Sometimes Things Fall Apart

Chapter Fourteen

       Rick looked both horrified and embarrassed. "H-He eugh told you about th-that?"

       "Well, yea. He was acting completely different and I couldn't figure out why. But he... he k-kissed me and we both figured it out. When he was trying to figure out what dimension I was from, he was talking about how he was gonna get 'his girl' back, and that you were gonna get yours, and I explained that we weren't together. He was very, very scared when I said that. He told me I absolutely had to talk to you about it as soon as I got back." I folded my hands in my lap, waiting for a response. Rick seemed to be having an extremely difficult time trying to find the right words.

       "W-Well it's n-n-nothing big. Just... a whole..." He couldn't figure out what he wanted to say. "It's a stupid thing, really. Don't worry." He tried to smile, but all he did was fall back into a thoughtful frown.

       "Well," I stood up and walked over to his desk while he spun in his chair, "he said something about more Ricks. As if two of you weren't enough." I laughed, but Rick kept spinning in his chair.
       "It was more the way he said it than what he said. He told me that a Rick has his own version of me. Well, unless their version of me died before they met. But he mentioned that there are dimensions where I'm never born, so a Rick could 'buy' or steal one of me. Anyway, I'm gonna have you answer that later." I sent him a pointed look, "For now, what the hell is marking and why is it so damn important?!"

        With a heavy sigh, Rick put his foot down and stopped his chair from spinning, facing me. "You gotta listen, because I don't... I don't want urp to talk about it again." I sat on the floor in front of him, crossing my legs and looking up to him while he rocked back in forth in the chair.

       "Every Rick has the opportunity to f-... to find a (F/N). The version of you eugh that you walked past in the bathroom was you from another dimension. But her lab coat didn't mean anything other than her Rick wanted people to think he had the 'anomaly', as they put it. But he doesn't have her."

       "What's the 'anomaly' version of me?" I was genuinely confused. Rick sighed and put his face in his hands before he looked back up at me, "I'll get to that in a minute. A Rick has a (F/N) to keep him somewhat sane. It wasn't supposed to be a thing, but a Rick had fallen... he had fallen in love with the first (F/N). The Citadel of R-Ricks saw eugh that it kept him sane. They decided t-to make sure every dimension's Rick somehow found his (F/N), setting up a series of ways they could interact. When we met, it was only partially co-coincidence."

       My eyes went wide. "S-So, basically, every Rick has a version of me in whatever way he finds them, either by 'buying' her or how this Citadel sets it up. An-... And I'm your version?" He nodded and downed most of the contents of his flask, setting it out on his desk with a belch. "What about the anomaly? What is that?"

       Rick suddenly turned serious, "That's the most important thing. They call her the anomaly because there's only one (F/N) with a massive amount o-of acquired intelligence." I clasped my hands together, setting them in my lap as he continued, "The anomaly is-is the most searched for because she's smarter than the rest and can help a R-Rick more than any other." He gave me a small smile.

       "Y-You're the anomaly, (F/N)."

        I felt like that should've completely shocked me, making my jaw drop and sending me into a state of "how can this be? I never saw this coming?", but as soon as he started explaining the anomaly, he had an odd glint in his eye. I saw it coming. "That's one of the reasons you're so valuable. You weren't even fazed w-when I said it. You can handle situations well and, believe it or not, you are an excellent fighter. You just need to learn a bit more, first." He gave a light chuckle.

       "Okay, so, b-basically, a Rick and a (F/N)," I felt so awkward saying my own name like another being entirely, "are companions, in a sense?" Rick nodded.
       "And we are usually... together?" He nodded again, looking away this time. "Well... I guess that's out of the way." I rubbed my arm, "What about marking? What was that all about?"

       Rick turned his chair all the way around, his back facing me. "That's a similar idea. It's how a R-Rick claims his (F/N)."
       "Well how does that work? And why?"

       He gave a frustrated groan, "Because it's how a Rick manages to protect his (F/N). If they're together, he can watch her 24/7, most of the time. That's why they do it. As for the how, they have to..." He waved his hands in the air, "I-In simple terms, the Rick installs a tag in the crook of the (F/N)'s arm, and then they, uh.. 'do it'. But so many things could go wrong when it happens.
The tag fucks with a Rick's mind. It can get so bad that a Rick completely loses it. WheEn the tag is put in, we usually-" he paused and spun back around, "we usually urp take what's ours. The tag has to be activated through sex, but it.. it hurts the (Y/N), and they're usually too tired from the pain, and the Rick forces themself on them."

       I stood up, meeting Rick's apologetic gaze. "Don't think for a single second that I would do that. I wasn't going to say anything about it because I figured I could go without that, as long as I kept helping you out every once in a while. But everything that happened... it scares me." He grabbed his flask, emptying the rest of it.

       Standing, he put the flask into his pocket. "I'll be eugh right back. Empty."

       "Bring me one?" He turned around, raising half his unibrow, "You told me... you said I was too innocent. You said I had to fix that. Bring me one."
        He turned around and walked out, "How'd I land this one?"

-x-

       About an hour later, Rick and I were still in the garage laughing about today. I was working on my third beer, no idea how many Rick's had.

         "How'd you know it wasn't me, anyway? I mean, I told you the other dude kissed me. How'd you figure out it wasn't me?" I took a sip from the bottle as I watched his shoulders slump for a minute.

        "We walked around the garage for a while and I was talking about going on another trip later. I was talking and talking and she, out of nowhere, was all 'you don't have to take me anywhere. I'm fine just being around you.' That part made me a little suspicious. But then," his gaze went to the floor, "she said 'I love you'. And then I saw the tag in her arm."

       I set my bottle on the edge of his desk, clearing my throat. "Well, I do enjoy your company." He eyed me suspiciously, "but I think, for a little bit, you should spend some time here, with your family. Morty hates me for taking all of your time. Maybe go on another trip, just the two of you. You and I can go somewhere another time. I just... I just don't want Morty to hate me. So could you do that?"

       Rick had been taking a very long drink when he lowered the bottle. "What do you mean?"
       "I mean maybe you should chill here for a week, or at least a few days. I need to let all of this sink in anyways. I've heard a lot of things I never expected to ever know, much less be part of. So, could you do that? Spend a week with your family?"

       He just shrugged, "I guess. Morty doesn't hate you, eugh though. He's just... upset. I'll fix everything. But promise you'll wear the bracelet? All the time?"

       I stood off the floor, "I promise." I leaned down and pulled him into a hug. "Thanks, Rick." I leaned over, giving him a very light peck of the cheek, "I should get going. Have fun."

       "Bye, (F/N)." I waved, laughing at his blush, making my way back home. I heard Morty walk into the garage before I'd even reached the other side of the road. I unlocked my door and stepped in, looking back over to Rick and Morty, starting to work on something. Rick looked over and gave me a sad smile before I waved and shut my door.