The final chapter! It's pretty short cause y'know epilogues tend to be. It should round everything around to canon quite nicely. Enjoy!

Rick eventually returns. After nearly six years of travelling alone he comes back to the house across the street. This time though he weasels his way into their lives. It's easy. Beth is ecstatic and Jerry can only watch helplessly as she welcomes Rick with open arms. The poor sap can't risk losing Beth, it's not a far cry from his own universe. A shiver races up his spine. No. None of that. This is his home. This is where he belongs. Only this time he won't make the fatal mistake – he won't choose her. It would hurt too much. He has to choose someone though. He can't bear to be alone anymore.

So he chooses Morty.

He drags the poor child on adventures all over the infinite universe. It's just as he'd always imagined too. Morty is terrified half the time and awed the other half, just like Rick is sure his Morty would have been. It soothes Rick more than anything has in years. But only for so long. After a couple of months Rick sees the late nights wearing on his grandson. Still, he suppresses the feeling. Caring only brings pain. And that's not what this is about. It's about company and easing his own pain, not the pain of his grandson. Yes, that's absolutely all it is. He can't afford to care, not again. So he keeps going, on and on and on.

Then comes the day it hurts so severely – the past and the present and seeing Morty so worn – that he decides to relive the past. A day he'll never forget. He takes Morty to Dimension 35C. His grandson is reluctant as always, always the same with this one. But that's alright. Rick expected it, planned for it even. So once they escape the monster and the words spill forth, it doesn't faze Rick. "Alright, Rick, look…how much longer is this gonna be?" He scowls at Rick's profile. "Shouldn't I be back in school by now?" It's the mature version of the words Morty told Summer all those years ago.

Rick turns hard, planting his hands on his hips. "What are you joking me?" He flings his hand outward, indicating every inch of the world around them. "I mean, look at all the crazy crap surrounding us. I mean," He grabs Morty's scalp and jerks him forward. "Look at that thing right there!" He points with more excitement than intended. "W-W-What the hell is that thing? You think you're gonna see that kinda thing at school?" He peels Morty's eyelids back, keeping the kid's eyes open wide. "Look at it just lumbering around. It doesn't even…It-It defies all logic that thing." He anticipates the reaction – the awe.

Only it never comes.

Morty smacks Rick's hands away and sighs. "Yeah, Rick, I get it." His brows dig far down on his head as he glares up at Rick. He doesn't give the creature a second glance.

Rick flinches. His heart clenches and for an instant he is painfully short of breath. It's not the same. He can't ignore it, not this. Morty, this Morty, he's not the same as the Morty he once knew. He should be captivated. Completely in awe. But…he's not. He never will be. It's not the same. No matter how close the realities are, this Morty just isn't his.

"We're surrounded by…monsters!" Morty throws his arms out wide. The harsh movement snaps Rick out of it.

Rick blinks and turns away from Morty. He doesn't acknowledge the child. He walks over to the edge of the cliff, a cliff much like the one he sat on with Summer and Morty years ago.

Morty huffs and stomps after Rick. "That's kinda the reason why I want to leave."

Rick hushes Morty, rounding on him. "Morty," He yanks his grandson up and holds him to the edge of the cliff. The boy's feet barely touch the ground. Rick can feel him trembling as he must trust Rick not to let him fall. I haven't given you much reason to trust me, huh? "Ya see this?" Far below them are a field of the trees Rick so sought after. "You see what we just stumbled upon Morty?" He shifts Morty to his side and sets him down. As Rick's hand lingers over Morty's shoulder he can feel the kid relax, but only as much as anyone in a mad scientist's presence could, Rick knows. Morty is far from alright. "Any idea what that is down there?" He motions downward.

Morty grimaces. "The Mega Trees?" He peeks over the edge, getting a first good look at the so called trees. They certainly aren't like any tree he's heard of or seen.

"That's right Morty the Mega Trees." He makes a sharp movement that makes Morty flinch, but Rick does not acknowledge it. "With the Mega Fruit on 'em. And that's what I'm talking about Morty." He grips Morty's shoulder and points with extra emphasis at the trees below. "That's where my seeds are." With a jolt he snatches the collar of Morty's shirt and pulls his forward. "If we would of done wha-what you wanted I would a never of found 'em beca-because you're so in love with school."

"Alright, alright!" Morty shoves Rick's hands and stumbles back, just a step from the edge. "So what's so special about these seeds anyways?"

"You ask a lot of questions Morty." He jabs a finger at Morty. "Not very charismatic."

Morty ducks his head and frowns with something like shame. It's a sentiment Rick has not seen on the boy before.

"It makes you kind of a under-underfoot figure." He reaches into his lab coat and pulls out a pair of shoes – just like back then – only bigger. "Just take these shoes Morty. They're s-special grappling shoes."

Morty takes them from Rick and plops down. He slides the shoes on with ease and is quickly on his feet again, watching Rick intently.

Rick pays no mind to Morty. He drones on. "When you're wearing these things- ba-these babies, you can basically just walk on any surface you want Morty. Up, down, below, turn around to the left. These things really bring it all together."

Morty doesn't question it. There is no hesitation in his step as he walks to the edge and places his foot over sideways along the descent of the cliff. But gravity is still very real. He plummets, his scream rising high over them.

Rick starts. His eyes widen and he very nearly reacts in pure and utter shock, but he presses it down. Instead he yells, his hands cupped around his mouth, "You have to turn them on Morty! The shoes have to be turned on!" It's something he never had to tell his Morty, even when he was merely three. He lets out a heavy sigh and his shoulders slump. He just can't win.

He trudges to the edge and peers over at Morty. The boy is twitching and in obvious pain, but the realization doesn't quite register in Rick's mind. He nabs his flask and tips it to his lips, savoring the burn and how it makes his head spin a little. Not the same. It's a thought he won't ever be able to completely forget. He sees that now.

Rick grimaces and casts his eyes down. "You'll never be my Morty…"

But then he does become his Morty. *happy sigh*

Yeah, most of this was yanked straight from the first episode, but the point was to link it to chapter four so it worked. Hopefully. What are your thoughts? Did you enjoy the ride? I personally had tons of fun. Now on to my next project! Whoo! Please review. :)