The constant sparking of mechanical parts was not an uncommon sight in the bright green house on the end of a humble street in the tiny nameless town nestled in some forgotten corner of some country or another. It was common enough that the people (and aliens, and A.I.'s) who lived in the home tended to glance first, walk away and ask questions when something blew up. But, tonight it was new. Tonight it was of some big importance.

Zim was in the kitchen, which was peculiar in itself, pacing back and forth, tugging on his antenna. The now ex-invader mumbled continuously while his little minion GIR watched from the table, scarfing down muffins with questionable ingredients.

The elevator whirled in the usual way that elevators do, and the doors whooshed open. Dib strode out covered in all kinds of soot, oil, dirt and perhaps a bit of blood. The main point was that he was filthy and perhaps even more importantly, shirtless. His pale white chest still held all the scars of long ago.

He tilted his overly large head to the side when he saw Zim wearing a path in the tile. When the Invader never looked up, Dib knew that he must've been really stressed to not even notice his presence. Taking a very big chance, the chance being that he might lose an eye or a hand, Dib strode over and wrapped both arms around the alien menace.

Zim screeched in that high pitched way of his, flailing around in an attempt to shake whatever had him off. After a few seconds though, the familiar scent and feel made him stop. The dirt almost overpowered the cool winter smell that was the human but, it was there and it still calmed him. Sighing, the irken rolled his eyes when he looked down at the arms folded around him, seeing the mess.

Aloofly, he leaned back a teeny tiny bit into the embrace but otherwise made no move to return the affection. "Dib-Filth." He sniffed, raising a hand and poking at the other's arm. "Have you no idea of hygiene?"

"Oh shut-up, you Monster. I was down stairs, helping. Unlike some green, bald aliens with height afflictions." Dib swayed their bodies a little bit. Zim grimaced but whether it was because of the insults or the continued hugging was anyone's guess.

"Y-you uh, they are fine. Zim doesn't need to do anything." It was Dib's turn to sigh. He felt his glasses starting to slip as he spoke.

"Zim…we both knew it was going to happen eventually. I thought you were okay with this?" The alien ripped himself from Dib's grasp and spun on his heel to face him. There was a very noticeable blue flush of rage on jade skin.

"Zim is fine! I'm perfectly fine with all of this! I said they could leave! They will leave! I just wish they would go faster! Yes. That's it. They must go faster. I want my house to myself." He raised his chin, defiantly, closing his eyes for a few seconds to try to bask in the glow of his victory in the argument when Dib didn't respond. But, after almost a minute, curiosity got the better of him and he open them.

Dib's eyebrow was raised in an expression of disbelief. "Are you done?"

Immediately, the alien's face morphed into his pouting one. All the air seemed to go out of his ego for a few seconds, as he stepped forward and pushed the human's glasses back up with his finger. "Yes. No. I don't know."

Dib smiled slightly, but it was a bitter-sweet one. "I know how you feel, Space-Boy." He snatched the other's hand before it could retreat. "They are ours. We grew them from our own cells. We practically raised them together. I care for both of them. We made the fight because that was all we knew and because we thought they might be able to settle this war between us, when all along there was no war left." He lifted the green hand, admired the three fingers. "They deserve to be able to make their own decisions." He felt the irken try to snatch his hand away in anger and held it fast, speaking before Zim could. "I know, you know. But, you obviously wish it was different."

Dib looked up from their hands, under his lashes. "They are going to leave. But, I will still be here, Zim. Always." The Irken's anger drained and he cursed himself once again for being weak and too human for anyone's good. Still he allowed the hand holding. He nodded, stiffly.

Releasing the alien's hand, Dib walked over to the fridge and grabbed out a soda, chugged it and threw one last smile Zim's way before heading off to shower. Said alien watched the other go, with approval, glad Dib was showering and also proud because he'd chosen wisely his mate.

Dal smirked in Ziim's direction, across the room. They exchanged their usual look of faith and love and lust, only this time it was different because between them sat a large, nearly completed ship painted in beautiful tones of magenta and blues. Also, their creators were there, bickering about the finishing touches to what Dib had claimed the 'Love Ship'. Zim hated that name, said it brought back too many horrible memories of his first few years on Earth.

The two clones could really care less. They were busy plotting their course for the next year or so. First would be Irk. They wouldn't get to stay long but, Zim had made some calls and with his connections they would be able to at least visit without being attacked. Then they would turn around, explore as many other planets as possible and be back to Earth just in time for Thanksgiving. Who knew what they would do after that. Maybe fly back out into the stars. Maybe settle down and do what Dal had always wanted to do; be normal. Ziim wasn't entirely opposed to that idea. Everything would be fine and dandy and just plain butterflies and supernovas as long as Dal was there.

Dib finally with Zim's approval, spray painted the word 'Bellom' on the sides. Apparently, in Irken it meant roughly, The War is over.

Zim was pretty god damn stoic. Dib smiled with that wonderful, bitter-sweet grin he seemed to have perfected over the years. Ziim was just happy to leave, quickly setting all their stuff inside, rather haphazardly. Dal was then busy fixing everything that Ziim threw into the ship haphazardly.

Finally though, the moment had come. The roof was open wide, revealing the amethyst night sky with all its vague stars. All the opportunities lay before them. Zim had his arms crossed over in the corner, watching as Dib and his son hugged.

"Hey." The older version whispered, as he lightly punched his clone on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you for doing what you want to do. For doing what makes you happy." Dib felt choked up saying this as it had always been what he'd wanted his own father to say to him. It had never happened. He'd been fool in almost doing the exact same thing to his own child.

Dal beamed at his creator. "Thanks…dad." His golden eyes flickered over to Zim. The Irken nodded, in an approving way and that was enough for him.

Ziim strode over to Zim and after a few seconds bowed his head to his master's shoulder. The older irken grit his teeth, fists clenching, gloves squeaking in obvious strain before he shook his head and lifted the clone's chin with a finger.

He pressed their foreheads together and let their antenna intertwine. It was affection in the highest form, a bonding experience that was never preformed anymore because Irkens had no parents to do so with.

Ziim smiled softly, feeling honored and stupidly like crying before he stepped back. Nothing was said because that was all that needed to be said.

Together Dal and Ziim walked over to the ship and let their hands curl around each others. The night drive would be a long one. They had a limited amount of time, but then again in space time was nothing but an illusion. Dib waved at the two of them, patting Ziim on the back before joining the pouting Irken in the back of the room, away from the heat of the ship's engine to watch as they took off.

The doors closed on the Bellom, the engines started up with a loud whirl. Blue flames licked out of its exhaust pockets and with a screech of hyper speed it rocketed, up and up and up until it became a speck of light that might as well have been an oddly colored star.

Zim's expression finally drooped as he leaned into his pathetic human. "Do you think they will be okay? They are horrible versions of us after all."

Dib smiled down at the mope-y irken. "Hey, we're alive now aren't we? Despite all the odds." He glanced back up at the evening sky, unable to distinguish the ship from the cosmos any longer. "Yeah, Space-Boy. If they are anything like their fathers, they'll be fine."

War's of Our Fathers

-fin-