Awkward. That was the word Rick would use to describe this whole situation. He had only dropped in for a quick visit with Beth like he did every once in a while. A quick hello, wipe away Beth's tears, fuck with Jerry, ignore Beth's requests for him to stay and boom, gone. So how had he gotten stuck babysitting?
Beth's sparkling puppy-dog eyes, that's how. She'd been pulling it ever since she was a kid. A horse needed emergency surgery and Jerry was off doing whatever the hell he does, and wasn't it just so lucky that Rick had shown up when he did? Now he would get to spend the afternoon bonding with his grandchildren!
"Yep, lucky me," Rick said, reaching for his flask and taking a swig. He ambled into the living room where he found Morty sitting on the couch, eyes glued to the t.v. Damn, he'd grown a lot since the last time he saw him. When was that again? Three years ago? Four? He had definitely been a toddler last time Rick was here.
"H-hey, kid," Rick said.
Morty turned to look at him with big brown eyes. "Hi Grampa," he said.
Rick raised his eyebrow. "You remember me?"
Morty shook his head. "Just from the pictures Mommy shows us," he said.
"Huh." Awkward silence. "I-i'm gonna go…check on your sister."
"Ok," Morty said, turning back to the t.v.
What a quiet kid. Maybe this would be easier than he thought. Rick took another swig from his flask and wandered upstairs to Summer's room. How old would she be now? Nine? Crazy. Rick knocked on the door with a "no boys allowed" sign on it, and a second later it was opened by a Summer much older than the one he remembered, dressed all in pink and holding a Barbie.
"Grampa Rick?" Summer said in blatant confusion.
"That's me."
"Where's Mom?" Summer asked, looking up and down the hallway.
"Work. L-looks like I'm in cha-EUUGHH-rge today, huh?"
Summer narrowed her eyes at Rick. "Whatever. Please go away, we need to get ready for the ball. It's starting soon," she waved the half-dressed Barbie in his face, then slammed the door.
Jeez, what happened to her being a clingy human shadow? Whatever, at least she hadn't asked him to play with her. He took another swig from flask and went back downstairs. Maybe he could find something good on t.v. that Beth wouldn't kill him for letting Morty watch. He heard a thumping sound and giggling coming from the living room. Rick frowned. What the hell was the kid doing?
"Morty, what—?" Rick stopped short. All the cushions from the couch and chair were scattered on the floor, and Morty was hopping from one to the next, laughing gleefully.
"W-what're you doing, buddy?" Rick asked, walking towards him.
"Grampa no!" Morty said, holding up his palms and staring at him with wide eyes. He said it with such urgency that Rick actually froze. "The floor is hot lava! You can't walk on it or you'll burn up and die!"
Rick almost laughed at how serious Morty looked. "Oh yeah?" He said, arching his eyebrow. "Well THESE," he pointed to his shoes, "are s-super powerful lava-proof shoes. W-with these babies, I can walk through even the hottest la-EUUGHH-va."
Morty crosses his arms and eyed Rick's shoes skeptically. "They look like regular-old shoes to me," he said.
"Th-that's because I designed them that way," Ricks said, rolling his eyes. "I-if they looked like super-powerful lava-proof shoes, e-e-everyone would be trying to steal them."
Morty grinned. "I-i think you're just scared 'cos you can't jump on the rocks as good as me."
It was only a kid and a stupid game, but Rick never could resist a challenge. "O-oh you just wait, Morty," He said with a grin. "I'll show you how it's done!"
Rick kicked off his shoes as he surveyed the living room, and jumped onto the nearest cushion. He easily navigated the maze of cushions until he was standing right next to Morty.
"Beat that!" Rick said.
Morty, his face scrunched up in concentration, began making his way to the other side of the room. Rick noticed he took a more complicated route, choosing challenge over ease. When Morty reached his goal, he turned around and beamed at Rick. Rick didn't know a six-year-old was capable of looking so proud. He couldn't help but laugh.
"Good one, kid."
Maybe he was wrong; maybe bonding with Morty wouldn't be so bad.
They made an elaborate game of it. Each would take it in turns to lay out the cushions in as difficult a pattern as possible, and the other would have to navigate it to the "safe spot." If any part of their body touched the "lava," they couldn't use it anymore. Rick had the advantage of genius and strategy, quickly figuring out the optimum route and impossible patterns. But Morty had unbridled imagination and—Rick had to admit it—skill. The kid came up with the most creative solutions to ever snag Rick tried the throw in his path. Even with an arm and leg burned off by the lava, Morty was still able to make it all the way from the bookshelf to the t.v.
"Hey, you're pretty good at this, M-Morty," Rick said, sitting on the couch.
Morty smiled and jumped up beside him. "Thanks, Grampa," he said. "I-I practice a lot, 'cos this is my favorite game."
