21: Do You Want To Know?
Dib was watching the large computer screens in one of Zim's underground lab rooms, trying to use his growing irken language skills to learn more about them. About Zim. The alien had learned so much about the human race, about this planet and about its society, and in return, Dib knew nearly nothing about the irken race. With all his observation and all his obsession, he knew nothing. The sound of boots on metal floor aproached him and he knew without turning, who it was. A three-fingered hand rested on his shoulder, thin body stepping up next to him, watching the same screens. „Stupid Dib-thing... still trying to find my weaknesses?" Dib chuckled, moving his own hand to warmly rest atop the other's. „Of course... I can't risk missing your newest evil scheme, Spaceboy." Zim was strangely quiet for a moment, watching the screen without really looking. „Do you want to know? Zim will tell you, the Dib just needs to ask."

22: Discovery
He had always been curious. It was his nature as an invader. This planet held little that was worthy of investigation, though. Except one thing. One being that never failed to offer more things to discover. He never grew tired exploring *him*.

23: Birthday
It was a day like any other. Dib knew that. No one bothered, no one probably even remembered and he had given up any expectations many years ago. Because of that, it took his genius mind nearly a full five minutes to comprehend that the pink, crumpled, messily wrapped box, covered in countless layers of adhesive tape was supposed to be a present. He felt a wide smile split his face and sudden tears prick at his eyes at the sight of the most awful and most wonderful birthday present he had ever been given.

24: Rocks Aren't the Same
Rocks were boring. They were all the same. No matter the size, no matter what might grow on them, they were nothing but rocks. Even giant rocks, like planets, were no different. In the end, they were still just rocks. Boulders of dead matter. And yet... while this planet didn't matter to him at all, what did was one of the things that had grown on it. One tiny, tiny thing, compared to the size of this rock, that made its existence important. This rock needed to stay unharmed. For as long as it took for him to convince this being to forsake the filth around him and join him to find a better place for him to live. But until he managed that... he found he needed to change his views just a little. Maybe, rocks weren't the same after all. If only for that which grows on them.

25: Shadow
All his life, he had been treated like a shadow. Something that was there but rarely noticed. People were annoyed when he got too close and blotted out the light when they tried to read. He yearned for attention, but got none. They ignored him like the shadow they thought him to be. There but unimportant. Until he had had enough. They wanted him to be a shadow? Then he would become their shadow. A shadow so dark he would blot out any and all light. And it would be impossible to ignore when he encased everything in his darkness.

26: Fate
Zim didn't believe in such a thing as „fate". But then again... every time his eyes met with a honey colored glance, he wondered if „coincidence" did any justice to their meeting in the vast expanse of space.

27: Freedom Isn't Free
Their freedom hadn't come without a price. They had paid, dearly. But all the effort, and even with all the duties attached to it, their new freedom was worth it all. They ruled everything. They were free to do whatever they pleased. There was much responsibility, but it was worth it.

28: Wildflowers
The Dib had insisted they go to the park and have some ice cream. Zim didn't mind the ice cream, but he found it strange to just sit there on a green patch of grass under a tree and... do nothing. Not knowing what else to do, the alien watched the tiny dots of color around them sway with the soft breeze. He suddenly found himself wondering how, in this horribly filthy, polluted world, it was possible that such tiny, beautiful things as wildflowers could bloom. A short glance towards his napping companion and Zim found a pattern there. In this horribly filthy, polluted world, among billions of ignorant, stupid and ugly creatures, a single being managed to stand out, intelligent, beautiful and unique. Shaking his head, to clear those useless thoughts, Zim couldn't help the blush spreading over his emerald cheeks. He would blame it on the horribly hot earthen weather later.

29: Energy
„I do not need to sleep, Dib-beast!" Zim protested for the umpteenth time as Dib tried to get him to rest. „But you're exhausted!" When the alien opened his mouth to protest yet again, Dib pushed him over with a single hand, making him fall onto the couch behind him. „Recharge your batteries, Spaceboy, or I'll take advantage of your weakness." he mock-threatened. Zim sputtered a few curses in irken before grudgingly making his way to his recovery chamber.

30: Notes
While looking for something in his wardrobe, Dib caught sight of an old, slightly dusty box. Immediately, a nostalgic smile lit his features and he picked it up. Inside, he found countless crumpled pieces of paper. Even the very first note he had written was in this box. He remembered the days at skool, when Zim had first arrived and they had spent the entire day throwing notes at each other's heads in class. Over the years, the content had changed but the habit had never ceased. Even today, he sometimes was hit with a piece of paper, when he stood on the bridge of the Massive, often finding his grinning mate a few meters away.

31: Numbers
Zim stared confusedly at the numbers written on the crumpled piece of paper the Dib had pushed into his hand. Said boy was fighting hard not to blush. „It's my telephone number. Call me." He explained in a rush. Following that moment were many nights spent talking on the phone. Funny how a device as simple as a human telephone made talking freely so much easier.

