As Real as it Gets

New Beginnings (Chapter 17, Part 1)

Morty, Summer and you were the first ones to go through the portal and enter your new house. The kids sat on the couch and watched TV while you offered to make everyone some hot chocolate to relax after the stressful events at Beth's house. 

Rick then came in and the portal closed behind him. He was very obviously furious at his daughter. He walked over to you in the kitchen, "Are you hurt?" 

"No. I'm okay." You hugged him lovingly. He wrapped his arms around you and kissed your lips.

You proceeded to pour the sweet, hot liquid into some mugs. The four of you spent the evening just chatting and watching movies. When it finally got late, the kids went off to the guest bedroom while Rick and you still sat on the couch. Grabbing the remote, you turned off the TV because neither of you were watching whatever was on there and you really needed to talk to him. Rick seemed awfully calm, just staring coldly into nothing. 

"Talk to me." You sat closer to him and held his hand in your lap.

"I'm fine." He said plainly.

You raised an eyebrow, "You know damn well you can't lie to me. So why are you even trying?"

"I'm not lying. I'm just... tired. Yeah, I'm tired." He kissed your cheek and stood up, "Good night, Babe." He went to the bedroom.

-

You brushed your teeth and joined your boyfriend in bed. He very obviously wasn't asleep yet, but you didn't want to bother him anymore so you turned off the lamp on the night stand and covered yourself with a blanket, drifting off to sleep.

Suddenly, about half an hour later, you felt Rick shift and move around on the bed. He was usually a calm sleeper so you knew immediately something was wrong. You turned on the small lamp to see what was happening. He was breathing heavily and kept moving around like something was attacking him. Then you carefully placed your hand on his cheek, "Rick, Honey, wake up." You whispered, "You're safe, you're just having a nightmare. I'm here with you."He placed his hand on yours, like trying to keep you from leaving. "Wake up." You said a bit louder than before, "Nothing's happening right now, it's okay." 

He opened his eyes and looked at you, "Oh fuck." He sighed in relief, glad that nothing of what he saw was real, "That was the weirdest fucking dream ever."

"You want to tell me what it was?" You asked.

"No." He replied.

"Then, you want to tell me what's bothering you?" 

Rick snarled and turned his back to you, "Stop with the damn questions already, I'm tired."

You sat up and looked at him, "Do you not trust me anymore? Do you not want to talk to me? Are you tired of me?"

"No- no, I'm not, Jesus." He too sat up and looked at you when you started fuming.

"Then why are you acting like this?" 

"Like what?!" He yelled.

"Be quiet for fuck's sake. The kids are sleeping." You hushed him, and he angrily crossed his arms and looked away, "You're acting like a toddler, Rick. I'm gonna need you to be a big boy now and tell me what's wrong and not pull another unnecessary break-up, okay?"

His gaze turned back to you. At first he seemed serious, but then his expression became soft. He was still thinking whether or not he should tell you anything.

"You know I could never hurt you." You whispered and placed your delicate hand on his shoulder, "I only want to help you."

"And how... how do you plan on helping me?" Rick finally spoke.

A deep breath escaped your lungs as you prepared yourself for telling him something he's probably not going to like, "Well... I was thinking we could go to--"

"If you say therapy I'm gonna fucking lose it." He growled quietly.

"Oh it's only gonna be a couple of times!" You tried to make it sound less revolting to your therapy-phobic boyfriend, "She's just going to talk to you for a little bit--"

"Nope nope nope-" Rick stood up and left the bedroom in a heartbeat. You put on your slippers and followed him downstairs. 

"Rick! Get back here right now!" You raised your voice, but not too much, still trying to be quiet. He went into the garage and closed the door behind him, you gawped when you heard the lock click, "Oh, my god, Rick! Unlock the door!"

A faint sound of glass bottles being pulled out of a cupboard was heard, "Nuh-uh." He mumbled. 

"You can't be serious right now." You whispered and closed your eyes in utter disbelief, "It's just therapy. No one's fighting, no one's dying, it's just a person who wants to talk to you."

He stoop up from his chair and walked over to the door so you could her him better, "No, they don't. All they want is a paycheck. All they're good at is wasting both your time and your money. I do not need someone to tell me I'm crazy and give me a half-assed diagnoses and th- then give some stupid fucking pills and stuff me full of their placebo bullshit- that doesn't work on me!"

"Honey, it's okay--" You tried to calm him down, "I'll be with you the entire time..."

"I-I- I don't care! No amount of your little pep talk is gonna convince me to go to stupid, pointless therapy. Because I don't want to go!"

You sighed, "I know you don't, but-"

"But what?" He sat down on the floor and took a swig of his beer.

"I can't fix all the problems myself, Rick." Your voice was soft with affection, "I can't help you the way a professional can. Please understand that something's wrong with you. You can't live like this. We can't live like this." 

"Wait, you can't help me?" He giggled as he blurted out the words that first came to mind, "Weren't you designed specially for me?"

You were taken aback... and furious, "Good one, Rick." You said in a monotone voice as you walked away from the door and back upstairs.

Rick's eyes widened as he realized what he said, the bottle slipping out of his hand, "Fuck, wait!" He opened the door and rushed to catch up to you, "Babe I'm so sorry!"

Note: Oh hi! Long time no see! How are ya'll doing? Washing your hands? Staying home reading fanfics? Good :D This whole thing is a little crazy, but we'll get through it, okay? I really hope everyone is doing good! <3 Also thank you for 50k reads! Das a lot!