Rick of Sunshine
I've noticed that I already had Summer as eighteen years old in previous chapters, so I went back and changed a few things. Only because I wanted it to be very significant when she turned eighteen.
Even so, time was frozen for six entire months and the only people it moved for was Rick, Summer, and Morty. While Summer may think she's older, others may think nothing has changed. So here we go.
I realized that most chapters go into depth with how much Rick needs Summer. But how much does Summer need Rick? And how alike are they?
No longer was the door open; no bright light came from the hallway. No handle, no way out. Four concrete walls, a linoleum floor, a toilet with no paper and a bare mattress.
The 'seclusion room' was a prison cell by another name. There was nothing to hold her mind or attention. Outside the room could be anything, anyone. There was nothing even to mark time. Would someone come in five minutes or five hours later? Would she know the difference?
Although she was not tied down, she still felt that trapped was trapped.
Soft brown eyes she'd always wanted to trust peeped through the only window, a mean rectangle of glass in the flat iron door.
She pat her knee and turned away, trying to find something else. "Please let me out." she begged, trying to reason with someone, anyone.
The anxiety that was being kept at bay began to win. Her voice got higher, but she wasn't just terrified, she was angry too. They wouldn't let her out.
She swallowed the rising bile and sat on the mattress, feeling the cold floor right through it. No noise. No movement. Time to meditate. Time to bury her screams in her bones, shut her eyes, empty her head.
Before she could block out thoughts of being shot, a gruff voice interrupted. The voice took more than three bottles of alcohol a day, but it still soothed her. It constantly berated her and the family, but it still got her to calm down.
Rick Sanchez had somehow come into her tiny tilting world and hoisted it upright. And all he seemed to use was his voice to save her.
"You stole it, huh?" He knew she wouldn't answer and he was ready for some cries when her head turned sharply in his direction.
Summer regarded him for a while, assessing his question, he supposed. Eventually, a small glint overtook her eyes, as if she knew she stole it.
AMAS
"Geez. You know. I wish you two would-eurp- would shut up and get a divorce already."
The stammered voice was coarse like fragmented rock in hessian sack, moving and grinding against each other.
The Smith family looked up in unison. Somehow, the voice complimented his ruddy complexion and raised veins.
The old man wiped blue hair from eyes as dark as the night sky and fixed them in a serious gaze.
Summer had seen him before. And, despite never seeing him in person, Summer felt that they'd met before.
AMAS
"For the first time in all my life, I'm saying I don't know. Because I don't, kid. Your parents love one another, which is stupid, but they aren't happy together. Besides, it really won't matter if they get one or not, will it?"
"If they're happy, I guess not." She murmured.
"Nah. It won't matter because it's Rick and Summer for one hundred years, right?"
AMAS
"I'm not perfect. I know people say I'm smart and mom says I'm pretty, but sometimes I don't feel like it. I'm not perfect. But that's okay because you aren't either. Right, grandpa?"
Rick, despite his mood, laughed. "Hell no. I don't think that's real. I'm not perfect, but I'd follow you into hell if that's what it took to keep you safe."
She hummed and snuggled closer. As her consciousness ebbed, her mind went into free fall, swirling with the beautiful chaos of a new dream.
AMAS
"It's the least I could do since I...you know."
He watched her bottom lip tremble.
Wordlessly, Rick held his arms open in invitation, and like wind, Summer flung herself into his embrace with a strangled sob. She buried her face into the crook of Rick's neck and they stood there like that for a while; Summer wracked with the force of unvoiced cries and Rick holding her, heart aching for his baby girl.
"I'm sorry for not listening, Grandpa Rick." She sobbed.
AMAS
Rick took one step forward. "Summer?"
And by the sheer sound, the girl took off running toward him. And when she was close enough, she jumped, like a child would leap during its first walk.
Grandpa Rick's voice rumbled like a storm deep inside of him. It was low and soft but powerful enough to send chills through a body. It was a storm, but a good one. And now, within this simulation that would eliminate her trauma, he encouraged her to be brave.
"Summer." He muttered.
She said nothing, not wanting to open her eyes and see the terror.
"Summer." He pushed angrily. "I'm losing patience here. She's not stronger than you."
"I know." The ginger whispered.
"Then act like it. Get up. Take a nine count if you must, but be ready to stand, and dust off your gloves. You're going to win this fight."
Summer nodded, sweat dripping from her forehead onto her nose. "Okay." Her own hoarse reply nearly frightened her, but her eyes still opened.
