Summer had never seen a kid Mortimer's age so excited by Monopoly before. They played several rounds, with Mortimer beating her each and every time-and each time he got faster and faster, as well as more and more excited. He also seemed even younger somehow than before-perhaps it was because he seemed more at ease, more playful. Summer was beginning to wonder just what exactly Rick had put inside that cocktail.

She was glad though, because she hadn't seen Morty this happy, at least not since her brother was there. He was like a goofy little kid all of a sudden, and she loved it. She taught him how to play Go-Fish, and they played that and other board games long into the night. Then she put on Mary Poppins and they fell asleep together on the couch, his head resting peacefully against her arm.

Summer was close to saying the words "I love you", which was new for her. She couldn't remember ever having said those words to Morty when he was alive. He'd never said them to her either. She wished now that she had, because looking down at Mortimer, she couldn't remember ever having felt such a bond, and such sisterly love, as she did right then and there.

And she never wanted that moment to end.

Curing Mortimer's scars were only half the battle. Now, Rick had to find a permanent home for the kid before it was too late. Thankfully, like all Ricks, he had access to the multiverse, and could locate Mortys across dimensions any time he wished.

This time, he needed to find a Morty who had died, so he could switch Mortimer in his place. Rick had a plan, he just needed to carry it out: he'd have to find Morty's body, then extract his memories, which he would later transfer to Mortimer, before he left him in the other Morty's place. Mortimer wouldn't have to know about any of this, and if he was lucky, he would hardly remember anything about his time with Rick.

First things first, he had to find a dimension where Morty had died an unfortunate and untimely death.

He found one in the unfortunate case of one Morty B117. He had been unjustfully targeted by his psychotic bully, a local high schooler by the name of Frank. Frank had pushed him over the edge of a bridge into a local reservoir, where Morty had drowned. It was now Rick's job to retrieve the body before local law enforcement would find it, and bury it without a trace.

He went about the task in the dead of night, portaling to dimension B117 without anyone else knowing; both Summer and Mortimer were already fast asleep. It didn't take long for Rick to find the sunken body drifting in a deeper end of the reservoir, having traveled shortly downstream-he had to swim down to the bottom of the lake in order to retrieve it. It was a gruesome sight, and it took all his reserve not to scream when he returned to the surface and saw the boy. Rick simply grit his teeth as he hoisted the drenched lifeless body over his shoulder. I'm sorry Morty, he told the boy silently as he opened a portal and jumped through.

The portal brought him to an alien planet, where he had already prepared a burial plot ready to place the body. Rick found himself shivering a little as the wind swept all around him on this barren wasteland. He couldn't look at Morty's face as he mechanically lowered him into the ground and covered him with red martian soil. You'll be safe here, he told the boy in his mind, No one will hurt you again. He pat the mound three times: one for Morty, and two for his parents, who would never have to find out what really happened. Rick really needed a drink then, but he had to be sober for what he'd do next, because he had to do it quick, and do it thoroughly, and do it right.

He had to wait until the next day where, before dawn, he portaled to the high school in dimension B117, where he lay in wait for Frank to arrive at school.

The tall, gangly young man arrived early, probably waiting for unsuspecting targets. Rick watched from the entrance as he leaned up against the wall of the school by the front door, casually tapping away on his phone as though it were any ordinary day.

Rick strode up towards the kid and simply stood there, looking at him. Frank paused mid-tap, glancing up to see Rick watching him, his eyes narrowing with deep suspicion. "Somethin' you want, old man?" Frank smirked.

Rick's insides burned. He wanted so badly to tear this psycho's guts apart. Instead, he simply stood there as though he were expecting something.

"You lost, old man?" Frank cocked an eyebrow with amusement. "The nursing home's down that way-"

"You WISH I was lost." Rick hissed the words as low, but also as clearly, as he could. "But no-I couldn't be more in the right place at the right fucking time!"

