Burning. Aching. Broken.

Dib opened his eyes, straining to take in his surroundings. Everything was blurry. Blearily, he realized his glasses were missing.

A fire roared, too close for comfort. Dib tried to pull his thoughts together, but everything was a haze of pain and confusion.

His cheek was pressed against cold, wet marble. A blot of red filled his vision when he tried to look at it. Ah. Blood. He thought slowly.

He shifted as movement caught his eye.

Green. Green skin.

Now he remembered.

His hazy thoughts were pushed away and replaced with fury as the memories rushed back. Betrayal. Lies. That deceitful insect.

He shook with anger on the floor, still too weak to raise himself up. He fleetingly wondered how bad it was. He couldn't feel anything now and he didn't have the strength to move.

Boots squeaked against the floor as the Irken approached. The human squinted, trying to see in more detail despite the loss of his glasses. It didn't make much of a difference.

The boots stopped just short of him, then the Irken knelt beside him. Ruby eyes met amber as the crackling of fire grew louder.

Dib tried to say something, he opened his mouth and struggled to say a word but nothing would come out.

He watched as the alien reached out and placed two fingers against his throat. Checking his heartbeat.

Dib squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of vertigo overcame him. He jerked himself out of the feeling and shudderingly took in a gasp of air. He realized he was in much worse shape than he had initially thought.

He could feel his arm being grabbed roughly, the prick of sharp nails pierced through his tattered trench coat.

He opened his eyes again and it took much more effort than it should have. His eyes met the alien's again.

Zim. He tried to say, but he could no longer control his body. He was going to bleed out very shortly.

Green lips moved and Dib strained to hear the words, but the crackling fire filled his head and nothing else broke past that.

His eyes closed again. His heart slowed down, down, until he felt very calm. It was time to let everything go. He was ready for the end.