There across from her was Tammy, fake friend turned federation soldier. She smiled menacingly at Summer, waiting for the Smith to fold.
Tammy pulled out her gun. Instead of taking a sharp gasp of air like before, Summer growled, lifting her foot and kicking the simulation as hard as she could.
Somehow, it was enough for the entire horror room to disappear. She ended up sitting on a chair in the garage, her grandpa hovering just invade he needed to pull her out.
"Holy shit, Summer. You- eurp- did it. H-holy crap, I'm proud of you, Sum."
She smiled widely. "Me too."
With a soft grimace, he rubbed her head. "Don't be arrogant yet, you little shit." Making her laugh.
Rick checked the time. "Right in time for breakfast too. Come on then."
The Smith family were already seated about the dining table in their usual seats. Beth was serving breakfast while Morty and Jerry waited with small patience.
Sitting down, Summer looked to everyone. "Morning."
Morty smiled wide. "Good morning, Summer. Aww geez, are you excited- you ready for your birthday tomorrow?"
She nodded. She was ready for it, but it didn't feel like anything special. She'd passed another year, as did other people with the same birthday.
"Yup. Big 19."
Beth ceased serving breakfast and everyone, except Rick and Morty stared at her. "18."
"Huh?"
"Big 18, sweetie. You're going to be 18 tomorrow."
She and Rick made eye contact as they both muttered the same consciousness though. Time freeze.
The slapped her forehead. "Oh man. Yeah 18. I'm not as fast as time himself. For me, it stops occasionally."
Morty laughed, trying to ease their parents' confusion. "Geez, Summer. You have to know that time waits for no one."
"When did you get so smart, booger?"
They faked a good laugh until Rick came in and started laughing too. It was loud and obnoxious and it made Summer laugh even louder. It wasn't until Morty coughed that they both did cease laughing.
Beth stared incredulously for some time. And then she too laughed softly. "Seems like it took me nearly eighteen years to figure out who you took after."
Summer's head tilted. "Huh?"
"When you were younger, Jerry and I always tried to figure out who you acted like. Whose personality you had. You didn't have mine or his. Morty took after Jerry's. But you, Summer, you act just like dad. You're both two sides of the same coin."
Summer too smiled because she liked to think she was like Rick in some ways. Maybe not so much in the cynical and nearly uncaring way, but in the intelligent and individual way.
"Yeah. A little." She murmured.
"So are you excited for the party?" Jerry asked her.
Her eyes widened. "Party?"
Jerry nervously rubbed the back of his head. "Just a small get together to celebrate your coming of age. My parents, a few cousins, and a few of your close friends from school."
Summer grimaced. Who could she trust? The last time she'd been to a sort of party, her supposedly close friend had a hit on her. "Sure."
Rick stood. "Alright, we're gonna head out. Get your lab coat, Summer."
Jerry stood too. "How about we all go as a family." It wasn't really a question and Summer held her tongue before she said something wrong.
Rick stared. "What? Summer and I have a very important mission with Father Time."
"I thought you hated him."
"We don't." Summer spoke. "Just because we messed up time once doesn't mean we don't have a mutual respect for each other."
Jerry shrugged softly, giving them an expectant look. "Well…. One must work with time, not against it."
There was a silence as both Summer and Rick stared at the pure Smith.
Jerry laughed. "What about this one? Time was still hungry so it went back four seconds."
Summer cringed and Rick winced. "Cut it out with the puns if you're coming along, Jerry. They make me queasy." Rick murmured.
Summer giggled. "Yeah, dad. A good pun is its own reword."
After getting it, Rick raised an amused brow at his granddaughter. "A pun about puns? Now that was punderful."
The two giggled at their own idiocy as the family moved to the garage.
Summer rubbed her healing chest as she played games on her phone.
On the backseat of the cruiser sat Jerry, Beth, and Morty in close proximity to one another.
Like always, her father was the one who needed to speak. "So how are you doing in school, Summer?"
Her brow raised like a milky wave on the sun's ocean. "Is that a real question?" Not really paying attention.
"Just making conversation."
"Are you?" She smirked. "What part of that gives me anything to work with? You watch my every school move. You know I have a 4.5 and I'm an honors student. My choice is to say nothing, be sarcastic, or bark "good" like a trained animal. It's not a conversation. You're holding me verbally hostage."
"Okay, ass-face. I'll talk to Rick since you want to be a jerk."
"Hey, dad." Summer spoke, tilting her phone.
"Yeah?"
