Interlude One: Something Just Like This, A J19ζ7 Interlude, OR, in which we get a little peak into the lives of another version of Rick and Phoebe.

Notes:

Surprise, cats, bet you thought you'd seen the last of me! XD. In all seriousness, I hope you all are doing well in these trying times and that a little Rick-Phoebe feels can help keep ya going. Sorry about the wait, but I hope it will be worth it. We have here an interlude as we switch between seasons that entails some tooth-rotting fluff with Rick J19ζ7 (J-Nineteen-Theta-Seven), commonly known as "Doofus Rick", and J19ζ7 Phoebe.

The dawn light crept slowly into the dark room, filtering through the cream colored curtains drawn over the blinds. Phoebe stared fondly at the nude man curled into her right side, his head pillowed against the slight swell of her belly and his ear pressed firmly into place. His blue-gray hair fanned out in stark contrast to her brown skin. As she stroked the fine strands away from his forehead, he let out a contented hum. She brought her other hand up to rest atop the hand he had splayed against her lower belly. Her voice came out in a soft whisper. "Do you feel it yet? That's the heartbeat, Rick."

"I do, Phee." He nuzzled into her, then sat up to look into her face, his own full of innocent wonder and open adoration. "I didn't think I'd ever have a family of my own, Phoebe. Most of the other Ricks have a Beth and a Morty even if they don't have a Summer." He looked down wistfully. "I…I didn't think I'd have this."

Her heart clenched hearing about how isolated he'd been in comparison to most other Ricks. She knew that unlike many of the other Ricks, her Rick had never married Beth's mother, had never had Beth, and therefore no Morty or Summer. Jerry, of course, still existed, since he didn't have to depend on a Rick to do so. Instead of living with Beth, he lived alone. Phoebe had moved to the same city, gotten an apartment to stay in while she attended grad school, and tried visiting him every once in a while. She usually took a bus to and from campus, which, ironically, brought her and her Rick together. So many of their counterparts met because of their equal proximity to the Smiths, but she'd met Rick even without that connection binding them together.

On a day when she'd missed the bus back to her apartment, a rainstorm broke out and she had to duck into a coffee shop on campus. Once inside, she'd run into one of the research professors sitting at a table alone. They got to talking, and after that they'd met there often to discuss projects the two of them worked on until, eventually, they started working together out of his home laboratory. Since he never taught any of her classes or oversaw any of her grades, it didn't create any sort of academic scandal or worries of favoritism, although it did raise the eyebrows of a few other professors and students who didn't approve of their age gap. It was the other Ricks who raised the biggest objection, though, especially the Ricks with no Phoebe. They grew to resent him because he was one of their number who found his version of Phoebe first, not to mention completely by chance, and she'd fallen in love with him.

He was easy for them to sneer at anyway, because he wasn't as jaded as they were, hadn't experienced the trauma and loss they had—and he worked for an institution. He was the naivest Rick, the most innocent one. He was the one that hadn't learned to close himself off from the world, to still look at it with almost childlike wonder. As a result of his nature and his profession, they were cruel to him already, often spreading bogus rumors about him to yet other Ricks, like the one circulating currently that he ate shit, but his relationship with Phoebe only made it worse. They swore up and down that he was the dumbest Rick, but really he was the Rick who still felt the most hope and awe. He hadn't been battered down by the world in the same ways that they had. As much as she saw the allure in the other Ricks, as much as they flirted with her and tried to draw her away with sweet, cajoling, heady promises of adventure and tech and power, they weren't hers.

Phoebe raised a hand to cup his cheek, then pulled him in for a short kiss. She leaned her forehead against his. "I know, but now you do. It's happening. It's real. I'm real. We're real."

Her Rick grinned jubilantly at her, flashing his large, slightly uneven front teeth. "I'm so happy that I get to share this with you."

Unable to help herself, she brought him in for another short kiss, then lowered her head to his shoulder and turned into the unblemished skin of his pale neck. "I am too." She inhaled the scent of peppermint shampoo, utterly content. "Why don't we go to the farmer's market today since we got up so early?"

Rick nodded enthusiastically. "Sure, that sounds like a great idea."

