Archive of Our Own

Encounter #1 (Young Rick)

-

The TV was playing some concert in the breakroom. Beth stands in the adjacent kitchenette, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing. She didn't care much for her fellow teammates' taste in music but the voice sounded so familiar. She can't quite put her finger on it.

The coffee finishes and she grabs a cup to pour it in. She then heads into the next room where Qell and Squanchette are splayed on the couch watching the giant TV on the wall. The Defiance didn't get many chances to unwind. The New Federation kept springing up like a cockroach everytime they thought they'd managed to stamp them out.

"This must be old," Beth muses aloud. The Flesh Curtains had broken up decades ago after all.

"It's live," Qell replies over his shoulder.

Beth frowns. Live? She squints at the young Rick on screen. Huh, it must be yet another, another version of her father then. She'd never seen a young version of Rick before. Like actually young and not de-aged or cloned or whatever the hell he did these days.

What makes her truly pause is the sight of Morty. He looked too old, is Beth's first thought. Last she remembered, Morty was 14. (Or 15? God she can't keep track anymore) This one however looked like he was in his 20s.

Rick slams on his guitar as the floating stage flies around the stadium. The crowd eats it up, going wild. He sings about freedom, and rock and roll, and death to the Federation. Beth almost laughs. If she'd still had doubts about this being a younger Rick, that right there was proof of his true age.

It was funny how her father used to be so anti-government, but now he just sits at home doing drugs and getting high. He could be out there right now putting a stop to the New Federation. But of course he didn't care enough to finish what he started.

That's where The Defiance came in. People who actually gave a shit. People who cared. Unlike Rick, she didn't just abandon those in need.

She's about to turn to go back into the kitchenette, when there's a loud pop from the TV. Beth stops. A large battleship and several smaller cruisers have arrived from hyperspace. The New Federation was here.

The screams of the crowd turn from joyful to terrified. People start running, trampling over each other in a desperate attempt to get away. Beth stiffens as her heart starts to pound. That fucking idiot. He'd led them right to him.

As agents descend from the sky, Rick keeps on playing. The end of the guitar opens up and starts shooting out lasers, hitting the ships in the sky and taking them out. Gromflomites deploy into the air, flying right for the stage. The rest of the band joins in, pulling out their guns and shooting with abandon. Blood splatters the crowd. Slowly, the audience starts to notice the fight taking place on stage. The roaring and screaming once again turns excited. There was nothing to be afraid of. Rick would take care of it.

They stamp the ground and cheer. Rick laughs, exhilarated. With Morty at his back, they begin picking off gromflomites one by one. They both wear twin grins filled with violence and elation.

More agents rain down from the ships. Wave after wave of them storm the platform. Beth's grip on her cup tightens. There was too many. They can't possibly hope to defeat all of them.

Rick takes his guitar and raises it up. The crescendo of the song picks up. Rick slams the strings, still singing at the top of his lungs. The resounding waves from the guitar create a sonic boom that explodes the large ship overhead. The crowd whoops in delight.

Covered in blood, sweat, and glitter, Rick throws his head back and hollars. The crowd hollars back. Dead agents lay in broken piles all around him and the audience. He wraps an arm around Morty's waist, pulling him close.

"How bout a fucking encore?!" He shouts.

They shout back, jumping and stomping and yelling with joy.

Beth sighs. See? It was fine. She'd been worried over nothing. She gets up from her seat, not having realized she'd sat down in the first place.

"I'm gonna go take a piss."

As she leaves the room, unbeknownst to her, Rick dips Morty low and gives him a toe curling kiss. They break apart, lips pink and glistening with saliva. They share a laugh and press their foreheads together.

By the time she emerges from the toilet Beth can hear Squanchette shouting.

"Beth! Beth get back in here!"

"What?"

Beth races back into the breakroom just in time to see a gromflomite grabbing onto Morty's ankle. It rips him away from Rick's grip, taking him hostage with a gun to his head. It threatens Rick to back off and then leaps off the stage into the air. It flies high above the crowd to another incoming ship which has just appeared. Birdperson spreads his wings and flies after them.

Morty kicks himself free and falls. Birdperson manages to catch him and heads back. But before they can safely land on the platform, the gromflomite shoots Birdperson's wing. BP screeches in pain, and then they're both falling out of the sky.

Rick dives to catch Morty's outstretched arm–

–he misses.

Morty and Birdperson crash into the audience below. Rick quickly jumps off the platform onto a flying gromflomite. He fights it, forcing it to fly down to the ground.

Beth can practically feel her teammates eyes staring at her.

"Stop it," she growls.

"What?"

"I know that look! We're not helping them!”

Rick tries to make his way over to his friends but it's too late. Morty is taken prisoner by several more agents. Birdperson is too wounded to fly up and save him this time. Rick screams in rage from the ground.

“We're the Defiance! This is literally what we do!” Squanchette protests.

Beth holds up a finger. “First of all, it's our day off. Second of all, he's too unstable. You know what Rick is like."

Qell gestures at the screen. "This is when Rick Sanchez was in his prime! When he still cared about fighting the Federation! He cares for our cause! We could recruit him!”

“He's absolutely going to say no.”

“Then he'll owe us a favor!” Squanchette argues.

"You think he'll owe us a favor?? Is that why you want to help him? Newsflash, you can't trust any Rick Sanchez to help you! That's the one thing he taught me growing up! You can only rely on yourself!”

She's seen what happens to people who expect something from him. It never turns out well. Rick looks out for Rick and no one else.

“Trust me, we're better off staying here!”

-

She cannot believe they're about to go rescue Rick goddamn Sanchez. There had been no time to gather the rest of the Defiance as most were relaxing on their day off, doing solo missions, or otherwise preoccupied.

By the time they arrive the Federation has already left. The arena lay in shambles. Bodies and gromflomites are laying everywhere. They make their way to the center where Rick is guts deep in a gromflomite ship trying to repair it.

They introduce themselves as a rebel group dedicated to taking down galactic fascism. They then extend their services, explaining that they'd seen what had happened on TV and wanted to help.

“Our base isn't far from here,” Qell says. “We can help you rescue your friend.”

Rick scoffs. He has not stopped working on the ship this entire time, refusing to speak let alone look at anyone.

“That would be most appreciated,” Birdperson says.

“Squanch yeah! The more the merrier! Let's get these bastards!”

“Though there is one thing I don't understand,” Qell continues. “Why did the Federation take the boy? Is Rick not the one they want?”

“Morty is Rick's weakness,” Birdperson replies. “I believe they wish to use him as bait. Or perhaps they think he will spill all of Rick's secrets.”

Beth turns to look at Rick. His back is tense as he works. “Where is your portal gun?” she asks. One would think he'd just portal his way onto the mothership and grab Morty.

“He ran outta squanch,” Squanchy says. “He hasn't had a chance to replace it yet.”

Beth slaps her forehead and drags a hand down her face. “Let me get this straight. You decided to go on an Interdimensional Tour, broadcasting your music to any and all potential enemies, and you didn't make sure you had a stockpile of portal fluid?”

Rick finally deigns to look back at her. “Who the fuck even are you?” He spits. “The Defiance? What kind of bullshit name is that??”

“Well what kind of bullshit name is The Flesh Curtains?” She snarks back.

“A fucking awesome one!” He turns back around to the ship. With a couple more twists he finally manages to start the engine up. He grins, clapping his hands together. “Fuck yeah! See ya assholes! You all can stay here and jerk each other off!”

“Stop!” Qell raises his hand in front of Rick's chest. “We already told you that we can take you back to our headquarters! Please, just come with us and we can make a plan to–”

“I'm not going to a secondary location with you, street smarts! Besides, I already got a plan! I'm gonna use the Federation ship to track where they went and storm the fucking palace!”

“That’s suicide!” Squanchette exclaims.

“I don't give a fuck!”

Rick tries to move past him but Qell stands in his way, arms out on either side.

“I'm sorry. But I cannot let you–”

Rick punches Qell in the face hard enough to break bone. Qell hits the ground with a thump. Squanchette rushes over to him to help him.

Birdperson speaks up. “Rick, perhaps we should listen to–”

“Shit the fuck up, BP! They have Morty! I'm not waiting for another goddamn second!”

Beth decides to put a stop to this nonsense before it can escalate even more. "Use your head, asshole! You can't rescue him right now! But if we work together we can figure out how to get Morty back."

"FUCK OFF!" Rick yells, flipping everyone off with both hands.

That's it.

Beth takes out her phaser gun. She points it right at him and pulls the trigger. It knocks him out cold. Rick collapses onto the ground and doesn't get up.

Beth looks back at Squanchette and Qell who is nursing his bruising cheek.

"I don't imagine myself as much of a petty person but I fucking told you so!"

-

Beth can't decide if Rick was more unstable as a hot-headed young man, or as an alcoholic geriatric. He is little more than a rabid animal, snapping and snarling at everyone. He's irritable and degrading and Beth has half a mind to drop him off at the nearest Federation prison.

Birdperson apologizes to the group on Rick's behalf. “Forgive him. He is normally quite jovial. He is simply worried for Morty."

Beth wasn't buying it but whatever. They were all here now and they had to get through this next part together whether they liked it or not.

Squanchy pats Rick's back. "We'll get him back. Don't you squanch about it, Rick!"

The six of them lay out a plan. It was obvious the New Federation was expecting Rick to come for Morty. But they wouldn't be expecting The Defiance. They could still take them by surprise. They still had a chance.

Rick is twitchy the whole time, poking hole after hole in every plan they draw up. But finally, eventually, they come up with one that seemed like it may actually work. They all gear up and get ready to go. Beth makes sure all her guns are in proper working order and heads out of her room.

Rick is in the hallway leaning against the wall. Beth stops. His eyes are still guarded, but his expression is more open than it had been before.

"Your last name is Smith isn't it? Beth Smith."

It's only now she realizes this version of Rick has never met her before. He's never seen a Beth Smith. He never had a kid or grandkids. Hell, he's never even been married. It's a weird feeling, having your father meet you for the first time.

"Yes, I am."

He nods. "Then you can understand my urgency."

Beth narrows her eyes. "I may be a mother but I'm not an idiot. I'm not going to jump into an obvious trap over some other version of my son whom I've never interacted with before. My real son is safe at home where he belongs."

