A/N: I got a few requests to do another one of these "close-to-death" scenes, and, seeing as how I enjoy writing them, I decided to comply.

Enjoy! Comments are much appreciated :) Peace among worlds!

Earth Dimension C-139

Rick groaned in frustration. This was not going as planned.

He had been anticipating pushback from this potential buyer, yes- but not this much pushback.

"Look, I'm not selling these babies for anything u-u-under 12,000 flurpos," Rick growled. He pointed at the black case which rested between him and the buyer. "These guns can dissolve plasma-based organisms, dipshit- they're worth more than 12,000 flurpos. I-I'm actually giving you a real deal here!"

The buyer shook his head and crossed his arms, clearly not swayed. "Sanchez, I've already told you- I'm not buying these for more than 8,000." His voice echoed around the parking garage- the same garage in which Rick had sold guns to his now-deceased client, Krombopulos Michael.

Rick groaned again, running a hand down his face in frustration. He glanced around the parking garage before his eyes settled on his ship, his 14 year old grandson sitting in it, leaning his elbow against the window. Morty looked bored.

A pinprick of annoyance stabbed at Rick. It was because of Fart-saving Morty that his best customer was killed and he was now having to deal with this new, stubborn buyer.

Thanks, Morty.

Rick turned his attention back to the bull-like alien across from him. "Look, buddy- it's either 12,000 flurpos or no deal." He put his hand on the black case, ready to grab it and leave. He was done dealing with this shit; he was ready to go home. "A-a-and we both kn-EUGH-ow what will happen when you can't kill your target- your boss i-i-is gonna be pretty pissed off; pissed off enough to take your testicles and shove them where the sun don't sh-EUGH-ine."

The buyer slammed his hoof-like fist on top of the black case, his eyes narrowed in anger. "Oh, I don't think so, Sanchez. Don't try and run away. Either you give me the guns-"

Rick could see some bull-like aliens emerging from the shadows behind his buyer, holding some nasty-looking weapons. A few began to slowly approach the ship; Morty's face gave away his terror.

"-or bad things are going to happen tonight."

Rick refused to look scared, because, well, he wasn't. He'd dealt with creatures worse than these- he was Rick Sanchez!

He rolled his eyes, but creeped his free hand into the inside of his labcoat and wrapped his fingers around the cool metal of his laser gun. "12,000 right now, or all your go-EUGH-onies will be dead. And, then, you will still have to pay me 12,000 flurpos and explain to your boss why your crew was slaughtered by a single human, or no deal."

There was a single, tense moment, in which the buyer and Rick stared hard at each other, before the buyer threw himself across the table at Rick.

Rick was ready.

In that half second, Rick pulled out his laser gun and shot the buyer in the shoulder and leapt out of the way of the alien's grasp, leaving him lying on the ground, screeching and clawing at his shoulder, the black case discarded to the side.

Guns immediately went off from all directions. Rick began running toward his ship, firing lasers at all of the henchmen he could see, killing them on the spot. Five, six, seven henchmen he had hit as he darted towards the ship and Morty.

However, one of the bull-like aliens reached the ship before Rick could- the henchman punched out the window to the passenger side, where Morty was, and glass shattered everywhere. The henchman reached a huge hand inside and pulled Morty out by the arm. Rick's grandson screamed in terror, kicking and swearing at his captor.

Rick raised his gun and fired, hitting the creature square in the chest. The henchman released Morty from his grip as he fell to the ground, blood beginning to pool underneath him.

Morty darted to Rick, avoiding the gunshots from the remaining henchmen as Rick took them down. Gunfire echoed around the parking structure, ricocheting off the walls, stray lasers hitting vehicles.

"Rick!" Morty panted. "Oh, jeez, Rick!"

"Yeah, I know, Morty. These psychos-" Rick blasted another alien- "think they can-they will just get these guns without paying for them!"

Finally, the gunfire ceased. Rick paused, lowering his gun slightly, eyes narrowed. "I th-EUGH-ink that's all of them." Sweat trickled down his brow.

Morty looked around at the bodies strewn around them, breathing a sigh of relief. "Oh, damn Rick. T-t-this was intense! I mean, wow. I can't believe you took down like, fifteen of these guys without getting-"

PEW!

"Morty!" Rick spun around, only to see Morty collapsed on the ground, a hole in his abdomen. Blood began to bloom under Morty's yellow shirt, spilling over to form a small pool of blood under him. Rick fell to one knee beside his grandson.

Oh, shit.

The buyer- whom Rick had wounded only in the shoulder- emerged from behind the metal table, holding a laser gun.

"I told you-something bad would happen tonight, if you didn't give me what I wanted, Sanchez." The buyer laughed a little.

Rick raised his gun, aiming at the buyer. "You son-of-a-bitch, I'll kill you!"

And, he did.

Rick turned back to Morty as the buyer's body thudded on the ground. "Oh, shit, Morty- you're in bad shape. B-b-but it'll be okay-" Rick pressed his hands into Morty's wound as his grandson let out a cry of pain.

"Oh, dammit R-Rick!" Morty's wide eyes looked up at Rick in terror.

"S-s-shut up, Morty! Here, c'mon." Rick placed an arm under Morty's legs, and another arm under his back. He stood up, Morty groaning with the movement. In that moment, Rick realized how light and young Morty really was.

Rick half jogged, half stumbled toward his ship. Morty's hands grasped at Rick's labcoat, staining it red. Rick didn't care. Broken glass crunched under his feet as he approached the ship and swung open the door, sitting him in the passenger's seat. He quickly ran around to the driver's side, hauling himself in. He started up the ship and flew to the nearest alien hospital he knew of, only one planet over.

Rick talked to Morty the whole time, trying to keep him awake as they flew. "M-Morty, you better not die on me…I need you to keep going on adventures with me, Morty!"

As soon as they landed, Rick pulled Morty out of his ship, scooping him up in his arms. He ran to the entrance of the hospital, his labcoat flapping behind him, yelling about needing emergency attention because his grandson was going to die.

The alien doctors quickly assessed Morty and took him from Rick, telling him to wait in the waiting room.

Rick relaxed just slightly as he waited- alien doctors were so much better at caring for this kind of stuff than human doctors. A part of him remembered that he accidentally left the guns he was trying to sell back in the parking structure- another part of him really didn't care.

He took a swig from his flask as he waited.

Finally, after an hour or so, a doctor came out to inform Rick that his grandson will be okay and is in stable condition, but that he was lucky to be alive- humans don't normally survive laser shots, as their organs as much more intricate and delicate than other species.

Rick sighed in relief and clapped the doctor on the back, thanking him.

Morty was up and awake when Rick entered his room, the white walls and beeping sounds reminding him of a laboratory. Rick sat on the edge of Morty's bed and took a swig from his flask before turning to smile at Morty.

"Let's not tell your parents this ha-EUGH-ppened."

Morty smiled. "Sure thing, Rick."