A/N Experiment G1T8L1 asked for this. It's the same story... but Zim doesn't survive. Character death.

I dreamed I was missing, you were so scared

Dib couldn't believe it was finally over. 3 years, countless battles, and harsh injuries, all leading up to this moment. He should have been dancing. He should have been laughing. Why were there traitorous salty tears falling onto the cold steel beneath him, where his oldest and fiercest nemesis lay?

But no one would listen, 'cause no one else cared

Zim sat motionless on the table. They had originally restrained him, but he hadn't put up any fight, so they let the small alien sit alone on the cool steel. There were bloodstains from former autopsies, but never one so exciting as this. Whispers tittered around the room, from the newest intern to the oldest professor, all holding rusty instruments. Who cared about safety in the autopsy of a animal? A machine? It was amazing that Zim could sit so still when death was so close to surrounding him in its icy grip.

After my dreaming, I woke with this fear. What am I leaving, when I'm done here?

Zim's face had been twisted in grief when the final attack on his base had been launched. To one who didn't know the Irken, it might seem that he was doing his best, but it was blaringly obvious to one raven haired boy that he wasn't even trying. The gnomes had been deactivated, and the laser satellite was missing every shot.

"Why did you make it so easy?" Dib murmured, hand wavering uncertainly over the corroded dissection instruments. He slowly picked up a scalpel, then moved to the sink to wash it off as best he could.

When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done, help me leave behind some reasons to be missed

Dib pushed his way across the crowd. The sudden silence in the room showed that everything was ready. His father was a mere inch away from Zim's chest when Dib grabbed the scalpel from his glove before it reached delicate Irken skin.

"Dad…let me. There's something I want to say to Zim before it starts. Everyone…please give us some privacy." Membrane nodded, ushering everyone out of the room. Dib slowly leaned closer to Zim.

So if you're asking me, I want you to know

"Why did you do it? Why did you let yourself get captured? It was suicide!" Zim's maroon eyes fluttered open, full of pain.

"I had nothing left to live for… my entire existence was a suicide mission. The Tallest have been trying to kill me for years, and nearly succeeded. They poisoned the base and blew up Gir, leaving me to slowly die anyway. I… I just want it over with. D-Dib…I ask one last favor, as an equal enemy. Take my Pak off and press the small red button on the bottom. I'll die instantly. Please, just grant me this one favor before I pass on."

Dib's teared eyes were blurred, contact lenses smeared. His chocolate eyes were full of agony, unsure of what to do.

"A few years ago, I would have taken as long as possible, dragging it out…now, I'm not so sure." One more look deep into the tortured burgundy ovals was all Dib needed to convince himself to do it. Zim slowly turned around, tensing up automatically as Dib touched his Pak. The boy slowly twisted his fingers into the groove between his rival's back and the metallic life force. As Dib caught a tight grip, the light bulb above the duo flickered its pale golden light ominously. Dib took a deep breath before bracing his new black and silver buckled boots against the tile and pulling with all of his might.

When my time comes, forget the wrong I've done, help me leave behind some reasons to be missed

Prying off the silver half-circle took all of Dib's strength, but eventually reluctantly left its master. Dib couldn't even see anymore, so did something he hadn't in years-pulled out his wet contacts and slipped his old glasses back on. Zim sharpened, but his entire body was slack. Dib sucked in a breath, but let it out slowly when he saw the irken was still breathing.

"Are you sure you want me to-"Zim shot his arm up, pushing a single gloved finger against Dib's mouth. His skin was sizzling from the saliva, but he seemed beyond caring.

"Yes. Do it. Now."

Don't resent me

Dib slowly traced a maroon gloved hand across the metal, until his fingers caught a tiny indent on the bottom. Flipping the Pak over, Dib saw that it was a small red button underneath the main case. He took a deep breath before slowly lowering his index finger into the groove, pressing it as gently as he could. Dib heard a small thud behind him, and finally broke down into tears. When the deed was done, Dib took a full minute before slowly pivoting on his boots to see his rival one last time. Zim's entire body was sprawled out across the table, but he was smiling, happy in death as he'd never been quite satisfied in life. Dib clutched the Pak closer, thoughts whirling. He knew his life wouldn't be the same without the little egomaniac lying next to him, and felt both grief and fear at what the future held. He'd spent so much of the last 3 years chasing Zim; he didn't even know what to do now that it was over. As much as he'd loathed the alien, their fights fulfilled Dib. Gave him purpose. Now, at the end, he felt cold. Alone. Empty…

And when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory, leave out all the rest

Dib took one last look at Zim, taking a step closer to him. He wove his fingers under the Irken, picking him up. And there, in that cool lab under the light of a single flickering light, Dib hugged his enemy tight.

Don't be afraid, I've taken my beating; I've shared what I made.

As Dib cradled the Irken, somewhere, an alarm went off. Dib was too distracted to care, pulling the Irken closer for one last moment before slowly letting him go.

"Y-You went through so much…no one deserves this, not even you."

I'm strong on the surface, not all the way through, I've never been perfect, but neither have you

When Dib had made his way over to the doorframe, moving in slow motion, he felt a cool breeze surrounding him.

Thank you… my friend.

Forgetting all the hurt inside you learned to hide so well, pretending someone else can come and save me from myself.

Nothing was worth worrying about anymore. Zim was gone. He dragged his feet out the door, the boots making barely audible clicking noises on the semi-wet concrete from the drizzle that had happened while he was in the building. He could feel his mind slowly slipping away, but whether it was due to fact Zim had left the earth, or the fact he finally seemed to truly be going insane, he had no idea. After 9 and a half minutes, he finally started running towards his house. There was Tak's spaceship, finally finished and ready for launch into space.

He had some Tallest to speak to. He owed his only friend that much, at least. The walk seemed miles longer then usual, now that he'd decided. When he settled into the warm seat of Tak's ship, he pulled back the throttle and shot into space, leaving the crushing gravity of all of his problems behind...

A/N Annnd, there you go. Like it better? Worse? Review, please.