Rick grits his teeth. "Maybe I know that too! I'm too fucking smart to be held back by–what are they calling themselves now? The New Federation? Fucking original."

He's far too cocky, Beth thinks. As an old man, her father had every right to be as arrogant as he was. But this one had not yet learned all the tricks of the trade. He hasn't made as many mistakes. He hasn't truly lived yet. He was sloppy.

"Too smart?? Do I need to remind you that you announced an interdimensional tour across the universe and broadcasted it upon trillions of TVs? The New Federation swarmed down on you like flies to honey! You had no plan other than to wing it and look where that got you! Morty is gone!"

Rick slams his fist into the wall, denting the metal. Cybernetic knuckles flash in the broken sections of his skin.

“I'd be careful of what you fucking say next!” he snarls.

Beth is not afraid of her father, least of all this idiotic young version. He was practically a baby. He had a long way to go before he learned how things really worked in the universe.

“If this is going to work at all, you're going to have to shape up and do it fast. And if you actually care about Morty, you need to start working with this team now.” She brushes past him, clipping his shoulder. “I'll see you on the ship.”

-

Sneaking in isn't as hard as they anticipated. But maybe that was by design. Maybe the Federation wanted them to trap themselves.

They find Morty chained up in the bottom of an anti gravity shaft. It reminded her of a missile silo. They kill the agents manning the cameras and take over the controls. It doesn't take long to realize they don't have the code to release Morty from his chains. Beth grits her teeth. This is exactly why she hadn't wanted to kill the gromflomites on guard! But of course Rick had gone in guns blazing without thinking about the consequences.

Rick volunteers to be the one to float down the shaft and get Morty. No one else objects so Beth and Qell stand watch as Rick propels down the hole. Squanchy, Birdperson, and Squnchette were still somewhere else in the compound securing their exit route.

Beth watches the cameras as Rick reaches the bottom. He and Morty share a small reunion worthy of a Lifetime TV movie filled with smiles and tears and cliched one liners of “I knew you'd come for me!” Beth rolls her eyes. This was a mission. They didn't have time for this. She never thought she'd actually miss the way her father was allergic to sentimentality.

Rick works fast to free him from the cuffs. Beth leans over the console watching closely. Her breath is barely coming now. She has been waiting for the rescue to go wrong this whole time. Any second now she feels like it could all fall in on them.

Perhaps she'd jinxed it. Perhaps it was inevitable. But she's right in the end. The second Morty is freed, it trips an alarm.

The entire room goes red, flashing on and off. The anti gravity shuts off, making the both of them immediately fall to the floor. They groan in pain as they try to get back up.

In the other cameras facing the hallways, Beth can see several gromflomites headed straight for them. The door to the room was currently barricaded but she'd no idea how long it would last.

Beth grabs the microphone and yells into it. “You two need to get your asses in gear or we're not leaving this shithole at all!”

Rick laughs it off. “That's what my go-go gadget jet boots are for!”

"You can't!” Morty shouts. “The flames will ignite in here! It could start an explosion that would envelop the entire station!"

Beth checks the oxygen levels and–dammit–he's right. The gromflomites, in a rare effort of planning ahead, had rigged the silo.

"Then I guess I'll just have to wing it!” Rick winks at him.

"That's suicide!" Morty screams angrily back at him.

Rick only grins back. His gaze is bright, practically electric. "Then at least it'll be a fun way to go!"

“He's crazy," Qell whispers beside her.

No. Just a genius with a death wish.

Beth hears Morty's frustrated yell and then is suddenly knocked back from the console. The entire room rumbles and shakes. Beth groans, sitting up from where she'd fallen. She looks over at Qell who'd stumbled from the rocking as well. It had felt like an earthquake.

“Looks like the B team is amping up the distraction,” he says.

Ah, that's right. Squanchy had brought several explosives with him. They must have started activating them.

She looks back at the cameras, about to tell the boys to hurry up, before growing still. A cold in horror prickles up her spine. The air levels have completely dropped. The anti gravity has turned back on and the two now float upwards into the void. They clutch at their throats, gasping for breath.

Beth had told Rick that she didn't care about this Morty beyond that of a stranger. But as she watches them struggle, she knows that wasn't true. She wonders when she will finally be able to find that balance of caring but not caring. Her father certainly seems to have perfected it in his later years.

Ricks reaches out and catches Morty's hands. He tugs him closer, taking a bresthing mask out of his pocket. He holds it up over Morty's mouth.

“Beth, the top is shut!”

“What?”

Qell points to one of the screens. “It must have sealed itself when the alarm went off! I can't find the switch!”

They work the circuit board frantically, trying to find a way to open the top back up. If only someone hadn't killed the workers that knew all the codes!

As she types she glances up again at the two bodies now wrapped around each other. Morty's eyes flutter open. He smiles weakly up at Rick. Their foreheads press together as they float suspended in space and time.

It's as if the world itself slows, suspended in time with them. As if it knows something profound is about to happen. Rick strokes Morty's, moving his lips to whisper something. She's never seen him look so at peace with dying before.

There!

Beth slams the last button down and the top blessedly opens. The entire building seems to shake. It looked like they were out of time.

With air and oxygen all rushing back in, Rick activates his jet boots. He flies them out of there without a second to lose. Beth doesn't have time to let herself feel relief. They still needed to break out of this place first.

-

Miraculously, they all make it back in one piece. There had been a moment, when meeting back up with Rick, Morty had looked at her like he was seeing a ghost.

"Mom?" It fell incredulously from his lips. Then his face had fallen and his eyes glazed over. "S-sorry. Thought you were someone else."

She was only too happy to let the subject drop and they all made their escape.

Back at the base, all safe and accounted for, Squanchette and Squanchy insist on an after party celebration. No one objects. Beth supposes they've earned it considering they were supposed to have been on break today.

They order pizza and donuts and bring out the stash of alcohol Beth and Squanchette had hidden away. It was nothing fancy but it would do.

She's on her second drink when Rick plops down in the chair beside her. He's got a joint in one hand and a glass in the other. He offers her a lazy smile.

“Sorry for being such a shit before.”

Beth pauses. Maybe she'd drunk a little more than she'd thought. Or maybe she took a hit without remembering, because when has Rick ever sincerely apologized for anything without being prompted?

She must have given him some sort of look for he holds up a palm in surrender.

“N-not a joke, honest!”

Beth strokes the edges of her drink. He'd been pretty upset when they'd taken Morty. She'd never seen a Rick so open and raw before. She's seen her father cursing and raging plenty of times, but scared? Worried out of his mind? No. She wonders if that's because of his age or because of Morty. Maybe both.

"It's…well it's not fine but, I'm used to it. You being an asshole I mean."

Rick laughs. "Hope I never grow up to be that much of a cynical bastard then!”

He then gets up and heads over to where Morty is talking to Birdperson. Rick grabs him from behind and Morty squeaks indignantly. He protests as Rick wraps his arms around him and holds him tightly. Rick rests his head against Morty's shoulder with a happy grin. Morty deflates and rolls his eyes.

Beth can't quite look away. Apologies and now hugs? Who the hell was this Rick Sanzhez? Was her father always like this as a younger man or was it just this one in particular?

Rick's shirt has ridden up a bit during the exchange. Beth can see the beginnings of a tattoo on the man's hip right above his waistline. She pauses. It was a depiction of Morty's name inside an anatomically correct human heart.

“So he's your son right?” Qell asks from her right.

It startles her but she manages not to jump and spill her drink. He was always able to do that–sneak up on her. She hated it.

"Technically yes. From another dimension anyway."

"But I thought Rick Sanchez was your father?"

"Also technically yes."

Qell blinks again. "And you're okay with this?"

This? What did that mean? That she was okay with Morty galavanting the universe with her unstable father? Not really no. But this Morty was clearly old enough to make his own decisions. And for what it's worth, this version of Rick seemed better than most.

"Yeah, sure. He's an adult. He can do what he wants."

"Huh. Well, alright then."

Beth wonders briefly why Qell looked so bewildered at that, but in the next moment she finds she doesn't care and downs her drink.

-

Encounter #2 (Indiana Jones Rick)

-

She'd been immediately suspicious of the whole thing. Perhaps it was a trick of the labyrinth. Perhaps they were just hallucinations brought on by some sort of toxic gas. But after they sized each other up, Beth knew he and Morty were both unfortunately real. And she knew without asking that Rick was here to steal the same thing she was. Only with a less noble cause, no doubt.

"I dunno, my reasons are probably more noble than the guy we're stealing it from,” Rick offers, voice thick with sarcasm.

"It was rhetorical jackass!"

Lug, her partner assigned to this mission, takes her aside to propose a team up. He assures her that between the two of them they wouldn't let the gem leave here in Sanchez’s pocket. Trusting him, she reluctantly agrees. Rick is even more reluctant about the whole thing than she is. But one look from his Morty has him sighing and agreeing too.

Yes, he was a dick, but he was also a genius. Surely it would be easier to get through the maze with his help? Maybe they could all get through in one piece.

And then five minutes in Rick sets off a booby trap.

She's not about to point fingers and claim it was on purpose, but it really fucking looked like it was on purpose. Maybe Rick got bored and decided to spice things up a bit. But whatever the reason, the point is that giant impenetrable walls suddenly come up and separate them into groups; her and Morty, and Rick and Lug.

They can't figure out how to get through to the other side so they have to just keep going.

“Don't worry, I'm sure the tunnels will connect at some point down the line,” she tells Morty who is looking more and more nervous.

They'd better at least. She'll have Rick's head if he comes back without Lug.

They continue through the passageways trying to avoid any further traps. Morty is fidgety and anxious. Her own son is never quite this nervous whenever separated from his grandfather. Perhaps this was one just needed a little encouragement.

“You go out treasure hunting a lot?” she asks, breaking the silence.

Morty blinks. “H-huh? Oh, yeah I guess. It can be really fun.”

Morty has his own little whip to match Rick's. She wonders if he ever uses it. If Rick had even bothered to teach him or if he just dressed Morty like a prop.

“I don't like all the running afterwards though. When the–w-when all the natives get angry at us for stealing their artifacts.”