"Whatcha doing? About to talk to grandpa? Yeah, you like that?"
"Screw you." Jerry glared. "Hey Ri…."
Rick raised a hand, taking a gulp from his flask. "Don't even attempt it, Jerry. You've ruined this adventure enough. And it was already a big decision to even let Morty come on some."
"You shouldn't drink and drive." Jerry scolded. "My kids are here."
But Rick only took another sip.
It took about 20 minutes to make it to Father Time's home, nestled at the beginning of time.
"What is this?" Morty asked in awe as he stared at the visible atoms of hydrogen gas as well as the small sparks of light.
Summer smiled. "Morty, this is the moment in time that the big bang occurred. The beginning of everything."
They moved past a slow comet and landed on a cool cloud. Summer turned around. "Alright, Father Time is a cool being, but he feels very superior to everyone. With good reason. Don't do or say anything to him that'll be a pain in mine and grandpa's ass."
They moved further through the clouds, before finally coming before a large throne. Sitting on it was a blue man, tall, neither real nor fake.
He was more like a shadow than a physical being - slightly resembling a human shape, but only black smoke. He rippled whenever he moved like disturbed water. The only way Summer could tell he was looking at her were the white eyes with a slight blue hue that stood out against the darkness.
"Rick, Summer." He spoke in a booming voice. "You did not inform me that more scientists would be accompanying you on this mission."
Summer shook her head. "Not scientists, family. They wanted to join. But they won't be a bother at all."
Father Time regarded them for some time, staring more at Jerry than anything. "I hope so. Since his birth, Jerry Andrew Smith has been a bit of a bother."
Jerry gasped. "How does he know me?" He questioned incredulously.
Summer groaned. "Dad." She half whined. He was so embarrassing. "Father Time, as co-leader of this mission, I can guarantee he won't be a noticeable flaw."
She ignored her father's cry of offense and bowed slightly to the great concept.
Rick took a sip from his flask. "What- eurp- she said."
Time nodded. "Alright. A few seconds under my tutelage have gone rogue."
"No minutes this time?" Summer needed to confirm.
"Not this time. Minutes are too young to understand things, hours and years even younger then them."
"Alright. And why have they gone rogue?" Rick wondered out loud and Summer nodded with him. In order for the mission to go well, the two needed every fact to analyze.
Father Time grumbled. "Even I am not sure why. The universe Solstice is coming up and as you two know, this is when my children transform to their next concept."
Rick shook his head. "Didn't like the story, so didn't listen."
Summer facepalmed. "Remember. Each solstice: seconds become minutes, minutes become years, years dissolve until their reborn into seconds. And that takes a while, so a new batch of seconds are created."
"Got it." Rick murmured. "I see the problem."
Father Time leaned forward, intrigued now. "What is it? Why did they go rogue?"
"Y-y-you know, I didn't think about it before, but I think the seconds realized that they'd die once they got to years. Having to wait just to be reborn sounds scary. To them I guess."
Father Time still seemed confused and Summer stepped forward. "What he means is, the seconds just became dangerously aware of who they are."
"And this is a problem?" He wondered.
She nodded. "That's the biggest problem across any multi verse. If I enjoy the life I live, I don't want to find out that I'm just a character in a television show or even some made up fiction. I'd like to think that I just came.
Kind of like you, Father Time. The way you dissolved into yourself, as shapeless as rain. If I found out grandpa and I were just the main characters of someone else's world, I'd go rogue too."
"Are you supporting them?"
"Not at all. I don't want to find out if I'm just within a book as we speak. I'm okay with this now."
Father Time regarded her words. "Okay. Had I known the dangers of self awareness, I wouldn't have told them. Now I am in grave danger and therefore this entire universe."
"What happened?"
"They've gone back into not the icy beginning of me, but the beginning of civilization on your planet. I'm not sure what they'll do, but they're angry. And now I know why."
"What do- eurp- you need us to do?"
Father Time leaned back so that he sat tall on his throne, his scowl bearing into everything born after him.
"Eliminate them from the brinks of me. By any means."
Rick and Summer glanced at one another and then back to Father Time. "Understood." Summer muttered.
The orders seemed clear enough to leave it at that, but Father Time opened his mouth to an O shape. Wiggling his fingers thrice in the air made a small stick appear before his odd eyes.
The stick was pretty. Golden brown with a slight curl at the end. It almost looked like a…
Her head went down, her pink lips letting out a soft snort, only audible to the man next her, who'd snorted too.
