Ooh-whee stay tuned after this chapter for a special announcement!
The day they were ready to go back to Earth Joy was surprised at how stressed she was as opposed to relieved- While yes she was relieved to be going home, she was concerned with Gordon and Castor being out there somewhere, but she trusted Elio to take care of everything.
"You have my number, so if you need anything at all, call me." Joy was saying to Elio as Rick took some of Joy's things to the ship.
"We will wait for your return Joy," he smiled at her.
"I will return," she promised before looking at Summer and Morty who were walking out of the temple. "Summer, Morty, time to go." she told them and they walked to the ship with Rick.
Rick walked back over to Joy and looked at Elio. "We'll be back for the festival- and don't worry, if you see hide or hair of Castor or Gordon being out there you can count on ol' Rick to come take care of that." Rick told Elio.
"I believe that," Elio smiled at Rick as he held out his hand. "You would do anything for our Joy."
"I would do anything for my wife." Rick countered.
After a few more long goodbyes Joy finally got into the ship and Rick started it up, flying off of the planet before she could change her mind and stay to help look for Gordon or Castor any more.
"Grandpa Rick?" Summer asked. "Will Joy still be able to use her abilities on Earth?"
"Ye- why wouldn't she be?" Rick looked over his shoulder at Summer.
"I mean I was wondering if it was like guardians of the galaxy where she had to be on the planet for it to work."
"That's a stupid question Summer," Rick told her, Summer rolling her eyes with a pout.
"Don't feel bad Summer," Joy looked over her shoulder at the girl. "I didn't know they'd work off planet either." she smiled at her.
When they got back to Earth a few hours later Joy had her eyes closed as her head resting on Rick's shoulder.
When the ship landed she opened her eyes and looked around, realizing that they were in her driveway.
"Come on Baby," Rick said softly. "Let's go inside. Kids go sleep at your parents house."
"Grandma Joy, can't we stay here?" Summer asked. "Ever since mom and dad said they were getting divorced they've been fighting every night and Dad's been extra mopey,"
"Ew," Joy said as she wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, you guys have rooms here, stay here."
"Okay, but they better put on their headphones." Rick said as he looked at the kids who looked down but nodded.
"Yeah, that's fine." Morty nodded. "It's better than hearing mom and dad fighting."
With that the four went into the house, Summer and Morty going straight to their rooms and Joy going to the kitchen, leaning against the counter. "It feels good to be back," she told Rick who walked over to the refrigerator and opened it, pulling out two beers. He opened them and handed one to Joy who took a drink of the beer.
"I'm glad you think so." Rick told her. "It was kind of crazy for a minute, but I'm glad you're back."
"I'm glad you're back too," Joy smiled at Rick,setting the beer down and walking over to him, wrapping her arms around his middle and hugging him. Rick wrapped his arms around her in return and sighed, holding her close.
"We'll find Gordon and Castor," he told her and Joy nodded against his shoulder.
"I know we will," she replied softly, nuzzling his neck. "But I don't want to think about that right now."
"I know," Rick stroked her hair before looking down at her. "I love you Baby,"
"I love you too," she told him with a smile before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. After the kiss he bent down and kissed her again before there was a knock on the door.
Pulling away from Rick Joy walked to the door and opened it seeing Beth there. "Oh," Beth looked Joy over, taking in the long gold dress, the marks on Joy's arms and face, the bracelets and the flowing hair. "Wow, Joy, that's a uh… Different look for you."
"Thanks," Joy said as she stepped back and let Beth into the house.
"Are the kids here?"
"Yeah, they're in their rooms." Joy said as she walked back into the kitchen, pulling herself up onto the kitchen counter and picking her beer up.
"Their rooms?" Beth asked.
"Yeah, I gave them each their own room for when they want to be over here." Joy explained.
"Dad, how was space?"
"Well I got Joy back," Rick said, putting his hand on Joy's thigh and gave her a small squeeze. "Of course we have a lot to do to help her planet, but it'll work out."
"Her planet?" Beth looked at Joy who sipped her beer.
"My planet," Joy nodded as Rick took a drink of his own beer.
"Oh yeah, Joy's a god." Rick told Beth who looked back at Joy in surprise, Joy grinning at her.
"A- a god?"
"Yup," Joy replied.
"Well, congratulations?" Beth asked and Joy gave her a small nod.
"So what's up with Jerry?" Joy asked.
"Ugh, Jerry," Beth sighed and Joy tapped Rick's arm, Rick going to the fridge and pulling out a beer that he opened and then handed to Beth who took a drink. "Thanks dad," she nodded to him. "So Jerry's being really emotional and taking his sweet sweet time getting all of his stuff packed up."