"Yeah?" Rick said.
Morty nodded. "A-aren't volcanoes so cool?"
In Rick's mind a volcano was a volcano. Compared to the things he'd seen in other dimensions a volcano was about as cool as a washing machine. But the wonder in Morty's eyes stirred something deep within him that he hadn't felt in a long time; the fierce drive for adventure. That was what had led him to step through that first portal, and the reason he hadn't come back. As he looked down at his grandson, who was smarter and more intuitive than he ever expected (considering Jerry was his father), an idea began to form in his head. It was a crazy idea, maybe even be dangerous. Beth would never approve. On the other hand, it wasn't like she had to know...
"How would you like to see a real volcano?" Rick asked.
Morty stared at him with wide eyes. "Really?" He asked.
Rick winked. "You betcha."
Morty squealed in delight and clapped his hands.
"BUT, you gotta promise not to tell your mom," Rick said, waving his finger at Morty.
"Okay, I promise," Morty said seriously.
Rick stood and pulled out his portal gun, firing a portal onto the living room wall. Morty stared at the glowing green swirl in fascination. Rick winked at Morty and stepped through the portal. A few seconds later Morty stumbled through.
As the kid looked around his jaw dropped and he whispered, "wow."
Rick had taken them to a faraway planet where lava ran like water over the land. The plants sucked magma through their roots, and the animals walked through it without harm. They had emerged in a cluster of volcanic trees whose trunks glowed as the magma moved through them. Off to the right a river of lava flowed at a sluggish pace. A pitch-black deer-like creature with eyes like burning coals stood by the banks, nibbling the flame-like leaves of a fireberry bush. The ground was solid igneous rock.
"Come on, Morty," Rick said. "The volcano is this way."
Morty nodded, still staring in wonder at the alien world. He stuck close to Rick's side as they followed the lava-river upstream, clinging to his lab coat. After a few minutes the trees ended and they could see the volcano. It was straight out of a child's fantasy; tall and round and craggy, with lava constantly flowing out of its caldera. It ran in zig-zags down the volcano's side, forming lakes from which rivers flowed. Flocks of fire birds flew overhead, and huge clouds of ash billowed in the sky.
"Oh my gosh, th-this is the coolest thing I-i've ever seen in my life!" Morty said, beaming around at the fantastical landscape.
"It sure is, kid," Rick said. For a moment he stood there watching Morty explore, reveling in the renewed spark of adventure he felt. I could get used to this.
A rumbling like distant thunder echoed across the volcanic valley, and the ground shook slightly. Rick frowned. This entire planet is volcanic, seismic activity is as common as rain here. But Rick felt in his gut that something was off. Morty had wandered off towards the volcano, still gazing around in awe, a big smile on his face. Though this planet was benign—if unpredictable—the sight of Morty's naive fascination made him feel a twinge of something he thought he'd killed long ago with alcohol and cynicism; fear…for someone else.
"H-hey Morty, I—"
BOOM!
The volcano erupted, spewing molten rock and ash. The south side of the caldera—the one closest to Rick and Morty—crumbled, chunks of rock the size of cars crashing down the sides of the volcano. The ground beneath them shook so hard that they couldn't stand. Morty shrieked as he fell, and Rick's new-found fear spiked. Damn kid! I can't think straight if I have to worry about someone else!
"Hold on Morty! I-i'm coming to get ya!"
Rick crawled over the still-shaking ground towards Morty, who was crying and clinging onto the uneven rock for dear life.
CRACK!
The ground between Rick and Morty split, and with a jolt the two began to drift apart.
"Grampa!" Morty cried, reaching out for Rick with panic in his eyes.
In seconds Rick was separated from Morty by a flood of lava, which shoved them even farther apart. Rick watched in horror as the ground around Morty broke apart like ice in the spring, becoming a pattern of small rock islands in a sea of lava. And Morty was stranded in the middle of it. The ground stopped shaking and Rick was able to stand, but the pyroclastic flow continued to rush towards them. Dammit, how could things have gone this badly? Rick stared around the now hostile landscape, at the pieces of rock that floated like stepping stones in the pool of lava…
"Wait!" Rick said. The rocks! It was just like their game! Rick walked to the very edge of the solid ground where the nearest rock floated. He reached out a foot and nudged it closer, then leaned forward, testing it. The rock immediately began to sink and tip under his weight. Shit, it won't hold me!
Rick looked over at Morty, and for the first time registered the sounds the kid was making; he was gasping between sobs and crying "help me," over and over again in a high-pitched, hysterical voice. Jeez.
"Morty," Rick called.
"Helpmehelpmehelpme—" a gasp and a sob— "helpmehelpme I'mgonnadieI'mgonnadie…"
"Morty, j-just calm down, Morty."