Beth frowns. “You don't have to do everything he says all the time. If you don't want to steal, then don't.”

Mlety looks stricken. “I-I don't know about that. He gets angry when I disagree with him…”

That's the way Rick worked. He'd bullied her, he bullied her husband, and he bullied her son. She hadn't been able to see it before she left home. But now that she's finally free of him and his influence, she can see it clearer than ever.

She couldn't exactly tell Morty to man up and fight back. She herself hadn't shaped up until several months ago. Or… Beth pauses. How long ago had it been? Not more than a year surely? Space had a way of diluting your sense of time.

About half an hour later, getting more and more lost, they round a corner and a dark figure pops out. Beth grabs her gun and aims. Morty yelps. His squeal of fear echoes off the walls.

Cruel laughter follows as the figure steps into the light.

"Rick you asshole!" Morty shouts. “Y-you know I hate it when you do that!”

"Oh I'm sorry, did I scare you sweet–urrrp–heart?" Rick grins down at Morty, his incisors glistening.

The nickname causes a twinge within her. Beth pushes it away. She'd no desire to analyze why Rick said the things that he did. Besides Rick was obviously just doing it to goad Morty, like always. She's no idea how this version of her son puts up with it, or any version really.

With each time she meets some other Rick from another dimension it only solidifies how much of a manipulative maniac her father really was. If she'd known, she probably never would have let him take Morty out on “adventures.” In hindsight, the wording he had used had been yet another tactic he'd employed to make her complacent in taking her son out of school.

“Yes you fuckwad!” Morty shoves at his chest.

Rick adjusts the hat on his head. He thought it made him look cool. Beth thought he looked ridiculous. The whip hanging off his hip was even stupider. Christ, where did he get off on cosplaying movie characters?

“Where's Lug?”

Rick shrugs nonchalantly. “The walls separated us again. He'll–I'm sure he'll probably turn up somewhere.”

Beth frowns. She thumbs the communicator on her wrist. None of their technology worked down here. An EMP blast had short circuited all of it on the way in. She couldn't contact Lug and ask if he was alright. She doesn't exactly trust that Rick is telling the truth, but it is entirely plausible that they did indeed get separated again.

“If you're lying I'm going to shoot you in the dick.”

Rick throws up his hands. “Honest to god, Beth! Jesus, I don't lie about everything!”

Beth snorts but lets it go.

They keep moving. Everytime she makes a suggestion on which way to go or which room to try, Rick shoots it down. And everytime he does Beth grits her teeth harder. This is why she hadn't wanted to team up. Rick was impossible to work with. It was his way or nothing. He refused to give an inch.

Except…

That wasn't really true was it? She remembers several occasions back on earth where, if Morty whined loud enough, he could get Rick oblige him (if only to get him to shut up.) The time he wanted to go get ice cream, the time he wanted to watch The Bear-chelor over Ball Fondlers, even the time they received a brochure in the mail for a summer camp and Morty wanted to go.

The camp was only for a week. Morty had been pretty excited, wanting the chance to hang out with kids his own age that weren't from Harry Herpson. He'd been labeled as the “creepy grandpa's boy” at school and it had unfortunately stuck. He wanted the chance at a fresh start.

Rick had been absolutely and adamantly against the whole thing; claiming that jerking off in the woods wouldn't be any better than doing it during lunch break at high school. Beth had overheard them arguing about it for several weeks before deciding to put a stop to it.

“He's my son! If he wants to go I say he can go!”

Rick had looked downright murderous. But it was Morty who had gotten him to finally relent.

“You fly off into space without me all the time! You don't see causing a–m-making a tantrum about it!”

Rick had leaned down into Morty's space who refused to flinch. She remembered feeling proud of him then.

“If you wanna get away from me so fuUUucking bad then be my goddamn guest!”

And that had been that. The week of summer camp eventually came and Morty went off.

Her father proceeded to mope around the house for days. He denied it when Summer poked fun at him for it, but the truth was that he was always sad when Morty was away. It didn't matter that it was only a week and that Summer was more than happy to go on adventures with Rick in the meantime. He would grumble angrily at the dinner table, loudly wondering what shitty camping food Morty was eating. How he must hate having to cook over a stupid open fire surrounded by other pathetic teenagers trying to sneak off into the woods for a quick fumble. Hell, they probably weren't even that courteous. They were probably just shacking up right there in the bunk beds above Morty.

Having had enough, Beth snapped at him to be quiet. It was rare back then for her to tell him to shut up. Rick had slumped in his seat and glared at nothing.

It was terrible of her to think it, but she couldn't help the stray thought that Rick was so much easier to deal with when Morty was around. He acted as a buffer to his more wild rants so the rest of the family didn't have to listen to them.

Two days before the end of his little camping trip, Morty had called her.

“Mom?” he sounded small, almost nervous.

“Hey honey! Everything alright?”

“I'm…can–can you come get me?”

The smile slid off her face. “Yes of course. Whatever you need, Morty.”

She'd driven all the way out there that day. Sure it would have been easier for Rick to just portal over there, but Morty had specifically asked for her for a reason.

He looked utterly dejected when she pulled into the lot. He put his stuff in the back and wordlessly got into the front.

“Hey, you okay?”

“I don't want to talk about it,” he mumbled, turning to look out the window.

And that had been that. In the following months, Beth had wondered several times if perhaps Rick had sabotaged the trip somehow. But she didn't want to believe he would do that. Besides, even if he didn't, her boy could be just as stubborn as Rick sometimes. He must have truly hated it there to call it quits. He would have absolutely put himself through two more days of torture just to prove something to Rick.

And that was the thought that had her pausing. Did Morty go on that trip because he actually wanted to go, or because he just wanted to piss Rick off? And if that were the case, why did he look so upset?

She carefully tucked it away. Just as she did to every thought about Rick and Morty that made her uncomfortable.

Up ahead in the tunnel, Rick cracks a joke. Morty laughs beside him as if they hadn't been at each other's throats two minutes ago. Once again she finds herself wishing she hadn't agreed to team up. But if she hadn't, Rick would have undermined her and stolen the gem for himself. This way she can at least keep an eye on him and hopefully steal it first.

The next chamber they enter predictably shuts all the doors. Oh look, another trap. Who could have guessed?

Green gas starts to release from above. Beth covers her mouth and coughs. It stung with every inhale.

“It's poison!” Her and Rick shout simultaneously.

She spots the puzzle on the wall. Clearly whoever built this wanted them to solve it. God she hated treasure hunting.

Rick immediately sets to work, rearranging the stones to coincide with the markings. Once he finishes, something unlocks and a single door slides open. They quickly hurry out into the hallway. However, once outside, they hear an ominous clicking sound. Beth turns to see hundreds of bugs pouring out of holes in the walls.

“Shit!”

“What the fuck?!” Rick backs away. “This motherfucker is stealing from The Mummy now??”

“Shut up and run!” Beth yells.

She can see a way out up ahead. The door at the end of the hall was slowly coming down from the ceiling, closing inch by inch. God, she was fucking sick of all these Indiana Jones ripoffs! Didn't anyone bother being original anymore??

Rick spews obscenities while Morty starts to hyperventilate. His legs weren't as long as hers and Rick's. He starts to fall behind.

“Get your ass in gear!” Rick shouts behind him, roughly grabbing Morty's wrist to yank him forwards.

They all dive under the door, rolling under it with only a foot of space left. The beetles are all hot on their trail. Some of them start to come through. Beth shoots at them while Rick stamps the ground, crunching them under his boots.

"Morty, pull the fucking lever holy shit! Pull it Morty!"

“Wait!!”

Beth freezes. She looks back through the tiny door window. There on the other side, running full speed for them, was Lug. He struggled to keep pace, clearly injured and limping as he ran. The bugs were trying to swarm him.

“Don't–!”

But it's too late. Morty grabs hold of the lever and the door closes.

She can hear Lug yelling on the other side. He reaches the door and starts pounding on it in panic.

She turns to Rick. "Open the door back up!" She demands.

"Fuck that! We're getting out of here!"

"I'm not leaving anyone behind! I know someone like you wouldn't understand that, but I'm not a heartless asshole!"

Morty looks nervously between them. He trembles in place.

Rick's eyes darken as he scowls. "You open that door a-and all those beetles will come through! He's already dead!"

"I can save him!"

"No you can't!”

"I can fucking try!"

That's the difference between a good person and a bad one. The willingness to actually do something.

She looks at Morty. "Open the door!"

"Don't touch that fucking door, Morty!"

Morty holds his hands palm up, shaking like a leaf. Rick glares at her, more hateful than she's ever seen him before. He takes a menacing step forward. In that moment she's certain he would have killed her had Morty not been there. When he speaks his voice is low and threatening.

"Don't tell my goddamn Morty what to do."

The full weight of Rick's stare is a physical thing. She'd never noticed just how much pressure it bore until after she had escaped out from under it.

An overwhelming sense that she is a bad mother hits her. She had left her son with this man. This monster who discarded lives as easily as he did an old shirt. She knew he bossed Morty around a bit, but this wasn't just pushing him around. This was controlling. This was exploitative. He had Morty following his every word like the god he fancied himself to be.

She moves to shoot him. It's a mistake.

Rick anticipates her betrayal. It's easy for someone like him. He didn't trust anyone. Rick takes her out first, smacking her head against the wall. As Beth falls unconscious, she listens to the sounds of Morty begging Rick not to hurt her.

-

In between consciousness and unconsciousness, she tries to move but finds she can't. As she twists her head from side to side she is surprised to feel a bandage around the wound. Someone had taken the time to tend to her.

She can hear hushed voices in the next room over. Though she's not sure if she's dreaming them up or not.

“Rick, no! We can't just leave her!”

“The hell we can't! That bitch is planning on stealing it for herself anyway!”

“That's exactly what you're planning to do! I-I'm not leaving her!”

“She's not your mother, Morty!”

There's some rustling and more harsh whispers. Then Morty's voice turns soft and pleading. It's gentle, like he's soothing a wild animal. Beth thinks Rick would take offense to such a tone, but instead the anger in his voice lowers and then she hears a sigh.

“Fine, but you owe me!”

There's a soft thump that sounds like a hug.

“Conniving little asshole,” Rick mutters.

