Final chapter, ya'll, but all the suffering ain't over just yet. Got to get a little more angst in there before the comforting ending! Because that's just how I roll.

Thank you all for the comments so far, they've been very nice and I'm glad people like what I've written. There will be notes at the end on some future fic ideas if you wanna see what I have planned, but for now, enjoy this final chapter.

There are also some spoilers for the season 5 ending, so if you still haven't seen it, please don't read!

Synopsis:

Time to make the trade and get his grandson back, though Rick knows it won't go down peacefully. Both because he doesn't have the entire payment, and because Ananteris isn't done tormenting his old foe.

With Morty caught in between, something has to be done to end this situation…

Characters:

Morty Smith

Rick Sanchez

Ananteris Fattail (OC)

Alien Dog Thing

Warning: Swearing, Some Dark/Sexual Humor, Torture, Blood & Violence, Child/Animal Abuse, If you watch Rick and Morty you'll know how some of this dialogue goes, spoilers for season 5 final!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rick & Morty, only this story itself and any personal characters in it!
Plugins: Check me out of Deviantart & Tumblr for my art! My username is the same as on here!

Rick wasn't exactly sure how this was going to end. The location Ananteris gave was in the middle of nowhere, Rick barely had half the payment, he knew Morty was gravely injured, and he was positive that all of this was just a set-up. Ananteris wouldn't be giving back Morty, regardless if Rick had the space crystals or not, and this was all just a ploy to make the old man suffer from some karma he had been outrunning for years.

That's why, despite having not even landed yet, Rick kept brushing his hand against the laser gun in his pocket. Things were going to get violent one way or another, he knew that this was how it was ending. He wasn't going to let Ananteris smugly tug him along on the fishing line, and if this was the only chance he had at finding him in person, with Morty, then Rick knew he had to act and not waste his chance.

There was a high probability Ananteris knew this too, and would be armed while waiting for Rick. He wasn't dumb, he knew he was testing his luck against Rick, who made it clear to many people to never mess with him. Because it was one thing if Rick looked down on you and saw you as a joke, it was another if you got on his bad side. Either by messing with his pride, or taking and harming something that belonged to him...

Ananteris knew that Morty meant something to Rick, despite the scientist's harsh nature, but there was that question if Ananteris truly knew how far Rick would go for his grandson. After all, if the alien hunter knew what happened to a certain jelly bean king or crossed a line with Morty, would he still be as cocky as he was now?

But that was something for later, as Rick's ship started gliding down to their destination, the man squinted when seeing the shape of Ananteris's ship, which had already been landed, the ramp leading out of it open as no doubt Ananteris was already waiting outside. The sight of it made Rick's fingers twitch, as it was so tempting to just fire off one of the ship's guns, or drop a bomb, and deal with this prick here and now.

Though, of course, that wouldn't be a smart play, given he didn't know where Morty was, and wouldn't risk getting him caught up in the crossfire. For now, he would have to keep his cool, weapons close, and try and wait for the perfect moment to get a hit on Ananteris. All he needed was for the man to be off guard, and to know what position Morty was precisely in. Easier said than done, but Rick was stubborn and would not be leaving here without his grandson.

That was, if he was still alive. For all he knew, Ananteris could just be leading Rick to his death, and Morty wasn't even around anymore. But Rick quickly shook his head, trying to not think about that. Morty had to be alive, he just knew it. Though if he wasn't...Ananteris was going to wish he hadn't been at that market that day.

This all did make Rick think to himself, really starting to see just how close he's gotten with Morty since crashing into the family life. After what had happened to his original wife and daughter, and Birdperson turning him down years ago, a part of Rick had vowed to never properly connect with people again. Even when he crashed into another Beth's house, tired of being alone for so long, he only did the minimal when engaging with the family.

Even when he started dragging Morty along into some adventures, he admittedly was following the same train of thought as most other Ricks. The kid was meant to be nothing more than just a safety mental shield for him, and perhaps even someone he could ramble random thoughts to when he wanted. The sheer idea of having a grandson didn't mean a whole lot to him back then, because he often told himself that this Morty wasn't his grandson. He was just something that could have been if an old face from the past didn't make him suffer.

Maybe that was even why Rick would be so mean to him without reason, not only just for the humour, but because Morty reminded him of a family future, he couldn't have with his own. There were times, in Rick's darkest hours, thought about what things could have been like if his Diane and Beth were still here.

But, of course, the kid didn't make Rick's distant persona any easy. Wide eyes of wonder, sharing features from Rick like his stutter and questioning mindset, and somehow still believing there was good in Rick, even when the devil himself feared the man. He found a way to worm into his long-dead heart, and make him realise that they were family, regardless of what the vast universes had to say about it.

And now the kid, his grandson, was suffering from his own consequences. And yet, despite that old instinct that wanted to run, to not even try due to the fear of seeing another person he loved die, he wasn't giving in to it. He was here, and he was ready to end this, one way or another...

So as the ship touched the ground, rocking lightly before settling, Rick took one look at his bag of crystals, brushed his fingers against his hidden gun one last time, and took a deep breath before opening the door. His gaze snapped up, as with the combination of both space ships shining some lights, he could see the figure of Ananteris. That twitching anger kept hopping in the back of Rick's head, but he held it down for the time being.

Holding the sack over his shoulders, mainly so Ananteris couldn't properly see the size of it with it behind Rick, he carefully stepped out from his seat and stood straight. Ananteris was already staring at him, taking in each movement of Rick, on guard if the man tried something.

Rick openingly scoffed, taking a few steps forward before stopping at a reasonable distance. "Lo-Look who it is, Asstail." He shot.

Taking a moment to assess everything, Rick's eyes surveyed the sight in front of him. Nothing about Ananteris was different than when he last saw him, an emotionless expression across the man's face. His pet was standing by his side too, body stiff as it stared forward, though for once, it didn't seem focused on anything, its gaze looking tired almost.

But then Rick's eyes snapped onto the sight of what appeared to be Morty, or the amount he could see of his grandson. Ananteris was pulling the same thing as Rick, with the boy being held over his shoulders, meaning all Rick could see were his legs. His bloody and mangled legs, his usually clean blue jeans torn apart, and even one of his shoes was missing.

Rick felt himself holding his breath for a few seconds, seeing no movement from Morty for a moment, along with seeing half of the damage in real life making him feel sick again. But then he noticed faint twitches from Morty, indicating that he was still alive, though it was hard to tell if he was awake or not. A part of Rick wanted to call out to him, but he held his tongue and turned his sights back to Ananteris, as while he hated to say it, his foe required his attention for the time being.

