authorsnotes: How about a wee bit more? yes? yes.


"Well how about we start with your name? Mines Beth by the way." The newly identified Beth says pausing her typing to study him again. He pauses his fidgeting and looks up making eye contact for just a moment before looking away. "M-my names…. Morty S-s-smith." Her typing starts up again at that and he suddenly realizes she must be looking him up and startled he stands up to protest. "Y-You can't look m-me up I-I-I-I" she cuts him off with a wave of her hand. "Too late kiddo the files are being sent to the printer now. Don't worry whatever's in there will stay between us. I know the past of every entertainer I hire think of it as part of the interview process." She says with a wink before crossing the room to where a very loud printer is printing out his story.

Three pages that's almost sad and as Beth skims the information she realizes just how sad it was. She walks back over to where he's standing. Mother died when he was 3, sister left when he was 5 and filed for custody of him 27 times but they were all denied. Apparently his father, Jerry Smith, was the head of some kind of rouge ad agency making enough to pay off CPS and somehow keep custody of the kid despite all of the charges put up against him. Abuse. The word sends a shiver down her spine and it only gets worse when she finds that the other two pages are just his medical history. He's twelve and the list of injuries this kid has suffered through is sickening. When she finally tears her eyes away from the paper she looks up straight into the boys' eyes. She tosses the papers onto her desk and drops to one knee in front of him. "Morty. I won't make you go back. I promise."

He can feel his eyes fill with tears and for the first time in a very long time he feels hope. Lunging forward he catches Beth off guard with a hug and she nearly falls back but she's able to right herself and return the hug tightly. She eventually pulls away and sniffs wiping at her face and straightening up. He shyly steps away and looks down at the ground again unsure of where to go from here. Beth seems to be equally unsure as she flops down onto the couch with a sigh. "Ricks going to be pissed" she huffs under her breath while watching Morty struggle to get back on the huge couch next to her. "What?" he asks cheerfully. "Nothing…." She looks away.

"So, Mortimer have you ever been to a circus?" He's looking at his hands again almost guilty now. "N-no…. I uh…." Beth feels a pang of sympathy this kids never even had the chance to be a kid. His father probably never even let him leave the house. Well she's going to fix that. "That's fine. That's fine. We can figure this out. Do you have anything you like to do? Talents? Hobbies?" he seems to only sink further in his seat at this. "I don't know…" she stands up at this with a thoughtful look on her face. "Well… while you try to figure it all out how about I set you up with a mentor of some kind… someone to look after you while I'm busy?" he perks up at this. Maybe he can make another friend like Beth he would love to have more friends he's always just had his father in his life. He stands up with her and jumps up and down in excitement. He's suddenly deflated again. "But what if I don't have a talent good enough for the show?"

She excitedly dashes across the room and ushers him over by waving her arms like crazy. Straightening up so she's standing at her full height, which isn't very impressive but since Morty is shorter than her it still has the desired effect, her face breaks out into a crooked grin. "That's the beautiful thing about a circus, my young friend." She says crossing her arms behind her back and leaning in like she's telling him a secret. "Any talent, no matter how wonderful or mundane, we can use it to entertain." She quickly reaches behind her and pulls open a door he hadn't noticed before. He gasps. It opens directly into the main arena on the ship. It's huge and full of entertainers practicing. Three gigantic rings interloped on the floor mark the area where the show happens and he can see the bleachers lining the walls sitting a good 10 feet above and going along the oval shape of the room. Beth's office is right under the bleachers with her own entrance to the arena that they are now walking out of. He's so amazed by the activity he doesn't notice Beth's practically vibrating with excitement next to him watching every reaction. She absolutely loves showing off to the new recruits. "So..." she begins before she's cut off by a shadow falling over them.

"You didn't use that stupid line again did you? You and your rhyming." He recognizes the rough voice from before. Looking up he sees the angry man who found him in the cargo hold only this time he's dresses as ring master. His long elegant coat is a dark red with careful gold embroidery lining the collar. The white dress shirt and black vest immaculately crease free. His seemingly untamable hair from before is arranged perfectly with a swoop at top that's possibly the most handsome thing Morty has ever seen. Even his bowtie is perfectly tied it's hard to believe this is the same angry drunk from just a few hours ago. "I fucking love that line! Why you gotta be a dick Rick?!" Beth shouts ending with a snort at yet another rhyme. Rick? Crosses his arms and sighs. "Just the worst." Morty decides to get over his fear and stick up for his new friend. "I-I thought It w-was good." He says not sounding as brave as he wanted to. The very intimidating man narrows his eyes as Beth laughs and throws her arm around the young man's shoulders. "My man! See Rick at least this kid appreciates my genius." She makes eye contact with Morty, mischief flashing in her Hazel eyes. "Don't let him get to you Mortimer; I like to think Rick here is secretly a big teddy bear under that rough exterior."

Ignoring Ricks growl she removes her arm from Morty pausing to awkwardly pat his shoulder with a thoughtful look on her face. "Can I talk to you for a second Rick? In my office." Her tone making the question sound more like an order. He doesn't respond just roughly pushes past Morty, ignoring Beths swat at him in response to his manhandling and strides into the spacious room. Beth turns to Morty with an apologetic look "wait here for a moment Morto we won't be long." She flashes him a crooked grin and with a wink she disappears into the room.

Morty shortly found a box near the door to Beths office to sit on and watch some acrobats practice up in the rafters. Wondering where Beth's going to put him and with who. He's afraid he may end up being a clown.


Authorsnots: oh yeahhhhhhh