"Has he found a place?" Rick asked and Beth shrugged.
"I think he found a studio apartment he said he was going to try and ask about but he's probably going to wait too long and hope that he can just stay in the house- or hope that he and I will get back together."
"More like he'll think you just forgot that you told him you want a divorce," Rick mumbled and Joy snorted before looking at them both.
"Let's do a family dinner tonight," Joy suggested and looked at Beth. "Your dad and I will cook, you and the kids come over and we'll just hang out and enjoy some family time, and it'll give Jerry time to pack up without being under foot."
"That," Beth let out a sigh. "That sounds great. Okay, yes, let's do it."
"Great," Joy smiled at her before hopping down from the counter. "Let me go change and you and I can go to the grocery store."
"Okay," Beth smiled before Joy walked out of the room.
Going upstairs Joy knocked on Summer's door first, sticking her head into the room. "Hey kiddo, we're going to have a family dinner tonight."
"Without Dad right?" Summer asked.
"Of course, it'll give him time to pack without any distractions," Joy grinned and Summer grinned back.
"Okay, sounds good." Summer nodded.
After closing Summer's door she knocked on Morty's door and a moment later he opened the door looking up at her. "Oh hey, what's up Joy?"
"Hey, I just wanted to let you know we're going to have a family dinner tonight," she explained. "I'm thinking we pick up a few steaks and fire up the grill."
"Oh yeah, that sounds good." Morty nodded. "Do- Do you need any help or anything?"
"Mm, no thanks kiddo. Maybe if you think of it while I'm at the store with your mom you can run a broom over the back patio?"
"Oh yeah, I can do that." Morty nodded. "And I can get Summer to help clean the grill."
"I think your grandpa made some sort of grease burning acid that does that," Joy shrugged. "But ask him about that. Anyways, I just wanted to let you know the plan for tonight, you go ahead and hang out and I'll be back in like an hour or so with your mom."
"Okay." Morty nodded before stepping back into his room and shutting the door gently.
Joy made her way back down to her bedroom and opened the door, sighing as she looked around, happy to be back home.
After pulling off her ceremonial dress and the strangely uncomfortable silk underwear she had been wearing on Feeloria she pulled on a pair of regular cotton panties, a bra, and slipped into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, feeling normal for the first time in awhile.
Joy took the braids out of her hair and brushed her hair out before going into the bathroom and putting on some of her deodorant, washing her face and using her moisturizer and looked in the mirror.
Aside from the marks on her face that were basically tattoos at this point, she looked like herself.
After slipping on some sandals Joy walked back downstairs, grabbing her purse and looked at Rick who looked her over, giving her a small grin as he walked over and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"There's my wife," he commented lowly before looking at Beth who smiled at the two.
"Ready to go?" Joy asked and Beth nodded. Joy looked from Beth then to Rick. "We're doing steaks, so why don't you and the kids clean up the backyard and the grill?"
"Tired of that vegetarian life on Feeloria?"
"I need protein," she told him and he grinned before nodding.
"Go," he gave her a gentle push towards Beth, and the two walked out of the house and across the street.
"Dad's happy to have you back," Beth commented and Joy smiled.
"I'm happy to be back." Joy told her.
"So, must be weird, having a whole planet who sees you as a god."
"You've got no idea," Joy shook her head with a chuckle. As they stepped into the house Jerry came out of a room holding a photo album.
"So I know you said not to take the pictures, but I think it's unfair that I don't get at least half of the pictures, and I- Ah." Jerry looked up, seeing Joy standing there, Joy quirking her eyebrow.
"Jerry."
"Joy, you're back." he said as he looked at Beth and then at Joy. "So you uh, you got out of prison too?"
"I wasn't in prison, Jerry," Joy rolled her eyes. "I was on my planet, where I'm a god." she told him sternly. "And now I'm back to spend time with my family,"
"Well that's sweet but they're not really your family-" Jerry started to say but Beth cut him off.
"Jerry, those are photos of my childhood, you can't have any of them, and Joy is my father's wife which makes her my step-mom, which makes her family. Not to mention she does a better job at taking care of your children than you do, so maybe you better think about the real definition of family before you start shitting on the people who actually take care of their family." Beth snatched up her purse from the counter and then looked at Joy. "Let's go."
"You got it," Joy grinned at Beth before walking out of the house with her, not sparing another look at Jerry who she was sure was pouting.
