Author's Notice:

I had this story originally posted on my DA account(BaffledFox); it has up to three chapters over there(though the ones posted here are a little more edited/some dialogue is slightly changed). However, I finally thought I may as well post it over here since it is primarily ZADR~ Even though Cyan does play a rather large part in the story, at the same time, it's revolving more around Dib and Zim's relationship and Zim's primary plot of ruling the world and becoming Tallest. Also, just as a side note(though the time line is sort of gone over, over the course of the next few chapters) Dib is about 22 years old, he had Cyan at around 17/18.

This is going to be my next big epic story. I have a few more chapters plotted out, and I definitely know where I want things to go. It's going to be a long bumpy ride, filled with more angst than fluff, but some romantic moments will definitely be thrown in. I hope ya'll enjoy the ride and feel the need to give me a bit of feedback when you get to the bottom there. Thank you!

"Red Velvet"

'Chapter One'

By: Emo Fox

It had been a few hours.

Too many hours and Dib and Zim hadn't yet re-appeared.

Cyan frowned to herself as she stared up at the ceiling, ignoring the mindless squeals of Gir as well as the drone of the TV. She hugged the purple-eyed Irken doll to her chest as she brought up her knees, wondering what was taking them so long.

Dib had said he was going to make breakfast but that had been so long ago that it had to be lunch time by now. "Nn." Cyan nibbled her lip nervously, her bright burgundy eyes flicking over to the hyper robot to her right who seemed almost oblivious of her presence.

She may have only lived four short years so far but her mind was sharper than most children her age and she was acutely observant. Strange things had been going on for months and she didn't know what to think about them. Her parents barely talked to each other and when they did it almost always led to a fight.

Fights hadn't been unusual before; but something about these recent ones…

Something about how they looked at each other – it just unnerved the little girl and she didn't understand what to do about her discomfort. Her mother would play it off as nothing but it had become hard to ignore.

Her curled antennae wilted as she gazed down to her doll, contemplating going upstairs and seeing for herself what the problem was. It wasn't unusual for her to be spying, she normally hid by her parents' door and listened in – but she hadn't felt like it lately.

…maybe a part of her didn't want to know what was going on.

But then again, she couldn't ignore the budding curiosity, it threatened to consume her and her need to know became apparent. "Alright." She murmured to herself, slowly inching her way off the couch, her socked feet touching the carpet. "Just a quick look." She reasoned, keeping her doll close for support as she addressed Gir, "Gir I'm gonna go upstairs, k?"

Gir tilted his head to the girl, his little hands still grabbing at his feet having stopped his hyperactive movements. It took a moment to almost comprehend what was said before he kicked his feet happily again, "Okie dokie!" He yipped.

Cyan padded her way into the kitchen, peering at the fridge almost hoping Dib would come down before she could actually get upstairs. However, after a few minutes of waiting she decided that just wasn't going to happen and she had to see what was up.

She crept her way to the ominous white appliance, reaching for the metal handle and tugging with all her strength. With a grunt of effort the door finally opened and granted her passage into the elevator.

It was a short ride to the upstairs, the doors hissing open and exposing her to the empty hallway. She mustered her courage as she crept along the thin space; one hand braced on the wall as her other arm kept the doll against her side. "It's alright Zen, don't be scared." She murmured, her own heart thudding painfully against her ribs.

Cyan wasn't scared of her parents(well, not Dib anyway) but more of what she'd discover. She had seen things on TV where parents stopped liking each other and they moved away. She didn't want that to happen, she loved both her parents very much and hoped that everything would be just fine.

She didn't want to move.

She didn't want Zim or Dib to go away forever.

Cyan stuck to her resolve as she passed her own room – almost having a mind to hide in it and forget the whole thing. A few cautious steps later and she finally found herself in front of their door – the forbidding magenta metal staring back at her. She knew she couldn't touch the door because it would open automatically and she didn't want to get caught. Carefully she snuck forward on all fours, setting her Irken toy under her as she craned her head as close to the door as she dared. She perked her antennae as she heard shuffling movement and low agitated voices.

"We're leaving." Zim shouted; his voice easily heard despite the metal barrier, "There's nothing else to say about it."

"We aren't going anywhere." Cyan strained to hear, Dib spoke in a lower tone than her father and the words were muffled, "Gaz is here, my father is here, Earth is our home now Zim." Dib snapped, "We have a family, or have you forgotten?"

"None of that matters!" Zim snapped back.

Cyan could make out more movement; it sounded like something broke. She wilted against the wall, nibbling her lip fiercely(a nervous habit she picked up from her mother).

"I have a mission to destroy this planet," Zim spoke in a low hostile hiss, "Your human attachments don't concern me."

Zim's talk of destroying the world wasn't out of the ordinary so Cyan didn't really dwell on it. Gaz told her once it was almost like a game they played; but somehow, the way Zim was talking, it made her fearful that perhaps this wasn't really a game after all.

"Doesn't concern you?" Dib scoffed, "Then why don't you just leave me here to die too then?"

"You're coming."

"I'm not."

"You are!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Dib's tone gained in pitch, "This is my home! I'm not leaving it. I'll still defend it from you if I have to."

Where was Zim trying to go?