Ananteris merely tilted his head, looking Rick up and down, judging him before finally speaking. "You can't expect me to believe you actually got it all."

There was a hint to a challenging tone in the man's voice, as if wanting to hear Rick admit he couldn't do it, that he's not as strong as he thinks. Honestly, at this point, the crystals were probably a bonus to trying to humiliate Rick. But the old man wasn't one to let go of his pride that easily.

"Oh, I have my wa-way." Rick replied dryly, shrugging his shoulder to make the sack of crystals shake lightly. "Now hand over the kid…." He quietly demanded, eyes narrow and sharp, like a knife ready to cut.

Ananteris snorted at that. "You think this is how this is going?" He raised a brow at Rick, having absolutely no trust in him. Which was fair enough. "Hand over the payment, so I get to see if you're trying to screw me over again…." With his free hand, the one not holding Morty in place, he held it out and gestured for the bag Rick held.

Rick frowned at this, knowing he couldn't hand over the payment. He had to keep making Ananteris believe he still had enough to offer, or keep the conversation going, as there was no opening to shot the gun with Morty being held by him. He had to do what he did best and make shit up as he went along. He was a master of rambling off the weirdest of things, and having people engage with it.

However, just as Rick opened his mouth to give a snarky or sarcastic reply, his ears flickered to the sound of a quiet groan. It sounded shallow, dry and shaky, and it was followed by a ragged cough. It didn't take a genius to know who made the sound, Rick's eyes darting back to his grandson, seeing him weakly shuffle around on Ananteris's shoulder, before somewhat settling again.

Not able to help himself this time, Rick spoke, ignoring Ananteris for the moment. "Morty?"

He didn't get a reply, but the way he saw Morty twitch lightly, as if trying to raise his head, indicated that he might actually be awake. The fact he wasn't passed out what a miracle in of itself, but the fact he seemed to recognise Rick's voice meant that he knew what was kind of going on, at least knowing his grandfather was here.

Ananteris's tail swished lightly, his line of sight also looking to Morty. A cruel smirk pinched at his lips, and it made Rick feel uneasy. "I'm afraid he can't exactly…speak right now."

Before Rick could question what that meant, Ananteris answered it for him. He carelessly shoved Morty off of his shoulders, not minding the fact that he was tall, and that meant it was a reasonably tall drop to the ground. The injured teen fell on his back, the dry and sturdy ground being the least comfortable thing to be dropped on, already sputtering with gasps and groans, the shock rattled up his back and head.

As Rick had expected, blood, both wet and dry, stained almost his entire body, his clothes painted with it like some edgy abstract piece of art you'd find in a museum. Many of his wounds were still leaking, and bruises littered his skin that could be seen, no inch of him looked up touched.

As awful as it sounded, Rick knew already that this was what he was going to see. But what he was not expecting was the purple rash-like patches that went down Morty's left arm, neck and one side of his cheek, with all the veins covered in those areas now a dark and deathly colour, like his blood had turned into oil. The entire thing looked horrifying, evident signs of toxins living under his skin and torturing him on the inside, making Rick's stomach tighten in horror.

Morty's eyes were hazy and unclear, staring up at the sky with no sense of focus, his mind not thinking straight as he couldn't seem to process what was going on around him. But there were signs of pain and agony in those gentle brown eyes, even if he had no energy to showcase it as much as he should.

And Rick knew exactly what that all was, noticing the hole that not only pierced Morty's yellow shirt, but also his own shoulder too. The purple rash, black veins and frozen eyes, all something Rick himself experienced once before. And oh boy, did that make him boil inside...

Expression wild with rage, Rick cursed at Ananteris, deciding to forget about his composer. "You moth-mother fucker!" He fumed, taking one stomping step forward as he furiously pointed at his enemy. "You inje-jected him with your fucking venom?!"

Ananteris himself wasn't helping the situation, acting like what he did was harmless. "He was starting to remind me of you…." He coldly replied, taking a moment to glance down at Morty. "At least now he might learn that that's a bad thing."

Rick was just about ready to tear his head off. "You're a re-real bitch, you know that, right?" He retorted, that urge to grab his gun growing by the second. "Hottentotta was right about you."

That seemed to bring out a reaction in Ananteris, hearing the name of his ex. He hissed, tail now held high in disgust. "Don't bring her up…." He warned Rick.

Not caring, Rick pressed on, engaging with petty anger. "Yo-You're just mad a real hunter could give her the pleasure she could only d-dream of having!"

A part of Ananteris knew this was just Rick trying to cause a shallow fight, to make Ananteris lose his composer too. He knew he should stay calm, keep his head high and not listen to Rick's words, instead focus on the deal and plan to drag Rick along with bait. But he couldn't resist that anger in him either. His pet seemed to sense this too, taking a few steps back as Ananteris took a few steps forward.

Morty tried to focus his vision when a shadow came over him, confused by what was happening as he had heard all the yelling, though not the words said. But flaring anguish engulfed him when Ananteris stomped a foot on Morty's chest, pressing down hard and digging into some of the wounds, ribs bending inward.

Rick's eyes widened at this, before going back to a dangerous glare as he was the one to growl like an animal this time. Ananteris growled back too, as if the two men were rabid beasts fighting over a carcass.

"I think his death and your expression would be a much better payment with every word you speak." Ananteris emphasised this by pressing down harder on Morty's chest, a deep heave and gasp popping out from the boy.

And that's when a part of Rick finally snapped. "You know what, fuck this!"

Without warning, Rick snagged his gun out, twirling it into place as he aimed, the shot firing and striking Ananteris shoulder. Caught off guard, the alien stumbled off of Morty, who began taking deep, shaky breaths. It took a moment for Ananteris to regain his balance, a pained hiss drawn out from his as he rested a hand on the wound. It managed to burn the top layer of his exoskeleton, some dark red blood dripping from him, but it would take a lot more than that to take him down.

Pulling his hand back, staring at the blood on it, Ananteris's pupils went thin with aggression, baring his fangs as he snapped his sights back to Rick, who was already preparing another fire. Seeing it coming this time, Ananteris skillfully rolled out of the way, as despite his massive size, he had sharp reflexes.

Gesturing to himself, Rick yelled at him. "C-Come on, one on one, I know it's wha-what you really want, your dickless coward!"

That finally seemed to be enough for Ananteris to not care about his original plan either, roaring out an ungodly sound, and he dove past Morty and headed straight for Rick. His opponent tried to fire once more, but Ananteris dodged and slapped it out of Rick's hands, who had to jump back when Ananteris swiped with his claws.