Her eyes were closed, but she could feel her grandfather's smirk as he muttered "it's a wand."
Summer suppressed her laugh and looked up as the wand fell into her hand. "What am I doing with this?"
Had she looked even closer, she would have noticed the small smirk that beheld Father Time's lips. The slight fascination in his eyes all focused on Summer Smith, the brave teen.
"You are one of the most intelligent beings in this universe, albeit strangely beautiful mind. I trust you will know when the time arrives, Summer Smith."
"So how are seconds older than minutes when a minute is longer than one second?"
"Good question, Morty. Seconds come first when measuring time."
"Oh. So are we going to Egypt or Greece?"
Rick swerved the cruiser at Beth's question. "What?"
"He said the beginning of civilization on Earth. Those are the two main ancient places I know."
"And both are wrong." Rick grumbled. "W-why the hell do you want your kids to go to school if they're going to learn dumb things like that?"
Beth said nothing and Jerry crossed his arms. "I don't see you putting them in any better schools."
"Not needed. At all. Summer's nearly done and she's got Morty together. And it's not the school."
"Okay so where are we going then?"
Rick smirked. "Ethiopia."
Morty grew confused and Summer felt bitter because it wasn't his fault that he had no idea what the great place was.
It was the American Education System, so far behind that it didn't mean a thing to catch up.
"I'll teach about it another time." She assured her brother, who nodded a bit embarrassed.
There was a silence well after that told Summer it was okay to think about the day, the weeks, the year.
Yeah that was it.
The year.
Tomorrow was her birthday. And a year ago, what felt like ten years, she wasn't happy.
One year ago, her only hope in living was to die. She'd hated everything, herself at the top of that list.
She'd been alone too. So busy in trying to keep Morty away from the fire, she hadn't noticed it was she life wanted to burn.
Utterly alone, drifting like clouds in a midnight sky. So close in touching life and at the same time completely isolated.
Yeah, she mused softly, laying her head against the window with a smile. A lot of things sure did happen over a year.
She'd tried killing herself in various ways, multiple times.
Had been simulated.
And nearly violated by a jelly bean King.
Left Earth Dimension C-137.
Committed multiple crimes and atrocities. So much that the Council of Ricks, the Intergalactic Federation, and Father Time deemed her a threat.
Had been used by Mr. Needful and used him as a punching bag in return.
Slit her skin too deep and ran away from home, getting tortured and 'killed' in the process.
Found out just why her existence was so scarce and eliminated both the Council and the Federation in response.
Was shot in the chest, leaving room for the occasional heavy breathing, clutch of the painful chest as it tightened, and the slow walking.
And now she suffered from PTSD, ranging from mild to drastic occasionally.
And the crazy thing was, it didn't bother her.
Last year, she had been through the whole process alone.
And now she was with her grandfather, not facing any challenge without him standing behind her pointing a weapon at whoever threatened her happiness or existence.
Summer smiled softly. She was glad the year turned out the way it did.
She was glad he came back.
In that moment in whatever time Rick had them in now, Summer felt satisfied. As if having completed a deeply, personally needed action.
And it was expressed by the slightest curve at the mouth's corner and a youthful confidence worn in a light raise of the eyebrow above a quizzical, joyful eye.
"-mmer."
The girl jerked up slightly. She'd heard something. "What?"
Rick glared. "Were you even listening to what I'd just said?"
Summer let out a soft yelp. "What'd you say?"
"I said what's got your head in the clouds? You- eurp- re smiling like a silly idiot."
She crossed her arms with poise and Rick continued to look straight, a crooked grin on his face, because she was like him. "Oh yeah, so what if I was?"
"If you were a silly idiot?" He smirked.
With an ever growing quick mind, it didn't take long for Summer to realize that her grandfather had taken her words and mixed them to his advantage. She crossed her arms with a grumble, but her crooked smile at his clever comeback gave her away.
"You're such an ass." she laughed, punching his arm.
There was a huff from the backseat and Jerry leaned forward. "Summer, I know you're excited about becoming an adult, but you're not an adult yet….so...watch the language."
Rick rolled his eyes to keep from banging his head on the steering compartment of the vehicle. Sometimes there was no way for Summer to just be herself and Jerry made it no better.
"Jerry, shut up." He grumbled. "That's strike two."
"Woah. No strike at all." Jerry growled back. "I told you, Rick. You can't tell me how to raise my kids."
Rick opened his mouth, but Beth leaned forward. "Both of you stop now. I can expect this from Jerry, but really dad."
