Rick could tell there was something different about Morty and Liz as soon as he entered the room from the way they were looking at each other. Rick groaned. "Seriously, Morty?" he asked.
"What?" Morty replied defensively.
"You're hooking up with Liz?" he demanded.
"I don't think that's any of your business, but yes, I am," Morty answered.
Rick groaned again. "You were supposed to break the cycle, Morty," he insisted.
Morty pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "What cycle, Rick?"
"You're gonna get trapped in a failing marriage, just like the rest of us!" he yelled before storming off to the garage.
He didn't know why he was yelling at Morty. It was irrational, and he knew it, but it felt like he was losing Morty all over again. First to school, now to Liz... he couldn't take it anymore. He took a swig from his flask.
"Let me talk to him," he heard Liz say from the other room.
Rick groaned. He didn't need a lecture about love, and he certainly didn't need Liz to tell him that she was taking Morty. Morty wasn't supposed to grow up. Morty was supposed to be his little helper forever.
The door opened, but Rick pretended not to notice. It was selfish, he knew, wanting Morty to himself, but he couldn't help it. He could feel Liz watching him, even though his back was turned.
"I'm not gonna steal him from you," Liz said, finally breaking the silence.
Rick turned around in surprise. "What?" he asked.
"I'm not going to steal Morty from you," Liz repeated.
Rick didn't know how to reply. A lost look came over his face, and he felt the light drain from his eyes. "What does it matter?" he asked. "I'm losing him anyways."
"Then you don't know him very well," Liz argued. "Because he is terrified of losing you."
"He'll never lose me," Rick said softly.
"He almost did the other day," Liz reminded him. "When you decided to OD."
"Right," Rick replied uncomfortably. "Just... just don't EURGH break his heart, okay?"
Liz moved forwards and touched Rick's hand. "What was the name of the person who broke your heart?"
"Diane," Rick answered. "She made me choose between her or interdimensional travel."
"I'm not going to do that to Morty," Liz assured him. "And I'm not going to make him choose between the two of us. You're his best friend, Rick. There's no replacing you."
"You know what, Liz?" Rick asked. "You're okay."
Liz leaned forwards and hugged Rick. "You're gonna be okay," she said.
Surprisingly, Rick hugged her back. "Take care of him when I'm gone, okay?"
"I promise."
Morty felt hopeless. It seemed no matter what he did, he always let his grandpa down. He really wanted a relationship with Liz, but what was the price?
Liz returned from the garage and sat across from him. "How is he?" Morty asked.
"Better," Liz answered. Morty sighed with relief. "He's just terrified of losing you."
Morty laughed cheerlessly. "How can two people be so terrified of losing each other that they keep pushing each other away?"
Liz reached out and grabbed his hand. "Don't give up on him. He's trying his best, but deep down, he's scared."
"So am I," Morty replied. "What are we going to do?"
The garage door opened, and Rick came sauntering out, obviously in a better mood. He burped and sat down next to Morty. "Hey buddy," he said. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Liz isn't so bad."
"It's ok," Morty replied.
"I couldn't make marriage work," Rick admitted. "And your parents? Well, they're on-again-off-again. But maybe you really can break the cycle."
Morty furrowed his brows in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Make it work," Rick replied.
Morty nodded. "I will," he said. "And it means a lot to me that you said that."
"Well, you mean a lot to me Morty, so if you love Liz, I love Liz."
Morty leaned forwards and hugged his grandpa. Rick's arms wrapped around him tightly, as if he was afraid Morty would disappear. He remembered what Liz said. Rick really was scared. But he knew how to cheer him up.
"How about we go on an adventure, just you and me?" he asked.
Rick's face lit up. "Great idea, Morty!" he exclaimed. "I'll go get my portal gun."
He left the room, and Morty looked at Liz in wonder. "How did you turn him around so fast?"
"I was honest with him," Liz replied.
"Thank you," Morty replied. "You're really amazing, you know that?"
"I do," Liz replied with a grin.
Rick came back into the room, waving his portal gun around. "I found it!" he exclaimed. "And I think it's your turn to pick the adventure, Morty."
"Thoughtful of you to remember," Morty commented.
Liz stood up. "You boys have fun," she said. "I'm gonna chill out in front of your interdimensional cable, okay?"
"Sure thing," Morty replied before turning to Rick. "What do you say we fly out to a random planet and run straight into trouble?"
"I say I like the way you think," Rick replied, entering the coordinates into his portal gun. "And I think I know just the place we can find that trouble you're looking for."