Ananteris then pulled out one of his hunting knives. "She was my wife!" He stormed, tail flicking around wildly.

"N-Now she's my bitch!" Rick retorted in a childish manner.

Offended, Ananteris dove in, slashing his knife around wildly. Rick rolled and jumped around, trying to think of what to do next, but one of the swings managed to nick at his shoulder. It wasn't deep, but faint traces of blood stained his white coat lab and blue shirt. He bit his tongue in pain, but glared as he flicked an arm up, letting the cybernetics in its shape into the hidden weapon that it was.

Ananteris ducked his head in time as Rick fired, but didn't dodge the second hit that got him in the chest. He sputtered a gasp, but swung a heavy fist that managed to hit Rick directly in the face, sending the man flying back. That definitely hurt quite a bit, Rick licking his lips as he tasted the blood dripping from his nose, but he shook his head and jumped back up, already engaging with his enemy again.

Meanwhile, Morty barely had any clue what was going on. His entire existence at this second was nothing but pain, and he wanted it to stop. He knew something was happening between Ananteris and Rick, and by the sounds of it, he had the feeling it was a fight, hearing growls, grunts and curses, heavy thuds and the occasionally sudden quick flash of Rick's arm gun going off.

Needing to know what was happening, Morty tried to find the strength to turn his head, tilting it backwards as he saw blurry figures dancing around in his vision. Trying to process the sight of the fight only made his head hurt, too many colours meshing together, and the flashes from Rick's gun didn't help with the headache gnawing away at him.

But despite how utterly shit his body felt, he did manage to sense another presence that came near him. Morty felt panic in him, as at this point, anything felt dangerous to him, as he directed his sight to the left of him. It took him a moment to understand what he was looking at, but it turned out to be Ananteris pet. It too seemed to be watching the fight going on in front of it, though not daring to engage unless Ananteris told it to do so.

Morty felt uneasy with it standing next to him, the wounds across his body reminding him of what this creature was capable of. After all, Ananteris had mentioned that this thing was one of the most dangerous creatures on his planet...but then that struck a thought. Those very words implied that they were dangerous, even to Ananteris's own kind...

As much as Morty had faith in his grandfather, that didn't mean that he had complete confidence Rick could win this fight against Ananteris, and a part of Morty still wanted to help his partner out somehow. He couldn't just sit here and do nothing. And while making up an idea while his brain was in this state may not be an intelligent thing to do, Morty was willing to give it a risk.

Blinking quite hard now, Morty was doing everything he could to force his eyes to work long enough. When he could at least properly make out the outline of things, he shifted his gaze to Ananteris's pet, more specifically the collar it wore. He recalled how disgusted he felt when learning the truth behind the animal's loyalty to its master, knowing no creature should be tormented just to have it follow orders...

Squinting, Morty tried taking in any details he could, and while it wasn't much, his vision fading in and out, he did somehow find what he was looking for. Thankfully, there did seem to be a way to unclip the animal's collar, just requiring some pressure and finger movement to do so. Normally such a task would be easy a pie, unless you were a teenager covered in crippling wounds, and dealing with toxic venom that felt like it was scrambling your insides.

He knew he had to use his infected arm, since the other one couldn't be moved, and it was the closest one to the alien dog. Taking a deep breath, biting his lip deeply, Morty forced his fingers to move first. Right away, it felt like his entire arm was lit ablaze with fire, skin burning with pain as he held back a whimper, deeply huffing out through his nose.

The only reason he kept going was reminding himself that Rick needed him, and that he wanted to prove to Ananteris that he wasn't the pathetic bait he thought Morty was. By now, he could even hear some of what Rick and Ananteris were screaming at each other in the background, using it as motivation in a way.

"You're no god, Sanchez!" Ananteris snarled, most likely trying to stab his foe.

"The fuck I'm not!" Rick shot back, firing a few more rounds from his arm.

At least they were distracted, and no one could stop Morty from doing what he was doing. That was...besides the animal itself. It hadn't caught on to what Morty was doing so far, too busy watching the brawl going on in front of it. So as he gained more feeling back in his arm, despite the horrendous amount of pain it brought him, the boy started twitching his arms towards the beast's collar.

He was praying it wouldn't notice, begging for this to go right, but he ended up being wrong. Just as his fingers brushed against the collar, fumbling for the clip, Ananteris's pet perked up, eyes going wide as it snapped its head around, immediately biting Morty's wrist with locked jaws.

Morty yelped in agony, somehow suppressing a scream as he bit his cheek, hoping no one else heard him. But as blood pumped in his ears, he could vaguely hear Ananteris and Rick still throwing insults at each other in the background. That was something at least, right?

Looking the animal in the eyes, a few tears in his own, Morty gave it a pleading look, hoping it could understand what he was trying to do. But the years of torment it went through meant it didn't let up, teeth still buried in Morty's skin. Fortunately, it didn't shake his wrist around like a toy, and despite it all, Morty could still feel his fingers moving. As much as this pained him and made him want to scream, he knew he had to keep going. Even with the beast's head covering his view.

Heavily breathing, and swallowing with every ache he felt, Morty twitched his fingers around, brushing them against the collar as he had to feel exactly what he was doing. He was afraid the creature might snap at him again, move and make things worse, and while it didn't let go, it seemed to pick up something was going on. Behind that anger in its gaze, there was confusion as it couldn't understand the boy's motives.

Morty didn't know what he was doing, pressing and touching everything he could feel, he felt his hand begin to go numb. His eyes widened in horror, knowing he couldn't stop just yet. And based on what he could hear, it sounded like Ananteris might be getting the upper hand. For a moment, Morty felt like he lost all hope in winning...until he heard a click.

That mere sound was like angels singing in his ears, letting his hand stop moving as both he and the dog heard the sound of the collar slipping off, and dropping to the ground. The animal blinked, pausing to itself, before releasing Morty's wrist and letting the kid lay his arm to the ground. Its dark eyes gawked at the very sight of its collar, the tool used to torture it, was now off of it, the chains holding it back now no more.

Morty felt his head spinning, having wasted so much energy in pulling this off. Though before his vision could fail him again, he did catch the sight of scars that covered the bug dog's neck, showcasing just how long it has been trapped with Ananteris. And when it looked back at Morty, the two staring into each other's eyes, it seemed to finally understand what the kid was trying to do in the first place.

Morty offered it a smile, or as best as he could, before laying his head back down in a more comfortable position. He was hoping the animal wouldn't turn on him, and thankfully that seemed to be the case. The creature perked up, staring out at the fight once more, but with intention in its eyes.