Rick rolled his eyes and Jerry put his hands out in exasperation. "Thank you!... I think."
"There's nothing here for us." Morty commented. "Where are the people?"
Rick bent down, touching the flowers that someone had obviously been tending to.
"Must be travelling around. And it doesn't matter. We aren't meant to be seen anyway. We're here to take down those seconds and get back to Father Time."
Summer nodded. "We should have something to track them with."
There was a darting movement and Rick turned around, smirking at the sight. "You've seen it on the cartoons when someone moves so fast all they leave is a blurred trail of color, right?"
"Yeah?" It was more of a question because she didn't know what the hell her grandfather was speaking about. But what she saw in the distance made her smirk. "Oh..yeah."
She moved forward, now standing next to the scientist and raising a fist. When his own first collided with hers, the smirk grew. "Boo yah."
Before them were of course the liquid oil trails left behind by the small second bots. They must have been horseplaying a lot, which made it easier for Rick and Summer.
But in the distance was also the seconds themselves; small tin men running and jumping.
Summer crouched on her knee as did Rick. He handed her a copper needle and long range gun, setting up his own thereafter. "How many?"
"Just two. They look like they're getting tired. The shit should come soon."
Before Summer could graciously thank the man, the gun she'd been looking through the scope of was ripped from her grasp.
She yelped, falling back into the soil and ruining both the crops and her lab coat.
Jerry raised the sniper with determination. "I can handle this, sweetie. You just move bac-"
She reached up. "Dad, no!"
But it was too late. Jerry shot the needle and somehow, it missed by a long shot.
The ancient birds in the new trees scattered every which way and the seconds looked up at them.
Summer shook her head in disbelief, staring ahead. "What have you done?" She murmured.
"You fucking idiot." Rick growled, but he too was quiet.
Jerry nervously chuckled. "Let me just try again. I mean, what are you two so nervous about? They're just children."
His statement or the time that had passed finally pushed someone into taking action. One of the seconds stood and growled, having remembered Summer.
He pointed his tin finger at Rick and winked, disappearing into the air like a wisp.
"Holy fucking shit." The teen murmured.
Jerry placed his hands on his hip. "Summer Smith, what did I tell you-"
Rick stood, pouncing on the man. "Shut the fuck up, Jerry. You manage to ruin everything, don't you? You fuck up."
"Grandpa Rick, we have to move you out of this time." Summer begged, grabbing the sleeve of the man's lab coat.
Rick's eyes widened. He'd never seen Summer so nervous; the way her eyes darted over his body with fear. The way she kept looking everywhere. "Woah, Sum, calm down. You're reminding me of Morty."
Just as she opened her mouth to worry more, Rick jolted. With a horrified confusion, he lifted his hand into the air to examine it.
There upon the pale skin of bones were dust particles hanging just above the stumps of his fingertips.
Summer nearly fainted, not sure what to do. Father Time had told her about this; about the way he and his children could manipulate time because their being.
How he could turn Summer into a baby, just setting back in time.
How minutes could move forward just a bit.
How years could retell the present.
And on the rare occasion, how seconds could somehow eliminate a single life with the use of their metal fingers.
Because it just happened to Rick and Summer had no idea what to do.
The pixies, or Rick's remains, threw a dust into the air. Unlike confetti or glitter, gravity had no way to make it fall. It swirled in the air above, a glorious cloud. As Rick swirled his limbs, it swirled too, changing its colors with the rhythm of a beating heart
It took only about four seconds for Summer to register the fear she held. By that time, both Rick's arms were missing. Summer grabbed hold of him.
And that seemed to make him disperse even faster. Almost like Summer exploding into the pretty liquid particles, Rick was now tearing apart.
He flew in the harsh wind that manifested and she leaped.
She ran after his fading body, like the winter breeze colliding into inanimate objects and crashing waves hitting the shore line. Like an eagle soaring across the indigo sky and a herd of cheetahs racing through verdant meadows.
Her long, ginger coloured locks whipped back and forth behind her like a fiery tale as she flung herself over sharp rocks and heavy tree trunks. For some time, she didn't know where she was nor did she know where she was heading. She had no idea what time it was and no clue what day. All she knew was she had to keep running forward.
Not stopping for anything.
Rick twirled and seemed to stumble as the wind danced with him. "Oh shit. It's tearing me apart. It's tearing me apart. Holy sh- eurp- it, Summer!"
"Think, Summer, think." She muttered to herself. Suddenly, she halted. "The wand!"