She groans and blackness takes her again.

-

Beth wakes to find herself at a local clinic topside. They must have doubled back to drop her off before going back in alone. If she hurried she could still catch them. She quickly jumps from the bed and gathers her things before rushing back to the labyrinth's entrance.

She welcomes the anger as she makes her way down. She would have Rick face justice for what he did. Lug was a good man and had deserved better. But Beth knows the point would be moot. Rick would never let her take him alive.

She had never truly understood the scope of her father's power until she left earth behind and saw it for herself. His influence was everywhere. His name was whispered in even the darkest corners of the galaxy. He was respected and feared in equal measure.

Rick was undoubtedly a genius. It seemed that even out here, especially out here, she could never escape that cocky sideways grin. Every old “Wanted” poster she passed she wanted to rip to shreds. Even on the edge of the universe Rick Sanchez was still meddling in her life. She could never get away.

The only time he'd ever let himself get arrested was when he'd had a plan to destroy the Federation from the inside. And every other court that tried to put him on trial had seemingly suffered the consequences.

So no, she cannot give Lug justice. Plus she still had a mission: the gem. If she truly wanted to avenge Lug, she would carry it out to its completion.

The hallways seem to grow longer and deadlier. There's more traps and doorways leading to nowhere. This was the way she had come in wasn't it? Why did everything look so different?

"Who the hell designed this?" Beth asks aloud, exasperated.

There is hallway upon hallway with rooms inside rooms and even stairs leading to an empty ceiling. This place was a goddamn nightmare.

She bumps into dead end after dead end before she finally hears them. Beth finds them wandering around arguing loudly about how they must have taken a wrong turn somewhere and if someone had just shut the fuck up when told to then maybe they would have solved it sooner.

Beth clears her throat. The two snap their heads around to stare at her. Rick groans and throws his hands up.

“I fucking told you she'd come back, Morty!”

Morty looks sheepish.

Rick points at her. “Back the fuck off our tresure!”

“Technically I was here first.”

“Bullshit! Also I saved your life so you're welcome!”

“You're the one that endangered my life in the first place!”

Morty waves his hands. “Guys c-can we please not fight?”

“I don't know Morty, fucking Space Beth over here wants to–she wants to take our treasure!”

Beth narrows her eyes. “We can fight it out right now, or we can work together to find the gem first and then fight it out.”

Rick's expression flattens. “Whatever.”

Truthfully she'd rather put his ass in the ground now, but it would admittedly be better to locate the gem first. Plus she didn't want to fight in front of Morty. Even if he wasn't her son it felt wrong somehow.

She pushes her way to the front to take the lead. Surprisingly Rick lets her. Then again he may just be planning on stabbing her in the back. She wouldn't put it past him.

The path leads into a chamber that she swears she's solved before but nothing seems to work the same way it did as the first time she was here. She stands at the door, trying to analyze what exactly was different this time.

"C-can't even open a door. Wow Beth. This is just sad."

Beth growls and whips around. "Fine then! You do it!"

Rick grins. He holds up a finger as his pointer retracts into a screwdriver. "Stand back! This is how a real cyborg does it!”

Beth rolls her eyes. "Excuse me for wanting to keep my robotic parts to a minimum!"

Rick sneers and looks her over. "You mean those cheap attachments? How much you pay for them? Two dollars?"

Of course Rick was going to turn this into a pissing contest. Why was she not surprised?

"At least my heart is still human and not a cold unfeeling machine!"

Rick narrows his eyes at her.

"G-guys? The door is already open," Morty gulps as he pushes it. “It's unlocked.”

Beth and Rick stare at Morty. Then they look back at each other.

Beth pushes on through. Behind her she can hear Rick muttering "hot topic cyberpunk wannabe." She decides not to rise to the bait.

At last they get to a chamber that seemingly has no puzzle. Neither are there any doors. Rick orders Morty to crawl up through the vents and see if there was some sort of mechanism on the other side.

“But what if there's rats? O-or more beetles?”

“Stop being a pussy and just do it!”

Morty winces and sadly makes his way over to the vent. For all his fussing, he's able to shuffle his way in fairly quickly.

A few minutes later they can hear Morty making his way back. Rick reaches up and helps him down.

“What’d’ya see?”

"I saw the gem! It's two corridors down the other way! But the room has a bunch of timed lasers. They go off on a 2-2-3 sequence!'

"Good job buddy!" Rick ruffles his hair with a grin.

Over the years (or was it just the one year?) that she's been out here exploring the universe, Beth has learned a lot about her son and how surprisingly adept he was at helping. She had always figured Rick did all the heavy lifting on adventures while Morty just stood around holding contraband, or handing him tools, or offering support as a one man cheering squad to boost Rick's ego. But she's since realized she'd underestimated him. And that wasn't fair of her.

Morty was a good kid. He was smart and quick on his feet. He was also endearingly loyal. Even if his loyalty was misplaced.

But on the other hand she's also learned that Rick treated him far more poorly than she liked or would have ever believed. As much as she blames Rick, she blames herself for not doing anything about it while she still lived on Earth. Too late to fix it now though.

(She could still go back. She could go home whenever she wanted.)

"What do you even need it for?" Beth asks.

Rick turns to her. “What?”

“The gem. Why do you want it?”

Rick's interest normally lay in the drug industry or something science related. He was always scrounging around for things to make car batteries or power sources or more portal fluid.

Rick shrugs. "When refracted in the right amount of sunlight, it makes your toast taste like the color purple."

Beth stares.

"It's fucking wild!" Rick grins.

Beth grits her teeth, disgusted. It figured he was here for entirely selfish reasons. But she hadn't anticipated just how selfish.

"Yeah, not gonna happen." She tightens her grip on her weapon. "I'm giving it to a dying community who needs it!"

Rick raises a brow in a silent challenge. To his right, Morty's eyes widen in shock. Beth looks over at him.

“He didn't tell you that, did he? About its cultural significance?”

Morty shakes his head. Rick glares.

“It's a rare relic that was taken years ago by a collector who likes to put his stolen artifacts in various giant labyrinths of his design. The gem’s people have been trying to get it back for decades. They're in trouble and need it now more than ever. This gem, Morty, it's special. It's powerful to them. It can enhance their life spans and heal their wounds. But it only works for their species. It doesn't work for anyone else. That's why it belongs to them."

Morty looks up at her, eyes shining with a depth of empathy–something she knows he got from her. Despite how hard Rick always tried to crush his sense of morality, Morty will always remain a good person at heart.

He turns to Rick and blinks up at him with puppy eyes.

"Morty are you fucking serious??"

"This isn't right! It belongs to its people!”

"Y-you gonna stab me in the back for a goddamn rock?"

"This is important Rick!"

"You know what?” Rick throws up his hands. “I'm not dealing with this bullshit! This adventure has been shit since the fucking beginning!"

"Then leave!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck you, you little bitch!"

Rick flips both of them off and stomps down a random hallway. Beth and Morty turn to look at each other. Morty nods, his expression serious.

"Let's go return that gem."

-

In all honesty she's a bit surprised. Rick was stubborn at the best of times. She'd been prepared for a brutal fight. But in the end Rick had left after barely a word.

They get the gem and return to the surface without a lot trouble. They head to her ship quietly without much conversation or fanfare. Beth looks at Morty in the passenger seat across from her. He held more sway over her father than he would ever realize. No one else could push Rick the way that he did. Almost without any consequence.

In the beginning of their relationship, Morty barely fought back or said a word against him. But over time that changed. She saw her son shift and grow. He started challenging him and giving back what he got. They argued harder and longer than Beth had ever had the guts to do to her father's face; too afraid that Rick would leave and abandon her again. But Morty stood his ground. And whenever Rick inevitably gave in, it was with a begrudging grumble.

Yet through it all their constant bickering never hid the glint in their eyes that suggested a twisted form of pleasure. Like the insults and yelling was a game. Beth didn't enjoy fighting, not in the way they seemed to. Yelling at Jerry only made her feel depressed. She didn't like getting angry for the sake of being angry.

Soon they touch down on the Kwakee planet to return the gem. Beth had already called ahead to let them know the mission was a success. She can see a crowd gathered around the dock in eager anticipation.

Overcome by a sudden motherly urge, she leans over and pats Morty's shoulder. He offers a small smile at her.

The second they step outside the townspeople cheer and clap, praising the return of their gem. The leader, Ka-Po, approaches her at the bottom of the ramp. He bows graciously.

“Welcome to Kwakee, Beth Smith. We are grateful that you have–” Ka-Po stops. As he straightens up, his gaze slides off of her landing on Morty. He takes in a small gasp of air. "The companion of Rick Sanchez!"

Beth frowns. The people all around them are still cheering, but the advisors standing next to Ka-Po have started to murmur and whisper amongst each other.

“Uh, hi?” Morty waves.

Ka-Po turns around, furiously whispering to them as if Beth isn't standing five feet away.

"This could change the tide!"

“–help stop the war–!”

“...Don't even need the gem!”

Beth steps forward. She needs to shut down whatever this was and do it quickly.

"Apologies, your grace. Morty is here as a favor to me. Rick has nothing to do with the return of your gem."

The leader doesn't look convinced. He turns to look straight at Morty. He spreads his arms wide.

"Morty Smith, we are but a small people. Ever since the gem was stolen, we have been plagued by civil war and unrest. We used to be much greater but we have dwindled more and more with each passing year.”

Ka-Po turns his hand into a sweeping gesture as if to showcase the land.

“A tyrannical warlord has recently targeted us, intent on pillaging all that we have left. We had hoped to use the gem to help heal our warriors so as to win the fight against him. We have heard of Rick Sanchez and his genius when it comes to weapons and fighting. We would ask for your help, Morty, in persuading him to help design better shields and weapons for our people.”

"I uh…" Morty shifts uncomfortably.

Beth holds up a hand. "Rick doesn't do things for free. You'd have to pay for his services if you want his help."

Which wasn't going to happen. These people were poor. And Beth certainly didn't steal the gem back for them for a monetary reward. She'd done it because it was the right thing to do. The Defiance didn't just fight the New Federation. They also helped people across the galaxy.

Morty rubs his neck. "Y-yeah she's right. He's uh, not really an altruistic kind of guy. I’m sorry."