Then...it took a step forward, and another, and another, as it made its way over to the brawl. Morty didn't have the energy to see what would happen next, instead focusing on his breathing as he felt like his entire body was ready to just give up.

Meanwhile, Ananteris had Rick pinned to the floor, strangling the man who coaked and groaned, kicking his legs out as he reached for his coat, needing a new weapon. But the two halted in their fight as they heard a deep animalistic growl, Ananteris looking over his shoulder as he released his hands from Rick.

The pair saw the sight of Ananteris's pet stalking over to them, body low as its mouth was open wide to bare its teeth, murder in its eyes as it stared directly at Ananteris. Both men looked confused in their own ways, not understanding what was happening.

"Oh, shit…" Rick rasped out, rubbing his throat.

Ananteris narrowed his eyes again, angered that his own pet dared to try and attack him. Naturally, he went to reach for his shocking device to teach the mongrel a lesson...when his sharp eyes caught the sight of the animal's bare neck, no collar insight. Shocked, Ananteris's gaze darted around, wondering where it could have gone.

That's when he noticed it lying next to Morty, and it didn't take him long to piece together what the kid must have done. Of course, he was angry that somehow the boy pulled this off, but right now, he had a bigger problem to deal with.

Turning his back on Rick, standing as tall and imposing as he could, Ananteris huffed at the animal. "Stand down…." He warned it, trying to show dominance.

It didn't work, even making the creature angrier, and it kept pacing forward. Rick blinked, glancing between the two, shuffling himself out of the way as neither of them were looking. Ananteris's tail flicked with a warning, taking steps back as he knew he was not willing to fight this thing.

Having just about enough, he suddenly called out. "I said stand down, you useless mutt-!"

But Ananteris didn't get to say anything further as his ex-pet dove forward, crashing against Ananteris as the two began violently brawling on the ground. The animal was going wild, showcasing all the fury it had built up over the years it had been caged down by this man. Ananteris was cursing, yelling in pain, and generally just doing his best to face off against the alien dog who was digging its fangs into his exoskeleton, pulling off pieces of him.

Rick was on his feet now, watching the entire thing go down with an unflinching look of shock. Eventually, though, a prideful smile grew on his face, and he felt himself laughing out loud, wiping some of the blood coming from his nose as he did so.

"Look wh-who got fed to the hounds in the end!" Rick resounded, despite the horrific noises coming from the fight.

Honestly, he was pretty tempted to watch this entire thing through the end, help the dog out even. But then his mind reminded him exactly why he was here in the first place, that proud smile on his face vanishing in a second.

Spinning on his heels, Rick looked to his beaten grandson. "Oh crap, Morty!"

Without wasting another second, Rick rushed forward, before falling to his knees as he hovered over Morty. The kid was panting, sweat rolling down his forehead as every moment that passed by was him struggling to stay awake and alive. Too much blood was leaving him, and the movement with his arm before had made the venom flare up again.

Rick's eyes analysed him, taking in every wound he could see, knowing full well he had to get the kid home to give him the treatment he needed. He was especially worried about the venom, quickly recalling the effects it could bring. He knew it caused untold pain in your body, mainly in the area it was first injected. It had a chemical in it that tricked your brain into thinking you're dying for the first couple of minutes, which at least looked Morty was passed by now, but it was a haunting side effect no one would like to go through. Rick also knew that if untreated, it can leave permit damaged in nerves located closely to the injection point.

As long as he could get Morty home without any other incidents, then Rick knew he should have enough things in his garage to bring his grandson back from the brink of death. But that didn't seem promising since Morty's eyes were already starting to drop.

Acting fast, Rick carefully tapped at the kid's uninjured cheek, Morty letting out a quiet groan when feeling it. "Come on, ki-kid, keep your eyes open. Grandpa's here." He whispered softly.

Morty seemed to be aware of who was talking to him, struggling out the only word that came to mind. "Hu-hur-hurts…"

Despite his own battered body from the fight he was in, Rick gently slipped his arms under Morty and picked him up, carrying him bridal style. The boy couldn't help all the pained sounds that sputtered out of him. "I know, I know…." Rick shuffled him in his arms, trying to find a comfortable position for the both of them.

Morty's head was buried in the crook of Rick's neck, eyelids heavy as he tried speaking again. "Ri…."

Hearing how tired Morty sounded, Rick tapped his back lightly. It might cause discomfort, but it was enough to keep Morty's eyes open. "No, don't go sleeping bea-beauty on me, it won't make you any less ug-ugly."

Jogging past Ananteris and his ex-pet, still fighting on the ground, Rick ignored them as he raced over to his ship, hearing the roars and screaming coming from them as he placed Morty in his seat. The kid had left a lot of blood patches over Rick's clothing, but he frankly didn't care.

While he usually wasn't one to care for them, Rick went straight for the seatbelt by Morty's side, wanting to make sure he was secure since there was no way the kid would be able to keep himself steady. Unfortunately, Morty didn't seem to want this, as the seatbelt was pressing against his wounds, and he weakly batted at Rick to stop, whimpering and whining as he looked like he was ready to faint.

Stress was getting to Rick, and so he couldn't help himself when yelling out at the kid. "Shit, Morty, just k-k-keep your eyes op-open!" He ordered a little more roughly than he would have liked. "I'm t-trying to help!"

That, of course, didn't help and only upset Morty, everything overwhelming him as tears leaked from his eyes, staring at Rick with fright. The sight made Rick hesitate, scolding himself mentally as he tried fighting against his own anger. He was trying his best, but today has just been so awful.

Taking a deep breath, he put on a softer voice. "We're going home, buddy." He promised to Morty, who perked up a little at that. "J-Just please stay awake, for me….Can you do that for grandpa?"

Morty paused at that, panting softly as he struggled to stay focused. But he understood Rick's words, giving a small nod. He bit his lip and forced himself to remain still as Rick fixed on his seatbelt, as it felt tight around his chest, though really it was just his wounds burning up from being pressed against ever so slightly.

Satisfied, Rick closed the door and dashed around the ship to his side, diving in and taking the wheel as he heard the engine rumble on. He glanced at Morty, who was squirming in his seat, struggling to breathe as more sweat rolled down his face, reaching his limits with his wounds and the toxin digging away at him.

"Please let your parents not be home…." Rick openingly prayed, having the ship take off as the two left, unknown to the fate of Ananteris or the now wild animal...

By the time Rick and Morty returned home from this adventure gone wrong, it was already nighttime at the Smith's residence. Perhaps around two in the morning, though Rick didn't care if he awoke the whole neighbourhood as he barreled the ship onto the driveway, a few clicks and clangs that indicated he might have broken something, but he would worry about that later.

