Zim saw the human enter his field of view and frowned, brow furrowing. How did he find his way back here? He switched to another camera view and watched as the human male made his way up the short walkway to his door and stood there, looking around warily.

"Computer," he called quietly. "Open the door."

"Door opened."

Zim rose from his seat and moved towards the elevator.

The female smiled with Dib's lips as the door swung open slowly. She stepped inside and nudged it shut behind her with a foot. Too easy.

Dib worked his wrists back and forth, twisting slowly as he did. He listened for any returning footsteps, eyes fixed on the door. The bindings were loosening ever so slightly with each turn of his wrists.

Zim drew a deep breath and faced the human as he stepped from the elevator. "Human..." Why are you here?

"I've returned," Dib said quietly, head down.

Zim shook his head and stepped towards him, one hand held behind his back, gripping the blade tightly.

"You shouldn't have come here."

The human raised his head and Zim stopped short. No, something wasn't right. He turned his head slightly, eyeing the man.

"Human," he drew the word out slowly, eyes narrowing.

"Hello.. Invader." A sharp-toothed grin as the glamour fell away, amethyst eyes shining.

Dib sat up and rubbed his wrists, looking down at the rope. Why would an alien use simple rope? He began untying his feet.

Zim grunted as the female slammed him against the wall, her extensions entwining with his.

"I've been watching you, Zim," she breathed into his face. "The Tallest aren't pleased with your consorting."

"I was captured," he spit, shoving her away and bringing the blade defensively before him.

"A good little invader doesn't get captured." She purred, then snapped her teeth together, gaze hardening. "And what of this human pet of yours? You're done. Computer!"

"You can't order my security against me," Zim protested angrily.

"Can't I?" Her PAK extensions slide away neatly as she snapped off a lengthy code.

"Rearmed," the robotic voice sounded throughout the building, startling the humans in the lab below. "Ready."

Tak grinned as Zim's face paled.

Dib stepped from the house slowly, peering outside. Two aliens. Are there others on Earth as well? What are they doing here, and why? The female alien was.. infinitely different from the male, it seemed. And she spoke his language, quite fluidly. Could the male understand him this entire time? He started towards the house at the end of the street, needing answers.

The door pushed open easily and he moved inside warily, looking about. The interior of the house was dimly-lit, but seemingly just like any ordinary house. Impersonal art decorated the walls scarcely. Picture frames with the example photos still in them. It would have been funny on a different day.

A whisper of movement behind him and a cold hand slid around his throat, pulling him back.

"Darling," the soft, feminine voice breathed in his ear. "You came to play." She spoke English now, for the benefit of the human.

Dib tried to slip away but a sharp point at his throat halted him.

"Ah, ah, no. Good pet." She walked him forward, into the light from the kitchen.

Crimson eyes met his and narrowed. He said something in his tongue, then spit "Fucking stupid human."

A thick wire tightened around his throat, pulling his head back. Dib stared at him, confused and scared. So he did speak.

"Is that any way to address your guest?" The female stood on tip-toes to nuzzle against the side of Dib's neck. He winced away but she held him firm.

"You're rude, Zim."

He glared silently at the two of them.

"This one, he called me beautiful," she sighed the last word as if in awe. Dib twitched at the feel of her breath. Zim looked at him and he thought the alien male seemed questioning, though he was hard to read.

"He said I'm lovely and he wanted to touch me and love me." She took Dib's hand and drew it behind his back, touching herself with it. He pulled his arm away and spun out of her grasp, backing away from her.

She smiled and ran a finger over the curved blade in her hand, gazing at it.

"This one has manners. Unlike some species."

Zim growled and Dib moved away from him as well, not letting his back to either one. Zim was held in the center of the room by wires from the ceiling, wrapped and entwined around his arms, throat, and torso.

"You're here for me," Zim hissed.

"Yes but that doesn't mean I can't detour." The female stepped over to Zim and touched his cheek, then moved into the kitchen.

"Computer, seize the human."