Ka-Po sighs. His old eyes are weary. He looks back at his advisors, then at his people. He straightens, as if coming to a decision.

Beth's hair stands on end.

"Then I'm sorry too." Ka-Po gives a nod to his guards.

Beth moves for her gun but it's already too late. The guards aim their weapons at her and Morty.

"Beth, you may leave. Our deal is done. But the boy stays!"

Beth aims her gun right between his eyes.

"The hell I will!” Think Beth! She had to think her way out! “You can still stop this madness! Think about what's best for your people!"

They're entirely surrounded. She can't take them all. Sure, she could still try and shoot her way out, but innocent people would get hurt in the crossfire. Did she really want that on her conscience?

"I am," Ka-Po answers gravely.

-

Beth fights hard but there's simply too many. She and Morty are both taken and dragged to a high powered prison cell.

“You're making a mistake!” She yells at the guard's backs as they walk away. “The Defiance will not stand for this! They'll come for me!”

The guard snorts and gives her a look. “We already intercepted your transmission. No one is coming for you.”

Fuck.

“Listen to me!”

But the guard is already turning away.

“Listen! This is not the solution you think it is! You seriously think blackmailing Rick Sanchez is going to work?? You're all just digging your own graves!

No one listens.

Beth turns and kicks the nearest wall, letting out a scream of frustration. It figured Rick would find a way to fuck her over even when he wasn't here. Why did everything always have to be about him??

It's barely half an hour later when the screaming starts. Beth closes her eyes and strains her ears. From her place inside the cell, she can hear distant explosions and laser blasts. It sounded like a battle.

After some time it all goes quiet again. Morty twiddles his thumbs nervously.

Footsteps echo down the hall. Rick whistles to himself like it's Sunday morning. Blood and viscera cover his brown leather coat. His whip is stained dark red.

From his pocket, Rick pulls out a severed hand and holds it up. He presses it into the palm reader. The force field falls and Rick steps in.

"What lesson did we learn today?" He looks down at Morty with a smug grin.

Morty hangs his head dejectedly. "No good deed goes unpunished."

Rick shrugs. "Close enough."

Beth wearily follows them out. “How did you even know we were in trouble? Ka-Po couldn't possibly have contacted you with a ransom so soon.”

“I hacked into your ship while you were unconscious and we brought to that clinic. You–you might wanna change the location of the Defiance's headquarters by the way. You guys have a looooot of enemies that were willing to pay top dollar for your whereabouts!”

“You–!”

But before Beth can yell or scream or shoot that fucker where he stands, they make it outside. She falls silent.

It's absolute carnage. One guard, still alive, crawls over to them, trying valiantly to stop him. Rick easily kicks his blaster out of his hand. Then he kicks his face for good measure.

She walks through the bodies wearily. The stench is unbearable. Many lay in several pieces, no doubt the work of his laser whip. Beth has seen a massacre or two by now, but it never gets easier. Especially when it involves innocent people.

In the middle of the square is the Kwakee leader: Ka-Po. He's been handcuffed to a pole and is struggling to breathe. It's then Beth realizes that the gem, the one that started all of this, has been literally shoved into his chest breaking open the ribcage. The gem tries to heal him over and over but it can't while still stuck inside him.

Ka-Po coughs weakly, hacking up blood and wheezing like every breath is his last. It technically should be his last. He cries at Rick's approach, shaking in pain.

"We only…needed a design…for better weapons…and shields!" With each gasp his voice grows weaker. "We were never…going to hurt…the boy!"

Rick stops. His gaze could pierce adamantium. "You should have just asked if you wanted my help."

Ka-Po looks up in shock. “You would…have helped…us?"

"No." Rick takes out the gun on his leg holster and levels it at him. "But you would have lived."

Ka-Po’s head explodes, brains flying everywhere. Rick plucks the gem from his chest and shoves it into his pocket.

Rick turns back to Morty. "See th-this is, this is why I don't get involved with people, Morty! It's too messy!"

Beth has never truly witnessed her father's bloodlust before. Not really. Not like this. Civilians had lived here. People who had nothing to do with anything.

“Geez Rick, You didn't have to k-kill all of them," Morty says sadly.

"And let some of them live just to come find me and kill me one day? Hello? Fucking–urrOUrp–fucking revenge 101 over here, Jesus!”

Morty looks over the corpses but says nothing else. Rick looks like an actual monster covered in blood and guts. He puts his hand on Morty's shoulder, bloody fingers digging in tightly. It occurs to her that she could do something. She could take Morty and run. She could save this one. She could save this version of his son.

But the idea is gone before it can take root. Rick would never let her. And she's starting to wonder if she could even take him head on.

She watches as they disappear through a portal, leaving her alone.

-

Encounter #3 (Alpha Rick)

-

Beth sighs into her chair. It'd been too long since she'd last let her guard down like this. She hadn't taken stock of the exits. She didn't count the number of potential enemies. She didn't even check to make sure her drink wasn't poisoned. (After the first one anyway.) Perhaps everyone back at headquarters had been right. She needed to relax. And not relax as in take one day off while staying at base just in case they needed to call her in, but relax as in go on an actual, legitimate vacation.

Beth had bristled at the mere mention of a vacation ever since they floated the idea to her. She'd lived her whole life on easy mode, choosing to stay in a mundane house with a mundane job. She was happy fighting the New Federation among the stars. But the stress of it all took on a burden she wasn't used to carrying. It was good work, but it was also hard.

Now that she's here, Beth finds that perhaps everyone had a point. She's spent too long fighting for a universe that she didn't even get to enjoy. It was about time she took a moment to appreciate all it had to offer.

Beth sips her drink, eyeing one of the humanoids by the pool. He had a nice back–good muscles. He had no hair, but instead a wavey cone, like a rooster. Maybe it was time she consider having a little fun as well.

Most people came to this particular resort for a romantic getaway. But if she was lucky, perhaps rooster guy was here alone. She'd be open to a threesome too if not. She wasn't looking for any commitments. Jerry was enough for a lifetime. Beth had learned the hard way that love just wasn't worth it. Seems her father had been right in that aspect.

She hums as the alien turns, giving her a better look with what she was dealing with. She could definitely see herself taking him back to her room. She'd gotten a king suite with big bed and a jacuzzi in the bathroom. The tub could fill itself with a purple jelly that worked as an aphrodisiac. All courtesy of the owner of course. This whole vacation was a favor for having saved his niece from a kidnapping.

Should she wait and gather more information? Or maybe just approach him now and ask him if he was up for it? As Beth contemplates the merits of each decision, a roar of familiar pompous laughter interrupts her thoughts.

Beth grimaces. No. God no. Anyone but him please.

Reluctantly, Beth turns her head towards the lazy river. Floating on twin pool rings are her father and son; a different version anyway. She knows this because as they laugh widely at each other she can see the fangs in their mouths. Based that that, she can defuce they were either vampires or from the omegaverse. And seeing as it was currently daylight, it was probably the latter.

Rick is waving his drink around, telling some tale or joke. Morty is giggling, a pink undertone to his cheeks. It was weird to see them here. Usually Rick liked to go to bars or arcades or Boob World. Resorts weren't his thing. And this resort in particular was more catered towards couples. But wasn't like this place was exclusive to people who were married or dating. It wasn't that weird to see families. But they still stood out a bit compared to the rest of the people here.

No doubt Rick had just snuck in through a portal without even paying. She should report them and get them kicked out. But Beth wasn't here to be petty. She was here to relax dammit! And if she turned Rick in he would figure out it was her and make it into a whole thing.

She endeavors to just ignore them. Turning in her lounge chair, she tilts her head back and closes her eyes. The two eventually float out of earshot and it's peaceful once again. Beth knows if she wants to continue ignoring them on this trip she should probably go to a different pool front from now on. There was plenty of space at the hotel. Her vacation didn't have to be ruined just yet.

With that in mind, Beth gets up to gather her bag. She only kept the essentials on her: lotion, lip balm, a towel, hand blaster, etc. Beth hoists the bag over her shoulder and starts down the way. She laments the lost chance at Mr. Handsome, but she's sure there's more singles here wanting to hook up or a couple looking for a third.

Apparently Beth has chosen the wrong direction. Because Rick and Morty are now wrestling in the wave pool right where she's walking past. Rick splashes Morty in the face and tackles him. They disappear underwater for a moment. A moment too long. Beth grips her bag tighter, frozen in indecision. Thankfully the surface of the water breaks and Morty comes gasping into view.

"Rick you–you dick!" He shouts as he coughs water out of his nose. "I can't hold my breath as long as you!"

"Not my fault you're a pussy MuOorrty!"

Morty jumps up, grabbing hold of Rick from behind. Rick yelps.

"Ah fuck! You've done it now Morty! Com'ere you little bitch!"

Despite their obnoxiously proclaimed mutual annoyance, there was also an unmistakable fondness. Their carefree faces make her miss her own family. How were her children doing? Maybe she should have spent her vacation on Earth. But then they'd probably want to see her more and she didn't exactly want to stay…

The thought is immediately shut down by an unwanted spike of jealousy. She never admitted it living on Earth and she won't admit it now, but it was hard seeing how Rick favored Morty so openly. She can count the number of happy memories with her real father on one hand. He hadn't been very present for her early years. And even when he was, he was constantly in the garage working on some new invention to take him away from his boring family.

A whistle snaps her back. The lifeguard points down at Rick and Morty.

"No rough housing! Out of the pool!"

"What the shit?" Rick raises his hands, palms up in exasperation. "What the fuck man?"

"Mind your own business tentacle face!" Morty flips him off.

"This literally is my business!" The lifeguard says indignantly. "This is my job!"

"Wow! Some job! P-parents must be reeeal proud,” Rick sneers.

The lifeguard shakes. His tentacle arms curl up in anger. "Get out! Get out right now!"

Rick and Morty blow faces at the poor worker before leaving the pool.

"Sheesh, Rick. What c-crawled into that guy's butt?"

"That's what happens when you go to college and then wind up with a mediocre job paying off all your loans. You–eUuRgh–you're better off not going at all. College is for suckers."

