First of all... I'd like to thank my lovely friend, beta writer and sometimes co-writer fo all the help with this chapter. If it weren't for her... This story would have been abandoned. Also, if you'd like to ask questions regarding anything that's happed so far or what may happen, feel free to in the reviews. :3 I'll try to answer it without giving too much away! As always, thank you so much for the support!

Dib blinked, his mind not really grasping the concept. War he understood. You heard about it everyday on earth, even if it was never in his home country. But the kind of war Zim mentioned, the kind that spanned galaxies, encompassed hundreds of thousands of planets, millions of soldiers standing against them, a small near insignificant, god he couldn't even call what they had an army. There was no way. Dread sat heavy in him, a despair.

They were going to die. Maybe not today, maybe not all at once. But he would, and Zim would, and innocent people, who didn't truly understand the stakes, like Genn, would. And if Purple had his way, their deaths would be drawn-out publicized torture.

The agonizing silence was eventually interrupted by the female Irken clearing her throat, obviously uncomfortable with the whole situation. "Well… I've… heard much about you… from… Zim." Genn looked over at the human teen, green eyes glistening in the flickering light hanging from the ceiling. "I'm Genn…But I guess you know that by now… Zim said we have to work together… so he can…. do whatever it is he plans on doing..." Shifting her weight on one foot from the other, she crossed her arms over her chest.

Dib's gaze flicked back over to the newcomer. His eyebrow rose. She was tall for an Irken, stature different from the soldiers he had seen in the past. Her antennae were curled under, giving her an almost shy look unlike Tak, and her eyes…Green eyes were odd for her species, that he knew from years of breaking into Zim's base computer; red and purple were much more common. How had being different in a society of clones worked for her? Was she praised, like those with a height advantage, or had she been outcast?

He hadn't realised how engrossed he had been until Zim cleared his throat, snapping fingers in front of his face as if here were a dog. Dick.

Zim glared at the human, eyes narrowed into thin slits. "And what exactly, do you think you're looking at hyooman? Hmm?" He stepped back a bit, his slender chest rising and falling with an aggravated huff.

Genn looked at the two in utter confusion, antenna twitching ever so slightly as her eyes wandered back and forth. "Umm… Zi-"

"I didn't ask you!" The ex-invader nearly shouted, looking at her with an expression she'd never seen. "I didn't ask you.." Zim's gaze fell back onto Dib, eyes peering at him with such malice, that it almost seemed like he was...

"Are you jealous.. of Genn..?"

He knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words had passed his lips. Damnit! The last thing anyone needed was Zim flipping out and doing something rash. Shifting back in case Zim decided to lash out, he back peddled.

"I- I mean um that she's, you know, a lab tech? I think? I mean that's what the insignia on her uniform means right? Because that's what you wanted to do?"

Magenta eyes narrowed, glancing over at the other Irken's clothing. Dib-thing was correct, the black symbols across the left shoulder was the sign of the Science Elites. The Irken let out a frustrated growl. "Genn.. step outside…"

"Zim-"

Zim turned around, eyes glaring into her with such ferocity that she quickly complied, exiting the room as she was told.

With the distraction now gone the green male turned back to Dib, gripping his chin in his tri-fingered hand. "Listen to me Dib… You will not touch her… You will not fantasize about her… and if I ever.. catch you staring into her eyes like you did just moments ago… I'll tear yours out…"

If it hadn't been for the uncertainty in the other's gaze and expression, Dib would have been terrified- mortified even. But that look, those words… they said something about the Irken… Something he'd never witnessed before. "Zim… I wasn't…" No. He wouldn't explain himself. There was nothing to explain. He couldn't help the sly smirk that crept upon his lips as he stared into those fuchsia orbs. "What's it to you?"

The look on Zim's face was almost laughable, but the human kept his composure. On a drop of a dime, that malice in his eyes turned to embarrassment and panic, words stammering out of his lips before his PAK could even begin to process them. "It means nothing to me! Zim doesn't care about you!"

That did it- Dib broke out into a full blown grin. He was torn between teasing the surly little alien- always fun- or enjoying finding out for certain that Zim did care, even if only a little bit. Even if it wasn't in either of their natures to actually convey any sort of happy emotion, the curiosity welling up inside him was almost unbearable. In the back of his mind, he knew that it'd be too good to be true… But in his heart he craved for it- feeling wanted, needed, cared for by another being… Slowly his hand reached up, resting on the glove that currently captivated his jaw. "If you don't care… then why did you save me from the Tallest… kill one of them soon after… If you don't care… why did you bring me and only me alone on this… mission of yours? Why did you try to convey something on the space station? Why did you allow your antenna to touch me? If you don't care Zim… why am I still alive… and in this room with you right now…?"

