- Wednesday, February 12th, 2003, Light Snow, 10 pm.

It all started on a chilly winter night back in February of 2003. Dib was out on the roof of his house watching Zim walk home with Gir. Zim was dragging Gir on his dog leash since Gir was crunching away at a bowl of nachos. Gaz was heading up to the roof while playing her game. She spotted Dib watching the streets through binoculars and put her game on pause.

"Dib, pizza's h-..." Gaz just stared, "What are you doing now?..."

"Watching HIM..." Dib said back.

Gaz deadpanned and gripped her Game Slave tighter. It gave occasional cracking.

"He's out later than usual, and I know that means he got finished with doing something! He's probably planning something for Valentine's day!" He looked at Gaz, "Like hypnotizing everyone by putting something in everyone's food!"

"...Come inside the house, idiot.... " Gaz said.

Dib glared at her and pulled his hair.

"Look Gaz, I know I sound crazy, but I can't let Zim's schemes slide! The whole world has been in danger for two years now and I'm the only one doing something about it!"

"Dib..."

"This menace plans to control the human race!" Dib continued, "He's been the one who's driven me insane for the past how long! I can't stop thinking about him!"

"Dib..."

"I can't let this go! I can't let him go! He's..." Dib paused. 

Gaz squinted at that last part, "We... need to talk..." She pulled on Dib's jacket and brought him indoors.

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Gaz and Dib were now in silence at the kitchen table. The only sound present was the humming of electricity in the house. Professor Membrane couldn't be there to eat with them due to an important award ceremony, and hence had to bounce early. He did order them pizza before he left. Gaz pinched the bridge of her nose. Dib looked at her and folded his hands. He was sweating a little.

"... We need to talk about how you think of Zim..."

"Gaz-"

"You have been driving everyone insane for the past two years because of this," Gaz continued, "When will you realize that he's basically harmless at this point?"

"Never underestimate your enemy, Gaz," Dib said, "You never know what they'll pull on you."

Gaz rolled her eyes, "If he was really dangerous, he would have taken over by now... He doesn't do much..."

"You haven't seen what I've seen...." Dib said while looking around the room. Gaz froze for a minute to prevent punching Dib in the nose. She then crossed her arms.

"You're obsessed with him..."

"You know what?" Dib started, "YES! YES I AM! HAPPY?"

Gaz needed relief from this constant torture. As she listened, an idea began to tinker in her brain due to a memory of Dib popping up.

"You really can't think of anyone else..."

Dib paused for a moment. He gave a confused look at Gaz's tone.

"Uh... yeah... I suppose?..." he replied rather hesitantly. He didn't like when Gaz spoke like this since it often ended with him getting hurt.

"You know, Valentine's Day is coming up," Gaz said, "You're not going to spend it alone again, are you?"

"Hnnn... what kind of question is that?" Dib asked, "It's not like I celebrated before..."

"Maybe you should this year," Gaz said, "I think you need a break."

"So you're setting me up with someone?"

She nodded and bit into her pizza. Dib began to wonder about it now and started breathing excitedly.

"R-Really?? Who??"

"Zim."

Dib choked on his own spit. Gaz watched him suffer while she ate. He fell to the ground, banging his head against the table on the way down. Gaz quietly groaned and waited for him to come back to earth. Dib desperately crawled back into his seat hyperventilating.

"Look, Dib," Gaz started, "I just think it would be-"

"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"....... I just think-"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"...I-"

"NNO-"

Gaz covered his mouth before he could scream again.

"Listen... to me carefully ...Dib...." Gaz began, "You have obsessed over Zim for far too long now. I think you should try to see his better traits so you would SHUT UP."

She let go of him. Dib shook his head.

"But Gaz, he's an alien! He's trying to kill us all! He's-"

"The only one that gives you any time of day honestly," Gaz interrupted.

Dib went silent. His face began to burn.

"...What are you-..."

"I dunno..." Gaz said, "You guys have more in common with each other than you think... Plus I doubt you'd actually want him dead if he wasn't trying to take over the planet."

Gaz started poking her plate with her pizza crust. Dib tried to bring a coherent sentence together. He did secretly find this true, but he also found it too big of a risk to rely on Zim to just stop his mission. He was too prideful.

"We aren't alike Gaz, and he's the proof I need that aliens exist!" Dib said, "Dad will finally stop seeing me as insane, and he will love me! I just need the evidence that I'm not wasting my time!"

Gaz stopped and looked at him. She then looked away from his eyes.

"I... heard the stuff you were saying in the bathroom two days ago..."

Dib's heart dropped. He was speechless once again. He looked over to Gaz and tugged on one of his coat sleeves.

"Uh, what things?...." He asked casually, yet quickly.

Gaz took a moment of silence before looking back at him, thinking about if it was wise to tell him.