Reaching over from his seat, Rick unclicked Morty's seatbelt and lifted the kid into his arms and over to his side, finding the boy had listened and kept his eyes open, barely. His breathing was becoming quiet, and he could feel his heartbeat becoming slow with him pressed against Rick's chest.

Almost stumbling out of the ship, Rick called out. "Garage, set up a medical bed!"

The AI responded back, though Rick wasn't listening, the garage door sliding open as he ducked under it to save some more time. The lights flickered on automatically, as the lab shifted around a bit as a medical bed folded out from seemingly nowhere.

As soon as it was in place, Rick rested Morty on it as carefully as he could manage. The boy had been gripping at Rick's lab coat, and hadn't wanted to let go, but his weak state made it easy for Rick to pry himself loose. The moment he was free, he began rummaging through his lab, looking for something very specific, uncaring as he threw unwanted stuff around.

Then he found the little bottle of blue liquid he had wanted, hidden in the back of a mini-fridge. Reaching for it, Rick took it out and then selected a needle from a nearby tray. "Fir-First things first, let's deal with that venom…."

After the first time he suffered from the same kind of venom, he had collected some of its antidote for himself in case of another future encounter, now glad that Ananteris never stun him before, as he had this vial to spare. He drew out some of the precious liquid using the syringe, making his way back to Morty.

Once he had enough, testing the needle by squirting out a little, he leaned over Morty, who looked completely out of it. He hovered the syringe around the original entranceway to the venom, needing to be careful. But just as he was about to make his move, Morty started struggling under him in fright, the needle subconsciously reminding him of when Ananteris first injected him with the toxins.

Biting his lip as he held back a swear, Rick pulled his hand away. "Just…stay quiet, ok? I need my focus."

Morty didn't seem to agree, shaking his head as he could barely understand what was going on, the pain getting to him. Rick also recalled the venom could make you delirious, even cause mild hallucinations. Mostly messing with your vision and making you seen random colours, causing reality to be mixed up with your thoughts. And given he was bleeding out, extremely pale and dying, he lost any sense of focus he had.

"Morty, st-stop moving." Rick tried to get him to stay still, knowing no time could be wasted, making him frustrated. "I'm not trying to hurt yo-you."

Again, Morty shook his head, refusing to listen as his aching body and mind wouldn't let him see reason. Rick's own head was beating with a nasty headache from the fight he went through, combine that with stress and the alcohol still in his system, he couldn't help but snap again.

"G-God damnit, Morty! You just had to wander off." Rick yelled, his free hand balling into a fist as it hit his workbench. "Maybe next time don't go pre-preaching to me on what's not safe to do."

He was tired, mad and really just wanted this day to end. Ananteris had pissed him off to no ends, and he hadn't even got the final kill on the man because he was too busy helping Morty. Rick knew he wasn't good at dealing with his anger, so used to just yelling what he thought as a means to cope. And Morty fighting against him really wasn't helping.

Continuing with his rant, Rick gestured at Morty wildly. "If you had just stayed quiet and dr-drank your fucking orange juice, none of this would have-!"

But then he stopped when hearing a quiet sniffle, followed by the broken voice of Morty. "I-I'm…"

Snapping out of it, Rick looked down to see tears washing down Morty's face, clearly upset that Rick was angry at him. His emotions were everywhere, and every part of him felt awful, as all he could do was bleed and cry, the two liquids escaping his body.

"Sor…S-Sorry…" Morty choked out, shaking as he spoke.

Rick stared, his anger fading quickly and becoming no more. That sinking pit in his gut grew at the sight of his grandson, who he reminded himself had been tortured and beaten, was crying. So as he took a deep breath, Rick turned away for a second, knowing he had to calm himself.

"Making your gr-grandson, who is bleeding out, high on bitch venom, cry…." Rick mumbled to himself, knowing Morty couldn't hear him. "Great job, Rick, living up to that asshole status." He shot at himself.

Of course, Morty would be fighting against him. He just spent half a day trapped with a man who had him be a dog's chew toy, while throwing insults and threats at the kid. Morty's mind was still processing what had happened, and the state he was in was sending signals to his brain that he was still endangered. He wasn't going to act rationally, and would most certainly not respond well to someone yelling at him, much less his own grandfather, who was supposed to be helping him.

Glancing over his shoulder, Rick saw Morty was quieting down a little, head resting on its side as he still tried to fight with himself to stay away. Finding that he's controlled his anger and stress, Rick turned back to Morty, hesitating, before reaching over and gently cupping the boy's unjuried cheek as he gently rubbed it.

Morty did flinch, alarms in his head, but it didn't take him long to relax into the touch. He had to remind himself it wasn't Ananteris, that the hand wasn't a bug's exoskeleton, but rather his grandfather's soft skin. His tired eyes looked up at Rick, a few hiccups of shaky breaths parting through Morty's throat.

Rick sighed and gave Morty a soothing look. "I know it hurts, but it'll be over soon….I just need you to be still for me, ok?"

Taking a few moments to process those words, Morty eventually gave a faint nod, though still looked away as Rick reached the needle over once more. Morty bit his lip hard, his left hand balling into a fist as he felt the injection. It stung, feeling the unknown liquid flow into his body, but the entire process was over in just a few seconds.

And the effects felt immediate, the burning pain slowly starting to let up, the purple rash and black veins slowly fading away, though they weren't gone in an instance. Morty felt his left side relax, his mind sensing the danger leaving, and he lazily tilted his head to look down his arm.

Rick pulled the needle away as he placed it on the nearby bench, planning out his next move. Giving Morty some time to rest up, he searched around his lab to grab the things he needed next, which were many of his wonderful concoctions that would make wounds disappear at a moment's notice. Though he knew he was going to need quite a bit, based on what he was seeing.

The first he pulled out was a pill, and while it took a bit, Morty eventually swallowed it after receiving some water, feeling the effects as it reduced the pain he was in. That made everything else pretty easy to get through, as Morty was mostly relaxed, and kind of out of it due to the drug.

Next was an injection that would speed up the healing process of the open wounds by having them close up, making sure there were no bone fractures, and repairing any muscle damage. Like magic, he saw the skin mend itself back together, though some of the more significant wounds were still cracked open or had noticeable red lines.

That's when he brought out some kind of cream product, one that would be used by applying it to any leftover wounds or bruises. Though as Rick glanced over Morty, he knew he would have to remove the tattered clothing so he could see everything he needed to deal with. He went to say something to Morty, but blinked lightly when seeing the kid's eyes closed, softly breathing as he seemed to have fallen asleep at some point. At least he did so when he was in the clear, and Rick felt some pride Morty managed to push through this far.