He pushed the blankets off of them and helped her stand, knowing that her center of gravity would be off slightly given the recent changes to her body. She took her time to get dressed, carefully pinning her braids with a few senbon and securing a small dagger into a discreet holster on each wrist that her sleeves hid nicely. Rick helped her into the sleeves of her lab coat once he finished pulling on his own clothes and clipping their collie mix, Moxie, onto a leash. After that, they were off to the market. They walked side-by-side with their arms around each other, Moxie trotting obediently at heel instead of running ahead of them. There seemed to be few people out on their street that morning. As they got closer to the market, however, the number of people out and about increased. When they finally walked into the mall parking lot reserved for the market, it was to a quiet bustle of activity.

Phoebe drew away slightly only to take Rick's hand. She then made a beeline for the booth selling honey. She flashed a smile at the elderly beekeeper behind the stall. "Morning, Dale. How've you been this past week?"

The wizened woman returned her smile, her face lighting up with familiarity. "Morning, Phoebe. I've been just fine. The usual?" At her nod, she began carefully bagging one large jar of honey and a few small beeswax candles. Without prompting, Rick gave her the appropriate amount of bills. As Dale handed Phoebe their purchases, she said, "My wife heard about your good news. I figured you'd be around this way today, so she baked a cherry pie special for you."

Phoebe paused, her expression turning even warmer than before. "Oh, how sweet of her." She clutched the small paper bag to her chest as she dug around in her lab coat. "How much do I owe you?"

Dale chuckled humorlessly. "Woman, don't make us come after you. It's free of charge. Just head over to Judy's booth."

Phoebe sighed but nodded in acceptance. "Oh, all right. I just hope you know how much we appreciate it." She gently placed the paper bag into a larger woven one that Rick held open for her.

"Yes, thank you, Dale, that's very kind of you," Rick added.

"It's nothing, you just take care of yourself, you hear?"

Phoebe laughed. "I'll try."

Dale turned to Rick with a broad smile. "You make sure she does. The universe needs her."

Rick looked at Phoebe so fondly that it made the hearts of passersby melt. "Don't I know it."

Phoebe huffed affectionately with fake exasperation. "Oh, come on, you. Bye, Dale!"

They experienced similar warmth and familiarity as they bought eggs, herbs, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, cucumbers, bread, milk, and fresh cuts of venison and bison. By the time they left, their woven bag was full, bulging not only with produce, but with gifts, some of which wouldn't fit and had to be carried. The two of them agreed to take a short walk through the park on the way home, and by the time they reached their front door, Phoebe was glad for the cool interior of her own home. It had started to get warmer outside, the cool of the morning evaporating as the sun rose higher above the horizon. When they got inside, Rick put most of it away to let Phoebe rest off her feet. Moxie sat with his head in her lap, to which she responded by affectionately rubbing his ears. She watched Rick storing everything and couldn't help the way her eyes and mouth softened even more when she looked at him, at his lanky frame, long limbs, and combed-down blue-gray hair.

When he finished, Rick handed her a small glass of lemonade and sat with her at the table. "How do you feel, Phoebe?"

Phoebe reached across the table for his hand, leaving one to continue petting Moxie. "I feel fine. I just needed a few moments."

From her lap, Moxie whined. Phoebe sighed. "Fine, I needed more than a few moments, but I'm all right. It just takes more energy for me to do things than it used to."

Rick glanced toward the barely imperceptible bulge at her middle. "Do you need to lay down again?"

Phoebe's hand briefly left Moxie's head to wave away Rick's concern. "No, really. I'm perfectly fine now, but if you're worried we can wait an hour before we go to the botanical gardens."

He stroked her hand with his thumb. "I think that would be best, just to be safe."

Under the weight of his honest concern for her, Phoebe couldn't bother feeling indignant. "That's what we'll do then, and we'll have breakfast. Should we go to the lab afterward?"

He caressed her cheek. "Only if you're up to it."

Phoebe's lips curled upward. "For science? Always."

As they worked side-by-side to make a full breakfast, her mind wandered back to how everything started.

The rain came suddenly.