Cyan was trying to fill in the blanks but she was having trouble. The emotion stewing in the room just beyond the metal barrier was almost infectious and she was beginning to feel scared. She wanted so desperately to run in there and have Dib tell her it was nothing important, that everything would be just fine.

"Just fine." She murmured, hugging Zen, "Just fine, just fine."

There had been a long pause before Zim spoke; a smirk almost heard in his words, "You'll defend it? After all these years, you'll defend it?" He nearly mocked.

Dib was quiet before he responded, "Yes."

Movement.

The shuffle of feet on carpet was quick; ending in the sound of ruffling clothes.

"Have you forgotten," She strained to hear, Zim's tone lower than usual, though not as hostile as before; it sounded like something else, "you swore yourself to me." She heard her mother make an unusual sound, "Or did you lie?"

"I—" Dib faltered; Cyan heard more shuffling, the sound of the bed depressing. "You can't make me choose. It's not fair." He found his voice though it was nearly breathless.

"Fair?" Zim laughed, "Since when does Zim play fair?"

"I can't choose." Dib said again, almost seeming to plead for something.

"I never said you had a choice." Zim said flatly, "You are coming with me. The Earth will be destroyed."

She heard her mother whimper and she gasped.

Was he in pain?

What was Zim doing?

"Zim—"

"There's no point in arguing." Zim murmured, sounding annoyed, "Just give in."

"It won't work." Dib finally found his voice again.

Cyan perked her antennae, straining to hear.

"It will." Zim said easily, "I am ingenious."

"No." Dib said simply, "It won't. It's not going to work. None of it is."

"Why? Because you're going to stop me?" Zim mocked.

"It's not even about me stopping you," Dib said softly, "It's about everything else you aren't even considering."

"Zim has considered."

"You haven't."

"I have."

"Zim!" Dib nearly yelled, "You aren't listening! There's no way any of this is going to work. Even if you do destroy Earth, even if we do make it into space, what then?"

Cyan heard movement again; she assumed someone must have gotten off the bed, or maybe both of them did.

"I have it planned." Zim said easily, "Why do you not trust me?"

"Trust you?" Dib scoffed, "You're still the enemy."

"Mhm," Zim sounded pleased, "But you switched to my side, remember?"

"I didn't turn my back on Earth." Dib attempted to counter.

"You did." Zim said simply, "Years ago, or has your brain meats gone dumb?"

"It was," Dib faltered, "It's complicated."

"It isn't." Zim said, "You belong to Zim."

"I can't do this."

"It's too late for those stupid human regrets Dib." He snapped Dib's name, "You are mine and I am taking you with me. I don't really care what you want, do you understand me?"

"It's not going to work." Dib tried again, "It's just going to fail like all your other plans!"

"I never fail!"

"You've been failing for the past ten years!" Dib's tone raised, "You've been trying to destroy the planet for years and nothing has worked. Now you've decided to add an even crazier plan on top of it. I'm not going Zim. I'm not going with you to watch you die."

Die?

Cyan stared hard at the metal door, wanting to rush in but at the same time she wanted to hear more. Her curiosity won out and she stayed put, straining to hear more.

"You think too much," Zim said easily, "I'm not going to die, you speak nonsense."

"I'm just thinking rationally." Dib said evenly, "You're not even thinking of anyone else but yourself. You only ever think of yourself."

"This plan is good for both of us." Zim said, "Not that you can comprehend that."

"It's not a good plan Zim."

"It's fool-proof."

"What about Gir?" Dib started, "He's always a wild card."

"Easy," Zim murmured, "I'll de-activate him before anything happens."

"Cyan?"

Zim went quiet.

"You weren't even planning on bringing her were you?"

"Eh," Zim started, though his lack of words were all Dib needed to retaliate.

"I can't believe you!" Dib yelled; anger clear in his tone.

Cyan swallowed thickly, her throat felt tight.

It was always clear to her Zim didn't really care for her, but the realization that he was just going to leave her on the planet and destroy it. Well, she couldn't help it when tears sprang to her eyes and it took all her willpower to keep from crying openly.

"You were going to leave her." Dib shouted, "Leave our child behind for your insane plans and not even give a fuck, right?"

"Dib—"

"Get out." Dib said in a low tone; one Cyan rarely heard him use.

There was silence a short tense moment before Zim spoke, "This isn't over."

"Get out!"

Cyan heard movement and she panicked; assuming Zim was going to be leaving she quickly got to her feet and darted down the hall. She barely made it into her room when she heard her parents' door open and the sound of her father stomping down the hall.

She hid behind her door, her large eyes peering through the thin opening as Zim stalked by; noticing the look of sheer anger on his face. Once she heard the hum of the elevator she finally allowed herself to just break down. She hugged her doll as close as she could, finally letting her tears fall as she nuzzled her face into Zen's plush surface.

What if Dib couldn't stop Zim?

Were they all going to be killed here instead?

Or worse, were they really going to just leave her?

Cyan didn't have the answers and she didn't have the strength to pick herself up off her room floor and go to Dib for reassurance. Consumed with too many emotions she wailed into the quiet of her room; wishing she had just stayed downstairs, the weight of reality was too much for her young mind to bear.