fun in space | rick sanchez

26. the ABC's of beth

"O-okay," Rick nodded.

Cas was the first the leave the shared room, Rick staying behind for a brief moment, collecting his thoughts, before following after. How does one even begin to comfort and help someone that was having the memory of a brain demon that tormented them throughout life taunt their dreams? Rick didn't know how to even process the information but he had to trust that Cas knew what she was doing. Cas, however, was slowly getting a grip on the night terrors and coming to terms that after all it was truly in her head. The one place where she could call the shots, especially as her abilities grew at the speed they were now. Never had new abilities or loopholes surfaced so quickly for her.

Her thoughts were cut off, however, as she sat in between Morty and Summer, the latter putting her feet in Cas' lap. "... In local news, child murderer Joseph Eli Lipnip is scheduled to die tomorrow by lethal injection, his execution already drawing dozens more spectators than the death of TV news." The news anchor finished and Cas looked over towards Beth, who was lowering her newspaper with wide eyes.

"Wow. He's really getting executed after all this time," Beth stated. Cas looked back to the tv, the female reporter beginning to talk about the crime. "You know, the son that he ate was-" Beth began.

"Your best friend - Tommy," Summer interrupted, looking at her phone. "We know. Stop true-crime bragging."

"I was traumatized, Summer. Your generation wouldn't get that," Beth argued back, pulling the newspaper up once again.

"Bitch, my generation get traumatized for breakfast," Summer replied.

"It took years of therapy to even process the reality. I mean, when I was a kid, I just told myself that Tommy had gotten lost in the magical realm of Froopyland," Beth explained, lowering the newspaper in her hand once more. Cas heard a small thud in the kitchen and looked back to see Rick peaking into the room as Summer made fun of the name. "My make-believe world. I know the names stupid but it was so real to me."

"I'm being haunted by a triangular brain demon with a top hat from my childhood. If anyone understands, it's me," Cas chuckled.

Beth gave Cas a small thankful smile at that, turning back to her newspaper as Rick walked into the room. He had a grumpy look on his face as he handed Cas a soda can with a small dent on the rim, which Cas assumed was the result of the thud she heard moments ago. She thanked him quietly, opening the can and taking a sip as Rick turned to his grandkids, hands on his hips as he asked, "Aren't you guys supposed to be at your father's for custody weekend?"

"We're not in a hurry. Dad sleeps until sundown. Can we talk a little bit more about this Froopy-" Morty was cut off by Rick pulled a blaster from his coat. Cas snorted, recognizing what exactly the blaster itself did.

"Not the bubble gun!" Summer exclaimed as Rick pulled the trigger, enveloping Morty into a bubble and letting him float out into the backyard. "There's no air-" Summer was cut off by a bubble of her own as Rick tucked the gun back into his coat.

"I gotta say, I am warming up to the bubble gun," Beth commented.

"You know, if you're so great at naming things, why don't you do it from now on?" Rick asked, sitting next to Cas and pulling his flask out. Cas rose a brow at the grumpy tone in his voice, "What's got your undies in a twist, Wonder Dad?" Cas teased and Rick huffed at that name resurfacing.