32: Dying Fire
They say „fire cleanses all", and maybe it's true. Now, as they stood on a vast plane of cooling ashes, they both felt tension leaving them. The exhilaration and chaos of the moment slowly ebbed away, making way for a strange calmness. Five fingers entwined with three and the smoky black of the sky slowly turned to rust. The organic sweep was done and along with all proof of earth's nature and inhabitants, Dib's loneliness and pain had been wiped from existence as well.

33: Breaking Point
Zim could see it every day. With each insult, with each time they laughed at him. Dib didn't show it to them, his hurt. Dib tried to not show it even to him. But Zim knew. The human was close to his breaking point. With all the mental and physical abuse he went through day after day, it was only a matter of time until he snapped. Frowning at the teenagers passing him by, Zim inwardly hoped they would get a taste of the damage they had caused. He knew his former rival better than anyone else, having had his share of little peeks of insanity. It rested dormant within the genius mind but slowly, the insanity woke, having been tampered with too often. The alien felt the boy's brassbound self-control breaking. Whatever lay beneath would be a fitting punishment for them, he was sure.

34: Fish
Irkens were vegetarians. At least most of them were and they mainly fed on snacks and food that consisted mostly of sugar, fat and other highly calorific components. Their biology wasn't able to handle any kind of meat and most types of vegetables or fruit. For some strange reason, though, a few kinds of fish seemed to make an exception. That was the only reason why, when the Dib-human asked him to join him on a fishing trip, Zim had agreed to come along. He actually enjoyed fried fish.

35: Trapped
Professor Membrane was caught between frustration and panic. It had been hours since he had been thrown into this glass coffin. There were no perceivable gaps or joints. It was, as if the whole cube was made from one, single piece of glass. If it even was glass at all. And it seemed to be quite sturdy, if not unbreakable. At first, he had gloated at his stupid, alien captors for not taking the precaution of searching through his clothes for any weapons or tools. But none of his little gadgets had been able to even so much as leave a scratch on the clear material. He was trapped... and knowing his own son was about to wipe out any and all forms of life on earth wasn't helping the situation any...

36: Dancing
What humans called dancing was very different to what the irken called a dance. When Dib asked for a dance, half in humor, half serious, Zim had blushed and refused vehemently. After a few more tries, with his stubbornness butting in, the alien had given in. It was Dib's turn to blush hotly and refuse, when Zim explained the irken dance to him and stated he wanted to be the one to lead.

37: Don't Go
Dib grabbed the pink uniform by the sleeve, looking into undisguised magenta eyes. „Don't go." he said simply, looking at the alien with serious eyes. Zim wanted to pull away, to get into the voot cruiser and leave, but the longer his eyes locked with Dib's, the more he found he couldn't.

38: Alone
As long as he could remember, he had been alone. His father too busy, his sister too detached. Even in primary skool, he had never had any friends, his intelligence and obsession with the paranormal too weird for the others, even back then. The very first time he felt like he was being acknowledged was when the green new kid appeared in his class, turning his whole world upside down. From that moment on, he hadn't felt alone anymore. And now, Dib felt like he had to repay the favor. Zim had sought him out in the park at night, where he often observed the stars. At first, he had thought it a new scheme, a trick to lure him, but the seriousness in his eyes, the barely hidden desperation when he told him about how he had been exiled and lost the connection with his people... it moved him. He could relate. He KNEW what it felt like. Slowly, he extended his hand, taking the smaller one into his own. It felt strange, but comforting at the same time. „You are not alone." It was a statement and the moment he said it, the human knew he meant it.

39: Betrayal
In disbelief, two pairs of eyes, blood and lilac colored, stared at the human and the one betraying them. Zim, always loyal, always so eager to please his Tallest to gain even the tiniest bit of praise. He had been understandably shocked and crushed when they told him the truth. But never, not in their wildest dreams, would they have believed that he would turn against them. Against his own race. But he had. And with him was an alien, human as they had learned, standing tall and proud behind the small ex-invader. „You traitor!" Purple cried, but Zim only grinned, bitter and victorious. The last thing either of them would see was the insane grin on the human's face as he carried out the unspoken order of the only invader that had ever dared to invade his own planet.

40: Due Date
Dib paced the base's main corridor restlessly, unable to stop and sit down, even for a minute. He was excited and frustrated. Zim had retreated into his organic nest over two weeks ago and the human had painfully learned that even entering the room that contained the nest was out of the question. He brushed his fingers over the still sore scar across his chest that Zim had given him for trying to sneak a peek into the nest. Still, he knew today was the due date. Today, if everything was correct, he finally would be able to see his mate again. His mate and his newborn. He knew neither gender nor looks and it drove him crazy. The birth should have been three days ago and he hoped Zim would finally leave his nest and allow his mate to see...
Giving another frustrated growl, Dib rounded the corner yet once again, continuing his nervous pacing.