If Frank looked confused, he didn't let on, although he did look amused. "You writing a play, or somethin', old man?"

"Yes I am." It took all Rick's reserve to not grab the kid by the throat and crush it to smithereens. "It's called 'Your Worst Nightmare Come True'-ME." Without a split second's hesitation, Rick whipped out a device from his pocket and pointed it at Frank's neck. Frank's eyes widened in alarm, but it was far too late-his entire body froze in place from head to toe, his complete frame shimmering like the surface of an icy lake.

Then, Rick stuffed the device right back in his pocket and, without a single word, he strode away, opened a portal and leapt back through. He knew that his work here was done-all anyone had to do was tap Frank on the shoulder and ask if he was okay, because once they did, Frank would shatter into a million zillion shards of broken glass.

By the time he returned home, Rick was ready to collapse, but it seemed the couch was already being used: for much to his surprise, there lay Summer and Mortimer, the latter having fallen asleep against the other. Rick just stood for a moment and observed the two. He watched their chests both rise and fall in tandem with the other. Then, before he lost his nerve, he bent down and, careful not to wake either of them, gently gathered the boy up in his arms. He carried him up the stairs and placed him carefully in Morty's bed; all the while, Mortimer did not wake, and never noticed Rick's presence. All the while that he had carried him, Rick could feel the kid's heart beating against his chest. More than once, he was aware of Mortimer's tousled hair tickling his chin, but he didn't break his stride. He put the kid to bed, and then, he collapsed in his own room, too exhausted to deal with Summer for the time being. All he wanted to do was sleep, and sleep forever the sleep of a thousand years.

You were supposed to save me, Rick...Why didn't you save me?

The boy was sopping wet, and standing over him, dripping slime and blood into his eyes.

But Morty-! You're dead-!

The boy's eyes were filled with tears as well as sheer betrayal. You're right, I am dead, Rick...I'm dead, because you weren't there to stop him.

But how COULD I, Morty? He was pleading now, as though somehow his pleas could turn back time. You weren't even my original Morty-and I'm not your original Rick-

They're all just the same excuses, Rick. The boy regarded him sadly. You're the smartest man in the universe, and yet you never learn-

Learn WHAT Morty!? He was shouting now, but all he could hear were his own echoes sounding back at him. Learn WHAT!?

You're the smart one, Rick. Morty's voice was beginning to fade. I'm sure you can figure it out.

No Morty wait-! He was running, but it was so dark, he couldn't see anything, even the outline of his hand in front of his own face.

Goodbye Rick.

MORTY WAIT-!

Goodbye-

"MORTY! NO! DAMMIT! WAIT FOR ME! PLEASE WAIT! MORTY!"

His own voice woke him. Rick bolted upright in bed, his throat scratchy and hoarse from shouting. "Morty…" he whispered to no one. His room was dark and empty and felt as wide and as expansive as the endless frameless cosmos. The fading sound of Morty's voice retreating was like a wailing siren leaving him in a pool of his own blood, and he was bleeding out from the inside. He hadn't realized he was gripping his own pillow, holding it like one might a child, and he was rocking back and forth as though he couldn't sit still. Suddenly something began to unleash itself from deep inside, and before he could stop it Rick buried his face deep into the pillow and screamed. He screamed until he couldn't scream any longer and then, when the screams were gone, they were replaced with shameless, unrestricted sobs.

There was no Morty for him, and never would be again in this vast and endless wasteland of broken dreams. He couldn't save his own Morty from his fate. He couldn't undo it, no matter how many other Mortys there were out there that he tried to save. Just as he couldn't save his own Beth from her own tragic fate. His Morty was dead, and so was she. Death was permanent. There was no going back. He could only go forward, just like everyone else: he might be a genius, but he wasn't immortal. He was forever a slave, beholden to the endless passage of time.

He had to save this Morty though. There was no going back. He was committed to making sure he was safe. Just as he was committed to making sure Summer was safe. He would make sure she would never be without a Rick again.