"I know you use 'proof' as an excuse for how you've been feeling," she replied, "Dib, Are you really gonna do something dumb because people won't believe you about Zim?"

Dib's eyes widened and he gave a nervous smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about, " he shrugged nervously, "I just know that one day-!"

"You won't be able to take being called crazy anymore...." she said, "Dib... please ask Zim to be your Valentine tomorrow. I know it's two days early, and if he says no, then fine... " she looked at him again, "but at least ask..."

Dib was taken back a bit from Gaz's tone. Her voice only had a soft bitterness. His eyes became a little flighty.

"Think of is as a way to study Zim," she said, "At least to make yourself feel better about the situation... because I've heard a lot from you over the past year."

"L-Like what??" Dib asked, "I mean, yes my obsession for THE TRUTH is bad, but it's not... that bad... I'm okay enough." He gave the bare minimum for a smile, "Looking for the truth is a good thing."

Dib would sometimes break down in the upstairs bathroom at night, yelling thoughts that he had on his mind. He'd cry, shout, and sometimes worse. It would start with a tangent, then a back and forth between giving up on his hopes and going full force. He only did so when he believed no one was home, but Gaz was a relatively quiet person. In public, Dib would be noticeably paler, his hair would be a little messier, and most importantly, his ability to properly speak to others without going down a rabbit hole was deteriorated. The scribbles in his notebook were also becoming... disturbing...

What could have been the last straw was when one night, Dib saw a dark figure with twisted horns in their bathroom and his attempt to use fire to get rid of it. He would have used a candle, but it was "not enough" for it. When he notified his father, the figure was no longer there, which really placed a toll on Dib's credibility. The discussion of sending Dib off to a mental hospital was something Dib knew about, and hence, he tries to lay low for a bit.

"..... You wouldn't mind Zim if he wasn't trying to kill us all... would you..."

Dib's face went pale. He then dared to glare straight at Gaz.

"I don't want to talk about it..."

"Dib, you're gonna end up in a mental hospital if you keep doing these random outbursts..." Gaz said, "Besides, you've already told us you liked guys. You said that you wanted him to be another paranormal investigator."

"Then why are you trying to pair me up with Zim?!"

"Because he's a better fit, Dib!" Gaz yelled, "When you both aren't acting like morons, you guys have more similarities than differences! You're the same but for opposite causes!"

Dib was pulling on his jacket and holding back tears. 

"Another paranormal investigator would just... enable your fears!" She said, "Zim could probably give you better answers anyway!"

"Gaz! It's ZIM!" Dib said, "He's ruined my life!"

Gaz was gripping her glass of water on the table as if she was about to throw it. Dib held up his hands a little to block the glass.

"You like Zim, but you can't  because you're afraid that he'll either kill us all, or it will ruin your chances at providing evidence to dad about him!" Gaz said, "Maybe this time around you can actually see what he's like when he's not invading... That's all you see of him."

"That's all he is, Gaz!"

"RRRRRRAGGH!"

Gaz threw her glass at Dib. He ducked out of the way.

"I am TIRED of your constant screaming about Zim! Throughout the night. In the mornings. Before school. After school. I'VE HAD IT! IF YOU DON'T DO IT, THEN I'LL MAKE YOU."

She was holding a fist in front of Dib's face.

"This is YOUR LIFE, Dib... If you want to be miserable for the rest of your life because you missed out on an opportunity, then FINE. But don't make me and dad suffer with you!"

Dib was now tearing up.

"All you people want from me is to stop talking!" He stared, "All I'm trying to do is save the world and you people would rather have me dead!"

He stood up from the table. Gaz pinched the bridge of her nose again.

"Dib, wait..."

"One day you'll have what you want then!" He sniffled, " And when humanity is in chaos and this world is in ruins because you didn't believe me about Zim, then you'll see! You'll ALL SEE!" He ran up the stairs. She heard a loud slam.

"Dib,"Gaz groaned and headed upstairs to Dib's room. Dib was laying face down in his pillow when Gaz knocked on the door. She heard him groan in response.

"Look... whatever you do is on you... but I think you should try..." Gaz said.

Dib didn't respond back. He just laid there in his pillow. He was slowly losing air.

"He doesn't feel like he has anybody either..." she said.

She then walked off. Dib paused for a moment and raised his face from his pillow. He soon got up and opened the door.

"...Did you talk to him...? How do you know that?..." He asked her quietly.

Before he could be answered, Gaz closed her door. Dib frowned and was about to head back into his room.

"At least get him a gift or something..." She said muffled through the door. Dib paused and thought about it.

Note: There's currently another story after this story called "Truce? ZADR" on my page. That is the true start of the story. A reminder that this is the prequel, although an important one. Lol, you may continue on.