As soon as we had freed Rick from the cuffs the woman put on him, we left for home. Nobody said a word. I was so lost.

       When we arrived in the garage, I went to say something to Rick, but he just looked at me, his eyes full of hurt and distrust. "Go home, (F/N)."

        I looked over to Morty. He looked away after a moment. Both he and Rick just stood there. I turned around and ran to my house, locking the door behind me before I fell to the floor and put my head in my hands. "I don't even know what's happening anymore. What happened to me? Why did I change?"

       For the rest of the day I sat there, trying to figure out what to do. Eventually I fell asleep against the door.

-x-

         For a week, I didn't leave my house. I hadn't gone shopping in a while, but that was fine. I had enough food for now. I sat on the couch, staring at the blank tv screen, looking at my reflection. My hair was an absolute mess. My clothes weren't much better. I'd been wearing the same two sets of pajamas back and forth. I refused to leave the living room unless it was to grab a snack or to use the bathroom. I hadn't even gone to my garage in so long. I just stared into the tv.

       After a while, I got up and walked into the kitchen, grabbing an orange before I sat at the table, peeling it slowly. I watched the orange peels fall to the table, each piece making a small plop. When I'd finished peeling it, I just set it down, bored.

        I was making my way to the couch when I heard a knock on the door. I looked through the peep hole. "Go away Rick. I'm just gonna make your life miserable again." I went and sat on the couch.

       "Come on, (F/N). You haven't even left your house all week." His voice was muffled and sounded exhausted. "Please let me in."
       "Go home, Rick." I felt like I was about to cry. "Just go home." I felt my voice crack, cringing at the sound. "I'll sleep on the porch. I don't care. I'm not leaving."

       I remembered the night he refused to leave. We had wound up sharing a bed. My bed. I started to cry, "G-Go away, please."

       "Come on, (F/N). I'm sorry, alright? Just open the door." I stayed on the couch, silent tears rolling down my cheeks. I didn't hear anything else after that.

-x-

        I woke up a few hours later, dazed. I rubbed my eyes and sat up on the couch. It was dark outside. Walking to the kitchen, nearly tripping in the process, I stretched my arms before I grabbed a glass of water and switched the light on. I looked at my reflection in a nearby metal ladle. "I think it's time we took care of our-self." I ran upstairs and took a quick shower before brushing my hair, taming it finally. I didn't look much better, but it wasn't as bad as before. I missed that bubble bath. I missed Rick.

       Rick!

       I ran downstairs and opened the front door. Sure enough, he was passed out on the front steps. "Come on, you dumbass." I tried to wake him up, but he wouldn't budge. He was out cold, snoring on my porch. I placed both hands under his arms and dragged him inside, shutting the front door. I ran and got a pillow and a blanket, placing the pillow beneath his head and laying the blanket over top of him before I sat on the floor next to him, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath he took. "I'm sorry I fucked everything up. I didn't know. I don't know what the Galactic Federation even is."
       I laid down a few feet away from him and fell asleep, wondering if this would ever be fixed.

-x-

       Waking up on the floor, I took a moment to look at my surroundings. It was dim outside. Rain smacked the window and thunder boomed. What time is it?
       I got ready to get up and move but noticed something I'd previously missed. Rick was laying in a different position than last night. I suddenly remembered all that had happened and wondered if he cared as much anymore. He probably hates me now.

       The pillow was where it had been last night when I pulled Rick inside and laid him on it. He was basically burritoed in the blanket, his head resting on my stomach. He was still asleep, so I decided not to move for a bit. I laid there, questions raging through my mind. I placed my hand on Rick's side, careful not to wake him, and thought about the day at the pool.

     I wonder what brought that about. I know he said he wouldn't force me to let him mark me, but did he want to? I've known him for a while, but I don't think he would. I know what he did that day meant something, but I'm sure all of those feelings are gone now. Especially after the lady tried to take him to prison. I feel so stupid. He's gonna hate me now.

        I moved my hand and placed it on the side on his head, playing with his hair. "Crazy weird..." Rick groaned and opened his eyes. He saw me and smiled softly. "I told you I would sleep on your porch." I chuckled lightly, "You're lucky I pulled you inside. It's raining out, now." He sat up and looked out the window. "Huh... Looks like you're stuck with me now." He looked back down to me, frowning slightly.