Beth bristles at the unmeaning jab. She'd gone to college. (A community college but still.) She didn't think it'd been very wasteful. It'd been hard balancing motherhood with school but she'd done it. She'd become a horse doctor because of it.

"You don't need all that, just stick with me Morty!"

Morty rolls his eyes like he's heard this all before. "Okay Rick."

Rick grumbles. "The fuck was that eye roll?"

Morty flinches, clearly thinking Rick hadn't seen it. "Nothing!"

"What, you want to go to college? You?"

"No!" Morty backtracks. "I want to stay with you!"

"Then what??"

"You don't have to force the ‘College Is Bad’ argument into our–into every conversation Rick. Even if I end up going, I already told you I'm not going anywhere."

Rick deflates, but only slightly. He snorts and turns away. Morty smiles softly at his back.

"Actually I think it's kinda nice you're always worried I might leave. It shows you care!"

"The fuck?" Rick's head whips around to glare at Morty. "I don't give a shit if you leave! Fucking leave right now! I don't give a fuck, you fucking turd!"

He stomps off leaving Morty grinning at his hasty retreat.

Someone bumps into Beth as they pass by, startling her. She blinks and readjusts herself. Why had she stayed to listen to that? She didn't care what her father got up to anymore, and certainly not another version of him either.

She stands there silently. Angry at herself for constantly having to reinforce the idea that she was done trying to figure out her father. How many times now was that? How many times did she catch herself thinking about him? About her childhood? About the family she left behind with him?

Beth exhales and turns to walk away in the opposite direction.

-

Interlude: Earth

-

She can't deny herself anymore. She wants to go back and check on the kids. Also it helped that she had found a bomb in her neck. So you know, it was good motivation if nothing else.

It was an absolute shit show. Everytime she thought she was done being surprised by Rick's audacity, he went and subverted her expectations again.

So she might be a clone now. Fine. She's made peace with it. She can be okay with that fact. She still has a full life and the other Beth had hers.

They invite her to stay for dinner after the whole thing. She's apprehensive but figures it couldn't hurt. She takes her place at the table beside Summer with Jerry at his usual spot at the head, Beth (the clone?) at the other end, and Rick and Morty across from her.

Everyone is curious about her adventures in space and her work with The Defiance. At first their questions are annoying but after a while Beth finds she doesn't mind. It was nice that they all took such an active interest in her life. Now that her life was actually interesting that is. There hadn't been much going for her as a horse doctor.

“That's so cool!” Morty exclaims. There's practically stars in his eyes. “So you're like a hero now!”

Rick has been agitated the second he sat down, angry that people were ignoring him in favor of her. Or rather, to be more accurate, Rick is angry that Morty is ignoring him.

He has so far swiped Morty's juice, poked him with his fork, stolen a bite of his potato only to spit it back out on his plate, and is now once again insulting both his intelligence and his interests.

“Christ Morty, I thought you grew out of this hero worship with the whole Vindicators thing!”

“Don't you even start with the Vindicators Rick!”

The table jolts under them.

“Did you just kick me you little shit?!”

The table jolts again. Morty sucks in a pained gasp. Rick laughs, then he winces when Morty kicks him back.

“Not all heroes are assholes! Just because you didn't–just because you weren't cut out to be one doesn't mean everyone else is either!”

Rick growls between gritted teeth. Morty glares back twice as hard.

Beth–Space Beth not the other one–remembers rumors of what happened to the Vindicators. Worldender and the whole team had been brutally wiped out without mercy or prejudice. No one had really known who did it.

The two begin a staring contest worthy of the kindergarten playground as the 5 years old they clearly are.

“Grandpa Rick, can you please stop pulling on Morty's pigtails in front of me? It's gross.”

Beth (the other Beth) sighs. “Summer cut it out with the gay jokes. I know you're jealous he doesn't take you out on adventures as much, but it's making everyone else uncomfortable."

Summer huffs. "I'm not jealous! And their relationship is weird! I know I'm not the only one that thinks so! They're codependent Mom!"

"Be quiet and eat your dinner."

Beth–Space beth (she kind of liked that nickname if she's honest)–says nothing. Because this isn't her problem anymore. Because yes it is weird, but that's just how they are.

She remembers the questionable things she used to hear in the middle of the night. The things she would ignore that maybe she, as a mother, should have investigated.

“Morty!”

The sound of her son's bedroom door being kicked open echoed down the hall.

“Get your dick outta your hand and let's go! We gooOOot shit to take care of!”

“It’s not in my hand!”

There'd been silence. She could imagine her father squinting with narrowed eyes.

“What's the laptop for then?”

“Nothing!”

There was immediate thumping like someone stomping across the room and then–

“Okay okay! Geez! Can you please just get out?!”

Perhaps that was the real reason she'd left. The reason why she hadn't wanted to come back here. She's ashamed. She was–and still is–a bad mother. She didn't make her father set boundaries with Morty. She had let him do what he wanted whenever he wanted. And what did that say about her?

“That's it!” Beth–the clone (her sister?)–frowns sternly at Rick.

Space Beth straightens. What had she missed? She'd tuned out the last few bits of yelling at the end there. If you'd heard one argument between Rick and Morty you'd heard them all.

“If you can't behave then you can eat in your room until you're ready to interact with the adults!”

Rick's entire face flattens. With wooden movements he grabs his plate and scoots the chair away. He stomps in the opposite direction of his room into the garage. He slams the door shut behind him. The house rattles from the force.

Morty is in the process of scooting his chair out too when his mother stops him.

“You don't have to let him drag you down to his level,” she tells him. “It’s what he wants. He's just baiting you to get a reaction. Just ignore him.”

Morty frowns. He looks between her and the door to the garage. He seems to relax back into his seat. And for a moment, it looks as though he is actually going to sit there and finish his dinner.

But then Morty stands up and hurries over to the garage. He opens the door and steps through. The second it shuts, the yelling starts up again. His mother sighs while Summer rolls her eyes.

“I swear those two just like fighting,” Jerry huffs, chewing with his mouth open.

His wife glares at him.

Space Beth considers telling her twin what she has since discovered about Rick's true relationship with their son when their back is turned. How awful he treats the boy. How he orders him around. How he carelessly puts his life in danger. But then again this Beth had stayed with Jerry. This Beth had chosen to stay with a spineless piece of shit to make herself feel better. She probably wouldn't listen or care. And besides, parenting wasn't supposed to be her responsibility anymore.

So she says nothing and keeps her opinions about her sister's parenting style to herself.

-

Encounter #4 (Miami Rick)

-

Beth sometimes forgets when she's wearing her hologram disguise. It's easier to just keep it on most of the time whenever she's undercover. She's starting to make a name for herself and it's better if she's not recognized so often.

“Everybody get down!" Beth yells.

The bar is crowded and the music is loud. A few patrons look over at her with skeptical expressions. They scoff and turn away.

“I said everyone needs to get down now!”

Again, no one really listens.

A bullet smashes through the window, hitting someone sitting at the bar. Blood explodes out their side, painting the bar a vibrant green. Several people scream and panic. And then it's utter chaos.

People rush over each other, trying to make it to the front door. Beth and Squanchette try to block it together.

“No wait! You need to go through the back exit! Don't go out the–”

They race past her, bulldozing right through. The second they make it outside their bodies are immediately riddled with bullets. More people scream. The staff and customers scatter, running in various directions. The dancers on stage scramble to the back.

Beth shoots a couple warning shots out the window to the gang of gromflomites lying in wait outside. Looks like her and Squanchette will have to make a stand here. She turns to her teammate.

"Guard the door! I'll go to the back and barricade the exit!"

Squanchette nods. “Go! I got this!”

Beth turns to run, but as she does, her entire center of gravity slides off its axis. There, climbing down off the stage, is her son. Or not her son. He's around 18 or 19 with long hair dyed a bright blonde. He was–she grimaces–dressed like a stripper of all things.

What had happened to him? Had he been abandoned by his Rick and forced to make ends meet? How long has he been out here alone?

The sounds of shouting behind her remind her that she's in the middle of a battle and she shakes her concern away. That isn't her Morty and she isn't his mother. But still, her heart twists at the thought. She's starting to think that no matter how many times she told herself that it didn't matter, no matter how many times she thought she needn't worry about her children anymore, she can't seem to stop. It was ingrained within her.

"You!" She says, pointing at him.

Morty stops and looks back. He doesn't look as scared as the other patrons. His eyes slide over her like a stranger. Technically she is one. Plus she's still wearing her disguise after all.

"Where's the back door?"

Morty gestures. "Through here, come on!"

She follows him down the seedy halls past several rooms to an office. There was a table, an old fading couch, and some broken shelves. On the couch sat her father. He wore a pink lab coat with shades hanging off his face. He looked high off his ass with his legs spread out and his head leaned up over the back towards the ceiling. Drool dripped down his chin in a disgusting display.

Beth breathes a little easier knowing Morty hadn't been abandoned after all. But from the state of this Rick, perhaps it would have been better. This version of her father looked worse for wear.

Morty climbs up on the couch and gives him a slap. "Rick! Rick wake up! The p-p–the fuzz is here!"

Beth looks out in the alleyway to see if it was clear of gromflomites. No sign of them. She shuts the door and quickly locks it.

Rick coughs once and blinks wearily. He groans as he lifts his head up. His hands lazily slide up to Morty's sides.

"Hey baby," he says groggily.

Morty slaps his hands away. "Rick, focus!"

But Rick doesn't seem to register his words or his surroundings at all. He gives the boy a rougish sort of grin that would be better aimed at a whore. Morty blushes regardless.

As Beth works on barricading the door, she rolls her eyes at the display. Clearly Rick didn’t even realize who it was sitting in his lap. She can't believe she ever used to respect this man.

Morty rummages around Rick's pocket and pulls out a bag of white powder. He lines it up on a finger and shoves it up under Rick's nose.

"Breathe in!” He commands.

Rick snorts it up. He shivers and then laughs, high and chaotic.

"God damn that's some good shit!"

"Rick, we need to get out of here!"

Rick's dilated eyes finally lock onto his. He tilts his head. “Eh?”

“It’s not the local authorities,” Beth tells them both. “It's the New Federation.”

Rick blinks slowly. He looks past Morty into the hallway outside.

"...shit."

