“Prove to me you’re Rick!” Morty shrieks shrilly, taking frantic steps away from the scientist, and Rick holds his hands up in a placating manor.
“Whoa, whoa, baby it’s me-“
“That’s what Summer said and that is NOT my fucking sister!” Morty wails, hands shaking at his sides. He gasps when his back hits the wall of the alley outside the restaurant he’d fled from, and he shoots Rick a scathing look.
“Take a deep breath, angel.” Rick says gently. “Take a breath with me, in and out.” He stops when Morty merely glowers warily. “Come on, you can feel me here baby, we’re soul bound, just take a breath for me.”
Relaxing slightly, Morty squeezes his eyes shut and takes a breath. As the panic subsides slightly he allows himself to feel the gentle flow of reassurance coming from the man before him. Morty sags against the wall with a strangled whine and Rick scrambles forward, catching him before he can crumple to the ground.
“Shh, I’ve got you.” Rick soothes as he pulls Morty into his chest.
“That’s not Summer.” He wheezes. “It’s happening again Rick, it’s happening again.”
“Morty, baby, deep breaths.” Rick says firmly, tipping Morty’s head up so their gazes lock. The petrified teenager does his best to obey the command, wheezing in a shallow breath. “We’re going to figure this out and we’re going to get Summer back, and I promise, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about.” Morty protests, and Rick’s gaze softens.
“Nothing will happen to me either.” He promises, and Morty nods slowly.
“Okay.” He agrees lowly. “Okay. So what do we do?”
“We’re going to go back in there and say our goodbyes, and then we’re going to go see Beth.”
“What-“ He starts, and Rick interrupts.
“If Summer is missing they might have an idea of who took her.”
Morty searches Rick’s gaze for a moment. Anxiety twists his stomach at the thought of going home -of seeing his parents again- but he knows that if Summer’s life is at risk then he needs to take this chance.
“Okay.” He agrees. “Okay, lets do it.”
When they head back in Summer looks up from her phone and arches a brow.
“What took so long?”
“Little panic attack, we took care of it.” Rick replies. “We’re going to head though, Summer. I should get him home, he’s really wound up.”
“Alright.” She replies slowly. Morty avoids her gaze as he shuffles out of the restaurant with Rick, narrowed eyes following them until the spaceship disappears from view.
Once she’s sure she’s alone, Summer lifts her arm and presses gently down upon her earlobe.
“Drone 5379, status report?”
“They know.” She replies, gaze locked on the spot in the sky where the spaceship had vanished.
“Understood.”
~~~
“It seems empty.” Morty says as Rick drops the ship in the driveway. Warily Rick climbs out of the aircraft and circles it to pull Morty’s door open.
“Stay close to me. I don’t like this.”
Morty’s hand finds the back of Rick’s jacket and he allows his grandfather to lead him up the path to the front door. Slowly, Rick knocks. The door creaks open, but no one replies.
“Hello?” Rick calls warily. “Anybody home?”
“I don’t like this. Somethings wrong.”
“Agreed. Come on.”
Rick briskly steps in and kicks the door shut behind them, beelining straight for the stairs. They head up, first to Summer’s room and then to Beth and Jerry’s. All turn out empty. They check their own to be safe, but they’re in the same state they’d been left in.
“Where the fuck is everyone?” Morty mutters, and Rick grimaces.
“We need to get back to the ship.”
“What-“
“Now, lets go!”
Rick whirls, beelining for the stairs with Morty tucked carefully into his arm. They barrel down the stairs, and Rick’s hand is a mere inch from the doorknob when a voice sounds.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
