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Lasers wizzed past, all miraculously missing them. “Almost there, Morty!” Rick hollered as they ran as fast as their legs could carry them.And then, Morty was, as usual, fucking everything up by tripping over a stray rock that he’d failed to see in his path. The power box flew from his hands, clattering across the ground out of his reach.Instantly, Rick was there by his side, grabbing his arm and pulling the teen to his feet quickly.Morty had started to run towards the power box, but Rick still had a firm hold on his arm, and he yanked Morty back on track. “F-forget the box, Morty!” He instructed as they continued running.At long last, they reach the edge of the anti-Portal field, and ran through. Rick went to open a Portal, but stopped himself and switched gears when he realized laser bullets were flying passed them just a little too close for comfort.He and Morty began shooting back at the aliens that had been chasing them.Suddenly, Morty started running back into the anti-Portal field, screaming, “Cover me!” Over his shoulder.“MORTY NO!” Rick screamed, losing focus as he watched his grandson run straight into a literal battle field— it was practically no-man’s-land. A full-on war was happening on this planet, and the two of them were in the fucking center of it. What in the fuck was that kid thinking?! He was going to get himself killed!He had to pull his gaze away from his grandson in order to defend himself from oncoming aliens that were trying to kill him. He missed the first couple of shots, feeling helpless and hopeless because he couldn’t chase after Morty. There were too many bullets in that area— the only reason Morty’d made it before was because the chaos had died down for a spare moment, and he’d taken advantage of that.He could still see Morty from his corner of his eye, his heart pounding harshly in his ears as he prayed to a God he didn’t believe in that Morty would be alright. ‘Please, if there is a God, don’t let him die.’ Rick’s mind pleaded. ‘Please, please, I can’t lose him. I can’t lose my little buddy. Please. I can’t lose him, I can’t lose him, I love him so much, please don’t let him die.’Morty dipped down as he ran, sliding across the ground as he snagged the power box up and started making his way back to Rick. Several stray lasers flew passed him, one of them nicking his ear, and another grazing across his cheek. He swerved to the side to avoid a few of them, however he knew he hadn’t been completely successful when a sharp burning pain spread through his arm, hurting the most on his shoulder.As soon as he was close enough to Rick, the scientist grabbed ahold of his arm in the tightest grip he’d ever used on him and shot a Portal below their feet.Morty felt his stomach do a backflip as he fell into the swirling green rip in space, not knowing where Rick was Portaling them to, and hoping that he could land properly without hurting himself.Relief filled him when he landed on something soft instead of something hard, like he had many times before.It took him a moment for him to realize he was in his own room, the two of them having landed on his bed. He sighed heavily, slumping his shoulders. That had been a close one.Suddenly Rick’s arms wrapped around him, pulling the teen back against his chest. He could feel the rapid beat of his heart through his chest.They just sat there in silence for a while before Morty started to feel awkward, shifting uncomfortably. He was still holding onto the power box, too, so it made this position frustrating. However, Rick refused to let him go. “R-Rick?” He asked, trying to twist himself around so he could face the old man. “W-what are you doing?”Rick shook his head, holding onto Morty tighter so that he couldn’t move. He buried his head in the crook his Morty’s neck. “D-don’t you e-ever— Ever— do that again, y-y-y-you hear me?” He said sternly.Morty was confused. “D-do... do what, Rick?”“D-don’t fucking risk your life for a box, Morty!” He scolded, reaching his right arm out to grab ahold of the damn thing and chuck it across the room, all while still holding onto Morty with his left arm. He did not want to let go. He couldn’t let go. Not right now.“W-w-what the hell, Rick?” Morty growled, trying to free himself from Rick. However, the sharp pain radiating from his shoulder and down his arm prevented him from being able to do much other than slightly push at Rick. “Y-you could have broken it!”“Morty.” Rick said sternly. “Shut the fuck up.”Morty huffed, slumping against Rick. “C-can you let me go?”“No.” Rick responded without hesitation.