Rick continued to skew away. "The what!"
"The wand!"
"The what?!"
Shaking her head, the girl grabbed it from the deep pockets of her lab coat. Facing it at Rick's dust form, she striked and yelled. "Move on!"
She'd assumed her grandfather was disappearing too fast back in time, so she'd ordered time forward, if only slightly.
When such happened however, what was left of his body, his torso, head, and dust all around, came crashing back into her.
The girl once again fell on her bottom, but watched in sudden awe as Rick began reforming….
….in water form.
He too looked at his liquid arms and his eyes bulged out.
Not knowing what she was thinking, the girl pushed her hand through his torso, almost laughing when he yelped.
The water moved softly around her outstretched fingers, caressing cooly, eddying in their wake. She pulled her hand out and watched the drips, both transparent and opaque at the same time. They fell as if snatched by gravity to the ground below, each one swiftly haloed by ever-growing rings, distorting the pebbled sea-bed. In the breeze, her hand was cold, yet warmed by the Ethiopian sun.
Rick finally formed back, and all water and dust was gone.
Sumer laughed when he did. "We don't have to use guns. All we need is the wand."
"And to kill Jerry."
She wasn't sure if he was serious or joking, but she nodded anyway. She'd been this close to losing her only support, and still she could not ignore how afraid she still was.
Father Time grimaced at Jerry. "I knew Jerry Andrew Smith would be a near disaster to this mission. But as always, you completed it, Summer. Thank you."
"Just try to be more subtle with your seconds. Or all of them will be dangerously aware." Summer muttered, still slightly shaken up.
They turned to leave, finding their way back to the ship.
She had almost lost Rick. In the icy cracks of time. Lost and to never exist in the future.
The blink that called to un-moisten her eyes was long and hard. She fought her thoughts as they fought back.
"What's wrong?"
Her green eyes blinked again and found the dark ones of her grandfather's. "Huh?"
"Why are you starting off into space like I do? It's freaking me out."
"So you can think, but I can't." She muttered irritably, glaring as he did.
"Hey do- eurp- n't get angry with me because you enjoy Father Time's company a little too much."
The girl opened her mouth for a quick rebuttal, but froze. She and Rick stared at one another and after a while, Beth, Morty, and Jerry stopped too.
She couldn't believe he'd said that to her. She couldn't believe she stared as he did too.
But the most shocking thing was that, while they both stared, both started to chuckle at the same time.
It frightened her really, how often they had the same moods. How they often found the same things funny and held the same ideas.
"Gross. Father Time is as old as time itself."
Rick crossed his arms with a smirk. "That was my initial thought too."
Summer lost herself in another fit of laughs. "Let's just get home."
THE NEXT DAY
"Summer, sweetheart, could you hold this up?"
Summer watched as her mother struggled to tape party decorations across the dining room opening. With a heavy sigh, she complied.
"Mom, do we really have to set up for my birthday. Who wants to celebrate another year closer to death?"
Beth laughed although her daughter was serious. "Because, silly, everyone's so happy to see how much you've grown. Your friends, my side of the family, Jerry's par-"
Summer snorted. "We all remember how that went."
Jerry walked in on cue, breathing heavily as he carried three large presents. "Hey, I just needed a little getting used to. I'm completely fine and my parents don't make anything odd."
"Still doesn't change that everyone's just showing up to figure out what gifts to bring to my funeral."
"Summer!" Jerry screeched.
"What? It's true. Birthdays are only here to prepare us for the deadly future we all can't escape."
The presents were placed down and Jerry crossed his arms in a scolding manner. "Well, not everyone thinks like you and Beth's father, now do they?"
Summer sighed, letting go of the decoration as her mother finished taping them. "Dad, the world is full of idiots that don't understand what's important. Take it like this; A guy gets older and older until eventually, his last birthday party is his funeral."
On que, Rick walked in taking a gulp from his flask, Morty hot on his tail. "Believe her or not, it's true."
Jerry grumbled. "I don't care what you believe, young lady, you're still going to help set up and appreciate that other people appreciate you."
Summer smiled at that, surprising her father. "And I do. It's the little things. You don't need to throw me a party to show that you appreciate me."
Jerry took a while to process her thoughts, but in the end he smiled too. "I'll remember that. But this is the big year, so try to enjoy it…..please?"
Summer sighed. "Fine, dad."
"Thank you. Now, Rick, Morty, are you two going to help set up before the guests arrive?"