Since he appeared to be out cold, Rick carefully removed his shirt, pants, socks, and the one shoe he still had, leaving him in his boxers. As if he moved like an automatic robot, Rick began applying the cream everywhere it was needed with a tired expression, struggling a few times when he had to turn Morty's body around here and there to get to some of the hidden damage.

It would take a while for the cream to work in full effect, and since that's all he could do, Rick wandered over to the dryer to open it, peering inside. It seems Beth or Jerry hadn't done the laundry today, seeing all the dry clothes inside. After searching around in it, he pulled out two outfits, his regular get up for him, since what he was currently wearing was damaged and dirty, and some bright yellow pyjamas that belonged to Morty. He paused before reaching in again, finding a blanket among all the clothing.

Folding the pyjamas and placing them on the end of the medical bed for Morty to find later, Rick flared out the blanket to cover Morty, giving him some warmth and cover, before Rick wandered over to his lab bench. Now having the time to deal with himself, Rick used some of his stuff to fix things like his bloody nose, claw or knife marks from Ananteris, and the bruises that painted his body. When he was satisfied, he changed into some fresh clothing before brushing a hand through his messy hair.

He glanced over himself, before looking to Morty, the two looking like they hadn't even been in any kind of fight. Though they both still looked fatigued, as none of Rick what had could cure them of lack of sleep and exhaustion after all that happened.

Though Rick did notice something on Morty's shoulder, which was poking out from under the blanket. Despite having put cream on it, there was still a small, faintly purple scar that was once the puncture wound from Ananteris's tail. He had forgotten that there was a chemical in the venom that left behind scarring tissue, despite all the medical stuff Rick used. He had a tiny scar for a while back when he dealt with it, though he eventually found something to get rid of it. By the looks of it, he'd have to go shopping for the same substance again, for Morty.

Not having the energy to do so right now, Rick rubbed his head as he felt everything finally settle. Morty was safe, both of them were now uninjured, and Ananteris was probably still being mauled by his dog. It was over...

But a part of Rick still felt uneasy, needing something to do. "Keep him monitored for me…." He mumbled to his AI, taking one last glance at Morty, before exiting the garage.

"As you wish." He heard the AI speak as he left, dimming the lights a little in the garage as Rick closed the door.

Flicking on the kitchen light, Rick glanced around as he listened for any sounds. He couldn't hear the family, and given he had nearly crashed into the garage so late at night, he was wondering where they were. But his questions were answered when finding a note on the fridge, Beth's handwriting over it.

It was for Rick, explaining to him that Summer was off having a sleepover at a friend's house, while Beth and Jerry were at the hospital. Apparently, Jerry did something and broke his arm, and since Rick wasn't home to help, Beth took her husband to the hospital to get it dealt with, and they don't know when they'll be back.

A part of Rick was actually glad to have no one else around, needing the space to think and compose himself. Plus, he didn't feel like explaining why Morty was passed out in the garage to the family. That would have sparked some kind of argument, most likely from Jerry.

Needing a place of solace, he subconsciously wandered out of the kitchen, entering the living room and planting himself right on the couch. His hand reached for the remote, already seeking out the comfort that was the infinite cable channels he could watch from. He didn't care if it was something boring, disgusting or questionable, he just needed something to drown out the silence.

Clicking on the TV, the narrator spoke over the trailer of a, quite honestly, flashy and awful looking film. "On tonight's movie marathon, we have two guys fighting over the same woman as she tries to save the world, but don't worry, it's not your average white teen girl movie! As perhaps there's feelings between the two bros that exist outside of this love triangle. Because that's what people really want, right?"

He began mindlessly flickering through the channels, searching for something to distract himself. Movies, tv series, documentaries, cartoons, his eyes glazed over it all, nothing sticking out to him as he was lost in thought. Any outsider who looked at Rick would have no idea what he was thinking, his face expressionless beyond his eyes slightly drooping.

Eventually, he settled on what appeared to be an auction, but in order to win something you were betting on, you had to fight another person betting. It was kind of amusing watching these rich folk bash each other's brains in, and it was enough for Rick to not bother flicking to the next channel anyway.

He still held onto the remote, sinking into the couch as he watched the show, trying not to think about what happened. He wanted to worry about it later, wanted to have a moment of just pure utter bliss and nonsense, so he could better tackle those nasty thoughts later. He hadn't even touched his flask since coming back, which was something he couldn't tell if it was bad or not.

And after what must have been half an hour of Rick just staring blankly at the TV, he heard the faint sounds of movement behind in. First it was the garage door opening, followed by the pitter-patter of small feet crossing the kitchen tiles, before the hidden person stopped at what must have been the entrance to the living room. When they didn't move any further, Rick lowered the TV's volume as he twisted his head around, glancing over the couch.

Just as he had expected, it was Morty. He was now in the pyjamas that Rick had left for him, along with holding the blanket over himself like a cape. While it was nice seeing the kid awake, up and about, he still looked pretty awful. Massive bags under his eyes, hair a mess, leaning against the entranceway as he seemed to feel faint, and his eyes were foggy, tired as they appeared to be trying to process every emotion he felt all at once. He was staring at Rick, seemingly unsure of what to say or do, and for once, Rick was the same.

After staring in silence for a few seconds, Rick cleared his throat as he finally said. "H-How are you feeling?"

Morty paused at that, trying to think of the right words. But he sighed, pulling the blanket closer to himself. "…Mmh, tired…" He murmured, eyes glancing away for a moment.

Rick hummed under his breath in acknowledgement. "You'll feel that way for a while." He then turned away, facing the TV again as its blaring light cast over the two of them. "Your wo-wounds may be healed, but your body and mi-mind will still be exhausted from everything." Rick explained, his voice emotionless.

He heard Morty make a quiet sound in agreement, but his grandson made no move to leave where he was standing. It made Rick raise a brow, confused by Morty's behaviour. Was he afraid to enter the living room or something?

"You should head to your bedroom." Rick said to him, eyes glued to the TV.

Morty paused at that, looking over to his grandfather. Despite how tempted that sounded, he couldn't find himself wanting to do so just yet. "Can't sl-sleep…." He replied, rubbing his eyes.

Rick turned back to him, giving him a look. The kid says he can't sleep, but he looks just about ready to pass out. "Seriously? An-And you were complaining about being woken up at four in the morning…." He commented, glancing the boy up and down, before rolling his eyes and tapping the spot next to him on the couch. "Get over here…."