That… was certainly a good question. Why did Zim bring the Dib-monkey along if he loathed him so much. Of course it was always amusing to see him suffering- but if that suffering was caused by someone other than himself, rage consumed him. So why… considering everything they'd endured together, caused upon each other, did he keep this, this annoying creature around. "Why..?" Zim muttered to himself, unaware he'd done so. "Why… does Zim keep you around…?"

He looked over at the Dib, whose eyes were warm, smiling softly. At him? Zim understood hyooman cultures, strange as they may be, and that expression was reserved for horribly cute things and...mates. That thought sent ice down his spine. No. Zim would definatly not think of those, illegal thoughts- forbidden amongst his race.. even if Myuki had claimed it was natural. Before he could tear his hand away from the other, pale lips placed a chaste kiss upon his own.

Zim's blood ran cold. Everything in that one moment seemed to stop, an odd sensation filling his spooch that caused the blood to rush up to his jade cheeks. Oh yes…. this was a kiss… the hyooman's way of showing affection.

Dib was shocked at first, when the other didn't pull away- or beat him to death on the spot. He tilted his head until he met the Irken's unfocused gaze. The other hadn't seemed to notice his withdrawal. Brows furrowed in confusion, he leaned forward cautiously.

"Zim?" Dib kept his voice low, almost a whisper, hand reaching up as if to touch the Irkens face. Unfortunately his quiet plea did not garner the desired response. Zim jerked back, horror creeping across his face. "What have you done?! What games are you playing with the Almighty ZIm! You have made me defective! you have ruined ZIM!"

The Alien did not wait for a response, instead whipped around and fled through the door, elbowing Genn in the spooch in his hurry to get as far from the emotions the hyooman caused in him.

"Ooof! Zim! Where on Irk are you going! Zim?"

Wide-eyed she turned toward the disheveled boy on the bed. He avoided her gazed and flushed heavily. Genn, being a technological science drone and not a medical one, and has certainly never come across such fleshy pale creature before, had no idea what the blush signified.

Stepping back reflexively, she brought her gloved finger up to her face. "Oh my! Are you ill?"

Dib simply jerked his head back and instead placed it into the palm of his hands. " I… pushed him too far…"

Giving him a confused look, Genn blinked slowly. "What are you talking about…"

"Zim!" Dib hissed out, shaking his head with a frustrated sigh. "I… thought he cared about me… but I see now that I was wrong…"

Making an 'o' with her mouth, the Irken nodded in understanding. "Oh yes… You tried to show him… affection… didn't you?" When no response came, she continued probing. "Don't feel too frazzled. I've been in your situation one too many times…" She said with a small sigh, sitting next to him- not too close though, fearing what he'd do to her if she did. "Zim… does not… understand these feelings… we share for him." She said, trying her best to console him, something Irkens were far from accustomed to. "He… never acted that way towards me- being flustered I mean- so… doesn't that mean there's something there… deep in that ignorant mind of his? Something he doesn't want to feel- afraid to feel?"

Dib looked up, strands of ebony hair falling to cover up his eyes, hiding the doubt he felt. "There's nothing there… he made that blatantly clear to me just now… God I'm an idiot! Thinking he actually… cared about anything other than himself."

Genn scoffed, looking up towards the ceiling. "Mmm… yes…. I felt the same way you know? But it's not all bad… even if he doesn't show it… he cares about us, you more than I… but it's there. Why else are we still around? We're…expendable. If we were to him though, we'd be long gone right? He would have found someone else to take our place… maybe even been more… tolerable with them.. But he chose us. That… has to mean something… at least that's what I'd like to believe…"

Dib sat there, slightly shocked at the words the other spoke. That's right… If I'm truly expendable… He wouldn't have gone out of his way.. to save me… A small smile crept upon his lips at the thought, even if it was just that. "Yeah…" Suddenly, he remembered the threat the other had given him. "Wait… what does it mean…. if you stare into an Irken's eyes?"

Genn sighed, not sure whether she should tell the boy or not. But seeing the earnestness in his face she made up her mind. Slumping against the wall shoulders drawn in, Dib could barely hear her answer.

"It means...it means you wish to be the other's..hold on," She stopped and turned, closing the door and fiddling with the controls until an orange-tinged light filled the room- sound muffling device he thought scrutinizing the small podlike projector. What did she need to say that required such measures?

Nodding in satisfaction she continued with more confidence. "It means you wish to be their kära-ein."