A wire fell from the ceiling and wrapped around Dib's ankle, pulling him off his feet. His head hit the floor as it hoisted him into the air.

Tak ran fingers over the wall and the hidden elevator door slid open. She stepped inside and turned, waving at them before disappearing.

Zim turned his attention to Dib.

"Human."

Dib blinked and looked at him dizzily, swinging slightly from his uncomfortable suspension.

"You need to get down."

He stared at the alien for a moment, not understanding, then leaned his head to look at the wire wrapped around his ankle.

"The override system isn't intuitive," Zim said. "It needs to be commanded. If you get loose it won't pursue you."

Dib nodded slightly and swung himself enough to reach and grab onto his knee. He strained but held tight, reaching his other hand to pull at the wire. It tightened and he lost his grip, swinging down with a grunt. He looked around the floor for anything of use but saw nothing nearby. Swinging again, he grabbed onto his leg and reached up to unzip his boot. Maybe, just maybe.

He slid the zipper to the wire and then grabbed onto the bottom of his boot, wiggling his ankle at the almost impossible angle. After a painfully long moment, he dropped to the floor on his back in surprise. The wire tightened, crushing his empty boot, then released it and slid away into the ceiling. Dib got to his feet slowly, retrieving the boot and slipping it back on. The door stood enticingly open but he looked back at Zim. Why would two aliens of the same race be fighting? It made no sense.

Outside, rain began to patter softly.

Dib gritted his teeth and moved to the male quickly.

"Get out, human," Zim hissed, clenching his fists.

Dib ignored him, looking the wires over quickly before he began pulling at the one around the Irken's throat. It tightened more, causing him to cough, and Dib moved his hand away. He circled behind Zim and found the end of one wire, sliding his fingers under it and pulling. It tried to tighten but he pulled harder and heard it crackle as it gave slightly.

A hand touched his shoulder and he turned, punching the female in the face without thought. She stumbled back in shock, gasping, and he pursued, hitting her again and grabbing her wrist, twisting sharply until the blade clattered to the floor. She recovered quickly and raked claws down his face, then dove for the blade. Dib stepped on it and knocked her against the wall. The back of her head bounced off the wall and she cried softly, cowering as he raised a fist again. The human faltered, lowering his arm slightly. She looked up at him and grinned, metal flashing as an extension shot towards him.

Something wrapped around his middle at that moment and jerked him back. He sprawled on the floor as metal clashed above him. Zim pounced the female in a fray of metal and claws and animalistic snarls. Dib had a brief image of fighting cats before jumping to his feet. He snatched up the knife and looked to help but couldn't get close enough.

"Outside!" Zim snapped, slamming the female to the floor and struggling to hold her. "Get outside!"

Dib took a step back, then turned and fled out the door and into the rain, heavy and blinding now. He stopped at the end of the walkway and looked back. Just leave. Leave. Leave it alone. Alien business is not his business, and he's lucky he was saved so many goddamn times already. Before he could decide what to do, a click pierced the rain behind him and he turned, staring into muzzle of agent Kens' gun not five feet away.

"Drop the weapon," he said, voice raised over the rain. Dib obeyed and raised his hands slowly, placing them atop his head. Two security guards flanked him, weapons trained on his. Kens lifted a radio but his eyes shifted behind Dib and he swung his weapon quickly.

Dib dropped to the ground as shots fired and covered his head. An inhuman snarl flew past him and one of the guards screamed, gurgled, fell to the pavement. More shots, another strangled scream cut off suddenly. Dib lifted his head and froze as the Irken crouched over him, extensions planted around him. Warmth dripped onto his neck from the alien's body and his skin prickled. Zim hissed at Kens, teeth bared. The agent, bleeding freely from beneath a hand pressed to his side, stared at them a long moment before slowly backing away to his vehicle to radio help.

Tak, watching silently from the house, melted away into the shadows. More are coming.

Zim moved off of Dib and fled, vanishing into the dark. Dib snatched up one of the fallen officer's guns and followed.

The wounded agent watched them from inside the vehicle as he waited for help to come.