That seemed to get Morty moving, Rick hearing him walk over before seeing Morty take a seat, letting the couch engulf him as he kept the blanket tight around him. Rick didn't turn to face him, and neither did Morty, both sitting in awkward silence as Rick didn't even turn the volume on the TV back up.

Both of them had words flying through their heads, as they felt like they should say something, at the very least talk about what happened. Because this was an adventure that affected both of them, and it wasn't something they could pretend never happened. And while they were ones to keep moving forward and would tell everyone this, that didn't mean nothing could catch them off guard.

Morty had nearly died, and Rick almost failed to save him, and that spooked both of them. It wasn't like Morty hadn't been in a near-death experience, but something about this made it stand out. And this was one of the few times where Rick felt weak, and he just couldn't live with that. Because even while they beat Ananteris, the alien still proved his point that Rick wasn't a god, and couldn't always be there to protect his family.

And finally, it was Morty who managed to speak first, fiddling with his fingers nervously. "R-Rick?" He hesitated, looking away as he spoke. "I'm sorry for w-wandering off…I just…"

When Morty didn't finish his sentence, Rick decided to speak too. "What exactly happened?" He asked, referring to back when they were at the bar.

Morty took a shaky breath, the memory feeling so long ago now. "I di-didn't go that far, just a few f-f-feet into the alleyway…." He looked at Rick with shame, clearly blaming himself for what happened. "I w-was checking my phone when he snuck u-up behind me…I-I couldn't d-do much when he caught me…."

Rick squinted, thinking to himself. Seems like Ananteris hadn't stumbled on Morty by chance, but instead, he had been stalking the pair since parting ways at the market. It also didn't escape Rick how Morty seemed scared to talk to him, appearing afraid that Rick would be angry with him. It didn't help that Rick had yelled at Morty when trying to help him, but he couldn't let his grandson think he had done anything wrong.

"That's enough for m-me to know he was lurking…." Rick pointed out, staring forward at the TV as he continued. "So don't apologise. He was going to do so-something regardless of what we did…."

"But I…" Morty tried to say something else, that need to blame himself feeling heavy.

But then what Rick said caught him off guard. "If anyone should apologise, it should be me…."

He had said it so casually, making Morty not even realise what he said for a second. Blinking, the teen looked to his grandfather with wide eyes, tilting his head. It was rare for Rick to apologise and take the blame, and while it had happened before, it always felt so foreign to Morty whenever hearing it. And so straightforward too.

Rick leaned forward, arms resting along his lap. "You were right. I sh-should have been cautious about him skulking around…." He clasped his hands together, his eyes squinting in deep thought. "I guess a part of me is still used to going solo on adventures…be-being the only one endangered…."

He could live with the idea of people hating him, fighting him, blaming him and even trying to kill him. He had accepted that long ago in this life he chose, and there was no sense in denying it. But he had to still tackle the idea that his life choices can still affect the people he cares for, the people who can't handle facing the problems Rick has caused.

It had been easy at the start, when he first rejoined the family. He could be careless, he could be wild, he could replace them with a quick jump with the portal gun. He even did that once, after what happened with the love potion issue, and it had been so easy to do, no regrets at the time. After all, infinite universes meant there was always somewhere to run to.

But then he started caring, and while he struggles to openingly show it, he knew he loved his family. He can even recall the first time he really realised it, and that was when he risked his life to save Morty from the splitting timeline issue when falling into the void of Schrodinger's cats. Rick knew full well he could die, and he genuinely felt at peace with it until he knew he could escape too. And that one action of choosing Morty's life, the kid he said could be replaced with ease, over his own life.

A part of him still hated that he cared for these people, his family. Whether it be helping Beth do the chores, hanging out with Summer to boost her confidence, wiping Jerry's mind over something he knew he couldn't live with, or protecting Morty from a universe willing to kill him. That deep pain in him still wanted to leave, because the last time he chose family over running away, it got them killed.

For years he lived with the idea that attachment meant agony, because you had to deal with that love when they got hurt, or killed...But now, as he sits by the grandson he'd destroy the world for just to protect him, he remembered why he was letting love back into his life over the past couple of years.

Morty himself seemed to sense what Rick was thinking, or at least the general idea, just by hearing the fatigue in the man's voice. "Oh, geez Rick, I…." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, not sure what to say.

Rick shook his head and sat up straight, wanting to move away from this sappy speech he was giving. "Plus, you're small, runty, p-pathetic, and easy to ca-catch when off guard." He gibed, almost smirking when seeing Morty frown at him. "I should have expected Ananteris to use you as bait."

Again, he still felt like a fool that it took him that long to find out Ananteris was behind everything, and looking back on it only made him feel more like an idiot, but at the very least, he managed to get them both home safely.

"And because you…." Rick began to say, staring at Morty as he paused on his wording.

Those large, puppy dog eyes were going to be the death of Rick one day, as the kid stared at him intently, wanting to hear what his grandfather had to say. And a small whisper in Rick urged him to speak the truth, to tell the kid how much he meant to him, but again he couldn't find it him in to admit his thoughts and feelings.

"A-Aren't worth the trouble replacing anyway, so he knew I'd come for you…." Rick finally added on, looking away with a straight face.

Morty, however, seemed to know the real reason why he hesitated. That tiny little smug smile he normally got now plastered on his face. "Whatever you say, R-Rick…."

Rick scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Don't make it sound like it's anything more than that, you little brat…."

Morty let out a quiet chuckle, resting his back against the couch again as he stared forward, that smile still on his face. But then he got thinking, unable to stop his thoughts from wandering around, memories leaking in. He lowered his gaze, smile vanishing as he lightly gripped the blanket around him, a particular figure popping up in his head.

"D-Do you…" Morty stuttered, feeling uneasy. "Do you think he's dead?…" He said, looking at Rick.

He, of course, couldn't recall much between getting that collar off, and waking up in the garage, and so he actually had no clue what happened to Ananteris. He had a feeling he wasn't dead, or else Rick would have mentioned it by now.

Rick paused at that, pondering whether to tell the truth or not. But he decided he shouldn't lie to Morty, knowing it wouldn't do either of them any good. "Not sure…" He admitted, glancing at Morty. "L-Left before seeing the ending."

Morty held his breath for a moment, his nerves making him on edge. "If he's not dead….W-Will he come back?…." He asked, noticeable fear in his eyes as he stared at his grandfather.

