There's Something Inside Your Head (Invader ZiM AU)

Monster Hunting In The Shadows With You

"Uh, you have mine."

"Right, here.." Carrie handed Dib the flashlight and they both flickered on; the second they stepped in the trees seemed to eat the light however, as not a lot ended up showing or staying. Despite it being long before dark outside, it felt as if it were midnight in this area. Of course, immediately, the nerds found that noteworthy.

"Oh.. man!" Dib squinted, trying to see any break of light from the trees above.

"How've I never been in here before?" Carrie did the same, eyes wide instead.

"Same here.." Dib trailed off—he was getting weird images in his head.. this place, he had been there before... but when? Actually, it's obvious, and Dib's an idiot. "Mh... feels sorta familiar, though? Do you get that too?"

"Uh... not really... more than anything, I'm a bit spooked— 'never been in a place like this, where there's barely any light? It's like somethin' outta nightmares..."

"...yeah. Yeah, outta nightmares—that's probably why this feels familiar!" He, along with she, started walking deeper in.

Carrie laughed a little, swaying around. "Well... being in a place from your nightmares is a bit, eh, how do I say it... absolutely terrifying, if you think about it. Unless you're lucid, everything could go wrong and scare ya!"

Dib grinned. "Been there. Done that. Halloween. Corn."

"ZiM?"

"Ohh yeah."

Carrie sighed and stepped a bit closer to Dib. " 'can't believe there's been an alien 'round here this whole time... I never noticed, somehow; am I just an idiot? Am I just stupid?"

Dib looked at her. "Hey—no..! Not at all... you okay, though? You're repeating things from a small part of a conversation and you're being minimally self deprecating."

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I get like that when I'm a bit, uh, nervous. And frightened. Keeps me talkin'. Talking. Talking. Enunciate the g, Care.. I don't know why I do that; I don't believe I've ever lived in a place where I could've picked the way I talk up. Maybe I was born somewhere, I—" ... "..rambling. Is also something I do."

Dib smiled, putting an arm around her. "Hey... you've no reason to be nervous here! Or frightened! All we're doing is walking in the woods with no one around, trying to find an awful, savage killer..."

"A normal Saturday..."

"It's not Saturday?"

"I know."

"Well, you're with me! I'm your backup, as you're mine! So what if we run into some awful, deadly, otherworldly murderer..." Dib stopped the descriptions—and the walking—once he felt her shake. "...I'm sorry, I guess I jumped into this a bit too quick, huh.."

Carrie shook her head. "N-no.. it's fine—! I should'a prepared more. And, I should'a waited until we got much deeper in to worry."

"You prepared just fine! You brought lotsa useful tools, and you said you wanted to come here! Getting nervous—especially from my over-exaggerations—is a perfectly normal feeling! But, hey!" He began to walk around her again. "A bit scarier when you're alone.. and you're not! You have me! I have you! Now, uh, to get your mind off that... wanna talk about something as we look?"

"Uh, sure! Topics..?" Carrie only stopped shaking a little, but smiled at Dib.

"Hmm.. well, from the mention of ZiM from earlier—"

"Yeah, hey, about him.. you don't really think he did it, do you..? I mean, that stuff you said the other day 'bout everythin' and.."

"No.. I don't. My conclusion-jumpiness got the best of me. You're right, though—he can't do anything right now. Oh, which, reminds me: I gotta see him after this to bring him something. Wanna come?"