"Yes, finally! Thanks for checking in!” Morty exclaims. “Now can we get the fuck out of here?!"

Rick grumbles as he reaches into his pocket pulling out a blaster. "This is my–this is my favorite fucking bar! I’m not letting these shitfucks ruin it!"

Just what Beth needed. Her father come to save the day again, because apparently everyone was so helpless without him.

She grips her weapon and turns to him. "Sir, I'm with the Defiance. We've got it under control. I suggest you make an escape now while you still–"

"Fuck that! Morty let's go!"

Morty nods. His expression dark and determined.

“Sir! You need to–”

But Rick is already heading out the door, dragging Morty behind him.

-

It's absolute chaos. Rick listens to neither orders nor direction. Her team is always precise and efficient, but Rick barrels through like a flaming car through a shopping mall. The thing that pisses her off the most is that it fucking worked.

Before now she'd been worried, trying to figure out how they were going to get through this. Two of her people had already gone missing earlier–presumed dead–and Sqaunchette was wounded. It was looking to be more of a last stand kind of deal. And Beth had no intentions of dying in a dingy bar.

So of course the second Rick joins the fight, the playing field not only evens, it's entirely leveled.

"Get down!" Morty yells from somewhere behind her.

Beth ducks in time to see Morty holding a–she does a double take–bazooka? Where the hell had he gotten that??

He fires. Across the street, the group of agents that had been gathering to storm the building explode. Limbs and body parts fly everywhere. Blood splatters the ground.

"HooOOoly shit, dawg!" Rick laughs. He stands up from his crouch and grabs the teen. He spins them both around into a tight hug. "I'm so fucking proud of you!"

He kisses Morty's cheek and Morty laughs, clinging back just as hard.

Beth can't remember the last time her father told her he was proud of her. All she'd done was marry Jerry and waste her life. What did he have to be proud of her for?

No, Beth thinks. That wasn't true anymore. Not only was she making a difference now, she no longer needed his validation. She didn’t need his approval or praise.

Even still, she can't help the small spike of jealousy at seeing how easily this Rick gave Morty his affection when she'd fought so hard for it her entire life. Why was she always so invisible?

Now that the gromflomites were dead, she should locate the rest of her team and assess the damage. They needed to retreat back to base.

"Thanks! You saved our squanches!" Squanchette says, clapping Rick on the shoulder.

"Happy to help!” Then Rick smirks. “For a price that is…"

Beth scoffs. Of course he was trying to twist this into a paying opportunity.

"I thought that's what he was for?" She gestures to Morty. It's really none of her business, but she can't help the bitterness coating her next words. "Put him up on stage and collect the cash right? You're pimping him out."

Rick growls. "I'm fucking rich! I'm lit–euOUurph–I’m literally rolling in dough! You think I need my grandsons tips to survive? Lil’ shit likes it! He fucking loves pole dancing!"

Morty chirps, answering with his own grin. "Yeah, it's fun!"

"Come on, Morty. These people are closed minded assholes!"

Beth watches him leave. She hopes never to run into this particularly vile version ever again.

-

Encounter #5 (autistic Morty and Rick)

-

Morty is sitting alone in a booth with a pair of headphones on. He seems to be–Beth squints from her chair–arranging his chicken nuggets? It was odd but who was she to judge?

The more Beth encounters different versions of her son, the more she finds herself missing the one she left behind. (How long has it been now since her last visit?)

She can tell it isn't her Morty. She knows her son. She raised him. She knows he tended to fidget but not quite that much. He didn't pull at the ends of his shirt. He didn't rearrange his food before eating it.

The other side of the booth is empty. Rick was probably in the bathroom doing drugs or dealing in the alleyway out back. She briefly entertains the thought of approaching the boy. But then she thinks better of it. They were basically strangers.

She goes back to enjoying her breakfast in peace. This little diner was reminiscent of earth. It was why she liked it. Nothing crazy ever really happened here.

Eventually, Rick comes back and flops down in his seat. She notes that he was wearing an identical pair of goggles around his neck as the ones Morty had. She's not sure what that means, if anything.

Rick swipes a nugget off Morty's plate and eats it in one bite.

“Rick! That was mine!” He pulls off his headphones, glaring angrily.

“You've been working on eating that for a fucking hour! You snooze, you lose!”

“I eat them in order you ass!” Morty looks increasingly distressed. His eyes gloss over like he's about to cry.

“I'll just order you more nuggets then, Christ!”

“It's NOT THE SAME!”

Morty yanks his goggles up over his eyes and clamps his hands over his face. He sinks into his seat, sniffling and breathing hard.

“Are you crying?”

“NO!”

Rick sighs heavily. He rubs his forehead and mutters under his breath. Then he unfolds his long limbs and gets up from his seat to move to Morty's side of the booth. Morty is stiff and doesn't look at him.

Rick leans over and whispers something. Whatever it is he is saying, Beth can't tell. His voice has turned hushed and soft. She can see Morty shaking with emotion and anger. But then, slowly and inevitably, he starts to crumble. He lets Rick pull him onto his lap to hug him close.

(When was the last time her father comforted her like that?)

Eventually, all of the tension bleeds out of Morty. He tentatively takes his goggles off and says something soft back.

Beth pays her tab and gets up to leave. She didn't want to stick around any longer than she had to.

-

Encounter #6 (Diane)

-

To say she's surprised to get the ping would be an understatement. After helping The Flesh Curtains rescue their Morty, Beth had given Rick the Defiance's comm sequence out of courtesy. She'd never actually expected a call. But in hindsight, he was the only version of a Rick that she could possibly fathom actually asking for help.

The message was short and brief. A "friend" of his had gotten picked up by the New Federation and he needed help getting him out since he couldn't portal his way in to get him. The friend, Stanford, had been working on his own portal technology. Rick had been adamant in his explanation that it was far inferior to his own. Whatever. Beth didn't care, but the technology couldn't be allowed to fall into the wrong hands whether it was inferior or not.

Just like last time it was her, Sqaunchette, and Qell. Their newest member, Birdperson, insisted on coming along as well. He'd joined the team after her father had saved his life and deprogrammed him from his Phoenix Person persona. He was a good person, and an even better bird. Beth has no idea how he and her father were ever friends.

Rick has them all meet at some shack in the middle of the woods in a town called Gravity Falls. If Beth had been surprised to be messaged out of the blue by the young Rick (she really needs a better name for him) she'd been absolutely stunned by the face of her mother.

Diane was an absolute vision. She was beautiful, young, and so untouched by the hardships that life had yet to throw at her. Beth hadn't felt so overcome in years. After momentarily freezing, she'd shaken off her shock and mentally gathered herself. Now was not the time. This was a rescue mission not a family reunion.

Aside from Rick, Morty, and Diane, there were two more people joining them on the mission. One of them introduced himself as Stanley, the brother of the one who'd been kidnapped. The other one was tall and spindly like a twig. He said his name was Fiddleford and that he'd been the one to help build the portal with Ford. He was extremely polite if not obviously worried about his missing friend. He'd even offered them all some lemonade he'd just made. Beth ended up drinking three glasses, wondering how the hell it tasted so good and what the recipe was.

After the briefing and coming up with a plan to rescue Stanford, Beth tries to approach Diane as casually as humanly possible.

"So, how long have you been traveling with Rick?"

"Not long. A couple months."

“Cool. Neat-O.”

Beth winces. Neat-O??? She clears her throat and looks away. She feels like a bumbling teenage buffoon striking out at a high school party. This was stupid. She shouldn't feels so nervous.

She'd blamed her mother after Rick left. Beth had been an absolute terror to her, hurling insults and hatred and blaming her for everything. She had needed to believe it was her mother's fault. Because if her mother wasn't the thing that had driven her father away, then it was Beth. And she couldn't–she swallows thickly–she couldn't stand the idea.

Not a day passes that Beth wishes she could go back and apologize.

“How did you fall in with this crowd, anyway?”

“Well, long story short I was driving back up to Seattle from California and my car broke down outside of town. Luckily Fiddleford saw me and offered to give me a ride. After getting the car towed, the mechanic said he had to ship the part in and that it'd be two days. I was going to get a room but Fiddleford offered to let me stay in the shack.

“Normally I'd never agree to something like that. One woman in a house with three men? Yeah, no thanks. But I dunno, after meeting them all, they didn't really give me any weird vibes so I took him up on it.”

Diane smiles fondly, lost in memories. Beth's heart ached. When was the last time she'd seen her mother smile?

“The second day I was here, I woke up to a crashing sound and the whole house shaking. Naturally, I went downstairs to investigate and there was a giant hole in the wall with a literal spaceship!” She chuckles to herself as if this was endearing. “Fiddleford was as mad as I'd ever seen him! He was fuming about all the damage. Rick and Morty stumbled out then, but to be honest I was too enamored with the spaceship to notice them at first.”

Beth nods. It's always magical the first time you see one. The first time she got inside Rick's ship and he took her to the stars, it'd been the most amazing thing she'd ever seen or experienced.

“Anyway, by the time I tuned back into the conversation, Rick had said something scathing. Like completely uncalled for. I couldn't stand the look of hurt on Fiddleford’s face so I slapped him and called him an assole.”

Beth laughs. “Really?”

Diane nods. “Oh yes! I'd never met anyone as pompous and crass as him.”

That sounded about right.

Diane twirls a strand of hair around her finger. “But then I got to know him more, as well as Morty of course, and that they were interdimensional travelers. And when the mechanic called to say my car was fixed I didn't want to go back just yet. So I ended up staying another day. And then another. And then when Rick offered to take me with him I felt like I had to say yes. Who else gets that kind of chance? Sure I had a job and a life to get back to, but it's kind of hard to resist the allure of the cosmos you know?”

Beth nods. She herself had taken to space the first chance she got.

Diane glances over at Rick. He was currently fascinated at the sight of Birdperson talking to his younger self. Apparently BP was departing some aged wisdom to his counterpart and warning him against any girls named Tammy.

There is a soft smile on Diane's face, the one her mother had reserved only for her father. Beth can see their epic love story unfold before her in a tale as old as time. Rick loved assertive women. As much as he liked dragging Morty around as his submissive little sidekick, it was the ones who talked back that he truly had a weakness for.