It frustrated Rick that he couldn't really think of anything that could make Morty any less scared. Because as much as Ananteris got quite the beating from Rick and his old pet, if the man was alive, he would still want revenge. He was stubborn, violent and had an alpha complex. Maybe he'd leave them alone, but he was a wildcard that Rick couldn't predict all the time.

So Rick answered the best he could. "I think he's learnt his lesson…." And, to help boost Morty up a bit, he gave the kid a proud smirk. "After all, you were the one you t-turned the table on him in the end. I'm sure that wounded hi-his pride."

Morty blinked at that, but gave a sheepish smile at the subtle praise. Despite being on death's door, he hadn't given up in the end, and showed Ananteris that there was a lot more to him than being some wimpy petite teen with anxiety issues. And the fact Rick noted that meant it had to be something special.

Rick smiled softly at Morty's expression, turning back to the TV. "But if he comes knocking, I'll be su-sure to blow a hole through his brains. Grandpa's got ya back…."

Morty nodded lightly at that, letting out a deep breath as he calmed himself. Even if Ananteris was still alive and out there, Morty was safe right here, right now, and that's all he should be focusing on for the time being. He was alive, and that was something he shouldn't gloss over.

Rick then paused, thinking to himself as he pursed his lips, before looking to Morty once again and waving the remote in his hands. "How about an episode of Ball Fondlers, huh?"

Tilting his head, Morty blinked before giving a tired smile. "O-Ok…"

Eagerly, Rick clicked the right button to locate their favourite show. Ever since they found this series, it's been an excellent means of bonding over something relatively normal. Just grandfather and grandson enjoying brain rotting television they could quote and talk about later. Once both of them were settled in, and Rick turned the volume back up, they sank into the couch and watched in glee.

An hour must have passed as they watched, hardly talking beyond pointing out a few things, small comments when something happened, and chuckling shared between them. Rick was lost in the world that was Ball Fondlers, the show somehow always finding a way to distract him from the worries of the world.

But then, just as he was about to make another comment to Morty, he felt a sudden weight lean against him. Rick blinked, his focus now away from the TV, and he looked to see what was happening. It appears Morty has finally fallen asleep, having unconsciously slid over and was now resting against Rick. The man could hear the quiet breaths from Morty, who was now dead to the world around him, which he deserved after everything that happened.

This wasn't the first time Morty has fallen asleep against him, though Rick would often respond by telling a family member to take the kid to bed, or if he was feeling mean, push him on the floor and laugh. But after today, he didn't dare wake the boy up.

In fact, a part of him wanted to...enjoy the human contact, to allow his own mind to finally get the idea that Morty was here, safe and sound. He was alive, Rick had saved him, and he would make sure this never happened again.

Hesitantly, Rick moved the hand that was resting on the back pillows to hover over Morty's head, questioning to go through with this action, before brushing his fingers through the kid's hair. It didn't wake him, thankfully, so Rick continued to gently fold his fingers through the soft curls.

He had to admit, this was the one thing good thing Jerry passed on to Morty, as the kid did have quite smooth and fluffy hair. Rick had seen Summer playing with it a few times, while Morty was on his phone or something, and he had noted that Beth liked patting and playing with her husband's hair too. He could see why.

But Rick knew they couldn't both sit here forever, and didn't want Morty getting a neck ache out of this. So with a quiet sigh, Rick turned the TV off with the remote, before lifting Morty into his arms one last time for the night. And while he would often joke with Morty's size, he was kind of glad as it made him much easier to carry. He couldn't imagine doing this with Summer.

As he made his way to the stairs, he had glanced out at the window in the dining room, seeing no signs of Beth and Jerry returning. He wasn't sure what was keeping them waiting, probably Jerry getting into more trouble or something, but he couldn't care at the moment, watching his footing as he climbed the stairs.

Once he reached his grandson's room, it took him a while to open the door while still carrying said teen, trying his best not to drop him. But Rick eventually managed, the light from the hall lighting a path to Morty's bed as the door creaked open.

Making sure he didn't trip over anything left carelessly on the floor, Rick strolled over to Morty's bed, the covers unmade. As skillfully as he could, he slid Morty from his arms and onto the bed, getting his feet under the blankets before tucking him in, all while Morty made no signs he would awake.

Then, Rick stood there in silence for a few seconds, staring down at his grandson as he thought to himself. Today had been too close, because while Rick could do a lot of things, properly bringing the same person back once death had claimed them was something he still couldn't do. Death was perhaps one of the few things in existence that could challenge him in such a way, and it always unnerved him.

Sighing quietly, Rick felt his shoulder slump as he whispered. "… I'm sorry…." And with that, he turned, making his way out of the room as he went to the garage. Either to drink until sunrise, or pass out from exhaustion.

Today had been a long day...

Ananteris huffed and panted, limping onto his ship as he gripped the entranceway of it, his other arm wrapped around his wounded torso. It had taken a long while, but he managed to make his old pet runoff due to taking too many hits. Though it was clear he didn't get out of that fight unscathed either.

But while he was wounded, bleeding and felt like utter shit, he was still breathing and moving. He would live, he's survived through worse, though it would take quite some time to heal. He would have put off work for some time too, which frustrated him.

"F-Fucking animal…" He growled to himself, slamming the button that made his ship's ramp start to come back in to close.

He stumbled inside, making his way to his medical room to deal with the damage he was suffering from. But his anger didn't leave him, eyes narrowed forward as he swore to himself this wasn't over.

He would make Rick pay once more, and now Morty was also on his death list. He would let them rest, before taking his chance to strike another day...

End Notes:

And there you had it, my short story of me trying to learn how to write Rick & Morty characters! Thanks for all the support on it, and I'm glad people enjoyed it. This was quite an interesting show to write about, and certainly different to what I've done before, lol.

I do have plans for other stories, but most of them are in planning. Though there are two I think I can do, and I wanna know which one you'd rather see next.

There's "Family With A Morty" which is a 4+1 fic, in that each chapter is a short on how a family member helps/protects Morty, and then the one time he helped/protected them. I know how each chapter will play out, and I get to explore the entire Smith family.

The other fic is called "Finding Morty", which is a story where Morty gets kidnapped by another Rick, and gets caught up in a hidden experiment by rouge Ricks, and also meeting a group of Mortys who have also been kidnapped, all with different traits. Meanwhile, Rick tries tracking him down, and ends up bumping into Ricks who are also looking for their Mortys. And so both Rick and Morty have to kind of take charge of their little groups in order to escape the bad Ricks.

So let me know which one sounds more interesting, and I'll try and get on it eventually. For now, you can check out my art on Tumblr and Deviantart if you want, as that's where I'm most active!