder smiled as Scully looked thoughtfully out the window, no doubt thinking about the recent developments in the case, and trying to come to some rational conclusion.

"In a sense." Mulder replied. "More or less, the FBI in their infinite wisdom assigned me to the X-Files both because they knew that I would jump at the chance, and because it was the only place they could put me where I could do the least damage."

"What do you mean…damage?" Dib asked.

"I'm not to popular in the bureau." Mulder stated. "My ideas and beliefs tend to clash both with those of my superiors and with protocol on a regular basis."

"Oh." Dib said. "I know what you mean. "My beliefs tend to clash with…well, everyone else's." Mulder smiled. Even though nearly everything had gone wrong on the investigation, he found himself smiling. "What about you, agent Scully?" Dib asked.

"Huh?" Scully asked, snapping out of her reverie.

"No offense," Dib began, "But you don't really seem that interested in the paranormal. How did you end up working on the…X…files?" Scully looked at Mulder, unsure how to proceed, or if she should proceed with answering Dib's question. She looked back at Dib. He looked at her expectantly, an innocent smile on his face. Scully sighed, again thinking that this kid could easily be the childhood version of Mulder.

"I was actually assigned to the X-Files to discredit Mulder's findings." Scully confessed. Mulder scoffed lightly with a smile. "To denounce the improbable or impossible in favor of the rational and scientific."

"Wow." Dib commented. "You'd get along really well with my dad. He's a scientist, and he doesn't believe in anything that real science…" He said with a mocking gesture, "can't explain or solve."

"Well without science," Scully said, "all we have are age old superstitions and beliefs unfounded in any logical thought at all." Dib fell back in the seat and seemed to brood for a moment. He looked out the small rear passenger side window.

"Yesterday's miracles are tomorrow's technology." He said. "And what everyone thought was magic a decade ago is science today." He looked back at Scully. Mulder looked at Dib in the rearview mirror. "You ever hear of the Temple of Zeus?" Dib asked. "It had enormous gold doors that no ten men could open. Yet when it came time to worship, the doors would open by themselves." He gave a small smile. "It was the hand of the Greek god that did it…" He said sarcastically. He paused for a moment. "It was all just simple engineering." He said. "A hidden system of weights and pulleys."

"And the Nautilus." Mulder said as he negotiated a turn. "The fictional submarine of Jules Verne's novel. If you read it carefully, the submarine was a self-sufficient nuclear submarine, something every world superpower has a fleet of today. Only the novel was written in the 1800's. Up to that point, the most high tech submarine ever built was the CSS Hunley." Scully turned her gaze to Mulder as he stopped at a red light. He looked at her.

"Dib's right." Mulder said. "Everything is magic and superstition until science can prove it. Yesterday's dreams are tomorrow's realities." Scully nodded lightly, accepting defeat in the argument. Dib dropped back into the seat again and fell silent. The light turned green, and Mulder pulled out. "What about you, Dib?" Mulder asked. "What made you want to pursue the respected field of paranormal science?"

"People pursue a job at a bank, or a career in accounting." Dib said. "Something like this…" He paused as if he couldn't find the words. "It's a calling." He finally said. "I…You're going to think I'm crazy."

"Shoot." Mulder said.

"I have memories…" Dib said. "Of being taken aboard an alien space ship when I was little. They did all these…I don't know…experiments and stuff on me."

"Did they implant anything in you?" Mulder asked. "In your head or neck?"

"No, I've checked." Dib said. Mulder looked at Scully with raised eyebrows.

"Wow." He said. Scully rolled her eyes a bit, and turned her attention back to the passing night scenery.

"So, where are we going?" She asked.

"We have to see officer Pembrey." Mulder replied. "He's the one who gave me the evidence in the first place. I only hope that he had the foresight to make copies." Mulder took on a serious demeanor. "And the way things are going, he, and all the other witnesses may be in danger."

"So this is all part of some government cover-up?" Dib asked with renewed interest.

"Could be." Mulder replied.

"But wait…" Dib said with eyebrow raised. "You work for the government…"

"The only branch that's trying to uncover the truth." Mulder said.

"Mulder," Scully began, "Would you mind not sharing sensitive information with Dib?" She looked into the back. "No offense to you, Dib."

"None taken." He replied.

"By the way," Scully said, "Are you sure we can't take you home? I'm sure you'll be safe there."

"No way." Dib said. "Like my dad and sister are even going to notice I'm not there. And if you did leave me somewhere, I'd just follow you anyway."

"Your dad doesn't care about your whereabouts?" Scully asked with some concern that Dib noticed.

"Not really. If you're asking if he takes care of us, he does that. We have the best health care and stuff money can buy, and he buys us stuff we don't even need. He's just…" He looked at the floor. "He's just never there, you know?"

"You really don't have anybody, do you?" Mulder asked sympathetically.

"One person." Dib said. "One person actually showed interest in me. She…"

"Tak?" Mulder asked.

"Yeah." Dib whispered. "You know, I think I was actually in love with her…until I found out she was an alien bent on world destruction." Mulder nearly locked up the brakes on the Impala. Scully turned around and gave Dib a look of confusion and disbelief, with maybe a little concern for his sanity thrown in.

"You sort of left that part out." Mulder said. "You have a crush on an alien creature that wants to destroy Earth?"

"I…She…" Dib stammered. He sighed. "Yeah." Mulder found himself suddenly speechless. The next few minutes were spent silently contemplating the various twists and turns of the case until the police precinct came into view.

"We're here." Mulder said. He pulled up to the curb. "I'm going to go in and talk to officer Pembrey. Scully, you stay with Dib in the car."

"Alright." Scully replied. Mulder opened the door and climbed out.

"Agent Mulder?" Dib asked. Mulder leaned back in. "Am I wrong to like her?"

"I've seen some strange things, Dib." Mulder replied. "But I don't think I or anyone else will ever understand love. It's just something you have to take on faith." He smiled. "I'll be right back."

I know it was another chapter of nothing but witty conversation, but I like doing these. I feel that that add so much more to the story, and help to develop the characters far better than a series of action scenes. I also wanted to have more interaction between Dib and the agents. So, what did you think? Send me your reviews, and send them FedEx. The post is just to bloody expensive these days. Well, until chapter 12, cheerio.