"So, you and Rick, huh?" It seemed it was always inevitable.

But Diane surprises her with a look of surprise “What? No! Who told you that?” She quickly looks around as if embarrassed.

“I…no one did you just–sorry you just had a look on your face is all.”

Diane blushes. “Is it that obvious?” She sighs.

“I mean, not that obvious. I just have a knack for these things.”

Diane smiles, it's soft but sad. “It's not going to happen anyway. He's got his eye on someone else."

Beth wants to take her shoulders and shake her. Of course Rick was in love with her! He always was! For some reason he always ended up with her! Even if he ended up abandoning her, he was always drawn to her across dimensions.

“To be honest, it actually felt like I was stepping on some toes when I accepted his offer to travel with them. Not everyone was on board with it and I knew that. But I guess I'm selfish that way.”

Beth doesn't pry any further. She'll let the pieces fall where they may. Clearly they were meant for each other. If it were any other version of her father, she would be telling Diane to head for the hills. But if any version of Rick deserved to be happy, she supposed it was this one. Who knows? Perhaps they actually stood a chance this time.

-

The mission goes off with a few mishaps, but all in all everyone makes it out in one piece. Granted, it was a lot easier to infiltrate the Federation when one of their members used to be an agent. Sure, he'd been brainwashed at the time, but Birdperson had retained all of the memories of his time there. More importantly, he still knew the layout and all the old codes which apparently worked across dimensions, go figure.

In celebration of a successful mission, Fiddleford invites everyone back to Gravity Falls for some homemade lemon squares. Everyone is quite eager to try them. If his lemonade was anything to go by, then his lemon squares were probably to die for.

After meeting the Pine brothers properly, she's not sure what to make of Stanley and Stanford. It was as if she were looking at Rick split right down the middle. One half, all science and intelligence. The other, a too wide grin and a pair of brass knuckles ready to punch his way out of any situation. It was no wonder Rick was friends with them.

Fiddleford helpfully informs her that they'd met in college which has her head absolutely spinning. Rick? College? Sure, when the heat death of the universe happens.

Beth stands outside, leaning against the porch railing as she finishes off another lemon square. It was a quaint little town. It reminded her of Washington. She missed the evergreen trees there. There were many different trees of all shapes and sizes and colors in space, but none were quite like home. It was no wonder that after decades of exploring the cosmos and its infinite wonders, her father had decided to come back and live with his family in his old age.

After eating, Ford cheerfully gives everyone a tour of the bunker. He proudly shows off his machine and talks about changing humankind for the better. Beth tries to be polite but she honestly isn't that impressed. Rick has put a sour taste in her mouth for science in general.

She slips away from the group to go back upstairs. As she comes into the living room she spots Morty sitting on the couch. His back is pressed against Rick's chest as they play video games. Rick's arms are wrapped around him like they're plastered together. Diane sits at the other end of the couch cheering them on.

“Hello,”

Beth jumps. “Birdperson! You startled me!”

It was the younger one. He blinks at her in contemplation. “Apologizes, I did not mean to.”

Beth nods in acceptance and looks back at Rick and Morty. Something is beginning to take root in her mind. Something worrying and laughable at the same time. It felt like she had all the necessary puzzle pieces, but she'd been avoiding putting them together.

“I had a question for you, Beth Smith.”

“Ask away.”

“You have seen many other Ricks from other dimensions, yes?”

“Yes.” Too many if you ask her. Even one was enough.

“I am curious as to how many of them are in love with Morty.”

Beth turns sharply to look at him. Birdperson continues talking as if he hasn't irrevocably shattered something inside her.

“According to him, you yourself seem to always marry Jerry Smith. Logically, if people tend to gravitate towards each other across dimensions, perhaps I am destined to fall for this ‘Tammy’ regardless of any previous knowledge.”

Beth is stuck between laughing and having a breakdown.

“Rick isn’t in love with Morty.” The sentence feels so weird coming out of her mouth she feels borderline hysterical.

Birdperson frowns, looking confused. He gestures over to the pair. “But they are together?”

Bridperson is a very literal person. She knows he just means that they are sitting quite close. They are sitting together on the couch. Not that they're dating.

"No that's…that's how they always are. They've always been close but they're not–”

She pauses. Rick and Morty were always close–whether fighting or laughing or watching TV. But this Rick wasn't his grandfather in this universe. He was young. He'd never had a daughter and never became a grandparent. But–Beth exhales shakily–but he knew who Beth was. He knew Morty was his grandson in another dimension.

He…

He wouldn't…

Beth backs away from the conversation. She can't do this right now.

Remaining calm, she does not desperately run through the house. She finds Stanley and very rationally asks (not demands) where he keeps the liquor. Stanley shows her and she takes the whole bottle. When he tries to protest she gives him a very normal look. Not a death glare at all. And neither does he hold his hands up and back away slowly.

For the rest of the evening Beth watches them far more closely. She can't just ask outright. She can't. She can't even form the words. So she decides to just follow the pair around and listen in on their conversations. Which is also a very mature and totally not insane thing to do.

She's never really thought about it. Not until now, anway, of why Ricks travel with Mortys. They always have one. Every single one of them. But why? Why Morty? He wasn't the most competent person, nor the smartest, but it was a universal truth that a Rick had a Morty.

At some point, when Rick has lost and handed the game controller over to Diane, the elder Birdperson engages him in conversation. BP reminisces about their time together and how they fought the Galactic Federation in many a battle. The battle of Blood Ridge was apparently their “Vietnam” or something.

Rick is grinning the whole time. It's odd seeing him so full of–well, full of youth. His eyes are almost hopeful and it makes her feel weird to look at. Like this is something she is not supposed to see.

“Wait, so he literally just left? Just like that?” Rick's grin has faltered.

Birdperson nods. “In hindsight, perhaps I should have let him down more easy. But it was very sudden and the adrenaline of the fight had not yet worn off.”

"Jesus, like–I mean I get it, getting rejected sucks, but to just abandon you like that? Why are you even friends with him?”

“Rick is a very complicated person. I never held it against him.”

Rick angrily waves his hands around. “Everytime someone tells me a story about my older self from another timeline it's just about him being a dick! I don't understand why all these old geezers grow up so jaded and mean! Like damn, I'm not that bad am I?"

Morty, who has been listening beside him, scratches his cheek. "W-well they've lost a lot more than you have. They went through–they all had some really tough heartache."

Rick still looks confused. "Yeah, but they still have you don't they?"

Morty blushes.

Beth takes a long drink of her bottle, trying not to analyze the red tint in Morty's cheeks. That didn't prove anything. People blush all the time for no reason.

She watches them all play Mario Kart for thirty more minutes, observing the way Morty seems to act weird around Diane. His smiles seem more strained around her and he doesn't cheer her on when it's her turn to play. He'd tensed when Diane had passed the controller back to Rick and their fingers brushed.

Beth, in her increasingly drunken state, decides to finally just ask him.

She corners Morty in the hallway when he comes back out of the bathroom.

“What do you think of Diane?”

“W-what?? She's awesome!” Morty's eyes dart around nervously. “Sh-she-she's so cool and pretty and nice! Obviously I like her! Who doesn't?? Rick certainly likes her! Hahaha!”

Rick liked her? Ah-ha! She knew it! Birdperson really was just using literal terminology earlier! She's been worrying over nothing!

“He does? Is he going to ask her out?” Beth presses. She mentally high fives herself in her head. Her drunken self was a genius at this stuff. Maybe she could get a matchmaker gig after the whole Defiance thing.

Morty's expression crumples like he's being physically crushed. “He uh…h-he…I gotta go!”

Morty flees.

-

Beth wanders through the house, wondering if she should go let Rick know that Diane liked him back. It felt very middle school, the whole he said she said thing, but sometimes the old ways are the best ways.

She finds him outside around the back of the house. She's about to step out and announce herself but then realizes he was talking to Morty. Beth stops. Morty looked distressed, like a cornered animal. Rick waves his hands around in an animated manner.

“Seriously why are–what the fuck did I do?! You're always acting like I'm gonna drop you at a seconds notice! Not gonna lie it kinda pisses me off here, Morty!”

"You don't get it! She's–!" Morty bites his lip, face stricken.

“She? She who?”

But Morty won't say anything else. Beth can see the moment it clicks in Rick's expression.

“You mean Diane? That's what this is all about?”

Morty looks around as if he's searching for an escape route.

“I thought you liked her?”

“I do! I just…” Morty trails off again, licking his lips. “I know her…from my other dimension…”

Rick frowns. He stares at Morty, putting together the equation in his head. There's only so many people that she could be.

Morty drops his gaze, defeated. "She's your wife," he says quietly.

Rick falls silent. His shoulders have tensed. It's like the very forest has hushed. Like the critters and creatures have paused to listen in on this secret conversation.

Rick rubs the back of his neck. “Oh.”

Beth hums, thumbing the half empty bottle in her hand. This was it. This is when Rick realized he and Diane were meant for each other.

“No she's not.”

Both Beth and Morty still.

Rick continues. “She's just a girl. And yeah she's cool, that why I wanted her to be a part of the gang. But I already found the person want to be with the rest of my life.”

Beth can't breathe.

Morty's eyes grow wet. He trembles like a leaf. “I feel like I've ruined your life,” he confesses softly. “I'm not–she's supposed to be yours and I'm just selfishly hanging on to what isn't mine!”

"Hey," Rick takes his cheeks and holds him tight. "If I wanted to be with her I'd be with her. I want you. A hundred years, you and me, remember?"

She'd heard it before. Rick and Morty, forever and ever and a hundred years. But it feels different this time. This Rick looks at his Morty and the phrase Beth has heard a thousand times over suddenly feels like a lover's promise.

People don't exist for other people. Life is an accident. Nobody belongs anywhere. But a Rick always has a Morty. Always. And if he doesn't, he steals one or clones one or crosses the universe to find one.

If soulmates were real, this is what they'd look like.

The cord inside her snaps and the bottle slips from her hand. She looks at Morty. Naive, forgiving Morty, who shaped himself to fit the bottomless hole inside of Rick. Pliant and easy to manipulate, who would let Rick take and take and take.

Beth clenches her fist until she can feel the blood around her nails. She needed to get the fuck back home.