With the bus pulling around the corner and her mad dash from the graduate research center ending in vain, Phoebe stuttered to a halt, resigned to waiting another thirty minutes to get home. With nothing better to do, she considered taking out her notes to read over them, but at that moment, the first few drops fell, then more came in swift succession. She glanced around frantically for the closest building, then dashed up the few steps in front of it. Just as she wrenched the door open, the sky opened up and it poured, prompting her to dart inside in an attempt to keep from ruining her notebook or laptop. If it didn't let up she might be waiting a bit longer than half an hour to get back home.

She paused at the threshold as the door swung shut behind her, inhaling the scents that wafted her way. That day, as it had every day and continued to in the present, the shop smelled of baked goods in the oven, rich cocoa, coffee grounds, and black tea. Phoebe shuffled further into the room, ordered a hot chocolate and then looked around for a suitable table. Unfortunately for her, they'd all been taken, and except for one table in the corner, there were no seats left to beg off of the current inhabitants. She hesitantly walked over to it, clearing her throat as she came to stand next to the empty seat. She felt for all the world like some middle-schooler trying to find somewhere to eat lunch. "Excuse me, but is this seat taken?"

The sole occupant has been reading quietly when she approached, pouring over a spread of notes, calculation sheets, and data printouts. He raised his head, peering at her with silvery eyes, his blue-gray hair brushed down neatly against his skull. He smiled hesitantly at her, looking a little sheepish as he flashed his trademark abnormally large, oddly shaped front teeth. "Why, no, it's not."

Phoebe exhaled in relief. "Thanks. I'm sorry to bother you. You're a lifesaver. I was this close to getting caught in the rain after I missed my bus." She sat down opposite him, hanging her messenger bag and jacket on her seat.

"It's no bother at all." He flashed another one of his 100-watt smiles as he quickly shuffled all of his papers into one pile to make room for her, and Phoebe couldn't help but find him adorable.

She wrapped both hands around her hot chocolate, letting the warmth see into them. She thought trying to make conversation might be best. He seemed to want to talk but to be struggling to say anything. Perhaps he was painfully shy or socially awkward? "I see you work at the university."

His hand went to scratch nervously at the back of his neck. "Ah, yeah, in the research department. You're an undergraduate student, right? Have you decided on a major?"

Phoebe, who'd raised her cup cautiously to her lips to attempt taking a measured sip, accidentally sent a flood of hot liquid into her mouth. She coughed and spluttered, heavily sitting her cup on the table. The strange man across from her moved to help her, but she waved him away, collecting herself. "I'm fi—" cough "—fine." She straightened with a sigh, trying to look reassuring. "I'm actually not an undergraduate. I'm getting my masters in biochemistry here."

A flash of pleasant surprise passed over his face, intermingled with his own sheepish embarrassment. "Oh, well that's wonderful. Congratulations. You must have worked very hard to get here at such a young age."

Phoebe managed another smile despite the slight twinge of discomfort in her mouth. "I did: early college, dual enrollment, and summer and online classes."

The man ducked his head to look at her from under his lashes. "You must be pretty smart, then."

Phoebe checked his face for signs he was flirting with her, but she only saw open earnestness and honesty. "That's what people tell me," she replied casually. She gestured toward his papers. "Would it be okay to ask what you're working on, or is that confidential information?"

He glanced down at his stack of work. "Oh, this? It's about fabrics that can absorb solar energy."

Phoebe leaned forward with interest. "Really? I've been researching biofuels recently. Actually, I submitted a patent for some of my research."

He lit up then. "Oh, I think I read about some young scientist doing that in some of the research journals. You're Phoebe Johnson."

Phoebe nodded. "The very same."

He waved his hands around as if he just needed something to do with them. "That was wonderful work."

Phoebe wanted to blush with all of his unabashed compliments. There was something about him, something that made her feel drawn to him despite his unusual, slightly dopey appearance. He seemed genuine and kind, a little wide-eyed for someone his age. For her it was endearing. "Thank you," she murmured, ducking her head to sip delicately at her now cooler hot chocolate. "So, what's your name, then?"

"Oh, me? I'm Dr. Sanchez. I work in the scientific research division at the university."