     
       "Why didn't you tell me you were a member of the Galactic Federation?" I sat up, "What?"

       "The Galactic urp Federation. Why didn't you tell me you were part of it?" He sat still, waiting for an answer. "I don't know what the Galactic Federation is. According to the woman, my parents worked for it. But I don't know what the hell it is. And when she saluted me, and said I had managed to capture the most wanted criminal, you looked so upset." I felt tears sting my eyes, "I thought you hated me. You wouldn't even talk to me, just said to go home. And Morty. Morty looked like he couldn't believe what I'd done." I wiped my eyes, not wanting to cry again.

       "I never hated you. I j- I just didn't know what to do. You're second in command, assistant to the leader of one of the the most powerful governmental systems in the universe, across the dimensions. And when she mentioned that you had 'captured me', I thought..." He paused, furrowing his brow, "I thought she meant it. I thought, for a moment, that you had been fulfilling your duty all along, that maybe the anomaly was more than just a genius. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't true. I'm sorry." At this point, I gave up and let the tears fall.

       "This whole week was hell for me. Every time Morty and I l-left, every time we came back, you hadn't come out of your house. Not once. And urp you wouldn't let me in last night. I didn't know what to think."

       Rick sat up all the way and pulled me to him. I buried my face in his chest and cried while he rocked back and forth. I put my arms around him, trying to keep him there forever. "I'm sorry. D-Don't leave, R-Rick." I tried to stop crying, calming down enough to breathe properly. He played with my hair for a bit, trying to make me calm down. "I'm always going to be right here."

       He kept rocking back and forth, playing with my hair like I was a child, and I eventually calmed down. I let out a shaky breath and released my hold on Rick, pulling away from him. I got a very small smile when I met his gaze. We just sat for a while, quiet as can be before I broke the silence.

        "So..." He looked at me expectantly, "That thing... at the pool... W-What was that all about?" He looked away nervously, biting his lip. Holy shit. What the fuck? No, (F/N), you're not allowed to catch feelings. He doesn't care about you. You're gonna wake up tomorrow and he'll go back to being an ass. He won't care for you. Not ever.

        "I-It was nothing, really." Was he seriously blushing again? "Summer didn't think so. And then... that thing in the living room. What's your deal?"
         "No-Nothing. I don't have a 'deal'. W-What's yours?" He wouldn't look at me as he rubbed his arm.

        I crawled over to the side he was facing and sat down, watching him divert his eyes. I kept crawling over to every place he kept looking. "What are you doing?" He stopped looking away and finally turned his attention to me. "I'm waiting for an answer."

       "I told you, it wasn't anything." I moved closer to him, "I don't believe you." He crossed his arms and huffed, "I-It's the truth."

       "Hmm..." I pushed him backwards, making him lay down. "W-What are y- Hey! Get off!" I crawled on top of him, straddling his legs. "Answer my question." His face went red, a deeper shade than I'd ever seen before. "Tell me. It had to be something. If it was nothing, you wouldn't be blushing like this." He moved his hands, trying to push me off of him. Instead, I grabbed them and put them on my waist, keeping my hands over his. "Son of a bitch. What a-are you doing?"

        "I'm trying to get my answer. If you would just tell me, I could hop off and we could watch a movie or something. But until I get my answer, you're stuck here with me." He moved his head, adjusting its position, "How many times do I have to tell you it's nothing?"

       "As many times as it takes until you tell me the truth." I moved his hands and pulled them up my sides, "It's obviously a big something if you won't tell me." His eyes widened as he watched me pulling his hands up and down my sides. "Clearly there's an issue. So, you can either tell me what it is, or I can sit here and do this all day."
         Before I could react, he growled lightly as he shot up and flipped me over, pinning my hands at my sides while he leaned down.

        "You're my issue. Every day I see you, you're my issue. You were stunning in that bikini. I couldn't help myself. And what you tried to pull just now? That was another issue. Because I couldn't do this."

       And just like that, Rick pressed his lips against my own, cupping each side of my head in either hand as he kissed me with so many emotions.