After the grocery store where they not only got food for that night but stocked up on essentials Joy would need since most of her food had gone back in the weeks she'd been gone after the wedding, they went back to Joy's and the kids helped bring in the groceries and put them away. While they did that, Joy started to marinade the steaks as Beth started to get the veggies ready while the kids helped clean up the back yard with Rick who was cleaning the grill.
"You know, this is the life I always wanted," Beth said to Joy who looked at her with a small smile.
"Oh yeah?" she asked.
"My kids getting along, my dad being a good person and enjoying family time, family dinners," Beth sighed. "I guess I just never realized that it would be this good."
"Sometimes you have to look beyond a few details," Joy commented as she cut the fat off of the edge of a steak. "Who you're married to-"
"And who my dad is married to." Beth cut in, Joy looking at her with a slight smile. "I- I'm happy he married you Joy. I'm happy you're in our family."
"I'm happy you let me into the family," Joy chuckled.
"I know I wasn't always easy on you, and for that I'm sorry. But I am happy you and my dad have made it work."
"Thank you," Joy smiled at her. "And a few things for the record, number one, I think you're an incredibly strong woman and you deserve so much better than Jerry," she said as she laid her hand on Beth's arm. "Number two, your father obviously loves you very much and despite what he says he cares about your opinion and how you see him, and number three, I'm so proud of you for leaving Jerry." Beth looked at Joy for a long moment before wrapping her arms about Joy, hugging her tightly. Joy hugged her back and Beth let out a long sigh.
"Is it okay that I called you my step-mom?" she asked after the hug was over and Joy nodded.
"If that's how you want to think of me, sure." Joy said. "Summer's started calling me Grandma Joy."
"Oh you must love that."
"I mean, it's somehow better than step-grandma Joy?" she shrugged. "But I also like knowing that Summer sees me as family, and that I get to be a grandma when I'm too young to actually be a grandma." she grinned, Beth laughing lightly before nodding.
"I get that." she said.
After they finished preparing dinner Beth and Joy poured themselves glasses of wine, Joy brought a beer out to Rick along with the meat to be put on the grill and smiled as he kissed her before watching as he lay the steaks on the grill.
After the family dinner was over and Beth managed to get Summer and Morty to go home with her, Rick took Joy up to their bedroom.
Joy lay on Rick's chest as they both came down from their waves of pleasure and she looked up at him, smiling as she wrapped her arms around his middle, feeling wonderfully content.
"I made a device to scan the planet to figure out where Castor and Gordon are hiding," Rick told her as he stroked her hair.
"Sounds good," Joy said as she rested her cheek against his chest.
"We'll find them Baby," Rick promised as he looked down at her. "And hopefully before the festival."
"That would be nice," she agreed thoughtfully.
"It would be a great way to bring the festival to a start, kill off the old regime and bring in the new officially."
"True," she said softly, feeling Rick's hand pause he looked down at her.
"Are you okay?" he asked and she looked up at him with a slightly sheepish smile.
"Sorry, I just was thinking- no one ever told me what happened to my mother," she explained. "I know she took me off planet, and she let me get adopted by my parents, but what happened then? Where did she go?"
"Is that something you'd like to find out?" Rick asked and she sighed before nodding.
"Yeah, I'd like to know what happened to her."
"Okay." Rick said simply and then pulled Joy into a long kiss. "I'll find her for you Baby," Joy smiled at him before nodding and giving him another kiss, she knew if Rick said he'd find her mom, he would.
She also knew that despite what Gordon, or Castor, or even Jerry thought, Rick was much more than anyone gave him credit for and she loved that about him.
You make me happy," Joy said to Rick softly and he looked down at her for a long moment before he nodded.
"You make me happy too Baby," he told her and Joy could feel the honesty rolling off of him. Laying her head on his chest she smiled as she thought about her time with Rick, starting out with P-48 who saw her as more of a puzzle to put together, and then moving on to this Rick, this wonderful chaotic Rick who in his own way was like a god.
That thought made her smile, the idea of two gods being together, they could definitely continue to have a lot of fun together, and of that, Joy was sure they would.
Sometimes with the grand kids, sometimes with Rick's daughter, sometimes just the two of them, life with Rick Sanchez was never going to be dull, but it would always be an adventure, and she was already looking forward to the next adventure they would all have.
Alright, that is the end of Saving Joy, but don't fear, Joy's story is going to continue! I'm already working on the next chapter in the Story of Joy series, called Worshiping Joy!
We get to learn a lot more about the history of Feeloria, we get to go on more adventures with the Smith Family, and we get to see Joy really come into her own as a god, so keep an eye out for Worshiping Joy, and don't forget to leave a review!