Disclaimer: I don't own "Rick and Morty".

Author's Note: Bear with me.

"Rick?"

A nudge to his elbow caused Rick to stir. He wanted to open his eyes, but everything hurt.

"Rick, wake up."

The voice didn't sound happy to see him, and when Rick finally managed to open his eyes, he understood why: the voice belonged to Morty, who was standing by his bedside, holding what had to be his emergency portal gun.

Rick blinked with unrestricted surprise at the boy for a moment, who looked unusually exhausted; his hair was a mess, and his face….had he been crying…? Oh shit, Rick thought to himself: the funeral. It had probably been today. And he had missed it. It was becoming painfully clear that Morty was glaring at him now, and clearly hated his guts. Well, that would be both of them, he admitted to himself sadly; he didn't expect anything less.

Rick averted his eyes from his grandson. "Listen, Morty-"

"S-save it, Rick," Morty cut him off bitterly. "Let's just, just get out of here, alright? My sister doesn't even know I left the house. Let's go."

Rick winced as he struggled to sit up in bed, grimacing as he touched the bandages on his temple. "I gotta make sure I get some painkillers first….those dirtbags really did a number on my head."

Morty froze in place, trembling from rage, before whirling around and shouting in spite of himself. "Serves you right!" he bit back a bit more harshly than he'd intended, "you were probably a huge d-d-d-dick to them like you are t-t-t-to everybody, right? Well, I'm glad they beat you up!" To his own horror, Morty burst into tears, and swung around from Rick, his face burning with embarrassment.

"Hey!" Rick swung himself out of the bed, snatching his clothes as he did so. "Who do you think you, you're talking to, huh? Jeesus, kid, will you get a grip-"

"No YOU get a grip! I'm s-so s-s-s-sick of your crap, Rick!" Morty managed to shout through his tears. "You-you missed their funeral! You, y-y-y-you selfish sonofabitch!" Morty was close to hyperventilating, he had never felt so angry before in his life. "A-a-all you care about is yourself!"

Rick held up his hands in a truce, glancing nervously at the door, "Hey kid now take it easy-"

"No, I WON'T take it easy!" Morty shouted, "you have no right!"

"Morty-now just calm down-" He was about to sneak the portal gun out of Morty's hand when suddenly an explosion of pain sent him hurtling backwards into the bed, and Rick saw stars.

"THAT'S for my mom and dad!" Morty exploded, his whole body still shaking uncontrollably as he retracted his fist. "Now-come with me!" Before Rick knew what was happening, Morty had yanked a dazed Rick through the portal, taking them home.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Winston sat alone in Rick's cell, wondering why the boy was hugging himself in a fetal position in the corner. He'd been lying there for at least over an hour now, in tears.

He had never seen the young man cry before. Losing the Guardian, it seemed, had broken the poor boy's heart.

Well….he'd just have to comfort Rick then, in the best way he knew how….

…he'd send out signals of love through the ether. Hopefully the boy would understand; would know that the Guardian had never meant to leave him in this way. He'd been programmed specifically to emit transmissions of love to whoever held him, or was near him. Hopefully this would be enough to sooth the young man's pain….even if it was but only for a moment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Summer heard the door open and close in the middle of the night, she'd stolen from bed and had found Morty sneaking off into the darkness. Without a second thought, she followed him. She followed him all the way across town to their house.

Through the open crack in the garage door, she watched, partially with horror and partially with awe, as Morty found a portal gun and, as though he'd done this many times before, opened a portal against the garage wall.

Before she could run in and stop him he was gone-to where, she had one horrifying thought: he was probably going to another dimension where their parents were. Summer was amazed that he would leave her behind, without even saying goodbye...but then again, that was Morty; on the outskirts, he seemed like your average everyday kid, but he was actually always full of surprises.

Summer ran to the drawer that Morty had found the portal gun in. To her surprise and relief she found yet another portal gun; apparently Rick had at least three extra pairs…(and where was Rick anyway? Clearly didn't give a damn about them, as he hadn't even been to the funeral.)

She was going to find Morty and bring him back. Summer had watched Rick use the portal a couple of times. She took the gun in her hand and, gritting her teeth and shutting her eyes, punched in a couple of coordinates, hoping for the best. C-138...it could only make sense that he'd go to the next dimension over….right?

Summer shut her eyes tight, aimed for the far right wall, and fired.