"Wish I could." Rick spoke. Everyone stared at him. "Okay okay. So I don't want to help. And I really can't. The president of the United States just called us in for a mission with a few….escapees from Area 51."
Summer looked up with large interest. But Rick's next words could well be changed into a kick to the gut. "But you can't come, Summer. The president strictly asked for someone to cancel out my large brain waves. It's Morty or your dad."
Summer's chest twisted in slight pain and she didn't know whether to feel hurt or bitter. Instead, she smiled softly. "Well, you'll be back in time before the party ends, right?"
Something on Rick's arms beeped and he looked down with a sigh. "Probably not, Summer. But happy birthday. I really have to go. Come on, Morty."
Grabbing the nervous boy's arm, Rick opened a portal and they were gone.
Summer remained where she was for a while as the house grew eerily silent. But it was just her. Beth had went back to setting up and Jerry went to calling guests.
"Haaaa-p-biiiirth-daaaayyy toooooo yoooouuuuu!" Summer smiled around everyone as they all ended the song.
"Make a wish, Summer." Nancy urged with excitement.
Despite her solemn mood, the girl did make a silly wish and blow out her 18 candles. Everyone cheered.
The party went on from there, but she still felt bad that Rick was out enjoying their adventures… with Morty nonetheless. She understood that he didn't want to take her away from her friends and family, but couldn't the president wait?
She opened a few gifts and her parents gave speeches about how great she was and how they knew she'd come of age properly.
Still her mind was on an adventure. She just wanted to be away. Because maybe her small town wasn't for her. Maybe she just wanted to be herself.
She loved every person there, but she wasn't as normal as them. She didn't enjoy the regular life they did. She loved science. She loved being about. Finding new things.
Right now, Rick and Morty were able to do what she enjoyed. And it wasn't even that which bothered her.
It was her grandfather. She almost understood. He didn't enjoy planned parties without alcohol. Not did she.
But, they were supposed to go through everything together. They were supposed to have each other's backs.
The girl placed her head on the table, sitting down her last gift.
And out of all the people at this party, he should have been directing it.
Because there was really no one else in the world who'd seen her grow as much as he did. Who'd had her back as much as he. Who'd been through the strangest, toughest, most heartbreaking, but beautiful, adventurous, and life-changing year ever just like her. Alongside her.
"Summer, did you like Morty's present?" Beth asked as she began cleaning up.
The ginger looked at the time, blushing. She'd been sitting there for hours now, probably absentmindedly bidding goodbye to guests. With a nod, the girl stood, beginning to gather all the presents to take.
Just as she had, the door slammed open and one of the guests, her aunt June, Jerry's sister, had came back in, a look of fright on her plump face.
"Oh dear. Turn on the television. The news, the news! Hurry."
Summer's eyes narrowed with confusion, but still she flicked on the TV to keep her aunt in one piece.
The news anchor was speaking fast and diligently. "We interrupt this program with breaking news. A large television has just appeared over the continents of both North and South America. Nothing much is happening yet, but local theories are popping up everywhere that it's a message from aliens."
Summer rolled her eyes. It wasn't aliens. But she suspected that it had to be Rick and Morty. They probably needed to take desperate measures to complete the mission.
It made her feel even more alone. Before she could flick the channel, the space TV buffered and Rick appeared.
Everyone gasped but her. Rick grumbled as he said some more words. "Is it even on?"
"Yeah. I'm squanching right now. You're live."
Rick took a deep breath and a long sigh. He rubbed his temple. "Look, I don't usually do this for a lot of people. Actually, I've never done this for anyone. You're lucky you are who you are. I'm not the best at expressing the way I feel right in front of people. I'm a Rick." He scratched the back of his neck with a frown.
"And Ricks don't do love. In fact Ricks don't do emotions because then we'd feel less then a Rick. But you know what they say. C-137 is the Rickest of them all. Look, I'm going to be honest. When I first found out about you, I was bitter. I hated you and I wanted you gone. But then I got excited… because there was a possibility that you didn't exist in my world."
Rick sighed and Beth came to stand next to Summer. "What is going on with your grandfather?"
The teen just shrugged, wondering who he was speaking to. Was it Unity? It would explain why Rick seemed so down.
"But you did. You did in fact exist in my world. When I first saw you, I didn't know whether to be shocked it afraid. So I chose both. Shocked that the Rickest of them all got stuck with you and afraid for her life.
I spoke to you for a while, just testing the water, trying to figure out if it was too cold out to swim. I thought you were like him and I was going to hate you for that."
