As Real as it Gets

New Beginnings (Chapter 17, Part 2)

Rick grabbed your arm at the base of the staircase, stopping you in your tracks. You didn't move, you didn't look at him. 

"Babe, please forgive me." He spoke, his voice slightly shaky, "What I said was wrong and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He tried to pull you towards him to hug you, but you resisted.

"Oh, are you?" You spoke quietly.

He nodded, "Yes, I'm sorry, Babe. Please don't..."

"Don't what?"

"...leave me." 

You turned to look at him, a stern look in your eyes "Then stop pushing me away and listen to me."

Rick nodded, you could tell he regretted what he said earlier, "Okay, I will. Now I'm starting to see what you meant by saying there's something wrong with me."

"I've lost everything I had from that simulation... my family, my friends..." You placed your hands on his shoulders, "And you're everything I have left, I don't want to lose you too. So I would appreciate it if you'd give my suggestion a chance."

He then pulled you into the most loving hug you've ever felt. Your words hit him hard, "I'll go then." He whispered, "I don't want you to regret staying with me."

"Thank you." You smiled softly.

-

The following morning you made breakfast for everyone. While they finished up their meals you got dressed and came back downstairs.

"Are you ready to go?" you came over to the table where your boyfriend was seated.

He looked at you, "Go where?" after asking that, he remembered and his expression fell, "Oh... already?"

"What do you mean 'already?' You don't have to prepare anything for it." 

"I have to mentally prepare myself." He said in a quieter voice.

You raised an eyebrow, "Rick."

"Okay, okay..." He stood up and took your hands in his, "I'm ready."

Summer looked up from her phone at the two of you, "Where are you guys going?"

"We're going to therapy." You spoke and the kids gawped in shock.

"For fuck's sake." Rick rolled his eyes.

Morty was visibly happy, "Wow, Y/N how did you do that? I can hardly believe that's the Rick I know!"

"What's next, grandpa Rick? Are you gonna get in touch with your emotions and start writing poetry?"

Rick glared and his granddaughter with fury, "Summer, don't make me join Instagram." 

The teenage girl gasped and you just took your boyfriend's hand to take him outside, "Rick, you can't scare the poor children like that!"

"She was asking for it! I didn't want to take such measures either, but she left me no choice!" He spoke and you laughed while almost dragging him out of the house. He sighed, "Once this stupid therapy is over and you finally realize how stupid it is, I'm gonna drop the fattest 'I told you so' you've ever heard."

"Don't be such a baby." You lead him to the car. Rick wanted to portal there, but you didn't want it to scare the therapist. 

He crossed his arms when he sat in the passenger seat, "I'm not a baby." He mumbled.

-

After a couple minutes of driving, you parked and stepped out of the vehicle. Rick followed you into a nice and modern building where you went up a staircase and sat in the waiting room.

"We should be called in any moment now." You gazed at your wristwatch then at your very displeased significant other sitting next to you, "I want you to be respectful. Don't be a dick to the poor woman who's just doing her job."

"Fine." He shrugged, his eyes never meeting yours. You leaned over to him and pecked his lips. A little smile finally found itself on his face.

"Mr. Sanchez and Ms. Y/LN?" A short lady, in her 40s opened the door.

Rick's eyes darted from her to you, as if begging you to give up and go home. You gave him a reassuring smile before you turned to the lady, "That's us." 

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Juna Anderson. Come in." She smiled sweetly before shaking your hand. 

You and your boyfriend steeped in and sat on the couch. Only a glance at Rick's face was enough for you to understand that he did not trust that woman one bit. His eyes were narrow and his body was stiff.

"Would you like to tell me a little about yourself, Mr. Sanchez?" Juna asked.

Rick looked at her like he was expecting her to pull out a gun and shoot him. He was incredibly suspicious and skeptical of therapy, "I'm a scientist. I do work that's based on facts, something that's countable and measurable, something that doesn't change it's definition or structure whenever I feel like it or I can't profit off of it anymore. I don't like to tell stories and teach of things that don't exist in a way that makes the simple-minded think they do. I'm better than that."

You were in slight shock when you heard the not-so-indirect insult to therapy, you cleared your throat, "Rick, please."

"Am I being a dick?" He whispered.

"A little bit, yeah." You whispered back.

Rick turned his attention back to Juna, "I uh, I apologize..."

"Listen, Mr. Sanchez. I'm not here to compete with you or win a non-existing debate. I won't teach you of made-up things. That's not my job. I simply wish to assist you in your process of setting goals and going through with them, to help you stay on track with your development. Just that. But I can't do any of that if you don't let me. I can't help you if you don't allow yourself to accept help that is not your own. Ms. Y/LN knows this very well, that's why she brought you here."

"I understand." Rick looked at the floor, defeated.

Note: I'm sorry I'm taking forever! I know nobody's pressuring me to write, but I just wanted to tell you that I am, in fact, still alive. School is just real crazy right now so there probably won't be any updates in June. But July? Maybe. I hope so. I'm also loving the rest of season 4 so far, my favorite bit was: "You didn't ask questions or raise ethical complaints. You just looked straight into the bleeding jaws of capitalism and said YES DADDY PLEASE!" I can't with this show 😂😂😂