Well that explained things. She'd heard through word of mouth about a slightly eccentric research professor in the science building. He was mostly quiet, kept to himself, though not unkind or unfriendly. He was the shy researcher who most often took on lab assistants and apprentices, and who was most willing to collaborate on projects. She heard how some of the other professors talked about him behind his back, about his 'odd ways' that to her sounded like what some might refer to as an adult who was a 'high-functioning' autistic person. She hated functioning labels anyway, and the fact that they treated him differently for possibly being autistic made her reluctant to work with any of them, although thankfully all of the faculty weren't like that. She decided then and there that she'd rather work with him than with any of those snobs.

"It's nice to meet you, Dr. Sanchez." She gave him a kind look, extending her hand as she leaned forward even more. "I've heard a lot about you, and I was wondering...do you have anyone working with you in the lab this semester?"

He blinked at her confusedly for a moment, apparently not expecting her to take that track. He glanced down at her hand, taking it hesitantly. "I do, but there's room for another. Ixia and Ravi shouldn't mind."

And that was that. That was how she ended up in the lab with him. The coffee shop was an easy meeting place on campus when they weren't in the lab, a place to unwind while they analyzed the results of current projects and considered new ones. She could never say when exactly she started to go, but eventually their work carried over to the personal lab at his home. She'd been apprehensive at first about meeting him there, but it was obvious since they met that he was beyond harmless and without a single malicious bone in his body. Besides, as a fencer and constantly carried weapons on her person, she could easily subdue him if she needed to.

In fact, in the end, the only thing she had to worry about was her own feelings. At first she thought it was a crush brought on by spending so much time together, so she tried to pull back, but the feelings didn't fade no matter how much she tried shutting him out. They only got more intense as time wore on, to the point that she had to wonder if others noticed, if Rick did. Even if he had, he was too shy to ever make the first move, and she didn't want to ruin the relationship they did have as friends and sort-of-colleagues.

One winter day, when she and Rick were in his lab for hours on end, a blizzard came over the city. By the time they noticed, they were snowed in with the storm raging around them and Phoebe had to stay until it blew over. She didn't know what came over her watching Rick make some of his oven-less brownies, but when he'd looked up at her, eyes shining and excited to share in a bit of science with someone who'd sit patiently and listen, she knew she couldn't hide how she felt any longer.

She grabbed for his hand. He broke off from his explanation mid-sentence. "Phoebe?"

The uncertainty and curiosity in his voice gave her only a moment of hesitation. She pulled her hand away to clasp both hands together, biting her lip. "I'm sorry, Rick, but I can't not tell you, especially since you've become such a good friend. I can't hide this anymore. The truth is that I...well, I have feelings for you. If you want me to transfer to work with another researcher, I understand—"

He blushed heavily, gently reaching out to reclaim the hand that she'd pulled away from him. He turned their hands so that their fingers could enter twine, and ducked his head, looking at her from underneath his lashes. "Gosh, Phoebe, I….Please don't transfer. I don't want you to work with another researcher. I...feel the same way."

The shy honesty and affection in his eyes made her melt. "Can I kiss you?"

If possible his cheeks flushed an even deeper red. He gave her a nervous reply. "O-o-only if you want to."

Phoebe smiled gently at him. "I do."

She leaned forward, pressing her lips tenderly to his. He made some sort of whining noise and melted right then and there.

Phoebe didn't leave immediately when the storm lifted. From that point on, she visited even more often than before, sometimes spending the night and heading onto campus with him. She fast-tracked her masters to graduate early, and on the day of graduation, they got married. A month after the marriage, and she realized she was late. She took four different at-home tests, then used Rick's lab to conduct two more. There was no denying it at that point that she was with child.

She was worried how he'd react despite how his overall demeanor differed from most of the other Ricks. When she told her Rick, though, he actually burst into tears, hoisting her up in his arms and spinning her around, telling her how deliriously happy he felt to finally have a family.

Phoebe emerged from her thoughts with a content smile, dipping a finger into the tub of whipped cream intended for the pancakes on the kitchen table as Rick walked by with it. He turned to her and she used the opportunity to dab a bit onto his nose, grinning playfully. "I love you," she told him, taking it from his hands and setting it on the counter. She drew him in for a kiss, then let her head rest on his chest over his heart.

He held her close. "I love you too, Phoebe."

She believed him.