Rick laughed then as if he thought of something funny. "But you weren't. Well you aren't like him should I say. When we first met, I figured maybe you should have been crying; sad about the things that were going on around you. You weren't though. You were mischievous and witty and giggly. And you kept grabbing me; holding on to me. Telling me that I didn't need to be sad either.
After that day, everything changed. I watched you grow until I decided not to watch anymore. Instead, I was going to teach you to grow. But you didn't need that. You had already grown by yourself. You became the leader of your own journey."
Rick smiled sheepishly and so did Summer. "And right now, I bet you're smiling because you just figured it out." She laughed.
"And no I'm not watching. I just know. And I know because I know you. And this might sound crazy, but I know you because I know myself. You're just like me.
When things don't go our way, we deal with them by wrecking shit up. It may be harmful and unhealthy, but we still enjoy ourselves without thinking about the consequences.
We're both intelligent. You're not valedictorian because they're just a bunch of dipshits that are scared of how great you are."
Summer put her hand over her mouth with a giggle.
"And we're pretty egotistical, the two of us. I know this is taking long, but it's just coming off the top of my head. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm glad you did actually end up existing in my world."
Once again, he scratched his neck. "Look…. Ricks don't do love, but I love you. I've told you this, but I'm not sure you get it. All the love I have in this universe goes to you. You're my granddaughter."
A few of the party guests gasped, but Summer just smiled.
"Summer, you mean the world to me. And nothing or no one can ever come between that. We're two sides of the same coin. So happy birthday."
The large screen went off and the television began to shrink.
Summer continued to look up. "Oh my gosh. Best birthday ever!" She squealed. "Now the whole world knows how awesome I am."
Summer squealed as she watched Rick's space cruiser pull into the garage.
Morty hopped out first. "Aww, geez, Summer. I didn't think you'd be up this late. Did you see the broadcast?"
Summer smirked. "Sure did."
"You're gonna be so excited to see what Rick got for you."
She squealed, wondering if it were something cool. She had been asking for her own gun that shot antimatter. And she'd also wanted a freeze ray because she was too lazy to make her own.
Rick grumbled as he got out of the cruiser. "Your mouth sure does continue to create its own path, M-m-morty."
The boy blushed with a yawn. "Sorry. Well I'm going to go to bed now. Night guys."
Summer waited excitedly for her grandfather to finally step at least two feet from the cruiser before jumping on him and hugging tight.
"Woah. Wha- eurp- t's gotten into you?"
"I haven't seen you in days!" She said with exasperation.
Rick smirked with amusement. "We left thirteen hours ago."
At this realization, the girl rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I can't help it. I've spent an entire two days understanding things about myself with regards to you…. It's crazy. I'm more like you than I thought. And I care more about you than I think."
Rick grunted. "Want your present or not?"
She let him go. "Yes. What is it? Is it an antimatter gun? Is it something cool like an extraterrestrial body perfectly capable of an Anatomy Park? Ooh. What abou- oh."
The girl grew quiet as she stared at the pink, blue, and orange scrapbook Rick pulled from his lab coat.
On the cover was a small child; ginger tufts, pink onesie, large green eyes. Holding her was a man, maybe in his early thirties; blue hair, band shirt, conceited smirk.
It was Rick holding her.
One Hundred Years… Rick and Summer was the title.
She opened the book with curiosity and a wave of emotions hit her. All kinds of memories captured on their adventures together. Movie nights, mini golf, ditching homecoming for a regular session on the house roof.
Summer giggled. That was the first time Rick let her drink.
There were some individual pictures of Summer in elementary school, middle school, band practice, her first spelling bee.
There were individual pictures of Rick with his mother, with Squanchy and Bird Person, with buddies in Vietnam.
But what Summer liked about the individual pictures was the fact that Rick placed them right next to one another, just to show how similar they truly were.
Next to Summer holding up her spelling bee medal was a picture of Rita Sanchez and Rick as he too held up a medal for a spelling bee competition.
Next to Rick, Bird Person, and Squanchy playing on stage was Summer and Nancy holding up their flutes in 7th grade.
"Yeah. I know it's not exactly an antimatter gun, bu-"
Summer laughed softly, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes, but also failing miserably. "I told you." She whispered, sniffling as he hugged her. "It's the little things that get me. Thanks, grandpa."
Rick nodded. "No. Thank you."
Why was this so long? Jeez. Anyway, this is the chapter. Review and tell me what you like. If I'm taking to long to update, just pm me and I'll get right to it.