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Under Glass	By : LiesDee Category: +G through L > Invader Zim > AU/AR-Alternate Universe-Alternate Reality Views: 3260 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Disclaimer: Zim and Co. aren’t mine – they belong to Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon. No litigation please. I’m not making any money off of this. I have no money. I don’t even have a clever disclaimer.
Author’s Note: Sorry about the wait. Expect the next chapter in about a week. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who reviewed (especially Krimson and Florville: you guys rock this fandom). It makes the painful process of writing so much easier to know that it’s appreciated.

Chapter 6

Dib got through all the compound checkpoints by claiming he was on his way to Professor Membrane’s lab for another test. Most waved him through with a snicker or a knowing smirk.
He’d almost reached the habitat’s entrance when someone finally stopped him in the hall – and that someone just had to be Simmons.
“Whoah, hey there little buddy!” The scientist actually had the nerve to put his hand on Dib’s shoulder. Dib shrugged away and tried to continue, but Simmons stepped in his way.
“You’re not supposed to be back here –“
“Where’s my dad? I want to talk to my dad.”
“You’re dad - ? Oh! You mean Professor Membrane! He’s away on some important business. Go back home – he’ll be by to check up on you eventually. Or at the very least he’ll send someone.”
Dib balled his fists. Anger and frustration were rising in the back of throat like bile. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
“When will he be back?” Asked Dib through clenched teeth.
Simmons shrugged inanely. “Who knows?” His smile made Dib want to it rip off of his face with his bare hands. He suppressed the urge, just barely.
“Okay. Look. I need to see Zim.”
“Oh! Well, you don’t need to talk to Professor Membrane to see your little friend – he’s been reassigned to another project, and I’ve been put in charge of this one. The monitoring stations are just back up the hall a bit. It wouldn’t be any trouble to let you take a quick peek.”
“No, I mean I want to talk to him. Face to face. I want to go inside the habitat again. . .I mean I just. . .I need to. . .”
Simmons’s eyebrow had lifted ever so slightly. That smirk appeared – the same one Dib had been getting all day. Somehow, this one suggested something even dirtier than all the rest.
Dib felt his cheeks growing hot. “Look. I just need to talk to him one more time, to explain things.”
“Mm-hmm.” Simmons nodded knowingly. “Well, you know Dib, letting you into the monitoring station would be one thing, but letting you into the habitat itself, for any reason, well, that would be quite a different matter, wouldn’t it?”
“I thought you were in charge around here.”
“I am, but there are rules to be followed. Letting you into the habitat would be, well, contrary to the rules.” Simmons licked his lips. “I could do it – I am in charge around here. We could call it a favour – and a pretty big one, if you ask me. If I do you a favour, I would be well within my rights to ask for a favour in return, now wouldn’t I?”
Dib swallowed hard, fighting back a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. Something in the way Simmons was smiling gave him a good idea of exactly what kind of favour Simmons would want from him.
“I need to see Zim.” Said Dib. It was all he could think to say.
Simmons smiled and led him into a small room nearby. It was one of the sample testing labs – high-powered microscopes lined the walls, their soft green light the only illumination in an otherwise dark room. Locking the door, Simmons approached Dib and put his hand on his shoulder.
When Simmons reached for the zipper of his pants, something in Dib snapped. Reaching over to a nearby counter, he grabbed the first instrument he could find – a pair of long tweezers. His first wild stab missed completely as Simmons had the presence of mind to jump back. His second swipe caught Simmons’s lab coat, making a long tear. The third found only air as Simmons was able to catch his arm and pry the tweezers from his grasp. Dib struggled but Simmons pulled him close and held the tweezers to his neck.
“Now you listen to me. I have control of this project now. I can see to it that you never see your little friend again. I could have him put back into the physio-experiment circuit again. I could even have the project terminated if I really wanted. So I suggest you learn to play nice. Got it?”
Dib could feel the tweezers’ sharp points dig into his neck. He thought of Zim and what this maniac could do to him if he was crossed. Dib nodded.
Simmons loosened his grip and continued where he’d left off earlier. This time Dib complied.
Dib had done this a few times before, with Zim. He remembered how pleased he’d been with himself that first time – Zim had never heard of such an act and had been thoroughly amazed. He tried to think of that time with Zim. Move the tongue. Watch the teeth. It was harder to ignore the taste this time. Humans taste awful, he decided.
It didn’t take very long. As soon as Simmons’s spunk hit the back of his throat Dib began to retch.
The door panel beeped as it unlocked and allowed the door to slide open. Simmons released his grip on Dib’s head. Dib immediately doubled over and vomited onto the floor. Some of the water-based slime had gotten past his esophagus, burning the whole way down.
“Oh, hi there, Professor Membrane!” Said Simmons as he quickly did up his pants. “Well isn’t this embarrassing – I thought you were still in Asia. How is your little project. . ?”
“Get out.” Said Professor Membrane.
“Right.” Replied Simmons. He still had that shit-eating smile on his face, but he gave the other scientist a wide berth as he made his way out the door. Dib glanced up – he’d never seen his father look so close to physically attacking another human being. He didn’t, though. The doors slid closed after Simmons and Dib continued to gag and cough the whitish fluid out onto the floor.
The Professor fished a clean handkerchief out of his pocket and knelt down beside Dib to give it to him.
“Haven’t I always told you not to ingest water-based substances?” Said Professor Membrane.
Dib wiped his mouth and spit a few more times onto the floor. The coughing had nearly subsided – he could feel the itch of skin healing in his throat already.
“Is that all you’ve got to say?” Dib croaked.
Professor Membrane took a moment to compose his reply.
“Well,” He said. “Simmons is a fine man of science, although I’ll admit he’s shown in the past to have a rather questionable ethical policy. . .but I still don’t think he’s a suitable choice for you to be, well, carrying on with.”
“Choice? You think that was my choice?” He said he’d let me see Zim, that if I didn’t, then he’d do horrible things. . .and I mean, he had this pair of tweezers. . . Dib wrapped his arms around himself. It all sounded so stupid in his head. Hot shame coloured his cheeks.
“Oh. I see.” Said Professor Membrane. He became very quiet for a moment. “He’ll pay. Very dearly.” He laid his hand on Dib’s shoulder. “I swear.”
Trying his best to keep control of himself, Dib stared down at the floor. “Dad. . .” He choked a little on the word. “How could you let all of this happen. . .not that, but well, everything. This whole summer. Even if you were taken off the project, I mean, couldn’t you at least have. . .done something. I’m your son, or at least you’ve always raised me to believe I am. . .and they. . .” Dib shook his head. He was so sick of crying. Wiping his eyes, he looked up at Professor Membrane. “Why?”
The Professor didn’t shrug – indecisiveness was anathema to his nature. His response was direct. “It was all in the name of science.” He said.
Swallowing hard, Dib nodded. “Sure. Makes sense.” He held himself tightly. Deep breathe – in, out. . .No, it wouldn’t work. He broke. He turned his head away so that Professor Membrane wouldn’t see his face as he cried softly.
“Did you ever really love me?” Whispered Dib.
Professor Membrane gathered Dib up in his arms. Dib had always been surprised by how large his father was. If there had ever been any reason for Dib to hate him, it seemed far away now, but he received no other reply. For these few moments, it didn’t matter. As it had been all his life, it seemed, Dib would make do with what he got.

End of Chapter 6
- 5
- 6
- 7
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Under Glass