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

With Satan Himself By My Side

"YOU'RE NOT ME! I'M MY OWN PERSON! I can survive without you, but you sure as HELL can't survive without ME!" Ghost finally was able to grab the nearest surface and fling himself to the elevator. Through his ears, Ghost could hear Pilot's growls and swears, almost feeling himself get pinned to the ground.

"I can survive FINE without you! In fact, I dare say I've made your life BETTER! I got away with crime! I can get people to bend to my will EASILY! THINK of what I can do with your family, with your girlfriend..." the last part was a snake-like whisper.

"No—" Ghost could nearly see red; his limbs kicked around, trying anything to get out of Pilot's hold. Once he was finally able to stand up, he was almost immediately slammed into the tube they were sliding down. The smooth curved walls running up his body wasn't a... pleasant sensation, but with all the blood and energy surging through his body, Ghost didn't seem to notice. "ASSHOLE! JUST LET ME—"

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?! I TOLD YOU, THERE IS NO CURE FOR YOU! THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY YOU COULD GET RID OF ME WITHOUT DEATH IS REMOVE THAT DAMN BRACELET! AND YOU KNOW ALL TOO WELL THAT THAT'S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE!"

...the bracelet. Of course.
Thanks for telling him, Pilot.
Ghost started to get ideas.. some good, some kind of, well, dangerous. The first thing he did was try to slam the bracelet against the tube to try to get it off, but that only resulted to Pilot's laughter.

"Unbreeeeaaakaableeeee..~" he sang.

"Shut up." Ghost kicked at it, trying to pull it off. However, he would end up falling backwards and onto the ground unexpectedly from the platform finally coming out of the tube, knocking the wind out of him. "I'll get you out—I'LL CONTROL MYSELF SOON ENOUGH!"

"Even if you do, do you really think I'll be gone?! I'm in your head, Ghost! I live deep inside you! You'll feel me growing stronger every. Single. Day!"

"I CAN KILL YOU! I CAN! AND I'LL CONTINUE ON—I DON'T NEED YOU!" Ghost lunged over to ZiM's laid out tools, grabbing what looked like a bone saw.

"I'LL LIVE INSIDE YOU FOREVER—"

"NO!"

"—WITH SATAN HIMSELF BY MY SIDE!"

"NO!"

"NOW AND FOREVER, NO ONE WILL EVER HAVE KNOWN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US! I WAS ALWAYS A PART OF YOU, DIB, I CAN'T BE REMOVED THIS EASILY!" Pilot's confidence and ego grew almost as fast as Ghost's heart rate.

"YOU'RE A FACE IN THE MIRROR!" Ghost screamed, banging and scratching at the bracelet with the saw. "I'LL BREAK IT! YOU'RE EVERYTHING I DON'T WANT TO BE!" His face was pretty much stained with tears at this point, his body with sweat, and his brain fogging from Pilot. "YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND! THE ONLY PERSON WHO KNEW THE KIND OF SHIT I WAS GOING THROUGH! YOU KILLED INNOCENTS! YOU.. YOU.." Ghost fell to his knees, shaking and sobbing. He couldn't give up. Not now. "..if I die.."

"THEN I'LL LIVE! It's as easy as THAT!" He cackles.

"NO! IT'S OVER! IT'S MY GODDAMN BODY!" Ghost swiftly held the bone saw to his neck, choking up every word and breath.

"It's MINE NOW!" The arm holding the saw shot down, pinned at his shoulder instead of his neck. "And just for that? I don't think I'll let you have the satisfaction.."

"...G-Goddamn you.." Ghost, even without the saw at his throat, continued to choke on his words. He knew he was slipping, and he couldn't do anything about it.

Until he realized where the saw was resting.

Ghost's vision was blurring. He had to move fast. He had no other option. He had to. He had to.

"..Pilot." With all the strength left he had, he turned the sharp end to face his arm. "Rot.. in hell.." was the last thing he breathed out, just before biting his lip and shoving the bone saw into his flesh. The pain was a new kind of pain, more physical. He screamed with all the breath he had left, he wanted to stop, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't.

Pilot's screams mixed with Ghost's, eventually becoming a singular Dib screech. Pilot's last comprehensive words were: "I'll see you there, Ghost."

And there, on the floor of ZiM's lab, was Dib's severed arm with the Membracelet.

If Dib's brain was any clearer, he would've gagged at that moment. However, due to the surging of unbearable pain going through Dib's body, his singular body, he was more focused on getting himself treated. With his remaining arm, he dragged himself over to what looked to be ZiM's med bay, blood dripping and draining from where his arm should be. With blood loss and a mental shatter, Dib was passing out fast. In his final conscious words, he wheezed out...

"Computer.. help me.. please.."