"I'mgonnadieI'mgonnadie grampa helpmehelpme please…"
"Morty j-just listen to me, y-y-you gotta calm down Morty, please!"
Sobs and gasps aproaching hyperventilation.
"Listen to me, Morty—"
"I'mgonnadiei'mgonnadie—"
"Morty just calm down—"
"grampahelpmePLEASE!"
"God dammit, Morty! Will you PLEASE just shut the fuck up?!"
Rick hadn't meant to be so harsh, but jeez the kid was losing his shit! Was he always like this when he got upset? It worked, however; Morty was now silent, staring at Rick with his wide, terrified eyes.
"Just listen to me M-morty," Rick said, holding up his hands as though dealing with a spookable animal. "Grampa's gonna get-get you out of here. Y-you just gotta trust me, you gotta trust me, Morty!"
Morty nodded. "Okay," he croaked.
"I-it's just like our game. Just like 'the floor is lava,' right? Y-you're good at that game! It's your f-favorite, i-isn't it? I-i-it's just like 'the floor is lava.'"
Morty nodded again.
"Grampa's too heavy to walk across the rocks, so you're gonna have to come to me."
Morty's face crumpled again, and fresh tears fell down his cheeks. "But I'm scared," he whined.
"I know. Th-the universe is a c-crazy and chaotic place, M-morty. Y-you're gonna have to get used to that. But right now, j-just play the game. You're good at it, b-better than me, yeah?"
Morty took in a deep, shaky breath and let it out in a huff. His face—though tearstained—was set, scrunched up in concentration. He slowly got to his feet and gazed around the pattern of floating rocks. He settled on one and took his first leap. He landed, wobbling only a little before gaining his balance. He jumped to the next one, and the next. These small successes seemed to calm Morty, and he began making his way across the lava more quickly. Rick watched without blinking, his heart beating faster than it had any right to. When was the last time he'd felt this afraid? His hand twitched towards his flask, but he tried to resist; that was for after the mortal peril.
On Mory's next leap his foot slipped and he fell with a shriek, landing inches from the edge of the rock. Rick snatched up his flask and gulped, desperate to drown out the sick feeling of having his heart in his throat. This emotion was not allowed.
"Grampa!" Morty called, crying again.
"Y-you're okay, Mo-EUUGH-rty," Rick said. "Get up and k-keep going."
Morty nodded and got shakily to his feet. He was more than halfway across now. But the pyroclastic flow was now close enough that they could hear it roaring towards them. Morty's breathing came in gasps again as he jumped from rock to rock. The second Morty landed on the rock in front of Rick the latter snatched the kid up into his arms, fired his portal gun and leaped through it back into the safety of the living room. Rick collapsed onto the still-cushionless sofa, still holding Morty tightly. Morty was clinging to his lab coat for dear life, shaking and gasping.
Rick felt miserable; he'd ruined his chances of having Morty as a travel companion when he was older, he was certain. But almost worse than that was the fear Morty seemed to have sparked within Rick. Even now that they were safe his arms stayed stuck around the kid that clung to him. How stupid. It made him angry, angry enough to rage and scream at Morty but he couldn't because the kid was too young to take it, too young to understand. He couldn't even reach his flask with the kid clinging to him like he was. All Rick could do was sit there and feel. What a sickening, inconvenient thing it was...to feel.
Rick was so wrapped up in himself that he didn't notice that Morty's breathing had slowed back to normal and he'd stopped shaking until the kid let go of him and sat up. Rick glanced at him and was met with wide, shining eyes.
"Grampa, do all your adventures end like that?" He asked.
"N-no," Rick said. He didn't think so, anyway.
Morty looked down and away, twiddling his fingers like he didn't know what to do with them. "C-could we, um…c-could we go on another adventure sometime?"
Rick blinked. What? "S-seriously?" Rick asked. "Y-you wanna go on another adventure after…after w-what just happened?"
Morty nodded shyly. "I-it was really fun at first. A-a-and I liked playing my game with you."
For a moment Rick didn't know how to respond, but then he felt his lips twitch up into a smile. "Sure Morty, yeah."
Morty smiled up at him. "Thank's Grampa."
Rick ruffled the kid's brown hair. "Whataya say we put the living room back together before your mom comes home?"
"Okay," Morty said, and hopped right to it.
So Rick hadn't ruined everything; he would get to go on more adventures with his grandson, who might actually prove to be a worthy companion. But he vividly remembered how Morty had fallen apart when things got bad. He'd have to fix that. And then there was Rick's new-found fear—the fear of Morty getting hurt. Something would have to be done to quash that feeling before their adventures could start. Because as surely as there were infinite timelines, Rick couldn't tolerate being afraid. Especially not for a Morty.