"Dib, no!" Zim spun around.

"I'm fine." Dib had done this tuck-and-roll kinda thing with the gin facing out.

"A-are you sure?"

"Yes, I didn't get shot."

"Oh, thank the- the one that you humans call 'God'."

"Yha, well, God had nothing to do with it. That was just my mad skills. Fighting you for the past five years certainly helped."

"Yes, yes, that's nice. Now, um, can I maybe. . ." Zim stretched his hand out.

"HELL no."

"Gimmie!" Zim made that little waving thing with his hand.

"No." Dib replied, and threw the gun clear across the road.

"Not cool." Zim snapped, turning to the other clearing.

"Zim, look at me." Zim started off in the direction he was facing. Dib grabbed his arm and spun him around. "LOOK at me! I know you say you have nothing to live for, but my whole life since I was eleven has been YOU. You have no IDEA how many times I thought about killing myself, but you know what kept me going? You. In one way or another, you always kept me alive. I can't let you do this."

"Why not?"

"Because somewhere along the way I fell for you." Zim shook his head. "I fell in love with your beautiful red orbs." Dib placed his hand over Zim's left eye, covering half of it. "With the way you laugh when you think you've won. The way you never gave up, no matter what. The way you get mad whenever anyone other than you hurts me." He pulled his hand away. "The way you look when you know I've won. The way you celebrate when you know you've won. The way my insides fall when you celebrate. Haven't you noticed yet?"

"Noticed what?"

"That you win a lot more than me. I love that triumphant look on your face, so I don't try as hard when I know it won't have a large impact on the earth."

"Oh."

"I always used to make sure it was at least a tie. Then something changed and I realized I loved you."

"Dib, I can't-"

"You don''t have to. Just promise me you won't do this."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I've been banned from my planet. Because I'm a defect. Because they don't care about me. Because I have nothing."

"My father thinks I'm insane. He stopped caring about me a long time ago."

"Despite what he thinks, you are not a screw-up."

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure I'm the only boy on this planet who has fallen in love with a male alien that has tried to kill him numerous times."

"I'm sorry." And with that Zim turned and fled towards the street.

Dib heard the car before he saw it and and knew that Zim had no idea it was coming. A horrible image of zim dead, lying at an odd angle flashed through his mind, and before he knew what he was doing he just ran. He felt his outstretched hands and he knew Zim had made it to the other side. Just in time, too. At that moment he felt the car slam into his left side. He heard Zim screaming his name but Dib was unable to respond. In that moment he thought he must be dead. When he hit the ground he knew how wrong he was. The pain was so bad that he just WISHED he was dead. It felt so bad that it felt like a lifetime and an instant all at the same time before Zim was next to him. The guy in the car was telling him that he was going to call nine-one-one. Zim was trying to get Dib into a more comfortable position without hurting him too much.

"Dib. Dib, please look at me."

He was trying, but everything hurt so much.

"Dib." Zim leaned down and kissed him. "I think I love you too, you wonderfully stupid human."

It took all of Dib's effort to smile, but he did.

"Jemna."

"Has anyone been shot yet?" A pause. "Then I think you can spare an ambulance and an officer. A kid is bleeding out in the middle of the road."

"You'll be ok, Dib." There were tears in Zim's eyes and Dib could tell that Zim was trying to convince himself as well. Dib wanted to ask what Jemna meant. He assumed it was Irken. Zim seemed to know what Dib wanted. "I shall tell you when you're better. And you WILL get better. You are a fighter. Zim has seen that."

"Kids, I am so sorry."

"No. . . no, it was my fault. Can I borrow your cell phone?"

"Sure."

"Now, I assume that Gaz is with Peptio which is good because I know his number. Hey, can I talk to Gaz?" Pause. "Tell her it's important." Pause. "Dib." Pause. "He got hit-" Pause. "NO! By a CAR!" Pause. "No, not yet. We're waiting for an ambulance." Pause. "Yes, I think that's a good plan." He hung up and passed the phone back to the guy and stroked Dib's hair with his other hand.

"By the way, I'm Jim. Jim Filler."

"I'm Zim, and this is Dib."

Zim and Jim both looked up and Dib heard the faint sounds of sirens. They got there faster than expected but he was grateful. Before they hand time to take him to the hospital Dib said again, "Promise."

"I promise, you wonderfully stupid human. I promise."