To Which Our Future Holds (A ZaDr Story)

Chapter 25

The creepy man was kneeled next to the small girl offering her a sweet lolli, "Why don-cha come along with me to pick out another flavor ey kiddo?"
The man's attempt however was interrupted by an angry chirp to his right. "Hey You!" The voice growled.

Both the man and the girl he was talking to turned to see a small kid in a pink outfit with black gloves, and green skin. The kid glared at them both when the man smirked recognizing them. The green skinned child snarled, turning to the girl and giving her a look that could kill. "Go back to your mommy" he hissed, sending her off crying.
The man cursed to himself when he watched the girl run off but easily turned his attention to the small green kid instead. "Ya out ere by yer'self again kiddo?" He asked with a half grin and standing up. Zim crossed his arms and mimicked the man's accent in a mocking way "Ya out ere kidnapping Smeets again?" He growled. The man chuckled "Ya got yer'self a tongue this time don'cha."

Zim shivered slightly as the man walked over, his menacing height and aura easily dwarfing Zim. The man grinned as he stood over him, his shadow once again sliding over the small boy in a way that made him look small. "Ya know there ain't no officers te save ya this time kiddo." He mocked.
Regaining his confidence Zim chuckled "Zim doesn't need any officers to protect him." Zim grinned showing of his jagged teeth and baring his sharp canines, "You were simply lucky enough to catch Zim on an off day" he hissed "You're not so lucky this time" he said in a way that made the man shiver. "Is this kid insane?" He thought.

Zim's pursuit was cut off when someone called his name from behind him. Annoyed with the intrusion Zim turned around only to have a pair of firm hands rest on his shoulders. "Come on Zim'' Dib's voice spoke from above him "Let's go home."
Zim felt his whole body flutter "Home?" He asked, staring at the ground in disbelief. Dib smiled while also casting a nervous glance at the man "Yes Zim home, let's go."

Dib pulled Zim away, the strange man waving them off and Zim shooting him another nasty glare.
Dib walked over to Lizzy who sat on the bench phone in hand, "You all ready to go?" Dib asked. Lizzy shook her head "I just got off the phone with some officers and they should be getting here shortly, we should probably wait till then."
With a nod Dib sat down on the bench, Ash sat in between his parents and Zim still stood in front of them, refusing to sit.
The group waited for several minutes until a pair of officers showed up and Lizzy walked over to talk with them. After a quick transfer of conversation the two officers approached the man and were able to detain him despite his struggles. With the man finally apprehended Lizzy agreed to go home and they left soon after.

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Lizzy smiled as she finished "There, all patched up" she said looking at Dib who now sported a patch bandage on his right cheek covering the place Zim had cut him earlier.
Lizzy tilted her head and pinched her lips "You know it amazes me how you were able to handle that, those are a pretty good pair of scratches you got." She said still slightly in disbelief how Zim had managed to inflict such wounds in the first place. Dib gave a half hearted smile "Yea, I've got a pretty high pain tolerance. And besides, I've survived worse than this."
Chewing her lip Lizzy agreed "Yea I guess so." She said with a pause "How about we go check up on Ash and Zim" she offered. Dib nodded "Yes. I suppose we probably should."

Ash and Zim sat together on Ash's bed in his small room. Ash was reading and Zim was looking around, he had never really paid too much attention to the smeet's room before and since his mind was currently too busy to listen to the book, he figured now was a fine time to look around.
Ash's room was a faded blue color with white trim, his walls had several pictures of constellations and various other space themed images. The ceiling was covered in little green stars that Zim knew glowed softly in the dark. All the furniture like his shelves, bed, dresser, and nightstand, were a dark wooden color that contrasted the light tones of his wall. Zim looked down to  the circular rug that sat in the room when his attention was captured by the door creaking open.

Dib leaned in the doorframe and Lizzy stood next to him holding onto his arm, "You guys ok?" Dib asked softly. Zim glared away when he noticed the way Lizzy held onto Dib "Yea" he said coldly, when Ash leaped off the bed "Daddy!" He cheered "You're all fixed now!" Dib crouched down to Ash's level and opened his arms grinning as Ash hugged him With a cheer.
Zim watched as they smiled and he felt something tug in his chest, Lizzy bent down smiling to join the picture, their eyes all seeming to glow with one another. Zim subconsciously placed his hand over his chest and grabbed onto his shirt, feeling almost as if the world started to shatter around him, burning his heart along with it.
Zim turned and threw open the window, the cold air slicing into the room. "Wait!" A young voice called from behind him "Are you leaving?" His small voice asked meekly.
Not looking back to who spoke, Zim simply looked out to the forest, his claws digging into the window frame.
"Yes'' was all he said before leaping out and running as soon as his feet touched the ground.

Dib felt his body chill as he almost seemed to relive his nightmare
"Zim wait!" He called, far too late for his voice to reach the running alien. Rushing to the window he only managed to catch a glimpse of Zim's figure as he  slipped into the trees "No no no not Again!" He yelled before turning and running down the hallway the joyous moment of seconds ago lost to his mind.

Both Lizzy and Ash stood silently together in the quiet room before Ash turned to his mother a solum look on his face.

"Is this why Zim didn't want Daddy to see him?" He asked meekly, earning a confused look from his mother "Because Daddy was already sad, and so he got more sad when Zim left?"
Lizzy looked down at her son, and for perhaps the first time, she just barely managed to catch the glimpse of a deeper intelligence well hidden behind bright, golden eyes.
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